
New Stennis Director Rick Gilbrech (r) shakes hands with his predecessor, Patrick Scheuermann, following announcement of the leadership change during an all hands session Sept. 25. Scheuermann ended his tenure at Stennis to become director of Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. Gilbrech previously served as director at Stennis in 2006-7.

New Stennis Director Rick Gilbrech (r) shakes hands with his predecessor, Patrick Scheuermann, following announcement of the leadership change during an all hands session Sept. 25. Scheuermann ended his tenure at Stennis to become director of Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. Gilbrech previously served as director at Stennis in 2006-7.

Stennis Space Center Director Patrick Scheuermann (right) and members of the Roy S. Estess family unveil a commissioned portrait of the late Stennis director during a May 2 ceremony. The portrait now hangs in the lobby of the main NASA administration at Stennis, now named the Roy S. Estess Building.

Stennis Space Center Director Patrick Scheuermann (right) and members of the Roy S. Estess family unveil a commissioned portrait of the late Stennis director during a May 2 ceremony. The portrait now hangs in the lobby of the main NASA administration at Stennis, now named the Roy S. Estess Building.

Stennis Space Center Director Patrick Scheuermann welcomes Roy S. Estess family members and guests May 2 to the ceremony dedicating and naming the main NASA administration building for the late Stennis director. Estess served as director of the rocket engine test facility from 1989 to 2002.

Stennis Space Center Director Patrick Scheuermann welcomes Roy S. Estess family members and guests May 2 to the ceremony dedicating and naming the main NASA administration building for the late Stennis director. Estess served as director of the rocket engine test facility from 1989 to 2002.

NASA Stennis Director John Bailey hosted the latest Java with John session on Nov. 19 with employees from the NASA Stennis Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate, Rocket Propulsion Test Program Office, and Office of the Chief Information Officer. Java with John is an employee-led discussion in a casual environment aimed at fostering a culture in which employees are welcome to share what matters most to them at work.

Stennis Space Center Director Patrick Scheuermann (right) hosted directors from six other NASA centers during a forum discussion at the south Mississippi rocket engine test facility Nov. 9. The directors discussed the future of the American space program from their perspectives during an all hands session with Stennis employees. Participants were: (l to r) David McBride, Lesa Roe, Ray Lugo, Bob Cabana, Robert Lightfoot, Mike Coats and Scheuermann.

Outgoing NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine (right), as Stennis Director Rick Gilbrech looks on, speaks to guests following the Green Run hot fire test of the core stage for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket at Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, on Saturday, January 16, 2021. NASA conducted a hot fire test of the core stage’s four RS-25 engines on the B-2 Test Stand at Stennis. Scheduled for as long as eight minutes, the engines fired for a little more than one minute to generate a combined 1.6 million pounds of thrust, just as will occur during an actual launch. The hot fire is the final test of the Green Run test series, a comprehensive assessment of the SLS core stage prior to launching the Artemis I mission to the Moon.

Outgoing NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine (right) receives a round of applause from Stennis Director Rick Gilbrech and guests for comments following the Green Run hot fire test of the core stage for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket at Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, on Saturday, January 16, 2021. NASA conducted a hot fire test of the core stage’s four RS-25 engines on the B-2 Test Stand at Stennis. Scheduled for as long as eight minutes, the engines fired for a little more than one minute to generate a combined 1.6 million pounds of thrust, just as will occur during an actual launch. The hot fire is the final test of the Green Run test series, a comprehensive assessment of the SLS core stage prior to launching the Artemis I mission to the Moon. (NASA/Michael Badon)

Stennis Space Center Director Gene Goldman (left) stands with Mississippi Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant at the A-3 Test Stand construction site during an Oct. 1 visit by the state official. During his tour, Bryant was updated on construction of the first large test stand at Stennis since the 1960s. The A-3 stand will be used to conduct simulated high-altitude testing on the next generation of rocket engines that will take humans back to the moon and possibly beyond. In addition to touring Stennis facilities, Bryant visited the INFINITY Science Center construction site, where he was updated on work under way to construct a 72,000-square-foot facility that will showcase the science underpinning the missions of NASA and resident agencies at Stennis.

NASA Stennis Director John Bailey hosts a Java with John session on Dec. 10 with employees representing the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Office of STEM Engagement, Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity, Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer, and the center’s Autonomous Systems Laboratory team. Java with John is an employee-led discussion in a casual environment aimed at fostering a culture in which employees are welcome to share what matters most to them at work.

Gene Goldman (left), deputy director of NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center, accepts an Award of Excellence from Jack Zink, executive director of the Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission, during the 2008 Annual Hancock County Awards Gala. The Award of Excellence was presented to recognize Stennis Space Center's contribution to NASA's 50 years of excellence in space exploration.

Stennis Space Center Director Gene Goldman (right) visited Washington, D.C,. last month, where he called on Louisiana and Mississippi leaders to update them on work at the rocket engine testing facility. Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Miss., was among those visited by Goldman on March 24.

Stennis Space Center Director Rick Gilbrech participates in a press conference following the Green Run hot fire test of the core stage for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket on Saturday, January 16, 2021. NASA conducted a hot fire test of the core stage’s four RS-25 engines on the B-2 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Scheduled for as long as eight minutes, the engines fired for a little more than one minute to generate a combined 1.6 million pounds of thrust, just as will occur during an actual launch. The hot fire is the final test of the Green Run test series, a comprehensive assessment of the SLS core stage prior to launching the Artemis I mission to the Moon.

Outgoing NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine (right) and Stennis Space Center Director Rick Gilbrech participate in a press conference following the Green Run hot fire test of the core stage for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket on Saturday, January 16, 2021. NASA conducted a hot fire test of the core stage’s four RS-25 engines on the B-2 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Scheduled for as long as eight minutes, the engines fired for a little more than one minute to generate a combined 1.6 million pounds of thrust, just as will occur during an actual launch. The hot fire is the final test of the Green Run test series, a comprehensive assessment of the SLS core stage prior to launching the Artemis I mission to the Moon.

Rick Gilbrech, director of NASA's Stennis Space Center, speaks to invited guests ahead of a second hot fire test of the core stage for the first flight of NASA’s Space Launch System rocket in the B-2 Test Stand, Thursday, March 18, 2021, at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The hot fire test is the final stage of the Green Run test series, a comprehensive assessment of the Space Launch System’s core stage prior to launching the Artemis I mission to the Moon. Photo Credit: (NASA/Robert Markowitz)

A trio of representatives from Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., visited Stennis Space Center on July 21-22 to explore opportunities for collaboration. Visitors and hosts included: (seated, l to r) Shahid Habib, chief of the Goddard Office of Applied Sciences; Stennis Director Patrick Scheuermann; Piers Sellers, deputy director of the Goddard Sciences and Exploration Directorate; (standing, l to r) Duane Armstrong, chief of the Stennis Applied Science & Technology Project Office; Fritz Policelli, representative of the Goddard Office of Applied Sciences; Anne Peek, assistant director of the Stennis Project Directorate; and Keith Brock, director of the Stennis Project Directorate.

Members of NASA’s Mission Support Directorate met with leaders from NASA’s Stennis Space Center and the NASA Shared Services Center during an onsite visit June 3. The group also participated in an in-depth tour of the NASA Stennis facilities. Pictured (left to right) are Ron Bald, chief counsel for the Office of the General Counsel at NASA Stennis and NASA Shared Services Center; Dinna Cottrell, chief information officer for the NASA Stennis and NASA Shared Services Center Office of the Chief Information Officer; Eli Ouder, procurement officer for NASA Stennis and NASA Shared Services Center; Stacy Houston, executive officer for NASA’s Mission Support Directorate; Michael Tubbs, acting director for the NASA Stennis Center Operations Directorate; Michael Hess, deputy associate administrator for NASA’s Mission Support Directorate; Rodney McKellip, associate director for NASA Stennis; Nichole Pinkney, program manager for NASA’s Mission Support Directorate; Duane Armstrong, manager for the NASA Stennis Strategic Development Office; Gary Benton, director for the NASA Stennis Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate; and Alison Butsch, associate chief financial officer for the External Business Operations Division within the NASA Stennis Office of the Chief Financial Officer.

NASA Chief Scientist Dr. Waleed Abdalati visited Stennis Space Center on July 19, to learn about the extensive science capabilities onsite. Shown at right are: (seated, l to r), Stennis Center Director Patrick Scheuermann; Dr. Abdalati; U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Jonathan White; NOAA National Data Buoy Center Program Manager Shannon McArthur; (standing, l to r) Stennis Project Directorate Assistant Director Anne Peek; Stennis Applied Science & Technology Project Office Chief Duane Armstrong; and Stennis Project Directorate Director Keith Brock.

Acting NASA Administrator Steve Jurczyk, right, and Rick Gilbrech, director of NASA's Stennis Space Center, center, watch as the core stage for the first flight of NASA’s Space Launch System rocket undergoes a second hot fire test in the B-2 Test Stand, Thursday, March 18, 2021, at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The four RS-25 engines fired for the full-duration of 8 minutes during the test and generated 1.6 million pounds of thrust. The hot fire test is the final stage of the Green Run test series, a comprehensive assessment of the Space Launch System’s core stage prior to launching the Artemis I mission to the Moon. Photo Credit: (NASA/Robert Markowitz)

NASA cut the ribbon on a new cryogenics control center at John C. Stennis Space Center on March 30. The new facility is part of a project to strengthen Stennis facilities to withstand the impacts of future storms like hurricane Katrina in 2005. Participants in the ribbon-cutting included (l to r): Jason Zuckerman, director of project management for The McDonnel Group; Keith Brock, director of the NASA Project Directorate at Stennis; Stennis Deputy Director Rick Gilbrech; Steve Jackson of Jacobs Technology; and Troy Frisbie, Cryo Control Center Construction project manager for NASA Center Operations at Stennis.

NASA cut the ribbon on a new cryogenics control center at John C. Stennis Space Center on March 30. The new facility is part of a project to strengthen Stennis facilities to withstand the impacts of future storms like hurricane Katrina in 2005. Participants in the ribbon-cutting included (l to r): Jason Zuckerman, director of project management for The McDonnel Group; Keith Brock, director of the NASA Project Directorate at Stennis; Stennis Deputy Director Rick Gilbrech; Steve Jackson, outgoing program manager of the Jacobs Technology NASA Test Operations Group; and Troy Frisbie, Cryo Control Center Construction project manager for NASA Center Operations at Stennis.

Marina Benigno (far right) at Stennis Space Center, welcomes former administrative assistants and secretaries to the third Legends Lecture Series session. Lecture participants spoke about their work experiences with Stennis directors and deputy directors. Panel participants included Janet Austill (l to r), Mary Lou Matthews, Helen Paul, Wanda Howard, Ann Westendorf and Mary Gene Dick. Austill, Howard and Westendorf all worked with center directors during their Stennis careers. Dick, Matthews and Paul served with deputy directors at Stennis. The Legends Lecture Series is part of a yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of Stennis Space Center.

NASA Stennis Deputy Director Christine Powell, left, and NASA Stennis Director John Bailey, right, meet with U.S. Rep. Mike Ezell of Mississippi during a visit to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 18. The leaders from NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, spoke with congressional representatives and staffers about NASA legislation, current and future work at NASA Stennis, and the growing number of commercial aerospace companies at the NASA Stennis Federal City.

NASA Stennis Deputy Director Christine Powell, center, and NASA Stennis Director John Bailey, right, meet with Dr. Timla Washington, chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, during a visit to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 18. The leaders from NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, spoke with congressional representatives and staffers about NASA legislation, current and future work at NASA Stennis, and the growing number of commercial aerospace companies at the NASA Stennis Federal City.

NASA Stennis Director John Bailey, left, and NASA Stennis Deputy Director Christine Powell, right, meet with U.S. Rep. Michael Guest of Mississippi during a visit to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 18. The leaders from NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, spoke with congressional representatives and staffers about NASA legislation, current and future work at NASA Stennis, and the growing number of commercial aerospace companies at the NASA Stennis Federal City.

U.S. Navy officials visited with NASA Stennis leaders Nov. 13 for a meet-and-greet opportunity, also receiving an overview briefing about the work and operations of south Mississippi site. Participants in the gathering included (left to right): Anita Harrell, executive director of the NASA Shared Services Center; Joe Schuyler, director of the NASA Stennis Engineering and Test Directorate; Herschel Mims, a management support specialist with the Naval Oceanography Operations Command; Rodney McKellip, NASA Stennis associate director; Francis Prikasky, an electronics engineer and information technology administrator with the Naval Oceanographic Office; Robert Gavagnie, a contract specialist with the Naval Oceanographic Office; James “Brett” English, information systems security manager with the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command; Dr. Brooke Jones, head of the Ocean Forecasting Division for the Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center; Maxwell Williamson, a physical scientists with the Naval Oceanographic Office; Dr. Benjamin Phrampus, a research geophysicist with the Naval Research Laboratory; Gary Benton, director of the NASA Stennis Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate; Thom Rich, associate director of the NASA Stennis Center Operations Directorate; Ken Newton, director of service delivery for the NASA Shared Services Center; and Eli Ouder, director of the NASA Stennis/NASA Shared Services Center Office of Procurement.

U.S. Rep. Alan Nunnelee, R-Miss., visited Stennis Space Center on Oct. 5, meeting with leaders and touring facilities to learn about ongoing work at the south Mississippi site. Joining Nunnelee during a stop at the B-1/B-2 Test Stand were: (l to r) Ken Human, Stennis associate director; Randy Galloway, director of the Stennis Engineering and Test Directorate; Ted Maness, chief of staff for Nunnelee; Nunnelee's wife, Toni; Nunnelee; Myron Webb, Stennis legislative affairs officer; Gilbrech; and Meyer Seligman, legislative director for Nunnelee. A Tupelo native, Nunnelee serves Mississipi's 1st Congressional District.

NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free stands with leaders from NASA Stennis and the NASA Shared Services Center during a visit on July 16 to the south Mississippi site. Free also met with representatives of commercial companies engaged in onsite propulsion activities. Pictured left to right is Jill Castiglione, NASA Stennis executive assistant; Troy Frisbie, NASA Stennis chief of staff; Nikki Tubbs, NASA Shared Services Center director of support operations; Anita Harrell, NASA Shared Services Center executive director; Free; John Bailey, NASA Stennis director; Rodney McKellip, NASA Stennis associate director; Troy Taylor, NASA Shared Services Center deputy director of service delivery; and Jessie Shiyou, NASA Shared Services Center executive assistant.

NASA Stennis Space Center Director John Bailey speaks to NASA Stennis employees during the onsite NASA Honor Awards ceremony on May 15.

Participants in A Day with NASA at The Accelerator in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, included: (left to right) Marc Shoemaker with the NASA Stennis Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer Office; Kay Doane with the NASA Stennis Office of Small Business Programs; Sandy Crist with the Mississippi Manufacturers Association Manufacturing Extension Program; Dr. Monica Tisack with the Mississippi Polymer Institute; Caitlyne Shirley with the Mississippi Polymer Institute; Top Lipski with the NASA Stennis Technology Transfer Expansion Team; Thom Jacks with the NASA Stennis Engineering and Test Directorate; Dawn Davis with the NASA Stennis Engineering and Test Directorate; Kelly McCarthy with the NASA Stennis Office of STEM Engagement; and Janet Parker with Innovate Mississippi.

NASA Stennis Director John Bailey, near left, and NASA Stennis Deputy Director Christine Powell, near right, meet with Semaj Redd, operations and legislative assistant for U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly of Mississippi, and Reed Craddock, deputy chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly of Mississippi. The leaders from NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, spoke with congressional representatives and staffers about NASA legislation, current and future work at NASA Stennis, and the growing number of commercial aerospace companies at the NASA Stennis Federal City.

Current and former leaders discuss the growth of NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center during a Legends Lecture Series onsite on April 5. Stennis launched the Legends Lecture Series last November as part of a yearlong celebration of its 50th anniversary. The April 5 session focused on growth of Stennis into a unique federal city during the 1970s and the establishment of NASA's Earth Resources Laboratory at the site. Presenters at the April 5 event included (l to r): George Schloegel, mayor of Gulfport; Jack Rogers, former director of NASA Center Operations at Stennis; and Wayne Mooneyhan, former director of NASA's Earth Resources Laboratory at Stennis.

Current and former leaders discuss the growth of NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center during a Legends Lecture Series onsite on April 5. Stennis launched the Legends Lecture Series last November as part of a yearlong celebration of its 50th anniversary. The April 5 session focused on growth of Stennis into a unique federal city during the 1970s and the establishment of NASA's Earth Resources Laboratory at the site. Presenters at the April 5 event included (l to r): George Schloegel, mayor of Gulfport; Jack Rogers, former director of NASA Center Operations at Stennis; and Wayne Mooneyhan, former director of NASA's Earth Resources Laboratory at Stennis.

NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center cut the ribbon Aug. 24 on a new, storm-resistant Records Retention Facility that consolidates and protects records storage at the nation's premier rocket engine test facility. This facility will also house history office operations. Participants in the ribbon-cutting included: (l to r) Gay Irby, Center Operations deputy director at Stennis; Linda Cureton, NASA chief information officer; Patrick Scheuermann, Stennis director; Jane Odom, NASA chief archivist; Dinna Cottrell, Stennis chief information officer; and James Cluff, Stennis records manager.

Stennis Space Center Director Patrick Scheuermann presents center director coins to employees following the 'topping out' of the A-3 Test Stand with placement of test cell dome on April 13. The stand is the first large test structure built at Stennis since the 1960s.

NASA Stennis Associate Director Rodney McKellip speaks with interns from across the NASA Stennis federal city on July 25 as part of National Intern Day at the center.

NASA Stennis Deputy Director Christine Powell thanks all employees for attending the annual Safety and Health Day event in the StenniSphere Auditorium at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on Sept. 26. Powell noted the NASA Stennis workforce contributed to the NASA mission while holding safety – a NASA core value – as a top priority.

Stennis Space Center Education Office Director Katie Wallace (left) assists a young visitor at an activity table during the 50th Anniversary Open House sponsored by Stennis Space Center on June 2. Stennis hosted the open house as part of its yearlong 50th anniversary celebration.

NASA Stennis Director John Bailey hosts a Java with John session with NASA Stennis supervisors on July 24. Java with John is an ongoing employee-led discussion in a relaxed environment aimed to foster a culture where all are welcome to share what matters most to their work at NASA Stennis.

Stennis Space Center Education Office Director Katie Wallace (left) assists a young visitor at an activity table during the 50th Anniversary Open House sponsored by Stennis Space Center on June 2. Stennis hosted the open house as part of its yearlong 50th anniversary celebration.

Rick Gilbrech (l), deputy director at Stennis Space Center, and Katie Wallace, director of the Stennis Education Office, team up for a cryogenics presentation at Lillie Burney Elementary School in Hattiesburg, Miss. NASA senior staff members from Stennis Space Center visited the school Jan. 27, 2012, for a morning of activities and outreach to students and school officials.

Marina Benigno (far right) at Stennis Space Center, welcomes former administrative assistants and secretaries to the third Legends Lecture Series session. Lecture participants spoke about their work experiences with Stennis directors and deputy directors. Panel participants included Janet Austill (l to r), Mary Lou Matthews, Helen Paul, Wanda Howard, Ann Westendorf and Mary Gene Dick. The Legends Lecture Series is part of a yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of Stennis Space Center.

Rick Gilbrech (l), deputy director at Stennis Space Center, and Katie Wallace, director of the Stennis Education Office, team up for a cryogenics presentation at Lillie Burney Elementary School in Hattiesburg, Miss. NASA senior staff members from Stennis Space Center visited the school Jan. 27, 2012, for a morning of activities and outreach to students and school officials.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden (l to r), NASA Chief Human Capital Officer Jeri Buchholz, Stennis Space Center Director Patrick Scheuermann and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Director Rob Strain display certificates designating NASA and Stennis as best places to work in the government. NASA ranks No. 5 on a list of best places to work in the federal government. Stennis sits at the top of the list of NASA centers as the best place to work.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden (l to r), NASA Chief Human Capital Officer Jeri Buchholz, Stennis Space Center Director Patrick Scheuermann and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Director Rob Strain display certificates designating NASA and Stennis as best places to work in the government. NASA ranks No. 5 on a list of best places to work in the federal government. Stennis sits at the top of the list of NASA centers as the best place to work.

Rodney McKellip, associate director of NASA’s Stennis Space Center, and Gary Benton, director of the NASA Stennis Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate, are shown, from right to left, with employees working on the High Pressure Industrial Water Facility project near the Fred Haise Test Stand. The NASA Stennis leaders visited work sites on May 8 to recognize employees with NASA SHAKERS (Smart Human Actions Keep Everyone Really Safe) Awards for conducting work in a safe manner. NASA’s constant attention to safety, one of the agency’s five core values, is the cornerstone for mission success.

Astronaut Rex Walheim (center) speaks to members of the Mississippi House of Representatives in chambers during NASA Day at the Capitol in Jackson on Feb. 19. Walheim was joined at the podium by members of the Mississippi House of Representatives Gulf Coast delegation, as well as Stennis Space Center Director Gene Goldman (astronaut's immediate right) and NASA's Shared Services Center Director Rick Arbuthnot and Partners for Stennis Executive Director Tish Williams (astronaut's immediate left).

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Official portrait of Robert D. Cabana, director of Stennis Space Center in south Mississippi.

NASA Stennis Director John Bailey, right, meets with U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana during a visit to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 18. The leaders from NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, spoke with congressional representatives and staffers about NASA legislation, current and future work at NASA Stennis, and the growing number of commercial aerospace companies at the NASA Stennis Federal City.

NASA Stennis Director John Bailey welcomes employees and guests to the Silver Snoopy Award ceremony on Aug. 21 at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. NASA’s Space Flight Awareness Program recognizes outstanding job performances and contributions by civil servants and contract employees. It focuses on excellence in quality and safety in support of human spaceflight.

Stennis Space Center Director Patrick Scheuermann welcomes guests to the facility's 50th Anniversary Gala on Oct. 15. The event culminated Stennis' yearlong celebration of its 50th anniversary. NASA publicly announced plans to build the rocket engine test site Oct. 25, 1961.

Stennis Space Center Director Patrick Scheuermann welcomes guests to the facility's 50th Anniversary Gala on Oct. 15. The event culminated Stennis' yearlong celebration of its 50th anniversary. NASA publicly announced plans to build the rocket engine test site Oct. 25, 1961.

Stennis Space Center Director Gene Goldman visits with Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour during NASA Day at the Capitol activities on Feb. 19. During the visit, Goldman presented the governor with a model of the J-2X rocket engine currently in development. Stennis engineers did early component testing for the new engine.

Representatives from NASA, Orbital Sciences Corp. and Aerojet participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for construction of a flame deflector trench at Stennis Space Center's E Test Complex. Participants included Orbital CEO J.R. Thompson (center, left) and Stennis Space Center Director Gene Goldman (center, right).

Richard Gilbrech, Director of NASA's Stennis Space Center, speaks at an all-hands for employees following the State of NASA address, Monday, Feb. 10, 2020, at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Stennis Space Center Director Patrick Scheuermann (l) addresses visitors gathered for the official transfer of the former Mississippi Army Ammunition Plant facilities to NASA. The action transferred 1.6 million square feet of facility space, increasing Stennis work facilities by about one-third and setting the stage for years of expansion.

Richard Gilbrech, Director of NASA's Stennis Space Center, welcomes everyone to the State of NASA address, Monday, Feb. 10, 2020, at Aerojet Rocketdyne’s facility at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Richard Gilbrech, Director of NASA's Stennis Space Center, welcomes everyone to the State of NASA address, Monday, Feb. 10, 2020, at Aerojet Rocketdyne’s facility at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Stennis Space Center Director Patrick Scheuermann (l) addresses visitors gathered for the official transfer of the former Mississippi Army Ammunition Plant facilities to NASA. The action transferred 1.6 million square feet of facility space, increasing Stennis work facilities by about one-third and setting the stage for years of expansion.

Stennis Space Center Director Patrick Scheuermann welcomes guests to the facility's 50th Anniversary Gala on Oct. 15. The event culminated Stennis' yearlong celebration of its 50th anniversary. NASA publicly announced plans to build the rocket engine test site Oct. 25, 1961.

U.S. Senator from Mississippi, John Stennis (left) visited the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in mid-November 1967, where he was greeted at the Redstone Airfield by Center Director Dr. Wernher von Braun (right). During his visit to MSFC, Senator Stennis was given a tour and briefed on MSFC programs.

The Navy Exchange Service Command presented NEX Stennis with the 2023 Bingham Award during an Aug. 26 ceremony at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. NEX Stennis, a gas station and minimart at NASA Stennis, is one of nine winners for the award recognizing excellence in customer service, operations, and management. NEX Stennis and the Naval Construction Battalion in Gulfport, Mississippi, topped sales category six by earning between $2.5 million and $4 million for the year. NASA Stennis Associate Director Rodney McKellip accepted the award on behalf of the center. Pictured (left to right) are Steve Dienes, NEX Stennis manager; McKellip; Robert Bianchi, rear admiral (retired) and chief executive officer of the Navy Exchange Service Command; and Katie Wilson, NEX Stennis general manager.

Steam billows from an RS-68 rocket engine test at the B Test Stand at Stennis Space Center on June 2. The test was viewed by Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour (third from left) and his wife, Marsha, who spent the afternoon at the NASA rocket engine testing center. The governor was joined at the RS-68 test by (l to r) Charles Scales, NASA associate deputy administrator; Jeffrey Wright, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne site director at Stennis; Gene Goldman, Stennis director; and Jack Forsythe, NASA assistant administrator for the Office of Security and Program Protection.

Stennis Space Center leaders and guests visit with Mississippi Senate members in chambers during NASA Day at the Capitol events in Jackson on Feb. 19. Standing at the Senate podium (rear) is Mississippi Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant. Standing at the lectern below are (l to r): Sen. David Baria, D-Bay St. Louis; Partners for Stennis Chair Clay Wagner; NASA Shared Services Center Director Rick Arbuthnot; astronaut Rex Walheim; Stennis Space Center Director Gene Goldman; President Pro Tempore Billy Hewes, R-Gulfport; Sen. Ezell Lee, D-Picayune; and Sen. Tommy Gollott, R-Biloxi.

NASA Stennis Acting Center Director John Bailey, front left, speaks to people gathered to view the total solar eclipse in Russellville, Arkansas, on April 8.

NASA’s Stennis Space Center and NASA Shared Services Center leaders commemorate NASA Day of Remembrance on Jan. 25 with a ceremony at the south Mississippi site. Rodney McKellip, NASA Stennis associate director (right), and Ken Newton, NASA Shared Services Center acting executive director, observe a moment of silence as employees honor members of the NASA family who lost their lives while furthering the cause of exploration and discovery, including the crews of Apollo 1, and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia.

NASA Chief Financial Officer Elizabeth Robinson (center) visited John C. Stennis Space Center on Aug. 17, touring facilities and the A-3 Test Stand construction site. Joining her on the tour of the facility were: (l to r) Deputy Director Rick Gilbrech, Stennis Chief Financial Officer Jim Bevis, Project Directorate representative Randy Holland and engineer Tom Rich.

Bryon Maynard (left), an aerospace technologist for Propulsion Systems & Tech in Stennis' Engineering and Science Directorate, uses a 'pocket rocket' to demonstrate the concept of rocket propulsion as part of NASA's exhibit at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C. Maynard is joined by Bradley Messer (right), chief of the Systems Engineering & Integration Division in Stennis' Engineering and Science Directorate, and a pair of exhibit visitors.
Grant Tregre, deputy director of the NASA Stennis Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate, welcomes members of the Mississippi/Louisiana Gulf Coast Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Local Area Council Meeting to their annual meeting on Oct. 29, hosted by NASA’s Stennis Space Center at INFINITY Science Center. The regional meeting focused on how workplace safety team members can achieve and maintain consistent and effective safety and health programs for their current and potential OSHA VPP worksites across south Mississippi and Louisiana.

Joe Schuyler, director of the Engineering and Test Directorate at NASA’s Stennis Space Center, speaks during a panel discussion with agency center directors at the 2024 Artemis Suppliers Conference, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

NASA Stennis Safety and Mission Assurance Director Gary Benton, right, presents a token of appreciation to keynote speaker and former NASA astronaut Dr. Nancy Currie-Gregg at the annual Safety and Health Day in the StenniSphere Auditorium at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on Sept. 26. The yearly event is a reminder to the NASA Stennis workforce about the importance of a safe work environment.

Stennis Space Center Director Patrick Scheuermann (right) welcomes former leaders to the fourth Legends Lecture Series presentation Oct. 13. Stennis launched the series in November 2010 as part of a yearlong 50th anniversary celebration. The recent session focused on past rocket engine test work. Visiting Stennis legends were: (l to r) Dave Geiger, Patrick Mooney, Boyce Mix, J. Stephens Dick, James Taylor and Marvin Carpenter.

NASA’s Stennis Space Center hosts the annual Safety and Health Day event on Sept. 26. The yearly event, organized by the NASA Stennis Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate, is a reminder to the NASA Stennis workforce about the importance of a safe work environment. The event concluded with employees visiting various safety and health exhibits in the Roy S. Estess Building, which also provided an opportunity to receive health screenings.

NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center Director Patrick Scheuermann throws the first pitch of the game Aug. 20 at New Orleans Zephyr Field. Stennis employees traveled to New Orleans to host NASA Night at Zephyr Field. Stennis personnel provided a variety of activities and materials for persons attending a game between the New Orleans Zephyrs and the Las Vegas 51s.

U.S. Navy HT 2 Ryan Vinnedge (right) presents a Combined Federal Campaign award to Stennis Space Center Director Patrick Scheuermann during a May 16, 2012, ceremony. Stennis employees led the way in two categories in the 2011 Southern Mississippi CFC effort, ranking first in the number of Eagle Givers (more than $480 each) and in dollar increase of contributions. Stennis Space Center employees contributed $221,000 through the campaign.

U.S. Navy HT 2 Ryan Vinnedge (right) presents a Combined Federal Campaign award to Stennis Space Center Director Patrick Scheuermann during a May 16, 2012, ceremony. Stennis employees led the way in two categories in the 2011 Southern Mississippi CFC effort, ranking first in the number of Eagle Givers (more than $480 each) and in dollar increase of contributions. Stennis Space Center employees contributed $221,000 through the campaign.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden (l) and NASA Small Business Programs Associate Administrator Glenn Delgado (r) present NASA's Small Business Administrator's Cup Award to Stennis Space Center in recognition of its stellar small business program for fiscal year 2011. Receiving the award April 20, 2012, are (l to r) Stennis Procurement Office personnel Michelle Stracener and Rob Harris, along with Stennis Space Center Director Patrick Scheuermann. Bolden and Delgado presented the award during an onsite visit April 20.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden (l) and NASA Small Business Programs Associate Administrator Glenn Delgado (r) present NASA's Small Business Administrator's Cup Award to Stennis Space Center in recognition of its stellar small business program for fiscal year 2011. Receiving the award April 20, 2012, are (l to r) Stennis Procurement Office personnel Michelle Stracener and Rob Harris, along with Stennis Space Center Director Patrick Scheuermann. Bolden and Delgado presented the award during an onsite visit April 20.

Chris Copelan (right), education program specialist at Stennis Space Center, and Maria Lott, Stennis Astro Camp director, talk about living and working in space with visitors gathered for the 'What's Your Favorite Space?' event in New York City on Aug. 17. Stennis educators teamed with peers from three other NASA centers to present a variety of hands-on activities and informational presentations during the event.

From left: Jim Maser, senior vice president of the Space Business Unit of Aerojet Rocketdyne; acting NASA Administrator Steve Jurzyck; John Bailey, associate director of NASA's Stennis Space Center; Rick Gilbrech, director of NASA's Stennis Space Center; Mike McDaniel, general manager of Aerojet Rocketdyne at Stennis Space Center; Amy Growder, chief operating officer of Aerojet Rocketdyne; Mary Byrd, associate director of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center; and Jody Singer, director of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center; pose for a picture giving a thumbs-up following a second hot fire test of the core stage for the first flight of NASA’s Space Launch System rocket in the B-2 Test Stand, Thursday, March 18, 2021, at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The four RS-25 engines fired for the full-duration of 8 minutes during the test and generated 1.6 million pounds of thrust. The hot fire test is the final stage of the Green Run test series, a comprehensive assessment of the Space Launch System’s core stage prior to launching the Artemis I mission to the Moon. Photo Credit: (NASA/Robert Markowitz)

The NASA assistant administrator for procurement stands with leaders of NASA’s Stennis Space Center and the NASA Shared Services Center during a visit to the south Mississippi site Dec. 11 to deliver an agency update, highlighting key initiatives and priorities across NASA’s procurement activities. The visit focused on fostering open communications and collaboration, and included an opportunity for Jackson to engage with procurement staff, provide updates, and respond to questions. The assistant administrator met with NASA leadership to align on strategic goals, discuss procurement-related challenges and opportunities, and reinforce support for the NASA Stennis mission. The visit highlighted NASA’s continued commitment to innovation, efficiency, and mission success through effective procurement strategies. Pictured (left to right) are James Bailey, NASA Shared Services Center/NASA Stennis deputy procurement officer; NASA Stennis Deputy Director Christine Powell; NASA Stennis Director John Bailey; Karla Smith, NASA assistant administrator for procurement; Eli Ouder, NASA Shared Services Center/NASA Stennis procurement officer; and Jamiel Charlton, NASA executive officer.

NASA Stennis breaks ground with officials from Hancock County on July 18 for the Stennis Wastewater Conveyance Project at the Northern Wastewater Treatment Plant in Kiln, Mississippi. The groundbreaking represented launch of an agreement described as a win-win situation for Hancock County and NASA Stennis. Upon completion of the project, the county will assume responsibility for servicing wastewater from the NASA center. The new agreement will enable the county to utilize its existing facility more efficiently, while also allowing NASA Stennis to devote more center resources its mission work. Groundbreaking participants include (left to right): Hancock County supervisor Chuck Clark, District 3; Hancock County supervisor Bo Ladner, District 5; Hancock County Water & Sewer District Chair Farron Hoda; state Rep. Brent Anderson, Mississippi District 122; Mayor Mike Favre, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi; NASA Stennis Associate Director Rodney McKellip; Hancock County Board President Scotty Adam (District 4 supervisor); state Sen. Philman Ladner, Mississippi District 46; NASA Stennis project manager Brittany Bouche; Mayor Jay Trapani, Waveland, Mississippi; and Hancock County Utility Authority Executive Director David Pitalo.

Stennis Space Center Director Gene Goldman (left) and Deputy Director Patrick Scheuermann place a wreath in StenniSphere in memory of the 17 astronauts lost in service of the space program since 1967. The wreath was placed during NASA's 2009 Day of Remembrance, observed each year on the last Thursday of January.

Former astronaut Al Worden (left) presents Stennis Space Center Director Bob Cabana with a gold medallion signifying his induction into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Using American sign language, Greg Crapo, right, director of de l'Ep e Deaf Center Inc. in Biloxi , Miss., helps Shanda Bennett of the Environmental Protection Agency at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center spell out her name. Bennett is joined by colleague Charles Kennedy during a tour of charitable organization displays for the kickoff of the Stennis portion of the 2009 Combined Federal Campaign emphasis on Oct. 29. The CFC is the world's largest annual workplace charity effort. Contributions to the campaign support organizations providing health and human service benefits throughout the world. Stennis employees give tens of thousands of dollars through the campaign each year, including a $198,000 in gifts in 2008. This year, the Stennis goal is $200,000. For the kickoff, a number of charitable organizations provided displays at Stennis, providing employees an opportunity to see - and choose - where their contributions can be directed.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Patti Bell (left) and Dr. Violette Wahba Salib (center) are greeted by KSC Deputy Director Dr. Woodrow Whitlow Jr. after their return from Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. Bell and Salib are with Environmental and Occupational Health at KSC. They were part of a volunteer team helping rescue and recovery efforts at Stennis, which was damaged during Hurricane Katrina. Many employees of Stennis and Michoud Assembly Facility, near New Orleans, were rendered homeless by the hurricane. NASA centers have been generous with relief supplies and personnel. Stennis is now in limited operations mode. Daily convoys have been moving between Stennis and Michoud, transporting personnel and supplies as Michoud prepares to resume limited operations.

Afognak Native Corporation Board of Director members and Alutiiq, LLC executives stand at the Thad Cochran Test Stand (B-1/B-2) during a visit to NASA’s Stennis Space Center on Sept. 19. The board members and executives visited the site to learn about laboratory services provided by Alutiiq Essential Services at NASA Stennis since 2020. Afognak is an Alaskan corporation focused on serving the needs of its native Alaskan people. Alutiiq, LLC operates as a subsidiary of the corporation to provide a variety of services to federal entities. Alutiiq Essential Services operates as a subsidiary of Alutiiq, LLC. Shown at the test stand during the Sept. 19 visit are, left to right: Ian Neumann, Alutiiq executive; John Monaccio, Alutiiq Essential Services president; Autumn Sellers, Alutiiq executive; Loretta Nelson, director; Marci Orth, director; Wade Hall, director; Shane Mendel, Alutiiq Essential Services program manager at NASA Stennis; Erik Olsen, director; Alan Hines, Alutiiq Essential Services executive.

NASA officials and elected leaders were on hand for the groundbreaking ceremony of the NASA Shared Services Center Feb. 24, 2006, on the grounds of Stennis Space Center. The NSSC provides agency centralized administrative processing, human resources, procurement and financial services. From left, Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Mike Olivier, Stennis Space Center Director Rick Gilbrech, Computer Sciences Corp. President Michael Laphen, NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale, Rep. Gene Taylor, Sen. Trent Lott, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, NASA Administrator Mike Griffin and Shared Services Center Executive Director Arbuthnot use golden shovels to break ground at the site.

Patrick Scheuermann (left), deputy director at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center, and Richard Gilbrech, associate director, place a wreath in memory of the 17 astronauts lost in service of the space program since 1967. The wreath was placed during NASA's 2010 Day of Remembrance, observed each year in January. The annual observance memorializes the three astronauts lost in the Apollo 1 launch pad fire in 1967, the seven astronauts lost in the Challenger tragedy in 1986 and the seven astronauts lost in the Columbia accident in 2003. During the Stennis observance, Scheuermann praised the fallen astronauts as 'brave space pioneers who gave their lives in the cause of exploration and discovery.'

NASA officials and government leaders participated in a groundbreaking event for a new rocket engine test stand at NASA's Stennis Space Center, Miss. Pictured (left to right) are Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems Doug Cooke, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne President Jim Maser, Stennis Space Center Director Richard Gilbrech, NASA Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems Scott Horowitz, NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, Sen. Thad Cochran, Sen. Trent Lott, Rep. Gene Taylor, SSC's Deputy Director Gene Goldman, and SSC's A-3 Project Manager Lonnie Dutreix. Stennis' A-3 Test Stand will provide altitude testing for NASA's developing J-2X engine. That engine will power the upper stages of NASA's Ares I and Ares V rockets. A-3 is the first large test stand to be built at SSC since the site's inception in the 1960s.

Mississippi Enterprise for Technology (MSET), a public-private partnership between Mississippi Development Authority, NASA, and Mississippi’s research institutions, hosted a visit for University of Mississippi leadership on Sept. 4 to NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The visit showcased the center’s federal assets and the role Mississippi Enterprise for Technology plays in supporting industry and driving sustained economic development of the region and state. Pictured, from left to right, are: Davis Pace, president and CEO of MSET; William Kneip, director of External Relations and assistant to the Chancellor for Executive Affairs, University of Mississippi; Amy Lewis, executive director of Federal Relations, University of Mississippi; John Bailey, director of NASA Stennis; Dr. Glenn Boyce, chancellor of the University of Mississippi; Hughes Miller, senior director of Industry Engagement, University of Mississippi; and Dr. John Higginbotham, vice chancellor of Research and Economic Development, University of Mississippi.

Acting NASA Administrator Steve Jurczyk, left, and Jody Singer, director of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, right, high five following a second hot fire test of the core stage for the first flight of NASA’s Space Launch System rocket in the B-2 Test Stand, Thursday, March 18, 2021, at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The four RS-25 engines fired for the full-duration of 8 minutes during the test and generated 1.6 million pounds of thrust. The hot fire test is the final stage of the Green Run test series, a comprehensive assessment of the Space Launch System’s core stage prior to launching the Artemis I mission to the Moon. Photo Credit: (NASA/Robert Markowitz)

Alexis Harry, assistant director of Astro Camp at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center, talks with students at Lake Cormorant (Miss.) Elementary School during a 'Living and Working in Space' presentation March 30. Stennis hosted the school presentation during a visit to the Oxford area. Harry, who also is a high school biology teacher in Slidell, La., spent time discussing space travel with students and answering questions they had about the experience, including queries about how astronauts eat, sleep and drink in space. The presentation was sponsored by the NASA Office of External Affairs and Education at Stennis. For more information about NASA education initiatives, visit: http://education.ssc.nasa.gov/.

NASA Stennis summer intern Jordan Thomas is shown with his presentation on the 2024 Sustainability Report for NASA Stennis during an Aug. 7 event hosted by the Office of STEM Engagement. Thomas, a student at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, worked with the NASA Stennis Center Operations Directorate. The poster symposium highlighted research topics, including propulsion test operations, lunar robotics, autonomous systems, STEM education, and more. NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement paid internships allow high school and college-level students to contribute to the agency’s mission to advance science, technology, aeronautics, and space exploration.

The NASA Engineering & Safety Center recently presented its Group Achievement Award to a Stennis team in recognition of technical excellence in evaluating the operational anomalies and reliability improvements associated with the space shuttle engine cut-off system. Stennis employees receiving the award were: (standing, l to r) Freddie Douglas (NASA), George Drouant (Jacobs Technology Inc.), Fred Abell (Jacobs), Robert Drackett (Jacobs) and Mike Smiles (NASA); (seated, l to r): Binh Nguyen (Jacobs), Stennis Director Gene Goldman and Joseph Lacker (NASA). Phillip Hebert of NASA is not pictured.

In a news conference broadcast live on NASA TV, key NASA leaders discussed the significance of the successful 500-second test of the agency's new J-2X rocket engine at Stennis Space Center on Nov. 9. The engine will provide upper-stage power for NASA's new Space Launch System being developed to carry humans deeper into space than ever before. Participating in the session were: (l to r) Dan Kanigan, Dan Dumbacher, Joan 'Jody' Singer, Stennis Director Patrick Scheuermann and Mike Kynard.

Stennis Space Center Director Patrick Scheuermann (right) and Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command Chief of Staff James Pettigrew drop the first shovelfuls of dirt on a time capsule to be opened on the rocket engine test facility's 100th anniversary in 2061. The time capsule was placed in front of the Roy S. Estess Building on Oct. 25 as Stennis concluded celebrations of its 50th anniversary. NASA publicly announced plans to build the rocket engine test site Oct. 25, 1961.

NASA Stennis Space Center Director John Bailey receives the Meritorious Senior Executive Presidential Rank Award from NASA Associate Administrator for Space Operations Kenneth Bowersox during the NASA Honor Awards ceremony on May 15 at NASA Stennis. Bailey is pictured, from left, with his wife, Lori; daughter, Isabella; and Bowersox.