 | |
 Aerial view of Goddard Space Flight Center (2010) | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | May 1, 1959; 65 years ago (1959-05-01) |
| Preceding agency |
|
| Jurisdiction | Federal government of the United States |
| Headquarters | Greenbelt, Maryland, United States 38°59′32″N76°51′9″W / 38.99222°N 76.85250°W /38.99222; -76.85250[2] |
| Employees | 10,000 civil service and contractor |
| Agency executives |
|
| Parent agency | NASA |
| Child agencies | |
| Website | nasa |
| Map | |
 Goddard map | |
TheGoddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is a majorNASA space research laboratory located approximately 6.5 miles (10.5 km) northeast of Washington, D.C., inGreenbelt, Maryland, United States. Established on May 1, 1959, as NASA's first space flight center, GSFC employs about 10,000 civil servants and contractors. Named for American rocket propulsion pioneerRobert H. Goddard, it is one of ten major NASA field centers. GSFC is partially within the formerGoddardcensus-designated place; it has aGreenbelt mailing address.[3][4]
GSFC is the largest combined organization of scientists and engineers in the United States dedicated to increasing knowledge of theEarth, theSolar System, and theUniverse via observations from space. GSFC is a major US laboratory for developing and operating uncrewed scientific spacecraft. GSFC conducts scientific investigation, development, manufacturing and operation of space systems, and development of related technologies. Goddard scientists can develop and support a mission, and Goddard engineers and technicians can design and build the spacecraft for that mission. Goddard scientistJohn C. Mather shared the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work onCOBE.
GSFC also operates two spaceflight tracking and data acquisition networks (theSpace Network and theNear Earth Network), develops and maintains advanced space and Earth science data information systems, and develops satellite systems for theNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
GSFC manages operations for many NASA and international missions including theJames Webb Space Telescope (JWST) andHubble Space Telescope (HST), theExplorers Program, theDiscovery Program, theEarth Observing System (EOS),INTEGRAL,MAVEN,OSIRIS-REx, theSolar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), theSolar Dynamics Observatory (SDO),Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRS),Fermi, andSwift. Past missions managed by GSFC include theRossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE),Compton Gamma Ray Observatory,SMM,COBE,IUE, andROSAT.
Founded as Beltsville Space Center, Goddard was NASA's first of fourspace centers. Its original charter was to perform five major functions on behalf of NASA: technology development and fabrication, planning,scientific research, technical operations, and project management. The center is organized into severaldirectorates, each charged with one of these key functions.
On May 1, 1959, the center was renamed the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) forRobert H. Goddard. Its first 157 employees transferred from theUnited States Navy'sProject Vanguard missile program, and continued their work at theNaval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C., while the center was under construction.
Goddard Space Flight Center contributed toProject Mercury, America's firsthuman spaceflight program. The Center assumed a lead role for the project in its early days and managed the first 250 employees involved in the effort, who were stationed atLangley Research Center inHampton, Virginia. However, the size and scope of Project Mercury soon prompted NASA to build a new Manned Spacecraft Center, now theJohnson Space Center, inHouston, Texas. Project Mercury's personnel and activities were transferred there in 1961.
Goddard Space Flight Center remained involved in the crewed space flight program, providing computer support and radar tracking of flights through a worldwide network ofground stations called theSpacecraft Tracking and Data Acquisition Network (STDN). However, the Center focused primarily on designing uncrewedsatellites andspacecraft for scientific research missions. Goddard pioneered several fields of spacecraft development, includingmodular spacecraft design, which reduced costs and made it possible torepair satellites in orbit. Goddard'sSolar Max satellite, launched in 1980, was repaired by astronauts on theSpace ShuttleChallenger in 1984. The Hubble Space Telescope, launched in 1990, remains in service and continues to grow in capability thanks to its modular design and multiple servicing missions by the Space Shuttle.
Today, the center remains involved in each of NASA's key programs. Goddard has developed more instruments forplanetary exploration than any other organization, among them scientific instruments sent to every planet in theSolar System.[5] The center's contribution to theEarth Science Enterprise includes several spacecraft in theEarth Observing System fleet as well asEOSDIS, a science data collection, processing, and distribution system. For the crewed space flight program, Goddard develops tools for use by astronauts duringextra-vehicular activity, and operates theLunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, a spacecraft designed to study the Moon in preparation for futurecrewed exploration.
.jpg)
A fact sheet highlighting many of Goddard's previous missions is recorded on a 40th anniversary webpage.[6]
Goddard has been involved in designing, building, and operating spacecraft since the days ofExplorer 1, the nation's first artificial satellite. The list of these missions reflects a diverse set of scientific objectives and goals. TheLandsat series of spacecraft has been studying the Earth's resources since the launch of the first mission in 1972.TIROS-1 launched in 1960 as the first success in a long series ofweather satellites. The Spartan platform deployed from the space shuttle, allowing simple, low-cost 2–3 day missions. The second of NASA'sGreat Observatories, theCompton Gamma Ray Observatory, operated for nine years before re-entering the Earth's atmosphere in 2000. Another of Goddard's space science observatories, theCosmic Background Explorer, provided unique scientific data about the early universe.[7]
Goddard currently supports the operation of dozens of spacecraft collecting scientific data. These missions include Earth science projects like theEarth Observing System (EOS) that includes theTerra,Aqua, andAura spacecraft flying alongside several projects from other Centers or other countries. Other major Earth science projects that are currently operating include theTropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and theGlobal Precipitation Measurement mission (GPM), missions that provide data critical to hurricane predictions. Many Goddard projects support other organizations, such as the US Geological Survey on Landsat-7 and -8, and theNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on theGeostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) system that provide weather predictions.
Other Goddard missions support a variety of space science disciplines. Goddard's most famous project is theHubble Space Telescope, a unique science platform that has been breaking new ground in astronomy since 1990. Other missions such as theWilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) study the structure and evolution of the universe. Other missions such as theSolar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) are currently studying the Sun and how its behavior affects life on the Earth. TheLunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) is mapping out the composition and topography of the Moon and theSolar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) is tracking the Sun's energy and influence on the Earth. TheOSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission returned a sample from asteroid101955 Bennu in 2023 and under the name OSIRIS-APEX is headed to asteroid99942 Apophis in 2029.
Particularly noteworthy operations include theJames Webb Space Telescope, which was launched in 2022 and enables investigations across many fields of astronomy and cosmology, such as observation of the first stars and the formation of the first galaxies.[8]
The Goddard community continually works on numerous operations and projects that have launch dates ranging from the upcoming year to a decade down the road. These operations also vary in what scientists hope they will uncover.
NASA's missions (and therefore Goddard's missions) address a broad range of scientific questions generally classified around four key areas: Earth sciences, astrophysics, heliophysics, and the Solar System.[9] To simplify, Goddard studies Earth and Space.[10]
Within the Earth sciences area, Goddard plays a major role in research to advance our understanding of the Earth as an environmental system, looking at questions related to how the components of that environmental system have developed, how they interact and how they evolve. This is all important to enable scientists to understand the practical impacts of natural and human activities during the coming decades and centuries.
Within Space Sciences, Goddard has distinguished itself with the 2006 Nobel Physics Prize given to John Mather and the COBE mission. Beyond the COBE mission, Goddard studies how the universe formed, what it is made of, how its components interact, and how it evolves. The center also contributes to research seeking to understand how stars and planetary systems form and evolve and studies the nature of the Sun's interaction with its surroundings.
Based on existing knowledge accumulated through previous missions, new science questions are articulated. Missions are developed in the same way an experiment would be developed using the scientific method. In this context, Goddard does not work as an independent entity but rather as one of the 10 NASA centers working together to find answers to these scientific questions.
Each mission starts with a set of scientific questions to be answered, and a set of scientific requirements for the mission, which build on what has already been discovered by prior missions. Scientific requirements spell out the types data that will need to be collected. These scientific requirements are then transformed into mission concepts that start to specify the kind ofspacecraft and scientific instruments need to be developed for these scientific questions to be answered.
Within Goddard, the Sciences and Exploration Directorate (SED) leads the center's scientific endeavors, including the development of technology related to scientific pursuits.
Some of the most important technological advances developed by Goddard (and NASA in general) come from the need to innovate with new scientific instruments in order to be able to observe or measure phenomena in space that have never been measured or observed before. Instrument names tend to be known by their initials. In some cases, the mission's name gives an indication of the type of instrument involved. For example, the James Webb Space Telescope is, as its name indicates, a telescope, but it includes a suite of four distinct scientific instruments:Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI);Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam);Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec);Fine Guidance Sensor and Near Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (FGS-NIRISS).[11] Scientists at Goddard work closely with the engineers to develop these instruments.
Typically, a mission consists of a spacecraft with an instrument suite (multiple instruments) on board. In some cases, the scientific requirements dictate the need for multiple spacecraft. For example, theMagnetospheric Multiscale Mission (MMS) studies magnetic reconnection, a 3-D process. In order to capture data about this complex 3-D process, a set of four spacecraft fly in a tetrahedral formation. Each of the four spacecraft carries identical instrument suites. MMS is part of a larger program (Solar Terrestrial Probes) that studies the impact of the Sun on the Solar System.
In many cases, Goddard works with partners (US Government agencies, aerospace industry, university-based research centers, other countries) that are responsible for developing the scientific instruments. In other cases, Goddard develops one or more of the instruments. The individual instruments are then integrated into an instrument suite which is then integrated with the spacecraft. In the case of MMS, for example,Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) was responsible for developing the scientific instruments and Goddard provides overall project management, mission systems engineering, the spacecraft, and mission operations.[12]
On theLunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), six instruments have been developed by a range of partners. One of the instruments, the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA), was developed by Goddard. LOLA measures landing site slopes and lunar surface roughness in order to generate a 3-D map of the Moon.[13]
Another mission to be managed by Goddard isMAVEN. MAVEN is the second mission within theMars Scout Program that is exploring the atmosphere of Mars in support of NASA's broader efforts to go to Mars. MAVEN carries eight instruments to measure characteristics of Mars' atmospheric gases, upper atmosphere,solar wind, andionosphere. Instrument development partners include theUniversity of Colorado at Boulder, and theUniversity of California, Berkeley. Goddard contributed overall project management as well as two of the instruments, two magnetometers.
Once a mission is launched and reaches its destination, its instruments start collecting data. The data is transmitted back to Earth where it needs to be analyzed and stored for future reference. Goddard manages large collections of scientific data resulting from past and ongoing missions.
The Earth Science Division hosts the Goddard Earth Science Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC).[14] It offers Earth science data, information, and services to research scientists, applications scientists, applications users, and students.
TheNASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive (NSSDCA), created at Goddard in 1966, hosts a permanent archive of space science data, including a large collection of images from space.
Section 102(d) of theNational Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 calls for "the establishment of long-range studies of the potential benefits to be gained from, the opportunities for, and the problems involved in the utilization of aeronautical and space activities for peaceful and scientific purposes."[15] Because of this mandate, the Technology Utilization Program was established in 1962 which requiredtechnologies to be brought down to Earth andcommercialized in order to help the US economy and improve the quality of life.[16]
Documentation of these technologies that were spun off started in 1976 with "Spinoff 1976".[17] Since then, NASA has produced a yearly publication of thesespinoff technologies through the Innovative Partnerships Program Office.
Goddard Space Flight Center has made significant contributions to the US economy and quality of life with the technologies it has spun off. Here are some examples:Weather balloon technology has helped firefighters with its short-range radios; aluminizedMylar in satellites has made sports equipment more insulated; laser optics systems have transformed the camera industry and life detection missions on other planets help scientists find bacteria in contaminated food.[18]
Goddard's partly wooded campus is 6.5 miles (10.5 km) northeast of Washington, D.C., inPrince George's County. The center is on Greenbelt Road, which isMaryland Route 193. Baltimore, Annapolis, andNASA Headquarters in Washington are 30–45 minutes away by highway. Greenbelt also has a train station with access to theWashington Metro system and theMARC commuter train's Camden line.
The High Bay Cleanroom located in building 29 is the world's largestISO 7cleanroom with 1.3 million cubic feet (37,000 m3) of space.[19] Vacuum chambers in adjacent buildings 10 and 7 can be chilled or heated to ±200 °C (392 °F). Adjacent building 15 houses the High Capacity Centrifuge which is capable of generating 30 G on up to a 2.3-tonne (2.5-short-ton) load.[20]
Parsons Corporation assisted in the construction of the Class 10,000 cleanroom to support Hubble Space Telescope as well as other Goddard missions.[21]
TheHigh Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center (HEASARC) isNASA's designated center for the archiving and dissemination of high energy astronomy data and information. Information on X-ray andgamma ray astronomy and related NASA mission archives are maintained for public information and science access.[22]
TheSoftware Assurance Technology Center (SATC) is a NASA department founded in 1992 as part of their Systems Reliability and Safety Office at Goddard Space Flight Center. Its purpose was "to become a center of excellence in software assurance, dedicated to making measurable improvement in both the quality and reliability of software developed for NASA at GSFC". The center has been the source of research papers on software metrics, assurance, and risk management.[23]
While NASA was in the midst of the Gemini mission era there was a need for a new kind of operations hub and the Manned Space Flight Network Control Center (MSFNOCC) was created in building 13. The name has changed over the years and as such, the capability has grown; the facility has been the GSFC hub for human space flight and launch vehicle missions for years and has the distinct honor of having supported every single Shuttle mission.
After the MSFNOCC, the facility was renamed to the Network Control Center (NCC). It remained the NCC until 1997-1999 when the NIC was born. The NIC supported the beginning of the new age of growing space communications which included the International Space Station (ISS). The facility was later renovated from the floor up to become the Near Space Operations Control Center (NSOCC) in 2023. The NSOCC currently provides critical mission support for various launch efforts including SpaceX Crew & Cargo, Science missions such as JWST & PACE, and provides critical data services for Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and European Space Agency (ESA).
The NSOCC provides a console based workspace for various network elements to collaborate and provide the highest possible level of service to NASA and its customers. Some of the network elements included in the NSOCC support structure are Flight Dynamics Facility (FDF), Human Space Flight (HSF), Launch Vehicles (LV), and Robotics mission support leadership, Search and Rescue (SAR), and “Data Acquisition Processing and Handling Network Environment (DAPHNE+).
The Goddard Visitor Center is open to the public Tuesdays through Sundays, free of charge, and features displays of spacecraft and technologies developed there. The Hubble Space Telescope is represented by models and deep space imagery from recent missions. The center also features aScience On a Sphere projection system.
The center also features an Educator's Resource Center available for use by teachers and education volunteers such as Boy and Girl Scout leaders, and hosts special events during the year. As an example, in September 2008 the Center opened its gates for Goddard LaunchFest.[24] The event, free to the public, included; robot competitions, tours of Goddard facilities hosted by NASA employees, and live entertainment on the Goddard grounds. GSFC also has a largeballroom for guest events such as lectures, presentations and dinner parties.[25]
GSFC operates three facilities that are not located at the Greenbelt site. These facilities are:
GSFC is also responsible for theWhite Sands Complex, a set of two sites inLas Cruces, New Mexico, but the site is owned byJohnson Space Center as part of theWhite Sands Test Facility.
.jpg)
Goddard Space Flight Center has a workforce of over 3,000 civil servant employees, 60% of whom are engineers and scientists.[26] There are approximately 7,000 supporting contractors on site every day. It is one of the largest concentrations of the world's premierspace scientists and engineers. The center is organized into eight directorates, which includes Applied Engineering and Technology, Flight Projects, Science and Exploration, and Safety & Mission Assurance.[27]
Co-op students from universities in all 50 States can be found around the campus every season through the Cooperative Education Program.[28] During the summers, programs such as the Summer Institute in Engineering and Computer Applications (SIECA) and Excellence through Challenging Exploration and Leadership (EXCEL) provide internship opportunities to students from the US and territories such asPuerto Rico to learn and partake in challenging scientific and engineering work.
The Goddard Space Flight Center maintains ties with local area communities through external volunteer and educational programs. Employees are encouraged to take part in mentoring programs and take on speaking roles at area schools. On Center, Goddard hosts regular colloquiums in engineering, leadership and science. These events are open to the general public, but attendees must sign up in advance to procure a visitors pass for access to the center's main grounds. Passes can be obtained at the security office main gate on Greenbelt Road.
Goddard also hosts several different internship opportunities, including NASA DEVELOP at Goddard Space Flight Center.
QueenElizabeth II of the United Kingdom and her husbandPrince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh visited Goddard Space Flight Center on Tuesday, May 8, 2007. The tour of Goddard was near the end of the Queen's visit to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the founding ofJamestown in Virginia. The Queen spoke with crew aboard theInternational Space Station[29] from the Network Integration Center (NIC, now NSOCC) located in Building 13.
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is located within the City of Greenbelt, Maryland, approximately 6.5 miles northeast of Washington, D. C. The suburban campus is situated approximately 1 mile northeast of the Capital Beltway/Interstate 495.
The visit followed a signing on April 19 of a statement of intent between NASA and theBritish National Space Centre, London, that confirmed a mutual desire for discussions on specific areas of potential collaboration involving lunar science and exploration.
| Current instruments |   | |
|---|---|---|
| Previous instruments | ||
| Space Shuttle missions | ||
| Special fields and images |
| |
| Related | ||
| Instruments and sensors |   | |
|---|---|---|
| Elements | ||
| Stages |
| |
| Images |
| |
| Discoveries |
| |
| Institutions | ||
| Related |
| |
