Onizuka Air Force Station

Onizuka Air Force Station is a US Air Force installation in Sunnyvale, California. It is a large, blue, windowless, concrete building, known locally as the Blue Cube, with an array of parabolic dish antennas used for communication with remote tracking stations used to control military satellites.

Related Topics:
US Air Force - Sunnyvale, California - Dish antenna - Satellite

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Built in 1960 on land near Moffett Field, purchased from Lockheed Martin (then Lockheed), the station was originally known as the Air Force Satellite Test Center. It was later renamed the Air Force Satellite Control Facility, and Sunnyvale Air Force Station. In 1986, the base was renamed in honor of Lt. Col. Ellison Onizuka, one of the astronauts who, in January 28, 1986, died in the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion.

Related Topics:
1960 - Moffett Field - Lockheed Martin - Ellison Onizuka - Astronaut - Space Shuttle ''Challenger'' - Explosion

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Onizuka Air Force Base is still quite active, although virtually all of its activities are undisclosed, perhaps even classified. Notably, it served as control center for the Pathfinder mission in 1996-1997.

Related Topics:
Pathfinder - 1996 - 1997

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