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Marshall Space Flight Center
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<p>Marshall Space Flight Center (officially the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center; MSFC), located in <a href="/facts/Redstone_Arsenal%2c_Alabama/b3Qymu8L">Redstone Arsenal, Alabama</a> (<a href="/facts/Huntsville%2c_Alabama/Rdu00gpd">Huntsville</a> postal address), is the <a href="/facts/Federal_government_of_the_United_States/VJCxUaf7">U.S. government</a>'s civilian <a href="/facts/Rocket/b6j4keIl">rocketry</a> and <a href="/facts/Spacecraft_propulsion/KmpMGU9u">spacecraft propulsion</a> research center. As the largest <a href="/facts/NASA/TIMCV0yV">NASA</a> center, MSFC's first mission was developing the <a href="/facts/Saturn_(rocket_family)/IzWRe4GJ">Saturn launch vehicles</a> for the <a href="/facts/Apollo_program/IC1Ek1Ao">Apollo program</a>. Marshall has been the lead center for the <a href="/facts/Space_Shuttle/7BoyetEv">Space Shuttle</a> main propulsion and <a href="/facts/Space_Shuttle_external_tank/RApJkcAq">external tank</a>; payloads and related crew training; <a href="/facts/International_Space_Station/VNPUBz9m">International Space Station</a> (ISS) design and assembly; computers, networks, and information management; and the <a href="/facts/Space_Launch_System/DbGCgH1W">Space Launch System</a>. Located on the <a href="/facts/Redstone_Arsenal/b3Qymu8L">Redstone Arsenal</a> near Huntsville, MSFC is named in honor of <a href="/facts/General_of_the_Army_(United_States)/6TVpXKev">General of the Army</a> <a href="/facts/George_C._Marshall/gnWtpenN">George C. Marshall</a>. </p><p>The center contains the Huntsville Operations Support Center (HOSC), also known as the International Space Station Payload Operations Center. This facility supports ISS launch, payload, and experiment activities at the <a href="/facts/Kennedy_Space_Center/zmwszuPr">Kennedy Space Center</a>. The HOSC also monitors rocket launches from <a href="/facts/Cape_Canaveral_Space_Force_Station/dwJ9MCPH">Cape Canaveral Space Force Station</a> when a Marshall Center payload is on board. </p>