Jet Propulsion Laboratory
NASA-owned R&D center managed by Caltech since 1936; builds planetary robotic spacecraft and operates NASA's Deep Space Network.
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is a federally funded research and development center owned by NASA and managed by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), located in La Canada Flintridge, California, with a Pasadena mailing address. Founded in 1936 by Caltech researchers under Theodore von Karman and formally transferred to NASA on December 3, 1958, JPL's primary mission is the design, construction, and operation of robotic spacecraft for planetary exploration, Earth observation, and astronomy. Notable recent achievements include the Mars 2020 mission featuring the Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter, which performed the first powered flight on another planet.
JPL also operates NASA's Deep Space Network, a global antenna system for communicating with interplanetary spacecraft. In 2026, NASA announced competitive bidding for JPL's labor operations. JPL employs thousands of scientists, engineers, and technologists across robotics, avionics, and remote sensing disciplines.
Primary type & automation activities this supplier delivers:
Perseverance Mars Rover
JPL-built Mars 2020 rover operating in Jezero Crater since February 2021, conducting astrobiology research and caching rock samples for future Earth return.
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Contact Jet Propulsion Laboratory
WEBSITE
https://www.jpl.nasa.govPHONE
+1 (818) 354-4321HEADQUARTERS
United States
Company Facts
Founded
1936
Primary Role
Research Institute
Company Size
-
Primary Region
North America
Annual Sales
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Funding Stage
-
Funding Total
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