Moffett Users

The founders of Google made news last year by making Moffett Field the home of several of their aircraft.

NASA then told us that they’ll be seeking more private users of Moffett’s runways.

Today comes news of two new civilian, non-government tenants.

Airship Ventures has announced that they’ll be moving to office space at Moffett. The company wants to base airships in Hangar Two.

And Zero Gravity Corporation has announced an agreement with NASA to fly their 727-200 from Moffett to let paying passengers experience brief periods of weightlessness.

I’m all for more civilian use of the runways at Moffett. I think NASA would argue that it’s legal to allow these new tenants only because their flights are relevant to the Space Act, but I don’t find that credible. Airship Ventures is doing sightseeing, and Zero Gravity is doing recreational flights. Both are wonderful ways for Moffett to benefit the community, but neither is more relevant to the Space Act than any other aviation operation.

It’s time for NASA to drop the pretense and welcome more aviation users into Moffett. NASA should invite bids from private companies who will take over operation of the runways, build or adapt the appropriate facilities, and relieve NASA of the burden of making the runways pay for themselves.