Washington D.C. – Congressman Kevin McCarthy today applauded House passage of legislation to redesignate the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Dryden Flight Research Center as the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center and the Western Aeronautical Test Range as the Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range.  Joining Congressman McCarthy as cosponsors of this legislation were Congressman Buck McKeon, Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, Congressman Ken Calvert, Congressman Lamar Smith, Congressman Steven Palazzo, and Congressman Adam Schiff.

Congressman Kevin McCarthy issued the following statement:

“I am pleased that today, the House voted to pass legislation I introduced to rename the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center in honor of Neil A. Armstrong,” said Congressman McCarthy. “This bill recognizes the achievements of Neil Armstrong in aerospace travel and space exploration, and emphasizes his affiliation with Kern County. He was an American hero who began his career as a test pilot here and later trained for his historic astronaut career right here in Eastern Kern. Later in life, he oversaw aeronautical research programs here and piloted the advances in technology that continue to this day. This legislation also recognizes Hugh Dryden by renaming the Center’s test range in his honor. Eastern Kern remains a hub of innovation in scientific discovery, aeronautical research and space exploration, and I look forward to groundbreaking achievements to come.”

Background:

·         The legislation redesignates the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Dryden Flight Research Center as the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center and the 12,000 square mile Western Aeronautical Test Range as the Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range.

·         The bill honors Neil A. Armstrong, the first human to walk on the Moon and a former test pilot who worked at the center for seven years (1955-1962), recognize the contributions of the Center to NASA’s space exploration mission, and continue to recognize the extraordinary career of aeronautical engineer and former NASA Deputy Administrator Hugh L. Dryden.

·         The redesignation of the NASA Flight Research Center and the Test Range is strongly supported by leading members of the aerospace industry and local community, including the Antelope Valley Board of Trade, Antelope Valley Chambers of Commerce, Mojave Chamber of Commerce, Palmdale Chamber of Commerce, and Mojave Air and Space Port.

·         Neil A. Armstrong’s career was closely tied to NASA’s Flight Research Center. Before Armstrong became an astronaut in 1962, he served for seven years as a test pilot (1955-1962) at the Center, which was then called the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics High-Speed Flight Station. By the time he became an astronaut, Armstrong amassed 2,400 hours of flying time as a test pilot there. While still a test pilot at the Center in the early 1960s, Armstrong was part of a team that conceptualized the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle which helped create the training vehicle Armstrong and other Apollo commanders use to train on to land on the moon.