Facility Focus: NASA John C. Stennis Space Center

In 1961, when President John F. Kennedy issued his challenge for the United States to send humans to the Moon and back by the end of that decade, a site was needed to test the powerful rocket engines and stages that would propel them on the historic journey. For NASA officials, the rough terrain of Hancock County, Mississippi provided five essentials for testing the large Apollo Program engines and stages: isolation from large population centers, water and road access for transportation, available public utilities, supporting local communities, and a climate conducive to year-round testing.