The significance of the Artemis I mission
is that it's actually signaling a whole new era of space exploration.
Apollo was very much about learning
how to send humans out into space.
We built on that legacy with the Space Shuttle, which helped us understand
how to do science and to stay in orbit for periods at a time.
The International Space Station has taught us how to live 24/7,
365 days a year and do science in space.
But Artemis is going to take us out to the next step.
The exploration of the solar system.
Of all that we have learned about human spaceflight, science and exploration
and it begins with Artemis 1.
With the Artemis program,
we are beginning to build a blueprint
for how we will do human and scientific exploration
out into the solar system in a sustainable way.
Artemis will
help us to define what are the objectives.
What are the things that we have to demonstrate?
What do we have to learn and understand
before we go the next step to Mars?
We get to practice on the moon, which is just a couple of days away
from earth, a place that we can practice learn and prepare ourselves
for future exploration to Mars and beyond.
Our industry and international partnerships
are absolutely critical to the Artemis campaign, especially in Artemis I.
We have been working for many years with our industry
partners all over the country
to develop the capabilities that we will be demonstrating in.
Artemis I.
In addition to that, our international partners are playing a critical role.
Space is fundamentally a global enterprise
We've done wonderful things with the International Space Station
and we're extending that on not just to the same partners
we've had for a long time, but new partners as well.
But of course, our trusted partner, such as the European Space Agency.
Absolutely critical,
providing the service module for Orion.
Absolutely essential.
And in addition to that, our architecture includes partnerships
with Canada, Japan and others.
This is incredibly important.
We have to define how we are going out into the solar system
and starting with those partnerships
will ensure that we are on a on a track that is sustainable,
not just for human life, but for all that
we plan to do in the future, to do it in the right way.
I am so excited about this mission.
First, it's opening the door for the first woman
and the first person of color to set foot on the moon.
That's incredibly exciting and powerful to me.
It's also setting up a steady cadence for us to go out and do
exploration and science, and I'm excited to see what we're going to learn.
But most of all, I'm excited because
this mission shows that we are ready
to explore the rest of the solar system.
And that's most exciting of all.