Barbara Mikulski at Wallops: 'May the force be with us'

After years of steering government support toward NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, Barbara Mikulski had only one thing left to do: drop the mic.

Literally.

Taking a cue from President Barack Obama, who ceremoniously let go of his microphone three nights earlier at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, the soon-to-retire senator from Maryland ended her remarks to the facility's staff Tuesday with a similar flourish.

"My greatest discovery has been you — you and all the wonderful people who have worked to make our country great every single day in every way. As I'll say again, may the force continue to be with us and may God bless America," she said.

Microphone down. Two fingers to the lips.

Mikulski could afford a little celebration. NASA dignitaries paid tribute to the long-serving member of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, who announced she is leaving office at the end of this term.

"We wouldn't be here without you," said Wallops Director Bill Wrobel, calling her the facility's "patron saint."

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden put an astronomical spin on his praise, referring to Mikulski as "our own supernova."

Tuesday's visit marked one of the final chapters in a relationship that shaped Mikulski's political career as well as NASA's infrastructure at its outpost on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

The Democrat has helped direct more than $160 million in federal funds to Wallops since 2009, including $16 million for a horizontal integration facility, $29 million for the Antares launch pad and $12 million to repair Hurricane Sandy damage. Last month, her office announced that she is working on a $10 million appropriation for next year's budget.

It makes sense for a Maryland politician to support a Virginia facility because it generates jobs in both states, she said. Wallops is responsible for 1,525 jobs on the Eastern Shore and $250 million in economic development, her office estimates.

Mikulski also looked out for Wallops' parent facility in Greenbelt, Maryland, she said.

"I always said, 'I don't care what you do and where you do it as long as you're gonna make sure we keep Goddard Space agency and we keep Wallops. And you all can keep the moon and you can have the stars,'" Mikulski said.

Her departure from the political scene has caused some worry that Wallops won't have so many funding wins in the future. But she assured the audience that the facility still has strong advocates in Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine of Virginia and Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland.

Earlier, Mikulski stepped out of her tour bus just long enough amid a morning drizzle to view the newly repaired Antares launch pad. It underwent $15 million in reconstruction after a private company's unmanned rocket exploded seconds after takeoff in October 2014.

NASA Awards Sounding Rocket Contract to Orbital ATK

Orbital ATK, one of two aerospace companies contracted by NASA to deliver cargo to the International Space Station, launched two rockets from Cape Canaveral in Florida while Wallops was being repaired. The first Virginia flight since the fiery failure is set for some time in July, with a "hot-fire" test taking place later this month.

"You know what? That's the space program," Mikulski said of the explosion. "There will always be setbacks."

Mikulski said she timed her visit for well before the launch intentionally.

"When the launch comes," she told the staff, "there will be a lot of press and congratulation, but today is to thank the people who made it happen."

Contact reporter Jeremy Cox at 410-845-4630 or on Twitter @Jeremy_Cox.