▁served ▁as ▁a ▁backup ▁Sh utt le ▁landing ▁site . ▁W SS H ▁is ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁White ▁S ands ▁Test ▁Fac ility , ▁and ▁is ▁located ▁approximately ▁ 3 0 ▁miles ▁( 5 0 ▁kilom eters ) ▁west ▁of ▁Al am og ordo , ▁New ▁Mexico , ▁within ▁the ▁boundaries ▁of ▁the ▁White ▁S ands ▁Miss ile ▁Range . ▁ ▁Run way ▁facilities ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁NASA ▁selected ▁North rup ▁St rip ▁as ▁the ▁site ▁for ▁sh utt le ▁pilot ▁training . ▁A ▁second ▁run way ▁was ▁added ▁crossing ▁the ▁original ▁north - s outh ▁landing ▁strip , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁both ▁lake bed ▁run ways ▁were ▁length ened ▁to ▁ 3 5 , 0 0 0   ft ▁( 1 0 , 6 6 8 ▁m ), ▁which ▁includes ▁ 1 5 , 0 0 0   ft ▁( 4 , 5 7 2 ▁m ) ▁us able ▁run way ▁with ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0   ft ▁( 3 0 4 8 ▁m ) ▁extensions ▁on ▁either ▁end , ▁to ▁allow ▁the ▁White ▁S ands ▁Space ▁Har bor ▁( W SS H ) ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁sh utt le ▁backup ▁landing ▁facility . ▁While ▁the ▁Space ▁Har bor ▁was ▁activ ated ▁as ▁a ▁backup ▁landing ▁site ▁for ▁ST S - 1 1 6 ▁due ▁to ▁poor ▁weather ▁conditions ▁at ▁both ▁Edwards ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base ▁( high ▁cross - w inds ) ▁and ▁Kennedy ▁Space ▁Center ▁( cloud s