Habboish
20-10-2007, 05:18 AM
This article is about the U.S. Air Force installation in Nevada. For other uses, see Area 51 (disambiguation) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51_%28disambiguation%29).
Area 51 (Detachment 3)[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-0) (also called Dreamland, McCartan's County, Paradise Ranch[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-1), Home Base, Watertown Strip, Groom Lake[3] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-patton_names), The Box, Neverland, and other names) is a remote tract of land in the southwestern portion of Lincoln County (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_County%2C_Nevada) in southern Nevada (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada), located at the southern edge of a large dry salt flat called Groom Lake. It lies within the Nevada Test and Training Range (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada_Test_and_Training_Range) and is owned by the United States Department of Defense (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Defense) and the United States Air Force (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force). Area 51 contains an airfield whose primary purpose is believed to be the operation and analysis of enemy aircraft and weapons systems, and secret development and testing of new military aircraft. The airport code for Area 51 is XTA. Runway lengths are as follows: Runway 12-30 5420' x 120' concrete Runway 14-32 12000' x 200' concrete. [4] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-2)[5] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-3)[6] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-rich_groom_1977) [7] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-4) Area 51 is the frequent subject of UFO conspiracy theories (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFO_conspiracy_theory).
[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Area_51&action=edit§ion=2)] Operations at Groom Lake
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Area_51_28_August_1968_6.jpg/180px-Area_51_28_August_1968_6.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Area_51_28_August_1968_6.jpg) http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Area_51_28_August_1968_6.jpg)
Satellite view of Area 51 from 1968.
Groom Lake is not a conventional airbase, as frontline units are not normally deployed there. It instead appears to be used during the development, testing, and training phases for new aircraft. Once these aircraft have been approved by the United States Air Force (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force), operation of that aircraft is generally conducted as that of a normal air force base. Groom is reported, however, to be the permanent home for a small number of Soviet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union)-designed aircraft (obtained by various means)[8] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-5), which are analyzed and used for training purposes.
Soviet spy satellites obtained photographs of the Groom Lake area during the height of the Cold War, but these support only modest conclusions about the base. The photos depict a nondescript base, airstrip, hangars and the lake, but nothing that supports some of the wilder claims about underground facilities. Commercial satellite images show that the base has since grown but remained ostensibly unexceptional.
Groom Lake is officially run by a unit known as Detactchment 3 of the Air Force Flight Test Center, or Det 3 for short. Almost nothing is known about the flight test activities assign to this unit, as they handle Top Secret Special Assess Programs also known as SAP's.
[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Area_51&action=edit§ion=3)] U-2 program
Groom Lake was used for bombing and artillery practice during World War II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II), but was then abandoned until 1955 , when it was selected by Lockheed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Corporation)'s Skunk Works (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skunk_Works) team as the ideal location to test the forthcoming U-2 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_U-2) spy plane. [9] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-6) The lakebed made an ideal strip from which they could operate the troublesome test aircraft, and the Emigrant Valley's mountain ranges and the NTS perimeter protected the secret plane from curious eyes.
Lockheed constructed a makeshift base at Groom, consisting of little more than a few shelters, workshops and trailer homes in which to billet its small team. The first U-2 flew at Groom in August 1955, and U-2s under the control of the CIA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA) began overflights of Soviet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union) territory by mid-1956 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1956).
During this period, the NTS continued to perform a series of atmospheric nuclear explosions. U-2 operations throughout 1957 were frequently disrupted by the Plumbbob (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Plumbbob) series of atomic tests, which detonated over two dozen devices at the NTS. The Plumbbob-Hood explosion on July 5 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_5) scattered fallout (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_fallout) across Groom and forced a temporary evacuation.
As the U-2's primary mission was to fly over the Soviet Union, it operated largely from airbases near the Soviet border, including Incirlik (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incirlik_Air_Base) in Turkey (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey), Peshawar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peshawar) in Pakistan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistan), and Bodø (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bod%C3%B8), Norway (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norway).
[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Area_51&action=edit§ion=4)] Blackbird programs
Even before U-2 development was complete, Lockheed began work on its successor, the CIA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA)'s OXCART project, a Mach (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mach_number)-3 high altitude reconnaissance (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconnaissance) aircraft, a later variant of which became the famed USAF SR-71 Blackbird (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SR-71_Blackbird). The Blackbird's flight characteristics and maintenance requirements forced a massive expansion of facilities and runways at Groom Lake. By the time the first A-12 Blackbird prototype flew at Groom in 1962, the main runway had been lengthened to 8500 ft (2600 m), and the base boasted a complement of over 1000 personnel. It had fueling tanks, a control tower, and a baseball (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball) diamond. Security was greatly enhanced, the small civilian mine in the Groom basin was closed, and the area surrounding the valley was made an exclusive military preserve (where interlopers could be subject to "lethal force"). Groom saw the first flight of all major Blackbird variants: A-12 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-12_OXCART), SR-71 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SR-71_Blackbird), its abortive YF-12 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_YF-12) interceptor variant, and the D-21 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_D-21) Blackbird-based drone (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unmanned_aerial_vehicle) project.
[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Area_51&action=edit§ion=5)] Have Blue/F-117 program
The first Have Blue (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Have_Blue) prototype stealth fighter (a smaller cousin of the F-117 Nighthawk (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-117_Nighthawk) commonly seen and reported as a "UFO") first flew at Groom in December 1977.[10] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-rich_haveblue) Testing of a series of ultra-secret prototypes continued there until mid-1981 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1981), when testing transitioned to the initial production of F-117 stealth fighters. In addition to flight testing, Groom performed radar profiling, F-117 weapons testing, and was the location for training of the first group of frontline USAF F-117 pilots. Subsequently, the still highly classified active-service F-117 operations moved to the nearby Tonopah Test Range (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonopah_Test_Range), and finally to Holloman Air Force Base (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holloman_Air_Force_Base).
[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Area_51&action=edit§ion=6)] Later operations
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98/Wfm_x51_area51_warningsign.jpg/340px-Wfm_x51_area51_warningsign.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Wfm_x51_area51_warningsign.jpg) http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Wfm_x51_area51_warningsign.jpg)
Area 51 border and warning sign. Note that the sign says "Photography is prohibited". Also notice the Dodge truck on the horizon, watching the cameraman.
Since the F-117 became operational in 1983, operations at Groom Lake have continued unabated. The base and its associated runway system have been expanded, and the daily flights bringing civilian commuters from Las Vegas continue. Some commentators, after examining recent satellite photos of the base, estimate it to have a live-in complement of over 1000 people, with a similar number commuting from Las Vegas. In 1995, the federal government expanded the exclusionary area around the base to include nearby mountains that had hitherto afforded the only decent overlook of the base. Subsequently, limited views of the area are available only from the summits of several distant mountains east.
Aircraft that have been tested at Groom include the Northrop Tacit Blue (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_Tacit_Blue) stealth demonstrator, various classified UAVs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unmanned_aerial_vehicle), and a stealthy cruise missile (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruise_missile) (most likely the AGM-129 Advanced Cruise Missile (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AGM-129_Advanced_Cruise_Missile)). Other rumored Groom test programs include a small stealthy VTOL (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VTOL) troop-transport aircraft, the rumored Aurora (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora_aircraft) hypersonic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypersonic) spy plane, a "Stealth Blimp (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stealth_Blimp)", a secret USAF spaceplane (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaceplane) codenamed Blackstar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackstar_%28spaceplane%29)[11] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-7), and replacements for the SR-71 and F-117A.
[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Area_51&action=edit§ion=9)] The U.S. government's position on Area 51
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/06/Usaf_on_area51.png/140px-Usaf_on_area51.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Usaf_on_area51.png) http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Usaf_on_area51.png)
A letter from the USAF replying to a query about Area 51
In 1997 the U.S. Government declassified the existence of Area 51. Unlike much of the Nellis range, the area surrounding the lake is permanently off-limits both to civilians and normal military air traffic. The area is protected by radar stations, and unauthorized personnel are quickly expelled. Even military pilots training in the NAFR risk disciplinary action if they accidentally stray into the exclusionary "box" surrounding Groom's airspace.[12] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-redflag)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Wfm_nellis_range_redactions.jpg/180px-Wfm_nellis_range_redactions.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Wfm_nellis_range_redactions.jpg) http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Wfm_nellis_range_redactions.jpg)
A montage of available USGS satellite photography showing southern Nevada. The NTS and the surrounding lands are visible; the NAFR and neighboring land has been removed
Perimeter security is provided by uniformed private security guards working for EG&G's security subcontractor Wackenhut (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wackenhut),[13] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-8) who patrol in desert camouflage Jeep Cherokees (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep_Cherokee) and HMMWV (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMMWV) vehicles, and more recently, champagne-colored Ford F-150 pickups (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_F-Series) and gray Chevy 2500 4X4 pickups. Although the guards are armed with M16s (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M16_%28rifle%29), no violent encounters with Area 51 observers have been reported; instead, the guards generally follow visitors near the perimeter and radio for the Lincoln County (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_County) Sheriff. Deadly force is authorized if violators who attempt to breach the secured area fail to heed warnings to halt. Fines of around $600 seem to be the normal course of action, although some visitors and journalists report receiving follow-up visits from FBI (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FBI) agents. Some observers have been detained on public land for pointing camera equipment at the base. Surveillance is supplemented using buried motion sensors and by HH-60 Pave Hawk (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HH-60_Pave_Hawk) helicopters.
The base does not appear on public U.S. government maps[14] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-9); the USGS topographic map for the area only shows the long-disused Groom Mine,[15] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-10) and the civil aviation chart for Nevada shows a large restricted area, [16] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-11) but defines it as part of the Nellis restricted airspace. Similarly the National Atlas page showing federal lands in Nevada[17] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-12) does not distinguish between the Groom block and other parts of the Nellis range. Although officially declassified, the original film taken by U.S. Corona (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corona_%28satellite%29) spy satellite (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconnaissance_satellite) in the 1960s has been altered prior to declassification; in answer to freedom of information queries, the government responds that these exposures (which map to Groom and the entire NAFR) appear to have been destroyed.[18] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-13) Terra (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terra_%28satellite%29) satellite images (which were publicly available) were removed from webservers (including Microsoft (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft)'s "Terraserver") in 2004,[19] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-14) and from the monochrome 1 m resolution USGS datadump made publicly available. NASA Landsat 7 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landsat_7) images are still available (these are used in the NASA World Wind (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_World_Wind)). Non-U.S. images, including high-resolution photographs from Russian satellites and the commercial IKONOS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IKONOS) system, are also easily available (and abound on the Internet). Perhaps the best, most detailed images widely available to the public exist on Google Earth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Earth), which shows in considerable detail the runway marking, base facilities, planes, and vehicles.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/Wfm_x51_extraterrestrial_highway.jpg/200px-Wfm_x51_extraterrestrial_highway.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Wfm_x51_extraterrestrial_highway.jpg) http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Wfm_x51_extraterrestrial_highway.jpg)
Extraterrestrial Highway sign
Nevada's state government, recognizing the folklore surrounding the base might afford the otherwise neglected area some tourism potential, officially renamed the section of Nevada State Route 375 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada_State_Route_375) near Area 51 "The Extraterrestrial Highway", and posted fancifully illustrated signs along its length.[20] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-15)
Although federal property within the base is exempt from state and local taxes, facilities owned by private contractors are not. Area 51 researcher Glenn Campbell claimed in 1994 that the base only declares a taxable value of $2 million to the Lincoln County tax assessor, who is unable to enter the area to perform an assessment.[21] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-16)
[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Area_51&action=edit§ion=10)] Environmental lawsuit
In 1994, five unnamed civilian contractors and the widows of contractors Walter Kasza and Robert Frost sued the USAF (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Environmental_Protection_Agency). Their suit, in which they were represented by George Washington University (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington_University) law professor Jonathan Turley (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Turley), alleged they had been present when large quantities of unknown chemicals had been burned in open pits and trenches at Groom. Biopsies (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biopsy) taken from the complainants were analyzed by Rutgers University (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutgers_University) biochemists (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biochemistry), who found high levels of dioxin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dioxin), dibenzofuran (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dibenzofuran), and trichloroethylene (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichloroethylene) in their body fat.[citation needed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources)] The complainants alleged they had sustained skin, liver, and respiratory injuries due to their work at Groom, and that this had contributed to the deaths of Frost and Kasza. The suit sought compensation for the injuries they had sustained, claiming the USAF had illegally handled toxic materials, and that the EPA had failed in its duty to enforce the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resource_Conservation_and_Recovery_Act) (which governs handling of dangerous materials).[citation needed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources)] They also sought detailed information about the chemicals to which they were allegedly exposed, hoping this would facilitate the medical treatment of survivors. Congressman Lee H. Hamilton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_H._Hamilton), former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, told 60 Minutes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/60_Minutes) reporter Leslie Stahl (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_Stahl), "The Air Force is classifying all information about Area 51 in order to protect themselves from a lawsuit."[22] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-17)
Citing the State Secrets Privilege (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Secrets_Privilege), the government petitioned trial judge U.S. District Judge Philip Pro (of the United States District Court for the District of Nevada (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_District_Court_for_the_District_of_N evada) in Las Vegas) to disallow disclosure of classified documents or examination of secret witnesses, alleging this would expose classified information and threaten national security.[citation needed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources)] When Judge Pro rejected the government's argument, President Bill Clinton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Clinton) issued a Presidential Determination (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidential_Determination), exempting what it called, "The Air Force's Operating Location Near Groom Lake, Nevada" from environmental disclosure laws. Consequently, Pro dismissed the suit due to lack of evidence. Turley appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Court_of_Appeals_for_the_Ninth_Circu it), on the grounds that the government was abusing its power to classify material. Secretary of the Air Force (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Secretary_of_the_Air_Force) Sheila E. Widnall (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheila_E._Widnall) filed a brief which stated that disclosures of the materials present in the air and water near Groom "can reveal military operational capabilities or the nature and scope of classified operations." The Ninth Circuit rejected Turley's appeal,[23] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-18) and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear it, putting an end to the complainants' case.
The President (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_the_United_States) continues to annually issue a determination continuing the Groom exception.[24] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-19)[25] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-20)[26] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-21) This, and similarly tacit wording used in other government communications, is the only formal recognition the U.S. Government has ever given that Groom Lake is more than simply another part of the Nellis complex.
[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Area_51&action=edit§ion=11)] 1974 Skylab photography
In January of 2006, aviation journalist Dwayne Day (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwayne_Day) published an article in online aerospace magazine The Space Review titled "Astronauts and Area 51: the Skylab Incident." The article was based around a recently declassified memo written in 1974 to CIA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Intelligence_Agency) director William Colby (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Colby) by an unknown CIA official. The memo reported that astronauts on board Skylab 4 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skylab_4) had, as part of a larger program, inadvertently photographed a location of which the memo said "There were specific instructions not to do this. <redacted> was the only location which had such an instruction." Although the name of the location was obscured, the context led Day to believe that the subject was Groom Lake.[27] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-22)[28] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-23)
The memo details debate between federal agencies regarding whether the images should be classified, with Department of Defense (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Defense) agencies arguing that it should, and NASA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA) and the State Department (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_State) arguing against classification. The memo itself questions the legality of unclassified images to be retroactively classified.
Remarks on the memo,[29] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-24) handwritten apparently by DCI (Director of Central Intelligence (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Director_of_Central_Intelligence)) Colby himself, read:
He did raise it - said State Dept. people felt strongly. But he inclined leave decision to me (DCI) - I confessed some question over need to protect since:
USSR has it from own sats
What really does it reveal?
If exposed, don't we just say classified USAF work is done there?The declassified documents do not disclose the outcome of discussions regarding the Skylab imagery, but were not placed in the federal government's archive of satellite imagery (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_for_Earth_Resources_Observation_and_Science ) along with the remaining Skylab 4 photographs.
[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Area_51&action=edit§ion=12)] UFO and other conspiracy theories concerning Area 51
Its secretive nature and undoubted connection to classified aircraft (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft) research, together with reports of unusual phenomena, have led Area 51 to become a focus of modern UFO (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unidentified_flying_object) and conspiracy theory (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspiracy_theory). Some of the unconventional activities claimed to be underway at Area 51 include:
The storage, examination, and reverse engineering (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverse_engineering) of crashed alien (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraterrestrial_life) spacecraft (including material supposedly recovered at Roswell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roswell_UFO_incident)), the study of their occupants (living and dead), and the manufacture of aircraft based on alien technology.
Meetings or joint undertakings with extraterrestrials.
The development of exotic energy weapons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_weapons) (for SDI (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_Defense_Initiative) applications or otherwise) or means of weather control (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weather_control).
The development of time travel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_travel) technology.
Activities related to a supposed shadowy one world government (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_world_government).Many of the hypotheses concern underground facilities at Groom or at nearby Papoose Lake, and include claims of a transcontinental underground railroad system (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_transit), a disappearing airstrip (nicknamed the "Cheshire Airstrip", after Lewis Carroll (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Carroll)'s Cheshire cat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheshire_cat)) which briefly appears when water is sprayed onto its camouflaged (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camouflage) asphalt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asphalt),[30] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-25) and engineering based on alien technology. In 1989, Bob Lazar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Lazar) claimed that he had worked at a facility at Papoose Lake (which he called S-4) on such a U.S. Government flying saucer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_saucer).
One major hypothesis is that Area 51 is a place which simulates the environment of the moon.[citation needed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources)] In 2000-2001, Fox Television (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_Television) broadcast a show about Apollo moon landing hoax accusations (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Moon_Landing_hoax_accusations), in which it was suggested that the whole moon landing in 1969 was a hoax and was filmed in parts of Area 51.[citation needed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources)]
Others, however, claim that during the mid 1990s (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1990s), the most secret work previously done at Groom was quietly moved to other facilities, including Dugway Proving Ground (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dugway_Proving_Ground) in Utah (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah), and that the continued secrecy around Groom is largely a successful attempt at misdirection (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misdirection).[31] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-26)
In July 1996 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996), a man named "Victor" announced on Art Bell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Bell)'s Coast to Coast AM (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coast_to_Coast_AM) radio show that he had a videotape of an alien interrogation which had taken place in Area 51. He claimed that he had made a copy of the tape during a scheduled transfer of analogue videotape files on the base into digital form, and had then smuggled the copy out of Area 51. The video appears to show the head of an alien creature in a dark interrogation room, possibly using telepathy to communicate with military personnel and scientists.[32] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-27) The footage was eventually included in a video documentary entitled Area 51: The Alien Interview (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51:_The_Alien_Interview).
Another conspiracy popular among many is that Area 51 is actually the base of operations for the group known as Majestic Twelve (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majestic_Twelve).
There You Got it All Copied from Wikipedia :) *REMOVED*
Edited by Chekykarl (Forum Moderator): Please do not ask for reputation.
Area 51 (Detachment 3)[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-0) (also called Dreamland, McCartan's County, Paradise Ranch[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-1), Home Base, Watertown Strip, Groom Lake[3] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-patton_names), The Box, Neverland, and other names) is a remote tract of land in the southwestern portion of Lincoln County (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_County%2C_Nevada) in southern Nevada (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada), located at the southern edge of a large dry salt flat called Groom Lake. It lies within the Nevada Test and Training Range (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada_Test_and_Training_Range) and is owned by the United States Department of Defense (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Defense) and the United States Air Force (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force). Area 51 contains an airfield whose primary purpose is believed to be the operation and analysis of enemy aircraft and weapons systems, and secret development and testing of new military aircraft. The airport code for Area 51 is XTA. Runway lengths are as follows: Runway 12-30 5420' x 120' concrete Runway 14-32 12000' x 200' concrete. [4] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-2)[5] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-3)[6] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-rich_groom_1977) [7] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-4) Area 51 is the frequent subject of UFO conspiracy theories (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFO_conspiracy_theory).
[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Area_51&action=edit§ion=2)] Operations at Groom Lake
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Area_51_28_August_1968_6.jpg/180px-Area_51_28_August_1968_6.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Area_51_28_August_1968_6.jpg) http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Area_51_28_August_1968_6.jpg)
Satellite view of Area 51 from 1968.
Groom Lake is not a conventional airbase, as frontline units are not normally deployed there. It instead appears to be used during the development, testing, and training phases for new aircraft. Once these aircraft have been approved by the United States Air Force (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force), operation of that aircraft is generally conducted as that of a normal air force base. Groom is reported, however, to be the permanent home for a small number of Soviet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union)-designed aircraft (obtained by various means)[8] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-5), which are analyzed and used for training purposes.
Soviet spy satellites obtained photographs of the Groom Lake area during the height of the Cold War, but these support only modest conclusions about the base. The photos depict a nondescript base, airstrip, hangars and the lake, but nothing that supports some of the wilder claims about underground facilities. Commercial satellite images show that the base has since grown but remained ostensibly unexceptional.
Groom Lake is officially run by a unit known as Detactchment 3 of the Air Force Flight Test Center, or Det 3 for short. Almost nothing is known about the flight test activities assign to this unit, as they handle Top Secret Special Assess Programs also known as SAP's.
[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Area_51&action=edit§ion=3)] U-2 program
Groom Lake was used for bombing and artillery practice during World War II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II), but was then abandoned until 1955 , when it was selected by Lockheed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Corporation)'s Skunk Works (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skunk_Works) team as the ideal location to test the forthcoming U-2 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_U-2) spy plane. [9] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-6) The lakebed made an ideal strip from which they could operate the troublesome test aircraft, and the Emigrant Valley's mountain ranges and the NTS perimeter protected the secret plane from curious eyes.
Lockheed constructed a makeshift base at Groom, consisting of little more than a few shelters, workshops and trailer homes in which to billet its small team. The first U-2 flew at Groom in August 1955, and U-2s under the control of the CIA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA) began overflights of Soviet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union) territory by mid-1956 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1956).
During this period, the NTS continued to perform a series of atmospheric nuclear explosions. U-2 operations throughout 1957 were frequently disrupted by the Plumbbob (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Plumbbob) series of atomic tests, which detonated over two dozen devices at the NTS. The Plumbbob-Hood explosion on July 5 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_5) scattered fallout (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_fallout) across Groom and forced a temporary evacuation.
As the U-2's primary mission was to fly over the Soviet Union, it operated largely from airbases near the Soviet border, including Incirlik (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incirlik_Air_Base) in Turkey (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey), Peshawar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peshawar) in Pakistan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistan), and Bodø (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bod%C3%B8), Norway (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norway).
[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Area_51&action=edit§ion=4)] Blackbird programs
Even before U-2 development was complete, Lockheed began work on its successor, the CIA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA)'s OXCART project, a Mach (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mach_number)-3 high altitude reconnaissance (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconnaissance) aircraft, a later variant of which became the famed USAF SR-71 Blackbird (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SR-71_Blackbird). The Blackbird's flight characteristics and maintenance requirements forced a massive expansion of facilities and runways at Groom Lake. By the time the first A-12 Blackbird prototype flew at Groom in 1962, the main runway had been lengthened to 8500 ft (2600 m), and the base boasted a complement of over 1000 personnel. It had fueling tanks, a control tower, and a baseball (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball) diamond. Security was greatly enhanced, the small civilian mine in the Groom basin was closed, and the area surrounding the valley was made an exclusive military preserve (where interlopers could be subject to "lethal force"). Groom saw the first flight of all major Blackbird variants: A-12 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-12_OXCART), SR-71 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SR-71_Blackbird), its abortive YF-12 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_YF-12) interceptor variant, and the D-21 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_D-21) Blackbird-based drone (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unmanned_aerial_vehicle) project.
[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Area_51&action=edit§ion=5)] Have Blue/F-117 program
The first Have Blue (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Have_Blue) prototype stealth fighter (a smaller cousin of the F-117 Nighthawk (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-117_Nighthawk) commonly seen and reported as a "UFO") first flew at Groom in December 1977.[10] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-rich_haveblue) Testing of a series of ultra-secret prototypes continued there until mid-1981 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1981), when testing transitioned to the initial production of F-117 stealth fighters. In addition to flight testing, Groom performed radar profiling, F-117 weapons testing, and was the location for training of the first group of frontline USAF F-117 pilots. Subsequently, the still highly classified active-service F-117 operations moved to the nearby Tonopah Test Range (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonopah_Test_Range), and finally to Holloman Air Force Base (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holloman_Air_Force_Base).
[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Area_51&action=edit§ion=6)] Later operations
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98/Wfm_x51_area51_warningsign.jpg/340px-Wfm_x51_area51_warningsign.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Wfm_x51_area51_warningsign.jpg) http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Wfm_x51_area51_warningsign.jpg)
Area 51 border and warning sign. Note that the sign says "Photography is prohibited". Also notice the Dodge truck on the horizon, watching the cameraman.
Since the F-117 became operational in 1983, operations at Groom Lake have continued unabated. The base and its associated runway system have been expanded, and the daily flights bringing civilian commuters from Las Vegas continue. Some commentators, after examining recent satellite photos of the base, estimate it to have a live-in complement of over 1000 people, with a similar number commuting from Las Vegas. In 1995, the federal government expanded the exclusionary area around the base to include nearby mountains that had hitherto afforded the only decent overlook of the base. Subsequently, limited views of the area are available only from the summits of several distant mountains east.
Aircraft that have been tested at Groom include the Northrop Tacit Blue (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_Tacit_Blue) stealth demonstrator, various classified UAVs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unmanned_aerial_vehicle), and a stealthy cruise missile (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruise_missile) (most likely the AGM-129 Advanced Cruise Missile (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AGM-129_Advanced_Cruise_Missile)). Other rumored Groom test programs include a small stealthy VTOL (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VTOL) troop-transport aircraft, the rumored Aurora (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora_aircraft) hypersonic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypersonic) spy plane, a "Stealth Blimp (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stealth_Blimp)", a secret USAF spaceplane (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaceplane) codenamed Blackstar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackstar_%28spaceplane%29)[11] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-7), and replacements for the SR-71 and F-117A.
[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Area_51&action=edit§ion=9)] The U.S. government's position on Area 51
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/06/Usaf_on_area51.png/140px-Usaf_on_area51.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Usaf_on_area51.png) http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Usaf_on_area51.png)
A letter from the USAF replying to a query about Area 51
In 1997 the U.S. Government declassified the existence of Area 51. Unlike much of the Nellis range, the area surrounding the lake is permanently off-limits both to civilians and normal military air traffic. The area is protected by radar stations, and unauthorized personnel are quickly expelled. Even military pilots training in the NAFR risk disciplinary action if they accidentally stray into the exclusionary "box" surrounding Groom's airspace.[12] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-redflag)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Wfm_nellis_range_redactions.jpg/180px-Wfm_nellis_range_redactions.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Wfm_nellis_range_redactions.jpg) http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Wfm_nellis_range_redactions.jpg)
A montage of available USGS satellite photography showing southern Nevada. The NTS and the surrounding lands are visible; the NAFR and neighboring land has been removed
Perimeter security is provided by uniformed private security guards working for EG&G's security subcontractor Wackenhut (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wackenhut),[13] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-8) who patrol in desert camouflage Jeep Cherokees (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep_Cherokee) and HMMWV (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMMWV) vehicles, and more recently, champagne-colored Ford F-150 pickups (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_F-Series) and gray Chevy 2500 4X4 pickups. Although the guards are armed with M16s (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M16_%28rifle%29), no violent encounters with Area 51 observers have been reported; instead, the guards generally follow visitors near the perimeter and radio for the Lincoln County (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_County) Sheriff. Deadly force is authorized if violators who attempt to breach the secured area fail to heed warnings to halt. Fines of around $600 seem to be the normal course of action, although some visitors and journalists report receiving follow-up visits from FBI (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FBI) agents. Some observers have been detained on public land for pointing camera equipment at the base. Surveillance is supplemented using buried motion sensors and by HH-60 Pave Hawk (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HH-60_Pave_Hawk) helicopters.
The base does not appear on public U.S. government maps[14] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-9); the USGS topographic map for the area only shows the long-disused Groom Mine,[15] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-10) and the civil aviation chart for Nevada shows a large restricted area, [16] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-11) but defines it as part of the Nellis restricted airspace. Similarly the National Atlas page showing federal lands in Nevada[17] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-12) does not distinguish between the Groom block and other parts of the Nellis range. Although officially declassified, the original film taken by U.S. Corona (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corona_%28satellite%29) spy satellite (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconnaissance_satellite) in the 1960s has been altered prior to declassification; in answer to freedom of information queries, the government responds that these exposures (which map to Groom and the entire NAFR) appear to have been destroyed.[18] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-13) Terra (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terra_%28satellite%29) satellite images (which were publicly available) were removed from webservers (including Microsoft (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft)'s "Terraserver") in 2004,[19] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-14) and from the monochrome 1 m resolution USGS datadump made publicly available. NASA Landsat 7 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landsat_7) images are still available (these are used in the NASA World Wind (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_World_Wind)). Non-U.S. images, including high-resolution photographs from Russian satellites and the commercial IKONOS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IKONOS) system, are also easily available (and abound on the Internet). Perhaps the best, most detailed images widely available to the public exist on Google Earth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Earth), which shows in considerable detail the runway marking, base facilities, planes, and vehicles.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/Wfm_x51_extraterrestrial_highway.jpg/200px-Wfm_x51_extraterrestrial_highway.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Wfm_x51_extraterrestrial_highway.jpg) http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Wfm_x51_extraterrestrial_highway.jpg)
Extraterrestrial Highway sign
Nevada's state government, recognizing the folklore surrounding the base might afford the otherwise neglected area some tourism potential, officially renamed the section of Nevada State Route 375 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada_State_Route_375) near Area 51 "The Extraterrestrial Highway", and posted fancifully illustrated signs along its length.[20] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-15)
Although federal property within the base is exempt from state and local taxes, facilities owned by private contractors are not. Area 51 researcher Glenn Campbell claimed in 1994 that the base only declares a taxable value of $2 million to the Lincoln County tax assessor, who is unable to enter the area to perform an assessment.[21] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-16)
[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Area_51&action=edit§ion=10)] Environmental lawsuit
In 1994, five unnamed civilian contractors and the widows of contractors Walter Kasza and Robert Frost sued the USAF (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Environmental_Protection_Agency). Their suit, in which they were represented by George Washington University (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington_University) law professor Jonathan Turley (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Turley), alleged they had been present when large quantities of unknown chemicals had been burned in open pits and trenches at Groom. Biopsies (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biopsy) taken from the complainants were analyzed by Rutgers University (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutgers_University) biochemists (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biochemistry), who found high levels of dioxin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dioxin), dibenzofuran (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dibenzofuran), and trichloroethylene (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichloroethylene) in their body fat.[citation needed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources)] The complainants alleged they had sustained skin, liver, and respiratory injuries due to their work at Groom, and that this had contributed to the deaths of Frost and Kasza. The suit sought compensation for the injuries they had sustained, claiming the USAF had illegally handled toxic materials, and that the EPA had failed in its duty to enforce the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resource_Conservation_and_Recovery_Act) (which governs handling of dangerous materials).[citation needed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources)] They also sought detailed information about the chemicals to which they were allegedly exposed, hoping this would facilitate the medical treatment of survivors. Congressman Lee H. Hamilton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_H._Hamilton), former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, told 60 Minutes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/60_Minutes) reporter Leslie Stahl (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_Stahl), "The Air Force is classifying all information about Area 51 in order to protect themselves from a lawsuit."[22] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-17)
Citing the State Secrets Privilege (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Secrets_Privilege), the government petitioned trial judge U.S. District Judge Philip Pro (of the United States District Court for the District of Nevada (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_District_Court_for_the_District_of_N evada) in Las Vegas) to disallow disclosure of classified documents or examination of secret witnesses, alleging this would expose classified information and threaten national security.[citation needed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources)] When Judge Pro rejected the government's argument, President Bill Clinton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Clinton) issued a Presidential Determination (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidential_Determination), exempting what it called, "The Air Force's Operating Location Near Groom Lake, Nevada" from environmental disclosure laws. Consequently, Pro dismissed the suit due to lack of evidence. Turley appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Court_of_Appeals_for_the_Ninth_Circu it), on the grounds that the government was abusing its power to classify material. Secretary of the Air Force (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Secretary_of_the_Air_Force) Sheila E. Widnall (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheila_E._Widnall) filed a brief which stated that disclosures of the materials present in the air and water near Groom "can reveal military operational capabilities or the nature and scope of classified operations." The Ninth Circuit rejected Turley's appeal,[23] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-18) and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear it, putting an end to the complainants' case.
The President (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_the_United_States) continues to annually issue a determination continuing the Groom exception.[24] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-19)[25] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-20)[26] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-21) This, and similarly tacit wording used in other government communications, is the only formal recognition the U.S. Government has ever given that Groom Lake is more than simply another part of the Nellis complex.
[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Area_51&action=edit§ion=11)] 1974 Skylab photography
In January of 2006, aviation journalist Dwayne Day (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwayne_Day) published an article in online aerospace magazine The Space Review titled "Astronauts and Area 51: the Skylab Incident." The article was based around a recently declassified memo written in 1974 to CIA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Intelligence_Agency) director William Colby (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Colby) by an unknown CIA official. The memo reported that astronauts on board Skylab 4 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skylab_4) had, as part of a larger program, inadvertently photographed a location of which the memo said "There were specific instructions not to do this. <redacted> was the only location which had such an instruction." Although the name of the location was obscured, the context led Day to believe that the subject was Groom Lake.[27] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-22)[28] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-23)
The memo details debate between federal agencies regarding whether the images should be classified, with Department of Defense (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Defense) agencies arguing that it should, and NASA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA) and the State Department (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_State) arguing against classification. The memo itself questions the legality of unclassified images to be retroactively classified.
Remarks on the memo,[29] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-24) handwritten apparently by DCI (Director of Central Intelligence (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Director_of_Central_Intelligence)) Colby himself, read:
He did raise it - said State Dept. people felt strongly. But he inclined leave decision to me (DCI) - I confessed some question over need to protect since:
USSR has it from own sats
What really does it reveal?
If exposed, don't we just say classified USAF work is done there?The declassified documents do not disclose the outcome of discussions regarding the Skylab imagery, but were not placed in the federal government's archive of satellite imagery (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_for_Earth_Resources_Observation_and_Science ) along with the remaining Skylab 4 photographs.
[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Area_51&action=edit§ion=12)] UFO and other conspiracy theories concerning Area 51
Its secretive nature and undoubted connection to classified aircraft (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft) research, together with reports of unusual phenomena, have led Area 51 to become a focus of modern UFO (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unidentified_flying_object) and conspiracy theory (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspiracy_theory). Some of the unconventional activities claimed to be underway at Area 51 include:
The storage, examination, and reverse engineering (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverse_engineering) of crashed alien (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraterrestrial_life) spacecraft (including material supposedly recovered at Roswell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roswell_UFO_incident)), the study of their occupants (living and dead), and the manufacture of aircraft based on alien technology.
Meetings or joint undertakings with extraterrestrials.
The development of exotic energy weapons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_weapons) (for SDI (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_Defense_Initiative) applications or otherwise) or means of weather control (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weather_control).
The development of time travel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_travel) technology.
Activities related to a supposed shadowy one world government (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_world_government).Many of the hypotheses concern underground facilities at Groom or at nearby Papoose Lake, and include claims of a transcontinental underground railroad system (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_transit), a disappearing airstrip (nicknamed the "Cheshire Airstrip", after Lewis Carroll (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Carroll)'s Cheshire cat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheshire_cat)) which briefly appears when water is sprayed onto its camouflaged (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camouflage) asphalt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asphalt),[30] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-25) and engineering based on alien technology. In 1989, Bob Lazar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Lazar) claimed that he had worked at a facility at Papoose Lake (which he called S-4) on such a U.S. Government flying saucer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_saucer).
One major hypothesis is that Area 51 is a place which simulates the environment of the moon.[citation needed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources)] In 2000-2001, Fox Television (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_Television) broadcast a show about Apollo moon landing hoax accusations (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Moon_Landing_hoax_accusations), in which it was suggested that the whole moon landing in 1969 was a hoax and was filmed in parts of Area 51.[citation needed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources)]
Others, however, claim that during the mid 1990s (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1990s), the most secret work previously done at Groom was quietly moved to other facilities, including Dugway Proving Ground (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dugway_Proving_Ground) in Utah (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah), and that the continued secrecy around Groom is largely a successful attempt at misdirection (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misdirection).[31] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-26)
In July 1996 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996), a man named "Victor" announced on Art Bell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Bell)'s Coast to Coast AM (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coast_to_Coast_AM) radio show that he had a videotape of an alien interrogation which had taken place in Area 51. He claimed that he had made a copy of the tape during a scheduled transfer of analogue videotape files on the base into digital form, and had then smuggled the copy out of Area 51. The video appears to show the head of an alien creature in a dark interrogation room, possibly using telepathy to communicate with military personnel and scientists.[32] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51#_note-27) The footage was eventually included in a video documentary entitled Area 51: The Alien Interview (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_51:_The_Alien_Interview).
Another conspiracy popular among many is that Area 51 is actually the base of operations for the group known as Majestic Twelve (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majestic_Twelve).
There You Got it All Copied from Wikipedia :) *REMOVED*
Edited by Chekykarl (Forum Moderator): Please do not ask for reputation.