The employees of North American Aviation’s Rocketdyne at Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL) near Los Angeles built the engines that made this event possible. They worked tirelessly to win the Race to Space, and were exposed to toxic chemicals and radiation in the process. They were never informed of their risks for radiation exposure, or trained in radiation safety.

Today, the Energy Employee Occupational Illness Compensation Program (EEOICPA, which was established by Congress in 2000 to help those who contributed to the Cold War and who are suffering from cancer and other illnesses as a result), specifically excludes the Space Race Heroes of SSFL based on erroneous information, missing records, and a reluctance on Department of Energy’s part to be held accountable for both human and environmental damage. As historical documents surface challenging this policy of exclusion, EEOICPA continues to deny eligibility rather than correcting this error and implementing the Act as it was intended. The Heroes who made this event possible are suffering without recourse, and they are on borrowed time.

Information to help honor these Heroes can be found at TheAeroSpace.org, or by visiting the Aerospace Cancer Museum of Education (ACMELA.org). SSFL’s cleanup of nuclear & chemical contamination is an ongoing controversy, and the heroes of the Race to Space and Cold War should be acknowledged with gratitude for serving our country.

Thanks for posting these beautiful photos, and thoughtfully acknowledging this fantastic time in our nation’s history by hosting a truly magnificent web site. I will continue to Touch Down at Silver-Rockets.com!

Blast Off!
D’Lanie Blaze
TheAeroSpace.org