NASA SSC Security Enforcement Area

Along a quiet stretch of pine-lined Highway 607 in Hancock County, Mississippi, a sign alerts motorists: Now Entering NASA/SSC Security Enforcement Area. Beyond this point lies the vast Stennis Space Center, where engines for Apollo, the Space Shuttle, and Artemis have been tested at full throttle. The reminder of security restrictions — paired with the speed limit notice — reflects how an otherwise ordinary southern highway doubles as the gateway to one of the most advanced propulsion test facilities in the world. Related photographs from the NASA Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, where NASA’s Space Launch System core stages are assembled for Artemis missions.