With the arrival this month of a NASA airborne space observatory, city officials in Palmdale hope the presence of the agency translates into an economic shot in the arm. NASA Dryden Flight Research Center signed a lease for 16 acres of land owned by Los Angeles World Airports as a base for its five environmental and space science aircraft. The first, a DC-8 used for science missions, arrived in November. But it is the second, the SOFIA project a modified passenger jet carrying a large telescope for studying the universe that is generating the most excitement. Locating the flight operations facility in Palmdale rather than at the existing Dryden research center at Edwards Air Force Base allows for sharing of equipment and crews and for easier access by foreign visitors who won’t be subjected to the same level of security measures needed to step on a military base. The 20-ton infrared telescope for the SOFIA project was designed, built and installed by a German company. About 150 civilian and contract employees have been transferred to Palmdale. Add in visiting scientists whose experiments are aboard the planes and the number can grow to up to 200 at any given time when fully operational “I am extremely flattered to have them out there,” said Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford. The aerospace industry is critical to the economy of Palmdale and neighboring Lancaster. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman among the top 10 employers in Palmdale and BAE Systems operate at Plant 42, owned by the U.S. Air Force. The Dryden aircraft operations facility has access to the taxiways and runways at Plant 42. With a 20-year lease for the hangar and office space, NASA is signaling that it is not going anywhere soon. That’s good news for the Antelope Valley as NASA’s presence means aerospace and aviation-related companies may be more willing to take a closer look at relocating to the area or expanding existing operations in the region. It’s even better news because jobs in the aerospace industry tend to be higher paying, white collar positions. One job at an aerospace company can create two-and-a-half to four jobs elsewhere in the community. “Even small contractors like to be next to a larger defense contractor to get some of that work,” said Mel Layne, president of the Greater Antelope Valley Economic Alliance. Dryden flight operations will occupy one of five major buildings on the LAWA-owned property. Half the building is hangar and the other half office space. NASA will pony up $1.4 million a year in rent and will also invest $6.5 million in modifications and upgrades. LAWA will kick in $4 million for roof repairs to the building and to install a new central utility plant for the facility. Even with its big name, NASA still occupies just a small portion of the space available on LAWA’s 17,000 acres for development but even that presence will make the location all that more attractive. “It could be the seed reason for people to grow or want to be in that area,” said John Anderson, an aerospace consultant with California Manufacturing Technology Consultants. “NASA brings a lot of technical expertise that attracts growth and development.” It is important to aerospace companies that supplies and equipment are available within a reasonable amount of time, and NASA’s presence may serve to attract those suppliers, said Danny Roberts, assistant executive director of the Palmdale Community Redevelopment Agency. With the additional hangar space on the LAWA property, perhaps the space agency will consider moving other programs out there, Roberts said. “It cannot only accommodate the SOFIA program but several other programs NASA has,” Roberts said. Preparing for Observation Fully operational, the flight operations facility hosts five aircraft. Joining the DC-8 flying laboratory are two Lockheed ER-2 aircraft collecting information about earth resources and celestial observations; and a modified Gulfstream III business jet used for flight research, testing and development. SOFIA, or stratospheric observatory for infrared astronomy, is the newest aircraft to join the fleet. At Palmdale, the 747SP will be undergoing modifications to the system that operates the doors for the telescope’s opening. Then installation and testing of software and door controls and the telescope itself will be completed. Flight tests with the doors open are expected to take place at the end of the year, with mid-2009 targeted for the first star observations, said Bob Meyer, manager for the SOFIA program. The infrared telescope aboard the plane allows for seeing objects otherwise not visible to the naked eye. The telescope is also handy for seeing through the dust created millions of years ago by celestial objects. But while dust is not a problem, water vapor in the atmosphere is, which requires the aircraft to fly at 40,000 feet or higher, Meyer said. The SOFIA plane has an advantage over space-based telescopes and satellites in that the on-board equipment is the most current available and is easily replaced and repaired. “It is very handy to be able to switch the instruments out,” Meyer said. With missions as long as 12 hours, at night, another advantage of the Palmdale location is a closer proximity to hotels where visiting scientists stay. “There is a convenience factor of not having to drive for an hour off the base after finishing a mission,” Meyer said, adding that many civilian employees live in Palmdale, Lancaster or other small cities in the Antelope Valley. No independent analysis has been done of hotel space but the city is confident it has the capacity to house the visiting scientists and crews, Roberts said. Marriott operates two hotels in Palmdale and under construction are an Embassy Suites, a Staybridge hotel, and Hilton Garden Inn, Roberts said.
