Ames Research Center Wikipedia. Ames Research Center ARC, also known as NASA Ames, is a major NASA research center at Moffett Federal Airfield in Californias Silicon Valley. It was founded as the second National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics NACA laboratory. That agency was dissolved and its assets and personnel transferred to the newly created National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA on October 1, 1. NASA Ames is named in honor of Joseph Sweetman Ames, a physicist and one of the founding members of NACA. At last estimate NASA Ames has over US3. US8. 60 million annual budget. Ames was founded to conduct wind tunnel research on the aerodynamics of propeller driven aircraft however, its role has expanded to encompass spaceflight and information technology. Ames plays a role in many NASA missions. It provides leadership in astrobiology small satellites robotic lunar exploration the search for habitable planets supercomputing intelligentadaptive systems advanced thermal protection and airborne astronomy. Ames also develops tools for a safer, more efficient national airspace. The centers current director is Eugene Tu. The site is mission center for several key current missions Kepler, the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite LCROSS mission, Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy SOFIA, Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph and a major contributor to the new exploration focus2 as a participant in the Orion crew exploration vehicle. MissionseditAlthough Ames is a NASA Research Center, and not a flight center, it has nevertheless been closely involved in a number of astronomy and space missions. Free Virtual Wind Tunnel Software' title='Free Virtual Wind Tunnel Software' />The Pioneer programs eight successful space missions from 1. Charles Hall at Ames, initially aimed at the inner solar system. By 1. 97. 2, it supported the bold flyby missions to Jupiter and Saturn with Pioneer 1. Pioneer 1. 1. Those two missions were trail blazers radiation environment, new moons, gravity assist flybys for the planners of the more complex Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 missions, launched five years later. In 1. 97. 8, the end of the program brought about a return to the inner solar system, with the Pioneer Venus Orbiter and Multiprobe, this time using orbital insertion rather than flyby missions. Lunar Prospector was the third mission selected by NASA for full development and construction as part of the Discovery Program. At a cost of 6. 2. Moon, accomplishing mapping of surface composition and possible polar ice deposits, measurements of magnetic and gravity fields, and study of lunar outgassing events. Based on Lunar Prospector Neutron Spectrometer NS data, mission scientists have determined that there is indeed water ice in the polar craters of the Moon. The mission ended July 3. Earth telescopes. The 1. 1 pound 5 kg Gene. Sat 1, carrying bacteria inside a miniature laboratory, was launched on December 1. The very small NASA satellite has proven that scientists can quickly design and launch a new class of inexpensive spacecraftand conduct significant science. The Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite LCROSS mission to look for water on the moon was a secondary payload spacecraft. LCROSS began its trip to the moon on the same rocket as the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter LRO, which continues to conduct a different lunar task. It launched in April 2. Atlas V rocket from Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The Kepler mission is NASAs first mission capable of finding Earth size and smaller planets. The Kepler mission will monitor the brightness of stars to find planets that pass in front of them during the planets orbits. During such passes or transits, the planets will slightly decrease the stars brightness. Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy SOFIA is a joint venture of the U. S. and German aerospace agencies, NASA and the German Aerospace Center DLR to make an infrared telescope platform that can fly at altitudes high enough to be in the infrared transparent regime above the water vapor in the Earths atmosphere. The aircraft is supplied by the U. S., and the infrared telescope by Germany. Aircraft Design Analysis Wind Turbine Design Analysis Engineering Prototyping Software Books. Free Wind Tunnel SoftwareModifications of the Boeing 7. SP airframe to accommodate the telescope, mission unique equipment and large external door were made by L 3 Communications Integrated Systems of Waco, Texas. The Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph mission is a partnership with the Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory to understand the processes at the boundary between the Suns chromosphere and corona. This mission is sponsored by the NASA Small Explorer program. A 3D wind tunnel simulator created in 2008 by a group of COMP314 students at The University of Waikato. San Quinn The Rock Pressure Makes Diamonds Rarest more. The user is able to insert objects into the windtunnel and. The Lunar Atmosphere Dust Environment Explorer LADEE mission has been developed by NASA Ames. This successfully launched to the Moon on September 6, 2. In addition, Ames has played a support role in a number of missions, most notably the Mars Pathfinder and Mars Exploration Rover missions, where the Ames Intelligent Robotics Laboratory6 played a key role. NASA Ames was a partner on the Mars Phoenix, a Mars Scout Program mission to send a high latitude lander to Mars, deployed a robotic arm to dig trenches up to 1. Ames is also a partner on the Mars Science Laboratory, a next generation Mars rover to explore for signs of organics and complex molecules. Air traffic control automation researcheditThe Aviation Systems Division conducts research and development in two primary areas air traffic management, and high fidelity flight simulation. For air traffic management, researchers are creating and testing concepts to allow for up to three times todays level of aircraft in the national airspace. Automation and its attendant safety consequences are key foundations of the concept development. Historically, the division has developed products that have been implemented for the flying public, such as the Traffic Management Advisor, which is being deployed nationwide. For high fidelity flight simulation, the division operates the worlds largest flight simulator the Vertical Motion Simulator, a Level D 7. These simulators have been used for a variety of purposes including continued training for space shuttle pilots, development of future spacecraft handling qualities, helicopter control system testing, Joint Strike Fighter evaluations, and accident investigations. Personnel in the division have a variety of technical backgrounds, including guidance and control, flight mechanics, flight simulation, and computer science. Customers outside NASA have included the FAA, DOD, DHS, DOT, NTSB, Lockheed Martin, and Boeing. The centers flight simulation and guidance laboratory was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2. Information technologyeditAmes is the home of NASAs large research and development divisions in Advanced Supercomputing,7Human Factors,8 and Artificial Intelligence Intelligent Systems9. These Research Development organizations support NASAs Exploration efforts, as well as the continued operations of the International Space Station, and the space science and Aeronautics work across NASA. The center also runs and maintains the E Root nameserver of the DNS System. The Intelligent Systems Division is NASAs leading R D Division developing advanced intelligent software and systems for all of NASA Mission Directorates. It provides software expertise for aeronautics, space science missions, International Space Station, and the Crewed Exploration Vehicle CEV.