Supporting the first Friday of May as “National Space Day” in recognition of the significant positive impact the aerospace community has and will continue to have on the United States of America.

Supporting the first Friday of May as “National Space Day” in recognition of the significant positive impact the aerospace community has and will continue to have on the United States of America.

Whereas the aerospace industry and other government partners, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Armed Forces of the United States of America, have led the way in space exploration, research, and security in the 20th and 21st centuries;

Whereas Congress has spearheaded America’s space endeavors, founding NASA, the Space Force, by supporting the National Reconnaissance Office, fostering the commercial space sector's growth, and cementing partnerships with key research centers such as The Aerospace Corporation, Project Air Force, the Center for Naval Analysis, Jet Propulsion Labs, and all other entities and agencies driving the United States global leadership and innovation in space;

Whereas NASA developed the Apollo Space Program that launched numerous space exploration missions including the Apollo 11 Moon landing on July 20, 1969;

Whereas NASA continues to develop far-reaching and high-profile programs that expand our scientific ability while inspiring leagues of students, such as the Space Shuttle, which accomplished 135 crewed transportation missions from Earth-to-orbit from 1981 to 2011, and the 5 Mars rover vehicles that have explored the surface of Mars since 1997;

Whereas NASA is leading the development of the Moon exploration program Artemis, which made history in 2026 when Artemis II carried astronauts further from Earth than any humans before;

Whereas the James Webb Space Telescope represents a pinnacle of international collaboration in space exploration, led by NASA, showcasing the United States commitment to leading globally coordinated scientific endeavors to unlock insights into our cosmic origins and our future;

Whereas the ingenuity of aerospace scientists, engineers, astronauts, and others continue to discover and invent a wide variety of space-related technologies and applications that have benefited humankind, such as the global positioning system whose invention and now daily use is one example of the life-changing impact on our way of life;

Whereas the aerospace industry and academic partners have not only aided the United States in space exploration and research, but also in space-related domains such as national security, science, agriculture, health and medicine, education, and space tourism;

Whereas science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) engagement has been a primary focus of NASA's mission and a critical initiative for commercial space companies, space museums, and STEM educations centers, such as the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson, Kansas, in an effort to build the workforce of the future;

Whereas the accelerated growth in enthusiasm, interest, and investment in space is continuing a long-standing tradition of innovation and scientific discovery;

Whereas the rapid expansion of space exploration and the investments made by leaders in the aerospace industry, Congress, NASA, the Armed Services of the United States, universities, and a myriad of others are inspiring generations of new explorers into the final frontier of space; and

Whereas this rapid growth encourages the promotion of educational initiatives to inspire young minds in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics fields, fostering the next generation of space enthusiasts: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) supports the goals of “National Space Day”;

(2) recognizes the importance of the entire aerospace community, including government agencies, federally funded research and development centers, industry, education partners, entrepreneurs, and others;

(3) recognizes all of the contributions made to space exploration and research; and

(4) recognizes the important partnerships between the aerospace industry and our Armed Forces in protecting and defending the United States of America.