After careful observation TMT ~ special projects group has decided to initiate a selective intervention in the restoration & reuse of Hangar One at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC). The structure is 1,133 feet long by 308 feet wide and 198 feet tall with a floor space of 351,000 square feet. The structure is distinctive not only because of its massive size, but also because of its design known as "Streamline Moderne". It is also part of the Shenandoah Historic District at ARC and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is "protected" by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. The structure has become a "white elephant" or more accurately a toxic "beached whale" & bureaucratic budgetary football over the last 12 years. The Navy is finally fulfilling a $ 24 million project to decontaminate the PCB leaching site to the extent that they are removing the skin leaving the massive steel skeleton of a "beached whale". NASA has failed to justify future funding to complete the buildings restoration primarily because they have not clearly defined mission-critical uses. At the end of 2011 Google/H211 offered to pony up $ 32 million dollars to re-skin the hangar if they could park their private jet fleet there. To date there has been no response from NASA.
TMT ~ spg is initiating "project Occupy Hangar 0ne" (^pOH0^) to facilitate in the execution of a successful master plan to restore & renew this architectural landmark.
PHASE 0NE - Will create virtual MMORPG environments in (but not limited to) Google Earth via Sketch-Up & also Second Life to enlist supporters to participate in mission-critical scenarios for the structure. This phase will continue through out all pursuant phases to establish an open source cloud based laboratory to monitor & collect relevant data for future & actual use as well as create a persistent virtual presence by advocates.
PHASE TWO - will be a facilitation effort to expedite fund raising & decision making of controlling & interested parties for a public/private partnership to make the building 100% self-sufficient. The goal is to establish Hangar One as the Center for Autonomous Global Aircraft. In this phase letters of intent will be secured for the contribution of state of the art photo-voltaic systems, composite woven fabrics, energy storage, fuel cells, LED lighting & bio-fuel systems to refine the actual & future composition of the hangars sub-systems. Ostensibly creating a land based test bed for materials & systems to be used in future Autonomous Global Aircraft.
PHASE THREE - Secure contracts from all interested & controlling parties to implement the best case scenarios gleaned from the innovative design/simulation process. This building has the potential to act as a catalyst to unlock the potential of Lighter -Than- Air vehicles, the eco-friendly future of aviation. NASA would be wise to be a better steward toward the future birthplace of truly Earth Space Ships.
