Governor Kay Ivey has announced a series of appointments across Alabama, including two new individuals selected to serve on the U.S. Space & Rocket Center Commission, the governing body overseeing one of the state’s top tourism and education destinations in Huntsville.
The appointments are part of a broader round of 14 selections to boards and commissions statewide.
Named to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center Commission are Mary Scott Hunter and Joseph Pelfrey. In addition to the two new appointments, Wes Kelley, A.R. “Rey” Almodovar, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Barbara Fast, Jim Rogers, Lisa Williams, Col. (Ret.) Roosevelt Lewis and Nicole Faulk were reappointed to the board.
“We appreciate Governor Kay Ivey’s efforts to fill two open seats on the U.S. Space & Rocket Center Commission, the board that governs the Rocket Center. We look forward to welcoming the new appointees and appreciate our board’s support of Center operations and our Space Camp programs,” USSRC officials said in a statement to 256 Today.
The commission is an Alabama state agency responsible for establishing policy, direction and oversight for the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, which serves as the official NASA Visitor Center for Marshall Space Flight Center.
The commission, whose members are appointed by the governor, oversees the center’s operations, including its museum exhibits, Space Camp and Aviation Challenge programs.
Located in Huntsville, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center is the world’s largest spaceflight museum, housing more than 1,500 artifacts, including a full Saturn V rocket. Since opening in 1970, the center has played a key role in showcasing Alabama’s contributions to space exploration and educating visitors from around the world.
The latest appointments come as the center continues to serve as a major tourism driver and educational hub for the state, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors annually and highlighting Huntsville’s role in the nation’s space program.
