Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the United States Explorer I satellite, the world's first scientific spacecraft, and the birth of the United States space exploration program.

Madam Speaker, this year we celebrate many important anniversaries in our Nation's civil space and aeronautics programs. Earlier this year, I introduced H. Con. Res 287, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of the United States Explorer I satellite, the world's first scientific spacecraft, and which marked the birth of the United States space exploration program. Since the successful Explorer I launch, we have built the world's leading civil space and aeronautics enterprise. Our human expeditions into space, our robotic science probes exploring the Earth and beyond, and our aeronautical research and development initiatives continue to deliver inspiring results and provide benefits to society.

Today, I am pleased to be an original co-sponsor of three resolutions that mark other key milestones in our civil space and aeronautics activities: H. Res. 1315, Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; H. Res. 1313, Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the First American Woman in Space; and H. Res. 1312, Commemorating the 25th Anniversary of the Space Foundation.

H. Res. 1315 commemorates the 50th Anniversary of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which was established on July 29, 1958, through the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958. NASA has achieved countless successes over the 50 years since its creation and H. Res. 1315 recalls many of the agency's accomplishments in human exploration, aeronautics, and space and Earth science. I strongly agree with the sentiment expressed in H. Res. 1315, ``. . . in the last fifty years, NASA has positively impacted almost every facet of our lives.'' NASA's contributions to aviation, to increased understanding of our climate, to the advancement of our knowledge of the universe, and to the development of countless technologies that have made their way into broader societal applications have fundamentally changed our lives.

Madam Speaker, the applied uses of NASA research and developments have enabled weather and environmental monitoring, commercial satellite communications, and major improvements in commercial aviation. H. Res. 1315 marks NASA's successful launches of the first American manned spacecraft in 1961, the first human expedition to the Moon in 1969, and the first Space Shuttle in 1981. NASA's international cooperative ventures have allowed many of the world's nations to join together in advancing technology and knowledge through the peaceful uses of outer space. NASA's first 50 years have yielded truly remarkable discoveries and advances. I want to thank Mr. McCaul of Texas, who along with Mr. Lampson of Texas, introduced H. Res. 1315. H. Res. 1315 is an important opportunity to recognize NASA's half century of achievements and the men and women of NASA that have made them possible, and I am pleased to support it.

As a result of NASA's human exploration program, we also celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first American woman in space, Dr. Sally K. Ride. H. Res. 1313 commemorates that date in June of 1983 when Dr. Ride flew aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger, making history by becoming the first American woman in space. She went on to fly a second mission in 1984. When training for Dr. Ride's third mission ended as a result of the tragic Challenger accident, she continued her contributions to NASA and the Nation as an educator and advisor. H. Res. 1313 honors Dr. Ride's passion and dedication as a tireless advocate for young women and girls to pursue education and careers in science, mathematics, and technology. The opportunities she is creating for our youth, especially girls and young women, to acquire hands-on learning in science will go far in training the next generation of leaders in science and engineering. That is something I care passionately about, and I thank my colleague, Mr. Lampson of Texas for introducing H. Res. 1313.

In addition to the important role of our Federal government in the Nation's space and aeronautics programs, many non-governmental organizations provide outreach, education, and advocacy that enhance our space and aeronautics activities. That is why I strongly support H. Res. 1312, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Space Foundation. The Space Foundation, which is headquartered in Colorado Springs in my home state of Colorado, is a non-profit organization dedicated to using space to benefit humanity and furthering space exploration, development, and education. Since 1983, the Space Foundation has helped to ensure the strength and leadership of our space programs, and I am pleased that we can acknowledge the Space Foundation's endeavors in this regard. I thank my colleague, Mr. Lamborn of Colorado, for introducing this resolution recognizing the Space Foundation for its 25 years of excellence and service.

Madam Speaker, our nation's space and aeronautics programs are critical sources of innovation and inspiration for our Nation. The contributions of NASA, our astronauts, and our space advocacy organizations provide benefits for our society, help strengthen our economy, and help train the next generation of scientists and engineers. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 1315 commemorating the 50th anniversary of NASA; H. Res. 1313 celebrating the 25th anniversary of the first American woman in space, Dr. Sally K. Ride; and H. Res. 1312 commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Space Foundation.

Mr. Speaker, I would yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 287, offered by my friend and Space Subcommittee chairman, Mark Udall, as well as Mr. Melancon, Ralph Hall and myself, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the launch of Explorer I, America's first satellite. With this launch, America became a spacefaring Nation.

Unlike the Soviets, who 4 months earlier had launched Sputnik I in secrecy, America's space program was carried on in full public view. Our first attempt to launch a satellite, Vanguard I, ended in failure. As a consequence, some suggested that our preeminence as a world power was jeopardized.

Explorer I proved otherwise. The successful launch came through a collaboration of brilliant and dedicated scientists and engineers led by Wernher von Braun, who designed the launch vehicle known as the Jupiter C; Dr. Charles Pickering, director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who designed the satellite; and Dr. James Van Allen, who designed the main instrument carried aboard Explorer I.

On the night of January 31, 1958, Explorer I lifted off from Pad 26A at Cape Canaveral, Florida. Almost 2 hours passed before a ground station in California confirmed the satellite's successful orbit. America was now on a path to achieve space preeminence.

Unlike Sputnik I, Explorer I did more than demonstrate the ability to place an object into orbit. It had a valuable scientific purpose. Explorer I consisted of a Geiger counter that detected cosmic rays, temperature sensors, and a micrometeorite impact microphone. These instruments discovered radiation belts, now named after Dr. James Van Allen, that encircle the Earth.

Explorer I stopped transmitting data on May 23, 1958 when its batteries died. But it stayed in orbit until March 31, 1970 and completed about 58,000 orbits around the Earth.

Explorer I's legacy was far greater than anticipated. Few imagined how satellites could maintain our Nation's security and economy and extend man's reach to the far corners of the solar system.

Government and private enterprise, scientists and engineers, worked together to exploit and expand the capacities of space. Today, a vibrant and critical commercial industry builds and launches sophisticated satellites.

In Earth orbit, satellites forecast weather and measure surface winds and other climate variables. They monitor land-use patterns and remote sensing. They help farmers gauge the health of their crops; transmit data, radio and television signals into our homes and to businesses around the world; and they provide the infrastructure for the global positioning system, enabling the capability to accurately navigate to virtually any point on Earth.

Beyond Earth orbit, satellites have visited every planet in the solar system except for Pluto, although a mission is under way to visit this far-away planet in 2015. Satellites have carried rovers to the surface of Mars, they have captured samples of interstellar dust and returned them to Earth, photographed the heavens with exceptional clarity, measured background temperatures and radiation to high precision, and landed on a moon of Saturn.

Explorer I also led to our human spaceflight program under which America learned to orbit the Earth, explore the Moon, and live for extended periods aboard the international space station.

H. Con. Res. 287 commemorates the achievements of the Explorer I team, and acknowledges its role as the impetus for what has become a critical part of America's greatness. I am pleased to be an original cosponsor of this bill, along with my good friend and ranking Republican member of the Science and Technology Committee, Ralph Hall, and I urge all Members to support it.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, earlier I shamelessly invited people to come and experience the Daytona 500. While they are there, they may want to come visit a museum not far from the Daytona 500. Launch Complex 26, where Explorer I was launched, now houses the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Museum.

If you visit, you can tour the blockhouse from which the Explorer I was launched, see launch control equipment from that era and walk on the launch pad. Just a few hundred yards away is Launch Pad 5 where America's first astronaut, Alan Shepherd, was launched into space. Emily Perry serves as the museum's curator. Sixty volunteers, led by Gary Harris, guide these tours. Most of these volunteers are veterans of America's space program, including some from the Explorer I era. Their stories provide a window into this fascinating past. Tours begin from the Kennedy Space Center's Visitors Complex and operate 7 days a week.

We have talked about how Explorer I began America's journey as a spacefaring people. If you visit the Space and Missile Museum, you can see and touch where that journey began.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 287) celebrating the 50th anniversary of the United States Explorer I satellite, the world's first scientific spacecraft, and the birth of the United States space exploration program.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on House Concurrent Resolution 287, the resolution now under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Concurrent Resolution 287. This resolution celebrates the 50th anniversary of Explorer I, the first successful launch of a U.S. satellite into space, which took place on January 31, 1958, a date that also marks the 50th birthday of our U.S. space program.

With the launch of Explorer I, the United States was the first to send a scientific instrument into Earth's orbit. The measurements from that instrument led to the significant discovery of the Van Allen radiation belts.

We owe our profound appreciation and gratitude to the late Dr. James Van Allen and science team and those individuals from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Army Ballistic Missile Agency who made possible the success of Explorer I.

Their pioneering efforts launched the beginning of America's journey beyond Earth, a journey that continues to generate remarkable accomplishments in

pushing back the frontiers of scientific knowledge and human space exploration.

Since the launch of Explorer I 50 years ago, the United States has led the world in space exploration, with American astronauts taking humanity's first steps on the Moon, and American scientists working with their international colleagues to launch scientific probes to each of the planets in our solar system, to the Moon, asteroids and comets, and to study the Sun and its interactions with Earth and the solar system.

Our astronomical observatories peer deeper and deeper into the universe and our Earth observing spacecraft deliver data that improves our quality of life and helps us preserve the health of our planet. Through these and many other exciting accomplishments, our space program has truly become one of our Nation's crown jewels.

Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate the anniversary of Explorer I and past achievements, it is important that we also look to space as a story about America's future.

The U.S. space program is a catalyst for the advanced technologies and innovation that contribute to America's economic competitiveness, and it also serves as a training ground for the scientists and engineers who are so critical to keeping America strong.

In closing, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting House Concurrent Resolution 287 and America's space program.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I don't have any further speakers, and I would reserve my time.

Mr. Speaker, not having any other speakers, I yield back my time.

Mr. Speaker, today we consider H. Con. Res. 287, Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the U.S. Explorer I Satellite and the Birth of the United States' Space Exploration Program, which I introduced last week.

My statement about its introduction highlighted the inspiring accomplishments of our early space pioneers who contributed to the successful development and launch of Explorer I--America's first space satellite--and the multiple achievements of our Nation's first 50 years in space.

Today, I want to focus on one of the major enablers of America's highly successful space program, namely our highly skilled science and engineering workforce.

As we celebrate 50 years of exciting accomplishments in space, we witness the return on our Nation's past investments in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education.

Those investments produced the cadre of highly skilled scientists and engineers who have led our Nation in pushing back the boundaries of scientific knowledge and making possible the human and robotic exploration of outer space.

Their contributions to our successes in space have also yielded critical benefits by promoting the innovation and advanced technology development that are central to America's competitiveness.

As was expressed so clearly in the National Academies' ``Rising Above the Gathering Storm'' report and in the America COMPETES Act that was signed into law last year, our nation's economic strength cannot be sustained without renewed investments in STEM education.

Space has always been an attraction for some of America's best and brightest. Our space program provides a unique means of encouraging the pursuit of STEM fields. I urge my colleagues in Congress to support the STEM programs and educators we need to prepare the next generation of scientists and engineers who will lead America's next 50 years of accomplishments in space and on Earth.

And I urge you also to maintain Congress's commitment to making the investments necessary to continue a robust and vital space program for the Nation.

I would like to thank my colleagues Ms. Giffords and Mr. Rohrabacher for their support of the bill, along with the original cosponsors.

I urge adoption of my resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 287 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the launch of Explorer I and the birth of an era of United States space exploration.

On January 31, 1958, the United States officially entered space as Explorer I successfully reached orbit. At a time when our Nation feared the worst from the Soviet Union, the successful launch of Sputnik supercharged anxiety. Our Nation responded, and responded quickly.

Explorer I, however, was more than just an emphatic response to Sputnik. It was achieved important scientific discoveries, as well. As mechanical engineer Carl Maggio noted, all involved ``liked the difference between our satellite and Sputnik,'' because ``ours flew science, the Van Allen experiment.'' Indeed, amongst the numerous discoveries made by Explorer I, one of the most important was the discovery of the Van Allen radiation belt, a discovery that would be considered as one of the most outstanding discoveries of the International Geophysical Year.

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to visit the home of Explorer I--Jet Propulsion Laboratories. Seeing this extraordinary accomplishment in person, I couldn't help but feel a swell of pride knowing that this satellite was the humble beginning of our Nation's esteemed space program. An old proverb holds that even the greatest of journeys begins with a single step. The launch of Explorer I was that first step, and it helped pave the way for a half-century of space exploration. Today, JPL missions have rovers on Mars, evaluating soil samples on a microscopic level.

To conclude, I would like to quote the NASA Chief historian Steven J. Dick, who observed that ``Like the railroad and the airplane, spaceflight has impacted society in ways even the visionaries could not have foreseen, and that we cannot fully fathom even today.'' Indeed, through the space program, we continue to make important discoveries whose benefits amaze generations to come.