Technology

Remarks by the President on Space Exploration in the 21st Century

John F. Kennedy Space Center
Merritt Island, Florida

2:55 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, everybody.  Thank you. (Applause.)  Thank you so much.  Thank you, everybody.  Please have a seat.  Thank you.

I want to thank Senator Bill Nelson and NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden for their extraordinary leadership.  I want to recognize Dr. Buzz Aldrin as well, who’s in the house.  (Applause.)  Four decades ago, Buzz became a legend.  But in the four decades since he’s also been one of America’s leading visionaries and authorities on human space flight.

Few people -- present company excluded -- can claim the expertise of Buzz and Bill and Charlie when it comes to space exploration.  I have to say that few people are as singularly unimpressed by Air Force One as those three.  (Laughter.)  Sure, it’s comfortable, but it can’t even reach low Earth orbit.  And that obviously is in striking contrast to the Falcon 9 rocket we just saw on the launch pad, which will be tested for the very first time in the coming weeks.

A couple of other acknowledgments I want to make.  We’ve got Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee from Texas visiting us, a big supporter of the space program.  (Applause.)  My director, Office of Science and Technology Policy -- in other words my chief science advisor -- John Holdren is here.  (Applause.)  And most of all I want to acknowledge your congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas, because every time I meet with her, including the flight down here, she reminds me of how important our NASA programs are and how important this facility is.  And she is fighting for every single one of you and for her district and for the jobs in her district.  And you should know that you’ve got a great champion in Congresswoman Kosmas.  Please give her a big round of applause.  (Applause.)

I also want to thank everybody for participating in today’s conference.  And gathered here are scientists, engineers, business leaders, public servants, and a few more astronauts as well.  Last but not least, I want to thank the men and women of NASA for welcoming me to the Kennedy Space Center, and for your contributions not only to America, but to the world.

Here at the Kennedy Space Center we are surrounded by monuments and milestones of those contributions.  It was from here that NASA launched the missions of Mercury and Gemini and Apollo.  It was from here that Space Shuttle Discovery, piloted by Charlie Bolden, carried the Hubble Telescope into orbit, allowing us to plumb the deepest recesses of our galaxy.  And I should point out, by the way, that in my private office just off the Oval, I’ve got the picture of Jupiter from the Hubble.  So thank you, Charlie, for helping to decorate my office.  (Laughter.)  It was from here that men and women, propelled by sheer nerve and talent, set about pushing the boundaries of humanity’s reach.

That’s the story of NASA.  And it’s a story that started a little more than half a century ago, far from the Space Coast, in a remote and desolate region of what is now called Kazakhstan.  Because it was from there that the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the first artificial satellite to orbit the Earth, which was little more than a few pieces of metal with a transmitter and a battery strapped to the top of a missile.  But the world was stunned.  Americans were dumbfounded.  The Soviets, it was perceived, had taken the lead in a race for which we were not yet fully prepared.

But we caught up very quick.  President Eisenhower signed legislation to create NASA and to invest in science and math education, from grade school to graduate school.  In 1961, President Kennedy boldly declared before a joint session of Congress that the United States would send a man to the Moon and return him safely to the Earth within the decade.  And as a nation, we set about meeting that goal, reaping rewards that have in the decades since touched every facet of our lives.  NASA was at the forefront.  Many gave their careers to the effort.  And some have given far more.

In the years that have followed, the space race inspired a generation of scientists and innovators, including, I’m sure, many of you.  It’s contributed to immeasurable technological advances that have improved our health and well-being, from satellite navigation to water purification, from aerospace manufacturing to medical imaging.  Although, I have to say, during a meeting right before I came out on stage somebody said, you know, it’s more than just Tang -- and I had to point out I actually really like Tang.  (Laughter.)  I thought that was very cool.

And leading the world to space helped America achieve new heights of prosperity here on Earth, while demonstrating the power of a free and open society to harness the ingenuity of its people.

And on a personal note, I have been part of that generation so inspired by the space program.  1961 was the year of my birth -- the year that Kennedy made his announcement.  And one of my earliest memories is sitting on my grandfather’s shoulders, waving a flag as astronauts arrived in Hawaii.  For me, the space program has always captured an essential part of what it means to be an American -- reaching for new heights, stretching beyond what previously did not seem possible.  And so, as President, I believe that space exploration is not a luxury, it’s not an afterthought in America’s quest for a brighter future -- it is an essential part of that quest.

So today, I’d like to talk about the next chapter in this story.  The challenges facing our space program are different, and our imperatives for this program are different, than in decades past.  We’re no longer racing against an adversary.  We’re no longer competing to achieve a singular goal like reaching the Moon.  In fact, what was once a global competition has long since become a global collaboration.  But while the measure of our achievements has changed a great deal over the past 50 years, what we do -- or fail to do -- in seeking new frontiers is no less consequential for our future in space and here on Earth.

So let me start by being extremely clear:  I am 100 percent committed to the mission of NASA and its future.  (Applause.)  Because broadening our capabilities in space will continue to serve our society in ways that we can scarcely imagine.  Because exploration will once more inspire wonder in a new generation -- sparking passions and launching careers.  And because, ultimately, if we fail to press forward in the pursuit of discovery, we are ceding our future and we are ceding that essential element of the American character.

I know there have been a number of questions raised about my administration’s plan for space exploration, especially in this part of Florida where so many rely on NASA as a source of income as well as a source of pride and community.  And these questions come at a time of transition, as the space shuttle nears its scheduled retirement after almost 30 years of service.  And understandably, this adds to the worries of folks concerned not only about their own futures but about the future of the space program to which they’ve devoted their lives.

But I also know that underlying these concerns is a deeper worry, one that precedes not only this plan but this administration.  It stems from the sense that people in Washington -- driven sometimes less by vision than by politics -- have for years neglected NASA’s mission and undermined the work of the professionals who fulfill it.  We’ve seen that in the NASA budget, which has risen and fallen with the political winds.

But we can also see it in other ways:  in the reluctance of those who hold office to set clear, achievable objectives; to provide the resources to meet those objectives; and to justify not just these plans but the larger purpose of space exploration in the 21st century.

All that has to change.  And with the strategy I’m outlining today, it will.  We start by increasing NASA’s budget by $6 billion over the next five years, even -- (applause) -- I want people to understand the context of this.  This is happening even as we have instituted a freeze on discretionary spending and sought to make cuts elsewhere in the budget.

So NASA, from the start, several months ago when I issued my budget, was one of the areas where we didn’t just maintain a freeze but we actually increased funding by $6 billion.  By doing that we will ramp up robotic exploration of the solar system, including a probe of the Sun’s atmosphere; new scouting missions to Mars and other destinations; and an advanced telescope to follow Hubble, allowing us to peer deeper into the universe than ever before.

We will increase Earth-based observation to improve our understanding of our climate and our world -- science that will garner tangible benefits, helping us to protect our environment for future generations.

And we will extend the life of the International Space Station likely by more than five years, while actually using it for its intended purpose:  conducting advanced research that can help improve the daily lives of people here on Earth, as well as testing and improving upon our capabilities in space.  This includes technologies like more efficient life support systems that will help reduce the cost of future missions.  And in order to reach the space station, we will work with a growing array of private companies competing to make getting to space easier and more affordable.  (Applause.)

Now, I recognize that some have said it is unfeasible or unwise to work with the private sector in this way.  I disagree.  The truth is, NASA has always relied on private industry to help design and build the vehicles that carry astronauts to space, from the Mercury capsule that carried John Glenn into orbit nearly 50 years ago, to the space shuttle Discovery currently orbiting overhead.  By buying the services of space transportation -- rather than the vehicles themselves -- we can continue to ensure rigorous safety standards are met.  But we will also accelerate the pace of innovations as companies -- from young startups to established leaders -- compete to design and build and launch new means of carrying people and materials out of our atmosphere.

In addition, as part of this effort, we will build on the good work already done on the Orion crew capsule.  I’ve directed Charlie Bolden to immediately begin developing a rescue vehicle using this technology, so we are not forced to rely on foreign providers if it becomes necessary to quickly bring our people home from the International Space Station.  And this Orion effort will be part of the technological foundation for advanced spacecraft to be used in future deep space missions.  In fact, Orion will be readied for flight right here in this room.  (Applause.)

Next, we will invest more than $3 billion to conduct research on an advanced “heavy lift rocket” -- a vehicle to efficiently send into orbit the crew capsules, propulsion systems, and large quantities of supplies needed to reach deep space.  In developing this new vehicle, we will not only look at revising or modifying older models; we want to look at new designs, new materials, new technologies that will transform not just where we can go but what we can do when we get there.  And we will finalize a rocket design no later than 2015 and then begin to build it.  (Applause.)  And I want everybody to understand:  That’s at least two years earlier than previously planned -- and that’s conservative, given that the previous program was behind schedule and over budget.

At the same time, after decades of neglect, we will increase investment -- right away -- in other groundbreaking technologies that will allow astronauts to reach space sooner and more often, to travel farther and faster for less cost, and to live and work in space for longer periods of time more safely.  That means tackling major scientific and technological challenges.  How do we shield astronauts from radiation on longer missions?  How do we harness resources on distant worlds?  How do we supply spacecraft with energy needed for these far-reaching journeys?  These are questions that we can answer and will answer.  And these are the questions whose answers no doubt will reap untold benefits right here on Earth.

So the point is what we’re looking for is not just to continue on the same path -- we want to leap into the future; we want major breakthroughs; a transformative agenda for NASA.  (Applause.)

Now, yes, pursuing this new strategy will require that we revise the old strategy.  In part, this is because the old strategy -- including the Constellation program -- was not fulfilling its promise in many ways.  That’s not just my assessment; that’s also the assessment of a panel of respected non-partisan experts charged with looking at these issues closely.  Now, despite this, some have had harsh words for the decisions we’ve made, including some individuals who I’ve got enormous respect and admiration for.

But what I hope is, is that everybody will take a look at what we are planning, consider the details of what we’ve laid out, and see the merits as I’ve described them.  The bottom line is nobody is more committed to manned space flight, to human exploration of space than I am.  (Applause.)  But we’ve got to do it in a smart way, and we can’t just keep on doing the same old things that we’ve been doing and thinking that somehow is going to get us to where we want to go.

Some have said, for instance, that this plan gives up our leadership in space by failing to produce plans within NASA to reach low Earth orbit, instead of relying on companies and other countries.  But we will actually reach space faster and more often under this new plan, in ways that will help us improve our technological capacity and lower our costs, which are both essential for the long-term sustainability of space flight.  In fact, through our plan, we’ll be sending many more astronauts to space over the next decade.  (Applause.)

There are also those who criticized our decision to end parts of Constellation as one that will hinder space exploration below [sic] low Earth orbit.  But it’s precisely by investing in groundbreaking research and innovative companies that we will have the potential to rapidly transform our capabilities -- even as we build on the important work already completed, through projects like Orion, for future missions.  And unlike the previous program, we are setting a course with specific and achievable milestones.

Early in the next decade, a set of crewed flights will test and prove the systems required for exploration beyond low Earth orbit.  (Applause.)  And by 2025, we expect new spacecraft designed for long journeys to allow us to begin the first-ever crewed missions beyond the Moon into deep space.  (Applause.)  So we’ll start -- we’ll start by sending astronauts to an asteroid for the first time in history.  (Applause.)  By the mid-2030s, I believe we can send humans to orbit Mars and return them safely to Earth.  And a landing on Mars will follow.  And I expect to be around to see it.  (Applause.)

But I want to repeat -- I want to repeat this:  Critical to deep space exploration will be the development of breakthrough propulsion systems and other advanced technologies.  So I’m challenging NASA to break through these barriers.  And we’ll give you the resources to break through these barriers.  And I know you will, with ingenuity and intensity, because that’s what you’ve always done.  (Applause.)

Now, I understand that some believe that we should attempt a return to the surface of the Moon first, as previously planned.  But I just have to say pretty bluntly here:  We’ve been there before.  Buzz has been there.  There’s a lot more of space to explore, and a lot more to learn when we do.  So I believe it’s more important to ramp up our capabilities to reach -- and operate at -- a series of increasingly demanding targets, while advancing our technological capabilities with each step forward.  And that’s what this strategy does.  And that’s how we will ensure that our leadership in space is even stronger in this new century than it was in the last.  (Applause.)

Finally, I want to say a few words about jobs.  Suzanne pointed out to me that the last time I was here, I made a very clear promise that I would help in the transition into a new program to make sure that people who are already going through a tough time here in this region were helped.  And despite some reports to the contrary, my plan will add more than 2,500 jobs along the Space Coast in the next two years compared to the plan under the previous administration.  So I want to make that point.  (Applause.)

We’re going to modernize the Kennedy Space Center, creating jobs as we upgrade launch facilities.  And there’s potential for even more jobs as companies in Florida and across America compete to be part of a new space transportation industry.  And some of those industry leaders are here today.  This holds the promise of generating more than 10,000 jobs nationwide over the next few years.  And many of these jobs will be created right here in Florida because this is an area primed to lead in this competition.

Now, it’s true -- there are Floridians who will see their work on the shuttle end as the program winds down.  This is based on a decision that was made six years ago, not six months ago, but that doesn’t make it any less painful for families and communities affected as this decision becomes reality.

So I’m proposing -- in part because of strong lobbying by Bill and by Suzanne, as well as Charlie -- I’m proposing a $40 million initiative led by a high-level team from the White House, NASA, and other agencies to develop a plan for regional economic growth and job creation.  And I expect this plan to reach my desk by August 15th.  (Applause.)  It’s an effort that will help prepare this already skilled workforce for new opportunities in the space industry and beyond.

So this is the next chapter that we can write together here at NASA.  We will partner with industry.  We will invest in cutting-edge research and technology.  We will set far-reaching milestones and provide the resources to reach those milestones.  And step by step, we will push the boundaries not only of where we can go but what we can do.

Fifty years after the creation of NASA, our goal is no longer just a destination to reach.  Our goal is the capacity for people to work and learn and operate and live safely beyond the Earth for extended periods of time, ultimately in ways that are more sustainable and even indefinite.  And in fulfilling this task, we will not only extend humanity’s reach in space -- we will strengthen America’s leadership here on Earth.

Now, I’ll close by saying this.  I know that some Americans have asked a question that’s particularly apt on Tax Day:  Why spend money on NASA at all?  Why spend money solving problems in space when we don’t lack for problems to solve here on the ground?  And obviously our country is still reeling from the worst economic turmoil we’ve known in generations.  We have massive structural deficits that have to be closed in the coming years.

But you and I know this is a false choice.  We have to fix our economy.  We need to close our deficits.  But for pennies on the dollar, the space program has fueled jobs and entire industries.  For pennies on the dollar, the space program has improved our lives, advanced our society, strengthened our economy, and inspired generations of Americans.  And I have no doubt that NASA can continue to fulfill this role.  (Applause.)  But that is why -- but I want to say clearly to those of you who work for NASA, but to the entire community that has been so supportive of the space program in this area:  That is exactly why it’s so essential that we pursue a new course and that we revitalize NASA and its mission -- not just with dollars, but with clear aims and a larger purpose.

Now, little more than 40 years ago, astronauts descended the nine-rung ladder of the lunar module called Eagle, and allowed their feet to touch the dusty surface of the Earth’s only Moon.  This was the culmination of a daring and perilous gambit -- of an endeavor that pushed the boundaries of our knowledge, of our technological prowess, of our very capacity as human beings to solve problems.  It wasn’t just the greatest achievement in NASA’s history -- it was one of the greatest achievements in human history.

And the question for us now is whether that was the beginning of something or the end of something.  I choose to believe it was only the beginning.

So thank you.  God bless you.  And may God bless the United States of America.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

END
3:21 P.M. EDT

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Obama Administration Marks Major Open Government Milestone

All Cabinet agencies release open government plans and highlight
flagship initiatives on transparency, participation, collaboration

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, President Obama hailed the release of open government plans by all Cabinet agencies – the latest milestone in his Administration’s unprecedented efforts to erase the long-standing barriers between the American people and the government.  These plans are the agencies’ strategic roadmap for making transparency, citizen participation, and collaboration part of the way they work.

“For too long, Washington has closed itself off from the oversight of the American public, resulting in information that’s difficult to find, taxpayer dollars that disappear without a trace, and lobbyists that wield undue influence,” said President Obama.  “That’s why my Administration is taking concrete steps to build a government that’s more transparent, open and accountable.  And now that these plans are published online, we hope the American people will play their part and collaborate with us to provide oversight and improve upon this information.  Together, we won’t just build a more efficient and effective government, but a stronger democracy as well.”

The plans released Wednesday make agency operations and data more transparent, while creating new ways for citizens to have an active voice in their government.  In addition, each agency has identified at least one “flagship initiative” – a signature open government innovation in the agency.  Examples include:

Department of Health and Human Services’ Community Health Data Initiative:  This initiative will publish online a large-scale Community Health Data Set -- a wealth of easily accessible, downloadable information data on community health care costs, quality, access, and public health.  HHS will work with outside experts and citizens to take advantage of the new data to raise awareness of community health performance and spark improvements. Department of Energy’s Open Energy Information Initiative:  DOE has launched Open Energy Information (OpenEI.org), a new open-source web platform that opens DOE resources and data to the public.  The free, editable, and evolving wiki-platform will help to deploy clean energy technologies across the country and the world.  OpenEI.org also will provide technical resources, including U.S. lab tools, which can be used by developing countries as they move toward clean energy deployment. Department of Veterans Affairs Innovation Initiative:  The VA Innovation Initiative (VAi2) will invite VA employees, private sector entrepreneurs, and academic leaders to contribute the best ideas for innovations to increase Veteran access to VA services, reduce or control costs of delivering those services, enhance the performance of VA operations, and improve the quality of service Veterans and their families receive.  The VA Innovation Initiative will identify, prioritize, fund, test, and deploy the most promising solutions to the VA’s most important challenges. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Homelessness Prevention Resources Initiative:  Many agencies and organizations struggle with the task of capturing information about the homeless.  Even more difficult is the task of predicting when and where homelessness will strike.  HUD believes that homelessness can be averted by combining information from multiple agencies and using the data to identify communities that may be at a tipping point towards increased homelessness.  HUD will work to develop a set of tools and processes to help predict at-risk communities, allowing the Department to take proactive steps to combat it.

The White House website tracks the progress of those agencies required to meet the open government milestones.  Independent agencies are not mandated to participate, though many, like the Peace Corps and the Corporation for National and Community Service, have taken on the challenge to open their practices to greater transparency and public participation.

In addition to the Open Government Plans, the Administration is releasing new policy guidance involving the use of social media and the Paperwork Reduction Act, improving transparency in the rulemaking process, and setting the process by which the government will collect and publish, for the first time ever, subaward data for all federal grants and contracts.  This last piece is in line with the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, which then-Senator Obama coauthored in 2006 with Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma.

Background on the White House Open Government Initiative

The Administration’s open-government efforts began on the President’s first full day in office, when he signed a presidential memorandum that established transparency, participation, and collaboration as the hallmarks of a more efficient, accountable government.  That same memorandum directed the Federal Chief Technology Officer (CTO) to issue recommendations for creating a more transparent, participatory, and collaborative government. 

To that end, the White House Open Government Initiative and the CTO partnered with the American people to solicit expertise from outside of Washington.  The three-phase public consultation involved thousands of Americans commenting on and shaping policy approaches that were incorporated in the December 2009 Open Government Directive.  The Administration released an Open Government Progress Report to coincide with the Directive, outlining the steps that the federal government has implemented to break down those barriers to public participation and agency transparency.

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Statement from the Press Secretary on the “Trademark Technical and Conforming Amendment Act of 2010″

ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2010, THE PRESIDENT SIGNED INTO LAW:

S. 2968, the “Trademark Technical and Conforming Amendment Act of 2010”, which amends trademark law to extend the grace period from 3 months to 6 months for international registrants filing “affidavits of use” to extend trademark registration and to allow international registrants.

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Letter from the President to Congress Concerning a Strategic Communications Report

TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
TO THE CHAIRMEN AND RANKING MEMBERS
OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE COMMITTEES ON
ARMED SERVICES AND APPROPRIATIONS AND
THE CHAIRMEN AND RANKING MEMBERS OF THE
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND
THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS

March 16, 2010

Dear Mr. Chairman: (Dear Representative:) (Dear Senator:)

Pursuant to section 1055 of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law 110-417), I am providing a report on my Administration's comprehensive interagency strategy for public diplomacy and strategic communication of the Federal Government.

Sincerely,
BARACK OBAMA

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Statement from the President on the National Broadband Plan

America today is on the verge of a broadband-driven Internet era that will unleash innovation, create new jobs and industries, provide consumers with new powerful sources of information, enhance American safety and security, and connect communities in ways that strengthen our democracy.  Just as past generations of Americans met the great infrastructure challenges of the day, such as building the Transcontinental railroad and the Interstate highways, so too must we harness the potential of the Internet.  Expanding broadband across the nation will build a foundation of sustained economic growth and the widely shared prosperity we all seek.

I commend Chairman Julius Genachowski, the Commissioners, and the FCC staff for their hard work in developing the National Broadband Plan.

My Administration will build upon our efforts over the past year to make America's nationwide broadband infrastructure the world’s most powerful platform for economic growth and prosperity, including improving access to mobile broadband, maximizing technology innovation, and supporting a nationwide, interoperable public safety wireless broadband network. 

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Statement from the President on Sunshine Week

As Sunshine Week begins, I want to applaud everyone who has worked to increase transparency in government and recommit my administration to be the most open and transparent ever, an effort that will strengthen our democracy and ensure the public’s trust in their government. We came to Washington to change the way business was done, and part of that was making ourselves accountable to the American people by opening up our government. We’ve put our White House visitor records on the Internet for the first time in history; opened up more government information than ever before on Data.gov, Recovery.gov and USAspending.gov; and issued an Executive Order fighting unnecessary secrecy, to name a few.

We are proud of these accomplishments, but our work is not done. We will continue to work toward an unmatched level of transparency, participation  and accountability across the entire Administration.

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President Obama to Host Space Conference in Florida in April

WASHINGTON – On April 15, President Barack Obama will visit Florida to host a White House Conference on the Administration’s new vision for America’s future in space, the White House today announced.

The President, along with top officials and other space leaders, will discuss the new course the Administration is charting for NASA and the future of U.S. leadership in human space flight.  Specifically, the conference will focus on the goals and strategies in this new vision, the next steps, and the new technologies, new jobs, and new industries it will create.   Conference topics will include the implications of the new strategy for Florida, the nation, and our ultimate activities in space.

Further logistical details will be announced as they become available.

After an independent review panel found that the previous program to return astronauts to the Moon was fundamentally un-executable, the President included an additional $6 billion for NASA in his FY2011 budget over the next five years. This funding will help us achieve our boldest aspirations in space.   The President’s ambitious new strategy pushes the frontiers of innovation to set NASA on a more dynamic, flexible, and sustainable trajectory that can propel us on a new journey of innovation and discovery.

The President and the NASA Administrator both believe that we have to be forward thinking and aggressive in our pursuit of new technologies to take us beyond low-Earth orbit.  The President’s plan does this.

A foundational element of this new strategy is to invest in the development of a targeted set of inter-related technologies and capabilities that can help us travel from the Earth’s cradle to our nearby Solar System neighborhood in a more effective and affordable way, thus laying the foundation to support journeys to the Moon, asteroids, and eventually to Mars.     

After years of underinvestment in new technology and unrealistic budgeting, the President’s plan will unveil an ambitious plan for NASA that sets the agency on a reinvigorated path of space exploration.

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Remarks by the President in Conversation with the International Space Station Crew and the Space Shuttle Endeavour Crew via Satellite

From the Roosevelt Room

5:20 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Hey, guys.

COMMANDER ZAMKA:  Good morning from the International Space Station and from the Space Shuttle Endeavour, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, it's great to talk to you guys.  I wanted to, first of all, just say that we've got a bunch of very excited young people here with us, along with a bunch of somewhat excited teachers.  (Laughter.)  We have one engineer and one member of Congress, so you've got a -- and a whole bunch of press here, so it's a pretty motley crew.  And one President.

But I just wanted to let you guys know how proud we are of all of you at what you guys have been accomplishing.  I've had a chance to take a look at what Tranquility Module is doing.  Everybody here back home is excited about this bay on the world that you guys are opening up, and Stephen Colbert at least is excited about his treadmill.  (Laughter.)

And so we just wanted to let you know that the amazing work that's being done on the International Space Station not only by our American astronauts but also our colleagues from Japan and Russia is just a testimony to the human ingenuity; a testimony to extraordinary skill and courage that you guys bring to bear; and is also a testimony to why continued space exploration is so important, and is part of the reason why my commitment to NASA is unwavering.

But instead of me doing all the talking, I wanted you guys to maybe let us know what this new Tranquility Module will help you accomplish.  One of the things that we've done with our NASA "Vision for the Future" is to extend the life of our participation in the Space Station.  And so we just want to get a sense of the kind of research that you guys are doing, and then maybe I'll turn it over to some young people to see if they've got any questions.

COMMANDER ZAMKA:  Well, thank you very much, Mr. President. It is a large team effort.  In front of you, you have the joint crew of Endeavour and the Space Station, and we are the ones that are fortunate enough to be able to accomplish this great mission together in space.  But there are many thousands of people around the world that gave the best of themselves over many years in order to have the days that we've been having up here.

For your question, I'm going to turn it over to ISS Commander Jeff Williams.

COMMANDER WILLIAMS:  Well, Mr. President, as you know, the ISS has been under assembly for many years, over a decade now.  And as George said, it's because of the efforts of thousands of people around the world among the international partnerships.

The arrival of this module means several things.  It means, of course, that we -- everybody is aware of this new grand view that we have of the world below us, and that brings a special significance.  But the Tranquility Module also is going to serve as a gym, as a hygiene area, as a place a crew can maintain themselves for a long duration.  And a long duration living and working in space is what the Space Station is all about -- to do the research and the science necessary to take us beyond Earth orbit.

That was the ultimate purpose of the Space Station, and the arrival of this module will enable us to do that.  And it really marks the end of the major assembly of at least the U.S. orbiting segment to -- as we transition into full utilization of this magnificent orbiting laboratory.

THE PRESIDENT:  Do you guys want to just mention some of the research and experiments that you can conduct on the Space Station that you could not be doing back here at home?

FLIGHT ENGINEER CREAMER:  That's a great question, Mr. President.  Let me start off by saying one of the nice things about where we physically are right now is that we remove the effects of gravity, so we're able to do experiments that involve the effect of gravity basically on Earth as we look at what happens with the absence of it.

For instance, when you do combustion studies, flames on Earth burn in a teardrop fashion because the air comes in from underneath it and feeds the flame, but we can't do that here since the air doesn't know where up is, there's no convection.  So the flames burn very purely in a ball.

In a similar sense, when we do cellular research for even -- like for cancer research, for instance, on Earth the cells actually collapse under their own weight and so their growth on Earth are a little bit distorted.  Here, without the gravity effect, we can grow cells very purely and understand the mechanisms by which they are replicating.

We're also doing metallic research and materials research to help us understand how to make materials on Earth better, but also to find out what materials are better for long-duration missions and traveling beyond Earth's orbit.

Some of the other experiments involve biological, where we actually have, for instance, butterflies up here and we watch the life process of the butterflies.  Many, many experiments up and down the stack are quite exciting when we are able to remove the variable of gravity.

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, some of the things that you talked about are in line with where we want to see NASA going increasingly:  What are those transformational technologies that would allow us to potentially see space travel of longer durations?  If we want to get to Mars, if we want to get beyond that, what kinds of technologies are going to be necessary in order for us to make sure that folks can get there in one piece and get back in one piece and that -- the kinds of fuels that we use and the technologies we use are going to facilitate something that is actually feasible?  And we're very excited about the possibilities of putting more research dollars into some of these transformational technologies.

So we're excited about what you're doing and what folks back on Earth as part of NASA's engineering teams and scientific teams are doing.

What I want to do is give some of these young people a chance to ask a couple of questions, but I'm not sure I've got any volunteers so I'm going to have to turn around -- oh, look.  (Laughter.)  This is a serious bunch here, I can tell.  So I'm going to hand the phone over to the first one -- hold on -- what's your name?

Q    Ruth.

THE PRESIDENT:  This is Ruth, coming from North Carolina.

Q    What are some of the benefits of exploring space as opposed to exploring other places on Earth?

THE PRESIDENT:  Okay.  A pretty serious question, guys.  You better have a good answer -- the NASA folks are sitting here listening.  (Laughter.)

MISSION SPECIALIST:  Ruth, I can tell you your curiosity reaches far, and so does ours.  And that's sort of the human spirit, to find out what can humans really do.
One thing that's always been I think amazing to every person who travels in space is that the human body is adaptable to this environment.  But adaptable in what way, and how does the human body and even the human brain adapt to this very, very different environment?  Learning about how we, ourselves, work and how we can handle changes if we go somewhere very different than what we're used to is something that's valuable also on Earth, because our environment changes on Earth, too -- and in terms of health and medicine, we understand better how our own bodies work.  So there’s a lot to be learned.

THE PRESIDENT:  All right, who's next?

Q    Mary.

THE PRESIDENT:  All right, this is Mary coming at you.

Q    What inspired you to become an astronaut?

THE PRESIDENT:  Got any takers on that one?

MISSION SPECIALIST PATRICK:  Mary, hello.  This is Nick Patrick.  The thing that inspired me to become an astronaut was watching the Apollo moon landings many, many years ago with my parents.  I thought I wanted to be a space explorer then and I stuck to my dream.  I stayed in school and I studied hard, and through schoolwork and also an interest in things like sailing and flying I was able to realize my dream.

So I would have some advice to all of you there, which is study really hard in school, listen to your teachers.  They’re full of knowledge and experience that you really can use in whatever path your future life takes you along -- whether it be engineering, science, a job in business, or even space exploration.

THE PRESIDENT:  All right, let’s get -- we have one of our young people from --

Q    From Nebraska.

THE PRESIDENT:  From Nebraska.  And what’s your name?

Q    Jordan.

THE PRESIDENT:  This is Jordan from Nebraska.

Q    Do you think it will ever be possible to create artificial gravity in space?

THE PRESIDENT:  That's a big physics question there, guys.  Anybody want to tackle that one?

PILOT VIRTS:  Hi, Jordan, this is Terry Virts here.  And that's a great question because one of the hard things about long-duration space flight is the human body dealing with weightlessness and a lack of gravity.

And one way you can create gravity is to spin things.  If you take a bucket of water or paint you can spin it around and you’ll notice that the water stays pressed up against the bucket because you're accelerating it.  And so you can artificially create that acceleration that makes you feel like you're in gravity just by rotating something like a centrifuge.

So it is possible, but to do that it requires a really large structure.  And so that's something that we haven’t done here on the Space Station, but that's one way you can do it.

THE PRESIDENT:  That was a great question.  All right, we need a Michigan -- we’ve got to make sure every state is represented here.  What’s your name?

Q    Shanae.

THE PRESIDENT:  Okay, go ahead and introduce yourself.

Q    I was just wondering, what kind of training did you have to go through before you were able to get into space?

THE PRESIDENT:  That was Shanae from Michigan.

MISSION SPECIALIST HIRE:  Well, that's a great question.  You know, it takes a lot of experience to be an astronaut and it’s not just in one field.  We’ve all been through many, many years of school, but also experience in our own fields.  So we have engineers, scientists, mathematicians, medical doctors and physicists.  We have quite a range of experience that become astronauts.

And the important thing is that you have a good, solid background in the technical fields -- the science, the technology, the engineering and the math -- to build on that, because once everyone comes and is selected as an astronaut, we all train generically for space flight, and then we train specifically for our mission.

For the International Space Station it's a very complicated and very large spacecraft, so the training is over multiple years just for a specific flight.  For the Space Shuttle, being a shorter-duration flight of just a couple of weeks, we still train for over one year just specifically on the task that we'll accomplish on our mission.

So it's quite a bit of time, but it certainly is worth it.  It's quite rewarding to us to be able to execute the mission that we've been training for, for so long.

THE PRESIDENT:  And I think we need to have at least one Floridian -- is that right?  We already had a Floridian?  Do we have every state covered so far?

All right, we've got time for a couple more questions.  We were going to get a little gender balance here.  (Laughter.)  This young man back here, what's your name?

Q    Joseph.

THE PRESIDENT:  Joseph.

Hold on one second.  You've got a question from Joseph from Nebraska.

Q    Are there any recognizable landmarks that you can see from space?

THE PRESIDENT:  Yes, the rumor was, is that you can see the Great Wall from space, but I'm not sure that's true.  So are there at least -- if there aren't manmade landmarks, are there some natural landmarks other than continents that you can see?

FLIGHT ENGINEER:  Yes, Mr. President and Joseph, that's a great question.  Actually, one of the great -- in this mission, we have a great window, big window, that we are really fascinated by the great view of the Earth.  And, yes, we can see a lot of great landmarks.  We can see the Golden Gate Bridge, the great skyscrapers in New York.  And the Grand Canyon is just breathtaking.  And also while in the night pass we can see all the lights -- that means that the humans are active even in the night.  And this is a great benefit that we all benefit from, being in space.

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, there you go.

All right, we've got -- looks like I've got a couple more questions.  Hold on.  What's your name?

Q    Barbara.

THE PRESIDENT:  This is Barbara.  From?

Q    From Florida.

THE PRESIDENT:  From Florida.  Hold on.

Q    Hi, I'm curious about the thoughts and emotions that you guys feel when you're in space.

THE PRESIDENT:  There you go.  Do you start getting lonely?  Do you feel a little claustrophobic?

MISSION SPECIALIST:  That's an excellent question, and I think that probably it ranges quite a bit over the period of a space shuttle mission, And I expect it probably varies quite a bit over the range of a long-duration mission.

Kind of starting off, for the shuttle mission, at least for me, I've done that twice now; you kind of get into orbit, and you're just kind of finding the equivalent of your sea legs, if you will.  And so you're -- you've arrived on orbit and you kind of have a feeling of joy, having accomplished it.  Your body has just gone through kind of a little bit of a violent experience through the launch, and you have a little bit of adrenaline probably getting out of your system.  So it's a little bit of a joyous, giddy moment, at the same time that you're disoriented as you deal with the first couple of hours of actually being on orbit.

After that passes, after a couple of days, for me it was kind of a sense of wonder as you explore what you can do in zero gravity and the things that you can see out the window and just how the entire complex works together to make it happen.  So it's just a sense of wonder.

After -- a little while after that, I think you start to think a little bit about the people who are back on Earth that are most precious to you, and then that little bit of loneliness can kick in.  And one of the really nice things that we have and the long-duration crews have is the opportunity to use a telephone or to perform a videoconference similar to like we're doing with you guys with our families.  And I think that's really important for folks to maintain that contact when you're up here on orbit.

Of course, you have your crew members, but you do really want to maintain those precious relationships with all your family members and friends that are on the ground.  And they do a remarkable job actually supporting us while we're in space to make sure that we can still speak with our families and that our families are informed and able to stay in contact with us.

But all those emotions kind of wrap up together.  Kind of the final one is kind of when you do return to Earth and kick off all those relationships that, whether they were two weeks or six months later, have -- time has passed and you have to kind of rebuild them a little bit.  But it's a very joyous experience, and something that you can share with both the people on the ground and the people who are part of your crew throughout the entire mission.

Great question.

THE PRESIDENT:  All right.  So I think we're going to make this the last question.  We've been keeping you guys overtime.  So what's your name?

Q    Alex.

THE PRESIDENT:  This is Alex.  Hold on one sec.

Q    Does being up in space allow you to see things such as the weather?  Like could you see the storm over Washington?

THE PRESIDENT:  That's a good point.  Obviously we're using a lot of satellite imagery these days, and this is going to be a major focus of some of the work NASA is doing here at home, thinking about how we can get better information about our own climate.  Is that something that you guys are tracking from the Space Station?

COMMANDER WILLIAMS:  Well, we view a lot of the weather phenomena.  We've seen many hurricanes and typhoons and whatnot around the world.  We can see fronts crossing continents.  We see the whole variety of cloud formations.  We sometimes can see the aftermath of a storm or other major impact on the Earth after the sky clears.

So there's a whole lot of details that we can see here from the Space Station -- and observe every day.  We can see things -- we pass over the same portion of the Earth every day, so it's a regular observation that we can make over a long period of time, as well.

THE PRESIDENT:  You guys have been extraordinarily generous with your time, and I just want to repeat, and I think I speak for all the young people here, everybody back home, how proud we are of you, how excited we are about the work that's being done on the Space Station, and how committed we are to continuing human space exploration in the future.

So you guys continue to be great pioneers and great role models for all of us, and we thank you for your courage.  And tell your families we appreciate them letting you float up into space like this.  (Laughter.)  All right?

Bye-bye, guys.

END
5:41 P.M. EST

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