[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 179 (Friday, November 18, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1171]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  COMMEMORATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MOJAVE AIR AND SPACE PORT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. KEVIN McCARTHY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 18, 2022

  Mr. McCARTHY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 50th 
anniversary of the Mojave Air and Space Port, which was established 
with the formation of its airport district in 1972. Located in the 
western Mojave Desert of Kern County, California, the Mojave Air and 
Space Port is home to innovative research and testing that maintains 
cutting-edge aeronautical and commercial space flight advancements.
  The incredible groundbreaking accomplishments that the Mojave Air and 
Space Port is known for would have seemed impossible in its earliest 
days, especially when the airfield stood as two dirt runways without 
any fueling options. Back then the facility was known as the Mojave 
Airport before it was expanded and used by the U.S. Marine Corps. 
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, it then became the Marine Corps 
Auxiliary Air Station (MCAAS) Mojave. During World War II, the airfield 
served as the training grounds for fighter pilots.
  Following the military's departure, the airport transitioned back to 
Kern County. In 1972, an airport district was formed under the 
leadership of Dan Sabovich, who envisioned a civilian counterpart to 
Edwards Air Force Base, where our nation's most technologically 
advanced aircraft are tested and proven. The Mojave Air and Space Port 
would become home to the National Test Pilot School, the sole civilian 
test-pilot school in the United States, which was founded in 1981. 
During this formational era, Burt and Dick Rutan helped produce novel 
aircraft that broke barriers and created a culture of innovation, 
laying the foundation for the Mojave Air and Space Port's modern 
achievements.
  One of these accomplishments was reached on October 4, 2004 by 
SpaceShipOne, which was the first privately-operated piloted spaceship 
to surpass an altitude of 328,000 feet twice in the course of a 14-day 
period, achieving the necessary altitude to win the X Prize. Brian 
Binnie reached a height of 367,442 feet (69.6 miles) above the Earth's 
surface during his SpaceShipOne journey. This record and feat helped 
propel the MojaveAir and Space Port into the aerospace industry and has 
since experienced significant growth since the X Prize was won.
  Today, the Mojave Air and Space Port continues to serve as a pioneer 
in both commercial space flight and aerospace research, setting new 
standards and surpassing previously unthinkable limits. From 
Stratolaunch, one of the world's largest aircraft, to Virgin Galactic, 
whose spaceships have been developed at the Mojave Air and Space Port, 
the legacy continues. These achievements have attracted some of the 
most renowned people in the country, including then-Vice President Mike 
Pence, who visited in 2017.
  On behalf of the 23rd District of California, it is my honor to 
recognize the Mojave Air and Space Port on its historic 50th 
anniversary. I eagerly look forward to the next 50 years of 
technological innovation by the men and women who work at the Mojave 
Air and Space Port that will continue to pave the way in advancing 
America's edge in space and aeronautics.