Our thanks to Louisiana Congressman John Cooksey for giving a One-Minute Speech before the House of Representatives, calling on the Federal Government to manned missions to Mars.

PLANET MARS
______

HON. JOHN COOKSEY

of Louisiana

in the House of Representatives

Wednesday, March 13, 2002

Mr. COOKSEY. Mr. Speaker, We are better prepared to go to the planet Mars today than to the Moon in 1961. The reasons to go are compelling and the goal is within reach.

Like the Moon Race, exploring Mars will have benefits here on Earth, revitalizing our economy and society like no other challenge. America's wealth today testifies to space exploration's past return-on-investment in communications, computers, and advanced materials. Mars exploration will bring to all of us a positive and dynamic vision of the future -- a goal to achieve, a dream to make real.

As the planet most like Earth, Mars should be the next focus of space exploration. We have sent many robots to explore Mars for us, but their abilities are limited. It's time to go there ourselves.

We have the means to explore and settle Mars in the near-term on only a fraction of NASA's current budget, but work is needed to refine key technologies like space suits and life support systems. The targeted investment of a modest 1% of NASA's annual budget can achieve these advances. Adequate funds would remain for NASA's other priorities today, while we prepare for the day in the very near future when Americans again walk on another world.

The time to plan our next giant leap is now. It's our future, let's make it happen.

The speech has been entered into the Congressional Record.

CORRECTION: Edited to fix link to Congressional Record.