Hampton Roads is about to lift off.
For the first time in five years, the general public will be welcomed into the “extended NASA family” for a day of education and spectacle at NASA Langley Research Center’s 2023 Open House.
A public release stated that attendees will be able to “visit incredible state of the art facilities designed to get us to the moon and beyond, discover the future of flight with our aviation experts, and hear about what NASA is doing to understand more about our planet in the face of climate change.”
On Saturday, Oct. 21, shuttles will ferry almost 30,000 visitors from satellite parking spaces, onto the Center’s 764 acres, and into nearly 200 facilities. Guests will be subject to bag screening, item limitations, and intense security procedures. Pre-registration is required.
For part of the day, astronaut Victor J. Glover will be on site for a meet and greet. He was among those selected to participate in the upcoming Artemis II manned mission around the moon and will be the first person of color to leave low-earth orbit.
Among the open facilities are the Transonic, Aerothermodynamic Mach 10, and Subsonic Wind Tunnels, which are used to test the aerodynamics of land vehicles, spacecraft, and aircraft. The transonic wind tunnel is one of two in the world, and the first to be built. The Mach 10 tunnel provided testing data for the Apollo, Viking, and Orion missions, among others.
NASA Langley itself is the agency’s oldest field center, and America’s first civilian aeronautical research facility, having been built in 1917. The Langley Hangar, an Open House attraction, housed a training facility for the Mercury Seven and Apollo astronauts. On Saturday, it will house a Boeing 777 and the Rendezvous Docking Simulator used during the Apollo and Gemini programs.
At the Integrated Engineering Services Building, guests will be able to view a moon rock taken from the Apollo 14 mission and hear from a number of guest speakers. A wide variety of experts, including Artemis II personnel, will be present at the Pearl Young Theater and the Expo Hall and Entertainment Stages. Food trucks, gift shops, and a kid’s zone will also be on site.
This twice-in-a-decade event will operate from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is free.
