Recognizing Extraordinary Work of Kennedy Space Center

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. HARIDOPOLOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the extraordinary work done in my district at Kennedy Space Center.

I recently had the privilege of touring this iconic vehicle assembly building, a structure that rises 716 feet into the Florida sky. For almost 60 years, it has stood as a symbol of American space ambition.

This is where the mighty Saturn V rockets were assembled, launching Apollo astronauts toward the Moon. It is where three decades of the space shuttle fleet took shape, and that legacy continues today, where work is being done to prepare the Artemis II mission.

During my visit, I saw firsthand the progress on the SLS, the Space Launch System, the rocket that will carry astronauts on a 10-day journey to the Moon, further than we have been from the Earth for over 50 years.

I saw up close the SLS core stage, a 212-foot fuel tank engineered to launch the next era of human spaceflight, and the two solid rocket boosters that have already been stacked onto the mobile launch platform. Just days ago, the core stage has been integrated with the boosters, a major milestone in the path to launch.

In the coming months, the crews at the KSC will add more hard work to the SLS, culminating in securing the Orion spacecraft to the top. The Artemis II mission is currently on track to launch in April of next year. When it lifts off, 9 million pounds of thrust will carry American astronauts further from Earth, as I mentioned before, in over 50 years, into our lunar orbit. When Artemis II succeeds, America will aim to return astronauts to the lunar surface in 2027.

These missions are a statement to the world that America still leads, still explores, and still dares. That is why the work being done by NASA at Kennedy Space Center is so critical. This team is working tirelessly to keep Artemis II on schedule, pushing through complex technical milestones with focus and determination.

This mission matters. Returning to the Moon opens the door to the future, deep space exploration, technological breakthroughs, and a new chapter in American space leadership.

It is a reminder to every child looking at the sky that there are still frontiers to cross and still dreams to chase.

Mr. Speaker, this is a race. China has made no secret of its lunar ambitions. This Communist dictatorship is building, planning, and pushing to plant their flag on the Moon and to shape the rules that follow. We cannot afford to yield that ground.

The Nation that leads in space will shape the world order on Earth, and that leadership must be American. Kennedy Space Center is where we make that stand, and I applaud the work of the men and women who are making Artemis II a reality. I am proud to say the future of American spaceflight is alive and well at Florida's Kennedy Space Center.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source