NASA Armstrong Center Renaming Ceremony Set for May 13

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Mar 31, 2014, 03:10 ET

WASHINGTON, March 31, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Media are invited to a formal dedication ceremony to mark the renaming of NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center, formerly the Dryden Flight Research Center, on Tuesday, May 13 at the center's campus at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

The renaming ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. PDT in Hangar 4802. It is expected to include comments from NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, Armstrong Center Director David McBride, Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California and members of the Armstrong and Dryden families.

Legislation to redesignate the 68-year-old facility, NASA's center of excellence for atmospheric flight research, in honor of the late Neil A. Armstrong was passed by the House of Representatives in early 2013, by the Senate on Jan. 8, and was signed into law by President Obama on Jan. 16. The name change became official March 1.

Rep. McCarthy, whose district includes the center, authored the resolution to rename the facility for Armstrong, a former research test pilot who flew at the center and the first man to step on the moon during the historic Apollo 11 mission in 1969. The legislation also directed the naming of the center's aeronautical test range for the late Hugh L. Dryden, the center's namesake since 1976, who had been the director of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics from 1949 to 1958 and NASA's first deputy administrator from 1958 until his death in 1965.

Media who wish to cover the rededication ceremony should contact the Armstrong public affairs office at 661-276-3449 or email [email protected], no later than April 3 for non-U.S. citizens and May 8 for U.S. citizens and permanent resident aliens. Media must work for a legitimate, verifiable newsgathering organization. No substitutions of non-credentialed media representatives will be allowed.

U.S. citizens must furnish their full name, date of birth, place of birth, media organization, the last six digits of social security number and driver's license number, including issuing state. Permanent resident aliens must provide their alien registration number and expiration date. In addition, foreign nationals must furnish their current citizenship, visa or passport number, country of issue and expiration date.

For more details the center's renaming and the lives and careers of Dryden and Armstrong, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/news/NewsReleases/2014/14-05.html

For more information about NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/armstrong

Sonja Alexander
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1761
[email protected]

Alan Brown
Armstrong Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif.
661-276-2665
[email protected]

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SOURCE NASA