NASA wind tunnel could reopen NASA wind tunnel could reopen (February 18, 2005)

Air Force interested in using massive Moffett structure

By Julie O'Shea

The U.S. Air Force is in talks with officials at NASA Ames Research Center to reopen the Moffett Field wind tunnel, one of the largest in the world.

Although the Department of Defense had hoped to have a deal finalized and the wind tunnel reopened by October, officials are now saying they will need more time to work out the details.

The National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex, which can be seen from Highway 101, was last used by Ames about a year ago to test parachutes used in the recent Mars rover mission. The facility, mainly used for research and testing model aircraft, has two different size chambers; one is 80 feet by 120 feet and the other is 40 feet by 80 feet.

If the Air Force reactivates the Moffett tunnel, it would be primarily used for testing helicopters, said Capt. Roger Burdette, a spokesperson for Arnold Air Force Base in Tennessee, which is leading the negotiations.

"At this point, it's an idea," Burdette said. "It's something we are looking seriously at but not something that we have a whole lot of details about right now, other than the fact that we are definitely considering it."

There are still a lot of unknowns, Burdette added, such as what the lease agreement would look like, who would run the facility, and if this deal could potentially mean new jobs for Mountain View.

"This is a national asset that the country has. We hate to see it just sit there," said Stan Newberry, the deputy center director at Ames. "We look forward to having [the U.S. Air Force] operate the wind tunnel."

The Air Force runs a number of wind tunnels around the country, including a couple that can generate winds up to 10 times the speed of sound. What makes the Moffett facility appealing, Burdette said, is that it has a slower wind speed and would be a "nice addition to our arsenal of wind tunnels."

If the Air Force does eventually take over operations of the wind tunnel, NASA Ames would be considered a user, just like any other client looking to use the facility, Newberry said.

But "it's very preliminary at this point," he emphasized.

Added Burdette: "This is not a done deal."

E-mail Julie O'Shea at joshea@mv-voice.com

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