Location

Overview

• Large Buffer Zone and Controlled Remote Property for Hazardous Testing

• Moderate Desert Climate Ideal for Year-round Testing

• Existing Environmental Permits in Place for Hazardous Testing

Overview

• Constructed in 1962-64 to Support Apollo Project

• Subsidiary Unit of NASA Johnson Space Center

• Occupies 28 square miles of the SW Corner of WSMR

• Annual Budget is ~ $90 Million

• ~ 60 NASA and~ 630 Contractor Personnel

WSTF ManagerFrank J. Benz

Deputy ManagerMark J. Ferring

RDPropulsion Test Office

David L. Baker Acting Office Chief

RFLaboratories OfficeHarold D. Beeson

Chief

RCFacility OperationsHolger O. Fischer

Chief

RHHardware Processing

Sandy R. RuttleActing Office Chief

Associate ManagerTechnical

Harry T. Johnson

Administrative OfficerPatsy A. Segura

NS3Safety & Mission Assurance Office

C. Diane McLaughlinChief

Environmental ManagerRadel L. Bunker-Farrah

Office of Procurement (BA)Joseph Campbell – Lead

Financial Management (LA)Heather M. Moncrief – Lead

Information Technology (IT)James M. Krupovage

Organization Chart

Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide the expertise and infrastructure to test and evaluate spacecraft materials, components, and propulsion systems to enable the safe exploration and use of space.

Customer Base

• Johnson Space Center - Shuttle Orbiter, Payloads, International Space Station, Crew Training, Constellation Program, and Special Projects

• NASA Headquarters and Other Field Centers

• Other US Government Agencies - Army, Navy, Air Force, DOD, DOE, EPA

• Commercial Industry

Shuttle: Test and Evaluation

ISS: Test and Evaluation

Constellation: Test and Evaluation

• Materials and Components Evaluation

• Propulsion Systems Development• Orbital Debris• COPV

Constellation

• Support Launch Operations

• Row Control Engine Test Development

• Peacekeeper 4-stage Hardware Harvesting

Launch Facility Designand Construction

Non-NASA

• Air Force– Peacekeeper 4th Stage Demilitarization– Minuteman Upper Stage Life Tests– Mobile Oxygen Storage Tanks

• Navy – Material Offgassing Tests

• Army and DOE – Support Services, Cleaning, Calibration

• Industry – Pratt And Whitney - Engine Development Tests– Aerojet - Engine Tests– SpaceX - Material Oxygen Compatibility Test– Wendell Hull Associates - Material/Components Oxygen

Compatibility Test– ASTM G4 Community - Material/Components Oxygen

Compatibility Test

Facilities

• Rocket Engine System Test Stands with Vacuum

• Long-duration Large-altitude Simulation System

• Full-scale Hypergolic and Cryogenic Propulsion Test Systems

• Chemistry and Metallurgical Laboratories

• Flight Component Repair, Refurbishment, and Test Facilities

• High Energy Blast Facility

• Oxygen-enriched Atmosphere Test Facilities

• Hypergolic Materials and Components Test Facilities

• Hypervelocity and Low Velocity Impact Test Facilities

• White Sands Space Harbor Launch and Landing Site

Chemistry & Metallurgy

Laboratories

MDAL/Offgassing LaboratoryMDAL/Offgassing Laboratory

Space Environment Simulation LaboratorySpace Environment

Simulation Laboratory

Propellant LaboratoriesPropellant Laboratories

Metallurgy LaboratoryMetallurgy Laboratory

Instrumentation, Analytical, and Gas Analysis Laboratories

Instrumentation, Analytical, and Gas Analysis Laboratories

Laboratories Test

Laboratories Test

• Micrometeoroid/Debris Hypervelocity Impact Testing

• Propellant and Explosion Hazards Assessment

• Research on Flammability of Materials including Metals in Oxygen-enriched Atmospheres

Laboratories Test

Components Failure Test and Analysis

Molecular Analysis of Surface Effects using X-ray Photoelectron

Spectroscopy

Hardware Processing

Flight Critical System Components Refurbishment

Critical Flight Hardware Assembly

Flight Hardware Production

Hardware Processing

Industrial and Scientific Imaging and Documentation

Measurement Standards and Calibration Lab

Precision Cleaning of Flight Critical Items

Propulsion Test

Cassini – Saturn Orbit Insertion Engine Glows during 3-h 20-min Continuous

Firing Minuteman Qualification Firing inside Vacuum Test Cell

Shuttle PRCS Thruster Hot-fire Testing

Propulsion Test

Night Firing of Shuttle Forward RCS Primary and Vernier Thrusters

Static Firing of DC-X with 4 LOX/Hydrogen

RL10-A5 Engines

Propulsion Test

DC-X Executes Vertical Landing at WSMR

White Sands Space Harbor

• Orbiter Approach and Landing Training Facility

• Restricted, Controlled Airspace

• Long, Wide Lakebed Runways

• Year-round Flying Weather

• No “Bird-strike” Problems

White Sands Space Harbor• Landing Training for Astronauts• Landing/NAVAID Development• Procedure Development• Contingency STS Landing Site• Training Aircraft Hangared at El Paso

Airport• Scheduled 250 Days for Flight Time• Average 190 Days Flown

Alternative EnergyWSTF Renewable Energy Program

Wind Power• Class 4 – 5 Wind Site• Install 3 – 4 MW to Provide Energy to WSTF

(NASA funded)• Install 70 – 100 MW (third party investor)

Challenges: • Construct a Road up the Mountain• WSMR land (lease third party investor) • Funding

Solar Power

• Southwest has Great Potential for Solar• Install at least 1 MW for WSTF

(NASA funded, NASA land)• Install 100 MW (third party investor)

Challenges:• Resolve BLM Land Issues

(third party investor)

Educational and Community Outreach

• NASA Explorer Schools in New Mexico • Design Competitions• FIRST Robotics Program • New Mexico MESA and MESA USA• Schools & Regional Science and Engineering Fairs • Science Education Alliance and the SCIAD

Program• Educational Tours of WSTF• DC-9 Microgravity Fly High Program• X PRIZE and International Symposium for Personal

Spaceflight • Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs

Committee• Dona Ana County Spaceport Educational Initiative• Hydrogen Technology Partnership (HyTeP) • Oxygen and Hydrogen Safe System Operations

Training to NMSU and area hospitals• Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program

(SATOP)

Economic Impact of WSTF Installation

• NASA White Sands Test Facility• Families 600 • Payroll $29.2 Million• Total Contract Value$58.0 Million• Budget $86.7 Million

• Local Area Purchases and Subcontracts• Other New Mexico $1,641,879• Las Cruces $1,430,069• El Paso $1,276,890• Albuquerque $ 834,820• Alamogordo $ 56,788