What could this be?

I was looking through GE and found this near the runway in A51:

White Building At Area 51

What is it?

[edit on 7/9/2006 by TheRanchMan]

Probably a hangar of some sort for storing runway maintainence equipment or test planes or equipment of that nature.

I think someone else a while back said what they thought it was but that was a while ago.

So-called "Hanger 19".

You might try turning on some of the GE layers, especially the "Google Earth Community". Many of the features at Groom Lake are identified, or have existing placemarks you can use to search for more info.

That is Building 730 (Hangar 19), the Arm/De-Arm Scoot-n-Hide shed. It has since been extend on the north and south ends and is now three times as long as it appears in this image.

The concrete pad a little way to the left is the old Compass Rose. A new compass rose pad has been constructed just south of the extended Hangar 19.

Ive always took "Scoot-and-Hide" hangar to mean one that an experimental plane can literally scoot into and hide if a satellite is suddenly expected, but this seems stupid if the courses of satellites are so well known and easily predicted. What is a "scoot and hide" hangar?

The Scoot-n-Hide shed (Bldg. 730/Hangar 19) at Groom Lake has served several purposes.

It is the arm/de-arm facility for aircraft tests involving weapons. There is an explosion-proof building nearby for storing weapons.

It was originally built on an L-shaped taxiway so an airplane could taxi in one side and out the other. It served as a shelter to hide the test article from uncleared personnel (on the ground, in an airplane, or via imaging satellite). Satellite orbits are well known, but test flights don't always run on schedule.

It is also a good place to conduct last minute flight preparations or address contingencies. Technicians can work on the test article while being protected from the elements and from unwanted observation.