Wallops Island is a six mile stretch of land that serves as one of Virginia's barrier Islands. Originally called Kegotank Island, the property was granted to John Wallop by the Crown in 1692. Sheep, cattle and ponies grazed the area until 1947, when the US Navy leased the upper 2/3rds of the Island for aviation ordnance testing. NACA, soon to become NASA, used the lower 1000 acres to launch and test rockets; a similar arrangement exists today. Since there are no natural rocks in the area, the boulders seen below are shipped in from neighboring states to maintain the Wallops seawall. A blockhouse and a camera pit can be seen on the far left. Traveling north on the Island, launchers, observation decks, fire and rescue, and other NASA facilities are protected by much higher seawalls.

Unlike typical launch site environments – desert, tundra, ice – Wallops is adjacent to world famous Chincoteague Island, a fishing village/family resort that hosts some 1.5 million visitors yearly. Access to the Island is provided by the Chincoteague Causeway which skips across several inlets, islands and Bay channels; and the historic Chincoteague Bridge, one of only ten bridges in the State that swings out horizontally to allow fishing vessels to pass. The 142 foot Assateague Lighthouse (circa 1833) is fully operational and continues to warn passing ships and local waterman of the shallow waters nearby.

The Assateague Wildlife Refuge is famous as the home of Chincoteague’s wild ponies. It is also a highly protected refuge for deer, wildlife, waterfowl and birds, which entice Marine Scientists, bird watchers, photographers and artists from all over the world. Below, a Chincoteague Pony grazes on one of the small islands in the Bay; less than ½ mile due east, seagulls reap the rewards of the Atlantic’s pounding waves. More than 1.5 Million lovers of sand, sun and surf join them each summer.

Whether you’re looking for a fantastic sunrise over the mainland or a quiet sunset on the beach ….

Wallops is a great place to visit, to vacation and to launch!

For more information on the history and culture of the area, check out:
www.chincoteague.com
www.esva.net/ghotes
www.chincoteaguechamber.com

For current events and news:
www.delmarvanow.com
www.easternshorepost.com

For more information on Wallops Flight Faclity:
www.nasa.gov/centers/wallops/home/index.html