White Sands Space Harbor | |||||||||||||||||||
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Summary | |||||||||||||||||||
Airport type | Military | ||||||||||||||||||
Owner | US Air Force | ||||||||||||||||||
Operator | NASA | ||||||||||||||||||
Serves | White Sands Test Facility | ||||||||||||||||||
Location | White Sands Missile Range | ||||||||||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 3,913 ft / 1,192 m | ||||||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 32°56′35.67″N 106°25′10.31″W / 32.9432417°N 106.4195306°W | ||||||||||||||||||
Map | |||||||||||||||||||
Location in USA | |||||||||||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||||||||||
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White Sands Space Harbor (WSSH) is a spaceport in New Mexico that was formerly used as a Space Shuttle runway, a test site for rocket research, and the primary training area used by NASA for Space Shuttle pilots practicing approaches and landings in the Shuttle Training Aircraft and T-38 Talon aircraft. With its runways, navigational aids, runway lighting, and control facilities, it also served as a backup Shuttle landing site.[1] WSSH is a part of the White Sands Test Facility, and is located approximately 30 miles (50 kilometers) west of Alamogordo, New Mexico, within the boundaries of the White Sands Missile Range.