NASA opens secret JPL campus to the public for a free two-day tour
NASA will allow visitors into the normally off-limits Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena on Oct. 10-11, offering free tours of its historic facilities.
For two days in early October, NASA will open the high-security Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena to the public as part of its Explore JPL program. Attendees will tour the historic mission-control center that oversaw Mariner, Viking, Voyager and Mars 2020, view full-scale models of iconic spacecraft, and learn about cutting-edge robotics and micro-device research. Although admission is free, tickets sold out quickly and organizers will re-release spots when cancellations arise.
The laboratory, founded in 1936 and marking its 90th year, has recently been scrutinized after the unexplained deaths of scientists Frank Maiwald and Michael Hicks, leading a federal probe into possible foreign interference. The event offers a rare glimpse into a facility usually closed to outsiders.
Why it matters
The tour gives the public unprecedented access to a key NASA research hub while highlighting security concerns surrounding recent scientist deaths.
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