MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2016

By: Senator(s) Moran, Branning, Burton, To: Rules Jackson (32nd), Simmons (12th), Watson

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 634

1 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION WELCOMING NASA MAJOR NICOLE 2 VICTORIA AUNAPU MANN, (MAJOR IN THE MARINE CORPS,) 3 TO THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI ON THE OCCASION OF THE PARTNERS FOR 4 STENNIS SPACE CENTER CAPITOL DAY. 5 WHEREAS, on March 22, 2016, the Partners for Stennis will 6 present the Stennis Space Center Capitol Day event in honor of 7 NASA Astronaut Major ; and

8 WHEREAS, Partners for Stennis is a volunteer group who 9 advocate for space, earth and ocean exploration. Its members are 10 from regional Chambers of Commerce, economic development 11 foundations, businesses, educational institutions, local 12 governments, community groups and individual citizens who desire 13 to encourage development of the NASA-Stennis Space Center, a 14 unique federal and commercial city that is home to more than 30

15 federal, state, academic and private organizations and numerous 16 technology-based companies. For more than four decades, Stennis 17 has served as America's largest rocket test complex. Located in 18 Hancock County, Mississippi, on the Louisiana border, the 19 workforce of 4,500 civil servants, contractors, scientists and S. C. R. No. 634 *SS01/R1181* ~ OFFICIAL ~ N1/2 16/SS01/R1181 PAGE 1 (lr\crl) 20 engineers provide a significant source of employment and income in 21 the two-state region; and 22 WHEREAS, Nicole Mann is a (Major in the United States Marine 23 Corps). Originally from Penngrove, , she is a graduate 24 of the U.S. Navel Academy, Stanford University and the U.S. Naval 25 Test Pilot School. Mann is an F/A-18 Fighter Jet Pilot and

26 completed Astronaut Candidate training in July 2015. Mann grew up 27 in Penngrove, California, and attended Rancho Cotate High School 28 in Rohnert Park, California. Her father told the Santa Rosa Press 29 Democrat that she did not show much interest in space as a child, 30 but decided during her junior year in high school that she would 31 attend the U.S. Naval Academy after graduation; and 32 WHEREAS, Major Mann graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy

33 before earning a degree in Mechanical Engineering at Stanford 34 University. She completed U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and went 35 on to serve in Iraq. Before being accepted to NASA's Astronaut 36 Training program, she was stationed at Naval Air Station Patuxent 37 River in Maryland as an F/A-18 Fighter Jet Pilot. In 2013, she

38 was one of eight candidates selected from more than 6,300 39 applicants to train as a potential astronaut for NASA. NASA has

40 said that Mann could be one of the first sent on a 41 mission to an asteroid, or to Mars; and 42 WHEREAS, the Stennis facility has been responsible for 43 testing all of the engines used in manned Apollo flights and in 44 space shuttle missions. It currently has a vibrant role in

S. C. R. No. 634 *SS01/R1181* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 16/SS01/R1181 PAGE 2 (lr\crl) 45 testing the next generation of rocket engines to be used in 46 America's space program. NASA's progress toward a return to deep 47 space missions continues with a new round of upcoming tests on the 48 next-generation J-2X rocket engine, which will help power the 49 agency's Space Launch System (SLS) to new destinations in the 50 solar system; and

51 WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize NASA 52 Astronaut Major Nicole Victoria Aunapu Mann from the Class of 53 2013, and the contributions of the Stennis Space Center to the 54 economy of the State of Mississippi: 55 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF 56 MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That 57 we do hereby welcome NASA Astronaut Nicole Aunapu Mann (Major in

58 the United States Marine Corps) to the State of Mississippi on the 59 occasion of the Partners for Stennis Space Center Capitol Day on 60 March 22, 2016, and extend our best wishes to Nicole and the 61 administration and employees of the Stennis Space Center on this 62 auspicious occasion.

63 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to 64 Nicole Aunapu Mann and the Executive Director of the Stennis Space

65 Center, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.

S. C. R. No. 634 *SS01/R1181* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 16/SS01/R1181 ST: Welcome NASA Astronaut Nicole Aunapu Mann, PAGE 3 (lr\crl) (Major U.S. Marine Corps), on Stennis Space Center Capitol Day.