By using the most advanced technology, ERDC researchers ensure unmanned systems are the most reliable for operations in hazardous military or civil works missions.
WES scientists and engineers were among the first to test wheels for the Lunar Roving Vehicle or“ Moon Buggy” that would one day be driven on the surface of the moon. Because of extreme conditions there— temperatures ranging from 250 degrees to-300 degrees Fahrenheit, low atmospheric pressure, and more— conventional tire configurations were ruled out as a possibility for the rover. So, three unorthodox wheel options were developed, and NASA sent them to Vicksburg for testing from 1969 until 1971.
For those living in Vicksburg long enough, the story of the Great Flood of 1927 is a familiar one. The Mississippi River swelled beyond its banks, swallowing homes, farms and businesses, resulting in devastating property damage and loss of life. However, out of that disaster came something lasting— in 1929, Congress established the Waterways Experiment Station( WES) in Vicksburg. That laid the foundation of what is known today as the U. S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center( ERDC), one of the most diverse engineering and scientific research organizations in the world.
At WES, engineers and scientists set out to understand the river in ways never done before. They built scale models of the Mighty Mississippi, studied how its water moved and why levees failed, testing new designs that could stand against the river’ s power. Those early efforts gave the nation the tools to build stronger levees, smarter spillways and better flood-control systems— innovations that still protect river communities today.
And while the original Waterways mission was all about taming the river and protecting lives, World War II changed that. During World War II, the WES engineers shifted gears to meet the nation’ s needs overseas, studying and developing portable harbors, improved airfields and developing technologies to keep our military safe. From that moment forward, Vicksburg wasn’ t just a river town, it was a hub of innovation, keeping pace with the challenges of the nation.
Today, ERDC still carries that dual mission of civil works and military engineering research across seven laboratories and multiple field sites across the country. Of the seven laboratories, four are housed in
16 • THE VICKSBURG POST & VICKSBURG-WARREN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE