I had the opportunity this morning to make a final visit to an old friend – Marshall Space Flight Center’s Dynamic Test Stand.
I’ve never worked at or with Building 4550, but it’s a familiar site to anyone who’s worked at Marshall; when I stand up from my desk at work, I’m looking right at it. Even if you haven’t worked at Marshall, it’s a familiar site – it’s a rare part of the center visible from offsite.
The building made history for the Apollo, Skylab and space shuttle programs. The first time a Saturn V was stacked was for testing in that building. It even contributed to one of the lasting benefits of the Constellation Program – an Ares spin-off that today helps earthquake-proof skyscrapers was validated there.
It was announced about a month ago that the stand will be coming down this year as part of a larger program of facilities work at Marshall. It’s bittersweet news. The building is historic and iconic and Marshall won’t be the same without it. Without question, it will be sad to see the end of a building that helped us go to the Moon the first time.
But you can’t work at Marshall for as long as I have without seeing the Center evolve. I’ve seen the old fade, and I’ve seen the new be built. When I stand up from my desk at work, I’m also looking right at new and refurbished test stands that are contributing to the future of spaceflight.
I’m grateful for the infrastructure that allowed my father to watch humans walk on the Moon. I’m much more excited for the infrastructure that will allow my son to do the same.
The future is bright.
But I’m grateful for one last walk through the past. Farewell, old friend.
Filed under: Editorial, space | Tagged: Apollo, Building 4550, Dynamic Test Stand, history, huntsville, Marshall, Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA, saturn v, skylab, space, space shuttle |
-- Jeff Weddle
Song In My Head:
stories in my pocket :: david hitt 
I understand the need to continue to build new structures/infrastructure, which requires getting rid of things that are no longer needed. HOWEVER — this structure along with several others at MSFC are on the National Registry of Historic Places and this one is also designated as a National Historic Landmark. So how can they tear it down? Is there a loophole in the law? Just curious….