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
Organization Chart
WSTF Manager
Frank J. Benz
Deputy Manager
Mark J. Ferring
Associate Manager
Technical
Harry T. Johnson
Administrative Officer
Patsy A. Segura
Environmental Manager
Radel L. Bunker-Farrah
Office of Procurement (BA)
Joseph Campbell – Lead
Financial Management (LA)
Heather M. Moncrief – Lead
Information Technology (IT)
James M. Krupovage
RD
Propulsion Test Office
David L. Baker
Acting Office Chief
RF
Laboratories Office
Harold D. Beeson
Chief
RC
Facility Operations
Holger O. Fischer
Chief
RH
Hardware Processing
Sandy R. Ruttle
Acting Office Chief
NS3
Safety & Mission
Assurance Office
C. Diane McLaughlin
Chief
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
Launch Facility Design
and Construction
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•
•
Support Launch Operations
Row Control Engine Test
Development
Peacekeeper 4-stage
Hardware Harvesting
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
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–
–
–
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
Laboratories Test
MDAL/Offgassing Laboratory
Chemistry & Metallurgy
Laboratories
Space Environment
Simulation Laboratory
Propellant Laboratories
Metallurgy Laboratory
Instrumentation, Analytical, and
Gas Analysis Laboratories
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
Critical Flight
Hardware
Assembly
Flight Critical System
Components Refurbishment
Flight Hardware
Production
Hardware Processing
Precision Cleaning of
Flight Critical Items
Industrial and Scientific
Imaging and Documentation
Measurement Standards
and Calibration Lab
Propulsion Test
Shuttle PRCS Thruster Hot-fire Testing
Cassini – Saturn Orbit Insertion Engine
Glows during 3-h 20-min Continuous
Firing
Minuteman Qualification Firing inside
Vacuum Test Cell
Propulsion Test
Night Firing of Shuttle Forward RCS Primary and Vernier Thrusters
Propulsion Test
Static Firing of
DC-X with 4 LOX/Hydrogen
RL10-A5 Engines
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
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•
•
•
•
•
•
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 Energy
WSTF 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
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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
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•
•
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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