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Technicians set up a jet engine for testing in the Propulsion Systems Laboratory at NASA Glenn.
John Wargo, lead technician at NASA Glenn's Propulsion System Laboratory (PSL) is performing an inspection.
Jet engine inside the Propulsion Systems Laboratory getting prepared for a test.

Propulsion Systems Laboratory (PSL) Facility

The Propulsion Systems Laboratory (PSL) is NASA’s only ground-based test facility that provides true flight simulation for experimental research on air-breathing propulsion systems.

Learn More About the Propulsion Systems Laboratory Facility about Propulsion Systems Laboratory (PSL) Facility

Focus Areas and Capabilities

Learn more about the specifications and capabilities of this facility.

A black and white image from 1970 showing the inside of the PSL facility.

Characteristics

The Propulsion Systems Laboratory is NASA's only ground-based test facility that can provide true flight simulation for experimental research on air-breathing propulsion systems.

Technical staff sets up an F-405 engine in the Propulsion Systems Laboratory

Quick Facts

In this facility, altitude simulations at true flight conditions are created from sea-level static to hypersonic regimes for advanced aircraft, space propulsion, and general aviation programs.

Control room of the Propulsion Systems Laboratory

Data Acquisition

Real-time acquisition and display of up to 976 engineering unit converted data channels and up to 8000 calculated channels in tabular or graphical formats with 1 to 2 updates per sec.

Contact Information

Propulsion Systems Laboratory
Facility Manager: Rick Bozak
(216) 433-5160

NASA Glenn Research Center
21000 Brookpark Rd.
Cleveland, Ohio 44135
(216) 433-4000

Fact Sheet

The Propulsion Systems Laboratory (PSL) is one of the premier U.S. facilities for
experimental testing of advanced air-breathing propulsion systems.

In this facility, altitude simulations at true flight conditions are created from sea-level static to hypersonic regimes for advanced aircraft, space propulsion, and general aviation programs. PSL is NASA’s only continuous flow, ground-based facility of its kind.

Read the PSL Fact Sheet
A female engineer stands beside a large engine inside a test facility, checking wiring.
Judy Van Zante, NASA Glenn icing cloud specialist, was the first person to calibrate the high altitude ice crystal cloud environment necessary to cause a loss of engine power during an engine test in the PSL.
NASA