Area 51 was founded in 1954 as a place where Lockheed Aircraft Corporation could develop the U-2, a high-altitude spy plane. They chose this location so that they would have space to test-fly the U-2. Kelly Johnson was the designer of the U-2. The U-2 was being developed and tested during World War II. This area was selected because it was secluded, and the lake bed offered the perfect air strip to test the new aircraft as they perfected it. The mountains …show more content…
For those who truly believe in the conspiracy theories and other ideas of what the base is being used for, the ideas are dismissed by the majority of our population. The people are so intrigued by Area 51 because of the lack of evidence, and the fact that it is an area we are prohibited to enter or even approach. The area is restricted in fear that the weapon information get into the wrong hands. During November of 2011 the White House released their official position on aliens. Their official statement quotes: “The U.S. government has no evidence that any life exists outside our planet, or that an extraterrestrial presence has contacted or engaged any member of the human race. In addition, there is no credible information to suggest that any evidence is being hidden from the public’s eye.” This official quote from our government proves to us that we have not come into any contact with life outside of our own planet, therefore it would be impossible for the government to be hiding something that does not even exist. This is the first statement of its kind since 1947, making it more significant. It is also the first statement to give a formal position on the subject from the Executive Branch. According to CNN, following the Freedom of Information Act requested by Jeffrey T. Richelson, the Central Intelligence Agency, or CIA, released documents that confirmed the existence of Area 51. The report they gave stated that the government used Area 51 as a test site for special surveillance