Splash-Down Into Outer Space: The NASA Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory
Nov 19, 2024
The Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) is a NASA-operated astronaut training facility located at the Sonny Carter Training Facility near the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Its primary feature is a large indoor pool where astronauts practice simulated extravehicular activities (EVA) while wearing suits that provide neutral buoyancy, mimicking the microgravity of space!
The NBL's diving tank is 202 feet long,102 feet wide, and 40 feet deep, holding 6.2 million US gallons of water. The NBL features full-scale mock-ups of International Space Station modules and payloads, as well as visiting vehicles such as the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency "HTV", the European Space Agency's "ATV", SpaceX's "Dragon", and Orbital Sciences Corporation's "Cygnus".
Did you know that you can get unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to astronaut training facilities with NASA VIP tours with Space Center Houston?
