NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., was honored by the Alabama Legislature April 3 during NASA Alabama Aerospace Day 2014 events at the state Capitol in Montgomery. Lawmakers and state officials met with Marshall Center Director Patrick Scheuermann, and resolutions in the House and Senate recognized the center's critical role in future space exploration, in the nation's space history and in the state's economy and cultural life.
A number of NASA exhibits and activities conveyed a vivid picture of work now underway on the Space Launch System -- the most powerful rocket in history and the vehicle that will take astronauts to Mars; on science missions aboard the International Space Station; and on additive manufacturing and 3-D printing technologies helping develop aerospace technology faster and at lower costs.
"Together We Make Bold Things Happen" was the theme for NASA Alabama Aerospace Day, and Marshall representatives visited a number of schools and nonprofit organizations in the Montgomery area to talk with students about robotics, technology, careers in aerospace and the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics education.
On April 2, the Marshall Center partnered with the Aerospace States Association and the Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce for a roundtable discussion at the State House on "Economics and Education: The Impact of the Aerospace Industry in the State of Alabama."
"Our partners in industry and education have always been important to NASA and Marshall Space Flight Center," Scheuermann said. "Partnerships are critical to developing the commercial crew program and continuing support of the International Space Station with its increasing number of science missions; to placing the James Webb Space Telescope in orbit, allowing us to look deeper into the universe than ever before; and to NASA's Space Launch System.
"Montgomery is an important partner, too, representing the people of Alabama," Scheuermann said. "It was exciting to talk with lawmakers and officials about opportunities to leverage aerospace resources already in the state, and about the benefits from the resulting jobs and synergies in information technology, materials, manufacturing, education and other areas."
The Marshall Center is one of NASA's largest field installations, with nearly 6,000 on- and near-site civil service and contractor employees and an annual budget of about $2 billion.
For more information about NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, visit us on the Web:
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall
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NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Aerospace Industry Honored by Alabama Legislature