HUNTSVILLE, AL – The U.S. Space & Rocket Center (USSRC) is hosting a news conference for a check presentation from Madison County Chairman Dale Strong to the NASA/Marshall Retirees Association (MRA) Thursday, Nov. 3, at 10 a.m., at the Davidson Center for Space Exploration. The Madison County Commission grant of $250,000 will support the MRA’s goal of building a Space Exploration Memorial at the Rocket Center.

The MRA is raising $750,000 for the memorial that will consist of a wall noting the names of thousands of individuals who contributed to Marshall Space Flight Center’s long history of space exploration. Visitors will also be able to use a kiosk to search the names and contributions of those individuals.

The memorial will be in a transformed Rocket Park along with five historic rockets that have been restored. Groundbreaking for the new Rocket Park is planned for early winter.

“There is no better tribute to recognize and honor the thousands of workers from NASA and their contractors whose dedicated teamwork made America’s space exploration possible from Huntsville and Madison County as well as all of North Alabama,” Chairman Strong said. “This memorial will forever recognize these space explorers and serve as an inspiration for generations to follow in their footsteps and take us back to the Moon, Mars and points beyond.”

Fundraising for the memorial is ongoing, and individuals and family members are encouraged to submit names and information for the memorial database by visiting marshallretirees.org. The database already includes more than 22,000 current and former Marshall employees.