The former Santa Susana Field Laboratory is a 2,850-acre site with a rich history. Virtually every major U.S. space program, from the first manned Mercury flights to the Apollo moon landings and Space Shuttle fleet, owes part of its success to the field lab in California’s Simi Hills.
Since acquiring its portion of the Simi Hills site from Rocketdyne in 1996, Boeing has made significant progress with cleanup and restoration. The company secured the future of nearly 2,400 acres as permanent open space habitat to benefit wildlife and the community. The transformation of Santa Susana from field laboratory to open space is well underway, with native plants and animals reclaiming most of the previously developed areas of the property.
Santa Susana Fall 2025 Newsletter
The modern world has been substantially shaped by technological breakthroughs at the former Santa Susana Field Laboratory. A rocket engine testing and nuclear power research site used for federal government programs, the Simi Valley site was where thousands of workers tested rocket engines used to defend the country, land on the moon, and launch satellites for GPS and cell phones. It was also a test site for advanced energy research programs. After more than 50 years of operation, nuclear research ended in 1988 and rocket engine testing ceased in 2006.
The former Simi Hills field lab was a key proving ground for the U.S. space program rocket engines that propelled Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and Space Shuttle astronauts into orbit, as well as a test site for commercialized nuclear power and nuclear energy research. These past operations, which occupied approximately one-fifth of the sprawling 2,850-acre site, have left residual chemical contamination in soil and groundwater.
Boeing and the other responsible parties, with oversight by regional and state environmental regulatory agencies, have conducted a thorough investigation in preparation for a comprehensive cleanup of the field lab. Over the years, numerous interim cleanup activities have addressed contamination in soil, groundwater and stormwater, furthering the progress toward restoration and preservation of this unique and valuable ecosystem.
Boeing is looking forward to cleaning our portion of Santa Susana and restoring it as open space for future generations. Boeing’s comprehensive framework developed with the California Environmental Protection Agency establishes a clear process, schedule and criteria for future decision-making. Boeing could begin our final soil cleanup as early as 2026.
The field lab continues to be a site of historic significance, with towering rocket engine test stands on U.S. Government property, managed by NASA. The site sits within a key habitat linkage connecting California’s coast with inland mountain ranges. It is home to abundant wildlife, rare plant species and Native American cultural resources throughout the property. Ventura County included the site in the Regional Wildlife Corridor and the Simi Hills Critical Wildlife Passage Area. The National Park Service also included the site in its Rim of the Valley Resource Study, recommending that Santa Susana be added to the existing Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
Because of these site characteristics, in 2017, the North American Land Trust recorded a conservation easement to permanently prohibit the development or use of the land for residential or agricultural purposes, permanently protecting Boeing-owned land as open space.
The Santa Susana Field Laboratory has been designated as a Traditional Cultural Property, a site that holds significant meaning deeply rooted in cultural history and religious practices, for the Native American tribes who have ancestral ties to the site. It is also well known as a historic American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics site that propelled Americans into space and helped land man on the moon. In addition to its historical significance, Santa Susana features diverse flora and fauna that make it a vital link in a wildlife corridor.
Every year, hundreds of residents visit the site to see the towering rocket engine test stands, study the sandstone rock formations, and catch glimpses of the animals that appear to watch the visitors.
If you’d like to receive more information about upcoming tours and other opportunities, add your name to our email list: [email protected].
Boeing's Santa Susana Environmental Remediation and Cleanup Plan
Radiation Levels at Santa Susana
Health Studies and Santa Susana
Santa Susana Stormwater Treatment and Permit Compliance
Santa Susana Stormwater Technical Library
Stormwater at Santa Susana is regulated under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit issued by the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board. Under the current permit, several outfall locations require routine monitoring for various constituents. Boeing provides this library of technical documents about the site-wide stormwater management program as a public service on behalf of the Regional Board.
Human Health Risk Assessment for Surface Water Runoff
Boeing will conduct a Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) of runoff from the former Santa Susana Field Laboratory property via the southern outfall locations. The HHRA will provide a quantitative evaluation of potential risks associated with exposure to discharges from the Santa Susana site, which are regulated by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit.
We are focused on innovating and operating to make the world better for future generations through environmental stewardship, social progress, and values-driven governance.
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