[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Pages 11652-11653]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            NASA RECOGNITION

  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, earlier today, in the early morning 
hours before sunrise, humankind once again touched the Earth after 
exploring the universe. On the day when 42 years earlier, Ohio's Neil 
Armstrong became the first human to walk on the Moon, I rise to honor 
the men and women of the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration's, NASA, Space Shuttle Program on reaching the historic 
milestone of the 135th and final flight of the Space Transportation 
System, STS. I especially honor the men and women of NASA Glenn in 
Cleveland, OH, for their achievements with the Space Shuttle Program, 
thereby advancing the human exploration of space, driving scientific 
advances and technology development, and enriching the lives of all 
people throughout the United States and the world and inspiring our 
next generation of explorers.
  The first firing of a hydrogen/oxygen rocket engine occurred in 1953 
at the NASA Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory, now known as NASA Glenn 
Research Center. Early design work and testing of turbopumps, seals and 
bearings, main combustion chamber injectors, baffles, heat transfer 
testing, development of the electroforming process, and testing of 
nozzle shapes and lengths was all performed by NASA engineers in 
Cleveland, OH. These research and development activities led to the 
current design of the Space Shuttle Main Engine. Three space shuttle 
main engines combined delivers more than 37 million horsepower, the 
same amount of energy as 13 Hoover Dams.
  NASA Glenn is also a leader in fuel cell research and development. 
Scientists performed vital research to improve the performance and 
efficiency of the fuel cells to generate electricity for the space 
shuttle. Today, that work continues as NASA Glenn is a leader in 
alternative energy, from fuel cells to wind turbines to batteries that 
are now changing the way Americans live and work.
  In the 1970s and 1980s, NASA Lewis ran aerodynamic wind tunnel tests 
on scale models of the solid rocket boosters, orbiter and external 
tank, and complete scale models to gather data for the new Space 
Transportation System. Some of the models even had gaseous hydrogen-
oxygen rockets and solid propellant booster rockets, which were fired 
in the wind tunnel to test their behavior during ascent. These 
activities helped NASA to catalogue important flight characteristics of 
the Space Shuttle for launch and landing.
  NASA Glenn not only fostered the Shuttle program's achievements, but 
it also comforted its setbacks. After two unfortunate accidents--the 
Challenger, STS-51L, on January 28, 1986, and the Columbia, STS-107, on 
February 1,

[[Page 11653]]

2003--Glenn engineers performed many shuttle safety improvements and 
aided the return to flight.
  And as the Space Shuttle Program progressed through breakthroughs and 
heartbreaks, numerous microgravity experiments have been designed, 
built, and operated by NASA Glenn and conducted on-orbit on the space 
shuttle. The results of NASA Glenn experiments have been used to 
improve fire safety, emissions reduction, energy efficiency, 
healthcare, and electronics.
  On the ground Ohio's NASA engineers explored the universe with Ohio 
astronauts on-orbit. Nineteen astronauts from Ohio flew on the space 
shuttle, some multiple times. Former astronaut-turned-U.S. Senator John 
Glenn flew on STS-95, and STS-70, the ``All-Ohio Crew,'' flew in 1995 
with four Ohio natives on the crew, and the fifth crewmember was made 
an honorary Ohioan.
  As we congratulate NASA on the Shuttle Program and honor all those 
involved in its success, the true measure of the importance of the STS 
Program will be where NASA goes next.
  I have had the privilege to meet many of the scientists, engineers, 
and workers at NASA Glenn. They are dedicated and compassionate, guided 
by the scientific patriotism that displays a nation's pursuit in 
understanding the world in which we all live.
  The space shuttle has enabled the United States to continue its 
leadership in space, science, and technology. I am proud of NASA 
Glenn's role in the design and testing of the space shuttle, and 
especially of its leadership in numerous scientific experiments that 
have been conducted on the space shuttle.
  I am confident that both NASA and the United States will refocus to 
continue to push the boundaries of science--fueling technology 
advancements and inspiring our children to become the next generation 
of scientists, engineers, and explorers. NASA Glenn and Ohio will 
continue to play a major role in that effort.
  Our Nation is defined by the spirit of discovery, pushing westward on 
land, navigating the oceans, and sending humankind into what was once a 
mere vision seen only through Galileo's eye. We are a nation of 
explorers. And we all have a responsibility to safeguard that defining 
American spirit and to inspire a new generation of American explorers.

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