The NASA Glenn Research Center originated in 1941 as the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. The name was changed in 1999 in honor of John H. Glenn.
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Our History
History Highlights
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Aircraft Crash Testing
In the late 1940s and the 1950s, Glenn performed aircraft crash tests in Ravenna, Ohio.
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Launch Vehicle History
Between 1963 and 1998, Glenn managed more than 119 unmanned launches, including SOHO, Pioneer, Cassini and three GOES weather satellites.
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The Centaur Upper Stage Rocket
Glenn perfected the Centaur rocket and used it for more than 100 launches. For almost 30 years, the center was responsible for the technical, cost and schedule management of Centaur.
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Project Mercury
All seven Mercury astronauts trained in Glenn's "Gimbal Rig," which simulated tumble-type maneuvers that could be encountered in space flight.
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The Apollo Program
Glenn provided important early research and technical support to the Apollo moon missions.
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1970's Energy Crisis
In the 1970s, concerns about the environment and anxiety over fuel prices prompted unified energy planning within the federal government. Glenn helped to develop cleaner, more efficient solutions.
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Skylab 3
Glenn tested Skylab 3's payload shroud in it Space Power Facility at Plum Brook Station.
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Deep Space 1
Glenn provided critical technologies for Deep Space 1, the first of NASA's New Millennium Program missions.
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Mir Space Station
Glenn managed the Mir Cooperative Solar Array and contributed several experiments to the Mir mission.
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Mars Pathfinder
Glenn was a key participant in Mars Pathfinder, an engineering proof-of-concept mission that sent a rover to Mars in 1997.
Features
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NASA Glenn Says Goodbye to Historic Facility
NASA Glenn's Altitude Wind Tunnel (AWT) is being demolished, but its legacy endures.
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This Month in Exploration - January
Five years ago NASA's Stardust spacecraft navigated through a cloud of ice and dust to return images of comet Wild 2. Read more historical facts in This Month in Exploration.