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56-472: Clear Lake is relatively affluent with a thriving business community. The area's most important business sectors are aerospace and tourism . It is home to the Johnson Space Center and numerous aerospace contracting firms. The lake itself is home to one of the largest concentrations of recreational boats and marinas in the nation. The Clear Lake region is named, as it implies, for Clear Lake,

112-570: A brackish lake, fed by Clear Creek, that empties into Galveston Bay. The name "Clear Lake" is often used in a variety of ways depending on the source. Apart from referring to the lake itself or the region defined by the chamber of commerce, the name can refer to the Clear Lake City residential development, the Clear Lake area of Houston (a Houston "superneighborhood" including Clear Lake City, Johnson Space Center, and surrounding areas),

168-791: A graduate nurse. In 1920, Webb was a ship fitter , and they were living with his parents and two younger brothers in Placer County, California . At the age of 28, he suffered typhoid fever , and moved to Phoenix, Arizona , to recover. In 1928, Webb began Del E. Webb Construction Company. He received many military contracts during World War II . In 1942, he led the construction of the Poston War Relocation Center in Arizona, one of ten Japanese-American internment camps built during World War II , which held over 17,000 internees. Construction began on March 27, 1942, and

224-423: A group of 50 area arts organizations, regularly schedules arts exhibits, musical performances, and other arts programs. The Clear Creek Country Theatre (Nassau Bay) offers regular community theater performances. Additionally various free concerts and other cultural events take place in venues such as League Park Plaza (League City). The Armand Bayou Nature Center is one of the largest urban wilderness preserve in

280-490: A median household income of $ 41,994, 75.1% white, 12.3% African American, and 3.6% Asian. Apart from Houston, which is only partially within the Clear Lake area, League City is the area's largest community. As of 2000 Taylor Lake Village has the highest median household income in the area and Webster has the lowest. The primary institution of higher learning in the area is the University of Houston–Clear Lake (UHCL). UHCL

336-680: A more serious scientific discipline. Airmen like Otto Lilienthal , who introduced cambered airfoils in 1891, used gliders to analyze aerodynamic forces . The Wright brothers were interested in Lilienthal's work and read several of his publications. They also found inspiration in Octave Chanute , an airman and the author of Progress in Flying Machines (1894). It was the preliminary work of Cayley, Lilienthal, Chanute, and other early aerospace engineers that brought about

392-537: A part of the general safety of a system or a piece of equipment. It implies that the system or equipment can be operated properly and without causing any danger, risk, damage or injury. Functional safety is crucial in the aerospace industry, which allows no compromises or negligence. In this respect, supervisory bodies, such as the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), regulate the aerospace market with strict certification standards. This

448-451: A part. This certification guarantees that a part was repaired or overhauled to meet OEM specifications. Once a part is overhauled its value is determined from the supply and demand of the aerospace market. When an airline has an aircraft on the ground , the part that the airline requires to get the plane back into service becomes invaluable. This can drive the market for specific parts. There are several online marketplaces that assist with

504-541: A resort town, followed. Established in 1953, the town was built by Webb (along with M.O.W. Homes Inc.) for the Magma Copper Company. It required the building of streets, shopping centers, schools, a hospital, and parks. This was a prelude to Sun City, Arizona , which launched on January 1, 1960, with five home models, a shopping center, a recreation center, and a golf course. The opening weekend drew 100,000 people, 10 times more than expected, and resulted in

560-549: A significant number of petrochemical and refining industry employees who work at near-by facilities live in the area. NASA 's Johnson Space Center (JSC) is an important pillar of the area economy. As of 2010 the center itself employs 3,000 civil servants and 12,000 engineering contractors. Businesses around this core include a broad range of high-tech development enterprises. JSC manages more than $ 4 billion annually in aerospace contracts, and together with numerous private companies involved in space programs and related ventures gives

616-425: A variety of different fields including medicine, transportation, energy, consumer goods, public safety and more. NASA publishes an annual report called "Spinoffs", regarding many of the specific products and benefits to the aforementioned areas in an effort to highlight some of the ways funding is put to use. For example, in the most recent edition of this publication, "Spinoffs 2015", endoscopes are featured as one of

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672-1144: Is a waterfront attraction featuring a variety of rides, restaurants , shops, and other entertainment venues. It is next to the Kemah Marina and hosts annual events such as the Boardwalk Wine Festival. Museums in the area include the Bay Area Museum (Seabrook) and the Butler Longhorn Museum (League City). Farmers markets in the area, including the Nassau Bay Farmers Market and the Farmers Market at Clear Lake Shores , provide opportunities for area residents to connect with local growers, producers, and other businesses. The League City Historic District provides views of early area architecture in addition to unique shopping venues. The area contains many marinas for boating and fishing enthusiasts such as

728-619: Is meant to reach and ensure the highest possible level of safety. The standards AS 9100 in America, EN 9100 on the European market or JISQ 9100 in Asia particularly address the aerospace and aviation industry. These are standards applying to the functional safety of aerospace vehicles. Some companies are therefore specialized in the certification, inspection verification and testing of the vehicles and spare parts to ensure and attest compliance with

784-451: Is separate and distinct from the University of Houston (UH), but it is part of the larger University of Houston System . The university offers a wide spectrum of programs including what it touts as the most complete biotechnology graduate programs in the state. Additionally San Jacinto College has extension centers in the area. Primary and secondary education are provided by Clear Creek Independent School District , which serves most of

840-738: Is the largest mosque in the Clear Lake area. It was established in 1996. In addition, the Al-Noor Society of Greater Houston operates the Clear Lake Jama Masjid. Aerospace Aerospace is a term used to collectively refer to the atmosphere and outer space . Aerospace activity is very diverse, with a multitude of commercial, industrial, and military applications. Aerospace engineering consists of aeronautics and astronautics . Aerospace organizations research, design, manufacture, operate, maintain, and repair both aircraft and spacecraft . The beginning of space and

896-764: The National Aerospace Laboratories and the Indian Space Research Organisation are headquartered. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched India's first Moon orbiter, Chandrayaan-1 , in October 2008. In Russia, large aerospace companies like Oboronprom and the United Aircraft Building Corporation (encompassing Mikoyan , Sukhoi , Ilyushin , Tupolev , Yakovlev , and Irkut which includes Beriev ) are among

952-1472: The government , such as National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the United States, European Space Agency in Europe, the Canadian Space Agency in Canada, Indian Space Research Organisation in India, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency in Japan, Roscosmos State Corporation for Space Activities in Russia, China National Space Administration in China, SUPARCO in Pakistan, Iranian Space Agency in Iran, and Korea Aerospace Research Institute in South Korea. Along with these public space programs, many companies produce technical tools and components such as spacecraft and satellites . Some known companies involved in space programs include Boeing , Cobham , Airbus , SpaceX , Lockheed Martin , RTX Corporation , MDA and Northrop Grumman . These companies are also involved in other areas of aerospace, such as

1008-598: The Clear Lake area of Pasadena, and other geographies as well. As of 2010 the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, established in 1962, provides the following definition for the area. The Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce recognizes the defined "Clear Lake Area" as its service territory. This composite community includes Clear Lake City , Clear Lake Shores , El Lago , Kemah , League City , Nassau Bay , Seabrook , Taylor Lake Village , Webster , and parts of Houston . These communities lie on or near

1064-553: The European Union, aerospace companies such as Airbus SE , Safran , Thales , Dassault Aviation , Leonardo and Saab AB account for a large share of the global aerospace industry and research effort, with the European Space Agency as one of the largest consumers of aerospace technology and products. In India, Bangalore is a major center of the aerospace industry, where Hindustan Aeronautics Limited ,

1120-636: The Fleet boat parade in Kemah is an annual event that celebrates Kemah's history as a shrimp fishing town. The Gulf Coast Film Festival annually showcases independent films from local, regional and international artists in various categories ranging from short films to documentaries. Other annual events include the Wings over Houston Air Fest (Ellington Field), the Ballunar Liftoff Festival,

1176-941: The Oak Tree Festival (League City), and the South Shore Dockside Food & Wine Festival (League City). The Galveston Bay Cruising Association holds regular regatta events on the bay such as the Bay Cup ( Lakewood Yacht Club , Seabrook) and the Performance Cup. The region offers various artistic programs. The Bay Area Houston Ballet and Theatre group and the League City Ballet offer performances in genres ranging from ballet to American musicals . The Clear Lake Symphony offers multiple performances each year ranging from classical to "pops" performances. The Arts Alliance at Clear Lake,

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1232-734: The Seabrook Trail System (part of the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail ). Biotechnology , which already employs nearly 3000 workers in the area, is a smaller but growing industry in the area enabled in large part by JSC and the Texas Medical Center in Houston. Commercial fishing is one of the older industries in the region and is still a significant economic sector. The Clear Lake Area contains diverse communities. Based on data from

1288-678: The Swedish Air Force—;especially in support of its position as a neutral country. (See Saab AB .) Other European countries either team up in making fighters (such as the Panavia Tornado and the Eurofighter Typhoon ), or else to import them from the United States. Pakistan has a developing aerospace engineering industry. The National Engineering and Scientific Commission , Khan Research Laboratories and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex are among

1344-520: The U.S. Census Bureau and the City of Houston the area had following demographic statistics in 2000. The total population of the area was approximately 141,980. The median household income was approximately $ 64,742 (US). The population was 81.6% white, 4.4% African-American, and 6.1% Asian. The comparable statistics for nearby Houston were a median household income of $ 36,616, 49.3% white, 25.3% African American, and 5.3% Asian. The comparable U.S. statistics were

1400-542: The United States and Europe to fill these needs. However Canada still manufactures some military aircraft although they are generally not combat capable. Another notable example was the late 1950s development of the Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow , a supersonic fighter-interceptor whose 1959 cancellation was considered highly controversial. France has continued to make its own warplanes for its air force and navy, and Sweden continues to make its own warplanes for

1456-529: The United States. However, the UK has a very active aerospace sector, with major companies such as BAE Systems , supplying fully assembled aircraft, aircraft components, sub-assemblies and sub-systems to other manufacturers, both in Europe and all over the world. Canada has formerly manufactured some of its own designs for jet warplanes, etc. (e.g. the CF-100 fighter), but for some decades, it has relied on imports from

1512-547: The Watergate Yachting Center (Clear Lake Shores) and Marina Bay Harbor Marina . The shoreline of Clear Lake itself has the greatest concentration of recreational boats in Texas and ranks third nationwide (Watergate even claims to be the nation's largest). There is one Coptic Orthodox church in the area, Archangel Raphael Coptic Orthodox Church in Clear Lake City . The Clear Lake Islamic Center Inc. (CLIC)

1568-618: The Yankees until selling the club to CBS in 1964 for $ 11.2 million. During those 20 seasons, the Yankees were in 15 World Series , winning 10. In 1946 and 1947, mob boss Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel hired Webb as the general contractor for the Flamingo Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas . After boasting about his claim that he had personally killed 16 men, Siegel said to Webb, "Del, don't worry, we only kill each other", after seeing

1624-405: The appropriate regulations. Spinoffs refer to any technology that is a direct result of coding or products created by NASA and redesigned for an alternate purpose. These technological advancements are one of the primary results of the aerospace industry, with $ 5.2 billion worth of revenue generated by spinoff technology, including computers and cellular devices. These spinoffs have applications in

1680-580: The area as a cattle range. Toward the end of the century small farming and fishing communities developed. Railroads grew up near the area as well connecting the nearby commercial centers of Galveston , Harrisburg , and Houston spawning new communities such as Clear Creek ( League City ) and Webster . In 1901 the oil gusher at Spindletop launched the Texas Oil Boom . Soon oil wells and refineries were built in nearby Goose Creek (modern Baytown ) and Texas City . Houston rapidly became established as

1736-483: The area one of the highest concentrations of aerospace businesses and expertise in the nation. The tourism industry attracts millions of visitors each year with attractions ranging from Space Center Houston to the bay itself. Ecotourism , in particular, is a growing sector with destinations such as the Armand Bayou Nature Center , one of the largest urban wilderness preserves in the nation, and

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1792-554: The area's communities with the exception of outlying parts of League City. As of 2009 Clear Creek ISD was ranked as a "recognized" district (the second-highest ranking) by the Texas Education Agency . 25 (65%) of the district's schools were ranked as "exemplary" (the highest ranking) and the rest were ranked as "recognized". For comparison, 29% of all schools in Texas rated by the TEA were ranked as "exemplary". In terms of

1848-476: The capability to design and manufacture both armed and unarmed unmanned aerial vehicles . In the People's Republic of China, Beijing , Xi'an , Chengdu , Shanghai , Shenyang and Nanchang are major research and manufacture centers of the aerospace industry. China has developed an extensive capability to design, test and produce military aircraft, missiles and space vehicles. Despite the cancellation in 1983 of

1904-488: The commodity selling of aircraft parts. In the aerospace and defense industry, much consolidation occurred at the end of the 20th century and in the early 21st century. Between 1988 and 2011, more than 6,068 mergers and acquisitions with a total known value of US$ 678 billion were announced worldwide. The largest transactions have been: Multiple technologies and innovations are used in aerospace, many of them pioneered around World War II : Functional safety relates to

1960-632: The construction of aircraft. Modern aerospace began with Engineer George Cayley in 1799. Cayley proposed an aircraft with a "fixed wing and a horizontal and vertical tail," defining characteristics of the modern aeroplane. The 19th century saw the creation of the Aeronautical Society of Great Britain (1866), the American Rocketry Society, and the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences , all of which made aeronautics

2016-559: The early 19th century from his base on Galveston Island . One of the earliest settlers in the region was Anson Taylor, namesake of Taylor Lake , who supplied Lafitte's Galveston colony with produce and game from around Armand Bayou (though his homestead was actually near the Trinity River). During most of the 19th century the Clear Lake Area remained largely undeveloped. Ranches such as the famed Allen Ranch used much of

2072-406: The ending of the air are proposed as 100km (62mi) above the ground according to the physical explanation that the air density is too low for a lifting body to generate meaningful lift force without exceeding orbital velocity. In most industrial countries, the aerospace industry is a cooperation of the public and private sectors. For example, several states have a civilian space program funded by

2128-399: The experimental Shanghai Y-10 , China is still developing its civil aerospace industry. The aircraft parts industry was born out of the sale of second-hand or used aircraft parts from the aerospace manufacture sector. Within the United States there is a specific process that parts brokers or resellers must follow. This includes leveraging a certified repair station to overhaul and "tag"

2184-609: The first crewed Moon landing. In April 1981, the Space Shuttle Columbia launched, the start of regular crewed access to orbital space. A sustained human presence in orbital space started with " Mir " in 1986 and is continued by the " International Space Station ". Space commercialization and space tourism are more recent features of aerospace. Aerospace manufacturing is a high-technology industry that produces "aircraft, guided missiles, space vehicles, aircraft engines, propulsion units, and related parts". Most of

2240-666: The first powered sustained flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina on December 17, 1903, by the Wright brothers. War and science fiction inspired scientists and engineers like Konstantin Tsiolkovsky and Wernher von Braun to achieve flight beyond the atmosphere. World War II inspired Wernher von Braun to create the V1 and V2 rockets. The launch of Sputnik 1 in October 1957 started the Space Age , and on July 20, 1969 Apollo 11 achieved

2296-1092: The industrial sector with fresh workers, apprenticeship programs like the Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Council (AJAC) collaborate with community colleges and aerospace firms in Washington state. Important locations of the civilian aerospace industry worldwide include Washington state ( Boeing ), California ( Boeing , Lockheed Martin , etc.) and Montreal, Quebec , Canada ( Bombardier , Pratt & Whitney Canada ) in North America ; Toulouse , France ( Airbus SE ) and Hamburg , Germany ( Airbus SE ) in Europe ; as well as São José dos Campos , Brazil ( Embraer ), Querétaro , Mexico (Bombardier Aerospace, General Electric Aviation) and Mexicali , Mexico (United Technologies Corporation, Gulfstream Aerospace ) in Latin America . In

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2352-609: The industry is geared toward governmental work. For each original equipment manufacturer (OEM), the US government has assigned a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code . These codes help to identify each manufacturer, repair facilities, and other critical aftermarket vendors in the aerospace industry. In the United States, the Department of Defense and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are

2408-445: The lake. They occupy a compact area lying between Houston and the bay. Clear Lake City is itself a composite community within the Clear Lake Area that spans parts of Houston, Webster, and Seabrook. At the time Europeans arrived the area around Galveston Bay was largely inhabited by Akokisa and Karankawa tribes. The first substantial European presence in the area came as a result of the pirate kingdom established by Jean Lafitte in

2464-634: The larger Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail. Other major area parks include Harris County Clear Lake and Bay Area parks, Clear Creek Nature Park (League City) and Challenger 7 Memorial Park (Webster). Space Center Houston is the tourist arm of the Johnson Space Center and one of the most visited tourist attractions in Texas. Visitors can tour the Space Center grounds, view space capsules and artifacts, and find numerous educational activities including an IMAX theater . The Kemah Boardwalk

2520-606: The main commercial center in the area for the oil industry. The Clear Lake Area became an attractive recreational destination for the new class of wealthy oil businessmen. Much of the area was developed as retreats for the wealthy including a large ranch estate owned by Houston businessman James West . The population increased rapidly including significant immigration from overseas. The Maceo crime syndicate , which ran Galveston at that time, created casino districts in Kemah and other areas of Galveston County (though they were shut down in

2576-413: The major global players in this industry. The historic Soviet Union was also the home of a major aerospace industry. The United Kingdom formerly attempted to maintain its own large aerospace industry, making its own airliners and warplanes, but it has largely turned its lot over to cooperative efforts with continental companies, and it has turned into a large import customer, too, from countries such as

2632-539: The medical derivations of aerospace achievement. This device enables more precise and subsequently cost-effective neurosurgery by reducing complications through a minimally invasive procedure that abbreviates hospitalization. "These NASA technologies are not only giving companies and entrepreneurs a competitive edge in their own industries, but are also helping to shape budding industries, such as commercial lunar landers ," said Daniel Lockney. Del Webb Delbert Eugene "Del" Webb (May 17, 1899 – July 4, 1974)

2688-501: The mid-20th century). In 1963 NASA 's Johnson Space Center (JSC) was established in the area. That and the explosive growth of neighboring Houston in the mid-20th century, especially the 1970s and 80s, caused significant urbanization . The Clear Lake City community was created by the Friendswood Development Company , a venture of Humble Oil and Dell E. Webb Corporation , to support residential growth near

2744-464: The nation. It features a boardwalk through the marshes, numerous nature trails, and boat tours offering views of natural habitats for animals ranging from bison to seagulls to butterflies . The Texas Armand Bayou Coastal Preserve features one of region's most popular paddling trails. The Seabrook Trail System, which includes Robinson and Pine Gully Parks, offers primitive access to natural habitats for numerous species. These sites are all part of

2800-400: The new NASA facility. Some of the communities around Clear Lake reoriented toward aerospace-related industries. Still tourism and recreation remain core industries of the area today. The area's most important employment sectors are aerospace , high-tech ( software , biotechnology , electronics , etc.), and tourism . Most other employment in the region is supported by these industries. Also,

2856-716: The panicked look on Webb’s face. Aside from Howard Hughes, Webb would become the largest casino owner in Nevada after his Webb Corporation acquired the Sahara Nevada Corporation and its holdings of the Sahara and Mint hotels in Las Vegas. In 1948, Webb was contracted to build 600 houses and a shopping center called Pueblo Gardens in Tucson, Arizona . San Manuel, Arizona , a mining company town and later

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2912-544: The premier organizations involved in research and development in this sector. Pakistan has the capability of designing and manufacturing guided rockets, missiles and space vehicles. The city of Kamra is home to the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex which contains several factories. This facility is responsible for manufacturing the MFI-17 , MFI-395 , K-8 and JF-17 Thunder aircraft. Pakistan also has

2968-426: The restaurants in the region, Katharine Shilcutt of the Houston Press said in 2010 "there's also more to the area than overly-fancy eateries like Cullen's or old mainstays like Villa Capri and the Seabrook Classic Cafe. (Not that we don't cling to nostalgic memories of those last two places, but there's better food to be found in Clear Lake now.)" Many annual events take place in the Clear Lake Area. The Blessing of

3024-580: The two largest consumers of aerospace technology and products. Others include the very large airline industry. The aerospace industry employed 472,000 wage and salary workers in 2006. Most of those jobs were in Washington state and in California, with Missouri , New York and Texas also being important. The leading aerospace manufacturers in the U.S. are Boeing , United Technologies Corporation , SpaceX , Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin . As talented American employees age and retire, these manufacturers face an expanding labor shortfall. In order to supply

3080-439: Was an American real-estate developer and a co-owner of the New York Yankees baseball club. He founded and developed the retirement community of Sun City, Arizona , which was built by his Del E. Webb Construction Company . Webb was born in Fresno, California , to Ernest G. Webb, a fruit farmer, and Henrietta S. Webb. He dropped out of high school to become a carpenter's apprentice, and in 1919, he married Hazel Lenora Church,

3136-404: Was completed in three weeks. This was accomplished by a crew of 5,000 laborers working double shifts. A former semiprofessional baseball player and a lifelong fan, Webb and partners Dan Topping and Larry MacPhail purchased the New York Yankees in 1945 for $ 2.8 million from the estate of Col. Jake Ruppert, Jr. After buying out MacPhail in October 1947, Webb and Topping remained owners of

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