Reader note: “NASA JSC Public Affairs interviews ISS Flight Director Royce Renfrew and the interview was posted on NASA’s ReelNASA YouTube channel. Starting at 16:38 the discussion turns to SLICE experiments being performed by the current ISS crew. At 17:26 Renfrew says “We don’t actually have a NASA center in Cleveland …” What??”
Keith’s Update: Someone representing the ReelNASA YouTube channel replied in the comments of the video: “Mr. Renfrew was referencing the fact there is not an ISS Mission Control Center in Cleveland that is capable of speaking with the crew. He was highlighting the fact we can arrange for researchers to have direct communication with the crew regarding their research, a benefit of doing Station science. NASA Glenn Research Center is located in Cleveland, but it does not have a mission control center that interacts with the station crew. We appreciate your comment. …” Typical JSC PAO – never admit any mistakes – ever.
The facts according to NASA GRC: “Since 2001, the TSC has provided over 26,000 hr of continuous support for diverse microgravity research experiments onboard the ISS, 24 hr a day, 7 days a week, while requiring less than 100 hr of crew intervention. Secure, dedicated audio, video, and data interfaces are provided to payload teams, including a digital stream of two channels of video from the ISS and the ability to communicate directly with the ISS crew.”
Houston, we have a NASA center, Cleveland.com
“I feel for the guy. … That’s an answer he probably wishes he could suck back into his head,” said NASA Glenn Director Ray Lugo. “The statement was taken a little bit out of context. The more you pick on it, the worse it gets. … The last thing I want to do is add to it.”
Keith’s 27 March Update: The ReelNASA Youtube channel posted this video yesterday: “ISS Update Commentator Pat Ryan interviews Dr. Paul Ferkul, Principal Investigator for the Burning and Suppression of Solids (BASS) experiment” with Dr. Paul Ferkul participating in the interview from NASA Glenn Research Centers Telescience Center.”

Biologist, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA Space Biologist and Payload integrator, Editor of NASAWatch.com and Astrobiology.com, Lapsed climber, Explorer, Synaesthete, Former Challenger Center board member...

16 replies on “Yes Houston, NASA Is In Cleveland Too (Update)”

  1. Not only is there a NASA center in Cleveland, NASA GRC is one of the 3 original NACA centers. GRC (or Lewis Research Center as it was known then) made huge contributions to the Apollo program, perhaps to LRC’s detriment.  It’s said that LRC’s liquid hydrogen contributions (fuel research, research of that fuel used to cool rocket nozzles) competed with some of von Braun’s ideas/desires and resulted in a nasty feeling between Marshall and LRC/GRC.  That’s what’s been said, anyway, at GRC.

  3. If We have No NASA in Cleveland would really like to know were I’ve been working at for the past 26 years

  4. Wow. Maybe he should have “phoned a friend” before he answered that one. I’ve been working here/there since 1988. If not, then who do I thank for all of the checks that I get every two weeks? I’ll need to send them a “thank you” card. Sheesh…

  5. Maybe if they mattered people would know about it.  Just another welfare state within the grand NASA welfare state.

    1. Spaceman888, If you have ever flown on a commercial jet – you can thank the aeronautical research done at Glenn Research Center that has improved aviation safety from keeping your rear end from falling down to the ground.

      If you want to actually look at brief list of thing that make Glenn Research Center “matter” look no further:
      http://www.nasa.gov/centers…

    2. NASA isn’t as active in aeronautics as it once was, but NASA aeronautics still benefits orders of magnitude more people than human spaceflight.

  6. I work with a guy from GRC. He says there they still believe “research and development” is a NASA mission. 

    1. dogstar3: Hmm, maybe that’s because it IS a NASA mission, maybe that’s why it’s called the Glenn RESEARCH Center.

      http://www.nasa.gov/about/h…
      8 counts of the word “research”
      5 counts of the word “develop”

      What do you think NASA should be doing?

      1. A very interesting question. I have brought it up in the past, but apparently it is above my pay grade. Each time I propose some “research” I am told our center mission is “operations”.

    2. That’s because GRC still does research and development, some of it critical to civilian applications (fuel research, icing research,………).  It has six wind tunnels that get use.  NASA GRC is a productive facility, very productive.

  8. My understanding is technically, Glenn Research center is in Brookpark, OH, as I believe Cleveland allowed the annexation in exchange for airport expansion.  Obviously, the center is across the runway from Cleveland, and historically was in Cleveland, so it really doesn’t change the big picture.

  9. Oh, c’mon people, lighten up already.  He just meant that they don’t directly talk to the crew, I hate it when people are put on the spot and leave a couple of words out and all the nits freak out.  “OMG, someone said something wrong on the Internet!”.  You guys are a bunch of trolls, lol.

    1. tinker1969, you clearly didn’t read the update. At NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland there is a telescience center (TSC). It supports commanding and controlling of science payloads on the ISS, as well as the capability for folks at the TSC at Glenn Research Center to directly talk to astronauts on the ISS.

    2. I have talked to ISS crews from my house more than once. I have also talked to them by satellite phone from Everest Base Camp. People interact with ISS crews more often than you think.

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