Sunnyvale, CA - Goodbye Blue Cube

Breaking my 'no flying in urban environment' rule for a last chance to capture stills of the 'Blue Cube', Onizuka Air Force Station, before it's completely torn down. Flown with a QAV500 Radio Controlled Helicopter. 4/20/2014 37.40474, -122.02858
About: / roadtripfpv

[@billybob7632]

Thanks for this video. Stationed there in the 60's and 70's. Hate to see the old lady go. Saw my first Hard Drive in The Cube. It was in its own room, in a plexiglass box. It was a drum, 2 feet long. 10 inches in diameter with sliding heads and held a whopping 5 megabits of data. We have come a long way since then.

[@audreylapenna663]

Heartbreaking to see it all gone. Worked in CE in the cube for 5+ years, scheduling all the maintenance for the entire base and at Moffett. So many great memories of such wonderful times and fantastic people both Air Force Personnel and Civilian. The 4th of July picnics, Christmas and Thanksgiving potlucks, Earth Day and just the everyday cheerful smiles from all across the base. My job job as a scheduler was the most memorable job for me working with each and everyone across the base. Broke my heart to have to leave once Onizuka ended up on the Brack List but times change. Memories for all of us, never to be forgotten.

[@baseski]

Awesome! My memories of the Blue Cube were being born and raised in 1953 in Monta Vista (Plumbing), I grew up seeing the Blue Cube. After getting my Journeyman Plumbers card in Local 393 in 1978, I was dispatched out of an outside contractor to report to the security shack out at Lockeed. After waiting there and getting badges for about a half an hour every morning, the first morning I was surprised that I was shuttled to the Blue Cube where this would be my mission. My fellow worker and I had a Security personnel each to stay with us all day long everyday while we worked there installing chilled water lines under a new computer floor. The Security person was even to follow us into the bathroom, except for the individual stall. I was proud to serve my country even though I was nothing like the employees whom did their job everyday. Now I live on the Big Island of Hawaii where Ellison Onizuka was born and is celebrated in many spots on this island for his Heroism. Aloha, Paul

[@danbrinkley9095]

That was an amazing video. Working at the Cube was my first and most interesting California employment. Watching the area around the Cube evolve to where it is today has been quite an experience and this video captured the changes so well. An era has ended, but the memories linger. Thanks for letting us take a walk back to one of the most unique places that has ever been.

[@cmdrvideo]

I was stationed at what was then described as the Air Force Satellite Test Center, housed within an adjacent Lockheed Corporation building that supported we active duty Air Force types. I spent 3 years there, from 1967-1970, as a USAF Instrumentation Technician maintaining video equipment and a Cesium Beam timing system that supported the tracking and control of low orbit satellites. I witnessed the early parts of the construction of the 'Blue Cube' amid speculation as to its ultimate true purpose. This video brought back some vivid memories. Thanks for sharing.

[@wyoblacksmithtools3097]

I was stationed there from 1965-67 (crypto). I left in June 67 and construction had not yet started. Great assignment for a 19 year old. Per diem of $2.57 a day plus separate rations. 50 years ago!!! Jerry

[@audreylapenna663]

The Blue Cube was the best place I ever worked in for little over 5 years as a contractor in CE until the closing of the base. Met so many wonderful people. I am still friends with a number of them. It was hard to see it torn down. Such a loss for the Bay Area. Mrs. Onizuka spoke at the closing ceremony. God bless her. May we all keep our wonderful memories of a very special place! .

[@billhenthorn4093]

Thanks for the great video of the Blue Cube. I arrived in Sunnyvale in early 1966 from the Pentagon to work in Complex Seven. From then until I finally retired in April of 2000 I supported the operations in Complex Seven and Building 190 as active duty Air Force. From 1979 until 2000 I supported operations from General Election and then Geodynamics corporations. It was definitely an E Ticket ride.

[@kristaningebretsen8887]

Very cool video! I worked in the Blue Cube from 1991-2000 in 21 SOPS. Brings back fond memories...wally-ball between the buildings at lunch. Taking the stairs to the fourth floor multiple times a day in a futile attempt to induce labor in 1998. My daughter just got her driver's license. How time flies!

[@johnstoffel5885]

Really sad to see the Cube is going away. Worked in the Power Plant there for many years. The Blue Cube has history that the world will never know about.

[@jimibel]

John Stoffel, I also worked in the power plant from 1990 to 1992. Active duty Air Force SSgt HVAC Tech.

[@johnstoffel5885]

Was swing shift top watch from 1984 to 1989. Retired from the Air Force in 1991 at Holloman AFB and went to work for Caterpillar Power Systems. Will be retiring in June of this year. The Blue Cube is gone but the memories will live on.

[@marshaangel1631]

Thank you. I grew up in Sunnyvale and have worked at Public Safety for the past 27 years, seeing that building every time I drove to work getting off of 237 onto Mathilda. The blue cube was such a mystery when I was a kid. My Dad worked in it when he was in the Air Force, I think in the late 60's or early 70's. I'm going to miss it.

[@kenwall777]

I was stationed there in 1977-78. Cool pics of the coolest work experience in my life. We helped send up the Voyager probes in 1977 and many other more secretive projects.

[@zyxavan]

Thanks for this. I worked at the Cube for Lockheed Technical Operations from 1988-1992, had an office in the office wing (with the windows) part of the building, which looks to be gone in the video. One of the best parts of my career. Provided engineering support for Det6 Systems Command.

[@buddykowalski]

I worked there maintaining the 2 60ft antennas next door from ‘86 - ‘90. My first day was the Challenger disaster, and I will never forget it.

[@wlsnpndrvs8593]

64 meter, not foot.. that you

[@dave56ize]

@@wlsnpndrvs8593 Sorry, but they were 60ft parabolic dishes. There were two of them. They were AN/FSC-78 Satellite Earth Stations. Built by Ford Aeronutronic, a division of Ford Aerospace. I worked on them. I was stationed there from 1976-1977.

[@dave56ize]

Steve, I worked on them as well, and yes they were 60ft dishes. I was there in '76-'77. Great times, So sad to see torn down.

[@wlsnpndrvs8593]

@@dave56ize not 60 ft. These were 63 METER SGLS. dishes. Not the little weather dish on the north end. I was there after you. 1980-1983

[@dave56ize]

@@wlsnpndrvs8593 The twin matching stations were 60ft. They operated in the X band (7GHZ) SGLS operates in the S band (2Ghz)

[@peterrost4031]

Stationed here for about 2 years from about 1970. Tech Control....loved my time there lived in Sunnyvale the first part just across the freeway on Alturas and then moved down the Lawrence Exwy into Santa Clara. "Worked" mid-shift...was reassigned to a tracking station at Vandenberg for the last year of my enlistment....

[@robertmeuse4497]

I work there for about 5 years. Our group did SATCOM with 2 really large dishes. The weather was great. And many good memories. Great Video!

[@Wag2112]

Ya thats the biggest trip here !! Where the hell is DSCS ??? o:)

[@dave56ize]

@@Wag2112 Defence Satellite Communications Systems. I worked there at the two dishes in '76-'77 See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_Satellite_Communications_System

[@wlsnpndrvs8593]

Really large dishes... well, in your opinion were they bigger than 60 ft?

[@davidpaul3089]

Excellent piloting job!! Thanks for the current retrospective. I was stationed there from 72 through 75 and then again from 81 through 92

[@tomotomo571]

Makes me wonder if you know/remember my belated husband Bruce S. ... he was stationed there from 81 to 83.

[@tropx8995]

Worked there Dec '88 to Dec '89 on field assignment for my company. During the 2nd half of my assignment I was working on moving one of the closed rooms to a different floor. I was in my office on Borregas Ave. when the earthquake hit. When the shaking stopped we deployed all our Field Techs to the Cube to help them get our rooms back operational and to check for any damage. I spent many long hours working in that building during that room move, often averaging close to 80 hrs a week.

[@thomtyler50]

Fantastic video... well done... good flying... its cool flashing the before pics for memory and perspective... crazy thinking about what used to be there... the end of an era.

[@RoadTripFPV]

Thanks, I was hoping everyone would enjoy one last look for old times sake. So many memories.

[@DottyKotchian]

Great memories! I worked in the cube in 1969-1970 when it was just being finished. 3rd floor.....thanks so much for the awesome photos!

[@joeburfield2863]

Onizuka Airman of the Year in '91. Great memories.

[@MarvinGilbert1]

Thank you for this excellent keepsake. I was fortunate enough to support the first NASA Shuttle Mission and several others. I was NB Tech Control, first with the 1901 CS and later with the STC. Both were great times and great people to work with. Great missions.....great memories of youthful times. :)

[@voodoochild6741]

In the late 90's I worked next door as a member of the 129th Security Police Detachment USAF. We worked closely with the Onizuka Police and Nasa Security. One of the best jobs I ever had, great times.

[@kawikahokulani]

The redundancies to keep systems running was amazing. The smaller building with the 12 stacks coming out was the powerplant. 12 turbines, which at initial opening, any 2 turbines could run the whole facility. Those turbines could run on several types of fuel. Then there was a huge battery storage complex. Then normal utility power. And last, if needed, temporary generator trailers could be brought in and connected. Power feeds to critical switchboards were fed from 4 separate sources, going thru a huge rack with Automatic Transfer Switches. Sad to see another iconic structure disappear.

[@wlsnpndrvs8593]

And the fuel tank farm within a grenade's throw of the highway.

[@debragittelson717]

I worked at the Cube from July 1985 until January 1994. I was in VOD D. Worked with GPS satellite etc. Had to MCCs. One old one in the Admin building and one up on the 4th floor of the cube. It is sad to see this.

[@gerrybrown5600]

I worked in and out of there for over 30 years. Many fond memories of the people that I knew from those days. Many are gone now. Gerry Brown

[@TheSteve1024]

Was there as a junior officer from 68-72. The building was painted Air Force Blue hence the name. Thanks for the drone perspective. Very fitting.

[@ghall1117]

Thanks, Brings back many good memories - Bittersweet to see it almost completely gone.

[@kennethsouthard6042]

I worked security in the Cube from 87 - 90. It was more than a workplace, it was actually a community. Brings back memories.

[@Ta2edwarrior]

I was there from September 86 to August 89 in Supply.

[@kennethsouthard6042]

@@Ta2edwarrior By supply I assume you were Air Force? I was Air Force from 83 - 87 and ended up working there while I went through college after I separated as the San Jose area was my home. To do security at the cube you either had to have been a civilian cop or a military one. It suited me well as the job paid around $15.00 per hour plus benefits way back then,

[@Ta2edwarrior]

@@kennethsouthard6042 yes I was in Supply with Sergeant Ewing and Sergeant Nunley Sergeant Brewer back in 86 to 89

[@kennethsouthard6042]

@@Ta2edwarrior i only worked at the cube as a civilian. When i was in the Air Force, i was stationed at Fairchild and Floorenes, Belgium. I don't remember too many of the names other than the people that I worked with in security directly. There was a guy named Ken Taggart who was Air Force and he came over to work with us because he had prior experience in Security Police. There was also a girl I believe her last name was Dulansky that all the guards had the hots for.

[@48mastadon]

I forgot all about the cube. It's amazing how Sunnyvale has changed in the last 30 years since I first lived here.

[@RobdaVegasMailman]

This takes me back. I worked in the EBC from November 1981 - November 1983. Many of us also did off duty details escorting civilian contractors through restricted areas.

[@michaeleldridge6336]

Thanks for posting. I was stationed there between 1985 and 1990. Worked in the Range Operations Directorate (ROD) on the Varian 77 Electronic Bird Buffer Computers and then later in MCC 9 with IBM Data Systems Modernization. Sad to see it go.

[@steltom]

Wholey Crap! I worked here in the 80's. Blows my mind it's all gone. Cool video!!!

[@stonewiki8160]

Stationed there from November 1971 to May 1975. Good times.

[@airpicts]

Nice! Simply awesome! Thanks for doing this and sharing the video with us.

[@Jilotepec]

The STC classrooms and the instructors' office were the first occupants of the Cube, We were on the 4th floor with no windows and an ideal classroom environment. Later I worked in the Cube Mission Control Centers until 1992 when I retired. The Cube was 10 stories tall, but only had four floors with a mezzanine between the 2nd and 3rd floor.The real history was made in the adjoining Satellite Test Center built in 1959.

[@Wag2112]

I agree !! The true "creation work " of Sat Control happened over there with the Techs that could literally make an acorn speak to Kwajaline. ! I did the QAE for the AT&T 304 Non secure voice conference switch for 4 years . LOVED IT !

[@cathycruthers4268]

Anyone out there remember Randy Smith? Stationed there '81-'84, then worked Inter-Con Security and PanAm World Services til '91? Randy worked with a Glenn Gilbert and would love to know if any of his friends are still out there. Enjoyed the video.

[@Wag2112]

Cathy, I know your name :) Heard it quite a few times across the 94 - 98 PCS with the Comm SQ. Base Phone switch . RIP to the two older AT&T guys ( John and Rick ) who were the heart and soul of 304 Conference switch. Glad neither of them had to see this ! Many great memories on this little piece of history.

[@JohnKirton]

I worked inside the Blue Cube from 1980 to 1982. I was on the day shift when the very first shuttle launched, we are able to hear the astronauts over the speakers on the computer floor.

[@choppyhaze2]

Email me the Cube's secrets and motives that were hidden from society.

[@JohnKirton]

When you are given a Top Secret clearance you don't have loose lips ;)

[@choppyhaze2]

John Kirton Obviously, it was a joke (;

[@choppyhaze2]

Actually, I take it back. Email me the motives and top confidential projects to me or else I'm hiring russians to hack it for me

[@harrellthomas1375]

Wow! Excellent flying! Worked there in many of the MCCs from 1985 through 1992. Many fond memories except the one when I created a security alert that closed the base down! Sad to see it go!

[@freeflyeric]

That was my first base after basic training. Assigned to the reprographics from Sep 1986 thru 1990. Our office was located in a trailer across the finance office. One of my best memories, I will surely miss this place.

[@Ta2edwarrior]

I was there from September 86 to August 89 in Supply.

[@DrGeneNelson]

I was never in the building, but as a Docent at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC from 2009-2012, I developed a keen appreciation for the accomplishments of the CORONA surveillance satellite system and the follow-on GAMBIT and HEXAGON missions. (1959-1984) Those missions were controlled from this location. I was saddened to see this site disappear.

[@TomHail]

Awesome video! I worked in the Cube from July '80 through December '89 on the 3rd and 4th floors. Many excellent memories! Especially Oct 17th '89 when I rode out the earthquake on the 4th floor, hiding under my desk with binders falling all around me. After making sure everyone got out, I checked the computer room and almost pushed the big red emergency shutdown button on those monster IBM banking mainframes we used for telemetry and command processing. One of the biggest regrets of my life... why didn't I push that button? Sad to see it come down but I think it is time.

[@RoadTripFPV]

Thanks, I was hoping fellow cube employees would enjoy one last look.

[@sneech1231]

Great vid! what kind of drone are you using? remote? goggles?

[@RoadTripFPV]

Thanks. Done? ...no, it's not autonomous... just an RC quadcopter. The hardware list is on my channels About page.

[@daveparker777]

I worked MCC Delta as a Lockheed Missiles and Space Co. contractor from '83 to '86 flying DSCS II and III birds. First as a planner analyst and then as a Mission Controller. Learned how to use the Varrian 77 Bird Buffers to do some post pass telemetry processing and recovery. I listened in horror over the in-house net as Challenger broke-up on ascent.

[@TomHail]

I was there with you that day.

[@johnqmergatroid9916]

I watched in horror from the roof of Harris Corporation building 11 in Palm Bay, FL. It was the coldest day of winter. A few years earlier I worked on a project at the cube and in 1987 began a new job at Lockheed, Sunnyvale across the street from the credit union.

[@Wag2112]

from the drone shot - to the left , way down deep - about 6 feet under the 1st floor - there was a HUGE I- Beam that had been "sliced" almost in 1/3rd by the Lama Prieta Quake ! They had kinda clamped it back together by the time I got there in 94/95 , but DAMN !! Creepy, the power involved to split a beam that big !

[@johnanderson8046]

There was considerable structural damage to the building's steel framing caused by the '89 earthquake. The extent wasn't discovered until '91 or so when the framing was exposed on the inside during interior renovations - after which emergency repairs were made. Was there in CE 88-92.

[@pyro650jay5]

So what did they do there? Are ppl still allot to talk about it? Or still too secret

[@mslevin11]

This is awesome!

[@DC7BQC]

I worked on the 3rd floor in Range Scheduling

[@daveparker777]

I like the Tycho track "hours". good call.

[@happyraccoon4791]

My dad worked at the Solid Concrete building to the South of the blimp hangers. No windows. Anyone know what That thing was?? He never talked. Armed guards at entrance. Electronic Warfare for sure

[@robertlucey6099]

The "blimp hangar" was/is on the former NAS Moffett Field. The "Blue Cube" was east of Moffett Field basically at the intersection of Hwy 237 and Mathilda Ave.

[@infrequentgamer_greg]

Very nice perspective of the Blue Cube. I always thought it was a deeper building than that, but I only see it from one perspective that of exiting 237 at Mathilda (too lazy to drive around to the other side, I guess). The 237 corridor has changed tremendously over the last year or so, there are so many new buildings going up. I'm not sure what is going into the former Blue Cube area, but I'm sure it is going to be more, and more office space. There sure isn't any economic recession in Silicon Valley for sure.

[@RoadTripFPV]

+Greg Vettel DeAnza College is developing the site. They contacted me last year and used the video as part of their history presentation on the ground breaking. I worked right where I hovered before flying away.

[@eskandare1968]

I miss the Blue Cube, working there was fun.

[@ab0ez]

Worked there from 90 to 92 on the front end processing equipment.

[@choppyhaze2]

What was the little park you were at?

[@RoadTripFPV]

That is the lawn in front of Juniper Networks.

[@DanFrederiksen]

Why was it called blue?

[@RoadTripFPV]

+Dan Frederiksen The building was painted to match the average color of the sky, which did an effective job of camouflaging it's appearance.

[@Wag2112]

Ya, It was a nice light blue . Stuck out like a sore thumb against the gleaming white satellite dishes though ! :)

[@wlsnpndrvs8593]

Yes I was Frontline in the Cold war (1981-1983). This building was Frontline in the Cold war. I was network status controller receiving telemetry from Soviet launches, realtime, as they happened. I never saved any money for next week because I knew we were going to burn next week. A rather fatalistic and realistic view because of the assholes that running this planet at the time

[@helphelp7562]

HBC headquarters.