Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, Astronaut training facility in Houston, Texas, US
The Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory is an astronaut training facility in Houston featuring a massive indoor pool and full-scale space station module replicas. The center was specifically designed to simulate weightlessness conditions underwater.
The facility was created in the 1990s when NASA took over a building from McDonnell Douglas and converted it into a training center. This move replaced older astronaut training methods with a more modern and realistic simulation approach.
The facility houses full-scale replicas of International Space Station modules where astronauts practice spacewalk techniques with actual equipment. These reproductions allow trainees to become familiar with real hardware before venturing into space.
Visitors can tour the facility to watch astronauts training, though advance booking may be required due to security protocols. The best time to visit is during daytime hours when training sessions are typically underway and activity is most visible.
Astronauts spend up to seven hours submerged in full spacesuits to prepare for missions in space. This extended underwater training is necessary because the physical challenges under water closely mirror weightlessness.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
