{"nrhp_refnum":"85002802","name":"Spacecraft Propulsion Research Facility","other_names":[],"category":"structure","location":{"address":"Lewis Research Center, Plum Brook Station","address_restricted":false,"city":"Sandusky","county":"Erie County","state":"OH","lat":41.36710614700007,"lon":-82.68360677899994,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1985-10-03","is_nhl":true,"nhl_designated_date":"1985-10-03","areas_of_significance":["Other","Engineering","Transportation"],"significance_levels":["national"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A NASA space-simulation test complex at the Plum Brook Station of the Lewis Research Center in Sandusky, Ohio, centered on Building 3211 and built for hot-firing full-size space vehicles under simulated orbital conditions. The form dates its completion around 1968-1969.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the facility is the only one in NASA's inventory able to hot-fire a large rocket while simulating the vacuum, cryogenic cold and solar thermal radiation of space. This capability was crucial to developing the Centaur upper-stage rocket, which launched probes such as Pioneer, Viking and Voyager. Data from Centaur engine test firings here contributed greatly to that program's success.","narrative":"Built at NASA's Plum Brook Station near Sandusky, Ohio, this test complex was designed to hot-fire full-size space vehicles in conditions simulating an orbital altitude of 100 miles. Its test building rises more than 70 feet above ground and extends 176 feet below grade. A stainless steel vacuum chamber holds vehicles up to 22 feet in diameter and 50 feet high. A liquid hydrogen cold wall chilled to -320°F simulates the heat sink of space, while quartz infrared lamps reproduce solar heat. Steam ejectors and a large water spray system remove and cool engine exhaust. The facility matters because it is the only one in NASA's inventory able to fire a large rocket under simulated vacuum, cryogenic temperature and thermal radiation. That capability was central to developing the Centaur upper-stage rocket, which later launched the Pioneer, Viking and Voyager spacecraft. NASA currently keeps the facility on standby status.","period_of_significance":"1968","architect_builder":"NASA","architectural_style":null,"criteria":[],"status_note":"Rated excellent and unaltered on its original site; maintained by NASA on standby status and listed as inactive.","vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:53:09.958667-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_OH/85002802_NHL.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/85002802/3d4349f461-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/85002802/3d4349f461-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"NASA","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GRC_PBS_Spacecraft_Propulsion_Research_Facility_(B-2).jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">NASA</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GRC_PBS_Spacecraft_Propulsion_Research_Facility_(B-2).jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71986467","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacecraft_Propulsion_Research_Facility","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7572664"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/ohio/erie-county/spacecraft-propulsion-research-facility-85002802/"}