Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center
| Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Aerial view of JSC in 1989 | |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | September 1963 |
| Preceding agency | Manned Spacecraft Center |
| Jurisdiction | U.S. federal government |
| Headquarters | Houston (Texas, USA) |
| Employees | 3,200 civil service |
| Agency executive | Mike Coats, director |
| Parent agency | NASA |
| Website | |
| JSC home page | |
The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's center for human spaceflight training, research and flight control. The center consists of a complex of 100 buildings constructed on 1,620 acres (656 ha) in Houston, Texas.[1] Johnson Space Center is home to the United States astronaut corps and is responsible for training astronauts from both the U.S. and its international partners. It is often popularly referred to by its central function, "Mission Control".
The center, originally known as the Manned Spacecraft Center, was constructed on land donated by Rice University and opened in 1963. On February 19, 1973, the center was renamed in honor of the late U.S. president and Texas native, Lyndon B. Johnson.[2] JSC is one of ten major NASA field centers.
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[edit] History
Johnson Space Center has its origins in legislation shepherded to enactment in 1958 by then-U.S. Senator Lyndon Johnson. After President John F. Kennedy made the goal in 1961 to put a man on the Moon by the end of the decade, the Space Task Group was formed with Langley Research Center engineers to lead the Apollo Project.[3] The group would need test facilities and research laboratories suitable to mount an expedition to the moon. In July 1961, NASA Administrator James E. Webb headed the site selection team. Requirements for the new site included the availability of water transport and an all-weather airport, proximity to a major telecommunications network, availability of established industrial workers and contractor support, an available supply of water, a mild climate permitting year-round outdoor work and a culturally attractive community. Houston was initially included because of the proximity to the 4,700-acre (19 km2) United States Army San Jacinto Ordnance Depot located on the Houston Ship Channel, and to regional universities, including Rice University, University of Texas, and Texas A&M University.[3] The selection of Houston for the site was announced in September 1961. The land for the new facility was donated by Rice University and was situated in an undeveloped area 25 miles (40 km) southeast of Houston near Galveston Bay.[4][5] Construction of the center, designed by Charles Luckman, began in April 1962, and the facility was officially opened for business in September 1963.[6][7] When opened, the 1,620-acre (660 ha) facility was originally designated the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC) and was to be the primary center for U.S. space missions involving astronauts.[4][5]
The center's Mission Control Center has been the operational center of every American human space mission since Gemini IV. The control center manages all activity on board the spacecraft and directs all space shuttle missions. Mission Control Center was constructed in 1962.[3] By 1965, JSC was fully operational and has been responsible for coordinating and monitoring every crewed NASA mission since the Gemini Project.
In addition to housing NASA's astronaut operations, JSC is also the site of the former Lunar Receiving Laboratory, where the first astronauts returning from the moon were quarantined, and where the majority of lunar samples are stored. The center's Landing and Recovery Division operated MV Retriever in the Gulf of Mexico for Gemini and Apollo astronauts to practice water egress after splashdown.
In the wake of the January 28th, 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, then-President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy traveled to JSC on January 31 to speak at a memorial service honoring the astronauts. It was attended by 6,000 NASA employees and 4,000 guests, as well as by the families of the crew. During the ceremony, an Air Force band led the singing of "God Bless America" as NASA T-38 Talon supersonic jets flew directly over the scene, in the traditional missing-man formation. All activities were broadcast live by the national television and radio networks.
One of the artifacts displayed at Johnson Space Center is the Saturn V rocket. It is whole, except for the ring between the S-IC and S-II stages, and the fairing between the S-II and S-IVB stages, and made of actual surplus flight-ready articles. It also has a real (though incomplete) Apollo CSM, intended to fly in the canceled Apollo 19 mission.
In September 2008, NASA's Johnson Space Center celebrated its 50th year of leading America into space.[8]
On April 20, 2007 a hostage situation developed in Building 44, the Communication and Tracking Development Laboratory where a gunman killed one person, injured another, and took a hostage for over three hours until finally committing suicide.
On September 13, 2008 Hurricane Ike hit Galveston as a Category 3 Hurricane and caused minor damage to the Mission Control center and other buildings in the Johnson Space Center.[9] The storm damaged the roofs of several hangars for the T-38 Talons at Ellington Field.[9]
[edit] Facilities
Further information: List of buildings in the Johnson Space Center
The Johnson Space Center is home to Mission Control Center (MCC-H), the NASA control center that coordinates and monitors all human spaceflight for the United States. MCC-H directs all Space Shuttle missions and activities aboard the International Space Station. The Apollo Mission Control Center, a National Historic Landmark can be found in building 30. From the moment a spacecraft clears its launch tower until it lands back on earth, it is in the hands of Mission Control. The Mission Control Center houses several Flight Control Rooms, from which Flight controllers coordinate and monitor the spaceflights. The rooms have many computer resources to monitor, command and communicate with spacecraft. When a mission is underway the rooms are staffed around the clock, usually in 3 shifts.
The center handles most of the planning and training of the US astronaut corps and houses training facilities such as the Sonny Carter Training Facility and the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, which is a critical component in the training of astronauts for spacewalks. The Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory provides a controlled neutral buoyancy environment a very large pool containing about 6.2 million US gallons (23,000 m³) of water where astronauts train to practice extra-vehicular activity tasks while attempting to simulate zero-g conditions.[10][11] The facility provides pre-flight training in becoming familiar with crew activities and with the dynamics of body motion under weightless conditions.[12]
The center is also responsible for direction of operations at White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico, which serves as a backup Shuttle landing site and would be the coordinating facility for the Constellation program, which was planned to replace the Space Shuttle program after 2010.[1]
The visitor's center of Johnson Space Center is Space Center Houston since 1994. One of the JSC buildings (Building 2) once housed the JSC Visitor's Center.
The Johnson Space Center Heliport (FAA LID: 72TX) is located on the campus. Ronald C. Bailey manages the heliport.[13]
 Mission Control Center. |  Space Shuttle Challenger, atop its Boeing 747 SCA, flying over JSC. |  Astronaut photograph centred on the JSC. |
