25 Vintage Photos of NASA Glenn Research Center and Its Namesake

By Scene Staff on Wed, Mar 2, 2016 at 3:25 pm

The NASA John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field in Cleveland, Ohio, was founded in 1942 and initially named the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory. In 1947 it was renamed the Flight Propulsion Research Laboratory, and in 1948 the Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory after George W. Lewis, head of NACA from 1919 to 1947. It became the NASA Lewis Research Center in 1958.

It was renamed the NASA John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field after astronaut and former Ohio senator John Glenn in 1999.

Photos used with permission from NASA and the Cleveland Memory Project

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A camera onboard the Friendship 7 Mercury spacecraft photographs astronaut John H. Glenn Jr. during his historic flight on February 20, 1962.

An engineer and a technician check out an ion engine in the Electronic Propulsion Research Building at the Lewis Research Center (now NASA's Glenn Research Center) in 1961.

Astronaut John Glenn inspects artwork that will be painted on the outside of his Mercury spacecraft, which he nicknamed Friendship 7.

Astronaut John H. Glenn Jr. in his silver Mercury spacesuit during pre- flight training activities at Cape Canaveral.

Astronaut John H. Glenn Jr., NASA flight surgeon William Douglas and equipment specialist Joseph W. Schmidt leave crew quarters prior to the Mercury-Atlas 6 mission.

Astronaut John H. Glenn, Jr., in his Mercury flight suit.

Cleveland's Glenn Research Center began as the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NASA's predecessor). The Altitude Wind Tunnel, built in 1944.

Colonel E.R. Page, William F. Durand, Orville Wright, Addison M. Rothrock visit the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory in Cleveland, Ohio, on dedication day, May 20, 1943.