Adam Schiff: “during the past half century, from America's first satellite, the grapefruit-sized Explorer I, to the International…”

“during the past half century, from America's first satellite, the grapefruit-sized Explorer I, to the International Space Station now being built 200 miles above us, human beings have begun to learn how to operate in the harsh environs of space. America's space program operates on dual tracks. On the one hand, we have stressed human space flight, an inspiring, but dangerous undertaking. With the exception of the Apollo lunar landing missions, humans have not ventured beyond the low-earth orbit. The other track that we have followed is the robotic exploration of our solar system, using spacecraft that are more impervious to the harsh conditions of space and unaffected by the enormous distances necessary to explore our planetary neighbors. Our unmanned space probes, from the Ranger and Surveyor craft that paved the way for Apollo, to the Voyager spacecraft that explored the outer planets and are still continuing to send back data even as they leave the solar system, have increased our understanding of the universe beyond anything even contemplated half a century ago. On Mars, we have witnessed dust storms on Olympus Mons, the largest mountain in the solar system. We have peered through Venus's clouds and its broiling surface. We have discovered new moons and ring systems around outer planets. As I speak, a small spacecraft bearing dust from a comet is zooming back towards Earth and will parachute into Utah on January 15 of this coming year.…”