Trip Report: Holloman Hijinks
Holloman Air Force Base is another of those places I've always wanted to visit. Well, I finally had my chance!Saturday, 28 April 2007
Las Cruces Air Force Station NMGeneral view of site
Recreation building
Height-finder radar tower
Height-finder radar tower
Height-finder radar tower
Metal buildings
Metal buildings
Metal buildings Deming Army Air Field NM
Elevated water storage tank
Row of hangars
Row of hangars from across flightline
Remains of Norden bombsight building
Remains of Norden bombsight building
Norden bombsight storage vault
Norden bombsight storage vault
Norden bombsight storage vault and hangar
Building foundation
Building foundation showing internal vault Elephant Butte Naval Space Surveillance Site NM
Gate and signs
Sunday, 29 April 2007
Air Force Plant No. 83 NMAdministrative building
Administrative building Moriarty Air Force Station NM
Generator building
Generator building
Operations building
Operations building
Operations building
Operations building interior
Operations building interior
Operations building interior
Operations building interior
Operations building interior
Building and sidewalk
Gate house foundation, buildings in background
Building
Cable path
Buildings
Building Holloman Air Force Base NM. Holloman is the coolest base I've visited. Highlights included visiting the "Daisy Track" facility (later the primate quarantine facility), finding abandoned static test and rocket launch facilities out in the boondocks, and exploring the legendary high speed test track and its supporting buildings. I observed the displays of the Tomahawk Sled and the Sonic Wind 2004 sled commemorating the rides of Colonel (Dr.) John P. Stapp. I was only cleared for one personal photo in the operational area: my escort snapped the photo of me at the high speed test track.
Tomahawk sled
Tomahawk sled historical marker
Sonic Wind 2004 sled
Sonic Wind 2004 sled detail
Sonic Wind 2004 sled historical marker
Yours truly at the high speed test track While the original home of the Daisy Track was on Holloman AFB, the actual test track and equipment now resides in the New Mexico Space Museum in nearby Alamogordo. There, the track is reassembled with its "air gun" equipment in a recreated setting. The museum also displays the Sonic Wind I sled.
Daisy track
Daisy track
Daisy track
Air gun equipment
Sonic Wind I sled
Sonic Wind I sled historical marker
Sunday, 6 May 2007
Cloudcroft Satellite Tracking Annex NMGate
Access road and sign
General view of site
Observatory dome
Obsolete USAF sign
General view from outside fence
Main building
Main building Sacramento Peak Upper Air Research Site NM. Originally an Air Force installation, this is now the National Solar Observatory/Sacramento Peak. It continues to operate as a research facility much like it did under the Air Force.
General view
General view
General view
General view
Evans Solar Facility
Evans Solar Facility
Evans Solar Facility
Evans Solar Facility interior
Evans Solar Facility interior
Evans Solar Facility interior
Evans Solar Facility interior
Evans Solar Facility interior
Dunn Solar Telescope
Dunn Solar Telescope
Dunn Solar Telescope
Dunn Solar Telescope
Dunn Solar Telescope
Dunn Solar Telescope
Dunn Solar Telescope interior
Dunn Solar Telescope interior
Dunn Solar Telescope interior
Dunn Solar Telescope interior
Dunn Solar Telescope interior
Dunn Solar Telescope interior
Dunn Solar Telescope interior
Hilltop Dome observatory
Hilltop Dome observatory
Hilltop Dome observatory building
Buildings
Buildings and dome
Observatory
Observatory
Building and structure
Quonset hut
Quonset huts
Grain Bin Dome observatory
Grain Bin Dome observatory
Main laboratory
Main laboratory
Main laboratory
Building
Building
Building
Building
Building
Visitor center
Elevated water storage tank
Saturday, 12 May 2007
Very Large Array NM This huge radio telescope facility was never a military installation, but I include it here because of its "coolness factor" and relevance to space research. Plus you've possibly seen it featured in numerous movies and television commercials.Sign
Dish
Dish
Dish
Dish
Dish
Row of dishes
Scenic view
Dishes and intersection of tracks
Maintenance shelter Updated March 29, 2025
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