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| PART II: AEROSPACE OVERVIEW |
| John C. Stennis Space Center focus: propulsion; geospatial |
...A magazine once wrote that one of the
best ways to grow a high tech industry is to
have a NASA center in your back yard.
Hancock County has one: Stennis Space
Center.
...Established in the early 1960s, it’s where
NASA tested the Saturn V rockets for the
Apollo program. Today it's the location
where the Space Shuttle Main Engines are
tested. As NASA transitions to the next
generation of spacecraft and propulsion
systems, Stennis will continue to play a key
role.
best ways to grow a high tech industry is to
have a NASA center in your back yard.
Hancock County has one: Stennis Space
Center.
...Established in the early 1960s, it’s where
NASA tested the Saturn V rockets for the
Apollo program. Today it's the location
where the Space Shuttle Main Engines are
tested. As NASA transitions to the next
generation of spacecraft and propulsion
systems, Stennis will continue to play a key
role.
Geospatial
...Stennis is one of the few areas in the
world that focuses on geospatial
technologies and applications.
...There are three organizations that
oversee much of this activity: The NASA
Engineering and Science Directorate's
Science and Technology Division, the
Mississippi Enterprise for Technology and
the University of Mississippi's Enterprise
for Innovative Geospatial Solutions.
...It's a relatively new activity at Stennis,
but one that has huge implications for the
future. Lockheed Martin in 2004 opened
its Space and Technology Center, and
slowly has begun to do work at the
225,000 square foot facility owned and
built by the state of Mississippi.
...Stennis is one of the few areas in the
world that focuses on geospatial
technologies and applications.
...There are three organizations that
oversee much of this activity: The NASA
Engineering and Science Directorate's
Science and Technology Division, the
Mississippi Enterprise for Technology and
the University of Mississippi's Enterprise
for Innovative Geospatial Solutions.
...It's a relatively new activity at Stennis,
but one that has huge implications for the
future. Lockheed Martin in 2004 opened
its Space and Technology Center, and
slowly has begun to do work at the
225,000 square foot facility owned and
built by the state of Mississippi.
A Lockheed-built satellite is loaded on
board an AN124 at Stennis International
Airport. More satellite work is coming to
Stennis Space Center, officials say. Port
and Harbor Commission photo.
board an AN124 at Stennis International
Airport. More satellite work is coming to
Stennis Space Center, officials say. Port
and Harbor Commission photo.
...One of its most remarkable attributes is a 125,000-acre, thickly forested
acoustical buffer zone, designed to ensure the thunderous sound of tests do not
disturb surrounding communities.
...The buffer has also served another purposes: It provides a degree of seclusion
and security that has been appealing to a number of tenants. Stennis over the
years attracted a wide mix of federal, state and private companies. Among the
more than 30 tenants: The Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command, a
field unit of the Navy Research Laboratory and NOAA operations. The security
and remoteness was one factor that led Arizona-based defense contractor
Ionatron to set up a manufacturing operation at Stennis.
...But aerospace remains the heart of this facility. It has activities in three crucial
aerospace fields: propulsion, geospatial and, in more recent years, satellites.
Engine testing
...It was April 1966 that the first rocket engine static test-firing was conducted at
Stennis. It was a cluster of five J-2 engines, the second stage of the Saturn V
moon rocket. The test marked the Mississippi Gulf Coast's entry into the
aerospace field.
...The center's primary mission of testing the Saturn V rocket for the Apollo
program continued until the early 1970s, when its when its facilities were
modified to test the space shuttle's main engines. Since then, all the space
shuttle's main engines have been tested and proven flight-worthy at Stennis
Space Center. Stennis Space Center is also testing components for
future-generation launch vehicles designed to replace the shuttle.
...For a long time Stennis had just one customer: NASA. But over the years it
has accommodated other government and commercial customers. Today there
are multiple projects being testing, including programs in direct competition with
one another for development of the next generation systems.
...These corporate projects are now a big part of Stennis' work. In April 2002,
when Stennis held a "customer day," work for the Space Shuttle accounted for
some $50 million in work, while advanced technologies accounted for $40
million and commercial testing represented $20 million in work.
But when it comes to rocket testing, Stennis Space Center is not the only game
in town. NASA alone has four engine test facilities. The others are in Huntsville,
Ala., White Sands, N.M., and Sandusky, Ohio. There are also Department of
Defense engine-testing sites at Arnold Engineering Development Center in
Tulahoma, Tenn.; the Propulsion Directorate of the Air Force Research Lab at
Edwards Air Force Base in California; the Naval Weapons Center in China
Lake, Calif.; and at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville. There are also commercial
facilities.
...But Stennis is a big dog in this mix.
..."Stennis is the last place in the country where we can test large engines or
whole rocket stages," said NASA Administrator Michael Griffin during a recent
visit to the center.
...It has multiple test stands, and its capabilities are considerable enough that in
2006 Rolls-Royce announced it would test its huge Trent series at a refurbished
facilities at Stennis.
acoustical buffer zone, designed to ensure the thunderous sound of tests do not
disturb surrounding communities.
...The buffer has also served another purposes: It provides a degree of seclusion
and security that has been appealing to a number of tenants. Stennis over the
years attracted a wide mix of federal, state and private companies. Among the
more than 30 tenants: The Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command, a
field unit of the Navy Research Laboratory and NOAA operations. The security
and remoteness was one factor that led Arizona-based defense contractor
Ionatron to set up a manufacturing operation at Stennis.
...But aerospace remains the heart of this facility. It has activities in three crucial
aerospace fields: propulsion, geospatial and, in more recent years, satellites.
Engine testing
...It was April 1966 that the first rocket engine static test-firing was conducted at
Stennis. It was a cluster of five J-2 engines, the second stage of the Saturn V
moon rocket. The test marked the Mississippi Gulf Coast's entry into the
aerospace field.
...The center's primary mission of testing the Saturn V rocket for the Apollo
program continued until the early 1970s, when its when its facilities were
modified to test the space shuttle's main engines. Since then, all the space
shuttle's main engines have been tested and proven flight-worthy at Stennis
Space Center. Stennis Space Center is also testing components for
future-generation launch vehicles designed to replace the shuttle.
...For a long time Stennis had just one customer: NASA. But over the years it
has accommodated other government and commercial customers. Today there
are multiple projects being testing, including programs in direct competition with
one another for development of the next generation systems.
...These corporate projects are now a big part of Stennis' work. In April 2002,
when Stennis held a "customer day," work for the Space Shuttle accounted for
some $50 million in work, while advanced technologies accounted for $40
million and commercial testing represented $20 million in work.
But when it comes to rocket testing, Stennis Space Center is not the only game
in town. NASA alone has four engine test facilities. The others are in Huntsville,
Ala., White Sands, N.M., and Sandusky, Ohio. There are also Department of
Defense engine-testing sites at Arnold Engineering Development Center in
Tulahoma, Tenn.; the Propulsion Directorate of the Air Force Research Lab at
Edwards Air Force Base in California; the Naval Weapons Center in China
Lake, Calif.; and at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville. There are also commercial
facilities.
...But Stennis is a big dog in this mix.
..."Stennis is the last place in the country where we can test large engines or
whole rocket stages," said NASA Administrator Michael Griffin during a recent
visit to the center.
...It has multiple test stands, and its capabilities are considerable enough that in
2006 Rolls-Royce announced it would test its huge Trent series at a refurbished
facilities at Stennis.
A night time engine test at Stennis Space
Center. While the facility is known for the
testing of engines, it's also involved in
other aerospace activities. NASA photo
Center. While the facility is known for the
testing of engines, it's also involved in
other aerospace activities. NASA photo
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