White Sands Missile Range ( WSMR ) is a United States Army military testing area of almost in parts of five counties in southern New Mexico . The largest military installation in the United States , WSMR and the McGregor Range Complex at Fort Bliss to the south ( southeast Tularosa Basin and on Otero Mesa ) are contiguous areas for military testing . On 9 July 1945 , the White Sands Proving Ground was established for testing German and American long range rockets . Just seven days later , the first atomic bomb test , code named Trinity was exploded at Trinity Site , near the north boundary of the range
Trinity
Trinity (nuclear test)
White Sands Missile Range