Anthony Gonzalez: “2 weeks ago our country witnessed the incredible marvel of American ingenuity when NASA successfully landed its…”

“2 weeks ago our country witnessed the incredible marvel of American ingenuity when NASA successfully landed its Perseverance rover on Mars, laying the groundwork for the next generation of space travel and exploration. Perseverance has four primary goals: determine whether life ever existed on Mars, understand the climate of the planet, characterize the geology of Mars, and finally, make any preparations necessary for human exploration. These goals are crucial not only for our Nation's eventual mission to send humans to Mars, but also for the continued advancement of mankind as a whole. Before making its journey to the red planet, Perseverance spent some time in my backyard in northeast Ohio. It was researchers and scientists at Cleveland's NASA Glenn Research Center that developed the rover's power source and oversaw testing the rover's parachute needed to land safely on Mars. Mars truly is the next frontier in space travel and exploration. I am incredibly grateful that northeast Ohio has added yet another chapter to our State's already rich history in space travel and exploration. I look forward to what Perseverance can teach us about this new unknown and what our next endeavor will be. ____________________”