1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,570 Young Woman: I can take your tickets down here! 2 00:00:02,590 --> 00:00:04,760 Narrator: As part of a celebration of its 75th 3 00:00:04,780 --> 00:00:07,870 anniversary, NASA's Ames Research Center recently 4 00:00:07,890 --> 00:00:10,010 hosted an Open House event for over 5 00:00:10,030 --> 00:00:12,660 120,000 visitors. 6 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:15,340 It was the first time since 1997 that Ames 7 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:18,050 welcomed the public into its world-class space and 8 00:00:18,070 --> 00:00:20,910 aeronautics research campus. 9 00:00:20,930 --> 00:00:22,550 S. Pete Worden: It gives me great pleasure 10 00:00:22,570 --> 00:00:24,320 to declare the gates open for the 11 00:00:24,340 --> 00:00:27,460 2014 NASA Ames Open House. 12 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:28,730 Have fun! 13 00:00:28,750 --> 00:00:30,560 Narrator: The festivities started with a welcome 14 00:00:30,580 --> 00:00:33,300 from Ames Center Director Pete Worden, as well as 15 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:36,120 comments from special guest, U.S. Congressional 16 00:00:36,140 --> 00:00:38,240 Representative Anna Eshoo. 17 00:00:38,260 --> 00:00:40,810 Rep. Anna Eshoo: NASA Ames is the epitome 18 00:00:40,830 --> 00:00:42,870 of great science. 19 00:00:42,890 --> 00:00:47,120 The scientists, the engineers, the technologists 20 00:00:47,140 --> 00:00:50,290 and the visionaries have made NASA Ames 21 00:00:50,310 --> 00:00:54,360 an epicenter of research, of innovation, 22 00:00:54,380 --> 00:00:58,570 of creativity and discovery in our nation. 23 00:00:58,590 --> 00:01:00,530 Narrator: Hundreds of exhibits lined the streets, 24 00:01:00,550 --> 00:01:02,770 allowing visitors to talk with researchers and 25 00:01:02,790 --> 00:01:05,410 volunteers to learn about the wide variety of 26 00:01:05,430 --> 00:01:08,010 programs and projects at Ames. 27 00:01:08,030 --> 00:01:10,380 Everything from advanced aircraft research to 28 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:13,250 space biosciences to small satellite research 29 00:01:13,270 --> 00:01:15,010 was on display. 30 00:01:15,030 --> 00:01:16,620 Nicolas Borbolla: It's really cool to see what 31 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:18,250 goes on behind the scenes of NASA, because you 32 00:01:18,270 --> 00:01:20,120 always hear about how they're sending the rover up 33 00:01:20,140 --> 00:01:21,320 to space and everything. 34 00:01:21,340 --> 00:01:23,460 And so finally seeing that in real life, in person, 35 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:24,920 is something like I never thought I would 36 00:01:24,940 --> 00:01:25,690 be able to experience. 37 00:01:25,710 --> 00:01:27,190 It's awesome. 38 00:01:27,210 --> 00:01:29,300 Narrator: Some visitors participated in tours of a 39 00:01:29,320 --> 00:01:31,690 few of the research facilities. 40 00:01:31,710 --> 00:01:33,960 Among these included the home of one of the 41 00:01:33,980 --> 00:01:37,200 world's fastest supercomputers; the wind tunnels, 42 00:01:37,220 --> 00:01:40,140 one of which is the largest in the world; 43 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:43,410 advanced flight simulators; air traffic control 44 00:01:43,430 --> 00:01:47,000 simulators and the Fluid Mechanics Labs, used to 45 00:01:47,020 --> 00:01:49,480 better understand the complexities of air flow 46 00:01:49,500 --> 00:01:53,560 around aircraft and other aerodynamic vehicles. 47 00:01:53,580 --> 00:01:55,930 One tour featured a rare opportunity to see the 48 00:01:55,950 --> 00:01:58,490 labs where robots are being tested to assist 49 00:01:58,510 --> 00:02:01,120 astronauts on the International Space Station, 50 00:02:01,140 --> 00:02:03,500 as well as advanced robots that might someday 51 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:05,830 go to Mars and beyond. 52 00:02:05,850 --> 00:02:08,290 The media also joined the tours, looking at 53 00:02:08,310 --> 00:02:10,830 facilities such as the Arc Jet where atmospheric 54 00:02:10,850 --> 00:02:13,270 re-entry conditions are replicated for testing 55 00:02:13,290 --> 00:02:15,770 heat shield materials. 56 00:02:15,790 --> 00:02:18,680 Attendees gathered with Ames scientists to listen 57 00:02:18,700 --> 00:02:21,030 to presentations and ask questions about their 58 00:02:21,050 --> 00:02:23,020 cutting-edge research. 59 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:26,010 Curious visitors and future scientists talked with 60 00:02:26,030 --> 00:02:28,770 Bill Borucki from NASA's Kepler Mission that 61 00:02:28,790 --> 00:02:31,260 proved the existence of thousands of planets 62 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:33,790 outside of our solar system. 63 00:02:33,810 --> 00:02:36,480 Other participants in the event included NASA's 64 00:02:36,500 --> 00:02:39,490 Armstrong Flight Research Center, the California 65 00:02:39,510 --> 00:02:42,960 Air National Guard, the US Army and commercial 66 00:02:42,980 --> 00:02:45,930 partners from the NASA Research Park. 67 00:02:45,950 --> 00:02:49,640 Yanwei Lin: It really helps us understand how, you 68 00:02:49,660 --> 00:02:54,640 know, how an idea becomes reality. 69 00:02:54,660 --> 00:02:56,970 So, yeah, it's been great. 70 00:02:56,990 --> 00:02:58,680 It's been a great opportunity to see what 71 00:02:58,700 --> 00:03:00,350 you guys do. 72 00:03:00,370 --> 00:03:02,580 Narrator: The event was a family friendly way for 73 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:05,380 NASA Ames to share its 75th anniversary 74 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:08,530 celebration with space enthusiasts from the local 75 00:03:08,550 --> 00:03:09,990 community. 76 00:03:10,010 --> 00:03:12,330 Group of visitors cheering: Go NASA!!