>>> GOOD AFTER NOON.
I'M RICK GILBERT.
I'M THE DIRECTOR AT
THE SPACE CENTER.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO
GET TOGETHER TO
HONOR THAD COCHRAN.
COVID-19 INTERRUPTED
A LOT OF OUR BEST
PLANS.
I'M GLAD WE WERE
ABLE TO COME OUT.
I'D LIKE TO WELCOME
A FEW SPECIAL
GUESTS.
WE HAVE MS. CAY
COCHRAN.
WE ALSO HAVE A
FORMER STAFF MEMBER
OF FORMER SENATOR
COCHRAN AND SOUTHERN
DISTRICT DIRECTOR
FOR CINDY HIDESMITH.
WE HAVE CHRIS VINES.
FINALLY WE HAVE
MS. JULIE MILLER THE
DEPUTY DISTRICT
DIRECTOR.
THANK YOU FOR
COMING.
ALL OF THE OTHERS
THAT HAVE COME,
FRIENDS AND FAMILY
WE APPRECIATE YOU
MAKING THE DRIVE OUT
HERE.
AS THE THAD COCHRAN
STAND.
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR
THE LIFE OF U.S.
SENATOR SENATOR
COCHRAN.
WE GOT TO VISIT WITH
HIM MANY TIMES AND
HE WAS A WONDERFUL
HUMAN BEING AND VERY
EFFECTIVE
LEGISLATURE AND
POLITICIAN.
HIS CONTRIBUTIONS
CAME THROUGH A QUIET
APPROACH THAT WAS
HIGHLY EFFECTIVE IN
LEADERSHIP ROLES
SPANNING IN MORE
THAN FOUR DECADES.
MISSISSIPPI
CONGRESSMAN.
HE WAS CALLED THE
QUIET PERSUADER FOR
HIS
BEHIND-THE-SCENES
STYLE OF SECURING
SUPPORT.
HE MIGHT NOT HAVE
BEEN THE FLASHIEST
BUT HE WAS GETTING
THINGS ACROSS THE
ISLAND PUSHING
BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.
IN MY EXPERIENCE HE
WAS GRACIOUS,
HUMBLE, AND KIND.
I ONLY KNEW A FEW
PEOPLE THAT WERE
ABLE TO DO THAT AND
HE WAS THE SAME WAY
EVERY TIME.
MY MENTOR WAS ALSO
ONE OF THOSE
INDIVIDUALS TO MAKE
YOU FEEL LIKE YOU
WERE THE ONLY PERSON
IN THE ROOM AND TOOK
GREAT INTEREST IN
YOUR LIFE AND NOT
ABOUT THEM.
THEY BOTH SHOWED
THAT.
WE DID SHARE ONE
THING.
I VISIT WITH HIM
SOME AT A TRIP.
HE WAS A CHEERLEADER
AT OLE MISS AND I
WAS A CHEERLEADER AT
MISSISSIPPI STATE.
ALSO MY MENTOR SAID
SENATOR COCHRAN WAS
A TRUE STATESMAN IN
CONGRESS.
THAD BELIEVED
WHATEVER WAS GOOD
FOR THE COUNTRY WAS
GOOD FOR
MISSISSIPPI.
YESTERDAY WAS THE
18th ANNIVERSARY
OF KATRINA ROLLING
THROUGH HERE.
SENATOR COCHRAN WAS
KEY TO GET A $220
MILLION SUPPLEMENTAL
FOR THE SPACE
CENTER.
DURING THAT TIME WE
WERE ABLE TO SECURE
A LOT OF WEAKNESSES
WE FOUND OUT THAT
KATRINA REVEAL.
WE HAVE DONE MUCH
BETTER IN TERMS OF
POWER FEEDS,
GENERATOR SYSTEMS.
A LOT OF THINGTIONS
THAT HELPED PUT
THINGS IN PLACE.
THEY SEE ALLIE AND
NERVOUS ABOUT POWER
OUTAGES AND WORK
STOPPAGES.
HE WAS A STEADFAST
FRIEND OF NASA
THROUGHOUT HIS
CAREER.
ESPECIALLY FITTING
WE DEDICATE THIS IN
HONOR OF HIM.
SENATOR COCHRAN WAS
A KEY FORCE TO
MODIFY THE B2 SITE
OF THE TEST STAND
AND TEST THE SPACE
LAUNCH SYSTEM AND
HELP LAUNCH THE
ARTEMIS ONE MISSION.
AFTER SEVERAL
ATTEMPTS WE LAUNCHED
IN THE WEE HOURS OF
THE MORNING AND HAD
A SUCCESSFUL FLIGHT
MUCH IN PART FOR
SENATOR COCHRAN ON
THE B2 TEST STAND.
THAT WAS A 7 YEAR
EFFORT AND SPEND
$300 MILLION FOR THE
TEST.
I HAVE A LITTLE
STORY, YOU KNOW, IT
WAS 2011.
SENATOR COCHRAN CAME
DOWN.
OBAMA CAME IN AND
CANCEL THE PROGRAM.
WE WERE SOME WHAT
ADRIFT.
WE DIDN'T KNOW IF WE
WOULD HAVE THE
PROGRAM.
WE TOURED THE B2
STAND THAT'S A RUSTY
ABANDON FACILITY AND
SPOKE ABOUT HOW
VALUABLE IT IS FOR
THE PROGRAMS.
HE ASKED THE DEPUTY
ADMINISTRATOR ARE WE
GOING TO PLAN TO
TEST THE NEW ROCKETS
HERE.
SHE SAID WE ARE NOT
SURE.
IT'S EXPENSIVE TO
UPKEEP THE STANDS.
HE SAID ARE REGOING
BACK TO CAVEMAN DAYS
AND NOT TEST
ROCKETS.
FROM THAT FORWARD
LAURIE TOOK AN
INTEREST.
HE JUST WAS, YOU
KNOW, THE QUIET
PERSUADER.
LET'S REMEMBER HIS
SPIRIT FOR AMERICAN
SPACE EXPLORATION IN
THE STATE OF
MS. MISSISSIPPI.
IT IS A PLEASURE TO
HAVE YOU HERE TODAY
AND WE HAVE A 7
MINUTE VIDEO THAT
SHOWS SENATOR
COCHRAN.
>> STATESMAN, NAVY
VETERAN, ATTORNEY,
HUSBAND, HUSBAND,
FATHER, AND
GRANDFATHER.
THESE ARE A FEW
WORDS THAT DESCRIBE
SENATOR WILLIAM THAD
COCHRAN.
HE HAD A LIFE OF
SERVICE IN THE
COUNTRY.
SENATOR COCHRAN
SEVERED THREE TERMS
IN THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES AND
SEVEN IN THE UNITED
STATES SENATE.
HIS 40 YEARS OF
COMBINED SERVICE
MAKES ONE OF THE
LONGEST SEVERING
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.
DISTINGUISHED BY HIS
DIPLOMACY HE WAS
WIDELY RESPECTED AND
ADMIRED ON BOTH
SIDES OF THE AISLE.
HIS RESOLVE AND
DILIGENCE IN
FOSTERING
BIPARTISANSHIP LEAD
TO COCHRAN DUBBED
THE QUIET PERSUADER
BY TIME MAGAZINE IN
2006.
THROUGHOUT HIS
CAREER HE WORKED TO
FOSTER MISSISSIPPI'S
ECONOMIC GROWTH AND
SEVERED AS A STRONG
ADVOCATE FOR THE
GULF COAST REGION.
AS CHAIR OF THE
SENATE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS WHEN
HURRICANE KARINA HIT
HE LEAD IN
REBUILDING EFFORTS
SECURING $29 BILLION
IN IMMEDIATE RELIEF
FUNDS FOR THE REGION
INCLUDING $5 MILLION
IN THE STATE OF
MISSISSIPPI A
PROVIDE GRANTS FOR
HOMEOWNERS TO
REPLACE OR ELEVATE
THEIR HOMES.
THE FEDERAL RELIEF
HELPED SECURE
FINANCIAL AND SOCIAL
RUIN IN MISSISSIPPI
AFTER THE HURRICANE
DESTRUCTION.
SENATOR COCHRAN HAD
UNWAVERING SUPPORT
FOR THE NASA SPACE
CENTER.
THIS WAS THE
AMERICAN FRONTIER OF
SPACEFLIGHT.
IN 2011 SENATOR
COCHRAN WAS AMONG
THE NATIONAL STATE
AND LOCAL LEADERS
THAT HELP FACILITATE
THE ELECTRONICS FER
OF 1.6 FROM THE U.S.
ARMY TO THE SPACE
CENTER AND ON-SITE
SPACE BY 33%.
THE TRANSFER
PARKWAYED THE WAY
FOR FUTURE GROWTH.
SUPPORTING NASA'S
WORK AND PROVIDE
CONTINUED SUPPORT IN
GOVERNMENT PARTNERS.
THE FOLLOWING YEAR
IN APRIL OF 2012
SENATOR COCHRAN
HELPED SHINE THE
PUBLIC SPOTLIGHT ON
THE OPENING OF THE
$30 MILLION SCIENCE
CENTER.
THE OFFICIAL VISITOR
CENTER HAS INSPIRED
THOUSANDS OF
CHILDREN AND ADULTS.
TO EMBRACE AMERICAN
SPACE DREAMS SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY AND
MATHEMATICS.
ALSO IN 2012 SENATOR
COCHRAN REPORTED
NASA'S REQUEST FOR
FUNDING
REHABILITATION.
HAVING TESTED ROCKET
STAGES IN SYSTEMS IN
THE SPACE SHUTTLE
ROARS.
THEY UNDERWENT
SIGNIFICANT
MODIFICATIONS AND
UPGRADES FOR THE
SLS4 STAGE WITH THE
25 ENGINES
GENERATING
1.6 MILLION POUNDS
OF THRUST AT LAUNCH.
ONE OF THE MOST
PROMINENT CHANGES TO
THE B2 TEST STAND
WAS A STEEL
STRUCTURE THAT
EXTENDED THE HEIGHTS
FROM 290 FEET.
MAKING IT ONE OF THE
TALLEST STRUCTURES.
THE MAIN CRANE ATOP
THE TEST STAND WAS
UP BY 50 FEET AND
INCREASED LOAD OF
195 TONS TO SAFELY
LIST THE CORE STAGE.
THEY CAN SHOWCASE
AND EXPAND
PROPULSION TESTING
ON-SITE.
IN APRIL 2024 THE
SENATOR PROUDLY
JOINED LEADERS AND
OTHER ELECTED
OFFICIALS IN
WELCOMING SPACE X
ON-SITE AS THE
COMPANY BEGAN TO
TEST PROPONENTS OF
THE RAPTOR UNITS ON
THE TEST STAND.
ON MAY 30th 2019
SENATOR THAD COCHRAN
OR GENTLEMAN THAD
PASSED AWAY
PEACEFULLY AT THE
AGE OF 81 IN OXFORD,
MISSISSIPPI.
WE LOOK AT THE
MARCH.
ONE YEAR 9 MONTHS
LATER THE SLS CORE
STAGE FOR THE
ARTEMIS ONE MISSION
UNDERWENT A BURN FOR
8 MINUTES 19 SECONDS
ON THE TEST STAND.
THIS HISTORIC
ACHIEVEMENT WOULDN'T
HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE
ABOUT THE STEADFAST
SUPPORT IN NASA'S
MISSION TO THE MOON
IN PREPARATION FOR
MISSIONS TO MARS.
AS THE MOON BOUND
SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM
LIFTS OFF THE PAD
AND OUR EYES TURN
SKYWARD WE WILL BE
REMINDED ENDURING
LEGACY AS A CHAMPION
FOR THE PEOPLE OF
MISSISSIPPI AND ALL
AMERICANS THAT DREAM
OF EXPLORING COSMIC
HORIZON AND SHARED
KNOWLEDGE.
THE SPACE CENTER
FAMILY IS ETERNALLY
GRATEFUL FOR THE
LIFE AND LEGACY OF
SENATOR COCHRAN.
BY AFFIXING HIS NAME
TO THE HISTORIC B2
TEST STAND.
IT'S OUR GREAT HONOR
TO ANNOUNCE THE B2
TEST STAND SHOULD BE
KNOWN AS THE THAD
COCHRAN TEST STAND.
[ APPLAUSE ]
I TEARED UP THE
FIRST TIME I WATCHED
IT.
GREAT VIDEO, I'D
LIKE TO ASK MS. CAY
TO COME UP AND
UNVEIL THE PLAQUE
AND I'LL TURN THE
MIC OVER TO HER FOR
COMMENTS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> A FEW NOTES.
TODAY THEY SAID
EVERYTHING ALREADY.
THERE IS NORMALLY
THING I COULD ADD
THAT WOULD LET YOU
KNOW EXACTLY WHAT
THAD WAS LIKE.
HE WAS A WONDERFUL
MAN AND HE LOVED
MISSISSIPPI.
HE LOVED THE
MILITARY.
HE WANTED TO DO
ANYTHING AND
EVERYTHING HE COULD
TO MAKE LIVES BETTER
FROM MISSISSIPPI.
I CAN REMEMBER WHEN
HE GOT SICK I SAID,
THAD WE NEED TO
THINK ABOUT GOING
HOME.
HE SAID, NO, I'M NOT
READY.
I SAID, THAD, WE
NEED TO SERIOUSLY
THINK ABOUT GOING
HOME.
HE SAID, AS LONG AS
I'M CHAIRMAN OF
APPROPRIATION AND
CAN PUT ONE DOLLARS
IN THE GREAT STATE
OF MISSISSIPPI I
WILL NOT RETIRE.
SO, MY LOBBYING
SKILLS WERE NO GOOD.
I'M NOT A GOOD
LOBBYIST.
I HEADNOTES THAT I
PLAN TO KIND OF TELL
YOU WHAT THINGS WERE
LIKE.
THE FUNNIEST THING
TO EXPLAIN WHAT I
DIDN'T EVEN HAVE IN
MY NOTES IS I WAS ON
THE TRIANGLE AT THE
CAPITOL ONE DAY.
THE SENATE CHAPLAIN
WAS ON THE TRAIN
WITH ME.
HE WAS AN ADMIRAL IN
THE NAVY.
AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN
MAN AND MAN OF VERY
FEW WORDS BUT
GREATLY ADMIRED.
HE LOOKED OVER AT ME
AND SAID, WORK HERE?
>> I SAID, YES, SIR.
I DO.
>> LONG?
>> I SAID, YES, SIR.
37 YEARS.
>> WHO DO YOU WORK
FOR?
>> THAD COCHRAN.
>> GOOD MAN.
GOOD MAN.
I SAID I WORKED FOR
HIM 37 YEARS AND
THEN I MARRIED HIM.
HE ALMOST FELL OFF
THE TRAIN.
THAD DID LOVE
MISSISSIPPI AND SO
PROUD TO SERVE THE
STATE THREE TERMS IN
THE HOUSE AND 42
YEARS IN THE SENATE.
HE NEVER TIRED OF
THOSE WHO CAME TO
WASHINGTON.
HE WOULD GO SIT-DOWN
NEXT TO THE
MISSISSIPPIAN AND
PUT HIS HAND ON HIS
LEG AND SAY, WHAT
CAN I DO FOR YOU.
HE WAS A GREAT
LISTENER.
HE WOULD LISTEN AND
LISTEN.
HE WOULD SAY, THANK
YOU, I'LL DO THE
BEST I CAN AND DID.
THE VIDEO WAS GREAT.
HE DID HELP A LOT OF
AMERICANS.
BECAUSE HE WORKED
ACROSS THE AISLE.
SOMETHING THAT'S
FORGOTTEN THESE DAYS
AND I'M SAD TO SAY.
HE JUST HAD A SHIP
CHRISTENED THIS PAST
WEEKEND.
I ORIGINALLY CAME
DOWN FOR THAT AND
SALLY WITH HER
EFFORTS WAS ABLE TO
PUT THIS TOGETHER.
I APPRECIATE ALL OF
THE WORK SALLY DID.
SENATOR STEVENS, OF
COURSE, WAS SENATE
OF APPROPRIATIONS
BEFORE THAT.
HE WAS RATHER SMALL
IN STATUE BUT GRUFF.
HE WAS REALLY NOT
GRUFF BUT A TEDDY
BEAR.
HE MARCHED AROUND
AND SAY TO THAD.
OKAY, TUESDAY AND
THURSDAY, WE ARE
PLAYING TENNIS.
HE WOULD SAY, OH, MY
GOSH.
SENATOR STEVENS WAS
NOT A GOOD AT THE
PRESENT NICE PLAYER
THAD WAS AN
EXCELLENT TENNIS
PLAYER.
THAD WAS THE SECOND
BEST IN THE SENATE
BUT SENATOR STEVENS
WASN'T.
HE CALLED THE SHOTS
BECAUSE HE WAS
CHAIRMAN OF
APPROPRIATIONS AT
THE TIME.
THAD NEW WHICH SIDE
IT WAS ON.
THAT'S HOW THAT
WENT.
I DON'T NEED MY
NOTES.
I HOPE YOU ALL DO
REALIZE THAT THEY
LOST A WONDERFUL
STATESMAN WHEN THAD
DIED BECAUSE HE
LOVED MISSISSIPPI SO
MUCH HE WANTED TO DO
EVERYTHING HE COULD
FOR THE
MISSISSIPPIANS THANK
YOU FOR COMING.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> OKAY, THANK YOU
FOR SHARING YOUR
EXPERIENCES.
I ENJOYED TALKING TO
YOU IN THE LOBBY AND
SHARING STORIES.
I COULD TALK TO YOU
FOR HOURS.
HE WAS SUCH A
FASCINATING MAN.
AGAIN, THE LATE
SENATOR WILL
CONTINUE TO INSPIRE
AND ENCOURAGE US AND
FUTURE GENERATIONS.
HIS MEMORY WILL LIVE
ON.
I WAS SAYING
COVID-19 INTERRUPTED
THIS.
WE WERE HOPING TO DO
THIS AND IT WAS
DELAYED.
WE CONTINUE TO HAVE
HIS LEGACY IN FRONT
OF US AND NEVER
FORGET, YOU KNOW,
ALL OF THE GREAT
THINGS HE DID FOR
THE STATE OF
MISSISSIPPI AND
COUNTRY.
HE WAS A DEDICATED
GOVERNMENT SERVIENT
AS WE ARE AND HE WAS
A MODEL FOR ALL OF
US AND HOW TO SERVE
THE PEOPLE.
TODAY'S AN
OPPORTUNITY TO
REFLECT ON THE
EFFORT, DEDICATION,
AND VISION SENATOR
COCHRAN SHOWED WHILE
VISITING THE GREAT
STATE OF
MISSISSIPPI.
THIS IS A SYMBOL OF
THE PUBLIC SERVICE.
WE THANK YOU FOR
BEING APART OF
TODAY'S EVENT AND I
HOPE WE BETTER SERVE
ONE ANOTHER.
AS WE CONCLUDE,
LET'S LEAD MOTIVATED
BY THE EXAMPLE OF
SENATOR THAD
COCHRAN.
THIS CONCLUDES THE
EVENT AND WE'LL HAVE
REFRESHMENTS IN THE
LOBBY.