Langley Research Center

Langley Research Center is a NASA research facility in Hampton specializing in aviation and space technology, with multiple buildings housing test stands, laboratories, and wind tunnels. The campus covers a large area with facilities for materials research, computer modeling, and aircraft development.

The site began in 1917 as the first research facility of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, initially focused on military aviation research during World War I. After NASA formed in 1958, this location became a key site for the Mercury program and later human spaceflight missions.

The name honors Samuel Pierpont Langley, an aviation pioneer from the late 19th century whose experiments with powered flight shaped modern aeronautics. His ideas continue through the labs and simulators where international teams work on projects for civil and military aviation.

Tours must be booked several weeks ahead, and all visitors need to present valid identification and pass a security check. Access is available on weekdays during daytime hours, with visits generally limited to specific areas.

One of the wind tunnels dating from the 1920s remains operational and is used for tests examining basic aerodynamic principles. The site also houses a crater test area where lunar landings were simulated before the Apollo missions launched.