to determine compatibility of complete vehicles with their vibration environment; cold flow stands for development of vehicle fluid flow systems; ground support equipment testing apparatus; and acoustic and structural testing positions.

An example of flexibility in facility application is the construction of a zero gravity drop test tower in an existing dynamic test tower which was built for the Saturn program (fig. 65). These modifications do not compromise the ability of the dynamic stands to do vibration testing on future vehicle-payloads combinations such as Voyager.

Experience in the Saturn program has proved the importance of development and testing of these launch tower systems and their interface with the vehicle. Marshall's high bay spaces with massive access doors, environmental control, and sensitively controlled high capacity cranes can be used in any aerospace program requiring stations for work on large hardware items (fig. 66). The adI joining complex of supporting facilities and equipment completes the capability required for Saturn vehicles and development of advanced manufacturing methods and processes (fig. 67).

Michoud Assembly Facility

The 1st or booster stages of the uprated Saturn I and the Saturn V are being produced by the Chrysler Corporation and the Boeing Company respectively at the Michoud Assembly Facility near New Orleans (fig. 68). This governmentowned plant as of June 30, 1965, represented a capital investment of $134,450,000. This 43 acre manufacturing building was constructed during World War II. Since NASA acquired the plant we have added a vertical assembly and vehicle checkout capability, together with storage and engineering space to provide a facility that is well suited to the assembly of large space vehicles.

Final acceptance of the Saturn V first and second stages takes place at the Mississippi Test Facility. The capital investment in this complex has reached $215,994,000 as of June 30, 1966. This figure represents a testing complex consisting of one Saturn V dual position test stand (fig. 69), and two single position second stage test stands (fig. 70). Test support facilities include the test control center, data acquisition center, propellant facilities, water supply system, fuel transfer and storage facilities, and supporting laboratory facilities.

Last year, the first Saturn 2nd stage test stand was completed and test firings are now underway. The first position of the Saturn 1st stage test stand became operational during this past December. The Saturn 2nd stage storage and checkout facility was also completed and became operational. Essentially, all work has been completed at the Center.

Various Locations under Marshall Space Flight Center

Engine and vehicle fabrication facilities are operated by contract under the managerial cognizance of the Marshall Space Flight Center. The total capital investment for these facilities as of June 30, 1966, exceeds $117,277,000.

The engines which are used in all space vehicles, the H-1, F-1, and J-2, are developed, fabricated, assembled, and tested by Rocketdyne Division of North

testing takes place at Santa Susana (fig. 71). The H-1 engine is fabricated, assembled, and tested at Neosho, Missouri. The F-1 and J-2 engines are fabricated and assembled at Canoga Park, California (fig. 72). The acceptance testing for the F-1 engine is conducted in facilities constructed at the Edwards Air Force Base and the testing of the J-2 takes place in facilities provided at Santa Susana, California. In each instance, we have capitalized on basic resources provided by the Department of Defense with augmentation by NASA.

Two Saturn launch vehicles stages, the S-IVB and the S-II, are fabricated and assembled on the West Coast. The S-IVB is manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Company (fig. 73) in company-owned facilities at Huntington Beach, California. Acceptance testing of the completed stages takes place at Sacramento, California (fig. 74), where NASA has an operational test complex.

The fabrication and assembly of the S-II stage is performed in the NASA constructed facility at Seal Beach, operated by the Space and Information Systems Division of North American Aviation, Inc. (fig. 75). The final acceptance testing and refurbishment of the S-II stage takes place at the NASA Mississippi Test Facility.

Activation of the first factory checkout station at Seal Beach, California, was completed in April 1966 to accept the arrival of the S-II-1 Saturn V second stage. Activation of the second facility checkout station at Seal Beach is underway and

Various Locations under Manned Spacecraft Center

Spacecraft manufacturing and testing are accomplished under the managerial cognizance of the Manned Spacecraft Center. The Apollo Command and Service Modules are manufactured by the North American Aviation Company in the NASA Industrial Plant at Downey, California. This plant was acquired from the Air Force in 1964. We have added a number of facilities valued at $15,765,000 which are now complete and operational.

The Lunar Module is manufactured by the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation at their Bethpage, New York plant (fig. 76). Some of the more important Grumman facilities are the electronic systems development laboratory, the fuel systems laboratory, the navigation and guidance laboratory and the flight control systems laboratory.

Developmental testing of the Apollo spacecraft propulsion systems is conducted at the NASA operated White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico (fig. 77) on land acquired from the Army by use permit. NASA has invested a total of $26,934,000 in this facility which has three major areas: the Apollo Propulsion Systems Development Facility, the Lunar Module Test Facilities, and the Little Joe II Launch Facilities.

The Lunar Module test facilities are used for developmental testing of the ascent, descent, and reaction control propulsion systems. The test area has three structurally identical, single position, static firing stands.

The complex for flight qualification of spacecraft modules and systems prior to