Aircraft enter the 80 x 120 foot test section via two large “barn doors” on the far wall. The doors take 15 minutes to open or shut, and cannot be operated in winds over 15 MPH as it will overload the hinges. (more photos below)
There is a unmarked vehicle at the nearby Century Theater to operational record noise levels in the surrounding community. Temperature and humidity can limit testing to narrow windows in the morning.
The initial parachute system for the Spirit and Opportunity rovers was tested here and found to be inadequate as the parachute shredded when opened. Although the actual deployment would be high in the Martian atmosphere at supersonic speeds, the denser air in Mt. View at 70 knots provided the same high levels of strain.
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