Ever-growing Google now has an airport to its name: the Internet giant has signed a 60-year lease to run a NASA airbase that comes with massive hangars for dirigibles.<\/p>\n
Google subsidiary Planetary Ventures plans to use the historic Moffett Field in Silicon Valley for research and development in space exploration, aviation, robotics and other emerging technologies, according to a NASA statement.<\/p>\n
The company already uses Moffett for its top executive’s jets: the field is located on the southern end of San Francisco Bay just a 10-minute drive from the Googleplex headquarters in Mountain View.<\/p>\n
Last year Google put on hold a project for a new set of offices at the NASA Research Park, halfway between the airport and Google’s headquarters.<\/p>\n
Now it has pledged to pay $1.16 billion to run the entire 405-hectare (1,000 acre) facility for 60 years, and spend $200 million to upgrade it and restore three huge pre-World War II wooden blimp hangars, with the largest one covering 3.2 hectares.<\/p>\n
Besides the hangars, Moffett comes with flight operations facilities, two runways, and a privately run golf course.<\/p>\n
The field has been controlled for years by the US space agency, which said it will be saving $6.3 million a year in maintenance costs by leasing it out.<\/p>\n
“As NASA expands its presence in space, we are making strides to reduce our footprint here on Earth,” said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden.<\/p>\n
Google Glass users \u2013 beware of blind spots<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n