Hangar & Flight Research Facility	Location and Land Area History Initial Activities Growth Current Activities Description of Facilities The West Area The East Area Recent Construction Trend	14x22 Foot Subsonic Tunnel
Spacecraft Dynamics Lab		National Transonic Facility

Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, is located approximately 150 air miles south of Washington, D.C. (state map). The Center occupies 807 acres of Government-owned land and is divided into two areas by the runway facilities of Langley Air Force Base. The West Area consists of 787 acres, 430 acquired by NASA by condemnation and 357 transferred to NASA from the Air Force. The East Area comprises 20.16 acres under Air Force permit. Runways, some utilities, and certain other facilities are used jointly by NASA and the Air Force.


Langley Research Center had its beginnings in 1917 when the War Department purchased land in Elizabeth City County, now Hampton, Virginia. This land was procured for the joint use of the Army and the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), the forerunner for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. It was then designated Langley Field after Professor Samuel Pierpont Langley, an early pioneer in flight. Professor Langley had flown stable, steam-powered model airplanes as early as 1896, and until 1907 he had served as Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.

Langley Field and the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics began parallel growth as air power proved its utility during World War I. NACA was created "to supervise and direct the scientific study of the problems of flight, with a view of their practical solution;" and Langley Field, authorized in June 1917, was built as a joint experimental air field and proving ground for aircraft. It was from Langley that Billy Mitchell took off for the historic test bombing of obsolete battleships off the Virginia Capes after World War I.

However, it wasn't until June 11, 1920, when Langley Field's first wind tunnel was dedicated, that the nation's first aeronautical research center had its real beginning at a permanent site staffed by its own employees, in its own facilities, and with its own program of aeronautical research. The facility was then officially designated "Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory." Orville Wright was among the founding members. Over the years, LaRC has grown to over 700 acres. A map showing real estate acquistition is available.

During these early years, Mr. L.M. Griffith served as Engineer-in-Charge. He was followed in 1926 by Dr. Henry J.E. Reid, who served as Engineer-in-Charge and subsequently as Director until he retired in 1960 soon after the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) succeeded NACA in 1958. From 1960 to 1968 LaRC was under the direction of Dr. Floyd L. Thompson. From 1968 to 1977 the Director was Dr. Edgar M. Cortright, an Aeronautical Engineer and organizer of numerous space programs. From 1977 until December 1984, the Director was Donald P. Hearth. Richard H. Petersen, a long time NASA researcher and manager, was Director from January 1985 to October 1991. Director from 1991 to 1996, Paul F. Holloway was previously Deputy Director from 1985 to October 1991 and a Langley engineer since 1960. Dr. Jeremiah Creedon was named director in August 1996. Creedon began his carrer at Langley in 1963 as a research engineer in the Instrument Research Division. Dr. Creedon was named Associate Administrator for the Office of Aerospace Technology at NASA Headquarters in Washington effective June 15, 2002. Delma Freeman, Jr,. the Deputy Center Director, assumed duties as Acting Director and subsequently was named director. The appointment of Gen. Roy Bridges, former director at Kennedy Space Center, was announced at Langley June 2003 and he remained until his retirement in January 2006.

Lesa B. Roe was named director effective October 3, 2005. Roe served as Langley's associate director for business management from August 2003 until being named deputy director. She has more than 20 years experience in engineering, technical and managerial positions, working for both government and private industry. Her background includes two years in NASA center leadership, four years International Space Station program management, nine years experience in technical management and project engineering and five years experience in radio frequency communications test and payload systems engineering.

Roe started her engineering career performing satellite communications analysis for Hughes Space and Communications in El Segundo, Calif. She began her NASA career at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., in 1987 as a radio frequency communications engineer in the Space Shuttle Engineering Directorate. She also managed the International Space Station Payloads Office at Johnson Space Center in Houston.

She holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Florida at Gainesville and a master's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Central Florida in Orlando.


Langley Research Center was originally established to explore the field of aerodynamic research involving airframe and propulsion engine design and performance. The results of these research efforts were made available to government, industry, and others. Early in 1943 the Center expanded to include rocket research, leading to the establishment of a flight station at Wallops Island, Virginia. A further expansion of the rocket research program effectively permitted Langley Research Center to orbit payloads. Four models were launched at Wallops by Langley Research Center.

Significantly, during the period of growth of the rocket research program, aeronautics research activities continued to expand at Langley and played an important part in the Center's activity when subsonic flight was advanced and supersonic and hypersonic flight were introduced. This led to the development of supersonic transports, X-15, F-111, and V/STOL configurations. Langley Research Center has supported all of the major NASA, Department of Defense, and Department of Energy programs assigned to the various NASA centers by providing scientific investigations, laboratory tests, and extensive research.

As the oldest and most comprehensive research installation of NASA, Langley Research Center can claim many historic firsts, some of which have proven to be revolutionary scientific breakthroughs. These accomplishments include the development of the concept of research aircrafts leading to supersonic flight; the construction of the world's first transonic wind tunnels; the origination of the Area Rule, a design principle regarded as the key to practical supersonic flight; the invention of automatically erectable spacecraft, leading to development of Echo passive communications satellites; and the development of Scout, the first all solid-fueled launch vehicle to rocket a United States satellite into orbit.

Photo of John Glenn at Lunar Landing

Seven original astronauts who trained at Langley

There have been many more Langley contributions. It was here that "Mercury" was born, sending the first American astronaut into space. It was here that the huge Lunar Landing Research Facility was located, providing for the simulation of lunar gravity in order to develop exploratory spacecraft and to perfect lunar landing techniques. Also, it was at Langley Research Center that the highly successful Viking program for the scientific exploration of Mars was managed.

Aeronautical and aircraft development programs in which Langley has had an important role
X-15 Program Supersonic Cruise Aircraft Research Aircraft Energy Efficiency Crash Dynamics Stall Spin Research Laminar Flow Control	Hypersonics Quiet Engine Research Advanced Turboprop Forward Swept Wing Advanced Controls Windshear Drag Reduction Studies - WWII	Lifting Bodies Vertical Short Takeoff and Landing Research Composite Materials Automated Pilot Advisory System Rotor Inflow Research CRT's in Cockpits

The growth of Langley has been periodic. World War I was over before NACA's "field station" at Langley Field commenced useful operations. During the 1920s and early 30s, many significant NACA research projects added immeasurably to man's knowledge of flight, and the work of the agency became internationally known and respected; but until the beginning of World War II, the growth of Langley was relatively slow. Then, suddenly faced with war in Europe and the threat of expansion of aeronautical research facilities by other nations, the Committee realized that further intensification of research was desperately needed if America was to continue its leadership in the technical development of aircraft. The resulting rapid expansion of research facilities at Langley brought forth startling developments such that by the end of World War II, new turbojet and rocket engines made possible unmanned flight in the upper atmosphere at supersonic speeds. The power available in these newly developed turbojet and rocket engines opened vast new areas of research concerned with the many problems encountered in supersonic, and later, hypersonic flight. Successful research launched the United States into the Space Age and contributed greatly to the growth of Langley.

Congress passed the "National Aeronautics and Space Act" in 1958, terminating the NACA and marking the beginning of the "National Aeronautics and Space Administration." The excellent NACA laboratories at Langley and three other installations formed the nucleus of the new civilian agency to be known as NASA. NACA's "Langley Laboratory" became officially designated "the Langley Research Center of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration."

During the years that followed, Langley Research Center grew rapidly. Paralleling and continuing acceleration in space exploration programs and growth of civil and military aviation, there has been rapid growth in the nucleus of top level research personnel and an increase in the facilities at the Center.

Today, the LaRC complex includes over 40 major research facilities and approximately 180 shops, administrative facilities, and support facilities, and is one of the larger NASA Research Centers. It has a present complement of approximately 1,906 civil service employees and 1,541 support service personnel. A portion of the NASA staff comprises professional engineers and scientists who are technical experts in the fields of aerodynamics, loads and structures, thermodynamics, electronics, space technology, digital systems, computational analysis, systems analysis, and related fields. The remaining personnel include skilled administrators, model makers, technicians, and other support personnel.

It is expected that Langley Research Center will continue its growth in scientific leadership. Unique specialized laboratories and simulators, many pioneered and developed at LaRC, are enhancing the Agency's capacity for providing the technical background necessary for increasing scientific knowledge in both aeronautical and space technology.

The total capital investment at Langley Research Center, including fixed assets in progress and contractor held facilities at various locations as of September 2006 was in excess of $879 million, and the replacement value of all Center improvements was 2.7 billion in current dollars.

The Office of Public Affairs maintains a detailed history of the center.


Currently, the primary functions at the Center evolve around the science of aeronautics for fundamental research in flight in all speed regimes from rotary wing to hypersonic and in aviation safety and airspace management concepts; space research and technology; space transportation; space science and exploration; and the study of atmospheric sciences and aeronautical impact on the environment. Center programs are focused to support NASA's Mission "to pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery, and aeronautics research." initiatives in the areas of atmospheric sciences and the impact of future high-speed aircraft on the environment. Initiatives are supported through large space structures and controls research, aerobraking research, and personnel transportation systems research, among others.

Key research areas include aerodynamics, guidance and control, and material and structures for subsonic, supersonic, and hypersonic flight regimes, airspace concepts to support the Nation's Next-Generation Air Transportation System (NGATS) and Aviation Safety in the Aeronautics Program; Space Operations: Shuttle Return to Flight, Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV) and Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) in Space Transportation Systems; Cloud Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) in Atmospheric Sciences; and Stardust and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) in Technology/Systems Analysis.

Test facilities are also used by other organizations. Full-Scale Tunnel is operated by a profession staff employed by Old Dominion University Research Foundation and a network of contractors. This unique laboratory exposes students to real-world engineering problems in experimental and computational operations. A project in November 2001 helped researchers reconstruct how the Wright brothers conquered flight by testing a model of the Wright glider . Various types of vehicles including sports cars and heavy trucks are routinely tested for aerodynamics.

As NASA moves to the future, research has become focused on the Constellation program: providing the capability to transport humans and cargo to the moon, support of lunar exploration missions and the International Space Station, and missions to Mars and beyond. Two facilities at LaRC are playing key roles in this effort. The Landing and Impact Research Facility, also call the Gantry, has a renewed mission. Built over 40 years ago, the structure is now being used for swing tests and vertical drops for the landing of the next crew capsule, Orion. Orion is scheduled to journey to the moon by the year 2020 and plans to land on dry ground as opposed to previous water landings of vehicles. The Vertical Spin Tunnel has been testing aircraft and spacecraft since 1941. Today it is the only operational wind tunnel of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. The tunnel is currently involved in design testing and the dynamic stability of the Orion launch abort vehicle, the crew module, the Orion alternate launch abort system, and the Orion crew module drogue parachutes. For more information on both these buildings, visit the Virtual Tours page.


Langley Research Center is comprised of research facilities located in two areas which are approximately 3 miles apart. The two areas are divided by the runways of Langley Air Force Base, the headquarters of the Air Combat Command (as of June, 1992). The runways and taxiways which are under Air Force control are used jointly by the Air Force and NASA. NASA's requirement for use of these facilities is directly related to the agency's aeronautical flight research activities.

The West Area contains the major portion of the Center with the great majority of the facilities located there. The earliest facility was built in 1940; and the remainder were constructed primarily during spurts of construction activity. The buildings are generally two to three stories high, of permanent construction using brick, concrete, steel, and masonry block, and are well-maintained. Streets are paved, gently curving, and bordered in many stretches with shade trees such that this area of the Center presents a campus-like appearance.

The East Area is located on land leased from Langley Air Force Base. It is the original 1917 portion of Langley Research Center and contains 7 major NASA facilities. Runways, some utilities, and certain other facilities are used jointly by NASA and the Air Force. Structures in the East Area occupied by NASA are all older buildings, primarily consisting of major wind tunnels and supporting facilities, such as supporting offices, compressor stations, and substations.


The major period of construction activity at the Center was the mid-1940s, the mid-1950s, and the late 1960s. It is significant that the majority of the buildings constructed during the 1960s were highly specialized research facilities. During this period, funds were committed primarily to these highly specialized facilities rather than to administrative support functions.

The results of this intermittent growth pattern and the scarcity of funds for providing administrative support space are readily apparent. Inefficiency in organizational adjacencies as well as overcrowding in almost all areas resulted. Communication and work flow are hampered because of the dispersal of supporting functions. These dysfunctions, coupled with general lack of adequate office space, have caused unnecessarily expensive and inefficient operation.

Major space consolidation efforts beginning late in 2004 resulted in the following. This effort also began a reorganization of functional zones to improve organizational synergy, as well as an aggressive demolition plan to reduce costs.

• Average space per person reduced from 194 sq. ft. to 149 sq.ft
• Demolished or excessed 61,000 sq. ft. trailers
• Demolished or vacated 72,000 sq. ft. underutilized facilities
• Removed 47 Conex storage units

Future planning of research facilities should assure provision for adequate space for the necessary supporting activities in a logically arranged manner consistent with the Center's strategic housing studies.