Jet Propulsion Laboratory

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), based with Pasadena with the the United States, is a Joint-venture between NASA and the Caltech which is in charge with the construction and the supervision of the not-lived flights of NASA.

Presentation

The projects directed by the JPL are, inter alia, the Sonde Galileo towards Jupiter, the mission towards Mars Pathfinder (1997) and both Robot S of the Mission Mars Exploration Rover.

With the passing of years, the JPL sent uninhabited missions towards all the Planet S except Pluton.

Moreover, the JPL carried also out a complete cartography of the Ground and directs the global area network of antenna radio Deep Space Network.

In addition to its work for NASA, the JPL assists also tographic industry Cinéma near (Hollywood) while advising on the scientific aspects to the productions.

History

The JPL was founded in the Années 1930, when the professor Theodore von Karman of Caltech started on the site of the experiments of propulsion of rocket S.

During the Second world war, the air force of the United States asked the JPL to study the rockets V2 developed by the Third Reich as well as other projects for the effort of war. These studies carried out the JPL to develop the rocket Caporal which was used during the Guerre of Korea; this project evolved to the rocket Sergent until his end in 1958.

In reaction to the program Sputnik of Soviet, NASA was created on October 1st, 1958. It then included/understood 8000 employees and three research laboratories. NASA quickly integrated other organizations in its new agency, of which the JPL which began its mission of planetary exploration then.

The JPL kept its original name but ceased any research activity in propulsion.

Directors

  • Dr. Theodore von Karman, 1938 – 1944
  • Dr. Frank Malina, 1944 – 1946
  • Dr. Louis Dunn, 1946 – October 1st, 1954
  • Dr. William H. Pickering, October 1st, 1954 – March 31st, 1976
  • Dr. Bruce C. Murray, April 1st, 1976 – June 30th, 1982
  • Dr. Lew Allen, Jr., July 22nd, 1982 – December 31st, 1990
  • Dr. Edward C. Stone, January 1st, 1991 – April 30th, 2001
  • Dr. Charles Elachi, May 1st, 2001 – current

The site

The site of 72 hectares of the JPL is currently located at the foot of the Saint-Gabriel mountains to Cañada Flintridge, in California, with 19 kilometers (12 miles) in the north of Los Angeles. But for reasons of facility an address with Pasadena keeps (4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, the USA).

Approximately 5000 employees work there with full-time, without counting several thousands of consultants.

Each year, one Sunday of May, the JPL organizes one day open doors and the public is invited to visit the site and to attend demonstrations of the technology developed with the JPL. Organized visits are possible throughout the year but must be organized a long time in advance.

Missions

Here a list of the most famous missions in which the JPL took part:

See too

  • Lemur, the robot hexapode developed by the JPL

External bonds

  • Official site of the JPL
  • GNU/Linux with the JPL

Simple: Jet Propulsion Laboratory

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