Ames Research Center

Ames Research Center is a NASA facility in Mountain View, California. The compound includes wind tunnels, simulators, and laboratories spread across a sprawling campus at the southern edge of the bay.

The site opened in late 1939 as a facility of the National Advisory Committee and became part of the newly created space agency in 1958. Over the following decades, the center expanded into fields such as astrobiology and robotics.

The center takes its name from the founder of the aeronautics research committee and now houses projects on artificial intelligence and planetary exploration. Visitors see modern labs where teams work on flight simulations and space missions.

The public area welcomes visitors on weekdays, while the main campus remains mostly closed. Access to the laboratories happens through guided programs offered regularly.

The center operates one of the largest supercomputers in the country, calculating climate models and aircraft designs. Researchers also use this system for computing asteroid trajectories and planetary surfaces.

Location: Santa Clara County

Inception: December 20, 1939

Operator: National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Address: Moffett Blvd, Mountain View, CA 94035, USA

Opening Hours: Tuesday-Friday 10:00-16:00; Saturday-Sunday 12:00-16:00

Phone: +16506045000

Website: https://nasa.gov/ames

GPS coordinates: 37.41495,-122.05693

Latest update: December 12, 2025 17:59