Suzanne P. Clark is president of the US Chamber of Commerce. The opinions expressed in this commentary are her own.

President Trump's budget, which was released last month, outlines several moonshots that are unlikely to pass a divided Congress. But there's one in particular that both Republicans and Democrats should support wholeheartedly: the $25.2 billion request to fund NASA, a 12% boost over the prior year.

The future of our economy depends on the vigorous pursuit of space exploration. And with NASA leading the way, the potential for growth — like space itself — has no limits.

Since NASA's launch, American space exploration has always been a bipartisan venture. It was President Kennedy who announced our goal of going to the moon, but it was President Nixon who brought that goal to fruition. Reaching the next milestone in interplanetary travel requires a commitment from our leaders that spans political parties and administrations. And with a new space race getting underway — one that could prove even more consequential than the last — NASA needs bipartisan support from Congress today more than ever.

Northrop Grumman, and new entrants, such as Virgin Galactic, SpaceX and Blue Origin. Space is the most promising industry to arise since the birth of the tech sector, with growth projected to skyrocket in the coming years led by companies such as Boeing andNorthropGrumman,and new entrants, such as Virgin Galactic, SpaceX and Blue Origin. According to US Chamber of Commerce economists , the industry will be worth at least $1.5 trillion by 2040. While no one can fully grasp what our economy will look like 20 years from now, one thing is certain: the private sector space industry will transform how societies across the globe live, communicate and do business. In fact, it already has.

Nearly every company depends on space-enabled technologies for day-to-day operations — whether they use satellite communications, remote sensing or location-based services. Businesses across multiple sectors are leveraging these and other technologies to stake their claim in this new economic frontier.