SSFL’s Area I consists of 671 acres owned by Rocketdyne and 42 acres owned by NASA (formerly owned by U.S. Air Force) in the northeast portion of the site. It includes the former Area I Thermal Treatment Facility and three rocket engine test areas, the Bowl, Canyon, and Advanced Propulsion Test Facility (APTF) areas. The APTF, referred to in the early days as the “Research Facility”, was launched, so to speak, in 1950. It conducted a variety of research programs and performance evaluations of a broad spectrum of small high-pressure components utilizing both storable and cryogenic propellants. Injectors, combustors to 54,000 pounds of thrust, small turbopumps, bearings, and seals were all tested at the APTF.

The APTF and Canyon Area are part of the 491-acre Group 1A of SSFL. Land owner Boeing is scheduled to submit a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Facility Investigation (RFI) report to the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) in February 2009. Pollutants impacting this area include volatile organic compounds(VOCs), semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), 1,4-dioxane, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), metals, perchlorate, and dioxins.

(Click thumbnail to view entire photograph)

25 Years of Award-Winning SSFL/Rocketdyne Reporting
19982023