Memorial to Space Shuttle Columbia Heroes To Be Built

Among the speakers who made this event possible are California Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-34th), who is responsible for the passage of a measure to name and fund the Space Science Learning Center in Downey; Dr. Jonathan Clark, husband to late NASA astronaut Laurel Clark, M.D. - Mission Specialist 4, representing the crewmembers’ families; Mayor Rick Trejo of the City of Downey; Nato Flores and Alex Guerrero, President and Executive Vice President, respectively, of Tower General Contractors -- the construction company building the Center.

"The groundbreaking for the Columbia Memorial Space Science Learning Center is another significant step toward fulfilling a dream for the City of Downey," said Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, who represents Downey, and authored legislation in 2004 to name the center as a memorial to the seven Space Shuttle Columbia astronauts. "Thanks to the tremendous vision of many community leaders, including former Congressman Steve Horn, the center will provide a fitting tribute to the Columbia astronauts. The Learning Center will also celebrate the legacy of the many local employees who helped to build the shuttle fleet at the former Rockwell International plant by educating future generations about our country’s historic advances in space exploration."

On February 1, 2003, the Columbia shuttle made an uncontrolled reentry to the earth’s atmosphere and the seven crew members lost their lives, including: Rick D. Husband, Commander; William C. McCool, Pilot; Michael P. Anderson, Payload Commander; David M. Brown, Mission Specialist 1; Kalpana Chawla, Mission Specialist 2; Laurel Blair Salton Clark, Mission Specialist 4; and Ilan Ramon, Payload Specialist.

The Center will honor the memory of the Columbia Space Shuttle Crew, American heroes, who died in service to their country. The Center is also intended to serve as a tribute to the many people who have worked in the aviation and aerospace industry in Downey over seven decades. The leaders of the Center have a major educational goal: to enhance space science knowledge and scientific literacy. The Center is slated for completion on February 1, 2008, the fifth anniversary of the tragedy.

Mayor Rick Trejo, on behalf of current and former Council members, wants to acknowledge the importance of this event not only for residents of Downey, but for Southern California as a whole. Although the new park will serve local residents, the Learning Center will attract visitors from throughout the southern California area. Mayor Trejo reminds us of the mission of the Center: "The Columbia Memorial Space Science Learning Center honors and promotes the legacy of America’s aerospace program in Downey and Southern California: the spirit of creativity and invention that has made possible human exploration beyond the surface of Earth."

Alex Guerrero, Executive Vice President of Tower General Contractors, remarked, "We are delighted to have been selected to build this distinguished Memorial that stands as a living tribute for those who gave their lives for the advancement of the next generation of astronauts."

The 18,000 square feet facility will include active learning experiences that will educate students on various aspects of aerospace, including, The Challenger Learning Center, which will feature a simulated space mission that will test the participant’s decision-making skills.

The Center will also include a Space Science Discovery Zone where visitors will find a variety of interactive exhibits that help them explore principles of flight, living in space, the search for life beyond earth, and the origins of the universe. The Mars Robotics Lab will allow young visitors the opportunity to design and program their own robots in order to complete a remote exploration mission to the planet Mars.

Historical displays will tell the stories of the men and women who contributed to the spirit of invention and innovation that led to the development of the aviation and aerospace industry in Downey, Southern California, and propelled the United States to a leadership role in space exploration.

The design firm of Arquitectonica will oversee and execute the architecture and interior design of the Columbia Memorial Space Science & Learning Center. The landscape architecture has been designed by Arquitectonica GEO. The architecture for the Center reflects the aspiration and the ambitions of the astronauts and mankind traveling to space. It’s a dynamic form propelling itself forward and upward, expressive of the confident optimism that drove a century of aviation and space exploration achievement.