Michael James Adams was an American aviator, aeronautical engineer, and USAF astronaut. He flew X-15 Flight 191 to over 50 miles altitude, however the flight ended when the spacecraft broke apart, leading to his death.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. NASA have many launch facilities but most are inactive. The most commonly used pad will be LC-39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.