It is now possible to experience NASA’s premier flight research center through a new 3-D virtual tour, giving users a first-class seat to the agency’s Armstrong Flight Research Center.
Located in Edwards, California, Armstrong is NASA’s lead center for atmospheric flight research, operations and testing. Armstrong’s efforts focus on research that will accelerate our understanding in science, aeronautics and exploration. Armstrong’s employees enhance our nation’s technical knowledge through inspiring students to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematical, STEM, careers and by exploring innovative engineering practices, as well as contributing to our economic vitality and stewardship of Earth.
The tour provides users with a view of several aircraft and facilities that make up the foundation of NASA Armstrong. As users enter the tour, they are virtually transported to a 360°-view of NASA’s historical static aircraft. Once inside NASA’s main entrance, visitors will explore Armstrong’s primary aircraft hangar where they will see NASA’s F/A-18s, used in supersonic research testing, and other research aircraft used for mission support.
Visitors are then guided to one of the mission control centers, where engineers and technicians closely monitor critical data from research aircraft and maintain steady communications with flight crews during flight testing and operations. The tour concludes with a close-up view of just a few of NASA’s small unmanned aerial vehicles, a fleet of drone aircraft that test new aeronautical research concepts, investigate capabilities toward allowing drones to one day integrate into the National Airspace System and possibly enable flight in Mars’ atmosphere.
With Google Expeditions, a free immersive app, visitors of the Armstrong Expedition can also virtually tour NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy or SOFIA aircraft, in addition to tours of the surface of Mars, as captured by NASA rovers, and the Modern Figures Expedition, a virtual tour highlighting women in STEM.
The Google Expeditions app is available for free on Google Play and the Apple App Store. Users can search for the tour under, “NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center.” For more information, visit:
For more information about NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/armstrong
For more information, contact:
Rebecca Richardson
NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center
(661) 276-2514
rebecca.a.richardson@nasa.gov