IT'S A NEW ERA
OF PIONEERS, STARS, SAILORS,
THINKERS AND ADVENTURERS.
OUR DESTINY, HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO GO
AND SEE WHAT'S FURTHER.
AND WHAT’S
NEXT.
GOOD MORNING.
GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO.
ELLINGTON FIELD AT NASA'S JOHNSON
SPACE CENTER IN HOUSTON.
I'M JOE ACABA, CHIEF OF NASA'S
ASTRONAUT OFFICE.
AND I'M JOINED BY NORM KNIGHT,
DIRECTOR OF NASA'S
FLIGHT OPERATIONS DIRECTORATE.
WE'RE HERE TODAY WITH THE MISSION
TO INTRODUCE THE WORLD
TO THE CREW OF ARTEMIS II.
FOUR NAMES, FOUR EXPLORERS.
FOUR OF MY FRIENDS
ANSWERING THE CALL
TO ONCE MORE ROCKET AWAY FROM EARTH
AND CHART A COURSE AROUND THE MOON.
JOE-
I AGREE WITH YOU JOE, BUT WE NEED A.
FEW MORE ASTRONAUTS TO GET THIS STARTED.
SO EVERYONE, PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME OUR
ASTRONAUT CORPS.
LOOK AT THAT SEA OF BLUE.
LET'S GIVE THEM ANOTHER
ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
OUR MISSION CALLS FOR FOUR NAMES.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO PICK JUST FOUR
FROM A GROUP THAT, BY
ITS VERY DEFINITION, ATTRACTS
THE BEST
AND THE BRIGHTEST
THAT HUMANITY HAS TO OFFER.
THE ASTRONAUT CORPS, OUR ENTIRE ASTRONAUT
CORPS WILL BE THE FORERUNNERS.
AS HUMANITY LOOKS TO FIND ITS PLACE
AMONG THE STARS.
SO THAT WHILE WE MAY BE RECOGNIZING
FOUR INDIVIDUALS TODAY,
I WANT TO THANK
THE ENTIRE ASTRONAUT CORPS
FOR THEIR DEDICATION AND SACRIFICE
AS WE ASK THEM TO STRAP INTO OUR CURRENT
AND FUTURE SPACECRAFT,
TAKE THOSE NEXT STEPS
TO DO THE THINGS THAT ARE HARD
SO THAT OTHERS MIGHT FOLLOW BEHIND THEM.
NOW,
SOME OF YOU MIGHT BE SCANNING
THE ASTRONAUT FACES, TRYING TO SEE
WHO IS MISSING
AND STILL HIDDEN BACKSTAGE.
WELL, KNOW THIS
YOUR ARTEMIS
II CREW
MEMBERS ARE ALREADY HERE IN THE ROOM
WITH YOU.
BECAUSE I LOVE YOU ALL.
I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU ONE HINT.
I AM NOT ONE OF THEM.
I'M
SO HAPPY.
WITH ARTEMIS
I, WE SET OUT TO PROVE
THAT THE HARDWARE WAS READY,
THAT SLS WAS PREPARED
TO LAUNCH OUR ASTRONAUTS SKYWARD,
THAT ORION WAS EQUIPPED
TO CARRY THEM TO THE MOON
AND BACK SAFELY AGAIN.
ARTEMIS I WAS A RESOUNDING SUCCESS,
AND ARTEMIS
II WILL LEVERAGE THAT
BY PUTTING HUMANS IN THE LOOP,
EXECUTING OPERATIONS IN THE CRITICAL PATH
LEADING TO NEW FOOTPRINTS
ON THE LUNAR SURFACE.
THIS FLIGHT WILL BE CHALLENGING.
BUT WE FACE THAT CHALLENGE
WITH THE CONFIDENCE
THAT THE PEOPLE
WORKING BESIDE US ARE UP TO THE TASK.
HOUSTON IS HOME FOR US
AND IT'S WHERE WE'LL PLAN, TRAIN
AND ULTIMATELY FLY
THE ARTEMIS II MISSION.
TO GIVE US A PROPER HOUSTON WELCOME.
PLEASE JOIN ME
IN BRINGING OUR JSC CENTER DIRECTOR
VANESSA WYCHE.
GOOD MORNING.
I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYONE HERE TODAY
TO ELLINGTON FIELD.
NASA'S JOHNSON SPACE CENTER
IS HOME OF AMERICA'S
ASTRONAUT CORPS,
MISSION OPERATIONS,
AND FOUNDATIONAL HUMAN
SPACEFLIGHT PROGRAMS.
THIS PAST DECEMBER,
WE WITNESSED HISTORY
AS THE ORION CAPSULE JOURNEYED ON A 1.4
MILLION MILE JOURNEY
AROUND THE MOON AND BACK.
AND THE EXCITEMENT CONTINUES
AS WE PREPARE FOR ARTEMIS
II FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH CREW.
WE'VE MADE MANY GIANT LEAPS IN THE PAST
60 YEARS
FULFILLING PRESIDENT
KENNEDY'S GOAL
OF LANDING A PERSON ON THE MOON.
AND TODAY,
WE STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS
AS WE REACH FARTHER INTO THE STARS
AND PUSH FORWARD TO THE MOON ONCE AGAIN
AND ON TO MARS.
THESE INDIVIDUALS OF ARTEMIS
II CREW WILL BE THE FIRST HUMANS TO FLY
TO THE VICINITY
OF THE MOON IN MORE THAN 50 YEARS.
YES, I'D
LIKE TO
TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THOSE
WHO PAVED THE WAY.
OUR APOLLO LEGENDS WHO ARE WITH US VIA
THE NASA ALUMNI LEAGUE.
WILL YOU PLEASE WAVE.
WE ARE ALSO HONORED TO BE JOINED
BY SOME SPECIAL GUESTS.
PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME NASA LEADERSHIP.
ADMINISTRATOR BILL NELSON,
DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR
PAM MELROY,
ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR BOB CABANA,
AND MANY OF OUR NASA LEADERS
WHO ARE FROM HEADQUARTERS
AND ALL ACROSS OUR AGENCY.
WE ARE ALSO
PLEASED TO BE JOINED
BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
REPRESENTING THE CANADIAN SPACE AGENCY
IS MINISTER CHAMPAGNE.
THROUGH OUR INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS,
UNDER ARTEMIS,
WE'RE BUILDING
A GLOBAL ALLIANCE
THAT EXPLORES DEEP SPACE
FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO WELCOME
THE FOLLOWING ELECTED OFFICIALS
SENATOR TED CRUZ, CONGRESSWOMAN
SHEILA JACKSON LEE,
CONGRESSMAN BRIAN BABIN.
CONGRESSWOMAN LIZZIE FLETCHER,
THE COMPTROLLER OF TEXAS GLENN HANGAR,
THE MAYOR PRO
TEM OF HOUSTON, DAVE MARTIN,
AND MANY OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS.
THANK YOU.
WE’RE
VERY APPRECIATIVE
OF YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT.
LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST.
I'D LIKE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT
TO THE NASA'S WORKFORCE
AND ALL OF THOSE ACROSS THE AGENCY
WHO CAME TOGETHER
TO MAKE THIS A VERY EXCITING MOMENT
AND THIS MOMENT IN HISTORY HAPPEN.
SO THANK YOU TO OUR WORKFORCE.
JOINING
US TODAY, ARE
DIRECTORS OF OUR NASA CENTERS.
WILL YOU PLEASE STAND?
MY COLLEAGUES,
THIS MISSION
REPRESENTS THE CULMINATION
OF YEARS OF HARD WORK
AND DEDICATION BY NASA AND ITS PARTNERS.
THIS IS AN EXCITING TIME
FOR THOSE WORKING
ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION, COMMERCIAL CREW,
COMMERCIAL LEO DESTINATIONS.
AS WE CONTINUE
USING THOSE PLATFORMS
AND CONDUCTING SPACE EXPLORATION
WITH THE ORION GATEWAY
HUMAN LANDING SYSTEM AND EVA PROGRAMS.
TOGETHER,
OUR TEAM OF CIVIL SERVANTS
AND CONTRACTORS
ARE ENABLING THE SUCCESS
OF THE ARTEMIS PROGRAM,
AND THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING.
FOR THE STUDENTS WITH US TODAY
FROM HOUSTON AND CLEAR CREEK
INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS
AND THOSE WATCHING
YOU ARE THE FUTURE EXPLORERS,
THE FUTURE SCIENTISTS, ENGINEERS,
INVENTORS AND MATHEMATICIANS
OF THE ARTEMIS GENERATION.
WE WILL EXPLORE THE.
FRONTIERS OF SPACE
AND PUSH THE BOUNDARIES
OF WHAT'S POSSIBLE.
YOU MAY WALK ON THE MOON
OR BE ONE OF THE MANY EXPLORERS
WHO VENTURE ONWARD TO MARS.
WE'RE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO YOU
BEING A PART OF OUR MISSION,
AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR
YOU AND EVERYONE TO MEET OUR ARTEMIS
II CREW.
THANK YOU.
THE ARTEMIS PROGRAM IS GUIDED
BY DECADES OF EXPERIENCE
FROM SENDING HUMANS TO OUTER SPACE.
WE'RE BUILDING NEW ROCKETS,
NEW SPACECRAFT,
NEW COMMUNICATION
SYSTEMS,
AND NEW WAYS TO OPERATE IN DEEP SPACE.
BUT IT ISN'T THE TECHNOLOGY
THAT IS CHANGING.
WE'VE ALSO LEARNED THAT
IN ORDER TO GO FARTHER,
WE HAVE TO GO TOGETHER.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING.
MINISTER FRANCOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNE.
HE'S WITH US HERE FROM CANADA.
ONE OF OUR STEADFAST PARTNERS
IN HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT.
THANK YOU JOE AND GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
WHAT AN HONOR TO BE HERE
TODAY TO REPRESENT CANADA
ON THIS HISTORIC DAY
IN HIS RECENT VISIT TO OTTAWA.
PRESIDENT BIDEN SAID THIS
CANADA AND THE U.S.
CAN DO BIG THINGS
BECAUSE WE DO THEM TOGETHER.
AND INDEED,
INDEED,
50 YEARS
AFTER THE END OF THE APOLLO MISSIONS,
WE ARE GOING BACK TO THE MOON.
THE MOON!
AS MINISTER
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CANADIAN
SPACE AGENCY,
I KNOW CANADIANS COULD NOT BE MORE PROUD,
PROUD TO HAVE FOR THE FIRST TIME
A CANADIAN ASTRONAUT
WHO WILL TRAVEL TO DEEP SPACE
AS PART OF THE ARTEMIS II MISSION.
PROUD THAT WE WILL BE CONTRIBUTING
TO THE FUTURE OF THE.
LUNAR GATEWAY
WITH THE UNIQUE CANADIAN INNOVATION.
CANADARM 3.
NOW
FOR DESIGN, BUILD AND.
OPERATE THE LUNAR UNITY UTILITY VEHICLE
TO SUPPORT, OPERATIONS ON THE LUNAR SPACE
AND PROUD OF THE 60 YEAR
PLUS OF COLLABORATION
BETWEEN NASA
AND THE CANADIAN SPACE AGENCY.
OUR PARTNERSHIP
IS FUELED BY BOLD INITIATIVES
AND SCIENTIFIC EXCELLENCE.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY,
CANADIANS COULD NOT BE MORE PROUD
TO SHARE THIS MOMENT
WITH OUR AMERICAN PARTNERS AND FRIENDS,
WHICH ARE HERE TODAY IN HOUSTON.
WE WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY
WITHOUT THE FRIENDSHIP
AND CLOSE PARTNERSHIP
BETWEEN OUR TWO NATIONS,
BECAUSE THIS IS MORE THAN JUST ABOUT
GOING BACK TO THE MOON.
THIS IS ABOUT INVESTING IN THE FUTURE.
THIS IS ABOUT POSSIBILITIES.
THIS IS ABOUT SEIZING
THE OPPORTUNITIES OF THIS SPACE ECONOMY
FROM THE HEALTH OF FOOD SECURITY
TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND MUCH MORE.
SO AS WE EMBARK TOGETHER
ON THIS NEW SPACE ERA,
LET'S SEIZE THE MOMENT.
LET'S BE AMBITIOUS AND TOGETHER.
LET'S INSPIRE
THE YOUNG PEOPLE WATCHING US
TO REACH FOR THE STARS
AND BECOME THE NEXT GENERATION
OF SCIENTISTS, ENGINEERS AND EXPLORERS.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE.
HE PUMPED ME UP.
THAT WAS NICE.
NEXT UP IS A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO NEED
LITTLE INTRODUCTION.
OUR AGENCY LEADERS
WHO KNOW
FIRSTHAND WHAT IT TAKES TO FLY IN SPACE.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN
WELCOMING
NASA ADMINISTRATOR, BILL NELSON,
DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR PAM MELROY,
AND ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR BOB CABANA.
HEY, EVERYBODY.
MEMBERS OF THE NASA FAMILY
AND THE CANADIAN SPACE AGENCY.
MY COLLEAGUES, MY FORMER COLLEAGUES,
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS,
MEMBERS OF THE ARTEMIS GENERATION.
WE ARE GOING.
PAM, BOB
AND I OPERATED AS A TEAM, AS A CREW,
AND WE ARE HERE TODAY TO INTRODUCE YOU
TO THE CREW THAT WILL LAUNCH
NEXT YEAR, 2024,
TO ANOTHER CELESTIAL BODY.
THE LARGEST,
MOST POWERFUL ROCKET IN THE WORLD
IS GOING TO PROPEL THEM
ONWARD AND UPWARD INTO THE HEAVENS
AND THEY FLY TO THE MOON.
THIS IS ARTEMIS’,
ARTEMIS II MISSION.
IT'S A MISSION
THAT IS SIGNIFICANT IN MANY WAYS.
IT'S A DEMONSTRATION OF OUR ABILITY
TO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES
OF HUMAN ACHIEVEMENT.
IT'S A TESTAMENT TO THE UNWAVERING
PASSION OF THE TEAM
THAT WILL MAKE IT POSSIBLE.
AND IT'S A MESSAGE TO THE WORLD.
WE CHOOSE TO GO BACK TO THE MOON
AND THEN ON TO MARS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO DO IT TOGETHER.
BECAUSE IN THE 21ST CENTURY, NASA
EXPLORES, THE COSMOS
WITH INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS.
WE WILL UNLOCK
NEW KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING.
WE'VE ALWAYS DREAMED
ABOUT WHAT MORE IS AHEAD.
WHY?
BECAUSE IT'S IN OUR DNA.
IT'S PART OF US.
IT'S WHO
WE ARE AS ADVENTURERS, AS EXPLORERS,
AS FRONTIERS PEOPLE.
AND THROUGHOUT HISTORY,
HUMANKIND HAS GAZED UP
AT THIS CELESTIAL BODY, THE MOON.
WHEN
THE SPACE PROGRAM HELD
THE MOON TO THE FOREFRONT OF CULTURE
AND CONSCIOUSNESS.
AND GALVANIZED THE HISTORIC EFFORT
THAT WE ARE NOW STEWARDS OF.
THE MOON IS A SYMBOL
OF OUR CAN DO SPIRIT.
AND OVER THE COURSE OF THE ARTEMIS
MISSIONS,
THE FIRST WOMAN
AND THE FIRST PERSON OF COLOR WILL TAKE
GIANT LEAPS ON THE LUNAR SURFACE.
IT'S BEEN MORE THAN A HALF
CENTURY SINCE ASTRONAUTS
JOURNEYED TO THE MOON.
WELL, FOLKS.
THAT'S ABOUT TO CHANGE.
THE MISSION TO THE MOON
WILL LAUNCH FOUR PIONEERS,
BUT IT WILL CARRY MORE THAN ASTRONAUTS.
ARTEMIS II WILL CARRY THE HOPES
OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD.
IT WILL CARRY
THE ASPIRATIONS OF THE NASA FAMILY
WHO GLANCE UP AT THE MOON EVERY NIGHT,
KNOWING THEIR EFFORTS
WILL RETURN US TO THE MOON.
AND IT WILL CARRY THE DREAMS OF STUDENTS
WHO BURN THE MIDNIGHT OIL
IN LIBRARIES AND LABORATORIES.
PREPARING ONE DAY
TO SUPPORT AN ARTEMIS MISSION.
AND IT'LL CARRY THE INSPIRATION
OF THE CHILDREN
WHO IMAGINED THEMSELVES
SOARING IN THE SKIES.
WE WILL SHOW WHAT IS POSSIBLE
WHEN WE DARE TO REACH
DISTANT COSMIC SHORES.
THE CREW
WAS SELECTED BY THE
DIRECTOR OF FLIGHT OPERATIONS NORM KNIGHT
AND THE CHIEF ASTRONAUT, JOE ACABA,
AND UNDER THE SUPERVISION
OF THE JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, DIRECTOR
VANESSA WYCHE.
WILL YOU ALL PLEASE JOIN US UP HERE?
AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AGAIN
OUR CANADIAN PARTNERS,
MINISTER CHAMPAGNE.
FRANCOIS-PHILIPPE, WILL YOU PLEASE COME
UP, PLEASE?
THE ARTEMIS
II CREW
REPRESENTS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
WORKING TIRELESSLY
TO BRING US TO THE STARS.
THIS IS THEIR CREW.
THIS IS OUR CREW.
THIS IS HUMANITY'S CREW.
MAY I INTRODUCE THEM TO YOU ALL?
SHE'S AN ENGINEER
WHO GOT HER START AT GODDARD
AND IS NO STRANGER TO BREAKING RECORDS.
LOGGING
THE LONGEST CONTINUOUS SPACEFLIGHT
EVER BY A WOMAN.
YOUR MISSION SPECIALIST,
CHRISTINA HAMMOCK KOCH.
HE’S A MASTER OF SCIENCE AND PHYSICS.
AN F-18 PILOT.
AND A CANADIAN ASTRONAUT.
MISSION SPECIALIST JEREMY
HANSEN.
HE’S A NAVAL AVIATOR AND TEST PILOT
THAT'S FLOWN OVER 40 DIFFERENT AIRCRAFT,
MOST RECENTLY
THE FIRST OPERATIONAL COMMERCIAL
CREW MISSION.
YOUR ARTEMIS II PILOT, PILOT
VICTOR GLOVER.
HE'S A
DECORATED NAVAL AVIATOR, TEST PILOT
AND LEADER OF THE HIGHEST CHARACTER.
YOUR ARTEMIS
II COMMANDER,
REID WISEMAN.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
YOU'R ARTEMIS II CREW.
ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, ADMINISTRATOR NELSON.
AND THE HARD PART IS OVER NOW, RIGHT?
ALL RIGHT, GOOD.
WELL REID, VICTOR, CHRISTINA AND JEREMY.
I AM SO PROUD TO HAVE YOU
FOR STANDING HERE IN THIS MOMENT.
YOU ARE THE RIGHT CREW FOR THIS MISSION.
YOU ARE THE FUTURE OF ARTEMIS.
AND IT LOOKS BRIGHT
WITH YOU AT THE CONTROLS
AS HEAD OF FLIGHT OPERATIONS.
I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF GETTING
TO KNOW EACH AND EVERY ASTRONAUT.
THE BEST PART OF MY JOB,
IS THAT I'M SURROUNDED
BY PEOPLE WHO INSPIRE,
WHO GIVE HOPE TO THOSE THAT MIGHT FOLLOW
IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS.
CHRISTINA
WITH A WORK ETHIC AND WILLINGNESS
TO LEND A HAND
THAT ONLY SOMEONE
WHO HAS
SPENT THEIR SUMMERS WORKING ON A FARM
GROWING UP CAN HAVE.
YOUR RELENTLESS DRIVE IS UNMATCHED.
YOU HAVE ALREADY MADE YOUR MARK
IN THE REMOTE CORNERS OF OUR PLANET.
YOU HAVE ALREADY
BEEN IN THE HISTORY BOOKS
AS A RECORD SETTING ASTRONAUT.
YOU'RE A TRAILBLAZER
AND A ROLE MODEL FOR EVERY GENERATION
TO COME.
YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN ADVOCATING,
UPLIFTING CHILDREN IN YOUR COMMUNITY,
AND I KNOW THAT YOU ARE
JUST GETTING STARTED.
AND AS THE ONLY PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER
IN THE CREW.
I KNOW WHO MISSION.
CONTROL WILL BE CALLING ON
WHEN IT'S TIME TO FIX SOMETHING ON BOARD.
SO WE APPRECIATE YOU.
VICTOR,
YOU WANTED TO BE
A HUNDRED DIFFERENT THINGS
WHEN YOU GREW UP,
BUT I CAN SAY I'M TRULY THANKFUL
YOU ENDED UP AS A NAVY PILOT
AND AN ASTRONAUT.
LIKE SO
MANY SEEING OTHER ASTRONAUTS TAKE FLIGHT.
PLANTED THE SEED.
AND WHEN YOU HEARD
PAM MELROY SPEAK AT A TEST
PILOT CONFERENCE,
THAT WAS THE MOMENT YOU DECIDED TO APPLY.
SO, PAM, THANK YOU FOR INSPIRING OTHERS.
VICTOR,
YOU WERE THE FIRST PERSON IN YOUR FAMILY
TO GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE.
AND YOU ALWAYS TALK ABOUT
HOW MUCH THE LOVE
AND SUPPORT OF THOSE AROUND
YOU MADE YOUR DREAMS POSSIBLE.
I CAN HONESTLY SAY
I HAVE NEVER MET
ANYONE AS DETERMINED
AS YOU ARE TO SPREAD
THAT SAME LOVE AND SUPPORT UNTIL EVERYONE
WHO PASSES INTO YOUR ORBIT
IS BETTER FOR IT.
YOU OVERCAME EVERY OBSTACLE
THAT CAME YOUR WAY,
EVERY OBSTACLE.
AND THEN YOU'VE DEDICATED YOUR LIFE
TO CRUSHING THOSE OBSTACLES
SO THAT FUTURE GENERATIONS
CAN DREAM IN A SPACE UNBOUNDED.
SO THANKS, VICTOR.
AND FINALLY,
REID AN EXPLORER FROM THE BEGINNING.
THE FOREST OF YOUR YOUTH MIGHT BE SMALLER
THAN THE FRONTIER
THAT YOU'RE HEADING FOR NOW.
BUT THIS WAS ALWAYS YOU.
IT'S WHAT YOU WERE MEANT TO BE.
YOU SAID FOR A TIME
YOU WANTED TO BE A TRAIN ENGINEER.
BUT I DON'T THINK TRAINS GO QUITE AS FAST
AS YOU NEED THEM TO.
SO
I WISH THE REID OF YOUR YOUTH,
THE ONES THAT YOU KNOW,
THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH BULLIES,
DEALING WITH THE UNCERTAINTIES
OF GROWING UP COULD MEET YOU NOW.
MEET THE MARINE
WHO TOOK HIS FIRST JET FOR A SPIN
AND KNEW HE WAS MEANT TO SOAR
ACROSS THE SKIES.
THE REID WHO FOUND THE HOME AND FAMILY
IN THE NAVY.
AND HERE AT NASA.
THE REID WHO LED
OUR ASTRONAUTS
INTO A NEW ERA OF SPACE EXPLORATION,
AND THE REID WHO WILL LEAD ARTEMIS
II FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON,
AND SAFELY BACK HOME AGAIN.
ALL OF YOU
WILL LEAD US INTO THIS BRAVE
NEW FRONTIER.
YOU ARE THE ARTEMIS GENERATION.
WE ARE THE ARTEMIS GENERATION.
AND WITH THAT,
I WILL HAND IT BACK OVER TO OUR NEIGHBORS
TO THE NORTH TO TALK ABOUT JEREMY.
WHO WILL TAKE HIS OWN PLACE IN HISTORY.
WELL,
JEREMY, I'M NOT
GOING TO TALK ABOUT YOUR EARLY LIFE.
OR YOUR LOVELY FAMILY.
I'M NOT GOING TO TALK
ABOUT YOUR MILITARY SERVICE
AND EVERYTHING YOU DID
AS A FIGHTER PILOT,
AN F-15 FIGHTER PILOT.
I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO TALK ABOUT
WHAT YOU DID AS AN ASTRONAUT
AND BEING THE FIRST CANADIAN
TO GO ON A LUNAR MISSION.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT YOUR HUMANITY
AND SHARE WITH THE WORLD A STORY.
WHEN I WAS WITH YOU
AT THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
AND I SAW THE POWER OF THE BLUE SUIT,
WHERE WE ARE
NOW, HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE
STORMING TO JEREMY.
BUT JEREMY,
THE ONE THING
YOU TALK TO EACH AND EVERY ONE.
YOU TOOK THE
TIME TO TALK TO ALL THE SCHOOLCHILDREN
THAT WERE THERE, THE ARTEMIS GENERATION.
AND THEY ARE HERE TODAY AND WATCHING US.
YOU TOOK THE TIME TO TALK
TO ALL THE TEACHERS
WHO WERE THERE TO SUPPORT OUR KIDS
AND TEACH THEM STEM SKILLS.
THAT LITTLE BREAKDOWN IN EXPLORATION
AND BEING THE FUTURE ASTRONAUTS.
YOU TOOK THE TIME TO TALK TO EACH
AND EVERY FAMILY
THAT WERE COMING FROM AROUND THE WORLD
AND ACROSS NORTH AMERICA.
WHAT I WANT TO CELEBRATE FOR YOU
IS YOUR HUMANITY.
THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE BEEN INSPIRING
NOT ONLY US TODAY,
BUT KEEP INSPIRING HUMANITY.
FOR YOU, JEREMY, GO. CANADA.
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.
SO HERE WE HAVE IT.
REID, VICTOR, CHRISTINA AND JEREMY.
EACH OF THESE ADVENTURERS
HAS THEIR OWN STORY,
BUT TOGETHER THEY REPRESENT OUR CREED.
E PLURIBUS UNUM,
OUT OF MANY, ONE.
THIS IS THE POWER OF SPACE.
THIS IS THE POWER OF OUR SPACE PROGRAM.
IT UNITES PEOPLE.
IT BRINGS THEM TOGETHER.
IT BRINGS PARTIES TOGETHER.
TO EXPLORE, TO DISCOVER,
TO DREAM.
TOGETHER
WE WILL USHER IN A NEW ERA OF EXPLORATION
FOR A NEW GENERATION
OF STARS SAILORS AND DREAMERS.
THE ARTEMIS GENERATION.
TOGETHER, WE ARE GOING.
TO THE MOON,
TO MARS.
AND BEYOND.
ALL RIGHT.
YOU'VE HEARD FROM US.
SO NOW IT'S TIME TO HEAR FROM YOUR CREW.
I'M GOING TO CLEAR THE STAGE
AND I'M GOING TO TURN
THINGS OVER TO OUR ARTEMIS
II COMMANDER,
REID WISEMAN.
ALL RIGHT.
SO I'VE GOT TO ASK THE SCHOOLKIDS.
IS IT HOT HERE TODAY? WHOA.
ALL RIGHT.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT IN MY 14 YEARS
AND WE'VE HAD THIS MANY ASTRONAUTS
IN ONE PLACE AT ONE TIME,
I'M LOSING MY VOICE.
WE WERE HAVING SO MUCH FUN BACKSTAGE.
IT IS GREAT TO SEE THIS
DIVERSE INTERNATIONAL GROUP.
AWESOME TO BE HERE WITH YOU GUYS.
I’M GONNA HAND IT OVER TO THE GENTLEMAN
TO MY RIGHT HERE,
VICTOR GLOVER,
WHO HAS BECOME, IN THE LAST FEW YEARS
AN AMAZING MENTOR TO ME.
I DIDN'T ASK FOR IT.
HE DIDN'T ASK FOR IT.
IT JUST HAPPENED THAT WAY.
ONE OF THE BEST LEADERS I KNOW,
ONE OF THE BEST DADS,
HUSBANDS AND FRIENDS,
AND ONE OF THE MOST TALENTED
AVIATORS I'VE EVER MET.
VICTOR GLOVER.
THANKS REID.
APPRECIATE THAT.
WOW. WHAT A DAY. LOOK AT ALL OF THIS.
THIS IS AMAZING, ISN'T IT?
I MEAN, AFTER ALL OF THAT,
I FEEL LIKE DENZEL WASHINGTON
SHOULD BE UP HERE TALKING TO YOU.
BUT YOU JUST GOT US.
I WANT TO THANK GOD FOR THIS
AMAZING OPPORTUNITY.
AND I THINK I SPEAK FOR ALL OF US.
I WANT TO THANK OUR FAMILIES
FOR THE AMAZING SUPPORT.
IT IS YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT
THAT HAS MADE THIS JOURNEY POSSIBLE.
PLEASE GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
AND TO ALL OF THE FOLKS
WHO MADE THIS CELEBRATION POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK.
THEY’RE THE REAL ONES IN HERE
SWEATING WITH ALL OF US.
BUT THIS IS A BIG DAY.
WE HAVE A LOT TO CELEBRATE.
AND IT'S SO MUCH MORE THAN THE FOUR NAMES
THAT HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED.
WE NEED TO CELEBRATE THIS MOMENT
IN HUMAN HISTORY
BECAUSE ARTEMIS
II IS MORE THAN A MISSION
TO THE MOON AND BACK.
IT'S MORE THAN A MISSION
THAT HAS TO HAPPEN BEFORE
WE SEND PEOPLE TO
THE SURFACE OF THE MOON.
IT IS THE NEXT
STEP ON THE
JOURNEY THAT GETS HUMANITY TO MARS.
YEAH YOU CAN CLAP FOR THAT.
THIS CREW WILL NEVER FORGET THAT.
NOW WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO
BEFORE WE GET THERE,
AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND WHEN TALKING ABOUT THAT WORK,
YOU MAY OFTEN HEAR
PEOPLE SAY
HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT IS A MARATHON,
NOT A SPRINT.
BUT WE HAVE WATCHED
THE PEOPLE THAT WORK SO HARD
TO MAKE OUR MISSION POSSIBLE.
AND I CAN TELL YOU
IT IS A SERIES OF SPRINTS
THAT'S CALLED A RELAY RACE.
HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT IS LIKE A RELAY RACE,
AND THAT BATON HAS BEEN PASSED
GENERATION TO GENERATION
AND FROM CREWMEMBER TO CREW MEMBER,
FROM THE GEMINI- MERCURY, GEMINI, APOLLO,
APOLLO-SOYUZ, SKYLAB, MIR,
THE SHUTTLE,
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION,
COMMERCIAL CREW.
AND THEN AND NOW THE ARTEMIS MISSIONS.
AND WE UNDERSTAND OUR ROLE IN THAT.
AND WHEN WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE
OF HAVING THAT BATON,
WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR BEST
TO RUN A GOOD RACE TO MAKE YOU PROUD.
I PRAY THAT GOD WILL BLESS THIS MISSION,
BUT I ALSO PRAY THAT WE CAN CONTINUE
TO SERVE
AS A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION
FOR COOPERATION AND PEACE,
NOT JUST BETWEEN NATIONS,
BUT IN OUR OWN NATION.
THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS US ALL.
THANKS, VICTOR.
AWESOME WORDS.
WHAT I, WHAT I WANTED
TO HIGHLIGHT FOR ALL OF YOU TODAY IS.
WELL, YOU KNOW, BIG PICTURE,
WHEN I STEP BACK,
THERE ARE TWO REASONS
WHY A CANADIAN IS GOING TO THE MOON.
THAT MAKES ME SMILE WHEN I SAY THAT.
THE FIRST ONE
IS AMERICAN LEADERSHIP.
IT IS NOT LOST ON ANY OF US THAT
THE UNITED STATES COULD CHOOSE
TO GO BACK TO THE MOON BY THEMSELVES.
BUT AMERICA HAS MADE
A VERY DELIBERATE CHOICE
OVER DECADES TO CURATE A GLOBAL TEAM,
AND THAT, IN MY DEFINITION IS TRUE
LEADERSHIP.
A BODY, AN ENTITY THAT SEEKS OUT
OTHERS WHO CAN CONTRIBUTE,
ALLOWS THEM TO RISE UP,
LIFTS THEM UP,
TO MAKE THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS,
TO BRING THEIR GENIUS.
THAT IS AMERICAN LEADERSHIP.
AND AS A CANADIAN,
I'M VERY PROUD
TO REFLECT THAT BACK TO YOU.
AND I AM GRATEFUL.
ALL CANADA IS,
ALL OF CANADA IS GRATEFUL
FOR THAT GLOBAL MINDSET
AND THAT LEADERSHIP. SO THANK YOU.
THE SECOND REASON IS
CANADA'S CAN DO ATTITUDE.
FOR DECADES NOW,
LITERALLY THOUSANDS
UPON THOUSANDS OF CANADIANS
HAVE RISEN TO THAT CHALLENGE
TO BRING REAL VALUE
TO THE INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP
WITH RESPECT TO SPACE EXPLORATION,
TO BRING REAL SOLUTIONS.
OUR SCIENTISTS
OUR ENGINEERS, THE CANADIAN SPACE AGENCY,
THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES
ACROSS GOVERNMENT, ALL OF OUR LEADERSHIP
WORKING TOGETHER UNDER A VISION
TO TAKE STEP BY STEP.
AND ALL OF THOSE
HAVE ADDED UP TO THIS MOMENT
WHERE A CANADIAN IS GOING TO THE MOON
WITH OUR INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP.
AND IT IS GLORIOUS.
SO AT THE END OF IT ALL,
I AM LEFT IN AWE OF BEING REMINDED
WHAT STRONG LEADERSHIP,
SETTING BIG GOALS, OF THE PASSION
TO COLLABORATE AND A CAN DO ATTITUDE,
CAN ACHIEVE.
AND WE ARE GOING TO THE MOON TOGETHER.
LET'S GO.
THANK YOU, VICTOR.
THANK YOU, JEREMY.
THANK YOU REID.
IT IS AN HONOR TO BE HERE.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR FAMILIES,
THE TRAILBLAZERS, OUR COLLEAGUES,
AND OUR LEADERSHIP.
MY FELLOW ASTRONAUTS
KNOW THAT ONE OF THE QUESTIONS
WE GET ALL THE TIME IS, ARE YOU EXCITED?
AND I CAN TELL YOU,
WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS MISSION
AS A RELAY RACE
WITH INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS.
IT'S ALSO SO AWESOME IN AND OF ITSELF.
WE ARE GOING TO LAUNCH
FROM KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
THROUGH THE WORK OF THE EXPLORATION
GROUND SYSTEMS TEAM.
WE'RE GOING TO HEAR THE WORDS
GO FOR LAUNCH ON TOP OF THE MOST
POWERFUL ROCKET NASA'S EVER
MADE, THE SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM.
AND WE'RE GOING TO RIDE THAT ROCKET
FOR 8 MINUTES INTO EARTH ORBIT.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO TO THE MOON
RIGHT AWAY.
WE'RE GOING TO STAY IN AN AMAZING
HIGH ORBIT,
REACHING A PEAK OF TENS
OF THOUSANDS OF MILES
WHILE WE TEST OUT
ALL THE SYSTEMS ON ORION
AND EVEN SEE HOW IT MANEUVERS IN SPACE.
AND THEN IF EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD,
WE'RE HEADING TO THE MOON.
IT WILL BE A FOUR DAY JOURNEY
GOING A QUARTER OF A MILLION MILES
AND CONTINUING TO TEST OUT
EVERY BIT OF ORION
GOING AROUND THE FAR SIDE OF THE MOON,
HEADING HOME,
GOING THROUGH THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE
AT OVER
25,000 MILES PER HOUR
AND SPLASHING DOWN IN THE PACIFIC.
SO AM I EXCITED?
ABSOLUTELY.
BUT MY REAL QUESTION IS,
ARE YOU EXCITED?
AND I ASK THAT
BECAUSE THE ONE THING I'M MOST
EXCITED ABOUT
IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO CARRY
YOUR EXCITEMENT,
YOUR ASPIRATIONS, YOUR DREAMS
WITH US ON THIS MISSION.
ARTEMIS II, YOUR MISSION.
I THINK I'M
IN PRETTY GOOD HANDS.
VICTOR, JEREMY, CHRISTINA,
THANK YOU GUYS FOR THOSE WORDS,
ABSOLUTELY AWESOME.
WE'RE JUST GOING TO CLOSE, THE CREW.
WE'RE NOT CLOSE WITHOUT JUST SAYING
THANK YOU.
THAT IS.
THANK YOU TO THE NASA'S WORKFORCE.
THANK YOU TO OUR INDUSTRY PARTNERS.
THANK YOU TO THE CANADIAN SPACE AGENCY.
EVERYONE HERE WHO IS WORKING FOR THIS.
WE GOT PEOPLE IN AIRBUS
WORKING OUR EUROPEAN SERVICE MODULE.
THIS IS A GLOBAL EFFORT, ARTEMIS II,
AND IT'S
ONLY GOING TO GET LARGER WITH ARTEMIS
III AND BEYOND AS WE GET
PRIVATE SPACEFLIGHT INVOLVED.
SPACEX IS BUILDING OUR LANDER
FOR ARTEMIS III.
SO TO THE NASA WORKFORCE,
TO OUR PROGRAM MANAGERS,
OUR CENTER DIRECTORS THAT ARE HERE,
THE AMAZING POLITICAL SUPPORT
THAT WE FEEL RIGHT NOW
TO BRING OUR COUNTRY TOGETHER,
TO BRING OUR ENTIRE WORLD TOGETHER,
TO GO EXPLORE, TO GET TO MARS AND BEYOND.
WE SAY A HUGE THANK YOU
TO THE ASTRONAUTS THAT ARE OVER HERE,
A HUGE
THANK YOU
TO OUR FRIENDS, TO OUR FAMILIES,
TO OUR COLLEAGUES.
AND I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT RIGHT NOW,
THERE ARE SEVEN FOLKS
ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
WHERE'S JOEL?
ON JOEL'S
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
ORBITING OUR PLANET RIGHT NOW.
THREE COSMONAUTS,
THREE AMERICANS AND AN EMIRATI
FROM THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES.
IF ANY OF YOU OVER
THERE ARE LOOKING FOR HEROES TODAY,
GO GOOGLE THESE FOLKS
BECAUSE THEY'RE OUR HEROES.
AND I DEFINITELY WANT TO CALL OUT
OUR FRIEND FRANK
RUBIO, WHO
HAS ALREADY SPENT SIX MONTHS UP THERE.
AND FRANK IS GOING TO SPEND
ANOTHER SIX MONTHS
DUE TO AN ISSUE WITH HIS SPACECRAFT.
SO HE’LL BE UP IN SPACE
FOR OVER AN ENTIRE YEAR.
ALL RIGHT. THAT MAN IS A HERO.
I
THEN AND THEN FRANK
RUBIO LEADS ME TO DEB RUBIO,
HIS WIFE AND HIS FOUR KIDS.
THAT FAMILY, THOSE ARE HEROES.
THEY ARE PUTTING IT OUT THERE
AND THEY ARE GETTING THE JOB DONE.
AND IT IS AMAZING.
AND SHE STILL GIVES US EGGS
FRESH FROM HER CHICKENS AND HER FARM
WHENEVER WE GO OVER THERE.
I MEAN, IT'S TOTALLY AWESOME.
THE RUBIO FAMILY'S AN AMAZING FAMILY.
AND THAT BRINGS THE FOUR OF US
TO OUR FAMILIES
WHO ARE IN THE AUDIENCE WITH US.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A RELAY RACE
UNLIKE ANY YOU'VE EVER RUN.
AND WE ARE SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU WITH US.
THANK YOU.
IS THERE MORE YOU WANT TO SAY, REID?
THREE WORDS
THAT WE KEEP SAYING
IN THE-
THREE WORDS THAT WE KEEP SAYING
IN THIS ARTEMIS PROGRAM, WE ARE GOING.
AND I WANT EVERYBODY TO SAY IT ON THREE.
ONE, TWO, THREE.
WE ARE GOING.
CAN I SAY, YOU GUYS
CHOKED ME UP A LITTLE BIT.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
I WANT TO
THANK YOU ALL
FOR SHARING IN THIS MOMENT TODAY.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS
AND ESTEEMED GUESTS.
AND THANKS TO OUR CREW, REID, VICTOR,
CHRISTINA AND JEREMY,
AS THEY GET READY
TO EMBARK ON THIS JOURNEY.
I'LL ASK ALL OF MY FELLOW ASTRONAUTS
TO JOIN US BACK UP HERE.
COME ON UP, EVERYONE.
I LOVE THIS OFFICE.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE LOVE EACH OTHER.
WE NEED A PICTURE.
ALSO,
ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES IN SPACE
RIGHT NOW, STEVE BOWEN LIKES TO SAY
HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT
IS THE ULTIMATE TEAM SPORT.
WHEN THESE FOUR FLY AROUND THE MOON,
THEY WON'T BE DOING IT ALONE.
THEY'RE PART OF A TEAM.
A TEAM OF ASTRONAUTS,
ENGINEERS, SCIENTISTS, TRAINERS,
A TEAM OF SUPPORT
WORKING AROUND OUR COUNTRY
AND AROUND THE GLOBE,
READY DAY AND NIGHT.
SO WE'LL CHEER THEM ON.
WE WILL HELP THEM CARRY
THE INCREDIBLE WEIGHT.
AND IT'S A HEAVY ONE
NOW LAID ON THEIR SHOULDERS
BECAUSE WE GO TOGETHER FOR ALL HUMANITY.
THANK YOU.