NASA Ames Research Center, located at Moffett Field, California, was founded Dec. 20, 1939 as an aircraft research laboratory by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) and in 1958 it became part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Ames Research Center, one of 10 NASA field installations, is located in the heart of California's Silicon Valley at the core of the research cluster of high-tech companies, universities and laboratories that define the region's character. With over $3.0 billion in capital equipment, 2,300 research personnel and a $600 million annual budget, Ames' economic impact is significant. Ames plays a critical role in virtually all NASA missions in support of America's space and aeronautics programs.

http://www.nasa.gov/ames