H.R. 667: To redesignate the Dryden Flight Research Center as the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center and the Western Aeronautical Test Range as the Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range.

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Library of Congress Summary

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House Republican Conference Summary

The summary below was written by the House Republican Conference, which is the caucus of Republicans in the House of Representatives.

This summary can be found at http://www.gop.gov/bill/113/1/hr667.

Background

Neil Armstrong is best known as the first man to set foot on the moon, but he was also an accomplished test pilot, engineer and university professor.  Prior to becoming an astronaut, Armstrong served in the Korean War as an officer in the Navy, and eventually graduated from Purdue University after the war ended.  After college, Armstrong went on to become an experimental test pilot.  In 1962, Armstrong was selected for the NASA Astronaut Corps, one of only two civilians selected for the program.  In 1969, Armstrong became the first person to set foot on the moon as part of the Apollo 11 mission and made his famous statement, “one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”  After Apollo 11, Armstrong taught aerospace engineering at the University of Cincinnati for eight years and was involved in various businesses until his retirement in 2002.  After complications arising from surgery, Armstrong passed away in September 2012.

Hugh L. Dryden was Director of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), NASA's predecessor, from 1947 until October 1958. In addition he served on numerous government advisory committees. From 1941 until 1956 he served as editor of the Journal of the Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences. After NACA was renamed NASA in 1958, he was appointed the first Deputy Director of that organization, serving until his death. Author Tom Wolfe, writing in 2009 at the 40th anniversary of the launch of Apollo 11, credited Dryden with having been the individual who spoke up, with President John F. Kennedy in April 1961, and suggested that manned flight to the moon was the way to "catch up" with the Soviets in the space race.

The House passed an identical bill on December 31, 2012 by a recorded vote of 404-0 (Roll no. 653).

Summary

H.R. 667 renames the NASA Hugh L. Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, California as the NASA Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center.

It also renames the NASA Western Aeronautical Test Range as the NASA Hugh L. Dryden Aeronautical Test Range.

Cost

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