Uncharted Runway at WSMR

This satellite photo shows what appears to be a runway at the White Sands Missile Range complex (WSMR) in New Mexico. The aeronautical sectional charts of the area do not show its existence. It is over a mile long and at least 200 feet in width.

GPS coordinates: 33.18441,-106.574678

Aeronautical sectional chart:

skyvector.com/?ll=33.18441,-106.574678&chart=26&zoom=3

Satellite photo link (green arrow):

maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=33.18441,-106.574678

The alleged runway lies under restricted area R5107B, that is effective from the surface of the Earth to space, or unlimited. It is roughly 25 miles northwest of Holloman AFB.

A few interesting details are apparent when viewing the satellite photo. First, the runway is built at the base of a mountain range, the San Andres, that also lie in the WSMR. The north west end of the runway terminates in a large satellite dish, not a typical overrun safety area. The south east end of the runway terminates in another physical structure that appears to be a tower or tank. Also, there is an underground entrance at the south east end of the runway.

The location of the runway would render it invisible from public lands or roads. One might speculate over the purpose of such a runway. If it does not have traditional overrun areas or compass markings, perhaps it is not meant for typical fixed wing aircraft. Also, runways are typically aligned parallel to high terrain, not in clear conflict with it. With its satellite dish it has communication capability with orbiting or suborbital craft.

It's size would indicate it may accommodate many small vehicles, or one extremely large (mile long) vehicle capable of hovering flight. A large hovering vehicle could be moored there and loaded out of sight. The underground entrance lends itself to further security. There are also several buildings nearby. Speculation on my part but interesting stuff nonetheless.

DE

[edit on 22-5-2010 by desert_eagle]

[edit on 22-5-2010 by desert_eagle]

need a source to be taken seriously!

I see a picture of a couple of roads and a circle. Where is a runway? I don't see anything even remotely resembling a runway...

[edit on 22-5-2010 by webpirate]

Sorry about the sat photo link, it wasn't zoomed properly. Here is the trimmed link:


maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=33.18441,-106.574678


The green marker marks the spot.

DE

reply to post by desert_eagle


Oh wow. Now that definitely is a runway.
No direction markers though. This almost looks like something that is used to get people to work. And then a road possibly looks like it goes to an underground area. Going from the runway north.

Even though there is a road close by, this is way out in the middle of nowhere. I see several roads out here that just stop.....

Even at Groom Lake they fly people in from Vegas every day. Might be the same thing here. But what the hell are they doing here?

If I remember correctly, 737's and DC-9's can take off and land in pretty short spaces. More than enough room here even without safety overshoot areas for a skilled pilot to get in and out with a load of people.

Nice find.


[edit on 23-5-2010 by webpirate]

S&F for you! Good find. My first thought was why a black asphalt runway? Not how I would hide it.

perhaps a uav testsite?

it's not a runway...no tire marks...those marks are not rubber

Maybe someone built a personal race track.

Thats what I think.



[edit on 23-5-2010 by Oozii]

Originally posted by JJRichey
perhaps a uav testsite?

I was thinking along the same lines, various types of uninhabited vehicles, some small some large. Maybe rotorcraft (helo or Osprey), maybe dirigible.

Whatever is tested there is well away from the salt flats, Holloman, and the target range to the North. Aerial retrieval of spy satellite reentry vehicles are typically done in this range, C130 and Skyhook.

Cannon AFB to the far east is spec ops now, maybe they play there too.

DE

I'll leave interpreting this up to you guys, but here are a bunch of aerials of that location from different dates, and some zoomed in pictures of objects on the alleged runway on different dates. I don't know how this forum does images, but if it doesn't shrink big ones, this might not be very pretty if you don't have at least a 1920 pixel wide display. Edit: yeah, that looks horrible. I'm changing them to links...

5 October 1996 (partial)
i50.tinypic.com...


2 October 1998
i48.tinypic.com...
Object:
i47.tinypic.com...


8 March 2003
i49.tinypic.com...
Object:
i50.tinypic.com...


30 July 2005
i47.tinypic.com...
Object:
i45.tinypic.com...


2 December 2006
i49.tinypic.com...


27 May 2007
i48.tinypic.com...


14 August 2009
i46.tinypic.com...
Object:
i49.tinypic.com...

[edit on 23-5-2010 by shmuu]

Fantastic!

Thanks for posting those pictures, I was hoping to get some information on how old the site is. Of particular interest to me is the structure at the southeast end of the runway. From your pictures I can see that it stands above the surface on legs and casts a shadow on the ground.

Thanks!

DE

Yes, double thanks for posting those pics! At first glance the "object" looks to me like an older anti-aircraft missile system, I'll do an edit and add a picture if I can find one of the system I'm thinking of, I think Iraq used it during the first gulf war maybe? I suppose it could also just be some kind of vehicle for paving the "runway" though.

You can also clearly see the revetment or bunker on the right side of the runway being covered up w/ concrete or whatever the material is.

I'm almost inclined to think that it has something to do w/ that new Air Force unmanned hypersonic suborbital shuttle, except that the runway is so darn short- though an effective drouge chute may be able to negate that somewhat.

reply to post by desert_eagle


Well, according to teh interwebs, it's Holloman Air Force Base's Radar Target Scatter (RATSCAT) facility. I didn't do any googling to verify that though.


...which kinda makes sense considering the weird way they had stuff positioned in the several pictures with objects on them and other parts of the range that were either blank or had various things on them at different times, like they kept reconfiguring the place for different tests.
Also, I didn't want to crush any theories before, particularly since I don't know much about aviation, but I didn't imagine a runway would have structures at the end of it. I mean, it's bad enough when an aircraft runs off the end of the runway; you probably don't need it plowing into the program director's office whenever it does. Also that would explain the giant radome =P

[edit on 23-5-2010 by shmuu]

***EDIT*** Awwwwwwwwww shmuu you beat me to it!! Darn it! I shouldn't have typed so much! Well heres more info anyways...


Found it! Its a RCS test site,the RATSCAT Advanced Measurement System site.

RATSCAT The RATSCAT Advanced Measurement System (RAMS) site is located 35 miles northwest of Holloman AFB, New Mexico. RAMS represents the most advanced low-RCS test range in the country, and as such is isolated in the White Sands Missile Range. Holloman AFB is also home to various other RCS test facilities operating under the direction of the National RCS Test Facility, with the capability to measure both pole models and in-flight models or aircraft.

SOURCE:SOURCE

pic:


More:

The Radar Target Scatter [RATSCAT] Division is a one-of-a-kind facility combining the best in monostatic and bistatic radar cross section (RCS) measurements. Located on White Sands Missile Range, it is ideally situated to provide precision signature measurements of low observable weapon systems. RATSCAT consists of two separate but complementary test sites. Mainsite, located on the alkali flats region of WSMR, provides the capability of measuring full-scale models and flyable aircraft weighing up to 100,000 pounds (220,000 kg). On-site radars provide frequency coverage from 140 MHz to 18 GHz with spot coverage at 35 and 94 Ghz. Two ground bounce ranges are available with monostatic and bistatic test locations up to 7500 feet from the radars. RATSCAT Advanced Measurement System (RAMS) is located 35 miles northwest of Mainsite at the base of the San Andres mountains. RAMS is the premier outdoor static range for measuring low and very low observable targets at both low and high frequencies. The 8900-foot paved shadow range has two separate radar systems covering 120 MHz to 18 GHz with spot frequency coverage at 35 GHz. The retractable pylon can handle targets weighing up to 30,000 pounds (66,000 kg).

Source:GlobalSecurity.ORG

[edit on 23-5-2010 by JJRichey]

[edit on 23-5-2010 by JJRichey]

reply to post by JJRichey


Well now that we've got that cleared up, all we need to do is figure out why there's a giant fast-forward button in the middle of the desert near Trinity Site.
=P

reply to post by shmuu


Eh, looks like 2 range targets to me.

reply to post by desert_eagle

I looked it up and the area in question is gray. It is a cover up of whatever is really there.

reply to post by shmuu


Awesome job!

If you look very closely at the satellite dish on the northwest end, there are at least two smaller dishes pointing down the "runway" to the southeast end. Maybe the structure on legs at the southeast end is a target mount? It kind of looks like a water or fuel storage tank on stilts.

DE



[edit on 24-5-2010 by desert_eagle]

Here's the radar test rig at Holloman. It looks like the structure at the northwest end is a variation of the same thing.

gtresearchnews.gatech.edu...

DE