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MOJAVE, from 18
The Marines returned to Mojave in as general manager. He worked for, and that specifies end-to-end delivery of the
1951 to provide aviation facilities sup- accomplished, passage of Mojave Spe- payloads, as well as their integration with
porting regular operations of Fleet Marine cific Plan and Updated Airport Land Use the company’s XL-1 lander. They’re also
Force aircraft performing rocket, gun- Compatibility Plan in 2002-2003; com- required to land on the moon and oper-
nery, bombing and field carrier-landing pleted detailed noise, environmental and ate for at least 12 days post-landing. The
practice. They stayed until 1959 and then archeological studies to support the mas- specific instruments that XL-1 will carry
transferred to Yuma, Ariz. ter plan project in the same years, and up- include tools for measuring and mapping
From 1963 to 1965, the U.S. Army and dated and presented the Mojave Airport the lunar surface temperature, as well as
the U.S. Air Force had a joint military ex- Master Plan to Kern County Planning
ercise at Marine Corps field and in the Department and Department of Airports. radiation, and the detect the presence of
surrounding desert called “Desert Strike.” In 2016, Karina Drees was hired as hydrogen and other gases that could in-
Unlimited Air Races in Mojave thrilled the CEO/general manager. She started dicate the presence of water. The XL-1
spectators from the late 1960s until the as the business development director in lander developed by Masten is an evolu-
1970s. Famous air racers Darryl Green- July 2012 and was named deputy general tion of lander designs that took part in,
amyer, Clay Lacy, O.A. Hayden-Baillie, manager the following year. and won the NASA Centennial Northrop
Howie Keefe, Sherm Cooper, Chuck Hall, Space companies abound at the space Grumman Lunar Lander X-Prize Chal-
Tony Lavier, “Fish” Salmon, Gene Akers, port and include Masten Space Systems, lenge in 2009. Masten has also developed
Wally McDonald and John Lear compet- Courtesy photograph who recently was selected by NASA to and flown a number of vertical takeoff,
ed with high powered warbirds, includ- Aircraft sit on the flightline at MCAS Mojave during World War II. deliver cargo to the moon in 2022. Mas- vertical landing rockets on behalf of
ing: P-51 Mustangs, F8F Bearcats, F4U ten’s contract is a $75.9 million award NASA, including the Xaero test vehicle.
Corsairs, Sea Fury’s and, in the California The National Test Pilot School and Binnie, winning the Ansari $10-million X-
1000, there was a DC-7 and a Lockheed Flight Research, Inc. were established in Prize on Oct. 4, 2004, with Paul Allen’s
Constellation! 1975 and are anchor tenants that began SpaceShipOne.
Early in 1972, Congressman Barry their successful tenure when Sabovich Richard Branson entered into the com-
Goldwater, Jr. suggested that Dan Sabo- was general manager. mercial space business when he helped
vich visit Santa Maria Airport and learn Rutan Aircraft Factory began business fund the last X-Prize flight in 2004 and
how to form an airport district. A cam- at Mojave Airport in 1974, developing began planning the next steps into the
paign was started to create the East Kern the VariEze aircraft. Later, Burt Rutan commercial space industry.
Airport District. The voters approved the designs made first flights from Mojave Branson formed Virgin Galactic and
“airport district” designation by a land- Airport, including the Quickie, Defiant The Spaceship Company and created
slide and a five member board was elected and Long-EZ prototypes. The one and SpaceShipTwo and a new mother ship,
in 1972. only Voyager aircraft, piloted by Dick Ru- White Knight Two. The Spaceship
Sabovich had a vision for Mojave Air- tan and Jeana Yeager, made an epic flight Company employs 400 people and is
port and served as general manager from around the world in 9 days, 3 minutes, 44 presently building another White Knight
1972 until his retirement in 2002, with an seconds, beginning on Dec. 14, 1986 and and SpaceShip in their Mojave facility.
easy going “can-do” spirit that allowed ending on Dec. 23, 1986. Their commercial flight operations have
fledgling businesses to expand. He was Burt Rutan established Scaled Com- moved to New Mexico, but the produc- Courtesy photograph
able to grow a former military installation posites in 1982 and is now best known tion line is still located at Mojave Air and
into an airport that was successful and for the first privately funded manned Space Port. Scaled Composites’ SpaceShipOne comes in for a landing at the Mojave Air
and Space Port.
well-known around the world. space flight, with Mike Melvill and Brian In April 2002, Stuart Witt was hired

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