ARDMORE, Ala. — If you've lived long enough in the Tennessee Valley, you'll know just how crushed many were when the Saturn 1B rocket was no more last year. It was the welcome mat to Alabama on I-65. There is good news though: plans for a new rocket are in the works.
Alabama House District 6 Representative Andy Whitt explained that the Saturn rocket was owned by NASA, and after realizing the rocket just wasn't built to last for more than forty years, there was no other choice. "It was an original Saturn 1B Rocket, and it was not built to withstand fourth years of severe Alabama weather. It needed to come down for the safety of everyone concerned. So it was it was ultimately decided to take it down and which it came down. They're currently building the new welcome center there in Ardmore. And two years ago, we began the process of trying to figure out, okay, what can replace it? And we quickly learned there was only one thing that could replace the Saturn B rocket, and that is another Saturn B rocket."
This new rocket will be a replica of the previous Saturn 1B. "We were able to secure $2 million in funding the first time. And this last year alone, with the help of Governor Kay Ivey and Representative Rex Reynolds here from Madison, and Representative Danny Crawford, we were able to secure $5 million."
Whitt continued that they are currently still in the early planning stages of this process. "Obviously, it will take time as we look at the manufacturers of these the rockets and the replicas, we want to make sure that we do it justice. "Furthermore, as far as the upkeep is concerned, "...so the upkeep on the rocket, we hope it will be very less expensive than what we face in keeping up the rocket to begin with."
For Whitt, this rocket is a big part of his family tradition which he says he looks forward to continuing for future generations. "My grandparents would bring me over to the rocket as a child to have picnics. I would carry my kids over to the picnic. You know, I'd have picnics under the rocket. And certainly, hopefully now I'll be able to for my grandkids one day."