mrb1@cbnewsh.att.com (maurice.r.baker) (08/04/90)
Hi --- I just returned from a business trip to San Jose, Calif. The first afternoon that I was there had some free time, so I decided to do some sightseeing. I took US 101 up to Stanford University, and along the way passed by NASA/Ames and Moffett Field NAS. We seem to have an appropriate audience for a couple of questions, so here goes..... 1.) What is the HUGE hangar (visible from 101) used for? I can't describe it any more specifically, but it definitely stood out from all the other buildings). 2.) I remember some discussion of the "secret" (well, at least classified) DOD control facility out in this area. Seems like people called it the "Big Blue Cube"....was that the boxy light blue building I could see from 101 on the east side....surrounded by parabolic dish antennas? If memory serves me correctly, there was some concern about it after the October, '89 quake which was right before a shuttle mission --- and also about easy accessibility to terrorist attack [in a separate discussion]. Just curious.....I had a nice stay in the San Jose area, and look forward to going back for a more leisurely visit someday soon. M. Baker homxc!jj1028 -or- jj1028 at homxc.att.com
chuq@Apple.COM (Spot, the Wonder Dog) (08/04/90)
mrb1@cbnewsh.att.com (maurice.r.baker) writes: > 1.) What is the HUGE hangar (visible from 101) used for? I > can't describe it any more specifically, but it definitely > stood out from all the other buildings). They're now used to store airplanes. They were built as hangars for the Navy's dirigibles in WW II. Unfortunately, the blimp service was discontinued after they were crashed in heavy storms. -- Chuq Von Rospach <+> chuq@apple.com <+> [This is myself speaking] It's a small world, after all! It's a small world, after all! It's a small world, after all! It's a small, small world!
nickw@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Nick Watkins) (08/07/90)
From article <1990Aug3.185440.3115@cbnewsh.att.com>, by mrb1@cbnewsh.att.com (maurice.r.baker): > > 2.) I remember some discussion of the "secret" (well, at least > classified) DOD control facility out in this area. Seems > like people called it the "Big Blue Cube"....was that > the boxy light blue building I could see from 101 > on the east side....surrounded by parabolic dish antennas? Yes, that's it. Official name is the Consolidated Satellite Test Centre (CSTC). See "The new high ground" by Thomas Karas for reasonable discussion & a picture (in hardback at least). Reissued with catchpenny title of "Star Wars" in UK. Controls some non classified satellites (e.g. CRRES) as well as "black" ones. > If memory serves me correctly, there was some concern > about it after the October, '89 quake which was right > before a shuttle mission --- and also about easy accessibility > to terrorist attack [in a separate discussion]. See "The Button" by Daniel Ford for early expressions of concern about vulnerability to attack. Phrase "within bazooka range of ...[a]... highway" appears somewhere. Nick -- Dr. Nick Watkins, Space & Plasma Physics Group, School of Mathematical & Physical Sciences, Univ. of Sussex, Brighton, E.Sussex, BN1 9QH, ENGLAND JANET: nickw@syma.sussex.ac.uk BITNET: nickw%syma.sussex.ac.uk@uk.ac
jwatts@hpihoah.HP.COM (Jon Watts) (08/09/90)
> 1.) What is the HUGE hangar (visible from 101) used for? I > can't describe it any more specifically, but it definitely > stood out from all the other buildings). The hanger of which you speak isn't used for anything unusual, just storing/servicing aircraft like any other hanger. The reason it's so huge is that it previously was used as a hanger for blimps which the Navy used for anti-submarine work off the coast.
Mike.McManus@FtCollins.NCR.com (Mike McManus) (08/09/90)
In article <1990Aug3.185440.3115@cbnewsh.att.com> mrb1@cbnewsh.att.com (maurice.r.baker) writes: > > 2.) I remember some discussion of the "secret" (well, at least > classified) DOD control facility out in this area. Seems > like people called it the "Big Blue Cube"....was that > the boxy light blue building I could see from 101 > on the east side....surrounded by parabolic dish antennas? > If memory serves me correctly, there was some concern > about it after the October, '89 quake which was right > before a shuttle mission --- and also about easy accessibility > to terrorist attack [in a separate discussion]. A USAF buddy of mine works in the Blue Cube, says there's some pretty neat stuff that goes on in there (most of which he can't discuss :-). I beleive that they coordinate space tracking and communications for the military there (whereas the USAF has their own space command in Colorado Springs... Or is it the other way around?). According to him, they were fully functional within 12 hours of the quake. He said that one of the computer rooms continued to function normally, despite being under a foot of water from a water main break! That's some pretty hardy equipment. Don't think I can say the same would happen if our comupter room were flooded! -- Disclaimer: All spelling and/or grammar in this document are guaranteed to be correct; any exseptions is the is wurk uv intter-net deemuns,. Mike McManus Mike.McManus@FtCollins.NCR.COM, or NCR Microelectronics ncr-mpd!mikemc@ncr-sd.sandiego.ncr.com, or 2001 Danfield Ct. uunet!ncrlnk!ncr-mpd!garage!mikemc Ft. Collins, Colorado (303) 223-5100 Ext. 378
nickw@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Nick Watkins) (08/24/90)
From article <MIKE.MCMANUS.90Aug9133251@mustang.FtCollins.NCR.com>, by Mike.McManus@FtCollins.NCR.com (Mike McManus): > In article <1990Aug3.185440.3115@cbnewsh.att.com> mrb1@cbnewsh.att.com (maurice.r.baker) writes: > > A USAF buddy of mine works in the Blue Cube, says there's some pretty neat > stuff that goes on in there (most of which he can't discuss :-). I beleive > that they coordinate space tracking and communications for the military there > (whereas the USAF has their own space command in Colorado Springs... Or is it > the other way around?). Blue Cube (aka Onizuka AFB or CSTC [ pronounced see stick"]) shares this responsibility with a new installation, CSOC ["see sock"], in Colorado Springs. Space Command is now responsible for both as far as I could tell (CRRES is controlled from there). HQ for Space Command is, I believe, in either LA (where USAF Space & Missile Systems Organization were based) or Colorado. See "The New High Ground", by Thomas Karas for more details. Nick -- Dr. Nick Watkins, Space & Plasma Physics Group, School of Mathematical & Physical Sciences, Univ. of Sussex, Brighton, E.Sussex, BN1 9QH, ENGLAND JANET: nickw@syma.sussex.ac.uk BITNET: nickw%syma.sussex.ac.uk@uk.ac