To NASA and beyond: the Glenn Research Laboratory

story and photos by Kayte Deioma

You’re traveling out of Cleveland or you have a long layover between flights and you find yourself with a couple hours to kill at Cleveland Hopkins Airport. Sure, you could sit in an airport bar for a couple hours but you’ll be sitting plenty once you get on the plane. Why not head over to the NASA Glenn Research Center, just a five minute cab ride across the airport? Even if you’re a local and not flying anywhere, it’s a good way to pass the time on a rainy day.

Model space craft from John Glenn's space missions at the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland.The NASA John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field specializes in power, propulsion, communications and microgravity science for NASA’s various projects. The Lab has been conduction aero-space technology research since 1941 under various names. From 1958 to 1999 it was known as the Lewis Research Center, honoring the contribution of aeronautics engineer George W. Lewis. It was renamed in 1999 to honor Ohio’s own astronaut legislator John H. Glenn.

The John Glenn Gallery at the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland.The Visitors Center at NASA Glenn is a gem of a space museum tucked away on the far side of the Cleveland Hopkins Airport where most visitors or locals wouldn’t think to look for it. The 6000 square foot museum inside the research compound encompasses six themed gallery spaces including one focusing on the accomplishments of its current namesake, John Glenn. The John Glenn Gallery includes models of space craft from his journeys into space as well as replicas of his silver Mercury space suit and his orange Shuttle launch and Apollo Command Module used on Skylab 3, on display at the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland.entry space suit. A multimedia kiosk provides historical and biographical information.

In addition to these replicas, you can get an up close look at artifacts from real space missions. One highlight of the collection is the actual Apollo Command Module used on Skylab 3, a two-month space mission in 1973. You can really see what close quarters the astronauts traveled in. The space suit that Jim Lovell wore on Apollo 8 is also on display, as well as a piece of moon rock.

A model of the Mars Rover, Sojourner on exhibit at the NASA Glenn Research Center.The Space Exploration area contains models and photos of celestial objects with data from NASA’s planetary missions. Two different models of Mars Exploration Rovers are on display, the Sojourner, carried by the Mars Pathfinder and a model of the Spirit/Odyssey rovers that are still working away on Mars long past their expected expiration dates.Carol tries out the flight simulator at the NASA Glenn Research Center.In the Aero Adventure Gallery, interactive exhibits allow you to sit in the pilot’s seat of a jet and choose which aircraft you want to fly on the flight simulator. In the Wonders of Flight and Seeking Solutions interactive multimedia displays, you can also explore the different types of aircraft and the new technologies NASA Glenn is developing to make them quieter, more energy efficient and more economical.

The Microgravity Laboratory Exhibit at NASA Glenn.Other exhibits include the Combustion Module 2 Crew Trainer, dedicated to the crew of the Columbia STS-107 mission. The training module has been enhanced to allow visitors to perform some of the tasks astronauts perform, with film footage from actual experiments conducted in space. A nearby Space Module is used by the NASA Glenn Amateur Radio Club Station N8VC, whose members broadcast from here. The Microgravity Laboratory simulation shows how experiments are conducted in a weightless environment.

The Visitors Center includes an auditorium where you can see a 16 minute documentary film of the space shuttle STS 105 on a mission to deliver supplies and a new crew member to the International Space Station. In addition to great space footage, the humorous film illustrates the challenges of eating, sleeping exercising and going to the bathroom in zero gravity.

A Satellite exhibit at NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland.The first Saturday of each month, NASA Glenn Research Center offers tours of different parts of the research facility. Check the website or call for the schedule to see which facility is being toured. NASA Glenn Research Center is located at 21000 Brookpark Road, west of the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Due to security issues, only U.S. citizens may visit NASA Glenn at this time. Be prepared to have your car or cab searched when you come onto the Research Center campus. The Visitors Center is open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and holidays 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday 1 to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.grc.nasa.gov or call (216) 433-2000.

 

Things to Do on a Rainy Day in Cleveland, Ohio

Featured Things to do on a rainy day in Cleveland

If Old Cars Could Talk: The Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum
Seeing Stars at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History

Dinner and Laughs at Pickwick & Frolic

The Great Lakes Science Center Pushes the Right Buttons

To NASA and beyond: the Glenn Research Laboratory

More Things to do in Cleveland

Cleveland Institute of Music concerts and recitals

Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland Museum of Natural History

Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum at the Western Reserve Historical Society

Dunham Tavern Museum

Fat Fish Blue, Restaurant and Blues Club

Great Lakes Science Center

Health Space Cleveland

House of Blues

International Women’s Air and Space Museum

Laser Extreme, extreme laser tag arena and arcade (Middleburg Heights)

Malley’s Chocolate Factory Tour

Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage, opens October 11, 2005

Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland

NASA Glenn Research Center

Pickwick & Frolic, Restaurant, Bar, Comedy Club, Cabaret

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Steamship William G. Mather and the

U.S.S. Cod Submarine

Tower City Center, shopping, dining, movies

West Side Market

Western Reserve Historical Society

Cleveland: Hotels and Restaurants

If You Go…

 

Cleveland Flights:

Flight Deals to Cleveland

Cleveland Hotels :

Renaissance Cleveland Hotel

24 Public Square at

Superior Ave. and W. 3 rd Street

Cleveland, OH

(216) 696-5600

 

Glidden House

1901 Ford Drive

Cleveland, Ohio  44106
(866) 812-4537

 

Cleveland Restaurants:

Pickwick & Frolic

2035 East 4 th Street

Cleveland, OH

(216) 241-7425

Note: Restaurant, bar, cabaret and comedy club

 

Blue Point Grill

700 West St. Clair Avenue

Cleveland, OH 44113

216-875-STAR (7827)

Note: Great seafood. Walking distance from the Renaissance

 

Nighttown
12387 Cedar Rd.
Cleveland Heights,
Ohio 44106

(216) 795-0550

Note: Live jazz and good food