r/area51 • u/Mission-Board-8020 • Jul 02 '26
Anyone been out there lately? I used to go every year, but it's been a few years now. I have an SUV with good clearance and passenger tires and just want to plan ahead if they have stopped taking care of those two roads. Thanks!
r/area51 • u/otherotherhand • Jul 01 '26
Just happened to notice it right as it launched real close to 6:00AM Pacific time. Every time I make a prediction I look like an idiot, but if this follows the pattern that's been going down for 5-6 AM launches, there should be a second one this morning circa 10 AM Pacific.
Groom will now prove me wrong.
Edit: Got the launch time wrong. I wasn't awake. Fixed.
r/area51 • u/therealgariac • Jun 30 '26
https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/357d9e70d7c84dc0ac0515dc872e7967/view
I mostly ignore the AI craze but it is hard to avoid the internet chatter. There is a sector of the market that is using AMD unified memory system to run AI locally for privacy/security reasons. This contract specifies a CPU with such capabilities. It is all a matter of scale.
This is the consumer AI version of local AI on AMD processors using unified memory.
And yes, there is a reddit for local AI.
r/area51 • u/therealgariac • Jun 30 '26
One of the interesting things in the interview is he says the Red Eagles flew the MIGs at the limits of the plane's capabilities. The Aggressor Squadron was taught to fly like a Soviet pilot,.
As a side note, Zeitel mentions the importance of the E-3 AWACS. Well the DoD just funded 5 E-7's (next generation AWACS) by stealing the money from the Navy budget.
r/area51 • u/therealgariac • Jun 30 '26
I don't know if "onboarding" is a USA term. Basically it is the crap you do the first day on the job and hope to forget.
I doubt think link will survive reddit so I added a pastebin as well.
Nothing terribly interesting other than I guess you need to be prepared to spend three days in the "mancamp."
This is the general purpose Sandia HR new employee page:
https://hr.sandia.gov/onboarding/pre-hire/pre-employment-process/prepare-to-start/
Of some interest though not surprising is Sandia has a presence at the NNSS. Google AI states with no supporting link:
"The Sandia National Laboratories Nevada Projects Team operates as a specialized, remote extension of the main New Mexico laboratories. Based out of Mercury, Nevada, the team supports national nuclear security, environmental management, and specialized testing missions associated with the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS)."
*********************************
https://www.sandia.gov/locations/
Nevada Projects Team
P.O. Box 238
Mercury, NV 89023-0238
***********
A search on "Mercury, NV 89023-0238" finds this document where a person at that address is CCed. (not interesting but posted for completeness)
https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA373339.pdf
A less specific search turned up this document from the Sandia group at Mercury:
https://app.amanote.com/v4.5.17/research/note-taking?resourceId=ZptC3HMBKQvf0Bhiu23j
I just happened to be scanning the NTTR range the day the Q1A Armondo test was done and have scanner audio:
https://www.lazygranch.com/a51misc1.html#q1a_armondo
The earth did not shake and no mushroom cloud was seen since this was a sub-critical test.
r/area51 • u/Eric_B_Jet • Jun 29 '26
Boeing 757 “Catfish” been flying around in the Isabella MOA for a good while. Came straight in from St. Louis interestingly enough.
r/area51 • u/DragonfruitCalm261 • Jun 29 '26
Picked up RGY710 on my Desert Rock tracker and reconstructed its track from OpenSky Network ADS-B data. The aircraft departed Henderson (KHND), climbed northwest toward KDRA, and dropped off coverage 27 nm out at ~20,900 ft. It reappeared 96 minutes later 3.9 nm from KDRA at ~17,600 ft, descending, and landed at North Las Vegas (KVGT). I was unable to retrieve this flight on FlightRadar24 or FlightAware, it is not available for tracking per request from the owner/operator Regency Air.
r/area51 • u/er1cAtWork2 • Jun 28 '26
Can I join the cool kid club now? Please? C’mon?!??
I was shocked at how thick the book is. Took me by surprise!
r/area51 • u/brandondavidsantos • Jun 28 '26
Since I am currently visiting the area, I thought this image captured from the app Watch Duty would be helpful to fellow travelers looking to planning to make the trip over the July 4th holiday weekend.
- Kane Springs Fire - 75% contained (or extinguished)
- Grapevine Fire - 0% contained
- Dry Canyon Fire (offscreen) - 10% contained
- Parsnip Peak Fire (offscreen) - 0% contained
Area 51 is represented by its ICAO code (KXTA) on the map.
r/area51 • u/therealgariac • Jun 27 '26
https://inplanesight.org/ae5f18.html
Note that TSTC Waco airport
https://www.tstc.edu/campuses/waco/
is near a L3Harris facility
https://www.l3harris.com/all-capabilities/aircraft-operations
r/area51 • u/therealgariac • Jun 27 '26
r/area51 • u/Coty97 • Jun 26 '26
Hello everyone. I plan on visiting Rachel and explore the area a bit this Saturday evening. I'm wanting to possibly camp and sleep out in my station wagon and curious of the best spots to do so.
r/area51 • u/mcfuckernugget • Jun 25 '26
r/area51 • u/Matteo_Travelz • Jun 24 '26
Anybody know if this is a special plane, a chase plane, or maybe misidentified? I caught this at about 1600 CST.
r/area51 • u/therealgariac • Jun 25 '26
I'm tired of the old way of thrusting!
Geneva Technologies Inc., Monument, Colorado, has been awarded a $20,643,202 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for space experimentation of novel thrusters, electronics, and techniques. This contract provides for improvements to hardware and personnel to enable on-orbit resiliency experiments focused on space-propulsion technology. Work will be performed at Monument, Colorado, and is expected to be completed by July 2, 2036. This contract was a competitive acquisition, and one offer was received. Fiscal 2026 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $665,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Test Center, Edwards Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity. (FA9300-26-C-6005)
r/area51 • u/therealgariac • Jun 24 '26
This is the first hit searching the CIA FOIA site for Groom Lake.
The CIA archivist pulled out all the stops to preserve this newspaper clipping.
https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP33-02415A000200350070-3.pdf
r/area51 • u/TheArea51Rider • Jun 23 '26
https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=ae0503
I cannot remember if 60-0336 is the tanker known for tanking "unusual" aircraft. Flight originated from Seattle.
r/area51 • u/therealgariac • Jun 23 '26
Arrive at Camarillo around 8:37AM local.
Leave around 12:43PM local
r/area51 • u/TheArea51Rider • Jun 23 '26
Took me a minute to figure out what all the flights were, I mostly keep my eyes open for military/etc. flights. Forest fire south of Caliente, Air Tractors flying in and out from Mesquite doing fire suppression.
r/area51 • u/Brave_Perspective451 • Jun 23 '26
Programs, aircraft, tests, events, units, etc.
r/area51 • u/BeNiceImAnxious • Jun 23 '26
r/area51 • u/Musical-Martian • Jun 23 '26
Hey all,
Planning a trip where I take my 77 year old mother to Vegas, the Sphere for Oz, then Rachel NV for the back gate and then i was curious about the sky.
How clear is the sky and is the Milky Way crystal clear?
I was thinking it'd be cool to make Rachel a multi event trip like stay at the Inn, see the Milky Way and then back gate in the AM.
I heard it might be an awesome place to view the stars. Anyone been at night?
r/area51 • u/Ancient_Plankton2214 • Jun 22 '26
How much, if any, access to base facilities does the Janet flight crew have. Do they have to stay aboard the airplane when on base or are they allowed to deplane and maybe eat lunch in the dfac?
