You know, one of the things that I am most excited
about with the Artemis I launch is actually seeing this rocket lift off.
It's absolutely amazing.
You know,
the Shuttle had three main engines and those two solid rocket motors, well,
the Space Launch System has four of those same engines
with five segment, not four segment solids.
The Shuttle was absolutely amazing when it lifted off.
And this is going to be even more so.
It's got more thrust than the Saturn V
that took our astronauts to the moon during the Apollo program.
You know, that's another thing that really excites me about this.
We are returning to the moon in a sustainable way.
It's preparation for going on to Mars
eventually. When Apollo went it was for a two or three day camping trip.
Now we are going to stay.
And we're not just going alone.
We're going in cooperation
with our commercial and industry and international partners.
It's a real team effort
Often get asked, what's the value of going to the moon?
Well, first off, every dollar we spend there,
not spent in space or going to the moon, they're spent right here on earth.
Making America stronger.
Advancing our technology.
Keeping us a world leader.
You know, there are over 3800 suppliers across all 50 states
participating in the Artemis program that's going to take us to the moon
in a sustainable way and prepare us for going on to Mars.
This is truly a team effort.
Everyone's involved and everyone is really excited about it.
What's really amazing today is how
the Kennedy Space Center has changed since the end of the Shuttle program.
It used to be just one government program supporting everything at KSC.
Today, we have transformed into a true multi-user
spaceport with both government and commercial launches.
You know it's not one or the other.
We need both integrated together for the success of our nation's space program.
And I could not be more excited about all the launches that are going on
what we are accomplishing.
And I could not be more proud of the KSC team.
Our nation and our space program truly has a bright future.
And KSC just shows what you can accomplish
when everybody pulls together as a team to transform and move into the future.
You know space truly is a team effort.
I was over in the Vehicle
Assembly Building the other day, walking down the rocket in High Bay three,
talking to the technicians and if you could see the pride
that they have in their workmanship, in what they are doing as being part
of the Artemis program, returning us to the moon, it's absolutely amazing.
I am so proud of each and every member of our contractor civil service team,
and I'm proud of what this nation can accomplish when we all pull together
and work as one