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Man in Space Resource Analysis

PRESERVATION POTENTIAL

All of the 26 Man in Space sites are nationally significant. They have been placed into one of four groups indicating their preservation potential.

Group 1. The first group includes inactive sites that exhibit more than one of the following characteristics: they are considered to be threatened; they retain much of their original historic fabric; and they possess high interpretive and/or visitor use potential. They are listed alphabetically and not ranked in order of importance.

• Apollo launch tower (dismantled), Kennedy Space Center
• Launch complexes 5/6 and 26 and original mission control center, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
• Lunar excursion module (LEM), Langley Research Center
• Pioneer deep space station, Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex
• Rendezvous docking simulator, Langley Research Center
• Variable density tunnel, Langley Research Center

These sites should be preserved or restored to their original condition and made available for public use wherever possible.

Group 2. The second group consists of sites that are currently in active or standby status and exhibit both of the following characteristics: they retain some original historic fabric, and they possess relatively high interpretive/visitor use potential.

• Apollo mission control center, Johnson Space Center
• Full-scale tunnel, Langley Research Facility
• Launch complex 39 (excluding dismantled Apollo launch tower above), Kennedy Space Center
• Lunar landing research facility (excluding lunar excursion module above), Langley Research Center
• Neutral buoyancy simulator, Marshall Space Flight Center
• Propulsion and structural test facility, Marshall Space Flight Center
• Rocket engine test facility, Lewis Research Center
• Rocket propulsion test complex, National Space Technology Laboratories
• Saturn V dynamic test stand, Marshall Space Flight Center
• Spacecraft magnetic test facility, Goddard Space Flight Center
• Spacecraft propulsion research facility, Plum Brook Operations Division
• Space environment simulation laboratory, Johnson Space Center
• Space flight operations facility, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
• Twenty-five foot space simulator, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
• Unitary plan wind tunnel, Ames Research Center
• Zero-gravity research facility, Lewis Research Center

These sites do not need to be preserved or restored to their original condition to retain their significance or convey the Man in Space story, but section 106 and 110(f) compliance and documentation and recordation must be completed at a minimum. Depending on the nature of current activity and safety and security considerations, these sites could be made available for visitor use.

Group 3. The third group includes active and inactive sites that are not threatened because they are being adequately preserved.

• Launch complex 33, White Sands Missile Range
• Redstone test stand, Marshall Space Flight Center
• Rogers Dry Lake, Edwards Air Force Base
• Saturn V space vehicle, Alabama Space and Rocket Center
• Space launch complex 10, Vandenberg Air Force Base

These sites should continue to be preserved in place and interpreted to the public.

Group 4. The final group includes inactive sites that lack much of their original historic fabric but are still significant because of important events that occurred there.

• Eight-foot high speed tunnel, Langley Research Center
• Launch complexes 13, 14, 19, and 34 only, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

These sites can be allowed to further deteriorate, be demolished, or have their uses and functions changed if future programs warrant. Again, before any actions are taken, section 106 and 110(f) compliance and adequate documentation and recordation must take place. Off-site interpretation should be provided.

Last Modified: Wed, Nov 29 2000 10:00:00 am PDT
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