STENNIS DAY IN THE BAY SET FOR SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11TH, 2023

Hancock Co., Miss. August 30, 2023 – The Events Committee of Bay Saint Louis, Miss., together with Partners for Stennis & Michoud are proud to announce Stennis Day in the Bay. The event is set for Veterans Day, Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, from 12 – 5 pm on the grounds of the historic Hancock County Courthouse on Main Street in Bay St. Louis.

Features of this exciting event include a “space themed” Bud & Burgers competition, hosted by the Hancock Chamber’s Leadership Hancock and sponsored by Mitchell Distributing. There will also be special recognition for Apollo 13 Astronaut Fred Haise on his 90^th birthday, and interactive exhibits will be on display for adults and children.

During Stennis Day in the Bay, children of all ages will be able to meet face-to-face with people who work at Stennis from NASA and some of the almost 40 federal, state, academic, private, and technology-based tenants. There are about 5,000 employees who work at the site, and if counted as a single workforce, NASA’s Stennis Space Center would rank as one of the Top 10 largest businesses in the State of Mississippi.

Some of the other agencies and organizations supporting the event include: INFINITY Science Center, the Hancock Library System, the Hancock County Historical Society, the Hancock County Port & Harbor Commission, Stennis International Airport, Pearl River Community College, Northshore Community College, University of Southern Mississippi Coastal Operations, local military recruiters, and members of the VFW and American Legion. The Hancock County Historical Society will feature historic films, photographic collections, and speakers, such as local author Pat Murphy, to talk about the history of NASA’s Stennis Space Center. Anyone with a product or service related to veteran programs and services, space, science, technology, engineering, or ocean exploration is invited to participate by reserving a booth. Registration is open at www.partnersforstennis.org. Local restaurants are also invited to feature special space drinks and menu items, and merchants are invited to decorate their stores and offer special space-related products and promotions to welcome visitors during this exciting event.

“This event will celebrate and recognize all that NASA and the resident agencies at Stennis do to create jobs and opportunities for Hancock County and the State of Mississippi,” said Events Chair Janice Guido of Bay Life Gifts at Century Hall. “We want to help give children the information they need to consider careers in science, technical, engineering, and math to grow the workforce for Stennis right here at home,” she said.

NASA’s Stennis Space Center is the lead center to manage all NASA propulsion test capabilities and assets. The site is now testing RS-25 engines that will send the powerful SLS (Space Launch System) rocket on Artemis missions to the Moon and eventual flights to Mars. NASA Stennis serves as a powerful economic engine for local economies in the Gulf Coast region. According to Mississippi State University studies, Stennis contributes as much as $1 billion a year to the economies of Hancock, Harrison, and Pearl River counties in Mississippi and St. Tammany Parish in Louisiana – all located within a 50-mile radius.

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