AREA 51

The Groom Lake Facility in the Nevada desert at Nellis Air Force Base, known as Area 51, is the top secret base where all technology brought back through the stargate is sent for study and development. Recovered artifacts and technology housed there have included the beta stargate, the notes from Heliopolis, nano-technology from Argos, two death gliders, Ma'chello's inventions, the quantum mirror, the alien craft from Steveston, the Tok'ra symbiote poison, the inter-dimensional device, Osiris's wrist device, the mimic devices, the Sodan cloak, and the Ancient spacecraft and time travel device, all leading to research in medicine, geology, space metallurgy, bioresearch, and weapons development.

Colonel Maybourne had been assigned to the facility for a time, and during his tenure there he supervised certain covert research projects resulting from rogue teams using the beta stargate to steal and reverse engineer alien technology such as the Touchstone. Despite strict precautions, the facility has been plagued by security breaches, and some artifacts and research, including Osiris's wrist device, the mimic devices, nano-technology, symbiote poison, and the Sodan cloak, have been stolen by rogue agents of the Committee and the Trust for unsanctioned research, commercial application, and profit.

Carter has been closely associated with the research projects at Area 51. Following eight years of service on SG-1, Carter transferred to the Nevada facility and took command of Stargate Research and Development at Area 51 for several months before being recalled to the SGC. During her time there she helped to improve the hyperdrive system, and she was instrumental in the development of the Mark IX nuclear warhead. Agent Barrett of the NID has also worked closely with Area 51 and has been particularly involved with research and investigations related to the activities of the rogue NID and the Trust. Among the legitimate developments to come out of Area 51 are the X-301, X-302, X-303, and X-304 series of human-built spacecraft, upon which most of the current research is focusing.

In addition to research and development, Area 51 is also used as a military detention center. When Nerus visited Earth and revealed that he had been conspiring with the Ori, he was taken into custody and imprisoned in the basement of Area 51 for several months.

Cross Reference: Malcolm Barrett, Beta Stargate, Dr. Bricksdale, Committee, Brent Langham, Ma'chello's Inventions, Mark IX, Harry Maybourne, Rodney McKay, Mimic Device, Larry Murphy, Nerus, NID, NID Off-World Operation, NID Rogue Operation, Nightwalkers, Pentagon, Prometheus, Quantum Mirror, Colonel Reynolds, Colonel Samuels, Sodan Cloak, Trust, X-301, X-302, X-303

Episode Reference: Touchstone, Point of View, Redemption, Prometheus, Smoke & Mirrors, Endgame, Off the Grid, The Road Not Taken