The Aerospace Legacy Foundation
     Downey California

Our Mission

§ Identify and preserve historical Aerospace sites in California for public benefit.

§ Gather, collect and display artifacts, documents, photographs, film, graphics, and memorabilia representing California Aerospace history.

§ Promote collaboration and partnerships among the Aerospace Industry stakeholders in displaying/sharing historical archives and collections.

§ Inspire and inform educators, students, parents and the public on the  significance of the California Aerospace heritage and its legacy to society.

§ Attract and involve retired aerospace workforce as productive resources to educators and the community.

The Aerospace Legacy Foundation will be a world class non-profit  organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the aerospace heritage of the men and women who took our nation and the world into space.

The ALF Vision states that:

• We want the men and women who have contributed to the development of Americas Aerospace Industries to be remembered and honored by future generations in a significant way, AND
  

• It is our aim to have all the members of our community aware of the contributions made to society by the aerospace industries workforce
  

Highlights of 2010
CMSC CLC Opening - 250 guests and VIPs attended the Grand Opening of the Columbia Memorial Space Center Challenger Learning Center on August 30^th 2010.

City of Downey and IRG/Downey Studios Site - The City of Downey and the Industrial Realty Group (IRG) announced the go-ahead for the ne "Tierra Luna"    development on the Downey site. The Aerospace Legacy Foundation will support the IRG architectural redevelopment staff in defining ways of preserving and integrating the history of the site into the development.

ALF Advisory BOD 1^st Annual Meeting - The 1^st Annual Advisory Board of Directors meeting was held at Mimi's Café in Downey

AIAA Panel Discussion On Aug 31^st a distinguished panel with Buzz Aldrin met at the Columbia Memorial Space Center to discuss the future of the Space Program.

AIAA - Space 2010 the ALF along with the Columbia Memorial Space center hosted a booth in "Education Alley" to highlight the Challenger Learning Center Program. Several hundred students visited and participated in hands on activities.

Shared Science Ambassadors Program - ALF joined with several other organizations in applying for a National Science Foundation Grant to support STEM   education.

NASA Shuttle Oral History Project- The ALF hosted engineer interviews at the Columbia Space center for NASA/JSC to capture the story of the Space Shuttle Orbiter design evolution.

AIAA Aerospace History Panel Presentation - The ALF joined with several other panelists to discuss aerospace history. The panel was hosted by NASA Dryden Flight Research Center.

Site Tours - ALF conducted over 12 presentations and tours throughout Southern California this past year for civic, non-profit, commercial and corporate audiences.

The Aerospace Legacy Foundation (ALF) is very active in the Downey community and historical preservation. A long time member of the Downey Chamber of Commerce and the Downey Coordinating Council, ALF has worked hard with other non-profit groups to improve Downey's efforts at preserving and sharing the city's long and prestigious aerospace history. Since 1995 ALF has done over 200 presentations, educating the public about our nation's incredible aviation and aerospace heritage, particularly at Downey's former NASA site.
ALF offices are open from Tuesday to Thursday by appointment. Contact Kathy Blackburn for more information at 562-922-8068.

ALF president Jerry Blackburn (left) has been an incredible resource to the Space Center project from its inception. He has also assisted just about everyone who came to get the "low down" on Downey's incredible piece of aerospace history. Jerry and other ALF members and Directors have been the "go to" group of people from the early days of the NASA site's transformation from Boeing to Downey Studios, Downey Landing, Kaiser and the beautiful Columbia Space Center.
ALF continues to partner with and assist making the Columbia Space Center a success.

Recently ALF Director Larry Latimer wrote "Images of America, Downey" and Jerry Blackburn wrote, "Downey's Aerospace History: 1947-1999." Both books were published by Arcadia Publishing . Mr. Latimer is also Vice President of the Downey Historical Society and a long time Downey resident. Left is Larry Latimer with Dale Myers, former NASA executive and North American Aviation manager. Below right the aviation pioneers Boeing, Kindelberger, Douglas and McDonnell. Both Jerry Blackburn and Larry Latimer were Associate Producers of "Pioneers in Aviation: The Race to the Moon" for ALF. The film was sponsored by the Aerospace Legacy Foundation and the families of the pioneers. "Pioneers" is being re-released in Digital HD with ALF as the chief sponsor. Expect the PBS world premiere in the spring of 2011 in Washington D.C. The Aerospace Legacy Foundation is a longtime Downey Chamber of Commerce member, Coordinating Council member and works within the Downey community showcasing Downey's Aviation & Aerospace history.

Above: The SRBs (solid rocket boosters) are ignited after the three space shuttle main engines' thrust level is verified. The two SRBs provide 71.4 percent of the thrust at lift- off and during first-stage ascent.
Seventy- five seconds after SRB separation, SRB apogee occurs at an altitude of approximately 220,000 feet, or 35 nautical miles (41 statute miles). SRB impact occurs in the ocean approximately 122 nautical miles (141 statute miles) downrange.