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All the United States California Edwards Air Force Base Edwards AFB Satellite Calibration Targets

Edwards AFB Satellite Calibration Targets

These colossal desert barcodes have been fine-tuning spy satellites for decades.

Edwards Air Force Base, California

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Elliot Carter
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Look closely, photographer Cris Benton takes a high altitude kite selfie.   Cris Benton ©/Used With Permission
Some of the targets.   Cris Benton ©/Used With Permission
Some of the targets have aircraft next to them for decoration.   Map Data © Google 2017
Some of the targets.   Cris Benton ©/Used With Permission
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An oddly painted rectangle out on the parched Mojave flatlands around Edwards Air Force Base has a much more significant scientific purpose than your typical asphalt lot.

If you were to visit on a starry night and peer into the heavens, there’s a chance spy satellites hundreds of miles above might be looking right back at you. The tennis court-sized array of lines is a large satellite calibration target, used to focus outer space imagery like a super-sized version of an optometrist's eye chart.

Its cascading zebra stripe design is a meticulously measured reproduction of the Air Force’s 1951 standard resolution test chart. It's nearly identical to the test sheet that accompanies modern printers and scanners.

Edwards Air Force Base has the world’s largest concentration of satellite calibration targets, most of which date to the early Cold War period. This sandy locale is ideally suited for the task, as it boasts consistently low levels of cloud cover and little to no light pollution or atmospheric disturbances.

Far from the only nearby attraction intended for an aerial audience, Edwards Air Force Base is also home to the world's largest compass rose.

Related Tags

Science Space Government History Deserts Infrastructure Spycraft Cold War Seen From Space Military

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This is in a restricted access zone. Cannot see unless flying over.

Community Contributors

Added By

Elliot Carter

Edited By

hrnick, K Cady, mrh330, heathersfour

  • hrnick
  • K Cady
  • mrh330
  • heathersfour

Published

December 4, 2017

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Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1951_USAF_resolution_test_chart
  • http://www.clui.org/newsletter/winter-2013/photo-calibration-targets
  • https://www.google.com/maps/place/34%C2%B050'12.1%22N+117%C2%B044'34.0%22W/@34.836702,-117.7433129,335m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d34.836702!4d-117.742764
Edwards AFB Satellite Calibration Targets
Unnamed Road
Edwards Air Force Base, California
United States
34.836702, -117.742817
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Nearby Places

Sanctuary Adventist Church

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Edwards Air Force Base

Edwards Air Force Base

California

Places 2

Nearby Places

Sanctuary Adventist Church

Hi Vista, California

miles away

World's Largest Compass Rose

Edwards Air Force Base, California

miles away

Borax Visitor Center

Boron, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Edwards Air Force Base

Edwards Air Force Base

California

Places 2

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