[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 67 (Tuesday, May 11, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E916]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        NASA GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER--40 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. STENY H. HOYER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 11, 1999

  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Goddard Space Flight 
Center on its 40th anniversary. Established in 1959, Goddard has played 
a vital role in furthering the goals of our space program. Whether in 
the field of Earth science, space or space communication, Goddard is a 
leader in furthering our knowledge and understanding of the last 
frontier.
  Named after Dr. Robert H. Goddard, a pioneer in rocket research, the 
center employs some of the world's most renowned scientists and 
engineers. Located on 1,270 acres in Greenbelt, Maryland, Goddard is a 
major employer in Prince George's County with almost 12,000 civilian 
and contractor employees.
  Through the years, Goddard has been a leader in many of NASA's most 
successful programs. Beginning in 1959 as the project manager for 
Explorer VI, Goddard's scientists beamed down the first images of the 
Earth for the world to see. Since that historic mission, Goddard has 
gone on to lead projects like studying aspects of the Earth's 
environment through the Earth Science Enterprise. By linking together 
the data of various satellites, the program has been able to monitor 
land-surface, biosphere, atmosphere and oceans. Joint projects like the 
Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer, coordinated with the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration, are providing important information on 
the expanse of the Antarctic ozone hole. And Goddard is working with 
Japanese scientists from the Japanese National Space Developmental 
Agency to measure tropical and subtropical rainfall through the 
Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission. Goddard is also home to the Space 
Telescope Operations Control Center, the command center for the Hubble 
Space Telescope. Not only did Goddard project managers and engineers 
play a major role in designing the telescope, but they continue to 
provide expertise in serving Hubble and providing round-the-clock 
monitoring of the telescope's images and data.
  I am proud to have played a role in working with the Maryland 
congressional delegation and members of the Goddard community in saving 
the center from closure in 1996. The work that Goddard personnel 
perform benefits every American and nations around the globe. I look 
forward to continuing to work with the Goddard community to promote and 
protect its vital interests and the region's space and technology 
industries.
  Goddard's forty-first year of operation is certain to produce new and 
exciting advances in space and earth science. Several launches of 
Goddard programs are planned this year. The GOES-L meteorological 
satellite will allow meteorologists to improve local forecasts while 
the FUSE satellite, in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University, 
will explore the Universe through high-resolution spectroscopy.
  I congratulate Goddard Space Flight Center on its leadership not only 
in space technology and science, but as a leader in the community as 
well. Whether through educational programs to area schools and 
universities or through outreach to Goddard's contracting community 
through the Goddard Alliance, Goddard is an incredible asset to 
Maryland, our Nation, and world-wide.
  Congratulations on forty years of excellence and best wishes for the 
future.

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