“The exploration of space will go ahead, whether we join it or not, and it is one of the greatest adventures of all time, and no nation which expects to be the leader of other nations can expect to stay behind in this race for space.” – Former President John F. Kennedy

John F. Kennedy’s wise words ring as true today as they did when he said them half a century ago. Our nation faces fresh challenges on the path to future exploration, and past achievements can act as useful guideposts as we navigate new and uncharted waters in science and space.

On the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing, we reflect as a country on what paved the way for such a technical feat – one of the greatest in American history. Our nation’s pioneering achievements in spaceflight propelled the technological research and development that helped keep us ahead of our adversaries in the space domain, and I am proud to say that Alabamians are credited with a great deal of that progress.

Alabama, a place I am fortunate to represent in Congress, played an integral role in the Apollo program and continues to play a role in the progress our nation has made in science and space. Engineers at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, founded in Huntsville during the Space Race, built the Saturn V rocket that put men on the moon for the first time. The Saturn V, which was part of a new generation of rockets being developed in the 1960s under the leadership of Wernher von Braun, quickly became the most powerful rocket in the world at the time. Fast forward to present day, and engineers at Marshall are now building the Space Launch System – the most powerful rocket known to man and the only rocket capable of sending astronauts back to the Moon and beyond in a single launch.

Huntsville has become widely known as the “Rocket City.” The North Alabama mecca hosts the second-largest technology and research park in the nation, is home to the most engineering degrees per capita, and is frequently ranked among the most educated cities in the United States. It is important to note that the types of revolutionary developments in space and science, which gave the Rocket City its name, would be impossible without a robust emphasis on education. In fact, the University of Alabama in Huntsville was founded not long before Marshall’s work on the Apollo program began, and the University’s classes grew to support the increasing demand for a highly-trained workforce created by space and defense programs. Today, UAH remains a top-tier research university where nearly half of all students earn a degree in either science or engineering.

While the spotlight may shine on North Alabama’s progress in science and space, there is further innovation, exploration, and discovery taking place all over Alabama. Whether it be the remarkable progress we have made in medical research at the University of Alabama in Birmingham and the University of South Alabama or the cutting-edge training and career options that come from Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math programs at schools across the state – Alabama is soaring to new horizons.

If we think exploration and discovery are worth investing in, we must correspondingly invest in those young minds that compose our future workforce – the next generation of researchers, engineers, and scientists. In order to follow in the footsteps of pioneers like Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins, it is of the utmost importance that we continue providing access to the cutting-edge tools and training that prepare students to contribute to high-tech marketplaces, like Alabama.

The Apollo 11 mission proved to be a technical and engineering triumph of our nation, and returning to the moon is a challenge we shall rise to surpass. The space industry, as well as supporting businesses and universities across the state, stand ready and eager to support the national goal of continued exploration. In Alabama, we have the critical foundation for the work that’s to come, and we have the attitude and environment to sustain it.

On July 20, 1969 – 50 years ago – Americans took the first steps ever on the moon. I am hopeful that this legacy never ceases to engage and inspire us, and that our efforts never falter in continuing the endeavors we begin. Alabama has the ingenuity and energy to push forward into new depths of exploration. This is Alabama’s mission – and this mission will impact our people and our nation for generations to come.

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