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<\/p>\nHere on Florida\u2019s Space Coast, we don\u2019t just watch history, we make it.<\/p>\n
From Mercury to Gemini to Apollo to the Space Shuttle program, Florida is where America proved what was possible. Now, Artemis is writing the next chapter.<\/p>\n
This week, from Kennedy Space Center, Artemis II will send four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon, taking humans farther from Earth than ever before.<\/p>\n
See the photos of sunrise over Artemis II at Kennedy Space Center<\/p>\n
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The sun rises over Kennedy Space Center and NASA\u2019s Space Launch System vehicle Artemis II March 24, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK<\/p>\n
During the mission, astronauts will test every system aboard the Orion spacecraft. This is critical as we prepare to land Americans on the Moon for the first time since 1972 and eventually send humans to Mars.<\/p>\n
But Artemis II is more than a mission; it is a testament.<\/p>\n
A testament that the United States is not stepping back from leadership in space and that innovation, exploration, and American ingenuity still define us.<\/p>\n
And here on the Space Coast, this is not abstract. This is personal.<\/p>\n
Because this mission is powered by the people of Brevard County\u2014the engineers, technicians, and families who make every launch possible from the ground up.<\/p>\n
And none of this happens without the small businesses building critical components, the students training in our classrooms, and the workforce that has made our backyard into the gateway to space.<\/p>\n
Every launch fuels our local economy. Every contract supports good-paying jobs. Every milestone strengthens Florida\u2019s position as the epicenter of American space exploration.<\/p>\n
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U.S. Rep. Mike Haridopolos<\/p>\n
That is why, in Congress, I have fought to fully fund NASA and even secured an additional $10 billion for spaceflight programs like Artemis\u2014because leadership in space does not happen by accident. It happens through commitment, investment, and vision.<\/p>\n
We all know a simple truth: we cannot be number one on Earth if we are number two in space, and the stakes are higher than ever as we face challenges from the Chinese Communist Party.<\/p>\n
Artemis II proves that America is ready to push further, reach higher, and lead the world into the next era of exploration. And it all starts right here on Florida\u2019s Space Coast.<\/p>\n
U.S. Rep. Mike Haridopolos represents Florida’s 8th District<\/p>\n