Johnson, beat out 22 other locations to host the greatest minds of the generation. In this file photo, H. Smith was manager of the Clear Lake ranch, owned by Humble Oil Company, which gave the 1,acre site to Rice University on condition it be used for a space center.
Rice donated the land to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Space City was born. The Houston area quickly embraced the fervor of the space race, developing an Astrodomain that included the Astrodome and nearby Astroworld. Businesses proudly endorsed the space program, adopting space-related names that to this day evoke images of grand adventures and boundless opportunity.
Schools, streets and buildings adopted the space moniker, hailing a time when easily recognizable astronauts and their families settled in the area. And for the last five decades, the region has thrived, holding firmly onto its role as home to the nation's astronaut corps and as a hub for human spaceflight research and training. It was home to Space Shuttle operations from the s to when the program was shuttered.
And it remains the base of operations for the International Space Station. Even the Orion program — billed to take humans back to the moon for the first time in 50 years — is managed from Johnson Space Center. And experts believe Houston will remain important to the space community even as commercial companies have started taking the reins of projects once controlled by NASA. From the Houston Post archives from April 12, It is purely symbolic, of course, but Manager Luman Harris hopes to send his Houston Astros into space this season — or at least to an altitude beyond last year's ninth-place finish in the National League.
About 1, acres for the site was donated to the government by Rice University, which received the Clear Lake pasture land from Humble Oil and Refining Company, later known as Exxon Mobil. The spot fit the criteria laid out by the agency: nearby water transportation, a moderate climate, close proximity to universities and strong electric and water supplies, among other things, according to Henry C. But the selection also had political roots.
Everybody won. Regardless of why Houston was picked, hundreds of workers quickly descended on the area. NASA officials started training businesses on how to bid for and win government contracts. Housing developments went up at lightning speed and the Texas Legislature authorized the construction of NASA Road 1, which runs in front of the center.
By , nearly 5, federal employees and almost twice as many contractors were employed at the space center, all working toward President John F. From the Houston Chronicle archives, February After months of expensive damage and site preparation work at the Clear Lake site of the Manned Spacecraft Center, the buildings are, at last, going up.
The water tower marks the center of the site which is expected to have a daily working population of 10, persons by the end of An aerial view of Johnson Space Center Rocket Park on March 18, , in Houston shows how much the facility has grown from what once was donated pasture land miles from Houston.
Companies like Humble began building new restaurants , motels, shopping centers, banks and even a golf course in the Clear Lake area. National aerospace companies established bases in the area. And construction projects used primarily local labor, meaning most of that money was funneled back into the community.
By the late s, the Clear Lake area population had skyrocketed to 45, with different national firms established in the area. Nassau Bay — where many of the astronauts and other NASA personnel still live — was born during this time, and communities like nearby Friendswood blossomed from a community of 75 Quakers to a land filled with new shopping malls and subdivisions where NASA legends took up residence.
In , the company — owned by George R. Rice also experienced growth and success from having a federal center of such scientific clout less than 40 miles away, Kean said. University officials started a new Space Science Department that focused on geomagnetism, atmospheric dynamics and planetary structures.
Our space and science exploration learning center has more than things to see and do. We have the largest collections of spacesuits and Moon rocks on public display in the world. Space Center Houston is the premier authentic and immersive learning center for science and space exploration. We believe STEM education drives curiosity and achievement and should be available to all.
Help us make space accessible to everyone by supporting our mission. Visitor information. Discover space science and engineering through innovative activities and special guest speakers at Home School Day at Space Center Houston. Continue the Galaxy Lights tradition in ! Beginning this November, embark on a festive adventure with Galaxy Lights, presented by Reliant, the most technologically advanced…. Discover more events.
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