Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

 

Remarks by President Trump in signing an Executive Order on the National Space Council in the Roosevelt Room, June 30, 2017:

Thank you very much to our great Vice President and also for the fantastic job that Mike has been doing.

The future of American space leadership — we’re going to lead again. It’s been a long time. It’s over 25 years, and we’re opening up, and we are going to be leading again like we’ve never led before.

We’re a nation of pioneers, and the next great American frontier is space. And we never completed — we started, but we never completed. We stopped. But now we start again.  And we have tremendous spirit, and we’re going to have tremendous spirit from the private sector — maybe in particular from the private sector.

I’d like to extend a special welcome to an American hero who’ve I’ve known actually for a long time, Buzz Aldrin, who is with us today. (Applause.) Known him a long time. Thank you also to Astronauts Benjamin Drew and David Wolf and former NASA Flight Director Gene Kranz for being with us and for working with us on exactly what we’re doing today. Thank you all very much. We appreciate it. Thank you, thank you, thank you.  (Applause.)

We’re also joined by our great Secretary of Commerce, Wilbur Ross, who spent the morning negotiating trade deals with South Korea. And as you know, that trade deal is coming due, and it actually came due a couple of weeks ago.  And I think we’re going to make a good deal, right?

SECRETARY ROSS:  We’ve made some progress.

THE PRESIDENT:  I think so.  That’s what the word is. And good for both countries.

Also distinguished members of Congress are with us, and leaders of several of America’s great aerospace companies.

Today, we’re taking a crucial step to secure America’s future in space by reviving the National Space Council after it was — has been dormant almost 25 years if you can believe it.

During the campaign, Vice President Pence promised that our administration — because Mike is very much into space — would revive the National Space Council, and with this executive order, we’re keeping that promise.  Feel very strongly about it.  I’ve felt strongly about it for a long time.  I used to say before doing what I did — I used to say, what happened?  Why aren’t we moving forward?

Today’s announcement sends a clear signal to the world that we are restoring America’s proud legacy of leadership in space.

Our Vice President cares very deeply about space policy, and for good reason — space exploration is not only essential to our character as a nation, but also our economy and our great nation’s security.

Our travels beyond the Earth propel scientific discoveries that improve our lives in countless ways here, right here, at home:  powering vast new industry, spurring incredible new technology, and providing the space security we need to protect the American people.  And security is going to be a very big factor with respect to space and space exploration.  At some point in the future, we’re going to look back and say how did we do it without space?

 

The Vice President will serve as the council’s chair.  Several representatives of my administration will join him including the Secretaries of State, Defense, Commerce, Transportation, and Homeland Security; the Chairman of the great — I’ll tell you, he’s doing a fantastic job, always working, always fighting, and winning — winning big against ISIS, that I can tell you, seeing what’s happening there — the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the National Security Advisor, NASA, and the Director of National Intelligence.

The council will also draw the expertise of other White House offices as well as insights from scientists, innovators, and business leaders from across the country.  Many business leaders that want to be a big part of this. I think the privatization of certain aspects is going to play a very crucial role, don’t you think? They are truly into it. This coordination will be accomplished through an advisory group that is being convened by today’s executive order, which I’ll be signing in a minute.

The National Space Council will be a central hub guiding space policy within the administration.  And I will draw on it for advice and information and recommendations for action. And the Vice President, myself, and a few others are going to pick some private people to be on the board.  I will say that’s not easy because everybody wants to be on this board.  People that you wouldn’t have believed loved what we’re doing so much they want to — some of the most successful people in the world want to be on this board.

The human soul yearns for discovery.  By unlocking the mysteries of the universe, we unlock truths within ourselves. That’s true. Our journey into space will not only make us stronger and more prosperous, but will unite us behind grand ambitions and bring us all closer together. Wouldn’t that be nice? Can you believe that space is going to do that? I thought politics would do that.  (Laughter.)  Well, we’ll have to rely on space instead.

Every launch into the skies is another step forward toward a future where our differences seem small against the vast expanse of our common humanity.  Sometimes you have to view things from a distance in order to see the real truth. It is America’s destiny to be at the forefront of humanity’s eternal quest for knowledge and to be the leader amongst nations on our adventure into the great unknown. And I could say the great and very beautiful unknown.  Nothing more beautiful.

With the actions we are launching today, America will think big once again.  Important words: Think big. We haven’t been thinking so big for a long time, but we’re thinking big again as a county. We will inspire millions of children to carry on this proud tradition of American space leadership — and they’re excited — and to never stop wondering, hoping, and dreaming about what lies beyond the stars.

So, I just want to tell you that we are now going to sign an executive order, and this is going to launch a whole new chapter for our great country. And people are very excited about it and I can tell you, I’m very excited about it. Thank you all very much.  (Applause.)

(The order is signed.)

COLONEL ALDRIN: Infinity and beyond.  (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: This is infinity here. It could be infinity. We don’t really don’t know. But it could be. It has to be something — but it could be infinity, right?

Okay.  (Applause.)

Users’ advisory group

Acting NASA Administrator Robert Lightfoot saluted Friday’s Executive Order creating the National Space Council:

“I am pleased that President Trump has signed an executive order reestablishing the National Space Council. The council existed previously from 1989-1993, and a version of it also existed as the National Aeronautics and Space Council from 1958-1973. As such, the council has guided NASA from our earliest days and can help us achieve the many ambitious milestones we are striving for today.

“This high-level group advises the president and comprises the leaders of government agencies with a stake in space, including the NASA administrator, the Secretaries of State, Commerce, Defense, and others, and will be chaired by Vice President Mike Pence. It will help ensure that all aspects of the nation’s space power — national security, commerce, international relations, exploration, and science, are coordinated and aligned to best serve the American people.  A Users’ Advisory Group also will be convened so that the interests of industries and other non-federal entities are represented.

“The establishment of the council is another demonstration of the Trump Administration’s deep interest in our work, and a testament to the importance of space exploration to our economy, our nation, and the planet as a whole.”

VP visit of Kennedy Space Center

Space Council chair, Vice President Mike Pence, will visit NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday, July 6.

NASA Television and the agency’s website will provide live coverage for parts of the visit starting at noon EDT with Air Force Two’s arrival at Kennedy’s Shuttle Landing Facility runway, as well as a special address to the center’s workforce at 12:50 p.m.

The Vice President will tour Kennedy and learn more about the center’s work as a multi-user spaceport for commercial and government clients, as well as see the agency’s progress toward launching from U.S. soil on spacecraft built by American companies, and traveling past the moon, and eventually on to Mars and beyond with the help of NASA’s new Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket.

Resources

For a video of the White House remarks by the President and Vice President regarding the National Space Council, go to:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAUqcBc0hYI&feature=youtu.be

Presidential Executive Order on Reviving the National Space Council

https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/06/30/presidential-executive-order-reviving-national-space-council

President Trump Issues Executive Order on Reviving the National Space Council

https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2017/06/30/president-trump-issues-executive-order-reviving-national-space-council

Also, go to an earlier story on the history and future potential of the National Space Council:

Playing the Space Trump Card: Relaunching a National Space Council

December 29, 2016 12:00pm ET

http://www.space.com/35163-trump-administration-national-space-council.html

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