Comments on: Virginia’s politicians whine about a NASA plan to close the visitor center at Wallops

By: Jeff Wright

Jeff Wright — Sat, 29 Nov 2025 10:26:08 +0000

Marshall at least has test stand battleships

Goddard had….this:
https://nasawatch.com/personnel-news/nasa-gsfc-closes-fitness-center/

They can’t go for a walk or buy these work-out contraptions for pennies on the dollar at yard sales?

By: Richard M

Richard M — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 14:27:07 +0000

People at large, maybe–but they all don’t vote in her district.

Indeed.

The VA 2CD basically splits the greater Norfolk area with the 3CD. Lots and lots of people living there collecting their paychecks from government or contractors doing business with the government. It’s almost all military, of course, so that is what makes it at least competitive — unlike, you know, certain Northern Virginia congressional districts. But it has not struck me as a particularly libertarian district.

I’m not a fan of Ms. Kiggans for policy reasons that go beyond any of this, but I do at least get why she might adopt this stance on Wallops. Kiggans’ seat is one of the 35 seats that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is targeting next year.

By: pzatchok

pzatchok — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 04:50:15 +0000

have courage.

People around here voted for the republicans who closed the city schools to save money.

By: Jeff Wright

Jeff Wright — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 01:25:48 +0000

People at large, maybe–but they all don’t vote in her district.

Space is always a target for cuts that should be elsewhere.

By: pzatchok

pzatchok — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 18:12:29 +0000

Think of it like Doge.

If she embraced it like a cost saving measure the people would love it.

By: Richard M

Richard M — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 16:47:37 +0000

I am tempted to cut Kiggans a little slack on this sort of thing, while sympathizing with the more basic sentiment of our host. The second Virginia district is very much a swing district, and she first won it in 2022 by a razor thin majority (like, a thousand votes), and not much better than that in 2024: she is just about as righty as you can get and actually win that district, as it is drawn now. The visitor’s center may not employ many people but I reckon the logic is that it has a public visibility (and support) that goes beyond its workforce footprint. A few hundred votes shifting over this could well be the difference in a tough midterm election for Kiggans next year.

(It’s not what I would do. I am just saying that I grok the kind of stand Kiggans is taking.)

On the other hand, I wonder if this is the sort of high visibility attempt meant to distract congresscritters with a shiny object, to divert attention from more serious chops at NASA headcount in less visible parts of the agency.

By: pzatchok

pzatchok — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 16:02:08 +0000

Having a visitors center at Wallops is like having a Disney visitor center at Ceder Point Ohio.

By: Seawriter

Seawriter — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 14:17:16 +0000

There is nothing stopping Virginia from funding the Wallops Visitors’ Center. Or some private group from running it like Space Center Houston. If it is that important then they should. If it’s just a way to leverage other people’s money, shut it down.

By: Jeff Wright

Jeff Wright — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 06:09:42 +0000

I am glad the EPA museum is no more–enough with guilt trips.

NASA museums are a type of space evangelism…we need more of those to introduce kids to space in this more distracting era.

By: Blair Ivey

Blair Ivey — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 04:35:26 +0000

Wallops Visitors Center

Open 15 hours/week 1000 – 1500 Thurs – Sat. 41,578 visitors last year. Not a bad draw, considering it’s location. As Wandering Neurons implied, most of that traffic was likely on the way to somewhere else.

Actually much better numbers than the erstwhile EPA Museum, which saw under 2000 visitors in the ten months it was open. EPA had a museum? Exactly.

By: John Schneider

John Schneider — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 22:35:57 +0000

Mr Z.
Thanks for posting. If the elected politicians’ protests about this are anything other than posturing for a few local votes (and perhaps that’s it) then I feel sorry for them, for their lack of vision and potential, which certainly includes the Virginia Spaceport and clients (RocketLab, Firefly). Once things develop one can bet that either will have visitor accomodations a he(ll) ck of a lot better than NASA.
Everything you mention, everything, about government self preservation and small mindedness is manifest at Wallops, and apparently in the local politicians. Years ago I worked there (CSC) for six weeks (I had the credentials) before seeing the light, and quit. I could write a book but this ain’t the forum. Once thru enjoying and working in other productive aspects of life I’ll do so, and send a copy. Thank You.

By: John

John — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 21:59:46 +0000

We can’t cut any budget even in a small way, we will never cut anything, and the country is doomed.

How many visitors are we talking about anyway? I hope he or she isn’t too disappointed. If it was popular, I doubt they’d want to cut it.

A safe viewing location with parking and porta potties would be nice, but they’ll probably try to close down all public viewing out of spite. If it’s still there in September I may….visit! I would normally just drive on by.

By: Wandering Neurons

Wandering Neurons — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 21:32:15 +0000

Visited the Wallops Visitors Center about 10 years ago. I was aware of the Wallops launch facility from prior work, but only found out about the Visitors Center when driving to a campground on Chincoteague Island one weekend. Basically, the Visitors Center is on a dead-end road, you pass it on the way to Chincoteague, the road then stops at the Atlantic Ocean.
The Visitors Center was clean and neat, with a few intriguing exhibits, but limited hours, an overall rating of “Meh” in comparison with other museums and exhibits I’ve been to.
Probably a cost-saving measure on NASA’s part, I cannot see the Visitors Center being any significant draw of visitors or income compared to Chincoteague. Politicians whine a lot. Let them fund the Visitors Center from their own pockets if they think it’s that important.