Rendezvous Docking Simulator

The Rendezvous Docking Simulator is a training device at Langley Research Center featuring a large gantry frame with an overhead carriage system suspended by cables and hydraulic gimbals. The machine can move a test spacecraft in multiple directions simultaneously to replicate the complex motions of approaching and docking two vehicles in space.

NASA built this training device in 1963 at Langley Research Center to prepare Gemini and Apollo astronauts for critical docking maneuvers in space. The simulator played a central role in the space program during the 1960s by helping crews practice this essential and dangerous procedure.

The facility represents a major advancement in space exploration technology, enabling astronauts to master essential docking skills before lunar missions.

The simulator is housed in Building 1244 at Langley Research Center where visitors can view it as part of a guided tour or visitor experience. It is best to check in advance whether public access is available, as the facility is located within an active NASA campus.

The device is the only surviving astronaut training simulator from the Gemini and Apollo programs and represents a rare artifact from that era. Its preservation allows visitors to see the technological foundation on which the early human spaceflight missions were built.

Location: Virginia

GPS coordinates: 37.08560,-76.37810

Latest update: December 14, 2025 11:23