HAMPTON, Va. – From touchdown on Mars to autonomous flight on Earth, a brand new facility at NASA Langley Research Center is anticipated to take humanity to new heights.

On Wednesday, NASA broke floor on the Flight Dynamics Research Facility (FDRF) — a vertical wind tunnel greater than 120 ft excessive.

According to Langley, the 25,000 sq. foot, $43 million constructing will assist analysis for entry, descent, and touchdown on planetary our bodies together with the moon, Mars and Saturn’s moon Titan. It can even advance analysis in earth-bound experimental plane and autonomous flight autos.

“It’s gonna replace two facilities at Langley Air Force Base that are 80 years old,” said Allen Kilgore, Director of NASA Langley’s Research Directorate, who adds that a vertical wind tunnel changes how scientists can test scaled-down models of vehicle designs. “We blow wind over it, gravity brings it down and we kind of hold it in place there. That will allow us to study the dynamics of the vehicle.”

Sabella, Anthony

The groundbreaking comes lower than two weeks earlier than NASA launches its Artemis I mission — taking an unmanned rocket across the moon and again; setting the stage for the primary girl and subsequent man to land on the moon within the coming years.

Clayton Turner, Director of NASA Langley Research Center says the FDRF will play a significant position in additional exploration.

“It’s going to be critical where we’re going to land on moons of Saturn, it’s going to be critical when we want to have that package delivered on our front door,” he informed News 3.

The facility is a part of a revitalization plan geared toward lowering Langley’s footprint and total prices.

In addition to Kilgore, Turner, and others from NASA, a number of politicians spoke at Wednesday’s groundbreaking, together with Hampton Mayor Donnie Tuck, Rep. Bobby Scott (D), and Virginia Transportation Secretary Shep Miller.

The Flight Dynamics Research Facility is scheduled to open in late 2024.