Visiting NASA

    Facility Tours

    Have you ever wondered where NASA tests and develops cutting-edge technologies in aeronautics, aerospace and space? Here's your chance to find out. From April through October, the Glenn Research Center will offer public tours of its research facilities once a month.

    A tour bus will depart from Glenn's main gate every hour beginning at 10 a.m. The last tour departs at 1 p.m. Each tour lasts about 45 minutes and is followed by a stop at Glenn's Gift Shop.→

    The tours are open to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. All visitors who are U.S. citizens 18 years of age or older, are required to present government-issued photo identification (driver’s license or U.S. passport) to security at Glenn’s main gate. All lawful permanent residents 18 years of age or older must present a permanent resident card (green card) before being allowed entry. Individuals without proper identification will not be admitted to the center.

    Reservations are required to guarantee admission. Reservations can be made up to 30 days in advance, or depending on available space, at least one week before the actual tour date.

    To register, visitors should call 216-433-9653, or email sheila.d.reese@nasa.gov, (GRC-CEP0)[LOGICAL INNOVATIONS]. Phone 216-433-2016.

    Visitors with special needs are permitted to use their own vehicles, but must follow the tour bus at all times. Most research facilities are wheelchair accessible; however, some have limited accessibility.

    For more information on NASA Policies Regarding Visitors see our Visitor Security Policy before your tour.

Tour Schedule

  • lunar rover

    Lunar SLOPE

    04.06.13 - The Simulated Lunar Operations (SLOPE) facility is home to a 60-foot long sandpit full of fake lunar soil. See how Glenn engineers use SLOPE to test moon rovers.

  • The Altitude Combustion Stand at NASA's Glenn Research Center.

    Asking Burning Questions

    05.04.13 - Engineers in the Altitude Combustion Stand develop advanced propulsion concepts and evaluate safer propellants for launch vehicles and spacecraft thrusters.

  • Testing a model in the 8x6 wind tunnel.

    Breeze Through a Wind Tunnel

    06.01.13 - The 8x6 Supersonic Wind Tunnel is a world-class test facility that provides researchers the opportunity to explore the subsonic, transonic and supersonic speed range.

  • Icing Research Tunnel at NASA Glenn Research Center

    See Where We Freeze to Please

    07.13.13 - The Icing Research Tunnel has been instrumental in developing and testing ice protection systems for a variety of military and commercial aircraft.

  • Photo shows people outside the NASA Hangar.

    Research in Flight

    08.03.13 - Also known as the hangar, the Flight Research Building houses NASA Glenn's unique research aircraft. Come inside to see an S-3B Viking and other NASA planes.

  • Photo of acoustical research dome.

    The Dome of Silence

    09.07.13 - Join us for a tour of the Aero-Acoustic Propulsion Laboratory, an echo-free dome designed for aircraft noise-reduction testing. Find out how the dome's unique structure protects surrounding communities from the loud testing performed inside it.

  • NASA Glenn's Telescience Center

    Tour Glenn's Portal to the Space Station

    10.05.13 - Engineers provide around the clock operations support for space experiments on the International Space Station.