In July 2026, NASA ceremonially conveyed ownership of Area 400, a 105-acre parcel at its Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, to the Patuxent Research Refuge managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The land, mostly wooded with a small clearing and structures, joins the largest unfragmented forest between Washington and Baltimore, supporting wildlife research and recreational activities.
NASA used Area 400 for propellant research starting in the 1960s, but these operations have mostly moved elsewhere. The transfer formalized a process begun in 2021 to repurpose the land for conservation, contributing to the refuge’s mission to preserve ecosystems and enable research alongside public outdoor use.
Source & further reading
NASA Transfers ‘Hundred Acre Wood’ to Patuxent Research Refuge ↗Source published 2026-07-07. This report was prepared with AI assistance from the linked primary-source material. Claims and limitations should be checked against the original announcement or research.