NASA is leasing Hangar One (as well as two nearby runways, two smaller hangars, and some other buildings) to the search company as part of a cost-cutting measure. It can’t afford to restore the historic buildings, but Planetary Ventures will finance reconstruction as well as the creation of a public space for a museum or educational effort on the base—and they’ll upgrade the golf course while they’re at it.

Image for article titled Here’s the enormous hangar Google bought to fill with robots

It may be fitting that a third generation of high tech research will occupy Hangar One, with Google’s various futuristic projects replacing the blimps of the thirties and NASA in the sixties and seventies. But the cozy relationship between NASA and Google has caused trouble before.

A shell company owned by the company’s founders and chairman, H211 LCC, which operates the company’s private jet fleet, has been leasing tarmac space at the airfield since 2007. The jets there—including a Boeing 767, 757 and four Gulfstream V jets—bought fuel at government discount prices in exchange for providing free research flights to NASA. When the Wall Street Journal revealed that comparatively few of the flights were for NASA purposes, the arrangement was ended, and the private jet fleet is headed for an airport in San Jose.

Before Planetary Ventures sealed the deal, H211 had offered to purchase the hangar, but its proposal was rejected. Bottom line: Who can stop Google from getting what it wants?

Image for article titled Here’s the enormous hangar Google bought to fill with robots
Image: US Navy

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