Edwards Credit - © Mark Wade

Edwards Air Force Base, originally known as Muroc Field, is the main test flight centre for the US Air Force. It has been used since the 1940's for flight test of advanced aircraft, rocketplanes, and air-dropped aerospace vehicles launched from B-29, B-50, B-52, F-15, 747 or L-1011 carrier aircraft.

• RW04/22 - Latitude: 34.9052 deg. Longitude: -117.8837 deg. Used by: X-15. First Launch: 1959-03-10. Last Launch: 1968-12-12. Number Launches: 138. Runway

• RW18/36 - Latitude: 34.9603 deg. Longitude: -117.8608 deg. Runway

• TL1 - Latitude: 35.0370 deg. Longitude: -117.8169 deg. Used by: Minuteman 1. First Launch: 1959-09-15. Last Launch: 1960-05-07. Number Launches: 7. Tethered launch test silo

• TL2 - Latitude: 34.9000 deg. Longitude: -117.8000 deg. Used by: Minuteman 1. First Launch: 1960-03-04. Last Launch: 1960-03-04. Number Launches: 1. Tethered launch test silo

1948 February 4 - D-558-II first flight. Crew: Martin. First flight of reseach airplane Douglas D-558-II (No. 1), John Martin of Douglas as pilot. Airplane had both jet and rocket engines and was flown from ground takeoff.

1949 November 22 - D-558 first supersonic flight. Spacecraft: D-558-2. D-558-II Skyrocket exceeded the speed of sound at Edwards AFB, Calif. It was powered by both a Westinghouse J-34 turbojet engine and a Reaction Motors, Inc. rocket motor.

1951 June 11 - D-558 test flight. Spacecraft: D-558-2. Crew: Bridgeman. Navy D-558-II Douglas Sky-rocket, flown by test pilot William Bridgeman, set a new unofficial airplane speed and altitude record at Edwards AFB, Muroc Dry Lake, Calif.; speed estimated at more than 1,200 mph; altitude estimated 70,000 feet.

1951 August 15 - D-558 reaches record altitude. Spacecraft: D-558-2. Crew: Bridgeman. William Bridgeman flew the D-558-II Skyrocket to 79,494 feet, highest altitude attained by a human being to date.

1951 November 9 - XS-1 No. 3 destroyed in ground explosion. Spacecraft: XS-1. Crew: Cannon. Planned captive flight with B-50 for propellant jettison test. XS-1 (No. 3) rocket research airplane and its B-29 "mother" airplane were destroyed on the ground by postflight explosion and fire. Pilot Cannon was injured.

1953 August 21 - D-558 record altitude. Spacecraft: D-558-2. Flying Douglas D-558-II (No. 2) Skyrocket research aircraft which had been launched from a B-29 Superfortress at an altitude of 34,000 feet, Lt. Col. Marion E. Carl, USMC, attained an altitude of 83,235 feet at Edwards AFB, Calif.

1953 October 14 - Launch Vehicle: Navaho. LV Model: Navaho X-10 . X-10 s/n 1 GM-19307 Navaho X-10 flight 1 Main landing gear doors failed to close; ground control of aircraft lost (ET-33 aircraft took over control of the X-10); main gear failed to lock on contact with runway; pilot drag chute deployed late; brake failure caused damage to two tires. But the drone was recovered.

1953 December 5 - Launch Vehicle: Navaho. LV Model: Navaho X-10 . X-10 s/n 1 GM-19307 Navaho X-10 flight 2 Landing gear again failed to retract. It was discovered the drag from the airflow exceeded the hydraulic retraction force over 320 kph.

1953 December 15 - Launch Vehicle: Navaho. LV Model: Navaho X-10 . X-10 s/n 1 GM-19307 Navaho X-10 flight 3 Planned transonic flight aborted when telemetry power failed.

1954 April 1 - Launch Vehicle: Navaho. LV Model: Navaho X-10 . X-10 s/n 1 GM-19307 Navaho X-10 flight 4 First supersonic flight; reached Mach 1.47.

1954 May 4 - Launch Vehicle: Navaho. LV Model: Navaho X-10 . X-10 s/n 2 GM-19308 Navaho X-10 flight 5 Extended range test of radio control and telemetry in 72.5 minute flight. Supersonic flight not planned.

1954 June 4 - Launch Vehicle: Navaho. LV Model: Navaho X-10 . X-10 s/n 2 GM-19308 Navaho X-10 flight 6 Planned supersonic flight aborted. Left main tire blew on takeoff run. Flight achieved, but the gear could not be retracted. Ground loop on landing, the vehicle sustained repairable damage.

1954 July 1 - Launch Vehicle: Navaho. LV Model: Navaho X-10 . X-10 s/n 2 GM-19308 Navaho X-10 flight 7 Vehicle crashed and burned after 8 minutes of flight when a fire developed aboard.

1954 August 12 - Launch Vehicle: Navaho. LV Model: Navaho X-10 . X-10 s/n 4 GM-19310 Navaho X-10 flight 8 Structural test flight, extreme dive and then pull up at Mach 1.3.

1954 September 3 - Launch Vehicle: Navaho. LV Model: Navaho X-10 . X-10 s/n 1 GM-19307 Navaho X-10 flight 9 Test of automatic landing system. System failed and gear would not deploy. Radio-controlled belly landing made on lake bed. Vehicle was repairable.

1954 September 28 - Launch Vehicle: Navaho. LV Model: Navaho X-10 . X-10 s/n 4 GM-19310 Navaho X-10 flight 10 Structural test flight. Successfully made extreme maneuvers at Mach 1.84. However automated landing system attempted to make landing flare 6 m below the runway level. Vehicle impacted at high speed and was destroyed. However the flight set a speed record for a turbojet-powered aircraft.

1954 December 1 - Launch Vehicle: Navaho. LV Model: Navaho X-10 . X-10 s/n 1 GM-19307 Navaho X-10 flight 11 First successful automated landing system flight.

1954 December 16 - Launch Vehicle: Navaho. LV Model: Navaho X-10 . X-10 s/n 1 GM-19307 Navaho X-10 flight 12 Second successful automated landing system flight.

1955 February 22 - Launch Vehicle: Navaho. LV Model: Navaho X-10 . X-10 s/n 5 GM-19311 Navaho X-10 flight 13 Supersonic flight aborted when afterburners failed. Automated landing failed. Chute deployed during radio controlled approach, causing the vehicle to auger into the desert and be destroyed.

1955 March 11 - Launch Vehicle: Navaho. LV Model: Navaho X-10 . X-10 s/n 3 GM-19309 Navaho X-10 flight 14 First flight of refitted s/n 3, the static test article. Vehicle exploded on gear retraction - it was found that the destruct package was wired to the gear circuit instead of the engine circuit.

1955 March 24 - Launch Vehicle: Navaho. LV Model: Navaho X-10 . X-10 s/n 1 GM-19307 Navaho X-10 flight 15 Successful test of automated landing system, certifying the X-10 for operation from the Cape Canaveral skid strip.

1956 June 21 - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas ICBM first test firing First captive Atlas first test firing. The 'battleship' missile was installed at test stand 1-4, Edwards Air Force Base. The test was a failure due to inadvertant closure of the fuel prevalve, leading to duct collapse, and a turbine overspeed cutoff. No damage was sustained and the first successful firing came the next day. Atlas, First successful captive test firing, June 22, 1956, Edwards Rocket Base, duration - 4 seconds. Successful.

1956 June 22 - Launch Vehicle: Atlas. Atlas ICBM first successful test firing First successful captive test firing of the Atlas ICBM at Edwards Air Force Base, duration - 4 seconds.

1977 February 15 - Enterprise (OV-101)/shuttle carrier aircraft mated Spacecraft: Enterprise. Complete Enterprise (OV-101)/shuttle carrier aircraft mated

1977 February 18 - Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. First inert captive flight Spacecraft: Enterprise. Conduct first inert captive flight, Edwards (2 hours, 5 minutes), Enterprise (OV-101)

1977 February 22 - Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. Second inert captive flight Spacecraft: Enterprise. Conduct second inert captive flight, Edwards (3 hours, 13 minutes), Enterprise (OV-101)

1977 February 25 - Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. Third inert captive flight Spacecraft: Enterprise. Conduct third inert captive flight, Edwards (2 hours, 28 minutes), Enterprise (OV-101)

1977 February 28 - Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. Fourth inert captive flight Spacecraft: Enterprise. Conduct fourth inert captive flight, Edwards (2 hours, 11 minutes), Enterprise (OV-101)

1977 March 2 - Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. Fifth inert captive flight Spacecraft: Enterprise. Conduct fifth inert captive flight, Edwards (1 hour, 39 minutes), Enterprise (OV-101)

1977 June 18 - Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. Enterprise flight 1 Spacecraft: Enterprise. Crew: Fullerton, Haise. First manned captive active flight. Enterprise (OV-101)/shuttle carrier aircraft, Edwards (55 minutes, 46 seconds)

1977 June 28 - Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. Enterprise flight 2 Spacecraft: Enterprise. Crew: Engle, Truly. Second manned captive active flight. Enterprise (OV-101)/shuttle carrier aircraft, Edwards (1 hour, 2 minutes)

1977 July 26 - Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. Enterprise flight 3 Spacecraft: Enterprise. Crew: Fullerton, Haise. Third manned captive active flight. Enterprise (OV-101)/shuttle carrier aircraft, Edwards (59 minutes, 50 seconds)

1977 August 12 - Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. Enterprise flight 4 Spacecraft: Enterprise. Crew: Fullerton, Haise. Conduct first free flight, ALT, tail cone on, Edwards (5 minutes, 21 seconds), Enterprise (OV-101), lake bed Runway 17

1977 September 13 - Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. Enterprise flight 5 Spacecraft: Enterprise. Crew: Engle, Truly. Second free flight, ALT, tail cone on, Edwards (5 minutes, 28 seconds), Enterprise (OV-101), lake bed Runway 17

1977 September 23 - Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. Enterprise flight 6 Spacecraft: Enterprise. Crew: Fullerton, Haise. Third free flight , ALT, tail cone on, Edwards (5 minutes, 34 seconds), Enterprise (OV-101), lake bed Runway 15

1977 October 12 - Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. Enterprise flight 7 Spacecraft: Enterprise. Crew: Engle, Truly. Fourth free flight, ALT, first tail cone off, Edwards (2 minutes, 34 seconds), Enterprise (OV-101), lake bed Runway 17

1977 October 26 - Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. Enterprise flight 8 Spacecraft: Enterprise. Crew: Fullerton, Haise. Fifth free flight, ALT, final tail cone off, Edwards (2 minutes, 1 second), Enterprise (OV-101), concrete Runway 04

1977 November 15 - Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. First ferry flight test, Edwards Spacecraft: Enterprise. First ferry flight test, Edwards (3 hours, 21 minutes), Enterprise (OV-101)

1977 November 16 - Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. Second ferry flight test, Edwards Spacecraft: Enterprise. Second ferry flight test, Edwards (4 hours, 17 minutes), Enterprise (OV-101)

1977 November 17 - Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. Third ferry flight test, Edwards Spacecraft: Enterprise. Third ferry flight test, Edwards (4 hours, 13 minutes), Enterprise (OV-101)

1977 November 18 - Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. Fourth ferry flight test, Edwards Spacecraft: Enterprise. Fourth ferry flight test, Edwards (3 hours, 37 minutes), Enterprise (OV-101)

1977 December 9 - Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. Complete approach and landing flight tests Spacecraft: Enterprise. Complete approach and landing flight tests, including ferry flights, Enterprise (OV-101)

1978 March 10 - Ferry Enterprise from Edwards to Texas. Spacecraft: Enterprise. Ferry Enterprise (OV-101) atop shuttle carrier aircraft from Edwards to Ellington Air Force Base, Texas (approximately 3 hours, 38 min)

1979 March 8 - Columbia (OV-102) transported overland to Edwards. Spacecraft: Columbia. Columbia (OV-102) transported overland from Palmdale to Edwards (38 miles)

1979 August 16 - Ferry flight, Vandenberg AFB to Edwards Spacecraft: Enterprise. Ferry flight, shuttle carrier aircraft/Enterprise (OV-101), Vandenberg AFB to Edwards (1 hour, 10 minutes)

1979 August 23 - Enterprise / shuttle carrier demate, Edwards Spacecraft: Enterprise. Enterprise (OV-101)/ shuttle carrier demate, Edwards

1998 March 12 - X-38 V-131 Flight 1 Spacecraft: X-38. After dropping away from its B-52 mothership, the X-38 deployed a ram-air parafoil, and maneuvered to a precise landing on the Edwards Air Force Base bombing range.

1999 March 5 - X-38 V-132 Flight 1 Spacecraft: X-38. X-38 atmospheric test vehicle V-132 was dropped from carrier plane NB-52 # 8 at 16:17 GMT. The V-132 subscale version of the X-38 successfully deployed its parafoil and glided to a landing on the lakebed after a 9 minute flight. V-132 tested the rudders and flaps; the simpler V-131, which made two drop tests earlier, tested the parafoil control system.