NASA's center for robotic exploration of the solar system, run by Caltech. JPL built and operates the Mars rovers, the Voyager probes, and dozens of other spacecraft. Public tours are free but must be booked well in advance — they fill up fast. The visitor center includes full-scale spacecraft models and mission control viewing areas. JPL also holds an annual open house in the spring that draws huge crowds and gives access to areas normally off-limits.
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
NASA center for robotic solar system exploration
| Address | 4800 Oak Grove Dr, Pasadena, CA 91109 |
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A story
JPL was founded in 1936 when a group of Caltech students began experimenting with rockets in the Arroyo Seco canyon — the university banned the experiments on campus for safety reasons, hence the remote site. The name 'Jet Propulsion Laboratory' is a historical quirk: JPL has never worked on jet engines, only rockets and spacecraft. The lab is technically owned by NASA but managed by Caltech, an unusual arrangement that gives it unusual freedom.