NASA Langley Research Center

Langley researchers have made remarkable contributions in many different ways: designing the first plane to break the sound barrier, mapping America’s space race route and landing humans on Mars for training purposes in simulated gravity simulation. Furthermore, Langley continues its vital support on various flight missions.

As one example, they assisted in improving low-speed flight characteristics with the BAI Exdrone model and provided research and testing for configurations which may make aircraft more efficient.

History

At first, NASA Langley’s mission was to fly planes, develop rockets and create propulsion systems. Now however, its research supports communities by finding renewable energy solutions, designing sustainable buildings, improving farming practices and expanding knowledge of our solar system. NASA Langley research also allows scientists to compare Earth with other planets so as to gain a greater understanding of their formation and evolution.

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Langley’s history can be traced back to 1940 when Langley was established by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. Their aim was to address engine-related problems; their newly opened Advanced Engine Research Laboratory was operational by the time Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and brought America into World War II.

As war escalated, demand for the center increased dramatically. Military pilots needed to know whether aircraft could survive high-speed flight while NACA wanted to conduct tests of its designs.

NACA engineers made numerous innovations that advanced aeronautical engineering and led to commercial aircraft and missile designs. At Langley, engineers helped make jet engines feasible and safe while designing “winglets” (wingtips that reduce air drag on airplanes). Finally, NACA made hypersonic speeds possible by shrinking fuselages and engines down to size.

NACA expanded into space exploration with its name change to NASA in 1958, when Langley contributed its expertise by founding Project Mercury and Space Task Group at Langley Center. Langley engineers also pioneered lunar-orbit rendezvous technology which helped the US meet its 1969 goal of landing men on the moon using much simpler rocket designs than originally anticipated.

Langley played an instrumental role in developing the space shuttle during its development and later Viking missions to Mars that brought high-resolution images back home, helping scientists determine composition and formation. Now being replaced by the Space Launch System – expected to take astronauts on deep-space adventures as early as 2021 and powered by its hydrogen/oxygen bipropellant engine being assembled here at Langley – which should replace it all together.

Aeronautics

NASA Langley researchers remain on the cutting edge of aeronautics and space research. From testing airbags for space capsule landings to prepping hypersonic vehicles and studying Earth’s weather patterns, NASA Langley scientists remain at the forefront of aeronautics and space technology research. Their efforts at the Hampton, Virginia-based center have contributed significantly to some of human history’s most memorable moments

.Langley marked the initial steps toward human spaceflight. In 1917, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (later renamed NASA) opened their first field center there – named for Samuel Pierpont Langley who unsuccessfully attempted to fly across the Potomac River 1903.

Langley Research Center was initially dedicated to aviation and aeronautical research from its inception. In 1934, Langley constructed one of the world’s largest wind tunnels – designed for full-scale aircraft tests, this 60 by 30 foot cross sectional wind tunnel could even fit an entire Boeing B-17 bomber inside it! Aircraft engine designers took advantage of Langley to test prototypes during World War II before later using its facilities for components testing for F-16 fighter jets and Space Shuttle.

Langley played an essential part in preparing astronauts for life in space. Engineers at Langley created a reduced-gravity simulator which allowed astronauts to practice rendezvousing with spacecraft and prepare for landings on the moon during Project Gemini and Apollo lunar landing missions. Furthermore, these same engineers evaluated designs of space shuttles which launched 135 missions into orbit during those same years.

Before Neil Armstrong made his historic first step on the Moon, scientists at Langley evaluated his lander and command module that took him there, as well as helping create the Lunar Orbiter to photograph most of its surface and determine where Armstrong should place his flag.

NASA Langley works towards placing the first woman and person of color on Mars as well as establishing a permanent human presence there to explore other planets. Their lab evaluates heat shields to protect astronauts as they fly through an atmosphere, while their research into how gases disperse during an atmospheric entry helps engineers construct more capable landers for exploration.

Space

Working together from Virginia’s Eastern Shore beaches, NACA scientists and engineers quickly resolved rocket-launch issues before shaping America’s manned space program. By the time concerns over Soviet dominance of space transformed NACA into the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Langley had already mastered many technologies needed to launch astronauts into space, trained early astronauts, managed Project Mercury’s manned flight portion, as well as having key roles in Gemini and Apollo programs.

Langley responded to the new challenges of spaceflight by devising a network that enabled constant radio communication between an orbiting crew and mission control. It was an intensive task requiring plotting, surveying and building stations as far flung as Bermuda and Australia’s outback; two shipboard communications stations; plotting, surveying and plotting. Within two years the system was complete allowing astronauts to speak directly with NASA Langley Mission Control Center.

John Houbolt, an aerospace engineer at Langley, proposed a mission design using simple lunar modules instead of complex multistage rockets to allow astronauts to land on the moon — fulfilling America’s goal from 1969 of placing one person on its surface. This “lunar-orbit rendezvous” concept enabled America to meet that objective.

Langley not only advanced space shuttle technology, but it was instrumental in developing Viking missions to Mars during the 1970s, which helped increase our knowledge about planets far beyond Earth. Since then, Langley has continued its advancement of technologies used for exploration of other planets – Curiosity’s Mars Rover features sensors developed at Langley.

NASA Langley is working on an advanced rocket that will shorten our trips to outer solar system destinations like Mars. Called the Space Launch System or SLS for short, it uses an innovative engine and Orion spacecraft to carry astronauts into orbit while also providing more frequent visits to our nearest planet neighbor, the Moon.

Military

Langley scientists and engineers have worked in collaboration with the military for decades to advance aerospace technology, saving lives while increasing performance of U.S. military aircraft. Established in 1917 as the nation’s first civilian aeronautics research lab under the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Langley Lab continues its vital contributions today.

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Langley researchers were instrumental in designing and testing the Mercury spacecraft that carried our nation’s first seven astronauts – commonly referred to as “Mercury Seven”. Astronauts M. Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, Alan Shepard, Virgil “Gus” Grissom, Walter Schirra and Donald “Deke” Slayton received training for their journey into orbit at Langley before heading into space themselves.

Langley’s aerodynamics engineers played an instrumental role in improving the effectiveness of American military airplane prototypes during World War II, including streamlining them and making them faster while using less fuel – this helped keep American military planes competitive against German Luftwaffe aircraft and ultimately help win America the war.

After World War II, Langley maintained its partnership with the military by helping design jet fighters, bombers and missiles for military aviation. Their physics and meteorology teams conducted atmospheric research into conditions affecting military aviation flight. 

Langley supported hypersonic research through contributing propulsion, thermal and structural integration issues for projects such as National Aerospace Plane; Air Force X-43 Waverider/Hyper-X; and Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation Program.

Today, Langley researchers continue their efforts in creating the next generation of hypersonic flight technologies and improving military cargo aircraft efficiency. 

Furthermore, they conduct extensive studies of aerosols, clouds and meteorology through their ACTIVATE (Aeronautics Cloud meTeorology Interactions over the Western ATlantic) airborne research campaign.

Langley’s STEM Engagement Office is actively engaging the local community, inspiring children to become future scientists and engineers through outreach activities such as NASA Academy. Held during COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2022 respectively, multidisciplinary teams participating in these Academies have produced conference papers and invention disclosures; also, VAD sponsored workshop for military veterans at Langley was an enormous success!