PLAN AFOOT TO RENAME NASA DRYDEN AFTER NEIL ARMSTRONG.

Byline: JIM SKEEN

Staff Writer

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE -- A congressman wants to rename NASA Dryden Flight Research Center after test pilot and Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong, who was the first person to walk on the moon.

The change, supported by some space-advocacy organizations, is proposed in part with the goal of inspiring a new generation of scientists and researchers to explore space.

Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Riverside, said he is drafting legislation to rename the center after Armstrong and still honor Hugh Dryden by naming a test range after him. Calvert said the effort was prompted by requests from numerous space advocates, including the California Space Authority and people in the Antelope Valley.

"He's certainly an American hero, a world hero for that matter, and this is the type of recognition he deserves," Calvert said of Armstrong.

Calvert, who is the ranking Republican on the House Space and Aeronautics subcommittee, said he told Armstrong about the idea and the former astronaut said he would not take a position on the matter.

Calvert's proposal would still honor Dryden by naming the Western Aeronautical Test Range for him. The test range is a network of radars, global positioning satellite equipment, and telemetry gear that covers restricted airspace over and to the north of Edwards Air Force Base.

Dryden was a noted expert in aerodynamics who served as director of NASA's forerunner -- the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics -- and later as deputy administrator for the then-newly formed NASA. Dryden, who died in 1965, is credited with helping launch the X-15 rocketplane program and helping oversee the technical aspects of the early manned space programs.

"He (Dryden) did a huge amount of research work and should be honored for that," Calvert said.

Janice Dunn, deputy director of the California Space Authority, said the organization supports naming the center after Armstrong -- with the caveat that the test range be named after Dryden. The move has two benefits: -- recognition for the first man to walk on the moon, a man with ties to Dryden; and more accurately reflecting the mission of the center.

"It'll help reflect that the center does indeed have an active participation in space exploration," Dunn said. "It's kind of lost that the center has a space exploration connection."

Among its space connections, the NASA Dryden center at Edwards Air Force Base is where the space shuttles landed early in that program.

The Antelope Valley Board of Trade, an organization that has lobbied on behalf of Dryden projects, supports the name change.

"Hopefully, this will inspire young people to get them interested in math and science," said Cathy Hart, the organization's executive director. "This is an inspirational effort to get young people to become the next generation of researchers, scientists and space explorers."

There is a precedent for such a name change. In 1999, NASA's Lewis Research Center in Ohio was renamed for astronaut and senator John Glenn. The new name, John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field, still honors George Lewis, the first executive director of the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics.

Although Armstrong is best known for the historic Apollo 11 moon mission in July 1969, he also had a distinguished career as a test pilot at Dryden from 1955 to 1962, including flying the famed X-15 rocketplane.

Armstrong made seven flights in the rocket plane from December 1960 until July 1962. During those fights he reached a peak altitude of 207,500 feet in the X-15-3, and a speed of 3,989 mph in the X-15-1.

As a research pilot Armstrong served as project pilot on the F-100A and F-100C aircraft, F-101, and the F-104A. He also flew the X-1B, X-5, F-105, F-106, B-47, KC-135, and Paresev. When he left Dryden to become an astronaut, Armstrong had logged more than 2,450 flying hours.

The test-pilot era was both immortalized and spoofed in the book and movie "The Right Stuff."

"I did a lot of different test programs in those days," Armstrong said in a September 2001 oral history project for NASA. "That was a very exciting job and very excellent flying, very challenging goals. I think it was certainly one of the memorable parts of my life."

As an astronaut, Armstrong made two space flights - a March 1966 flight in the Gemini program that featured the first docking in space, and the historic Apollo 11 mission that made him the first man to walk on the moon.

In 1991, Armstrong returned to the Antelope Valley to be inducted into Lancaster's Aerospace Walk of Honor.

james.skeen@dailynews

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(color -- ran in Valley edition only) ARMSTRONG