Overview
The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) is NASA's center for human spaceflight. It is home to Mission Control and to the astronaut corps, and its presence gave Houston the nickname "Space City".
History
NASA chose Houston in 1961 for its new Manned Spacecraft Center, on land near Clear Lake donated through Rice University. Mission Control in Houston has directed U.S. human spaceflight since the Gemini program in the mid-1960s. That includes the Apollo Moon landings, when Neil Armstrong's first words from the lunar surface in 1969 began "Houston". The center was renamed for President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1973.
Today
JSC manages astronaut training, the International Space Station program and work on new crewed missions, with many aerospace contractors located nearby. Space Center Houston, the official visitor center, offers tram tours of the site.
Compiled October 2026. History is summarized for general interest; check primary sources for research. This landmark is local context, not an employer or job listing.