About APL

Frequently Asked Questions

Isn’t APL a Navy Laboratory?

Originally, APL’s status was designated as a University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) for the Department of Defense. However, today APL serves a wide range of departments of the U.S. Government, including Departments of Treasury and Homeland Security, NASA, NOAA, NSF, NSA and all of the armed services.

What Kind of Work Does APL Civilian Space Do?

Civilian Space provides the following critical capabilities to our various customers and sponsors:

• Space Missions – The development of end-to-end, challenging science and exploration missions like the New Horizons mission to Pluto, the MESSENGER mission to Mercury, and the Lunar Precursor Robotic Program (LPRP) Lunar Lander. APL has developed, built, and operated over 60 different spacecraft.

• Science Research and Definition – With our over 150 space scientists, we conduct fundamental research in many fields. We are also involved in the definition of many of the key space science, planetary, Earth science, space weather, and solar physics missions.

• Instruments – APL has developed over 150 critical instruments that have flown on different space missions. One of our most recent instruments is the CRISM hyperspectral imager, currently operating on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

• Systems Engineering – APL end-to-end mission expertise and integration of complex and challenging systems is often used to support overall systems engineering and integration of key government programs.

• Technology Transfer – APL supports both the Civilian Space and National Security Space customers and sponsors, and teams with government and industry partners. Cooperatively, we develop technology applications to solve critical challenges, including technology development, risk reduction, demonstration, and exchanges. Due to our academic non-profit status, we transition our mature technologies to industry for full scale production.

• Independent Analysis, Review and Oversight – APL, as a non-profit laboratory and trusted advisor is often asked to provide unbiased analysis of alternatives, support Government reviews and panels, and advise science community boards and committees.

Does APL Work With Industry or Do Everything In House?

While APL has the end-to-end capability to development these challenging missions on behalf of NASA, we partner and team with industry, other government facilities such as NASA centers, and academic institutions to ensure we bring the best talent to the mission or solution. Typically, we subcontract 30-50% of our work to industry partners.

Is APL a NASA Center?

No. APL is not an official NASA center. However, APL is considered a NASA research center that it uses and preserves NASA’s essential capabilities. A contract with APL was issued in September 2006 similar to the contract NASA has with the California Institute of Technology for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). APL is one of three institutions that NASA uses to develop and operate key interplanetary missions -- other two being the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Ca.

How Many Missions Are You Operating for NASA?

We are currently operating five spacecraft at our various mission operations centers. These include the New Horizons spacecraft on its way to Pluto, the MESSENGER spacecraft on its way to Mercury, the twin STEREO spacecraft studying the sun and the TIMED spacecraft studying the Earth’s atmosphere. Other spacecraft built by APL, such as the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE), are still operating, but are operated by the Goddard Space Flight Center.