MAY 2016 | 23 global connectivity. A test director is in charge. A safety officer is on duty. A spotter stands outside and watches overhead for approaching airplanes. Boeing employees bring a strong sense of purpose to the observatory and its advanced research. “People here feel a real ownership in the site,” said Josh Kann, a Boeing senior physicist and Associate Technical Fellow. “It’s extremely interesting work. It’s extremely challenging work. These are cutting-edge programs. You definitely understand there’s a need for this kind of technology.” In this rugged landscape, they are not always alone when in pursuit of their high-tech breakthroughs. Boeing employees often work late at night at the observatory and are encouraged to carry flashlights when getting in and out of their vehicles during the warmer seasons—otherwise they might not spot the rattlesnakes which show up from time to time on the asphalt parking areas. “You need a flashlight for safety, just to get to your car, to see where it is when you’re working at night, and there are snakes up there,” Schall said. “It’s not like they’re swarming all over the place, but you have to be careful not to step on one.” Twenty-five miles away, Boeing Albuquerque has a much more urban feel to its workplace. The block-long building anchors the middle of a commercial strip mall, surrounded by hotels, restaurants and medical clinics. What goes on inside, however, is hardly everyday activity. Prototypes of satellites and weapon concepts are on display in various hallways. Current laser and sensor projects get full attention behind closed doors, where clean rooms, or debris-free areas, are cordoned off in labs by dangling plastic ribbons. Lasers require clean optics. The need for precision here can’t be overstated. In the middle of a pristine lab, Isaac Neal, guidance navigation control engineer, and Barry Crow, electrical design engineer, make adjustments to a boxlike structure mounted on a three-legged stand. Two large lenses
Frontiers May 2016 Issue
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