When NASA turned Houston into 'Space City'

Clear Lake in the Apollo era

The suburban Clear Lake area grew along with NASA's Manned Aircraft Center, later to be called Johnson Space Center. In this 1963 photo, Texas Gov. John Connally uses giant scissors to snip the ribbon on a new development project called Clear Lake City. Two years later, a Clear Lake City brochure boasted that 5,500 people were employed at the space center and pointed out that "employees are happier working in pleasant surroundings than on industrial row." Today nearly 17,000 people work for NASA or one of its contractors. less Clear Lake in the Apollo era

The suburban Clear Lake area grew along with NASA's Manned Aircraft Center, later to be called Johnson Space Center. In this 1963 photo, Texas Gov. John Connally uses giant scissors ... more Photo: Chronicle Photo: Chronicle Image 1 of / 78 Caption Close When NASA turned Houston into 'Space City' 1 / 78 Back to Gallery

Half a century ago, when Congressman Albert Thomas used his congressional power to ensure that NASA's manned flight center came to Houston, "Space City" was born.

Now, from the Astros and the Rockets to the iconic phrase, "Houston, we have a problem," the Bayou City's identity is deeply entwined with America's space program.

However, between NASA's budget woes and shifting targets, Houston truly does have a problem, and the man with the best chance to fix it may be another congressman, Tea Party Republican John Culberson.

As a child, Culberson, who grew up near Rice Stadium, wanted to be an astronaut. And that childhood passion has had a major impact on his vision for NASA, which is especially important now that he controls the agency's budget in Congress.

Read more about Culberson's vision for NASA and Houston's future as "Space City" in the final installment of Eric Berger's "Adrift" series on HoustonChronicle.com.

See more images of Houston in the years leading up to and during the Apollo program in the slideshow above.