White Sands National Park / 2018

A rare two-day U.S. Army–authorized aerial study of the largest gypsum dunefield in the world.

White Sands National Park / Alamogordo, New Mexico

During the two-day mission, Wood photographed under continuous military escort from a doorless fixed-wing and a doorless Robinson R44.

White Sands contains the largest gypsum dunefield in the world, extending across approximately 275 square miles. Gypsum — the mineral used to make plaster — reflects solar heat, leaving the dunes cool beneath the desert sun. From the air, the landscape resembles dripping plaster: white material flowing, folding, and spreading across the basin.

The dunefield is surrounded by White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, where active weapons and aerospace testing govern the land and the airspace above it — a military territory defined by testing, surveillance, and controlled access.

To photograph the site from the air, Wood was granted a two-day military mission assignment, Foxtrot Echo, authorizing entry into airspace restricted from ground to space.

Edition of 3 + 2 AP

White Sands National Park / White Sands Missile Range

Geology: Deposited by an ancient inland sea, the gypsum reflects solar heat rather than absorbing it; the dune surface stays cool underfoot even at midsummer.
National Park: Protected as a national monument since 1933, White Sands was designated a national park in 2019.
National Security: The active range surrounding the park is closed to the public 363 days a year.
Airspace: Restricted from ground to space.
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