Field Centers
The specialised centres of NASA, ESA, and JAXA — from Goddard and Johnson to ESTEC and Tsukuba — each with its own role.
- ESA Centre for Earth ObservationInstitutionFrascati, Italy
ESA's establishment for Earth observation, in Frascati, Italy. ESRIN acquires, processes, and distributes data from Europe's Earth-observation satellites and hosts ESA's Living Planet programme.
- European Astronaut CentreInstitutionCologne, Germany
ESA's centre for the European astronaut corps, in Cologne, Germany. EAC trains ESA astronauts for missions to the International Space Station and prepares them for exploration beyond low Earth orbit.
- European Space Astronomy CentreInstitutionVillanueva de la Cañada, Spain
ESA's centre for space science operations and archives, near Madrid, Spain. ESAC runs the science operations and data archives for ESA's astronomy and planetary missions, from Gaia and XMM-Newton to Mars Express.
- Noordwijk, Netherlands
ESA's largest establishment and technical heart, in Noordwijk, the Netherlands. ESTEC designs and tests almost every ESA spacecraft and instrument before flight.
- JAXA Tsukuba Space CenterInstitutionTsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
JAXA's central hub, in Tsukuba Science City, Japan. Tsukuba develops and tests satellites and rockets, trains Japanese astronauts, and operates the Kibo module on the International Space Station.
- NASA Ames Research CenterInstitutionMoffett Field, California, USA
A NASA research centre in California's Silicon Valley focused on aeronautics, astrobiology, entry systems, small spacecraft, and supercomputing. Ames led the Kepler exoplanet mission's science.
- NASA Armstrong Flight Research CenterInstitutionEdwards, California, USA
NASA's centre for atmospheric flight research, at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Armstrong flies experimental and research aircraft and supported the Space Shuttle's landings and approach tests.
- NASA Glenn Research CenterInstitutionCleveland, Ohio, USA
NASA's centre for aerospace propulsion, power, and communications, in Cleveland, Ohio. Glenn develops electric propulsion, space power systems, and the technologies that keep spacecraft running.
- NASA Goddard Space Flight CenterInstitutionGreenbelt, Maryland, USA
NASA's largest centre for Earth and space science, in Greenbelt, Maryland. Goddard builds and operates robotic science missions and manages flagship observatories including Hubble and the James Webb Space Telescope, whose science operations are run by the Space Telescope Science Institute.
- NASA Johnson Space CenterInstitutionHouston, Texas, USA
NASA's centre for human spaceflight, in Houston, Texas. Johnson is home to the astronaut corps and to Mission Control, which has directed crewed flights from Gemini and Apollo to the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station.
- NASA Kennedy Space CenterInstitutionMerritt Island, Florida, USA
NASA's primary launch centre, on Merritt Island, Florida, beside Cape Canaveral. Kennedy processes and launches crewed and robotic missions and is NASA's gateway for human spaceflight.
- NASA Langley Research CenterInstitutionHampton, Virginia, USA
NASA's oldest field centre, in Hampton, Virginia, founded for aeronautics research. Langley works on atmospheric science, materials, and the entry, descent, and landing systems that deliver spacecraft to other worlds.
- NASA Marshall Space Flight CenterInstitutionHuntsville, Alabama, USA
NASA's centre for propulsion and launch vehicles, in Huntsville, Alabama. Marshall developed the Saturn V, elements of the Space Shuttle, and the Space Launch System, and manages many science payloads.
- NASA Stennis Space CenterInstitutionHancock County, Mississippi, USA
NASA's principal rocket-engine test centre, in southern Mississippi. Stennis has tested the engines of the Saturn V, the Space Shuttle, and the Space Launch System.
- NASA Wallops Flight FacilityInstitutionWallops Island, Virginia, USA
A NASA launch range on Virginia's eastern shore, managed by Goddard. Wallops flies sounding rockets, scientific balloons, and small orbital launches, and hosts a mid-Atlantic commercial launch pad.