For decades, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California has invited the public to its campus at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains to go “behind the scenes” and see the latest technologies and space missions studying Earth, our solar system, and beyond.
This year’s “Explore JPL” – the first since the COVID-19 pandemic began – will take place April 29 to 30, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. PDT. Tickets are free but very limited and go fast. They will be available online at explore.jpl.nasa.gov at 9 a.m. PDT Sunday, April 2. Be sure to refresh the page after 9 a.m. to check for availability.
Tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, with a maximum of five tickets per requestor. Orders for more than five tickets may be subject to cancelation. Tickets will be provided for specific time slots and must be reserved for specific names. Attendees will not be admitted before the designated time printed on their ticket.
Visitors will have the opportunity to view, among other things, full-size models of Mars rovers and the Europa Clipper spacecraft being constructed in the Spacecraft Assembly Facility. Attendees can also see mission control and the machine shop, where precise parts are made for spacecraft, and the Microdevices Laboratory.
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To attend, visitors must have their tickets in hand and anyone age 18 or over must show government-issued identification. Tickets are not transferable and cannot be sold. Children under age 2 do not require a ticket, but experiences at the event are not intended for very young guests.
Visitors may not bring these items to JPL: weapons or explosives of any kind, incendiary devices, glass containers, alcohol, cannabis or illegal drugs, pets (except certified service animals), banners or signs, flags, boom boxes, air horns, musical instruments, and professional camera equipment with detachable telephoto lenses. Use of laser pointers or whistles is not allowed. No bags, backpacks, or hard-sided coolers are permitted, either, except small purses and diaper bags. Drones are not allowed to fly over JPL under any circumstances. Skates, skateboards, scooters, Segways, and bicycles are not permitted inside the event, as the venues are crowded with pedestrians.
Vehicles entering JPL property are subject to inspection. Parking is free.
Caltech manages JPL for NASA. Follow @NASAJPL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and join the conversation by using the hashtag #ExploreJPL.
For more information and a link to frequently asked questions, visit:
For JPL’s virtual tour, visit: