AFRL starts work on 'Skywave' space environment research lab

The Air Force Research Laboratory’s space vehicles directorate broke ground this week on a new space environment research laboratory at Kirtland Air Force Base, NM.

Skywave Technology Lab will be a 3,500 square foot facility, situated on 72 acres, that will house systems used to monitor the space environment.

"The Skywave Lab will provide the workspace our team needs for space environment research, which involves developing and testing new instrumentation, preparing for field experiments around the globe, as well as collecting and processing data to support ionospheric and radio frequency research," Todd Parris, director of the geospace environment impacts and applications branch, said in a March 18 press release.