Welcome to the Langley Research Center (LaRC), also known as “Space Town USA.”
In the 1960’s, LaRC was the leading force in the nation’s space race and continues today as a prominent contributor in America’s space research and exploration programs.
LaRC is NASA’s oldest field center, named after Samuel P. Langley, a respected astronomer, aviator, and aeronautical engineer. He was also the Smithsonian Institution’s third secretary.
In the early 1960s, NASA established the Space Task Force at LaRC, compromised of LaRC employees. The significant contributions of several African American women working at LaRC were highlighted in the 2017 Oscar-nominated movie “Hidden Figures.”
LaRC was also the training center for America’s first astronauts -- Shepard, Grissom, Glenn, Carpenter, Slayton, Schirra, and Gordon.
.LaRC played a crucial role in launching Alan Shepard on his first 15-minute, historic suborbital flight. LaRC also led trajectory planning for America’s first manned orbital flight, to include John Glenn on Friendship 7 mission and later with the Apollo 11 mission to the moon.
To access the cache, park in the public parking area (see waypoints) and use the sidewalk to approach the GZ. Upon approaching the GZ, you’ll see a sphere depicting our universe and a constellation of planets (circles or dots) and stars (objects with 4 pinnacles).
To log this virtual cache, count and email to me (Do Not Post in Your Log) the number of stars on the upper and lower halves of the sphere?
If you desire, post with your log a selfie (or picture) of the GZ with the NASA blue sphere in the background.
Hope you enjoy your geocaching experience here on the Peninsula.
Virtual Rewards 4.0 - 2024-2025
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between January 17, 2024 and January 17, 2025. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 4.0 on the Geocaching Blog.