▁track ▁was ▁built ▁by ▁North rop ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁near ▁what ▁is ▁currently ▁the ▁North ▁Base . ▁Origin ally ▁intended ▁to ▁help ▁develop ▁a ▁V - 1 ▁flying - b omb - style ▁weapon ▁that ▁never ▁left ▁the ▁drawing ▁board , ▁the ▁track ▁found ▁use ▁after ▁the ▁war ▁as ▁a ▁test ▁area ▁for ▁V - 2 ▁rock ets ▁captured ▁from ▁Naz i ▁Germany ▁in ▁Operation ▁Pap erc lip . ▁Later , ▁L t . ▁Col . ▁John ▁St app ▁appropri ated ▁the ▁track ▁for ▁his ▁M X 9 8 1 ▁project ▁and ▁installed ▁what ▁was ▁believed ▁to ▁be ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁powerful ▁mechanical ▁bra king ▁systems ▁ever ▁constructed . ▁His ▁dec eler ation ▁tests ▁led ▁the ▁press ▁to ▁nick name ▁him ▁the ▁" fast est ▁man ▁on ▁earth " ▁and ▁the ▁" bra vest ▁man ▁in ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ". ▁ ▁The ▁results ▁from ▁the ▁first ▁track ▁prompt ed ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁second ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 . ▁Loc ated ▁just ▁south ▁of ▁Rog ers ▁Lake , ▁the ▁ ▁track ▁was ▁capable ▁of ▁su person ic ▁spe eds . ▁Its ▁first ▁project ▁was ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁SM - 6 2 ▁Sn ark ▁cru ise ▁miss ile . ▁This ▁track ▁was ▁so ▁successful ▁that ▁an ▁extension ▁was ▁constructed , ▁and ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁May ▁ 1 9 5 9 , ▁the ▁full ▁ ▁track ▁was ▁opened . ▁After ▁the ▁Navy ▁had ▁conducted ▁research ▁on ▁the ▁U GM - 2 7 ▁Pol aris ▁ball