Lab and Mirror Coating facility for SOFIA, NASA Armstrong Aircraft Operation Facility
To support renovation of an active hanger at this NASA center, a mirror coating facility was added to accommodate the relocation of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) from the NASA Ames Research Center.
The new single-story metal building contained laboratory-type rooms with 99.97% efficient HEPA air filtration, custom and specialized equipment for the mirror coating process, and a threeaxis bridge crane with precision controls. Significant concerns regarding this project included code analysis and design for high hazard area separation from the main structure. AQX was responsible for structural engineering services which included foundation design for a pre-fab 36-ft tall metal building over the existing 9” thick plain concrete mat slab in Hanger Building 703 and seismic anchorage design on vessels and tanks up to 33,000 lbs and steel frames for an air handling unit of 2400lbs, hanging from the existing floor framing. AQX also provided structural plans for light gage metal stud framing for walls and ceilings to create space and hallways inside Building 703.