More than a few friends have asked, "What is this mountain you keep referring to?"I guess I've taken for granted that most folks have seen Stargate. (Or maybe that's just my nephew and nieces that are science fiction crazed.)
The Cheyenne Mountain Complex is the official name. And just as the name says - it is one complex location!
Trying not to use MilSpeak, let me give you a very brief overview. (When you have ample time, Dave would LOVE to give you every detail.)
The design of this facility makes it one of the most unusual installations in the world. Apart from the fact that it is housed 2,000 feet (600 m) inside the granite mountain, the interior was actually designed by the US Navy. It is also notable in that it houses a bi-national United States and Canadian organization charged with the missions of aerospace warning, aerospace control and maritime warning for North America.
Highlights:
*25 ton blast doors.
*4.5 acre of excavated chambers & tunnels
*15 buildings. 12 of those buildings are 3 stories tall. All of them freestanding, without contact to the mountain itself.
How, you ask?
All of the buildings are mounted on 1,319 steel springs, each weighing approximately 1,000 pounds. The springs allow the complex to move 12 inches in any one direction.
*To make the complex self-sufficient, adequate space in the complex is devoted to support functions. A dining facility, medical facility with dental office, pharmacy and a two-bed ward; two physical fitness centers with exercise equipment and sauna; a small base exchange, chapel, and barber shop are all located within the complex.
We like to sum it up by likening it to an aircraft carrier built inside the mountain.
Time.com has a great photo tour. Giving some pretty cool glimpses into what most of us will never actually see. Click here to take a gander.
Want even better photos of inside?
Cnet had the best photo tour I could find. Don't miss their descriptions that accompany each photo on the right hand side. It's like taking a quickie engineering class for dumbies.
A trip to the complex doesn't happen for Dave daily. In fact, it's rather rare. And thank goodness! The process of just getting inside to a work station is quite cumbersome.
However, we can't help be get excited at one project associated with NORAD. Tracking Santa! Having been such active participants in this tradition since the kids were just little, we're excited to be on the operating end of it this year.
*photos courtesy of norad.mil
2 comments:
The girls are obsessed with tracking Santa every year. Wait until I tell them they're getting their updates from Mr. Dave!
Lawrence Green likes this.
Shannon Wolff Mavica: So cool. I grew up about 2 miles from this place...my dad once had to work on a car there (he was a mechanic) and he said the guards had guns aimed at him the entire time. Scary!!!
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