Nick Lampson: “a few hundred miles above us the astronauts of Expedition 15 work around the clock on board the international space…”

“a few hundred miles above us the astronauts of Expedition 15 work around the clock on board the international space station. Their efforts have just been boosted by delivery of a huge new power element from the space shuttle Atlantis crew. The Atlantis astronauts, working with station crew mates, brought the orbiting base ever closer to completion and a whole new era of living and working in space. The international space station is a remarkable achievement of global cooperation now entering its most critical period. Over the next 3 years, more than a dozen flights of the space shuttles Atlantis, Discovery, and Endeavor will complete assembly that began in 1998. The completed station will be home to a crew of six astronauts and generation-spanning research that will reach into the lives of every American family. Yes, completion and operation of the international space station is that important to America's future. I am fortunate to represent one of the most enduring and important NASA facilities, the Johnson Space Center in Houston, and have had the honor over my five terms in Congress to work with dedicated and amazing people at the Johnson Space Center. Their passion and commitment to space exploration led me to introduce the Space Exploration Act of 2002.”