The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was created on October 1, 1958, to perform civilian research related to space flight and aeronautics. President Eisenhower commissioned Dr. T. Keith Glennan, right, as the first administrator for NASA and Dr. Hugh L. Dryden as deputy administrator.

Hugh Dryden (far left) presents the NACA Exceptional Service Medal award at the NACA High Speed Flight Station. He awarded (L-R) Joe Walker (X-1A research pilot), Stan Butchart (pilot of the B-29 mothership),and Richard Payne (X-1A crew chief) in recognition of their research extending knowledge of swept wing flight.

On March 26, 1976, the NASA Flight Research Center opened its doors to hundreds of guests for the dedication of the center in honor of Hugh Latimer Dryden. The dedication was very much a local event; following Center Director David Scott’s opening remarks, the Antelope Valley High School’s symphonic band played the national anthem. Invocation was given followed by recognition of the invited guests. Dr. Hugh Dryden, a man of total humility, received praise from all those present. Dryden, who died in 1965, had been a pioneering aeronautical scientist who became director of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) in 1949 and then deputy administrator of the NACA’s successor, NASA, in 1958. Very much interested in flight research, he had been responsible for establishing a permanent facility at the location later named in his honor. As Center Director David Scott looks on, Mrs. Hugh L. Dryden (Mary Libbie Travers) unveils the memorial to her husband at the dedication ceremony.On March 26, 1976, the NASA Flight Research Center opened its doors to hundreds of guests for the dedication of the center in honor of Hugh Latimer Dryden.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, right, presents Carol Armstrong, widow of Apollo 11 commander, Neil Armstrong, with the signed bill that renamed the Hugh L. Dryden Flight Research Center as the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center, Tuesday, July 22, 2014 at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

In October 1963, the Project Mercury Summary Conference was held in the Houston, TX, Coliseum. This series of 44 photos is documentation of that conference. A view of the Houston, TX, Coliseum, and parking area in front with a Mercury Redstone Rocket setup in the parking lot for display (S63-16451). A view of an Air Force Atlas Rocket, a Mercury Redstone Rocket, and a Mercury Spacecraft on a test booster on display in the front area of the Coliseum (S63-16452). A view an Air Force Atlas Rocket and a Mercury Redstone Rocket set up for display with the Houston City Hall in the background (S63- 16453). This view shows the Atlas Rocket, Mercury Redstone, and Mercury Test Rocket with the Houston, TX, Coliseum in the background (S63- 16454). A balcony view, from the audience right side, of the attendees looking at the stage (S63-16455). A view of the NASA Space Science Demonstration with equipment setup on a table, center stage and Space Science Specialist briefing the group as he pours Liquid Oxygen into a beaker (S63-16456). View of the audience from the balcony on the audience right showing the speakers lecturn on stage to the audience left (S63-16457). A view of attendees in the lobby. Bennet James, MSC Public Affairs Office is seen to the left of center (S63-16458). Another view of the attendees in the lobby (S63- 16459). In this view, Astronaut Neil Armstrong is seen writing as others look on (S63-16460). In this view of the attendees, Astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Walt Cunningham are seen in the center of the shot. The October Calendar of Events is visable in the background (S63-16461). Dr. Charles Berry is seen in this view to the right of center, seated in the audience (S63-16462). View of " Special Registration " and the five ladies working there (S63-16463). A view from behind the special registration table, of the attendees being registered (S63-16464). A view of a conference table with a panel seated. (R-L): Dr. Robert R. Gilruth, Hugh L. Dryden, Walter C. Williams, and an unidentified man (S63- 16465). A closeup of the panel at the table with Dr. Gilruth on the left (S63-16466). About the same shot as number S63-16462, Dr. Berry is seen in this shot as well (S63-16467). In this view the audio setup is seen. In the audience, (L-R): C. C. Kraft, Vernon E. (Buddy) Powell, Public Affairs Office (PAO); and, in the foreground mixing the audio is Art Tantillo; and, at the recorder is Doyle Hodges both of the audio people are contractors that work for PAO at MSC (S63-16468). In this view Maxime Faget is seen speaking at the lecturn (S63-16469). Unidentified person at the lecturn (S63-16470). In this view the motion picture cameras and personel are shown documenting the conference (S63-16471). A motion picture cameraman in the balcony is shown filming the audience during a break (S63- 16472). Family members enjoy an exhibit (S63-16473). A young person gets a boost to look in a Gemini Capsule on display (S63-16474). A young person looks at the Gemini Capsule on display (S63-16475). Dr. Robert R. Gilruth is seen at the conference table (S63-16476). Walt Williams is seen in this view at the conference table (S63-16477). Unidentified man sitting next to Walt Williams (S63-16478). (L-R): Seated at the conference table, Dr. Robert Gilruth, Hugh L. Dryden, and Walt Williams (S63- 16479). Group in lobby faces visable, (L-R): Walt Williams, unidentified person, Dr. Robert Gilruth, Congressman (S63-16480). Man in uniform at the lecturn (S63-16481). Astronaut Leroy Gordon Cooper at the lecturn (S63-16482). Astronaut Cooper at the lecturn with a picture on the screen with the title, " Astronaut Names for Spacecraft " (S63-16483). Dr. Gilruth at the lecturn (S63-16484). Walt Williams at the lecturn (S63-16485). Unidentified man at the lecturn (S63-16486). John H. Boynton addresses the Summary Conference (S63-16487). (L-R): Astronaut Leroy Gordon Cooper, Mrs. Cooper, Senator Cris Cole, and Mrs. Cole (S63- 16488). In this view in the lobby, Senator and Mrs. Cris Cole, with Astronaut Gordon Cooper standing near the heatshield, and Mrs. Cooper; next, on the right is a press photographer (S63-16489). (L-R): Astronaut L. Gordon Cooper and Mrs. Cooper, unidentified man, and Senator Walter Richter (S63-16490). (L-R): Eugene Horton, partially obscured, briefs a group on the Mercury Spacecraft, an unidentified person, Harold Ogden, a female senator, Senator Chris Cole, Mrs. Cole, an unidentified female, Senator Walter Richter, Jim Bower, and an unidentified female (S63-16491). In this view, Mrs. Jim Bates is seen in the center, and Senator Walter Richter to the right (S63- 16492). The next three (3) shots are 4X5 CN (S63-16493 - S63-16495). In this view a NASA Space Science Demonstration is seen (S63-16493). In this view a shot of the conference table is seen, and, (L-R): Dr. Robert R. Gilruth, Hugh L. Dryden, Mr. Walter Williams, and an unidentfied man (S63-16494 - S63-16495). HOUSTON, TX

From December 10, 1966, until his retirement on February 27, 1976, Stanley P. Butchart served as Chief (later, Director) of Flight Operations at NASA's Flight Research Center (renamed on March 26, 1976, the Hugh L. Dryden Flight Research Center). Initially, his responsibilities in this position included the Research Pilots Branch, a Maintenance and Manufacturing Branch, and an Operations Engineering Branch, the last of which not only included propulsion and electrical/electronic sections but project engineers for the X-15 and lifting bodies. During his tenure, however, the responsibilities of his directorate came to include not only Flight Test Engineering Support but Flight Systems and Loads laboratories. Before becoming Chief of Flight Operations, Butchart had served since June of 1966 as head of the Research Pilots Branch (Chief Pilot) and then as acting chief of Flight Operations. He had joined the Center (then known as the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics' High-Speed Flight Research Station) as a research pilot on May 10, 1951. During his career as a research pilot, he flew a great variety of research and air-launch aircraft including the D-558-I, D-558-II, B-29 (plus its Navy version, the P2B), X-4, X-5, KC-135, CV-880, CV-990, B-47, B-52, B-747, F-100A, F-101, F-102, F-104, PA-30 Twin Comanche, JetStar, F-111, R4D, B-720, and B-47. Although previously a single-engine pilot, he became the Center's principal multi-engine pilot during a period of air-launches in which the pilot of the air-launch aircraft (B-29 or P2B) basically directed the operations. It was he who called for the chase planes before each drop, directed the positioning of fire rescue vehicles, and released the experimental aircraft after ensuring that all was ready for the drop. As pilot of the B-29 and P2B, Butchart launched the X-1A once, the X-1B 13 times, the X-1E 22 times, and the D-558-II 102 times. In addition, he towed the M2-F1 lightweight lifting body 14 times behind an R4

D-558-2 Aircraft on lakebed

D-558-2 being mounted to P2B-1S launch aircraft in hangar.

D-558-2 Aircraft on lakebed

Wing chord extension on D-558-2

D558-2 #143 LOX jettison with P2BS in background