NASA Stennis Provides Ideal Setting for Range Operations

Think of the NASA Stennis Space Center, and we probably think of rocket propulsion tests. The site has a long history of tests to support the spatial efforts of the nation, including the current Artemis program to send astronauts to the moon to prepare for the future human exploration of Mars.

However, NASA Stennis is also working to become a key support for a more terrestrial exploration. Indeed, in terms of unmanned range operations, NASA Stennis has everything – restricted airspace layers, a closed channel system and hectares on hectares of protected terrain.

The NASA site near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, is an ideal location for all types of air, sailors and ground tests, said operations director of the Jason Peterson range. “My job is to understand the customer, and their requirements and limits, to help them succeed,” he added. “What makes NASA Stennis unique is our area protected by the federal government for users.”

The need to find out about unmanned systems, such as drones or underwater vehicles, in a safe environment is developing as technology progresses. Think about it as learning to drive a car in a parking lot before hitting the road.

NASA Stennis has already started to take advantage of these capacities. In 2024, the center established an agreement with Skydweler Aero Inc. to use a limited airspace for flight tests of autonomous solar energy aircraft. This agreement from its first to its kind opens the way to future collaborations while NASA Stennis extends its operations based on customers beyond the tenants on site.

NASA Stennis has its own protected airspace, similar to the way airports control the sky around them. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) created this limited air space in 1966 and extended it in 2016 to support both the NASA missions and the operations of the US Department of Defense.

NASA Stennis is one of only two non -military air areas in the country. It operates two main airspace zones – a propulsion test area extending from ground level to 12,000 feet to safely test rocket engines without interfering with ordinary air traffic, and an airplane operations area covering 100 square miles up to 6,000 feet, with 15 acres dedicated for the launch and recovery of drones.

NASA Stennis staff provide full support, including safety exams, coordination between airplane operators and FAA air traffic controllers, and constant communication with beach safety staff to ensure that all operations are carried out safely.

The centerpiece of the Nasa Stennis Marine range is its vast 7.5 -mile channel system, protected by a locking and DAM system that connects to the tributaries of Pearl River. This network can accommodate various marine platforms, including traditional motorcycle, autonomous submarine vehicles, operated remote vehicles, unmanned surface ships and air drones requiring water landing capacities.

The controlled environment provides protection against weather conditions and unfavorable interference, which makes it ideal for testing sensitive or owner technologies. The installation is particularly precious for emerging technologies in autonomous systems, the integration of sensors and multi-domain operations where air, surface and submarine platforms operate in coordination.

NASA Stennis installations are located on 13,800 acres of closed property, surrounded by 125,000 additional acres of protected land known as the acoustic buffer zone. This area was mainly established by permanent lease to allow the test of large rocket equipment without disturbing residents of the area and is closely monitored without permanent habitable structures.

“The location helps reduce the dangers for the public when testing new technologies,” said Peterson. “With support infrastructure for office spaces, storage or manufacturing, it makes NASA Stennis an ideal place to test, train, exploit and even manufacture.”

The Federal City of NASA Stennis already welcomes more than 50 federal, state, academic, public and private aerospace, technologies and research, with room for more. All tenants share operating costs while pursuing individual missions.

The leaders of NASA Stennis are perfectly aware of the opportunity that such unique capacities offer. The Strategic Plan of the 2024-2028 Center indicates that NASA Stennis will take advantage of these unique capacities to support the tests and the functioning of unrealized systems.

Managers work to identify opportunities to maximize site capabilities and develop an effective business model. “NASA Stennis is open to business, and we want to provide a friendly range for operators to test vehicles by creating a safe, profitable environment and focused on the success of the mission,” said Peterson.

For more information on range operations at Stennis Space Center in NASA, visit:
Scale and airspace operations – NASA

For more information on the Stennis Space Center, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/stennis