Marshall Space Flight Center facts for kids
 |
|
 Aerial view of MSFC |
|
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | July 1, 1960 |
| Preceding agency | |
| Jurisdiction | U.S. federal government |
| Headquarters | Redstone Arsenal, Madison County, Alabama 34°39′3″N 86°40′22″W / 34.65083°N 86.67278°W |
| Employees | 6,000, including 2,300 civil servants |
| Annual budget | $2 Billion |
| Agency executive |
|
| Parent agency | NASA |
| Website | Marshall Space Flight Center |
The George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is a major NASA center located in Huntsville, Alabama. It's a key place for developing rockets and spacecraft propulsion systems for the U.S. government.
MSFC is NASA's largest center. Its first big job was creating the Saturn rockets for the Apollo program, which sent humans to the Moon. Marshall has also led work on the Space Shuttle's main engines and fuel tank, parts of the International Space Station (ISS), and the powerful Space Launch System (SLS). The center is named after General George Marshall.
Inside MSFC is the Huntsville Operations Support Center (HOSC). This center helps with launches, payloads, and experiments for the ISS at the Kennedy Space Center. The HOSC also keeps an eye on rocket launches from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station when a Marshall-built payload is on board.
Contents
History of Space Exploration at MSFC
MSFC has always been NASA's main center for creating rocket engines and technologies. In the 1960s, a lot of work went into the Apollo program. The famous Saturn rockets were designed and tested here. After Apollo, MSFC played a big part in projects like Skylab, the Space Shuttle, and Spacelab.
Getting Started with Rockets
After World War II ended in Germany in 1945, the U.S. brought over many German scientists and engineers. They had worked on advanced military rockets. In August 1945, 127 missile experts, led by Wernher von Braun, started working for the U.S. Army. Most of them had helped develop the V-2 missile in Germany.
For the next five years, von Braun and his team worked on improving the V-2 missile for the U.S. Army. They tested rockets at White Sands Proving Grounds, New Mexico. One of their rockets, called Bumper, reached a record-breaking 250 miles (400 km) high.
In 1949, the Army moved its rocket research to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. Von Braun's group, about 1,000 people, moved there in April 1950. They began working on a new missile called the PGM-11 Redstone.
Over the next ten years, missile development grew a lot at Redstone Arsenal. Von Braun always dreamed of space travel. In 1954-55, most of the German scientists became U.S. citizens. Von Braun became the Chief of the Guided Missile Development Division.
In 1954, von Braun suggested using the Redstone rocket to launch satellites. A year later, a plan for Project Orbiter was ready. However, the Army's role in space was put on hold. The Navy was developing its own Vanguard rocket for satellites.
In February 1956, the Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA) was created. They worked on the PGM-19 Jupiter missile. The ABMA also developed the Jupiter-C rocket, which was a Redstone rocket with extra stages.
The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first satellite, on October 4, 1957. This surprised the U.S. After a U.S. attempt failed, von Braun's team finally got permission to launch. On January 31, 1958, they used a Jupiter C rocket to successfully launch Explorer 1, America's first satellite.
In 1958, the Army started developing a large space booster called Saturn. This rocket would use many engines grouped together.
On April 2, 1959, President Dwight D. Eisenhower suggested creating a civilian space agency. On July 29, the National Aeronautics and Space Act was signed, forming NASA. Even with NASA, the Army continued its space plans. But soon, the Saturn program was transferred to NASA.
Project Mercury was the first U.S. human spaceflight program. On May 28, 1959, monkeys Able and Baker became the first living creatures recovered from space. They flew on a Jupiter missile to an altitude of 300 miles (480 km).
On October 21, 1959, President Eisenhower approved moving all Army space activities to NASA. This happened on July 1, 1960. About 4,670 employees, buildings, and land were transferred to NASA's George C. Marshall Space Flight Center. MSFC officially opened that day and was dedicated by President Eisenhower on September 8.
The First Decades: 1960s and 1970s
At first, engineers from Huntsville traveled to Florida for launches. MSFC designed and operated the first NASA launch facility there, Launch Complex 39. This site later became the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in 1962.
When MSFC opened in July 1960, Wernher von Braun was the Director. Most of the technical leaders were people who had worked with von Braun in Germany. They were very skilled and confident. Their rocket designs for human flights never failed.
MSFC's first big project was preparing a Redstone rocket for Project Mercury. This rocket would carry the first American into space. On May 5, 1961, astronaut Alan Shepard made America's first sub-orbital spaceflight.
By 1965, MSFC had about 7,500 government employees. Many other companies also had thousands of employees working at MSFC.
Building the Saturn Rockets
On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy announced the goal of landing a human on the Moon by the end of the decade. MSFC's main job for the Apollo program was to develop the powerful Saturn family of rockets. This meant creating three new liquid-fueled rocket engines: the J-2, F-1, and H-1. The F-1 engine is the most powerful single-nozzle liquid-fueled rocket engine ever used. Each F-1 produced 1.5 million pounds of thrust.
The first Saturn rocket, called Saturn I, was tested on October 27, 1961. It had two stages. The first stage had eight H-1 engines. The second stage had six LR10A-3 engines. Ten Saturn I rockets were used for testing Apollo parts.
The Saturn IB was an improved version. Its first stage also had eight H-1 engines. The second stage had a single, more powerful J-2 engine. This engine could be restarted in space. The Saturn IB was first tested on February 26, 1966. It was used for both uncrewed tests and crewed missions.
The Saturn V was the most important rocket for the Apollo Program. It was designed under Arthur Rudolph. The Saturn V is still the largest and most powerful rocket ever used. It had three stages and an instrument unit. The first stage (S-IC) had five F-1 engines, giving a total of 7.5 million pounds of thrust. The second stage (S-II) had five J-2 engines. The third stage (S-IVB) had one J-2 engine that could restart in flight.
The Instrument Unit (IU) was the "brains" of the Saturn V. It was a ring that held the guidance system, computers, and other important electronics. The IU was the only full Saturn part made in Huntsville.
The first Saturn V test flight was on November 9, 1967. On July 16, 1969, a Saturn V launched Apollo 11 and three astronauts on their journey to the Moon. Saturn V rockets continued to launch Apollo missions until December 1972. The last Saturn V flight was in May 1973 for the Skylab Program. In total, 15 Saturn V rockets were built, and 13 worked perfectly.
Building and Testing Facilities
Wernher von Braun believed that engineers should be involved in building and testing space vehicles. So, MSFC had facilities to build prototypes of every Saturn rocket. They also used large computers for checking everything.
MSFC built huge test stands. The Saturn V Dynamic Test Stand, completed in 1964, was 475 feet (145 m) tall. It could hold an entire Saturn V rocket for testing. The S1C Static Test Stand was used to fire the five F-1 engines of the first stage. These tests created earthquake-like rumbles that could be heard 100 miles (160 km) away!
In 1961, the Michoud Rocket Factory in Louisiana was chosen to build the Saturn V rockets. A large area in Mississippi, later called the John C. Stennis Space Center, was chosen for testing the rockets built at the factory.
Early Science and Research
MSFC has always done strong research in science and engineering. Two early projects, Highwater and Pegasus, were done while testing the Saturn I rocket.
In Project Highwater, a dummy Saturn I stage was filled with 23,000 gallons (87,000 liters) of water. In space, the water was released to see how liquids spread in the upper atmosphere. This helped understand what would happen if a rocket broke apart high up.
The Pegasus Satellite Program used the Saturn I second stage to study tiny space particles called micrometeoroids. Three Pegasus satellites were launched in 1965 and stayed in orbit for many years.
Exploring the Moon
Six Apollo missions landed on the Moon: Apollo 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, and 17. Each mission (except Apollo 11) carried an Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP) with scientific equipment. MSFC scientists helped with these experiments.
The Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV), also known as the "Moon Buggy," was developed at MSFC. It helped astronauts explore more of the Moon's surface. LRVs were used on the last three Apollo missions. They carried scientific tools and brought back over 200 pounds (90 kg) of Moon rocks and soil.
Skylab and ATM
The Apollo Applications Program (AAP) planned to use leftover Apollo equipment for science missions. One important project was the Orbital Workshop, which became Skylab in 1970. MSFC was in charge of building this orbiting space station.
For testing and training, MSFC opened the Neutral Buoyancy Facility in 1968. This 75-foot (23 m) wide water tank allowed engineers and astronauts to practice working in a weightless environment, especially for spacewalks.
Skylab was built from the fuel tanks of a Saturn V third stage. Two were built: one for flight and one for testing. Leland F Belew was the Skylab program director.
Another AAP project was the Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM), a solar observatory. MSFC was assigned this project in 1966. The ATM was attached to Skylab and had eight instruments to observe the Sun. Astronauts had to do spacewalks to change the film in the ATM.
On May 14, 1973, the 77-ton (70,000 kg) Skylab was launched by the last Saturn V rocket. Astronaut crews were launched to Skylab using Saturn IB rockets. Skylab was damaged during launch, but the first crew fixed it. Three crews lived on Skylab for a total of 171 days, doing about 300 science and medical experiments. The last Skylab crew returned to Earth on February 8, 1974.
Apollo–Soyuz Test Program
The Apollo–Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) was the last flight of a Saturn IB rocket. On July 15, 1975, a U.S. crew launched on a mission to dock with a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft. This project helped engineers learn about future joint space flights. It was the last U.S. human space mission until 1981.
Space Shuttle Development
On January 5, 1972, President Richard Nixon announced plans for the Space Shuttle, a reusable system for regular access to space. The Shuttle had three main parts: the Orbiter Vehicle (OV) with the crew, two Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs), and the External Tank (ET) for fuel. MSFC was in charge of the SRBs, the OV's three main engines, and the ET. MSFC also worked on Spacelab, a lab built by the European Space Agency that flew in the Shuttle's cargo bay.
The first test firing of an OV main engine was in 1975. Two years later, the first SRB was fired, and ET tests began at MSFC. The first Enterprise OV flight, carried on a plane, was in February 1977. In March 1978, the Enterprise was flown to MSFC and tested on the modified Saturn V Dynamic Test Stand. The first space-ready Shuttle, Columbia, launched on April 12, 1981, for its first orbital test flight.
Directors of MSFC (1960s and 1970s)
- Dr. Wernher von Braun - July 1960 – January 1970
- Dr. Eberhard Rees - March 1970 – January 1973
- Dr. Rocco Petrone - January 1973 – March 1974
- Dr. William R. Lucas - June 1974 – July 1986
The Shuttle Era: 1980s and 1990s
The Space Shuttle was a very complex spacecraft. From 1972, MSFC managed the development of the Shuttle's propulsion system.
On April 12, 1981, Columbia made its first flight. This was STS-1, which tested the whole system. Later flights, like STS-5, deployed satellites and carried experiments.
The Space Shuttle Challenger launched on January 28, 1986, for mission STS-51-L. Sadly, the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster happened just over a minute into the flight. A leak in a joint on one of the solid rocket boosters (SRBs) caused the vehicle to break apart, and the crew was lost. The main cause was an O-ring failure in the SRB, made worse by cold weather. The SRBs were redesigned and tested. Shuttle flights resumed in September 1988 with STS-26.
Shuttle Missions and Payloads
Space Shuttles carried many different payloads, from science equipment to military satellites. MSFC managed the integration of these experimental payloads.
Many experiments flew on pallets in the Shuttle's cargo bay. These included studies on fluid physics, materials science, and biotechnology. The Getaway Special (GAS) program offered low-cost flights for small experiments from universities and companies.
Spacelab: A Lab in Space
Many experiments were also done on Spacelab. This was a reusable laboratory with different parts, including a pressurized module. Ten European nations worked together to design and build the first Spacelab. Japan also funded a Spacelab for one mission.
Spacelab components flew on 22 Shuttle missions over 15 years. For example, Spacelab 1 (1983) was the first Shuttle flight with six astronauts, including two European payload specialists. They did 73 experiments. The U.S. Microgravity Laboratory 1 (USML-1) in 1992 completed 31 microgravity experiments.
In the early 1990s, MSFC took over control of all Spacelab missions from its Spacelab Mission Operations Control Center.
Building the International Space Station
NASA started planning a space station in 1984, called Freedom. By the early 1990s, plans for several stations (American, Russian, European, Japanese) were combined into the International Space Station (ISS). The ISS is made of modules assembled in orbit. The first U.S. module, Unity (Node 1), was built by Boeing at MSFC facilities and launched in December 1998.
ISS assembly continued for years. MSFC also managed the Harmony (Node 2) module, which was attached in 2007. This module added more living space and connection points for other modules. By 2009, the main U.S. parts of the station were complete, allowing more power for science projects.
Hubble Space Telescope
Earlier space telescopes showed how valuable astronomy from space could be. This led to planning the Large Space Telescope (LST), which would be launched and maintained by the Space Shuttle. Despite budget issues, Congress funded the LST in 1978.
MSFC was responsible for designing and building the telescope itself. The Goddard Space Flight Center developed the scientific instruments. The telescope's main mirror was 2.4 meters (94 inches) wide.
The LST was renamed the Hubble Space Telescope in 1983. It was finally launched in April 1990. However, it had a problem with its main mirror, causing blurry images. Luckily, Hubble was designed for in-space repairs. In December 1993, astronauts on STS-61 fixed the mirror and changed some parts. More repair missions followed in 1997, 1999, and 2002. For these repairs, astronauts practiced in MSFC's Neutral Buoyancy Facility.
A fifth service mission, STS-125, flew in May 2009. These repairs made Hubble work even better than planned. Hubble is expected to keep working until its successor, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), is ready.
Chandra X-Ray Observatory
Even before the Einstein Observatory launched in 1978, MSFC began studying a larger X-ray telescope. In 1976, an X-Ray Test Facility was built at MSFC to test X-ray mirrors and instruments. MSFC was given the job of designing and building this new telescope, called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF). The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) works with MSFC on its science and operations.
AXAF was renamed the Chandra X-ray Observatory in 1998. It launched on July 23, 1999, aboard the Shuttle Columbia. An Inertial Upper Stage booster, adapted by MSFC, carried Chandra to its high orbit. Chandra weighed about 22,700 kg (50,000 lb), making it the heaviest payload ever launched by a Shuttle at that time. Chandra has been sending back amazing data, helping astronomers understand the high-energy universe.
Compton Gamma Ray Observatory
The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO) was another of NASA's Great Observatories. It launched on April 5, 1991. At 37,000 pounds (17,000 kg), it was the heaviest astrophysics payload at the time. Gamma radiation is the highest energy form of light. It comes from powerful events in space, like exploding stars. The CGRO was designed to detect these gamma rays.
MSFC was responsible for the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) on CGRO. BATSE detected sudden changes in gamma rays. In nine years, BATSE recorded about 8,000 events, including strong bursts from distant galaxies.
Unlike Hubble, CGRO was not designed for repairs in space. After one of its gyroscopes failed, NASA decided to bring it down safely. On June 4, 2000, it was intentionally de-orbited, and its parts fell harmlessly into the Pacific Ocean.
Directors of MSFC (1980s and 1990s)
- Dr. William R. Lucas - June 1974 – July 1986
- Dr. James R. Thompson Jr. - September 29, 1986 to July 6, 1989
- Thomas Jack Lee - July 6, 1989 to January 6, 1994
- Gene Porter Bridwell - January 6, 1994 to February 3, 1996
- Jerroll Wayne Littles - February 3, 1996 to January 3, 1998
- Carolyn S. Griner - (acting) January 3, 1998 to September 11, 1998
- Arthur G. Stephenson - September 11, 1998 to May 2003
The 2000s and 2010s: Later Shuttle and New Rockets
MSFC is NASA's main center for developing and putting together launch systems. Its Propulsion Research Laboratory is a top resource for advanced space propulsion. Marshall has the engineering skills to take space vehicles from ideas to working models. In 2008, the world's largest welding machine of its kind was installed at MSFC. It can build large, perfect parts for human-rated space vehicles.
In March 2011, NASA announced that MSFC would lead the development of a new heavy-lift rocket. Like the Saturn V, this rocket, called the Space Launch System (SLS), will carry large payloads and astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit.
Columbia Disaster and Shuttle Retirement
MSFC was responsible for the Space Shuttle's rocket parts, including the External Tank. On February 1, 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster happened. A piece of foam insulation broke off the external tank during launch. It hit and damaged the heat shield on the Orbiter's left wing.
NASA decided that some insulation loss was unavoidable. So, for future flights, they required inspections of the orbiter's critical parts before it returned to Earth. NASA retired the Space Shuttle in 2011. After that, the U.S. relied on Russia's Soyuz spacecraft for human space missions.
Constellation Program
Between 2004 and 2010, the Constellation Program was a big NASA project. MSFC was responsible for the engines of the planned Ares I and Ares V heavy-lift rockets.
On October 28, 2009, an Ares I-X test rocket launched from Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center. It flew for two minutes and traveled 150 miles (240 km).
Deep-Space Astronomy
The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (GLAST) is an international space observatory that studies the cosmos. It launched on June 11, 2008. Its main instrument, the Large Area Telescope (LAT), can see about 20% of the sky at any time. It also has the GLAST Burst Monitor (GBM), which detects bursts of X-rays and gamma rays. MSFC manages the GBM.
The Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE), with Gerald J. Fishman from MSFC as its lead scientist, continues to study data from gamma-ray bursts and other events. In 2011, Fishman shared the Shaw Prize (often called "Asia's Nobel Prize") for his gamma-ray research.
Directors of MSFC (2000s and Beyond)
- Arthur G. Stephenson - September 11, 1998 to May 2003
- David A. King - June 15, 2003 to March 26, 2009
- Robert M. Lightfoot Jr. - August 24, 2009 to March 5, 2012
- Arthur E. Goldman - (acting) March 6, 2012 to August 3, 2012
- Robin Henderson - August 3, 2012 to September 2012
- Patrick Scheuermann - September 2012 to November 2015
- Todd May - November 2015 to July 27, 2018
- Jody Singer - July 28, 2018 to Present
MSFC Today and Tomorrow
Marshall Space Flight Center supports NASA's mission in three main ways: launching from Earth (Space Vehicles), living and working in space (International Space Station), and understanding our world and beyond (Advanced Scientific Research).
Supporting the International Space Station
The International Space Station (ISS) is a partnership between the U.S., Russian, European, Japanese, and Canadian Space Agencies. Humans have lived on the station continuously since November 2, 2000. It orbits Earth 16 times a day at about 250 miles (400 km) high. The station weighs over 932,000 pounds (423,000 kg). A crew of six lives there, doing research and preparing for future space explorations.
The ISS is planned to operate at least until the end of 2030. After the Space Shuttle retired in 2011, crewed missions to the ISS depended on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Now, the Commercial Crew Development program is also sending astronauts to the ISS.
MSFC supports activities on the ISS through its Payload Operations Center (POC). This center helps with experiments on human physiology and physical science. Scientists, engineers, and flight controllers in the POC work around the clock. They connect researchers on Earth with their experiments and astronauts on the ISS. As of March 2011, they had coordinated over 1,100 experiments.
Advanced Scientific Research
Many experiments have been done on the International Space Station. The amazing deep-space images from the Hubble Space Telescope and the Chandra X-ray Observatory are possible thanks to the people and facilities at Marshall. MSFC designed and built these telescopes. It also has the only facility in the world for testing large telescope mirrors in a space-like environment. Work is ongoing for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which will have the largest primary mirror ever assembled in space.
The National Space Science and Technology Center (NSSTC) is a joint research effort between NASA and Alabama universities. Its goal is to encourage research partnerships between government, universities, and industry. It has seven research centers, including Advanced Optics and Space Science.
Solar System Research
Teams at MSFC manage NASA's programs for exploring the Sun, Moon, planets, and other bodies in our solar system. These include Gravity Probe B, which tested parts of Einstein's theory of relativity. They also worked on Solar-B, a mission to study the Sun's magnetic field and solar wind. MSFC's Lunar Precursor and Robotic Program Office manages projects and studies on robotic activities for the Moon.
Climate and Weather Research
MSFC also develops systems to monitor Earth's climate and weather. At the Global Hydrology and Climate Center (GHCC), researchers combine data from Earth systems and satellites. This helps them monitor climate change and improve agriculture, city planning, and water management.
Microsatellites
On November 19, 2010, MSFC launched its first microsatellite, FASTSAT (Fast, Affordable, Science and Technology Satellite). It was launched by a Minotaur IV rocket. FASTSAT is a platform that carries many small payloads to low-Earth orbit. This allows for low-cost science and technology research in space. FASTSAT weighs under 400 pounds (180 kg) and acts as a full science laboratory. It was developed at MSFC with partners in Huntsville, Alabama.
FASTSAT carries six experiments, including NanoSail-D2. NanoSail-D2 is a nanosatellite itself, and it was the first satellite launched from another satellite. It was successfully deployed on January 21, 2011.
Images for kids
-
President Eisenhower unveils a bust of George C. Marshall at the space center with help from Marshall's widow, Katherine Tupper Marshall.
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Centro Marshall de vuelos espaciales para niños
