North Arroyo in Pasadena in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Space Flight Operations Facility
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Photographed by Craig Baker, August 24, 2023
1. Space Flight Operations Facility Marker
Space Flight Operations Facility has been designated a National Historic Landmark. This building possesses national significance in commemorating the history of the United States of America.
Erected 1985 by National Park Service - United States Department of the Interior.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Communications • Science & Medicine. In addition, it is included in the National Historic Landmarks series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1963.
Location. 34° 12.038′ N, 118° 10.456′ W. Marker is in Pasadena, California, in Los Angeles County. It is in North Arroyo. It can be reached from Oak Grove Drive 0.3 miles north of Foothill Boulevard. Located in JPL, only accessed during pre-arranged tours. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4800 Oak Grove Dr, La Canada Flintridge CA 91011, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Los Angeles and in the Transverse Ranges. It is also on the American Pacific Coast. Globally, it is in North America, on the Ring of
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Jet Propulsion Laboratory (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Voyager Spacecraft - Interplanetary Explorers (about 600 feet away); Who was Robert Owens of El Prieto Canyon? (approx. 0.8 miles away); O. Oliver Goodall (approx. 0.8 miles away); Buffalo Soldiers (approx. one mile away); Owen Brown (approx. 1.3 miles away); How El Prieto Canyon Got Its Name (approx. 1.4 miles away); Sport Chalet (approx. 1.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pasadena.
Regarding Space Flight Operations Facility. The building contains a control room and related computing and communications equipment for operating NASA's Deep Space Network. It has monitored and controlled all interplanetary and deep space exploration for NASA and other international space agencies since 1963. The facility also acted as a backup
Photographed by Craig Baker, August 24, 2023
2. Space Flight Operations Facility & Marker
The Space Flight Operations Center has been operational and staffed every day since 1964. In the initial setup, there were 31 consoles, 100 closed-circuit television cameras, and more than 200 television displays to support Ranger 6 to Ranger 9, and Mariner 4.
The deep space antenna stations are at Goldstone, California; at Canberra, Australia; and at Madrid, Spain.
As of 2012, there were 22 spacecraft being monitored from this facility. Depending on the operations of the spacecraft, they are scheduled to be online for 1 to 10 hours at a time. Notable is that the facility also processes the signal from Voyager 1 that is sent from about 11 billion miles from Earth. With data feeding into the Space Flight Operations Facility from every NASA spacecraft beyond low earth orbit, including rovers, orbiters, and deep-space probes, there is a plaque in the middle of the room designating the facility "The Center of the Universe."
Public tours are available with advance planning.
The Space Flight Operations Facility, as well as the nearby Twenty-Five-Foot Space Simulator, were each declared
Photographed by Craig Baker, August 24, 2023
3. Space Flight Operations Control Room
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. - Canberra Australia antenna station.
Additional keywords. Twenty-Five-Foot Space Simulator,
Photographed by Craig Baker, August 24, 2023
4. Space Flight Operations Control Room
An image of the marker is displayed in the control room.
courtesy NASA
5. The Center of the Universe
courtesy NASA
6. Old View of Control Room
This photo is on display in the lobby.
courtesy NASA
7. Old View of Control Room
This photo is on display in the lobby.
Photographed by Craig Baker, August 24, 2023
8. Spacecraft Assembly Facility
In the far corner, the Europa Clipper is under construction. It launched in October 2024. The communication antenna is on top.
courtesy NASA
9. Goldstone Deep Space Antennas
The first, DSS-11 Pioneer, is a National Historic Landmark.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 2, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 25, 2023, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 616 times since then and 93 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 25, 2023, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 5. submitted on March 2, 2026, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 6, 7, 8. submitted on August 25, 2023, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 9. submitted on August 26, 2023, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.
