Friday, October 2, 2026

Question: Why did the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics choose Wallops Island for its rocket test range?

Answer: The island met every requirement the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics had. It sat close to the Langley laboratory, offered a long launch range over the ocean free of people and shipping, and was near an existing military base, the Chincoteague Naval Auxiliary Air Station, which could provide logistics support for the operation.