Edwards Air Force Base in southern California is home to the Air Force Test Center, Air Force Test Pilot School, and NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center. It is the Air Force Materiel Command’s center for conducting and supporting research and development of flight, as well as testing and evaluating aerospace systems from concept to combat. It also hosts many test activities conducted by America’s commercial aerospace industry.

Its history as an Air Force installation began in 1932 when General Hap Arnold began acquiring land adjacent to Muroc Field for a place to practice bombing runs. During World War II, development of fighter planes was shifted there to prevent prying eyes from learning about America’s newest attack aircraft. Over the years, it has played a role in several historic aviation events, including Chuck Yeager’s flight that broke the sound barrier in the Bell X-1, test flights of the North American X-15, the first landings of the Space Shuttle, and the 1986 around the world flight of the Rutan Voyager.

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Source: Clean Technica

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