Glenn Research Center
Encyclopedia
NASA John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field (see #History for previous names) is a NASA
center, located within the cities of Brook Park, Cleveland
and Fairview Park
, Ohio
between Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and the Cleveland Metroparks
's Rocky River Reservation, and has other subsidiary facilities in Ohio
. Its director is Ramon (Ray) Lugo III.
Glenn Research Center is one of ten major NASA field centers, whose primary mission is to develop science and technology for use in aeronautics and space. , it employed about 1670 civil servants and 1850 contractors located on or near its site.
In 2010, the formerly on-site NASA Visitors Center moved to the Great Lakes Science Center
.
(NACA) and was later incorporated into the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA
) as a laboratory for aircraft engine research.
It was initially named the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory after funding approval was given in June 1940. It was renamed the Flight Propulsion Research Laboratory in 1947, the Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory in 1948 (after George W. Lewis
(head of NACA
from 1919 to 1947) and the NASA Lewis Research Center in 1958.
On March 1, 1999, the Lewis Research Center was officially renamed the NASA John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field after John Glenn
(American
fighter pilot, astronaut
and politician
). Within NASA, Glenn is often referred to by the acronym GRC.
As early as 1951, researchers at the Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory were studying the combustion processes in liquid rocket
engines.
The 6400 acres (2,590 ha) Plum Brook field station near Sandusky
, Ohio is also part of Glenn. It specializes in very large-scale tests which would be hazardous within the confines of the main campus. The Spacecraft Propulsion Facility at Plum Brook Station (PBS) is the world's only facility capable of testing full-scale upper-stage launch vehicles and rocket engines under simulated high-altitude conditions. The PBS Space Power Facility (SPF)
houses the world's largest space environment vacuum chamber. PBS also has cryogenic test facilities and a hypersonic wind tunnel. In 2008 NASA agreed to pay $33.5 million to have its Plum Brook Reactor Facility decontaminated and decommissioned.
Icing tunnel
An icing tunnel is capable of simulating atmospheric icing condition to test the effect of ice accretion on aircraft wings and body as well as to test anti-icing systems for aircraft.
Zero Gravity Research Facility
The Zero Gravity Research Facility is a vertical vacuum chamber
used for microgravity experiments. It was designated a National Historic Landmark
in 1985. The facility uses vertical drop tests in a vacuum chamber to investigate the behavior of components, systems, liquids, gases, and combustion in such circumstances.
The facility consists of a concrete-lined shaft, 28 feet (8.5 m) in diameter, that extends 510 feet (155.4 m) below ground level. An aluminum vacuum chamber, 20 feet (6.1 m) in diameter and 470 feet (143.3 m) high, is contained within the concrete shaft. The pressure in this vacuum chamber is reduced to 13.3 newtons per square meter (1.3atm) before use.
After the closing of the JAMIC
facility in Japan, the NASA Zero-G facility is the largest microgravity facility in the world.
Spacecraft Propulsion Research Facility
(B-2)
Rocket Engine Test Facility
This is a facility that was designated a National Historic Landmark, but de-designated later.
NASA Glenn does significant research and technology development on jet engines, producing designs that reduce energy consumption, pollution and noise. The chevrons it invented for noise reduction appear on many commercial jet engines today, including the soon-to-be-released Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Space science and technology
The Glenn Research Center, along with its partners in industry, are credited with the following:
Glenn Research Center is home to the LERCIP (Lewis' Educational and Research Collaborative Internship Program) program. It provides internships for high school students, college students, and high school teachers. The high school program is an 8 week internship for sophomores and juniors with interests in science, technology, engineering, math, or professional administration. The college level consists of a 10 week internship and is open to college students at all levels, from graduating high school seniors to PhD candidates. Only residents of the Cleveland area are eligible for high school LERCIP, but college LERCIP is open to students nationwide. Interns work closely with their NASA mentors and are involved in the day-to-day activities of the Center. They are expected to be available to work 40 hours a week for the duration of the internship. Pay is given biweekly, and is determined by academic level for college students. The LERCIP Teacher program is a 10 week internship for educators in STEM fields.
Other
Dropping In Microgravity Environment
(DIME) is a contest held yearly by the center. Teams of high school students write proposals for experiments to be performed in the Drop Tower. The winners travel to the Center, perform their experiments, and submit a research report to NASA.
. Because of this, it was perceived by some that regional NASA centers like Glenn, which focus on research and technology, were becoming more and more marginalized in terms of resources and relevance. However, on May 13, 2006, it was announced that NASA Glenn Research Center had secured management of the Crew Exploration Vehicle
's service module, which promised to generate billions of dollars and hundreds of jobs for the center. This work secured the center's future in the near term, and signalled a shift in priority for the center from aeronautical research to space exploration, aligning itself closer with NASA's new mission.
Another change of direction created uncertainty in 2010, however, when President Obama
and Congress
declared the end of the Vision for Space Exploration and sought to chart a new course for human space flight and NASA. Nonetheless, at the present time, NASA Glenn's future remains assured with a combination of aeronautics research, advanced technology and spaceflight hardware development. Although the Obama administration has not approved a budget for NASA as of March 2011, the currently proposed budget would actually increase funding to Glenn Research Center by $100 million.
The NASA Glenn Research Center also offers public tours of its research facilities on the first Saturday of each month. Reservations must be made in advance.
The Visitor Center closed in September 2009 with many displays shifted to the Great Lakes Science Center
, and new ones created there. This move was done to reduce the public relations budget and to provide easier access to the general public, especially the under-served community. It was hoped that putting the displays at the much more visited science center will bring the NASA Glenn facility more public exposure. In fact, this proved true: compared to the 60,000 visitors per year at its former site, the Glenn Visitor Center enjoyed 330,000 visitors in the first year at the Great Lakes Science Center. The new display area at the science center is referred to as the Glenn Visitor Center.
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
center, located within the cities of Brook Park, Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
and Fairview Park
Fairview Park, Ohio
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 420,690 people, 7,856 households, and 4,713 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,742.2 people per square mile . There were 8,152 housing units at an average density of 1,736.1 per square mile...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
between Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and the Cleveland Metroparks
Cleveland Metroparks
Cleveland Metroparks is an extensive system of nature preserves in Greater Cleveland, Ohio. The various reservations, which largely encircle the city of Cleveland, tend to follow the rivers and creeks that flow through the region...
's Rocky River Reservation, and has other subsidiary facilities in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. Its director is Ramon (Ray) Lugo III.
Glenn Research Center is one of ten major NASA field centers, whose primary mission is to develop science and technology for use in aeronautics and space. , it employed about 1670 civil servants and 1850 contractors located on or near its site.
In 2010, the formerly on-site NASA Visitors Center moved to the Great Lakes Science Center
Great Lakes Science Center
The Great Lakes Science Center is a museum and educational facility in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States.The center's exhibits focus on helping visitors to understand science, technology, and their interdependence with the environment. Many of the exhibits document the features of the natural...
.
History
The installation was established in 1942 as part of the National Advisory Committee for AeronauticsNational Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics was a U.S. federal agency founded on March 3, 1915 to undertake, promote, and institutionalize aeronautical research. On October 1, 1958 the agency was dissolved, and its assets and personnel transferred to the newly created National Aeronautics and...
(NACA) and was later incorporated into the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
) as a laboratory for aircraft engine research.
It was initially named the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory after funding approval was given in June 1940. It was renamed the Flight Propulsion Research Laboratory in 1947, the Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory in 1948 (after George W. Lewis
George W. Lewis
George William Lewis was the Director of Aeronautical Research at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics until he retired in 1947...
(head of NACA
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics was a U.S. federal agency founded on March 3, 1915 to undertake, promote, and institutionalize aeronautical research. On October 1, 1958 the agency was dissolved, and its assets and personnel transferred to the newly created National Aeronautics and...
from 1919 to 1947) and the NASA Lewis Research Center in 1958.
On March 1, 1999, the Lewis Research Center was officially renamed the NASA John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field after John Glenn
John Glenn
John Herschel Glenn, Jr. is a former United States Marine Corps pilot, astronaut, and United States senator who was the first American to orbit the Earth and the third American in space. Glenn was a Marine Corps fighter pilot before joining NASA's Mercury program as a member of NASA's original...
(American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
fighter pilot, astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
). Within NASA, Glenn is often referred to by the acronym GRC.
As early as 1951, researchers at the Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory were studying the combustion processes in liquid rocket
Liquid rocket
A liquid-propellant rocket or a liquid rocket is a rocket engine that uses propellants in liquid form. Liquids are desirable because their reasonably high density allows the volume of the propellant tanks to be relatively low, and it is possible to use lightweight pumps to pump the propellant from...
engines.
Facilities
Plum Brook Station (PBS)Sandusky, Ohio
Sandusky is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Erie County. It is located in northern Ohio and is situated on the shores of Lake Erie, almost exactly half-way between Toledo to the west and Cleveland to the east....
, Ohio is also part of Glenn. It specializes in very large-scale tests which would be hazardous within the confines of the main campus. The Spacecraft Propulsion Facility at Plum Brook Station (PBS) is the world's only facility capable of testing full-scale upper-stage launch vehicles and rocket engines under simulated high-altitude conditions. The PBS Space Power Facility (SPF)
Space Power Facility
The Space Power Facility is a vacuum chamber built by NASA in 1969. It stands 122 feet high and 100 feet in diameter, enclosing a bullet-shaped space. It is the world's largest thermal vacuum chamber. It was originally commissioned for nuclear-electric power studies under vacuum conditions, but...
houses the world's largest space environment vacuum chamber. PBS also has cryogenic test facilities and a hypersonic wind tunnel. In 2008 NASA agreed to pay $33.5 million to have its Plum Brook Reactor Facility decontaminated and decommissioned.
Icing tunnel
An icing tunnel is capable of simulating atmospheric icing condition to test the effect of ice accretion on aircraft wings and body as well as to test anti-icing systems for aircraft.
Zero Gravity Research Facility
The Zero Gravity Research Facility is a vertical vacuum chamber
Vacuum chamber
A vacuum chamber is a rigid enclosure from which air and other gases are removed by a vacuum pump. The resulting low pressure, commonly referred to as a vacuum, allows researchers to conduct physical experiments or to test mechanical devices which must operate in outer space...
used for microgravity experiments. It was designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1985. The facility uses vertical drop tests in a vacuum chamber to investigate the behavior of components, systems, liquids, gases, and combustion in such circumstances.
The facility consists of a concrete-lined shaft, 28 feet (8.5 m) in diameter, that extends 510 feet (155.4 m) below ground level. An aluminum vacuum chamber, 20 feet (6.1 m) in diameter and 470 feet (143.3 m) high, is contained within the concrete shaft. The pressure in this vacuum chamber is reduced to 13.3 newtons per square meter (1.3atm) before use.
After the closing of the JAMIC
JAMIC
Japan Microgravity Centre is a site for microgravity experiments at a 710 metres deep abandoned coal mine at Kamisunagawa, Hokkaido. A capsule is dropped from the top to simulate "zero gravity". Jets accelerate the capsule to counteract air resistance. At the bottom, the capsule is slowed down...
facility in Japan, the NASA Zero-G facility is the largest microgravity facility in the world.
Spacecraft Propulsion Research Facility
Spacecraft Propulsion Research Facility
The Spacecraft Propulsion Research Facility is "significant in the development of the Centaur Rocket, which has launched some of America's most important space probes...
(B-2)
Rocket Engine Test Facility
Rocket Engine Test Facility
Rocket Engine Test Facility was the name of a facility at the NASA Glenn Research Center, formerly known as the Lewis Research Center, in Ohio....
This is a facility that was designated a National Historic Landmark, but de-designated later.
Significant developments
Aeronautics science and technologyNASA Glenn does significant research and technology development on jet engines, producing designs that reduce energy consumption, pollution and noise. The chevrons it invented for noise reduction appear on many commercial jet engines today, including the soon-to-be-released Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Space science and technology
The Glenn Research Center, along with its partners in industry, are credited with the following:
- The liquid hydrogenRocket propellantRocket propellant is mass that is stored in some form of propellant tank, prior to being used as the propulsive mass that is ejected from a rocket engine in the form of a fluid jet to produce thrust. A fuel propellant is often burned with an oxidizer propellant to produce large volumes of very hot...
rocket engine, which Wernher von BraunWernher von BraunWernher Magnus Maximilian, Freiherr von Braun was a German rocket scientist, aerospace engineer, space architect, and one of the leading figures in the development of rocket technology in Nazi Germany during World War II and in the United States after that.A former member of the Nazi party,...
credited as being the critical technology leading to the Apollo moon landing - The Centaur upper stage rocketCentaur (rocket stage)Centaur is a rocket stage designed for use as the upper stage of space launch vehicles. Centaur boosts its satellite payload to geosynchronous orbit or, in the case of an interplanetary space probe, to or near to escape velocity...
- The Gridded Ion thrusterIon thrusterAn ion thruster is a form of electric propulsion used for spacecraft propulsion that creates thrust by accelerating ions. Ion thrusters are categorized by how they accelerate the ions, using either electrostatic or electromagnetic force. Electrostatic ion thrusters use the Coulomb force and...
, a high-efficiency engine for spaceflight. A Glenn-derived ion engine was used on the successful NASA probe Deep Space 1Deep Space 1Deep Space 1 is a spacecraft of the NASA New Millennium Program dedicated to testing a payload of advanced, high risk technologies....
. - The Electrical Power System (EPS) for Space Station FreedomSpace Station FreedomSpace Station Freedom was a NASA project to construct a permanently manned Earth-orbiting space station in the 1980s. Although approved by then-president Ronald Reagan and announced in the 1984 State of the Union Address, Freedom was never constructed or completed as originally designed, and after...
, which, except for minor modifications, is currently used on International Space StationInternational Space StationThe International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
(ISS)
Significant contributions
EducationGlenn Research Center is home to the LERCIP (Lewis' Educational and Research Collaborative Internship Program) program. It provides internships for high school students, college students, and high school teachers. The high school program is an 8 week internship for sophomores and juniors with interests in science, technology, engineering, math, or professional administration. The college level consists of a 10 week internship and is open to college students at all levels, from graduating high school seniors to PhD candidates. Only residents of the Cleveland area are eligible for high school LERCIP, but college LERCIP is open to students nationwide. Interns work closely with their NASA mentors and are involved in the day-to-day activities of the Center. They are expected to be available to work 40 hours a week for the duration of the internship. Pay is given biweekly, and is determined by academic level for college students. The LERCIP Teacher program is a 10 week internship for educators in STEM fields.
Other
Dropping In Microgravity Environment
Dropping In Microgravity Environment
Dropping In Microgravity Environment is an annual contest held by the NASA Glenn Research Center. Teams of high school students from anywhere in the United States or its territories can enter. Each team must have one adult "faculty adviser". The teams prepare and submit proposals for research to...
(DIME) is a contest held yearly by the center. Teams of high school students write proposals for experiments to be performed in the Drop Tower. The winners travel to the Center, perform their experiments, and submit a research report to NASA.
Future of Glenn
After 2004, NASA had been shifting its focus towards space exploration as mandated by the Vision for Space ExplorationVision for Space Exploration
The Vision for Space Exploration is the United States space policy which was announced on January 14, 2004 by President George W. Bush. It is seen as a response to the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, the state of human spaceflight at NASA, and a way to regain public enthusiasm for space...
. Because of this, it was perceived by some that regional NASA centers like Glenn, which focus on research and technology, were becoming more and more marginalized in terms of resources and relevance. However, on May 13, 2006, it was announced that NASA Glenn Research Center had secured management of the Crew Exploration Vehicle
Crew Exploration Vehicle
The Crew Exploration Vehicle was the conceptual component of the U.S. NASA Vision for Space Exploration that later became known as the Orion spacecraft...
's service module, which promised to generate billions of dollars and hundreds of jobs for the center. This work secured the center's future in the near term, and signalled a shift in priority for the center from aeronautical research to space exploration, aligning itself closer with NASA's new mission.
Another change of direction created uncertainty in 2010, however, when President Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
and Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
declared the end of the Vision for Space Exploration and sought to chart a new course for human space flight and NASA. Nonetheless, at the present time, NASA Glenn's future remains assured with a combination of aeronautics research, advanced technology and spaceflight hardware development. Although the Obama administration has not approved a budget for NASA as of March 2011, the currently proposed budget would actually increase funding to Glenn Research Center by $100 million.
NASA Glenn Visitor Center
The NASA Glenn Visitor Center features six galleries with interactive exhibits about NASA, space exploration, John Glenn and other astronauts, satellites and the solar system. The center also features an auditorium for lectures, movies and special programs, and a gift shop. Admission is free. Adult visitors must be U.S. citizens and present photo identification.The NASA Glenn Research Center also offers public tours of its research facilities on the first Saturday of each month. Reservations must be made in advance.
The Visitor Center closed in September 2009 with many displays shifted to the Great Lakes Science Center
Great Lakes Science Center
The Great Lakes Science Center is a museum and educational facility in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States.The center's exhibits focus on helping visitors to understand science, technology, and their interdependence with the environment. Many of the exhibits document the features of the natural...
, and new ones created there. This move was done to reduce the public relations budget and to provide easier access to the general public, especially the under-served community. It was hoped that putting the displays at the much more visited science center will bring the NASA Glenn facility more public exposure. In fact, this proved true: compared to the 60,000 visitors per year at its former site, the Glenn Visitor Center enjoyed 330,000 visitors in the first year at the Great Lakes Science Center. The new display area at the science center is referred to as the Glenn Visitor Center.
External links
- Glenn Research Center
- NASA Glenn Visitor Center
- Engines and Innovation: Lewis Laboratory and American Propulsion Technology (NASA SP-4306, 1991) -- The whole book, including photos and diagrams in on-line format.