NASA Aerospace Communications Facility, Glenn Research Campus

overview

Located on the Glenn Research Center Campus, the new Aerospace Communications Facility is NASA’s premier site for radio frequency communications technology research and development. The facility consolidates research laboratories previously located in seven different buildings and was designed to support the Artemis mission, which includes landing the first woman and first person of color on the moon while exploring more of the lunar surface than ever before.

We provided structural engineering, vibration services and protective design services to Ross Barney Architects for the 54,000-square-foot, two-story facility, which features research spaces for communications, networking and digital electronics. The facility includes a partial basement and antenna mounting platform on the roof as well as a laboratory and an anechoic chamber with support spaces.

highlights

• The laboratory is framed in concrete while the anechoic chamber’s precast walls are shielded from electromagnetic interference. The anechoic chamber has a 10-ton crane, and a clear height of 50 feet. The vestibule connecting the laboratory to the chamber is framed in structural steel.
• Vibration services also included the design of isolated basement slabs for the sensitive laboratory spaces that required vibration levels of up to VC-E. Background vibration testing was conducted to determine the suitability of the lab locations within the building plan.
• Protective design services included criteria development and facade and structural mitigation measures.