Wallops Flight Facility

NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility is a Virginia Eastern Shore launch and research range, founded May 7, 1945, providing flight and launch range services for government and commercial users from Earth to the Moon and beyond. NASA describes work in sounding rockets, scientific balloons, small-satellite support, launch-range operations and aircraft activity; Wallops has launched more than 16,000 rockets. The separate Wallops Visitor Center is the only part of the facility open to the public: free exhibits and launch viewing are offered Thursday–Saturday 10:00–15:00, with school and group programs Tuesday–Wednesday by reservation; federal holidays, launches and other operations can change access. Use 175 Chincoteague Road, Building J-20, Wallops Island, Virginia 23337 for navigation, not the main or island gate. Behind-the-scenes facility tours are limited to qualifying pre-registered nonprofit, school or civic groups of 8–20 with one vehicle and at least one month’s notice; the active range remains subject to NASA access and safety controls.