Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory

NASA Langley Reseach Center

Aerial view of Langley Research Center
Agency overview
Formed	1917
Preceding agency	Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory
Jurisdiction	U.S. federal government
Headquarters	Hampton, Virginia, U.S.
Agency executive	Stephen G. Jurczyk, Director
Parent agency	NASA
Website	www.nasa.gov/langley
Map
Map of NASA Langley Research Center

Langley Research Center (LaRC) is the oldest of NASA's field centers, located in Hampton, Virginia, United States. It directly borders Langley Field and the city of Poquoson. LaRC has focused primarily on aeronautical research, but the Apollo lunar lander was flight-tested at the facility. In addition, a number of the earliest high-profile space missions were planned and designed on-site.

Established in 1917 by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, in the early 21st century the Center devotes two-thirds of its programs to aeronautics, and the rest to space. LaRC researchers use more than 40 wind tunnels to study improved aircraft and spacecraft safety, performance, and efficiency. Between 1958 and 1963, when NASA (the successor agency to NACA) started Project Mercury, LaRC served as the main office of the Space Task Group. In 1962-1963 this office was transferred to the Manned Spacecraft Center (now the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center) in Houston, Texas.

The current director is David E. Bowles.

In 1917, less than three years after it was created, the NACA established Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory on Langley Field. Both Langley Field and the Langley Laboratory are named for aviation pioneer Samuel Pierpont Langley. The Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps had established a base there earlier that same year. The first research facilities were in place and aeronautical research was started by 1920. Initially the laboratory included four researchers and 11 technicians.