Glenn Research Center

41.412843 - 81.862399Koordinaten: 41 ° 24 '46 "N, 81 ° 51' 45 " W

The Glenn Research Center (GRC ) is a research center of NASA, based in Brook Park in Cleveland, Ohio. It is located between Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and the Rocky River Reservation (part of the Cleveland Metroparks ). Current director is Ramon Lugo. Designated successor is his deputy James Free.

The research mainly deals with the development of new technologies for the aerospace industry. One of the best known developments is powered by liquid hydrogen rocket engine J-2, described the Wernher von Braun as a key technology for the Apollo moon program. Also a new type of propulsion system for spacecraft was developed here with the ion drive.

History

The Glenn Research Center was established in 1942 as part of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics ( NACA ) and was later incorporated into NASA as a laboratory for research on aircraft engines.

The original name after funding approval was given in June 1940, was Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory. The first was renamed in 1947 in Flight Propulsion Research Laboratory, 1948 from the Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory and NASA Lewis Research Center, it finally was in 1958.

On March 1, 1999, the Lewis Research Center was officially renamed the NASA John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field to John Glenn ( American combat pilot, astronaut and politician) and George W. Lewis (Director of the NACA 1919 to 1947 ). Within the NASA Glenn Research Center is often referred to by the acronym GRC (not to be confused with the GSFC, Goddard Space Flight Center).

Since 2004, NASA began to shift their focus towards the program Vision for Space Exploration. The future of many regional research centers such as the Glenn Research Center was therefore relatively uncertain.

On May 13, 2006, NASA announced that the Glenn Research Center will take over the management of the service module of the Orion spacecraft.