NASA Research Park

NASA Research Park. A master-planned research and development community located within the Moffett Field federal facility in Silicon Valley, California. Established by NASA's Ames Research Center, it serves as a collaborative campus designed to foster innovation through partnerships between government, academia, and the private sector. The park leverages its unique position to advance aeronautics, space exploration, and related technology fields.

Overview

The campus is an integral part of the Ames Research Center, one of NASA's ten major field centers, and operates under a Enhanced Use Lease authority from the United States Congress. This model allows for the development of underutilized federal property to create a vibrant, multi-tenant research ecosystem. Its strategic location within the San Francisco Bay Area provides unparalleled access to the talent and venture capital of Silicon Valley. The park's master plan envisions a mixed-use community supporting STEM education, commercial space ventures, and astrophysics research.

History and Development

The concept emerged in the late 1990s following the closure of Naval Air Station Moffett Field and the consolidation of operations at Ames Research Center. Formal planning began with the 2002 NASA Research Park Master Plan, approved by the NASA Administrator. Early development involved the restoration of historic landmarks like Hangar One and the Moffett Field dirigible hangars. Key milestones included the opening of the Carnegie Institution for Science's Department of Terrestrial Magnetism facility and the establishment of the University Affiliated Research Center managed by the University of California. The 2012 agreement with Planetary Ventures, a subsidiary of Google, for the management of Moffett Field marked a significant public-private partnership.

Facilities and Tenants

The campus hosts a diverse array of facilities, including the restored Hangar One, the NASA Advanced Supercomputing Division facility, and the Sustainability Base, a showcase for green building technology. Major tenants span academia, industry, and non-profits, such as the SETI Institute, Blue Planet, and the Bay Area Environmental Research Institute. Other notable occupants include the United States Geological Survey's Astrogeology Science Center, Lockheed Martin's Advanced Technology Center, and educational entities like Foothill College and the NASA Ames Academy. The Sergey Brin and Larry Page-funded Planetary Society has also been involved in projects at the site.

Research and Innovation Focus

Core research areas leverage the expertise of Ames Research Center in astrobiology, nanotechnology, and information technology. The park is a hub for work on the Kepler space telescope mission, exoplanet discovery, and the development of autonomous systems for rovers like the Mars Science Laboratory. Initiatives in air traffic management through the Next Generation Air Transportation System and quantum computing partnerships with companies like Google Quantum AI are prominent. The NASA Frontier Development Lab, hosted in collaboration with the SETI Institute, applies artificial intelligence to challenges in planetary defense and space weather.

Partnerships and Collaborations

Collaboration is central to the park's model, involving formal agreements with entities like the California Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Industry alliances include work with Samsung, Intel, and Hewlett-Packard on advanced computing. The park also partners with other federal agencies, including the Department of Energy's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the Federal Aviation Administration. International cooperation is evident through engagements with the European Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency on various research initiatives. These partnerships are often facilitated through Space Act Agreements authorized by the National Aeronautics and Space Act.

Category:NASA facilities Category:Research parks in the United States Category:Buildings and structures in Santa Clara County, California