Adam Schiff: “last week was one of extraordinary triumph for the Nation's space program. On Thursday, NASA announced that the Cassini…”

“last week was one of extraordinary triumph for the Nation's space program. On Thursday, NASA announced that the Cassini spacecraft may have found evidence of liquid water reservoirs that erupt in Yellowstone-Like geysers on Saturn's moon Enceladus. This stunning announcement was followed the next day by the successful orbital insertion of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter around the Red Planet. I stand before the House today to celebrate these incredible technological achievements and wondrous scientific discoveries, but most of all, to honor those who made it possible, the men and women of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. JPL, which is managed for NASA by the California Institute of Technology, has designed, built and controlled many of America's most successful unmanned space craft. JPL has pioneered our exploration of space from Explorer 1, America's first satellite, to Ranger and Surveyor craft that paved the way for Apollo to the Voyager spacecraft that explore the outer planets and are still continuing to send back data even as they leave our solar system. JPL missions have increased our comprehension beyond anything even contemplated half a century ago. Every American space probe that has visited another body our solar system was managed by JPL. Through the wonders of technology, we have circled Jupiter with Galileo, sampled a comet with Stardust and rolled across the surface of Mars with spirit and opportunity.…”