PPG recently completed a COLORFUL COMMUNITIES project that helped revitalize the Saturn V first-stage booster, referred to as S-IC-15, on display at INFINITY Science Center in Pearlington, Mississippi. The project brought together nearly 50 employee volunteers from PPG, INFINITY Science Center and NASA, who spent a half-day painting the center’s largest space attraction.

The Colorful Communities program provides PPG volunteers and paint products along with financial contributions to bring color and vitality to communities where the company operates around the world, such as in Mississippi, where PPG operates three PPG PAINTS stores and sells PPG products through 48 local independent retailers. PPG provided approximately 105 gallons (400 liters) of specialized PPG paint products to assist with the project.

Originally constructed for the Apollo 19 mission, the S-IC-15 and its five F-1 engines would have provided the immense power required to thrust the booster from the launch pad and into space during liftoff. The mission was canceled due to budgetary constraints in September 1970, which is why the 138-foot-long (42-meter-long), 360-ton (327-metric-ton) relic can be seen from Interstate 10.

“After five decades of exposure to the elements, including Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the coating on the S-IC-15 was in extremely poor condition and in desperate need of attention,” said John Wilson, executive director, INFINITY Science Center. “We are thrilled to have this significant piece of history from NASA’s Apollo moon program be preserved and restored to its former glory. Thanks to the generosity of PPG and all the employee volunteers, the S-IC-15 can be enjoyed by our visitors for years to come.”

Attracting 70,000 visitors annually, the INFINITY Science Center is a popular destination for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) educational experiences and programming in the Gulf Coast region. The non-profit organization also serves as the official visitor center for NASA's Stennis Space Center and its resident labs and offices.

“At PPG, we are committed to providing the next generation with the tools they need to succeed in the sciences,” said Malesia Dunn, PPG executive director, PPG Foundation and corporate global social responsibility. “When we have the opportunity to support organizations like INFINITY Science Center through the Colorful Communities program, we know that we are doing more than just adding a fresh coat of paint. We are helping to foster interest and innovation in STEM-related fields.