Johnson Space Center is the NASA's center for human spaceflight activities. Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center is adjacent to Clear Lake at 2101 NASA Road 1, about 20 miles southeast of downtown Houston via Interstate 45. Maps to Johnson Space Center are available online. Additional facilities are located at nearby Ellington Field, seven miles north of the center.

Mission Control Center

The Mission Control Center at Johnson Space Center directs all space shuttle missions, including international space station assembly flights. MCC also manages all activity onboard the international space station. It is often referred to as the nerve center for America's human space program. Since 1965 and the Gemini IV era, men and women who work in Mission Control Center have been instrumental to the success of every crewed spaceflight. Today the Mission Control Center supports all space shuttle and station missions and simulations.

Space Shuttle

Johnson Space Center is the lead center for space shuttle activities.

NASA Astronaut Corps

Johnson Space Center is home to NASA’s astronaut corps The center is responsible for the training of space explorers from the United States and other space station partner nations. As such, it is the principal training site for both space shuttle crews and International Space Station Expedition crews.

The Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at JSC is where astronauts, engineers and other space flight professionals learn skills and procedures to help them operate equipment during a mission. This facility houses space shuttle orbital trainers, an International Space Station trainer, a precision air-bearing floor and a partial gravity simulator. The precision air-bearing floor and the partial gravity simulator are engineering tools used in the development and evaluation of spacewalk equipment and techniques.

The Integrated Training Facility at JSC is where astronauts learn how to fly the shuttle and receive training in station programs. The shuttle side houses simulators that test the skills of flight crews and ground controllers for all phases of a shuttle mission. The station side provides mission training, flight procedures verification and contingency.

History

Johnson Space Center was established in 1961 as the Manned Spacecraft Center and, in 1973, renamed in honor of the late President and Texas native, Lyndon B. Johnson. From the early Gemini, Apollo and Skylab projects to today’s space shuttle, International Space Station and Exploration Programs, the center continues to lead NASA’s efforts in human space exploration. The JSC civil service workforce consists of about 3,000 employees, the majority of whom are professional engineers and scientists. Of these, approximately 110 are astronauts. About 50 companies provide contractor personnel to JSC. More than 12,000 contractors work onsite or in nearby office buildings and other facilities.

Other info

JSC's main telephone number is 281-483-0123. Inquiries from the general public should be directed to 281-483-8693. News media representatives should call 281-483-5111.

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Updated: Sunday 7th, September, 2008