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My son-in-law was wandering around Cooper's Island this afternoon, near the old NASA tracking station and saw these things sunk into the ground in various spots. Does anyone have any idea what they are?

My simple mind tells me they are markers, not unlike a benchmark for a grid square or an altitude . . .

This being the case, obviously, NASA benchmarked whatever piece of ground you're lookin at with a Lat/Long . . .

Was Bermuda an alternate laning site for a shuttle at one point?

I would guess a marker, too. Do you know what the text at the top of the photo is? That might help.

Another question, is that on the ground or affixed to a wall or stone or something? That might help, too.

Yep, trig point, almost certainly. Arrow points North?

Survey marker. The cross is where the plumb bob from the transit is supposed to sit atop. As Shanwick points out, the arrow points north.

ANCFlyer wrote:My simple mind tells me they are markers, not unlike a benchmark for a grid square or an altitude . . .

This being the case, obviously, NASA benchmarked whatever piece of ground you're lookin at with a Lat/Long . . .

Was Bermuda an alternate laning site for a shuttle at one point?

Yes, it was...a launch abort site..and this piece of land is now a nature reserve...

http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/fac ... ts-els.htm

http://www.nasabermuda.com/bermudastation.htm

BaylorAirBear wrote:I would guess a marker, too. Do you know what the text at the top of the photo is? That might help.

I think it says NASA GSFC...

BaylorAirBear wrote:Another question, is that on the ground or affixed to a wall or stone or something? That might help, too.

I'm not sure; I'll have to ask him.

kmh1956 wrote:

BaylorAirBear wrote:Another question, is that on the ground or affixed to a wall or stone or something? That might help, too.

I'm not sure; I'll have to ask him.

Well if it's a trig marker, then it is most certainly on the ground. Of course, it would have to be on the ground if a plumb bob was used.

Cool find.

BAB

Really crappy picture, but this is the marker at the peak of Mt. Evans in Colorado:

This is the other one...

kmh1956 wrote:

BaylorAirBear wrote:I would guess a marker, too. Do you know what the text at the top of the photo is? That might help.

I think it says NASA GSFC...

Well, it hasn't been mentioned in the thread yet and that might be because it's obvious to some, but GSFC is Goddard Space Flight Center.