Tribute to Roy S. Estess (Senate – August 01, 2002)

   Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, one of my State’s finest Federal Government officials, Roy S. Estess, announced last week his retirement from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

   Mr. Estes had served as Director of the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi since January 20, 1989. He has been responsible for managing the center and overseeing the Center’s role as the lead center for rocket propulsion testing and the lead center for implementing commercial remote sensing applications. Prior to becoming Director, he had been the Deputy Director of the Center for nine years. He had played a pivotal role in having the Mississippi Test Facility selected as the test site for the
Space Shuttle main engine.

   Roy graduated from Mississippi State University with a degree in aerospace engineering, and he also completed the advanced management program at the Harvard Graduate Business School.

   Roy has held various engineering and management positions during his 42 years of Government service. Thirty-seven of those years have been spent with NASA . His wide ranging experience with NASA included service as a special assistant in NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC, for two consecutive NASA Administrators. Roy also served temporarily as acting director of the Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX.

   Among the numerous awards and honors he has received over the years are: the Presidential Distinguished Service Award–twice–and Meritorious Senior Executive Award; NASA’s Distinguished Exceptional Service, Equal Opportunity and Outstanding Leadership Medals; the National Distinguished Executive Service Award for Public Service; and Alumni Fellow of Mississippi State University; as well as Citizen of the Year in his home town of Tylertown, MS.

   We will truly miss having the benefit of the thoughtful, intelligent leadership of Roy Estess.

   He has been a great friend and a trusted source of good advice and counsel for me throughout my career.

   I commend Roy Estess on his truly outstanding career and I wish for him much satisfaction and happiness in the years ahead.