These are just a few of the words that describe Senator
William Thad Cochran,
the Pontotoc, Mississippi native who exemplified
a life of service to family, state and country.
Senator Cochran served three terms in the United States House
of Representatives and seven in the United States Senate.
His 45 years of combined service makes him one of the longest
serving members of Congress in American history.
Distinguished by his diplomacy and tact
in the halls of government,
Senator Cochran was widely respected and admired
by colleagues on both sides of the aisle.
His steadfast resolve
and diligence in fostering Senate bipartisanship
led to Cochran being dubbed “the Quiet Persuader”
by Time magazine in 2006.
Throughout his storied career, Senator Cochran worked
tirelessly to foster Mississippi's economic growth
and served as a strong advocate for the Gulf Coast region.
As chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations
when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005,
Senator Cochran led and Gulf Coast recovery and rebuilding
efforts, securing
$29 billion in immediate relief funds for the region,
including $5 billion for the state of Mississippi
to provide grants to homeowners to repair, replace
or elevate their homes.
In the words of Jackson's Daily newspaper, The Clarion Ledger,
the federal relief he helped secure is credited
with preventing
financial and social ruin in Mississippi and Louisiana
after the hurricane's destruction.
Senator Cochran also provided unwavering support
to NASA's Kennedy Space Center and to NASA's missions
in advancing the frontier of American spaceflight.
In 2011,
Senator Cochran was among the national, state
and local leaders who helped facilitate the transfer of 1.6
million square feet of facility space from the U.S.
Army to the Stennis Space Center,
expanding available on site space by about 33%.
The transfer paved the way for years of future growth,
setting the stage for the center
to attract new commercial tenants supporting NASA's work,
and to provide continued support for existing
government partners.
The following year, in April 2012,
Senator Cochran helped shine the public spotlight
on the opening of the $30 million Infinity Science Center,
the official visitor center for Stennis, that has inspired
thousands of children
and young adults to embrace America's space dreams
and to explore the fields of science, technology,
engineering and mathematics.
Also in 2012, Senator Cochran supported NASA's request
for funding to rehabilitate the B-2 Test stand to support
testing of NASA's new space launch system,
or SLS rocket.
Having tested rocket stages and systems
during the Apollo and space shuttle eras,
the stand underwent significant modifications
and upgrades to accommodate the 212-foot SLS
core stage equipped with four RS 25 engines capable
of generating 1.6 million pounds of combined thrust at launch.
One of the most prominent changes
to the B-2 test stand included adding a steel superstructure
that extended the height from 290 feet to about 350 feet,
making it one of the tallest structures in Mississippi.
The main derrick crane atop
the test stand was also extended by 50 feet and received
an increased load rating of 195 tons to safely lift
the core stage.
Senator Cochran also supported Stennis Space Center's effort
to showcase and expand commercial propulsion testing
business on site.
In April 2014,
the Senator proudly
joined Stennis leaders and other elected officials
in welcoming SpaceX on site as the company began testing
components of its methane fueled raptor engine on the E-2
Test stand.
On May
30th, 2019, Senator Thad Cochran or “Gentleman Thad”,
as some of his colleagues called him, passed away
peacefully at the age of 81 in Oxford, Mississippi.
While we mourn the loss of the late senator,
we also recognize and celebrate the indelible mark
he left on Stennis Space Center.
On March 18th, 2021,
one year and nine months following the Senator's passing,
the SLS core stage for the Artemis I mission
underwent a full duration hot fire for 8 minutes
and 19 seconds on the renovated B-2 test stand.
This historic achievement would not have been possible
without Senator Cochran's steadfast support
for the Stennis Space Center
and NASA's mission to return American astronauts to the moon
in preparation for eventual missions to Mars.
As the moon bound space launch system lifts off
the pad at Kennedy Space Center and our eyes turn skyward,
we will be reminded of Senator Cochran's enduring legacy
as a champion not only for the people of Mississippi,
but for all Americans who dream of exploring
the cosmic horizon and advancing humanity's shared knowledge.
The Stennis Space Center family is eternally grateful
for the life and legacy of Senator Cochran.
Today, we are proud to memorialize the late Senator
by affixing his name to the historic B-2 test stand.
It is our great honor to announce that the B-2 test
stand shall hereafter be known as the Thad Cochran Test Stand.