▁was ▁that ▁decision ▁that ▁such ▁a ▁facility ▁should ▁be ▁government - owned ▁to ▁prevent ▁a ▁single ▁contract or ▁exclusive ▁advantages ▁on ▁Air ▁Force ▁contract s ▁for ▁high - th rust ▁miss ile ▁ro cket ▁power ▁plants , ▁and ▁it ▁would ▁eliminate ▁dup lication ▁of ▁like ▁facilities ▁by ▁different ▁manufact ur ers . ▁ ▁The ▁choice ▁of ▁location ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁was ▁the ▁Le uh man ▁R idge ▁east ▁of ▁Rog ers ▁D ry ▁Lake ▁on ▁Edwards ▁A FB . ▁▁ ▁Const ruction ▁began ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁on ▁what ▁was ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁Ex perimental ▁Ro cket ▁Engine ▁Test ▁Station . ▁ ▁Cold ▁War ▁ ▁Fl ight ▁testing ▁ ▁Jur is diction ▁of ▁Edwards ▁A FB ▁was ▁transferred ▁from ▁Air ▁M ater iel ▁Command ▁on ▁ 2 ▁April ▁ 1 9 5 1 ▁to ▁the ▁newly ▁created ▁Air ▁Research ▁and ▁Development ▁Command . ▁Activ ation ▁of ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁Fl ight ▁Test ▁Center ▁( A FF TC ) ▁followed ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁June ▁ 1 9 5 1 . ▁Units ▁designated ▁and ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁Center ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁activation ▁were ▁the ▁ 6 5 1 0 th ▁Air ▁Base ▁Wing ▁for ▁station ▁support ▁units . ▁ ▁The ▁test ▁flying ▁units ▁at ▁Edwards ▁were ▁assigned ▁directly ▁to ▁the ▁A FF TC ▁. ▁ ▁That ▁same ▁year , ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Air ▁Force ▁Test ▁Pil ot ▁School ▁moved ▁to ▁Edwards ▁from ▁Wright ▁Field , ▁Ohio . ▁ ▁Its ▁curr icul um ▁focused ▁on ▁the