Space Center Houston Payload Development Laboratory (PDL) Building

The 7,000-square-foot addition provides a permanent home for Payload Development Laboratory II (PDL II), a retired NASA training module once used to support astronaut training, mission operations, engineering assessments, and procedure development. Now serving a new educational purpose, the module anchors a high-bay integration lab designed to immerse students and visitors in the challenges of human spaceflight.

Connected to the existing LINC building, the expansion pairs the large-scale PDL environment with a low-bay area containing two learning labs, a fully equipped science lab, staff offices, and support spaces. The organization creates a clear transition between the dramatic high-bay volume and more focused classroom and laboratory settings, supporting activities ranging from science experiments and demonstrations to interactive training experiences.

PGAL carried elements of the original LINC design into the addition while giving the double-height PDL space its own identity. Specialty finishes and architectural features draw from Space Center Houston’s branding, including ceiling forms and colors coordinated with the elevated platform that provides access to the PDL. Lever Construction served as contractor for the expansion, helping bring the new facility to completion. Together, the spaces transform a piece of spaceflight history into an active learning environment for future explorers, engineers, and innovators.