obviouslydelusional wrote:

Lots of fun information can be obtained if one takes the new DLR
satellite photo of the Groom Racetrack and import it into Google Earth
as an overlay.  It takes a lot of stretching and pulling to get the
aspect ratios to match the underlying GE base, as the
orthorectification of the new image is quite off.  But once that's
done, the GE measuring tools become VERY useful.

But before that, note the general location of the racetrack.  It's
sandwiched between the main road into the base on the south and the
main powerlines are just to the north.  These two features are hard
adjacent to the racetrack.  Given these obstacles and exposure, it
suggests against UAV testing.

There is a curious set of proportions to the facility.  The distance
from the asphalt pad at the westerly end to the three perpendicular
tangent points of the track (the furtherest distances from the pad)
appears to be thirds. When measured in GE the distances are 350
meters, 700 meters and 1120 meters.  Within the accuracy of GE, this
does come close to multiples of 350 meters.  This suggests an attempt
to measure or test RF over calibrated distances from the westerly
asphalt pad.  Looking only at these measurements, the testing of such
things as RF vehicle immobilizers or "pain rays" comes to mind.
However the close proximity to other base facilities might make such
use ill-advised.  But wait...There's more!

Careful measuring of the path lengths of the three racetrack routes
reveals quite a surprise.  The three lengths are 0.50 miles,  1.00
miles and 1.50 miles.  Those even distances and clear multiples are
obviously not a coincidence.  This leads to the conclusion the
facility was built to test ground based vehicles over fixed course
lengths.  The differing horizontal distances over the three courses
still suggest testing of RF or laser links or targeting.  But the
course lengths hint that travel path length is important for some
reason.  This screams out autonomous vehicles.  Given the strong
interest in AVs by the government in recent years (DARPA, especially)
and the wild success of UAVs, it makes sense.

But as it should be with Groom, some mysteries remain.  If it's for
AVs, why only asphalt and not dirt?  Why not obstacles like at other
AV testing facilities?  The width of the paved area is about 13' to
14'.  This is wide for a one way travel way.  Is the width provided
for a wider, truck-like vehicle?  Given Groom's previous history of
testing radar and aircraft (and UFOs!), testing of ground based UVs
would certainly be a new direction.

Oh, and as a bonus, when you've done the GE overlay and rectified it,
have a look at the triangular tower.  As you change the transparency
of the the overlay back and forth, it's obvious the tower is in two
very different rotational positions between the two images.  It isn't
just minor aspect changes from differing satellite images.  So....it
rotates.

Great post.  The ground based UV sounds fascinating.