[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 15171-15172]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO ROY ESTESS

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate my dear friend 
Roy Estess on his well deserved retirement, to thank him for his many 
years of dedicated service to our nation, and to wish him the very best 
as he pursues other interests and enjoys what I hope will be many fine 
years of health and happiness with his family.
  Roy S. Estess, a native of Tylertown, MS, is retiring as director of 
NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center in south Mississippi. As director 
of Stennis Space Center for more than 13 years, Roy has been 
responsible for accomplishing the center's current NASA missions, 
rocket propulsion testing and remote sensing applications. Other 
responsibilities have included managing the Space Shuttle Main Engine 
test program; planning and accomplishing advanced propulsion test 
activities for NASA, some Department of Defense projects, and certain 
industry propulsion development and launch vehicle development 
programs; conducting research and technology development in earth and 
environmental sciences; commercializing remote sensing technology in 
cooperation with industry and government; developing technology for use 
in propulsion test and

[[Page 15172]]

launch operations; and managing the overall center. Roy's vision and 
leadership have directly lead to Stennis Space Center becoming a unique 
Federal city that is home to more than 30 Federal, State, academic and 
private organizations.
  Roy Estess graduated from Mississippi State University with a degree 
in aerospace engineering. He also has accomplished various graduate 
level studies, including completion of the advanced management program 
at the Harvard Graduate Business School. He is a registered 
professional engineer in the State of Mississippi and is a member and 
past chairman of the advisory committee to the College of Engineering 
at Mississippi State University. Roy is also a member of several 
professional societies, some of which include Tau Beta Pi; the American 
Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics; the Mississippi Academy of 
Sciences; and the National Space Club.
  Roy has held various engineering and management positions during his 
42 years of service in the United States government. He began his 
career as a civilian employee in the United States Air Force at 
Brookley Field in Alabama, and later at Robbins Air Force Base in 
Georgia. Roy came to the NASA Stennis Space Center in 1966 as a 
propulsion test engineer, working on perhaps the greatest technological 
achievement of all time, the Apollo missions to the moon. Roy worked on 
testing the second stage of the Saturn V moon vehicle during those 
exciting times. Working his way up through the ranks, he later served 
as head of the Applications Engineering Office, deputy of the Earth 
Resources Laboratory and director of the Regional Applications Program. 
From 1980 through 1988, Roy served as deputy director of Stennis Space 
Center and was named director in January, 1989. From 1992 to 1993, he 
was temporarily assigned to NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. as a 
special assistant to two consecutive NASA Administrators. From 
February, 2001 to April, 2002, Roy was temporarily assigned as acting 
director of the Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX.
  Roy Estess has been named the recipient of numerous awards and 
honors, some of which include: the Presidential Distinguished Service, 
twice, and Meritorious Senior Executive Awards; NASA's Distinguished 
Exceptional Service, Equal Opportunity and Outstanding Leadership 
Medals; the National Distinguished Executive Service Award for Public 
Service; and the Alumni Fellow of Mississippi State University; as well 
as Citizen of the Year in his home town.
  Roy has served Mississippi and the nation in numerous ways outside of 
his professional career. In 1969, when south Mississippi was hit by the 
devastating hurricane Camille, Roy served on the Gulf coast disaster 
recovery team, making extraordinary efforts to help save lives and 
property in our state. An Eagle Scout himself, Roy has long been an 
active supporter of the Boy Scouts of America, including serving as 
Scout Master of Troop 87 of Picayune from 1966 to 1978. Roy has also 
served as a Deacon at his church, the First Baptist Church in Picayune.
  Roy and his wife, Zann, reside in Pearl River County, MS. They have 
two children, Andy and Mauri, and two grandchildren, Conner and Drew.
  I know my colleagues will join me in appreciation of Roy Estess for 
his extraordinary career of service to the nation and his community and 
in wishing him and his family the very best in all of their plans for 
the future. I am proud to call Roy Estess my friend. God bless you, 
Roy.

                          ____________________