Max Baucus: “when the space program began in 1959 there were only seven astronauts in the entire country. They all were or had been…”

“when the space program began in 1959 there were only seven astronauts in the entire country. They all were or had been in the Armed Forces. That was only 44 years ago and since then, much has changed. Today, astronauts are comprised of Americans from every race, creed, color and gender. While many still come from the military, the astronaut corps now includes civilian doctors, scientists, and engineers. They are our best and our brightest. They risk their lives to advance our knowledge and understanding of the world. On February 1, 2003, seven men and women aboard the space shuttle Columbia lost their lives. LTC Michael P. Anderson, U.S. Navy CAPT David Brown, U.S. Navy CDR Laurel Clark, Dr. Kalpana Chawla, U.S. Air Force COL Rick Husband, Naval CDR William McCool, and Israeli Air Force COL Ilan Ramon will be remembered forever. Five of the six Columbia crew members, from the United States, had military backgrounds. They were national heroes who are deeply missed by their family and friends. Through their dedication to space exploration, they lived their lives to the fullest and made long lasting contributions. In honor of their sacrifice, I along with 13 of my Senate colleagues, introduced S. 298, the Assistance for Families of Space Shuttle Columbia Heroes Act.”