US Space Program

The USA has been one of the leaders in the Space Race. There accomplishments include:

- Participation in the International Space Station (ISS)

- Apollo Moon Program: This involved the famous Saturn V Moon Rocket. The first man to walk on the moon was Neil Armstrong.

- Variety of Robotic Explorers eg. Viking, Galileo, Voyager 1 & 2 etc

Sections:

JPL- Jet Proplusion Laboratory

JSC- Johnson Space Center

Kennedy Space Center:

Marshall Space Flight Center

The Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. It is one of NASA's largest and most diversified installations. Marshall manages the key propulsion hardware and technologies of the space shuttle, develops the next generation of space transportation and propulsion systems, oversees science and hardware development for the International Space Station, manages projects and direct studies that will help pave the way back to the moon and handles a variety of associated scientific endeavors to benefit space exploration and improve life here on Earth.

The Marshall Center has been a key contributor to numerous significant NASA programs ranging from the 1961 flight of the first U.S. astronaut into space, to the Apollo missions exploring the moon, to development and operation of America's space shuttle fleet and construction of and scientific discovery on board the space station.

Wallops Island Flight Facility

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center`s Wallops Flight Facility is located on Virginia`s Eastern Shore and was established in 1945 by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, as a center for aeronautic research.

Wallops is now NASA`s principal facility for management and implementation of suborbital research programs. The Wallops Mission Plan includes the following objectives:

- To help achieve NASA`s strategic objectives for scientific and educational excellence through cost efficient integration, launch, and operations of suborbital and small orbital payloads.
- To enable scientific, educational, and economic advancement by providing the facilities and expertise to enable frequent flight opportunities for a diverse customer base.
- To serve as a key facility for operational test, integration, and certification of NASA and commercial next-generation, low-cost orbital launch technologies.
- To pioneer productive and innovative government, industry, and academic partnerships.

The research and responsibilities of Wallops Flight Facility are centered around the philosophy of providing a fast, low cost, highly flexible and safe response to meet the needs of the United States` aerospace technology interests and science research. The 1000 full-time Civil Service and contractor NASA Wallops employees act as a team to accomplish our mission in the spirit of this philosophy.

Ames Research Center

NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) is a NASA facility located at Moffett Federal Airfield, which covers 43 acres at the borders of the cities of Mountain View and Sunnyvale in California. It was was founded December 20, 1939 as an aircraft research laboratory by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) and in 1958 it became part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Ames Research Center, one of 10 NASA field installations, is located in the heart of California's Silicon Valley at the core of the research cluster of high-tech companies, universities and laboratories that define the region's character. Ames plays a critical role in virtually all NASA missions in support of America's space and aeronautics programs.

As a leader in information technology research with a focus on supercomputing, networking and intelligent systems, Ames conducts the critical R&D and develops the enabling technologies that make NASA missions possible. Ames also is a leader in nanotechnology, fundamental space biology, biotechnology, aerospace and thermal protection systems, and human factors research. Ames research in astrobiology focuses on the effects of gravity on living things, and the nature and distribution of stars, planets and life in the universe.

In addition, Ames works collaboratively with the FAA, conducting research in air traffic management to make safer, cheaper and more efficient air travel a reality. Ames engages in information and education outreach, forms collaborative partnerships, and fosters commercial application of NASA technologies. Ames is developing NASA Research Park, an integrated, dynamic research and education community created to cultivate diverse partnerships with academia, industry and non-profit organizations in support of NASA's mission.

White Sands Test Facility

White Sands Test Facility, located in New Mexico, was selected in 1962 by NASA Headquarters and was known as the Apollo site until 1965. White Sands Test Facility is a satellite of NASA Johnson Space Center. In 1964, the first rocket engine was test fired. Since then, the test facility has supported the Apollo, Viking Lander, Cassini, Space Shuttle, International Space Station and other NASA programs. White Sands Space Harbor, operated by White Sands, supports astronaut space shuttle training and is the alternate landing site for both Kennedy Space Center and Edwards Air Force Base.

A self-contained facility with medical,fire and hazardous rescue personnel, White Sands Test Facility supports other governmental agencies, including the Department of Defense, the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Air Force, with materials and propulsion testing. The test facility conducts training on hazardous fuels throughout the U.S. and abroad and also produces technical papers and reports. Materials testing for NASA has been conducted since the Apollo Program. The mission of White Sands Test Facility is to be the pre-eminent resource for testing and evaluating potentially hazardous materials, spaceflight components and rocket propulsion systems. Its objectives are to help complete the assembly of the International Space Station, develop the Crew Exploration Vehicle, return humans to the moon and pursue human exploration of Mars and the solar system.

US Space Program Links: