The Hill News

In a Hill editorial on March 27, Rep. Pete Olson (R-Texas) stated that since the retirement of the space shuttle last year, America has fallen behind in the battle for the ultimate high ground â€" space. He pointed to China’s plans for an increased number of rocket launches and its ambitions for more sophisticated Earth satellites and exploration of the Moon in stating that NASA is falling behind. These metrics, however, do not define the high ground or our nation’s technological capability to efficiently utilize this domain. Preeminence in space, and the economic and national security implications that follow, are not simply measured in terms of a number of rocket launches, but rather! by the depth and breadth of a nation’s space capabilities and the skill and expertise of personnel that flexibly adapt these capabilities to new missions and new frontiers.

This century will be won by those who innovate, seek breakthroughs and develop new technologies and new industries. Reaching for grand technological challenges, engineers and scientists across this country stand on the cusp of dramatic advances in materials, information technology, energy and biomedical science. These breakthroughs provide lasting societal benefits and are a catalyst to America’s high-tech economy. The aerospace sector is no different. According to a December 2011 report of the Aerospace Industries Association, U.S. aerospace sales marked their eight consecutive year of growth and U.S. aerospace exports are up 12 percent with a positive trade balance of $57.4 billion â€" the largest trade surplus of any U.S. manufacturing industry. In aerospace, we lead the world. This industr! y is a job-creator, a technological innovator (e.g., GPS, CMOS! imaging sensors, stealth technology, unmanned aerial vehicles and the Weather Channel) and provides a critical advantage to our nation’s economy and security. The aerospace sector is driven by new ideas, innovation and technology, and NASA is the lifeblood of many of these innovations.

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