Designated A Historic Aerospace Site
The American Institute
of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) will officially designate
the John C. Stennis Space Center (SSC) in Mississippi as a Historic
Aerospace Site during a ceremony Thursday at SSC.
A historic marker will be unveiled to commemorate the role SSC
has played over more than 40 years as America’s largest and
most important rocket engine test facility. The text on the
marker sets forth the historic importance of SSC:
Born of the vision of President John F. Kennedy for America
to ". . . commit itself to achieving the goal . . . of landing a
man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth . . . ", this
rocket propulsion test complex was created to flight-certify all
first and second stages of the Apollo Saturn V rocket. The first
test-firing occurred on April 23, 1966. Subsequent to the Apollo
Program, these test stands were modified to support the testing
requirements of the Space Shuttle Main Engine. Every American
who traveled to the moon, and every astronaut who has traveled into
space aboard the Space Shuttle, did so on rocket stages and engines
that were first proven flight-worthy on these test stands.
In honor of the steadfast support that the "Mississippi Test
Facility," as it was known for many years, received from U.S.
Senator John Stennis, in 1988 on his 87th birthday it was renamed
in his honor.
AIAA’s designation of Stennis Space Center as a Historic
Aerospace Site is a part of SSC’s two-week celebration of the
50th anniversary of the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA).
In addition to its historic role, SSC remains an important part
of America’s space exploration activities. It is currently
testing components for the J-2X rocket, which will power the upper
stage of the new crew launch vehicle, Ares I. SSC has also become
an important catalyst for developing new enterprises and high-tech
employment.
AIAA established the Historic Aerospace Sites Program in January
2000 to promote the preservation of, and the dissemination of
information about, significant accomplishments made in the
aerospace profession. In addition to Stennis Space Center, some of
the other sites recognized by the AIAA History Technical Committee
are the original Bendix Aviation Company in Teterboro, NJ; the
Boeing Red Barn in Seattle, WA; Kitty Hawk, NC; the site of the
first balloon launch in Annonay, France; Cape Canaveral Air Force
Station, and Tranquility Base on the moon.