Sunnyvale highlight
Close to Moffett Field
NASA Ames Research Center, located at Moffett Field adjacent to Sunnyvale, was established in 1939 and conducts world-class research in aeronautics and space exploration.
Moffett Federal Airfield sits on Sunnyvale's northwestern border and is home to NASA Ames Research Center, one of NASA's ten field centers. Ames was established in 1939 and has grown into a major research installation with over 3,200 employees. The center conducts research across aeronautics, exploration technology, advanced computing, and life sciences, with particular strengths in aircraft testing and aerodynamic research.
The facility is known for its specialized research infrastructure. NASA Ames operates the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex, one of the world's largest testing facilities, and the Unitary Plan research structure, which is designated a National Historic Landmark. These facilities have been used to test aircraft, spacecraft heat shields, and entry systems for decades. The center also hosts university partnerships through its NASA Research Park, including Carnegie Mellon Silicon Valley and UC Berkeley's space center initiatives. In 2014, Google's subsidiary Planetary Ventures signed a sixty-year lease to manage the airfield, generating revenue that NASA uses to support its research mission.
The proximity of Sunnyvale to a major research center influences the character of the community. Engineers, scientists, and professionals drawn by NASA and the broader technology sector make their homes here. Households with that professional focus often have specific insurance needs: income that will remain stable through a thirty-year mortgage, responsibilities that extend through their children's college years, or the need to protect a family business or research partnership. Comparing term coverage amounts and lengths at different ages helps those households find the coverage that matches their actual situation.