Space Vehicle Mockup Facility
The Space Vehicle Mockup Facility (SVMF) is a large open space area located inside Building 9 of Johnson Space Center in Houston. It consists of a 200 meter long room that houses several Space Shuttle mockups, as well as mockups of every major pressurized module on the International Space Station. It is primarily used for astronaut training and systems familiarization.[1]
A wide angle panorama of the ISS mock-up area | |
Location in Houston Space Vehicle Mockup Facility (the United States) | |
Built | 1967 |
---|---|
Location | Johnson Space Center |
Coordinates | 29°33′37″N 95°05′16″W |
Industry | Astronaut training |
Employees | 1100+ |
Buildings | 1 |
Area | 42,500 square meters |
Address | Building 9 at the Johnson Space Center |
Owner(s) | NASA |
The International Space Station modules are 1:1 scale and are maintained as accurate as possible to the real spacecraft in orbit. The facility also has a 1/6th gravity simulator and Mars Rover test vehicles. An industrial door at the North End, and overhead cranes allows the installation of new mockup spacecraft to be loaded into the facility. Space Center Houston allows a level 9 VIP tourist access to the entire training facility.
Previous trainers
Space Shuttle Orbiter Trainers
- Full Fuselage Trainer (FFT)
- Crew Compartment Trainer (CCT)
- Crew Compartment Trainer II (CCT II)
Current trainers
International Space Station Trainer
- Space Station Mockup and Training Facility (SSMTF)
Other facilities
- Precision Air Bearing Facility (PABF)
- Partial Gravity Simulator (POGO)
References
- Space Center Houston Official Souvenir Book. AeroGraphics, Inc. 2016. p. 44.