5/1/2023 0 Comments Obama get it doneAnd so, as President, I believe that space exploration is not a luxury, it’s not an afterthought in America’s quest for a brighter future - it is an essential part of that quest. For me, the space program has always captured an essential part of what it means to be an American - reaching for new heights, stretching beyond what previously did not seem possible. And one of my earliest memories is sitting on my grandfather’s shoulders, waving a flag as astronauts arrived in Hawaii. 1961 was the year of my birth - the year that Kennedy made his announcement. (Laughter.) I thought that was very cool.Īnd leading the world to space helped America achieve new heights of prosperity here on Earth, while demonstrating the power of a free and open society to harness the ingenuity of its people.Īnd on a personal note, I have been part of that generation so inspired by the space program. Although, I have to say, during a meeting right before I came out on stage somebody said, you know, it’s more than just Tang - and I had to point out I actually really like Tang. It’s contributed to immeasurable technological advances that have improved our health and well-being, from satellite navigation to water purification, from aerospace manufacturing to medical imaging. In the years that have followed, the space race inspired a generation of scientists and innovators, including, I’m sure, many of you. And as a nation, we set about meeting that goal, reaping rewards that have in the decades since touched every facet of our lives. In 1961, President Kennedy boldly declared before a joint session of Congress that the United States would send a man to the Moon and return him safely to the Earth within the decade. President Eisenhower signed legislation to create NASA and to invest in science and math education, from grade school to graduate school. The Soviets, it was perceived, had taken the lead in a race for which we were not yet fully prepared.īut we caught up very quick. Because it was from there that the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the first artificial satellite to orbit the Earth, which was little more than a few pieces of metal with a transmitter and a battery strapped to the top of a missile. And it’s a story that started a little more than half a century ago, far from the Space Coast, in a remote and desolate region of what is now called Kazakhstan. (Laughter.) It was from here that men and women, propelled by sheer nerve and talent, set about pushing the boundaries of humanity’s reach. So thank you, Charlie, for helping to decorate my office. And I should point out, by the way, that in my private office just off the Oval, I’ve got the picture of Jupiter from the Hubble. It was from here that Space Shuttle Discovery, piloted by Charlie Bolden, carried the Hubble Telescope into orbit, allowing us to plumb the deepest recesses of our galaxy. It was from here that NASA launched the missions of Mercury and Gemini and Apollo. Here at the Kennedy Space Center we are surrounded by monuments and milestones of those contributions. Last but not least, I want to thank the men and women of NASA for welcoming me to the Kennedy Space Center, and for your contributions not only to America, but to the world. And gathered here are scientists, engineers, business leaders, public servants, and a few more astronauts as well. I also want to thank everybody for participating in today’s conference. And you should know that you’ve got a great champion in Congresswoman Kosmas. And she is fighting for every single one of you and for her district and for the jobs in her district. (Applause.) And most of all I want to acknowledge your congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas, because every time I meet with her, including the flight down here, she reminds me of how important our NASA programs are and how important this facility is. (Applause.) My director, Office of Science and Technology Policy - in other words my chief science advisor - John Holdren is here. We’ve got Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee from Texas visiting us, a big supporter of the space program. And that obviously is in striking contrast to the Falcon 9 rocket we just saw on the launch pad, which will be tested for the very first time in the coming weeks.Ī couple of other acknowledgments I want to make. (Laughter.) Sure, it’s comfortable, but it can’t even reach low Earth orbit. I have to say that few people are as singularly unimpressed by Air Force One as those three. But in the four decades since he’s also been one of America’s leading visionaries and authorities on human space flight.įew people - present company excluded - can claim the expertise of Buzz and Bill and Charlie when it comes to space exploration. (Applause.) Four decades ago, Buzz became a legend. I want to thank Senator Bill Nelson and NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden for their extraordinary leadership.
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