Date: September 16, 2003

CONTACT: Jamie Thompson at (775) 623-1500

Rocket Launch Attempt Temporarily Closes Black Rock Desert Playa

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Winnemucca Field Office has issued a permit to Civilian Space Exploration Team (CSXT) to use the Black Rock Desert playa as a launch site from which to attempt to set a high altitude record for amateur rocketry of 120 kilometers. This is the second year in a row CSXT has made the attempt. The launch site is located eight miles northeast of Gerlach, Nevada. The rocket’s planned trajectory arcs northeastward over the playa for approximately 22 miles to a landing near the playa’s northeast end.

As a safety precaution to protect the public, as published in the Federal Register on August 12, 2003, most of the Black Rock Desert playa will be temporarily closed to the general public when launches are attempted between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. (noon) on each of four mornings in September and four mornings in October. Specifically, the area could be closed on the mornings of Monday, September 15th through Thursday, September 18th. As soon as possible following a successful launch, the closure will be lifted. However, if required, the closure would also apply Tuesday, October 14th through Friday October 17th.

It is important to note that the playa will be open to public use on weekends. The extreme southwest end of the playa, including the Three-Mile Access off State Highway 34 north of Gerlach is not included in the closure area and will remain open at all times; the closure area begins about 1 mile east of that access and includes the remainder of the playa that stretches northeastward from that point, encompassing Black Rock Hot Springs and Double Hot Springs.

BLM Outdoor Recreation Planner Dave Lefevre explains, “Clear skies and light winds are required for a successful launch. To limit the public closure as much as possible, we have authorized it only for three-hour periods each morning; the time of day when light winds are most likely. This provides CSXT with a reasonable opportunity to succeed, assures that the general public is not put at risk, and avoids as much user conflict as possible.”

Maps showing the closure area are posted at strategic locations throughout the area and distributed to visitors. A downloadable closure map is available on the BLM Winnemucca Office website at http://www.nv.blm.gov/Winnemucca/recreation/default.htm  Further information is also available by contacting Dave Lefevre at (775) 623-1500.

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