MISSILE SPACE AND RANGE PIONEERS
About Us:
The Missile, Space and Range Pioneers is a social organization with the purpose of providing opportunities for those associated with missile, space, and range activities to meet socially, network, and renew acquaintances. We were officially established in 1966 and have been on the space coast for over 50 years.
HONORING OUR HERITAGE, THE MISSION OF THE MISSILE, SPACE, AND RANGE PIONEERS ORGANIZATION IS TO PROVIDE PEOPLE WORKING IN, OR ASSOCIATED WITH, MISSILE, SPACE AND RANGE ACTIVITIES THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET SOCIALLY IN ORDER TO RENEW OLD AND ESTABLISH NEW ACQUAINTANCES. WE EXTEND THIS MISSION TO WELCOME SPACE ENTHUSIASTS, SUPPORTERS, AND FANS.
OUR GOAL IS TO INFORM AND EDUCATE OUR MEMBERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE SPACE-RELATED ACTIVITIES AND EXPAND THE KNOWLEDGE OF THOSE INVOLVED IN THE ABOVE INDUSTRIES THROUGH OUR EVENTS.
Announcements
Virtual Speaker Series – Daniel Batcheldor
Zoom Info
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86380476170?pwd=T2hBa0Flczl3RUJCK3FpZWU2OEFjdz09
Meeting ID: 863 8047 6170
Passcode: 888111
Speaker Bio
Jerry Johnson
Hello Pioneers-
It is with great sadness we announce the passing of former Pioneers President, Lt. Col. Jerry M. Johnson, USAF, Retired. He passed away Sunday September 27th 2020
A graveside service is scheduled for 1000 Saturday Oct 3rd at Florida Memorial Gardens in Rockledge, Florida. The service will be live streamed for those who cannot attend. https://www.dignitymemorial.
If you wish to make a charitable donation in honor of Jerry, the family has asked that donations be made to the Air Force Space & Missile Museum – Cape Canaveral https://afspacemuseum.org/
For those who wish to send flowers they can be sent ahead of the service to Florida Memorial Gardens.
Life Event Center at Florida Memorial | 5950 South US Highway 1 Rockledge, FL 32955
His obituary can be found here: https://www.dignitymemorial.
Please keep Jerry’s family in your thoughts.
Virtual Speaker Series – Jean Wright
Our next virtual speaker series features Jean Wright! Please join us on Zoom or Facebook Live at facebook.com/SpacePioneers on October 27th from 7-8pm.
Zoom Info:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84712053244?pwd=b0RjUitHeHFRUEZaS2lRM3puN2ZLUT09
Meeting ID: 847 1205 3244
Passcode: 974837
Speaker Bio:
Jean Wright was an Aerospace Composite Tech for United Space Alliance- the prime contractor for NASA’s Space Shuttle Processing. As one of 18 women in this critical role, she and her co-workers, who dubbed their group, “The Sew Sisters,” were responsible for fabrication, assembly, disassembly, installation and repair of Thermal Protection System (TPS) hardware. This involved using detailed measurements, heavy-duty industrial sewing machines, and intricate and physically demanding hand stitching which covered many areas of the shuttle orbiter.
A Motivational Speaker, Jean has been asked to present at many prestigious events such as the International Quilt Festival along with astronaut Karen Nyberg, in Houston, Tex., The Northeast Astronomy Forum (NEAF) in N.Y., the Keynote Speaker at MQX -Machine Quilters Exposition in N.H., Women’s History Month at KSC Visitor Complex, Family Day at the Udvar-Hazy National Air and Space Museum and at Spacefest. Jean has done many TV, radio and online interviews. And has been featured in many magazine and newspaper articles.
Currently a Docent at the Space Shuttle Atlantis Exhibit, educating and entertaining guests at the KSC Visitor Complex. Jean also does launch support and VIP Tours as needed including a recent tour for NASA Administrator, Jim Bridenstein. And now a part of the media photographing launches as a team member for the space blog, ”SpaceUpClose.”
One of the biggest thrills of her life was being asked by Mark Armstrong to cut and prepare for auction, pieces of historic fabric from the Wright Brothers 1903 Flyer that his father, Neil Armstrong, carried to the moon aboard the Apollo 11 Lunar Module!
Jean sews custom face masks and apparel- space themed and otherwise.
Jean Wright websites:
https://www.facebook.com/jean.wright.39
https://www.facebook.com/Sew-Sister-Space-Creations-181439602530081
Virtual Speaker Series- Space Florida
We know we cannot meet this year because of COVID-19, so we are doing a special virtual speaker series. Join us on September 16th from 7-8pm as we host our first virtual speaking event.
The event will be held on Zoom (see link and info below) and will also be live-streamed on our Facebook page, facebook.com/spacepioneers. Our first meeting will feature Space Florida, and they will provide us with an update on spaceport operations.
All are welcome to this free event!
See you on September 16th!
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/
Meeting ID: 843 0589 5553
Passcode: 781580
Memorial Day 2020
“On this day, the true meaning of “Pioneer” should be remembered.
Those who pioneered before us creating what we today have.
Those who today carry on what departed pioneers created and move it forward to the next generation.
Those who look beyond today to create a vision for the future and may be called “Futurists”.
It is with these words we should remember the pioneers who created Space, Missile and Range Pioneers and the original MSRP
Asa B. Gibbs, the first commander of the space‐vehicle launching center at Cape Canaveral, Fla. Mr. Gibbs, who held the rank of colonel, was a member of the committee that urged the selection of Canaveral, a remote Florida seascape, as a launching site. He was also responsible for restoring the name of Cape Canaveral to the area, which was named by the Spanish in 1564. Mr. Gibbs was the first director of tests at the missile test center. He was program officer for Project Score, the rocket that launched President Eisenhower’s “Peace on Earth” message in 1958, and other vehicles. He retired from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in 1963 and began a drive to restore the name of the cape—Cape Kennedy after the assassination of President Kennedy—to its original name Cape Canaveral. Congress restored the name in October, 1973.
Clifford E. Mattox was civilian commanding officer and chief engineer of the Air Force Missile Test Range at Canaveral AFB and director of the missile test range at Patrick AFB from 1952 to 1954. He was founder and president of DBM Research Corp., Cocoa Beach, and a member of the Missile, Space and Range Pioneers, Inc. and the Florida Anthropological Society. He was also a member of the Board of Trustees at the Florida Institute of Technology. It is also believed that Mr. Mattox was part of “Project Paperclip” which was the U.S. Army intelligence operation that brought Verner von Braun and his German rocket team from Germany to the U.S. that eventually gave the U.S. its leadership in space.”
