The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) is NASA's center for human spaceflight (originally named the Manned Spacecraft Center), where human spaceflight training, research, and flight control are conducted. It was built and leased to NASA by Joseph L. Smith & Associates, Inc. It was renamed in honor of the late US president and Texas native, Lyndon B. Johnson, by an act of the United States Senate on February 19, 1973.
It consists of a complex of 100 buildings constructed on 1,620 acres in the Clear Lake Area of Houston, which acquired the official nickname "Space City" in 1967. The center is home to NASA's astronaut corps, and is responsible for training astronauts from both the US and its international partners. It houses the Christopher C. Kraft Jr. Mission Control Center, which has provided the flight control function for every NASA human spaceflight since Gemini 4 (including Apollo, Skylab, Apollo–Soyuz, and Space Shuttle). It is popularly known by its radio call signs "Mission Control" and "Houston".
Coversations/Things we learned:
There are two main locations (total of 10 NASA sites in the US) you want to see if you are interested in the American/International Space Program: Johnson Space Center (JSC) and Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island in Florida (see our location post on this website). Both have incredible visitor centers and museums which feature the history of the American Space Program.
JSC serves several important roles in the past and current space program for the world. The center houses and trains astronauts, conducts space research, and once Kennedy Space Center launches space vehicles, JCS houses mission control which monitors and directs all space operations until the crew/vehicle returns to earth.
This location along with Kennedy Space Center are venues you and your family go out of the way to visit.
Contact information:
NASA Johnson Space Center
1601 East NASA Parkway
Houston, Texas 77058
Phone: (281) 483-0123
Website:
https://spacecenter.org/
The Space Shuttle Program
International Space Station Program
Mercury and Apollo Programs
Russian Space Program
Astronauts, Their Apparel, and Space Suit Evolution
Space Rovers
Impact of Space Debris
New Space Vehicles
The Orion Space Capsule
