NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, left, and Planetary Society CEO and Science educator, Bill Nye, shake hands, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Bill Nye visits Goddard Space Flight Center

Bill Nye at the Astrobiology Lab during a tour of Goddard Space Flight Center on September 8, 2011 Credit: NASA/GSFC/Bill Hrybyk <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/home/index.html" rel="nofollow">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a> enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/NASA_GoddardPix" rel="nofollow">Twitter</a> Like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Greenbelt-MD/NASA-Goddard/395013845897?ref=tsd" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a> Find us on <a href="http://web.stagram.com/n/nasagoddard/?vm=grid" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a>

Bill Nye visits Goddard Space Flight Center

Bill Nye checks out the progress of the James Webb Space Telescope at the building 29 clean room during a tour of Goddard Space Flight Center on September 8, 2011 Credit: NASA/GSFC/Bill Hrybyk <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/home/index.html" rel="nofollow">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a> enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/NASA_GoddardPix" rel="nofollow">Twitter</a> Like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Greenbelt-MD/NASA-Goddard/395013845897?ref=tsd" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a> Find us on <a href="http://web.stagram.com/n/nasagoddard/?vm=grid" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a>

Bill Nye visits Goddard Space Flight Center

Bill Nye checks out the progress of the James Webb Space Telescope at the building 29 clean room during a tour of Goddard Space Flight Center on September 8, 2011 Credit: NASA/GSFC/Bill Hrybyk <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/home/index.html" rel="nofollow">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a> enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/NASA_GoddardPix" rel="nofollow">Twitter</a> Like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Greenbelt-MD/NASA-Goddard/395013845897?ref=tsd" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a> Find us on <a href="http://web.stagram.com/n/nasagoddard/?vm=grid" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a>

Bill Nye visits Goddard Space Flight Center

Bill Nye with the James Webb Space Telescope team at the building 29 clean room during a tour of Goddard Space Flight Center on September 8, 2011 Credit: NASA/GSFC/Bill Hrybyk <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/home/index.html" rel="nofollow">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a> enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/NASA_GoddardPix" rel="nofollow">Twitter</a> Like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Greenbelt-MD/NASA-Goddard/395013845897?ref=tsd" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a> Find us on <a href="http://web.stagram.com/n/nasagoddard/?vm=grid" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a>

Bill Nye visits Goddard Space Flight Center

Bill Nye speaks with Aaron Burton at the Astrobiology Lab during a tour of Goddard Space Flight Center on September 8, 2011 Credit: NASA/GSFC/Bill Hrybyk <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/home/index.html" rel="nofollow">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a> enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/NASA_GoddardPix" rel="nofollow">Twitter</a> Like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Greenbelt-MD/NASA-Goddard/395013845897?ref=tsd" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a> Find us on <a href="http://web.stagram.com/n/nasagoddard/?vm=grid" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a>

Bill Nye visits Goddard Space Flight Center

Bill Nye at the building 29 during a tour of Goddard Space Flight Center on September 8, 2011 Credit: NASA/GSFC/Bill Hrybyk <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/home/index.html" rel="nofollow">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a> enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/NASA_GoddardPix" rel="nofollow">Twitter</a> Like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Greenbelt-MD/NASA-Goddard/395013845897?ref=tsd" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a> Find us on <a href="http://web.stagram.com/n/nasagoddard/?vm=grid" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a>

Bill Nye visits Goddard Space Flight Center

Bill Nye checks out the progress of the James Webb Space Telescope at the building 29 clean room during a tour of Goddard Space Flight Center on September 8, 2011 Credit: NASA/GSFC/Bill Hrybyk <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/home/index.html" rel="nofollow">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a> enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/NASA_GoddardPix" rel="nofollow">Twitter</a> Like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Greenbelt-MD/NASA-Goddard/395013845897?ref=tsd" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a> Find us on <a href="http://web.stagram.com/n/nasagoddard/?vm=grid" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a>

Bill Nye visits Goddard Space Flight Center

Bill Nye and Dr. Jim Garvin at the Science on a Sphere during a tour of Goddard Space Flight Center on September 8, 2011 Credit: NASA/GSFC/Bill Hrybyk <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/home/index.html" rel="nofollow">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a> enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/NASA_GoddardPix" rel="nofollow">Twitter</a> Like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Greenbelt-MD/NASA-Goddard/395013845897?ref=tsd" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a> Find us on <a href="http://web.stagram.com/n/nasagoddard/?vm=grid" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a>

Bill Nye visits Goddard Space Flight Center

Bill Nye and Dr. Jim Garvin at the Science on a Sphere during a tour of Goddard Space Flight Center on September 8, 2011 Credit: NASA/GSFC/Bill Hrybyk <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/home/index.html" rel="nofollow">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a> enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/NASA_GoddardPix" rel="nofollow">Twitter</a> Like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Greenbelt-MD/NASA-Goddard/395013845897?ref=tsd" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a> Find us on <a href="http://web.stagram.com/n/nasagoddard/?vm=grid" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a>

Bill Nye, known as the Science Guy, takes a photograph of himself with NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver at the Planetary Society's 2012 Planetfest on Saturday, Aug. 4, 2012 in Pasadena, Calif. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Planetfest 2012

White House Science Fair

Planetary Society Executive Director and “Bill Nye the Science Guy” host Bill Nye, right, photographs himself with NASA Mars Curiosity Landing mission controller, Bobak "Mohawk Guy" Ferdowsi, during the White House Science Fair held at the White House, April 22, 2013. The science fair celebrated student winners of a broad range of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competitions from across the country. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Bill Nye, Chief Executive Officer, The Planetary Society, speaks during a session titled, “Europa Clipper: Making a Mission to Understand Our Place in the Universe” at the 70th International Astronautical Congress, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington. Photo credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

70th International Astronautical Congress

Science Fair

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden (left) and Bill Nye, The Science Guy, speak with some students that participated in the White House Science Fair. The fourth White House Science Fair was held at the White House on May 27, 2014 and included 100 students from more than 30 different states who competed in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) competitions. (Photo Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

Endeavour Grand Opening Ceremony

Chief Executive Officer of the Planetary Society, Bill Nye "The Science Guy", acts as emcee from a podium underneath the space shuttle Endeavour during the grand opening ceremony for the center's Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Endeavour Display Pavilion, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in Los Angeles. Endeavour, built as a replacement for space shuttle Challenger, completed 25 missions, spent 299 days in orbit, and orbited Earth 4,671 times while traveling 122,883,151 miles. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

MSL - VIPs in Tweet-Up Tent, Will Iam, Bill Nye, Charlie Bolden, Leland Melvin

70th International Astronautical Congress

Dipak Srinivasan, Europa Clipper Telecommunications Manager, Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) moderates a panel titled, “Europa Clipper: Making a Mission to Understand Our Place in the Universe” with panelists, from left to right, Robert Pappalardo, Europa Clipper Project Scientist, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL); Karen Kirby, Europa Clipper Deputy Project System Engineer, APL; Jennifer Dooley, Europa Clipper Project Systems Engineer, JPL; Thomas Magner, Manager, APL; and Bill Nye, Chief Executive Officer, The Planetary Society, during the 70th International Astronautical Congress, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington. Photo credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

70th International Astronautical Congress

Dipak Srinivasan, Europa Clipper Telecommunications Manager, Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), left, moderates a panel titled, “Europa Clipper: Making a Mission to Understand Our Place in the Universe” with panelists, from left to right, Robert Pappalardo, Europa Clipper Project Scientist, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL); Karen Kirby, Europa Clipper Deputy Project System Engineer, APL; Jennifer Dooley, Europa Clipper Project Systems Engineer, JPL; Thomas Magner, Manager, APL; and Bill Nye, Chief Executive Officer, The Planetary Society, during the 70th International Astronautical Congress, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington. Photo credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Bill Nye The Science Guy, engineer and television personality, is interviewed by the media during the Conference on the American Space Program for the 21st Century. President Barack Obama opened the Conference on the American Space Program for the 21st Century with remarks on the new course his administration is charting for NASA and the future of U.S. leadership in human spaceflight. Photo credit: NASA_Jim Grossmann

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Louis Friedman, founder and executive director, The Planetary Society, at left, and Bill Nye The Science Guy, engineer and television personality, are interviewed by the media during the Conference on the American Space Program for the 21st Century. President Barack Obama opened the Conference on the American Space Program for the 21st Century with remarks on the new course his administration is charting for NASA and the future of U.S. leadership in human spaceflight. Photo credit: NASA_Jim Grossmann

Hampton Institute Tour

Photograph taken July 30, 1964. Mary W Jackson, Aerospace Engineer in the Large Supersonic Tunnels Branch of Full-Scale Research Division, explains the facilities used in testing research models such as SCAT. The Guidance Counseling Class from Hampton Institute visited the center on July 30 and toured a number of facilities. The purpose of the visit was to provide the counselors an opportunity to see areas of work representing fields in which their students might be employed. The group, under the direction of Professor Fissell Jones (Left, back row) of Hampton Institute, represented the states of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. In 1958 Mary Jackson became NASA's first black female engineer. The Hampton Institute (now Hampton University) is a Historically Black College. NASA started its EEO office in 1964 and the NASA Administrator at the time, James Webb, was very enthusiastic about reaching out to universities (including HBCUs) to partner with them and to encourage students to become NASA engineers.

High Speed Aircraft Division and Branch Personnel

Photograph taken February 06, 1974. High Speed Aircraft Division Personnel, Mary Jackson is one of the people in the front row of this group. Mary Jackson belonged to the Theoretical Performance Group, High Speed Aircraft Division, Office of Director for Aeronautics at time of photo. First row: Steve Wornom, Dick Barnwell, Mary Jackson, and Bud Bobbitt; Second row: Bernie Klunker, Perry Newman, Branch secretary, Frances Keeter, and Ruby Davis, Branch mathematician; Third row: Dennis Allison, Jim Keller, Jerry South, and Cas Czarnecki.

Astronaut Richard F. Gordon Jr. Climbing in to Training Simulator

Richard F. Gordon Jr. climbing into training simulator. Astronaut Richard (Dick) Gordon, died in November 2017, at his home in California. He was 88. Gordon orbited the Moon on Apollo 12 in 1969 while two other astronauts walked on it. The Apollo 12 crew capsule can be seen at Langley's official visitor center, the Virginia Air and Space Center in Hampton VA. NASA 2017 Annual report, Celebrating 100 years.page 23 Milestones.

Garver Google+ Hangout

NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver participates in a live "We The Geeks" Google+ Hangout hosted by the White House to talk about asteroids, Friday, May 31, 2013 at NASA Headquarters in Washington. An asteroid nearly three kilometers wide will pass by the Earth today at 3.6 million miles away. Garver is joined in the conversation by Bill Nye, Executive Director, Planetary Society; Ed Lu, former astronaut and CEO, B612 Foundation; Peter Diamandis, Co-Founder and Co-Chairman, Planetary Resources and Jose Luis Galache, Astronomer at the International Astronomical Unions's Minor Planet Center. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

70th International Astronautical Congress

An artist illustrates a panel discussion titled, “Europa Clipper: Making a Mission to Understand Our Place in the Universe,” with panelists Robert Pappalardo, Europa Clipper Project Scientist, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL); Karen Kirby, Europa Clipper Deputy Project System Engineer, Applied Physics Laboratory (APL); Jennifer Dooley, Europa Clipper Project Systems Engineer, JPL; Thomas Magner, Manager, APL; and Bill Nye, Chief Executive Officer, The Planetary Society, during the 70th International Astronautical Congress, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington. Photo credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

Garver Google+ Hangout

NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver participates in a live "We The Geeks" Google+ Hangout hosted by the White House to talk about asteroids, Friday, May 31, 2013 at NASA Headquarters in Washington. An asteroid nearly three kilometers wide will pass by the Earth today at 3.6 million miles away. Garver is joined in the conversation by Bill Nye, Executive Director, Planetary Society; Ed Lu, former astronaut and CEO, B612 Foundation; Peter Diamandis, Co-Founder and Co-Chairman, Planetary Resources and Jose Luis Galache, Astronomer at the International Astronomical Unions's Minor Planet Center. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, some of the participants and invited guests of the Conference on the American Space Program for the 21st Century pose for a group portrait. From left are Neil deGrasse Tyson, director, Hayden Planetarium, American Museum of Natural History; Bill Nye The Science Guy, engineer and television personality; Jim Bell, professor, Department of Astronomy, Cornell University; Scott Hubbard, former director, NASA's Ames Research Center; and Louis Friedman, founder and executive director, The Planetary Society. President Barack Obama opened the Conference on the American Space Program for the 21st Century with remarks on the new course his administration is charting for NASA and the future of U.S. leadership in human spaceflight. Photo credit: NASA_Jim Grossmann

Endeavour Grand Opening Ceremony

President and CEO of the California Science Center Jeffrey N. Rudolph speaks from a podium underneath the space shuttle Endeavour during the grand opening ceremony for the center's Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Endeavour Display Pavilion, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in Los Angeles. Endeavour, built as a replacement for space shuttle Challenger, completed 25 missions, spent 299 days in orbit, and orbited Earth 4,671 times while traveling 122,883,151 miles. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Endeavour Grand Opening Ceremony

President and CEO of the California Science Center Jeffrey N. Rudolph speaks from a podium underneath the space shuttle Endeavour during the grand opening ceremony for the center's Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Endeavour Display Pavilion, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in Los Angeles. Endeavour, built as a replacement for space shuttle Challenger, completed 25 missions, spent 299 days in orbit, and orbited Earth 4,671 times while traveling 122,883,151 miles. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Project FIRE Flight Investigation Reentry Environment- Winds of Change

As part of the project FIRE study, technicians ready materials to be subjected to high temperatures that will simulate the effects of re-entry heating. Tests of various space capsule materials for Project FIRE were conducted. Photographed in the 9 X 6 Foot Thermal Structures Tunnel. Photograph published in Winds of Change, 75th Anniversary NASA publication, by James Schultz (page 78). Photograph also published in Engineer in Charge: A History of the Langley Aeronautical Laboratory, 1917-1958 by James R. Hansen (page 476). Also Published in the book " A Century at Langley" by Joseph Chambers. Pg. 92

Apollo - LOLA Project

Project LOLA. Test subject sitting at the controls: Project LOLA or Lunar Orbit and Landing Approach was a simulator built at Langley to study problems related to landing on the lunar surface. It was a complex project that cost nearly 2 million dollars. James Hansen wrote: This simulator was designed to provide a pilot with a detailed visual encounter with the lunar surface the machine consisted primarily of a cockpit, a closed-circuit TV system, and four large murals or scale models representing portions of the lunar surface as seen from various altitudes. The pilot in the cockpit moved along a track past these murals which would accustom him to the visual cues for controlling a spacecraft in the vicinity of the moon. Unfortunately, such a simulation--although great fun and quite aesthetic--was not helpful because flight in lunar orbit posed no special problems other than the rendezvous with the LEM, which the device did not simulate. Not long after the end of Apollo, the expensive machine was dismantled. (p. 379) Ellis J. White wrote in his paper, Discussion of Three Typical Langley Research Center Simulation Programs : A typical mission would start with the first cart positioned on model 1 for the translunar approach and orbit establishment. After starting the descent, the second cart is readied on model 2 and, at the proper time, when superposition occurs, the pilot s scene is switched from model 1 to model 2. then cart 1 is moved to and readied on model 3. The procedure continues until an altitude of 150 feet is obtained. The cabin of the LM vehicle has four windows which represent a 45 degree field of view. The projection screens in front of each window represent 65 degrees which allows limited head motion before the edges of the display can be seen. The lunar scene is presented to the pilot by rear projection on the screens with four Schmidt television projectors. The attitude orientation of the vehicle is represented by changing the lunar scene through the portholes determined by the scan pattern of four orthicons. The stars are front projected onto the upper three screens with a four-axis starfield generation (starball) mounted over the cabin and there is a separate starball for the low window. -- Published in James R. Hansen, Spaceflight Revolution: NASA Langley Research Center From Sputnik to Apollo, (Washington: NASA, 1995), p. 379 Ellis J. White, Discussion of Three Typical Langley Research Center Simulation Programs, Paper presented at the Eastern Simulation Council (EAI s Princeton Computation Center), Princeton, NJ, October 20, 1966.

Christine Darden at desk in 1973 NASA Langley Research Center.

EEO training. Christine Darden at desk,

Unidentified Pilot eyeballs his way to a docking by peering through the portal in his capsule. Photo published in Spaceflight Revolution, NASA Langley Research Center From Sputnik to Apollo. By James R. Hansen. NASA SP-4308, 1995, p. 372.

Pilot in Rendezvous Docking Simulator

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Will.i.am, entertainer and member of The Black Eyed Peas, and television personality Bill Nye the Science Guy pose in front of a picture of a space shuttle being lifted into a high bay following their participation in a NASA Tweetup. The Tweetup is part of prelaunch activities for the agency’s Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) launch and provides the opportunity for tweeters will share their experiences with followers through the social networking site Twitter. The MSL mission will pioneer precision landing technology and a sky-crane touchdown to place a car-sized rover, Curiosity, near the foot of a mountain inside Gale Crater on Aug. 6, 2012. During a nearly two-year prime mission after landing, the rover will investigate whether the region has ever offered conditions favorable for microbial life, including the chemical ingredients for life. Liftoff of MSL aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station was at 10:02 a.m. EST on Nov. 26. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/msl. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Television personality Bill Nye the Science Guy talks to the participants of a NASA Tweetup in a tent set up at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Press Site in Florida during prelaunch activities for the agency’s Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) launch. Participants in the Tweetup are given the opportunity to listen to agency briefings, tour locations on the center normally off limits to visitors, and get a close-up view of Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The tweeters will share their experiences with followers through the social networking site Twitter. The MSL mission will pioneer precision landing technology and a sky-crane touchdown to place a car-sized rover, Curiosity, near the foot of a mountain inside Gale Crater on Aug. 6, 2012. During a nearly two-year prime mission after landing, the rover will investigate whether the region has ever offered conditions favorable for microbial life, including the chemical ingredients for life. Liftoff of MSL aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from pad 41 is planned during a launch window which extends from 10:02 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. EST on Nov. 26. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/msl. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A panel session for participants in the International Space University's Space Studies Program 2012, or SSP, is held in the Operations Support Building II at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From left are Pete Worden, director, NASA Ames Research Center Yvonne Pendleton, observational astronomer, NASA Ames Research Center Scott Hubbard, professor, Stanford University Bill Nye, CEO, The Planetary Society and George Tahu, NASA program executive, Planetary Science Division, NASA Headquarters. The Soffen Memorial Panel session provided the opportunity for participants to engage with today's leaders in the planetary science field. The panel session is named in honor of Gerald Soffen, NASA scientist and leader of NASA's Viking Mars mission. The nine-week intensive SSP course is designed for post-graduate university students and professionals during the summer. The program is hosted by a different country each year, providing a unique educational experience for participants from around the globe. NASA Kennedy Space Center and Florida Tech are co-hosting this year's event which runs from June 4 to Aug. 3. For more information about the International Space University, visit http://www.isunet.edu. Photo credit: NASA/Tim Jacobs

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Television personality Bill Nye the Science Guy talks to the participants of a NASA Tweetup in a tent set up at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Press Site in Florida during prelaunch activities for the agency’s Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) launch. Participants in the Tweetup are given the opportunity to listen to agency briefings, tour locations on the center normally off limits to visitors, and get a close-up view of Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The tweeters will share their experiences with followers through the social networking site Twitter. The MSL mission will pioneer precision landing technology and a sky-crane touchdown to place a car-sized rover, Curiosity, near the foot of a mountain inside Gale Crater on Aug. 6, 2012. During a nearly two-year prime mission after landing, the rover will investigate whether the region has ever offered conditions favorable for microbial life, including the chemical ingredients for life. Liftoff of MSL aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from pad 41 is planned during a launch window which extends from 10:02 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. EST on Nov. 26. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/msl. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, television personality Bill Nye, the science guy, speaks to about 150 followers of the agency’s Twitter account during Juno Tweetup activities inside a tent at the Press Site. The tweeters are at the center for two days of prelaunch activities. Juno is NASA’s mission to Jupiter to study the giant planet and improve our understanding of the planet’s formation and evolution. The tweeters will share their experiences with followers through the social networking site Twitter. Attendees represent 28 states, the District of Columbia and five other countries: Canada, Finland, Norway, Spain and the United Kingdom. This is the first time NASA has invited Twitter followers to experience the launch of a planetary spacecraft. The Juno spacecraft is scheduled to launch on an Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, Aug. 5, at 11:34 a.m. EDT. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/juno. Photo credit: NASA/Fletcher Hildreth

Endeavour Grand Opening Ceremony

Vocalist James Ingram sings "I Believe I Can Fly" from underneath the space shuttle Endeavour during the grand opening ceremony for the California Science center's Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Endeavour Display Pavilion, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in Los Angeles. Endeavour, built as a replacement for space shuttle Challenger, completed 25 missions, spent 299 days in orbit, and orbited Earth 4,671 times while traveling 122,883,151 miles. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Endeavour Grand Opening Ceremony

California Governor Jerry Brown speaks from a podium underneath the space shuttle Endeavour during the grand opening ceremony for the California Science center's Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Endeavour Display Pavilion, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in Los Angeles. Endeavour, built as a replacement for space shuttle Challenger, completed 25 missions, spent 299 days in orbit, and orbited Earth 4,671 times while traveling 122,883,151 miles. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Trainees Honored: Langley Researcher, March 6, 1970 page 6. Six staff members instructed the trainees in various subjects Horace Bellamy, Fred Eichenbrenner,Thomas Hall, Evelyn Myers, Eloise McGehee, and Katherine Johnson.

Office of Equal Opertunity Program Staff Trainers

LOLA Project Artists

Artists used paintbrushes and airbrushes to recreate the lunar surface on each of the four models comprising the LOLA simulator. Project LOLA or Lunar Orbit and Landing Approach was a simulator built at Langley to study problems related to landing on the lunar surface. It was a complex project that cost nearly 2 million dollars. James Hansen wrote: This simulator was designed to provide a pilot with a detailed visual encounter with the lunar surface the machine consisted primarily of a cockpit, a closed-circuit TV system, and four large murals or scale models representing portions of the lunar surface as seen from various altitudes. The pilot in the cockpit moved along a track past these murals which would accustom him to the visual cues for controlling a spacecraft in the vicinity of the moon. Unfortunately, such a simulation--although great fun and quite aesthetic--was not helpful because flight in lunar orbit posed no special problems other than the rendezvous with the LEM, which the device did not simulate. Not long after the end of Apollo, the expensive machine was dismantled. (p. 379) Ellis J. White described the simulator as follows: Model 1 is a 20-foot-diameter sphere mounted on a rotating base and is scaled 1 in. 9 miles. Models 2,3, and 4 are approximately 15x40 feet scaled sections of model 1. Model 4 is a scaled-up section of the Crater Alphonsus and the scale is 1 in. 200 feet. All models are in full relief except the sphere. -- Published in James R. Hansen, Spaceflight Revolution: NASA Langley Research Center From Sputnik to Apollo, (Washington: NASA, 1995), p. 379 Ellis J. White, Discussion of Three Typical Langley Research Center Simulation Programs, Paper presented at the Eastern Simulation Council (EAI s Princeton Computation Center), Princeton, NJ, October 20, 1966.

Portrait of Katherine Johnson

Minority Professionals at NASA Langley Research Center Samuel J. Scott on the right.

Minority Professionals at NASA Langley, Samuel J. Scott

ICARUS - Lunar Walker with Pilot Dick Yenni

Mrs. Katherine G. Johnson at Work NASA Langley

Visual Docking Moon Simulator

Astronaut James Lovell at the controls of the Visual Docking Simulator. From A.W. Vogeley, "Piloted Space-Flight Simulation at Langley Research Center," Paper presented at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers 1966 Winter Meeting, New York, NY, November 27-December 1, 1966. "This facility was [later known as the Visual-Optical Simulator.] It presents to the pilot an out-the-window view of his target in correct 6 degrees of freedom motion. The scene is obtained by a television camera pick-up viewing a small-scale gimbaled model of the target." "For docking studies, the docking target picture was projected onto the surface of a 20-foot-diameter sphere and the pilot could, effectively, maneuver into contract. this facility was used in a comparison study with the Rendezvous Docking Simulator - one of the few comparison experiments in which conditions were carefully controlled and a reasonable sample of pilots used. All pilots preferred the more realistic RDS visual scene. The pilots generally liked the RDS angular motion cues although some objected to the false gravity cues that these motions introduced. Training time was shorter on the RDS, but final performance on both simulators was essentially equal. " "For station-keeping studies, since close approach is not required, the target was presented to the pilot through a virtual-image system which projects his view to infinity, providing a more realistic effect. In addition to the target, the system also projects a star and horizon background. "

Portrait of Mary Jackson. At the time this photo was taken on October 9, 1971, Mrs. Jackson was working as a Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Counselor Mary Jackson, was NASA’s first black female engineer, R-LRC-1971-OCIO_P-08767,

Portrait of Mary Jackson, NASA's First Female African-American Engineer

Katherine G. Johnson at Work

Portrait of Mary Jackson, NASA's First Female African-American Engineer

Astronauts Conrad and Bean at Lunar Landing Research Facility

Astronauts Conrad and Bean at Lunar Landing Research Facility. Alan Bean was one of the third group of astronauts named by NASA in October 1963. He served as backup astronaut for the Gemini 10 and Apollo 9 missions. In September of 1962, Mr. Conrad was selected as an astronaut by NASA. His first flight was Gemini V, which established the space endurance record and placed the United States in the lead for man-hours in space. As commander of Gemini XI, Mr. Conrad helped to set a world's altitude record. He then served as commander of Apollo XII, the second lunar landing. On Mr. Conrad's final mission, he served as commander of Skylab II, the first United States Space Station. https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/former for more information.

Astronaut Fred Wallace Haise, Jr. at NASA Langley Lunar Research Facility

Apollo/Saturn 1B aerodynamic integrity.Jacket description is Ground Wind Loads Effect on SA5 in TDT. Person in 63-1637 is Engineer Thomas A. Byrdsong checks the Apollo/Saturn 1B ground-wind-loads model in the NASA Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel.

LRC-1963-B701_P-01637

Martin-Bell Dyna Soar I in Unitary Tunnel

Lunar Landing Testing at NASA Langley

Lunar Lander night sequence (Langley)

During a nighttime training session, a multiple exposure captures the movement of the Lunar Excursion Module Simulator (LEMS). The LEMS was a manned vehicle used to familiarize the Apollo astronauts with the handling characteristics of lunar-landing type vehicle. The Apollo Program is best known for the astronaut Neal Armstrong s first step on the Moon July 20, 1969. In its earliest test period, the LEMS featured a helicopter crew cabin atop the lunar landing module. Later, the helicopter crew cabin was replaced with a stand-up rectangular cabin which was more efficient for controlling maneuvers and for better viewing by the pilot. The vehicle was designed at Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA. This multiple exposure shows a simulated Moon landing of the (LEMS) trainer at Langley s Lunar Landing Research Facility. -- Photograph published in Winds of Change, 75th Anniversary NASA publication (page 70), by James Shultz. Also published in " A Century at Langley" by Joseph Chambers, pg. 93.

Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin at the (LLRF) Lunar Landing Research Facility

Astronaut Edwin Buzz Aldrin Lunar Module Pilot at the (LLRF) Lunar Landing Research Facility. Aldrin was one of the third group of astronauts named by NASA in October 1963. On November 11, 1966, he and command pilot James Lovell were launched into space in the Gemini 12 spacecraft on a 4-day flight, which brought the Gemini program to a successful close. Aldrin established a new record for extravehicular activity (EVA), spending 5-1/2 hours outside the spacecraft. He served as lunar module pilot for Apollo 11, July 16-24, 1969, the first manned lunar landing mission. Aldrin followed Neil Armstrong onto the lunar surface on July 20, 1969, completing a 2-hour and 15 minute lunar EVA. In July 1971, Aldrin resigned from NASA. Aldrin has logged 289 hours and 53 minutes in space, of which, 7 hours and 52 minutes were spent in EVA. https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/former

Lunar Landing Testing at NASA Langley

Astronaut Eugene Cernan at Lunar Lander Research Facility

Portrait of Floyd L. Thompson NASA Langley Center Director

ICARUS - Lunar Walker with Pilot Dick Yenni

Astronaut Fred Wallace Haise, Jr. at NASA Langley Lunar Research

Astronaut Eugene Cernan at Lunar Lander Research Facility

Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin at the (LLRF) Lunar Landing Research Facility

Astronaut Edwin Buzz Aldrin Lunar Module Pilot at the (LLRF) Lunar Landing Research Facility. Aldrin was one of the third group of astronauts named by NASA in October 1963. On November 11, 1966, he and command pilot James Lovell were launched into space in the Gemini 12 spacecraft on a 4-day flight, which brought the Gemini program to a successful close. Aldrin established a new record for extravehicular activity (EVA), spending 5-1/2 hours outside the spacecraft. He served as lunar module pilot for Apollo 11, July 16-24, 1969, the first manned lunar landing mission. Aldrin followed Neil Armstrong onto the lunar surface on July 20, 1969, completing a 2-hour and 15 minute lunar EVA. In July 1971, Aldrin resigned from NASA. Aldrin has logged 289 hours and 53 minutes in space, of which, 7 hours and 52 minutes were spent in EVA. https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/former

Astronauts Conrad and Bean at Lunar Landing Research Facility

Astronauts Conrad and Bean at Lunar Landing Research Facility. Alan Bean was one of the third group of astronauts named by NASA in October 1963. He served as backup astronaut for the Gemini 10 and Apollo 9 missions. In September of 1962, Mr. Conrad was selected as an astronaut by NASA. His first flight was Gemini V, which established the space endurance record and placed the United States in the lead for man-hours in space. As commander of Gemini XI, Mr. Conrad helped to set a world's altitude record. He then served as commander of Apollo XII, the second lunar landing. On Mr. Conrad's final mission, he served as commander of Skylab II, the first United States Space Station. https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/former for more information.

Headquarters building and spheres at Gas Dynamics. DAO Section. Scanned on 4/23/2018.

NASA Langley Research Center Headquarters Building and Spheres 1963

Portrait of Mary Jackson

Martin-Bell Dyna Soar I in Unitary Tunnel

ICARUS - Lunar Walker with Pilot Dick Yenni

Astronauts Conrad and Bean at Lunar Landing Research Facility

Astronauts Conrad and Bean at Lunar Landing Research Facility. Alan Bean was one of the third group of astronauts named by NASA in October 1963. He served as backup astronaut for the Gemini 10 and Apollo 9 missions. In September of 1962, Mr. Conrad was selected as an astronaut by NASA. His first flight was Gemini V, which established the space endurance record and placed the United States in the lead for man-hours in space. As commander of Gemini XI, Mr. Conrad helped to set a world's altitude record. He then served as commander of Apollo XII, the second lunar landing. On Mr. Conrad's final mission, he served as commander of Skylab II, the first United States Space Station. https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/former for more information.

Mary Jackson With Model at NASA Langley

Mrs. Katherine G. Johnson at Work NASA Langley

Fred C. Downs and Samuel J. Scott NTA Awardees from the NTA

From left to right; Gilbert A. Haynes holding the NTA Fred C. Downs Special Event Award and Samuel J. Scott with award for their participation in the local Hampton Roads Chapter of the (NTA) National Technical Association. The guidance and counseling of minority youth is one of NTA's prime objectives. Formed in 1925, NTA has 15 chapters comprised of architects,engineers, scientists, and educators. NTA activities are directed toward encouraging and assisting public and private institutions in identifying potential minority technical talent.

Astronauts Conrad and Bean at Lunar Landing Research Facility

Astronauts Conrad and Bean at Lunar Landing Research Facility. Alan Bean was one of the third group of astronauts named by NASA in October 1963. He served as backup astronaut for the Gemini 10 and Apollo 9 missions. In September of 1962, Mr. Conrad was selected as an astronaut by NASA. His first flight was Gemini V, which established the space endurance record and placed the United States in the lead for man-hours in space. As commander of Gemini XI, Mr. Conrad helped to set a world's altitude record. He then served as commander of Apollo XII, the second lunar landing. On Mr. Conrad's final mission, he served as commander of Skylab II, the first United States Space Station. https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/former for more information.

Stability and Conrol Branch

FDCD Stability and Control Branch Photo. Names, rows front to back, people left to right: Ground level: 1. Margery Hanna 2. Debra L. Livingston 3. Carolyn Grantham 4. Nell Moore 5. Katherine G. Johnson 6. Hewitt Phillips Step 1: 1. John Shaughnessy 2. John Young 3. Bill Martz 4. Charles T. Woolley Step 2: 1. Al Hamer 2. Marion Wise (?) 3. Suresh Joshi Step 3: 1. Willard W. Anderson 2. Albert A. Schy 3. Daniel P. Giesy Step 4: 1. Hugh Bergeron 2. Claude Keckler 3. Nelson Groom 4. Ralph Will Names Given by Danial Pl. Giesy.

Mrs. Katherine G. Johnson at Work NASA Langley

Minority Professionals at NASA Langley Research Center

Schirra Visit to Langley Research Center to the Rendezvous Docking Simulator

Mrs. Katherine G. Johnson at Work NASA Langley

Portrait of Mary Jackson, NASA's First Female African-American Engineer

Mrs. Katherine G. Johnson at Work NASA Langley

Astronaut Eugene Cernan at Lunar Lander Research Facility

Retirement Party for Vernon Courtney with Guests Mary Jackson

Photograph taken on February 5, 1975. Guests attending a retirement party for Vernon Courtney, of the MSD Communications Section. Mary Jackson standing on left with human computer Christine B. Richie next to her, another from the west computers group mentioned in the book "Hidden Figures" by author Margot Lee Shetterly. Mary Jackson from NASA Langley was NASA' s first African-American female engineer, and subsequent career supporting the hiring and promotion of other deserving female and minority employees.

Astronauts Conrad and Bean at Lunar Landing Research Facility

Astronauts Conrad and Bean at Lunar Landing Research Facility. Alan Bean was one of the third group of astronauts named by NASA in October 1963. He served as backup astronaut for the Gemini 10 and Apollo 9 missions. In September of 1962, Mr. Conrad was selected as an astronaut by NASA. His first flight was Gemini V, which established the space endurance record and placed the United States in the lead for man-hours in space. As commander of Gemini XI, Mr. Conrad helped to set a world's altitude record. He then served as commander of Apollo XII, the second lunar landing. On Mr. Conrad's final mission, he served as commander of Skylab II, the first United States Space Station. https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/former for more information.

Astronaut Eugene Cernan at Lunar Lander Research Facility

Astronauts Conrad and Bean at Lunar Landing Research Facility

Astronauts Conrad and Bean at Lunar Landing Research Facility. Alan Bean was one of the third group of astronauts named by NASA in October 1963. He served as backup astronaut for the Gemini 10 and Apollo 9 missions. In September of 1962, Mr. Conrad was selected as an astronaut by NASA. His first flight was Gemini V, which established the space endurance record and placed the United States in the lead for man-hours in space. As commander of Gemini XI, Mr. Conrad helped to set a world's altitude record. He then served as commander of Apollo XII, the second lunar landing. On Mr. Conrad's final mission, he served as commander of Skylab II, the first United States Space Station. https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/former for more information.

Martin-Bell Dyna Soar I in Unitary Tunnel

Gemini capsule being tested in Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel.

LRC-1962-B701_P-08679

Mrs. Katherine G. Johnson at Work NASA Langley