Space Dominance

Floor Speech

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Mr. KENNEDY of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend, the gentleman from Florida, our new chairman of the Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, for inviting me to join him tonight. I am excited to join him as a new member on the subcommittee and highlight Utah's exciting role in the future of space exploration.

When we think of iconic American places associated with NASA, Houston and Cape Canaveral come to mind, but I am here to tell you tonight, Mr. Speaker, that Utah should be added to that list. While Utah has played a pivotal role in the history of NASA since the dawn of the space age in the mid-20th century, we are fast moving into a starring role.

We stand at the crossroads of an exciting new era in space exploration. Utah, known for our pioneering spirit, is poised to play a critical role in shaping the future of space. From producing cutting- edge technology to visionary companies, Utah is helping propel humanity into the next frontier.

Utah is also the proud home of the Dugway Proving Ground in the west desert, which has become a prime landing location for returning space missions.

I want to highlight one of the most pivotal players in Utah's contribution to space exploration, Northrop Grumman, which has more than an 80-year history in the State. The global aerospace and defense leader has become a cornerstone of America's space ambitions.

Northrop Grumman's state-of-the-art facilities in Utah are central to the development of solid rocket boosters for some of the most ambitious missions we have ever embarked upon. These boosters are key to propelling spacecraft, like NASA's Space Launch System, which is set to carry astronauts deeper into space than ever before, including the planned missions to the Moon under the Artemis program and eventually to Mars.

The combined economic footprint of Utah's space-related businesses, along with those in the aerospace, defense, and advanced materials sectors, already account for 20 percent of our annual GDP, and the space segment is among the fastest growing within that combined category, according to Aaron Starks, former chief revenue officer for World Trade Center Utah and now 47G's president and CEO. He said: ``I think and firmly believe that Utah's future will be shaped more by this industry than any other.''

Northrop Grumman's solid rocket boosters are integral to the success of space programs that will shape the future of exploration. These powerful boosters provide the thrust necessary to lift spacecraft into orbit, and their innovation is a testament to Utah's growing influence in space technology. The company's Utah facilities, including those in Promontory, have been producing these boosters for decades, and they are renowned for their precision, reliability, and power. With the capabilities of these solid rocket boosters, missions that were once the stuff of dreams are becoming a reality.

In January of last year, two of Northrop Grumman's extended, 63-inch- diameter Graphite Epoxy Motors, more commonly known as GEM 63XL solid rocket boosters, helped power the inaugural flight of United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket in the first certification mission.

The GEM 63XL boosters are the longest monolithic, single-cast solid rocket boosters ever manufactured and flown. The boosters delivered more than 900,000 pounds of thrust, nearly two-thirds of the vehicle's total thrust at liftoff.

It is not just about technology. It is about what this technology enables. Northrop Grumman's advancements in propulsion have opened up incredible possibilities for deep-space exploration, including human missions to the Moon and Mars, asteroid mining, and future scientific discoveries beyond our current cognitive capabilities.

Each launch of a rocket booster is not just a moment of technological achievement; it is a step closer to answering the big questions about our place in the universe and the potential for future generations to reach the stars.

Utah is developing a future built on innovation and collaboration. The State is becoming a hub for aerospace innovation, with new startups and established companies like Northrop joining the effort to advance technologies that will transform space travel. Whether it is satellite development, propulsion systems, or mission planning, Utah is becoming a vital piece of the puzzle.

Northrop Grumman has sought to form partnerships and tap into expertise in Utah's colleges and universities, and the company has worked with students and faculty at the University of Utah, Weber State University, Utah State University, Brigham Young University, and Bridgerland Technical College in Logan.

Top-tier research institutions Brigham Young University, the University of Utah, and Utah State University are preparing the next generation of engineers, scientists, and innovators who will take the torch from us and continue driving humanity's exploration of space.

With these resources, the State's workforce is uniquely positioned to lead in areas that complement Northrup Grumman's work, creating a synergy that ensures the continued success of space missions.

Utah State University boasts one of the longest histories of connections to space technologies with the establishment of Electro- Dynamics Laboratories in 1959. It would later join forces with the University of Utah's Upper Air Research Laboratory to form the Logan- based Space Dynamics Laboratory in the early 1980s.

Utah universities have also been big contributors to the NASA- sponsored BIG Idea Challenge to power the Artemis program forward. The 2024 BIG Idea team was from Brigham Young University, and they developed an untethered and modular inflatable robot for lunar operations.

In 2023, we had a BIG Idea team from the University of Utah that won first place overall as the Artemis Award Winner with their development of the ``Production of Steel from Lunar Regolith through Carbonyl Iron Refining'' project.

As the space industry continues to grow and evolve, Utah is at the heart of it all, leading through ingenuity, collaboration, and unwavering dedication to the future.

Mr. Speaker, I say to my good friend from Florida that his Space Coast district might be where the rockets are launched, but they wouldn't get off the ground without Utah's ingenuity.

As we look toward the stars and the limitless possibilities of the cosmos, it is clear that Utah's contribution to space exploration will be integral. From Northrop Grumman's groundbreaking solid rocket boosters to the innovation happening across our State, Utah is not only playing a role in the future of space exploration, but it is helping to define it.

The work that is being done here today will shape the course of humanity's future and space for generations to come. Together, we are laying the foundation for the next great leap in human exploration.

Mr. Speaker, I again thank the gentleman from Florida for this Special Order tonight. I greatly look forward to working with him to make sure NASA is in a position to return to the Moon and take the next step of planting the Stars and Stripes on Mars.

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