Mojave Air and Space Port, California

A “spaceport” is a site approved for launching or landing spacecraft, and they may be further designated as vertical or horizontal sites. A vertical launch is the traditional rocket type, such as the Saturn V lifting men to the moon from the Kennedy Space Center. Horizontal launches are when a spacecraft is launched from a mother ship, such as the X–15 flights dropped from a B–52. When SpaceShipOne completed the first crewed private spaceflight from Mojave, that was a horizontal launch. Edwards Air Force Base and Mojave are currently the only two sites that have completed successful horizontal launches.

When landing, look down for a view of hundreds of airliners stored on the airport grounds. Perhaps, if Richard Branson gets things moving, you might be able to see a Virgin Galactic suborbital launch. Mojave is a convenient base for visiting the Air Force Flight Test Museum, to see an auto race at the fabled Willow Springs Raceway, or even for access to Sequoia National Park or Death Valley National Park.

History

Situated in the high desert of southern California, Mojave is 78 miles north of Los Angeles, 17 miles west of Edwards Air Force Base, and, for those who need to invest the mortgage money, Las Vegas is 183 miles east. The airport opened in 1935 with dirt runways, but no fuel or amenities. In 1941, two paved runways were built and, after America’s entry into World War II, the airport became Marine Corps Auxiliary Air Station Mojave. At the end of the war, the airport was used by the U.S. Navy before closing until the Korean War reopened it as an auxiliary landing field for the U.S. Marines. In 1961, the airport was deeded to the county and grew briskly as private aerospace companies settled there. In 2013, the name was changed to Mojave Air and Space Port. “Rutan Field” was added to the airport’s name to honor of the Rutan brothers in 2022.

Various aerospace companies were attracted to Mojave because of its wide-open spaces and proximity to Edwards Air Force Base, which provides restricted airspace from the surface to outer space and areas reserved for supersonic flight. Companies such as Scaled Composites and Virgin Galactic are tenants. Several teams that competed for the Ansari X Prize—a $10 million prize for the first private company to put a spacecraft into space—were based there.

The first flights of many of Burt Rutan’s designs, such as the VariEze and Long-EZ, took place at Mojave. Rutan’s Voyager, the first aircraft to fly around the world without stopping or refueling, was built at Mojave, although it departed for its record-setting flight from Edwards AFB.

Mojave is also home to the National Test Pilot School, the only civilian test pilot school in the world. Try to plan your visit to coincide with the airport’s monthly “Plane Crazy Saturdays,” during which tours are organized and some hangars open to visit.

Mojave Air and Space Port (MHV)

If you can’t land at Mojave, you shouldn’t be flying, as the longest runway (12/30) is 12,503 feet by 200 feet. Two additional runways are 7,049 feet and 4,747 feet. Transient parking is adjacent the airport terminal building where you’ll find a pilot’s lounge with flight planning computers, Wi-Fi, and vending machines. But why dine from a machine when you can enjoy the Voyager Airport Restaurant’s dishes in the same building. Order the “Touch & Go” (chorizo sausage and eggs) or the “F–22” (the astronaut’s breakfast, steak and eggs). The restaurant has views of the flight line, and you can listen to the tower frequency at each table.

Just outside the terminal building is the Mojave Air & Space Port Legacy Park, where you’ll find a very unusual design: the Rotary Rocket Company’s “Roton.” The concept was a launch vehicle that used jet-powered rotor blades during the low altitude portions of flight, both launch and landing, with conventional rocket power to power into orbit. The design flew briefly a few times before the company’s demise.

At the airport entrance is displayed one of the few surviving Convair 990 Coronados. This particular one was used by NASA during the space shuttle development. Alongside is a McDonnell Douglas F–4D Phantom and a Saab 35 Draken, a Swedish fighter.

Dennis K. Johnson is an aviation writer and pilot.

Other interesting sites nearby

‘Balls 8’

Just outside the north gate of Edwards AFB is the Boeing B–52 “Mothership 008,” also known as “Balls 8,” which is famous for carrying the X–15 rocket plane on the majority of its flights. It’s parked outside the gate, so you don’t need base access to see it. Drive east on CA-58 and take exit 186 to Rosamond Boulevard toward Edwards AFB.

There’s another display of about seven aircraft at “Century Circle,” just outside Edward’s AFB west gate, also on Rosamond Boulevard.

Air Force Flight Test Museum

The Air Force Flight Test Museum relates the history of military flight testing, especially the activities at Edwards AFB. Unfortunately, being located within Edwards AFB, the museum is not open to everyone, only active-duty and retired military, veterans, their dependents, and those holding Department of Defense IDs. It’s open Tuesday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The museum foundation is raising funds for a new facility, which will be outside the base, at “Century Circle,” and accessible to everyone.

Blackbird Airpark

Those interested in spy planes will want to visit the Flight Test Museum’s “Blackbird Airpark” at the entrance to Palmdale Regional Airport (PMD), 30 miles south of Mojave. It’s the only place where you can see a Lockheed SR–71A, its predecessor the A–12, and a U–2 together, plus a (formerly) super-secret D–21 drone. The airpark is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Joe Davies Heritage Airpark

Next to the Blackbird Airpark is another display of aircraft at the Joe Davies Heritage Airpark. This city park exhibits about 20 aircraft, with the most historic being the B–747 that carried the Space Shuttle. The park is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Glen Edwards Memorial

Drive out to this memorial in the desert to honor the namesake of Edwards Air Force Base. In 1948, Capt. Glen Edwards was part of a team evaluating the Northrop YB–49, a jet version of the YB–35 “flying wing” bomber, when the airplane broke up in flight. In 1949, Muroc Air Force Base was renamed Edwards Air Fzorce Base. The memorial at the crash site is about nine miles east of Mojave.

Willow Springs International Raceway

Willow Springs International Raceway is 14 miles south of Mojave. One of America’s most challenging auto racing tracks, it has events almost every week, usually Thursday or Friday through Sunday. You may have seen the raceway featured in the 2019 film Ford v Ferrari.