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FLIGHT INTEGRATION AND TESTING

• Design, development, testing and evaluation of Environmental Control and Life Support Systems.
• Design and develop specialized science instruments and payloads.
• Plan and implement ground test programs for qualification and certification of flight instruments.
• Design and develop special test equipment and related software to test functionally of flight hardware.
• Develop hardware test beds to support proof of concept, breadboard, and subsystems/systems validation.
• Develop procedures, conduct tests, collect data, archive data for analysis, and provide verification closeout. Conduct anomaly investigation/resolution.
• Provide on-orbit control support.
• Provide ground station monitoring.
• Provide post-flight de-integration.

FLIGHT TEST LOCATIONS

  • Yuma Proving Grounds - One of the Department of Defense’s largest land holders, with state-of-the-art facilities and ranges covering more than 1300 square miles of terrain and 2000 square miles of restricted airspace, Yuma Test Center, a multi-purpose test complex, works with nearly every commodity in the ground combat arsenal. The center is also the Army’s desert environment test expert, where grueling terrain and extreme heat combine to challenge equipment in demanding real-world conditions. All the center’s test sites are connected by over 600 miles of fiber-optic cable.

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  • Florence - Covering over 40 square mile (25,752 acres) of Lower Sonoran Desert, Florence Military Reservation (FMR) is managed by the Arizona Army National Guard in cooperation with other state and federal agencies. The Reservation is home to artillery and small-arms training ranges. Camp Florence is the main training site for the Arizona Army National Guard, primarily for weekend and two-week annual training periods. It supports squad, platoon, company, and battalion-level tactical training for artillery, aviation, cavalry, engineer, military police, maintenance, signal, transportation and explosive ordnance disposal units.

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  • Goldwater - It is primarily used for air-to-ground bombing practice by United States Air Force pilots flying A-10s from Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, F-16s and F-35 Lightning II from Luke Air Force Base and Tucson Air National Guard Base, and United States Marine Corps pilots and naval flight officers in F/A-18s and AV-8B Harriers flying from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma. It is also used by other U.S. and NATO/Allied/Coalition flight crews while deployed to any of the aforementioned bases for training. The entire range is approved for day and night operations. Four controlled, manned, and electronically scored surface attack ranges are available for pilots to practice basic air-to-surface weapons delivery, including bombing, rocket delivery, and strafing. Additionally, three expansive, uncontrolled tactical ranges are available. Each of these tactical ranges spans several hundred square miles, and each contains two full-size airfield mockups plus many diverse arrays of targets, including structures, vehicle convoys, aircraft, and armor. These ranges are used to train pilots for strike and close air support missions, and support various types of live ordnance. Furthermore, JTACs from various military services and countries frequently train on the same ranges and direct the air attacks. An air-to-air gunnery range is also available.

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  • Gila Bend - Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field has one runway designated Rwy 17/35 with an asphalt surface measuring 8,500 by 150 feet.

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  • Eloy - Average daytime temperatures range from the 60s in the winter to the low 100s in the summer. Throughout the year, the humidity is much lower than in other parts of the country, resulting in comfortable weather and cloudless skies. 

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