[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 74 (Tuesday, April 30, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S3082]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 665--SUPPORTING MAY 3, 2024, 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

  Mr. MORAN (for himself and Mrs. Shaheen) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 665

       Whereas the aerospace industry and other government 
     partners, including the National Aeronautics and Space 
     Administration (referred to in this preamble as ``NASA'') and 
     the Armed Forces of the United States of America, have led 
     the way in space applications, exploration, scientific 
     research, and security in the 20th and 21st centuries;
       Whereas Congress has spearheaded the space endeavors of the 
     United States by founding NASA and the Space Force, 
     supporting the national security space enterprise, 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 Laboratory, 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 and vehicles 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, the 5 Mars 
     rover vehicles that have explored the surface of Mars since 
     1997, and the developing moon exploration program Artemis;
       Whereas the James Webb Space Telescope represents a 
     pinnacle of international collaboration in space exploration, 
     led by NASA, showcasing the commitment of the United States 
     to leading globally coordinated scientific endeavors to 
     unlock insights into our cosmic origins and our future;
       Whereas aerospace scientists, engineers, astronauts, and 
     others, due to their ingenuity, continue to invent a wide 
     variety of space-related technologies and applications that 
     have benefitted humankind, such as the global positioning 
     system, which is now used daily and whose invention is 1 
     example of the life-changing impact space-related 
     technologies have on our way of life;
       Whereas the aerospace industry and its 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 
     (referred to in this preamble as ``STEM'') engagement has 
     been a primary focus of NASA's mission and a critical 
     initiative for commercial space companies, space museums, and 
     STEM education centers, such as the Cosmosphere in 
     Hutchinson, Kansas, Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas, 
     and the Seattle Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington 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 
     in the United States 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 STEM 
     fields, fostering the next generation of space enthusiasts: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the goals and designation of May 3rd, 2024, as 
     ``National Space Day'';
       (2) recognizes the importance of the entire aerospace 
     community, including government agencies, Federally funded 
     research and development centers, industry and education 
     partners, entrepreneurs, and others;
       (3) recognizes all of the contributions made to space 
     applications, exploration, and scientific research; and
       (4) recognizes the important partnerships between the 
     aerospace industry and our Armed Forces in protecting and 
     defending the United States of America.

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