I am pleased that Chairman Pete Aldridge and the members of the
Commission on Implementation of United States Space Exploration Policy
have developed recommendations supporting the vision for America’s space
program. I appreciate their hard work and service.
The Commission’s report makes clear that this vision, which I announced
in January, is a sustainable and affordable long-term human and robotic
program to explore space. We will explore space to improve our lives
and lift our national spirit. Space exploration is also likely to
produce scientific discoveries in fields from biology to physics, and to
advance aerospace and a host of other industries. This will help create
more highly skilled jobs, inspire students and teachers in math and
science, and ensure that we continue to benefit from space technology,
which has already brought us important improvements in areas as diverse
as hurricane forecasting, satellite communications, and medical devices.
The Commission worked diligently to collect ideas from a variety of
voices from across the country, and to develop innovative
recommendations. The Commission’s recommendations will be reviewed and
considered, and NASA will accelerate the transformation it has begun. I
am confident that the Commission’s report will help Congress, NASA,
other government agencies, the private sector, the international
community, and the American public to work together to undertake the
next steps in our journey into space for the benefit of generations to
come.
