Lunar moon landing, a hearing on past and future exploration by nasa and its astronauts. This is 90 minutes. [pounding] hearing is called to ovrd. 50 years ago, exactly one week from today, at 9 30 a. M. , three astronauts sitting atop a rocket destroyer, a navy of ing 7 1 2 Million Pounds thrust took off from Kennedy Space center in florida. A Million People had gathered on the ground to watch event, including half of the United States congress. Three astronauts, as one at the ewspapers put it time, carried with them the hopes of the world. Was 1969. Born. Before i was the astronauts were Neil Armstrong, buzz aldrin and collins, and the mission was apollo 11. Would go ond aldrin to make history a little more than a hundred hours later. With more than a third of or listening hing live, they became the first on the o ever set foot moon. The apollo 11 mission would go history again. A little less than a hundred hours of that, as the first not only to put men on home on but to bring them safely as well. Although president kennedy it, the bold to see goal that he had set eight years earlier had been met. To steal a line from the flight that mission, we had will that what america do. , america will today, we rightfully celebrate the momentous occasion that is upcoming 50th anniversary of apollo 11. In a sident nixon said phone call to Neil Armstrong and buzz aldrin while they were moon, because of what they had done, the heavens part of mans world. Indeed, not only did we succeed men on the moon and returning them safely to earth put roboticne on to overs on distant planets, celestial observers to in orbit that can literally peer into the beginning of the universe and established a presence in lower earth orbit thats still there today. Tempting to e its focus evenly on the historic achievements that were apollo as some of our Witnesses Today will rightly highlight, a on landing and the the entire Apollo Program for that matter, didnt happen in a vacuum. The result of visionary leadership, National Unity and tenacity. N american the success of apollo 11 and our Space Program was also due in large part to the tireless contribution of were workingen who behind the scenes and whose recently ve only become household names. One of our Witnesses Today, dr. Darden, was one of the famed Human Computers at nasa. Work and the work of them computers, many of africanamerican women, we never could have sent astronauts into alone brought them home safely. Unfortunately at the time, dr. Darden and other computers ontributions were hidden and they remained hidden for far too to the gulated background. After the movie Hidden Figures came out, a wonderful movie i commend to everyone i introduced legislation to rename the street in front of the nasa figures ers as hidden way. The d. C. City council in turn just a few idea, and weeks ago i was proud to join dr. Darden and the family of other legend compare Human Computers at the dedication of of new street sign in front the nasa headquarters so that now, a decade or a generation or a century from now, when a little girl or boy goes to visit nasa, she or he will say, who were they . Tell me their story. As we look at the space landscape today we see its far from the landscape of 1969. Merican and the soviet union are no longer the only players in space. Government Space Programs are no in town. E only game and our technological of bilities, both in terms our ability to plan mission and missions are have changed dramatically. The next 50 years of Space Exploration look like . What should we seek to accomplish . Vision. A bold a vision that sees the ommercial space industry thriving. Ive long said that the first trillionair, i believe, will be made in space. We will have gone back to the moon. Indeed, the United States will as part of e moon program. Mus shes the twin sister of apollo and this time when we return to has committed to land the first woman on the moon, an american astronaut, and my two young daughters, let me say, thank about time. S from there, well move towards having a more permanent and presence on the moon, and then ultimately to mars. Of years ago, i was proud to author the ipartisan nasa authorization act signed into law in which every member of congress and the both and senate and parties united to say the objective of Space Exploration to go to the red mars, and land on that the first boot to set foot will be rface of mars that of an american astronaut. The ext 50 years has potential to be even more consequential than last. Im glad to be ngaged with Ranking Member sinema, on yet another nassau to orization about to help continue to lay out a bold, for nasa and da manned Space Exploration so that america continues to lead the and in exploring space exploring the great frontiers above us. Ith that, i recognize senator sinema. You, chairman crews, for hold this day. S we approach the 50th anniversary of apollo 11, its time to look back at our in space. Ments its also important to look head at new strategies and technologies that will maintain United States leadership in space, grow our economy and our countrys security. Dittmer and dr. Darden for joining us today in. Kennedy n president announced an ambitious goal for our country to send americans to did not anticipate impact. Ing at the time we didnt have the capabilities or know what was needed. Us what our wed country and nasa are capable of. Demonstrated to the world that the leader tates is n space, and charted the path we continue on today. The most impressive part is that we developed technologies and soil. Ed on our the Data Collected from an observatory in arizona was used maps of the moons surface before the mission. Arizona t time in preparing. The grand canyon to meteorology. Nasa learned that the suits were withstand nough to damage from rocks forcing a redesign. The most significant training thunder lake just outside of flagstaff. U. S. Ists at the Geological Survey developed a including 47 ent craters to test robots, hand tools and scientific instruments. These efforts show what we can with a country when faced a challenge. National and political support, and innovation made president kennedys goal a reality on july 20, 1969. We enter the next phase of Space Exploration and return to to moon we need to continue utilize american expertise and ngenuity and we need to work closely with our Research Universities like the university of arizona and Arizona State that provide leadership and do important work in these areas. Im looking forward to holding a on University Partnerships this year and this subcommittee. He United States has made significant technological advances since 1969, and we have needed idea of what is to explore space. But we still face many challenges. Force is aging and weve not sent humans to space eight sa spacecraft in years. We must evaluate the best use of axpayer dollars to achieve our goals and maintain our leadership in space. Thank you again to all of our and i very much look forward to your testimony today. Chairman. Mr. I yield back. Thank you. Now i would like to introduce our distinguished panel of witnesses. First witness is mr. Jaime contestants, a retired Fighter Pilot in. 1994, after 37 years of legendary federal service, he nasa. D from after college, he worked as a engineer for mcdonald aircraft. Eveloping the quail decoy missile for b52 and 47 aircraft. Nasa 0, he joined the was task group and assigned the position of assistant flight director for project mercury. Director flight tuesday for all project Gemini Missions and was branch chief operations. Ontrol he was selected as division in f for Flight Control 1968, and continued his duty as light director for the apollo 11 Lunar Landing before taking over the leadership of the apollo 13 tiger team. He was discharged from the air orce reserves as a captain in 1972. Many antz has received awards including the residential medal of freedom, and hes a distinguished member of the Senior Executive service by president reagan. Krantz received a degree Parks College oftle is university. Our second witness is dr. Christine darden. Its good to see you good. Spent an esteemed 40 years at nasa becoming one of on sonic s experts boom and super sonic wing design. Her career she was appointed as the technical leader of nasas boom group of vehicle Immigration Branch of the High Speed Research program where she was esponsible for developing the sonic boom Research Program internally at nasa. She was appointed as the director in the program of the nt office Aerospace Performing Center where she was responsible for research, air Traffic Management and other programs managed at other nasa centers. Served as a so technical consultant on numerous government and private projects. Author of more than 50 publications in the field of design, in super sonic flow, flap design, sonic prediction and sonic boom minimumization. Bachelor of science degree, a masters of science mathematics plied from Virginia State college, and a ph. D. In mechanical from George Washington university. Ditmar, d witness is president and c. E. O. For the coalition of deep space a25year veteran of the space industry, dr. Did i mar assumed leadership of the coalition in 2015 prior to joining the coalition from 2012 to 2014, she served as a member of the National ResearchCouncil Committee on human space flight. Acted as a t, she special adviser to the nasa office, before her appointment as boeing, chief scientist for commercial of the iss. Dr. Dittmar also worked for the company on the international Space Program. Fellow of the American Institute for astronautive d cs. She was pointed to the User Advisory Group of the National Space council. October of that year, she was appointed by the secretary of the department of transportation to the commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee for the faa. Fourth witness is mr. Homer hickman, who is best known for memoir rocket boys about his West Virginia boyhood building model rockets. Book was subsequently made sky. The film, october veteran of the Fourth Infantry Division and a year careerist with nasa where he trained astronauts on uch missions as space lab and the Hubble Space Telescope repair mission. He rounded out his career by russians on how to train crews on the International Space station. His career as a writer, r. Hickam presently is the chairman of the board of the u. S. Space and Rocket Center in huntsville, alabama. Mr. Hickam received a bachelor degrees in industrial ngineering from Virginia Tech and our final witness is mr. Mer, with csf. Csf is the largest trade rganization dedicated to promoting the development of commercial space flight. Higher levels of safety and sharing best practices and expertise industry. T the before working at csf, served as Vice President of governmental mr. Stalmer joined agi in 2002. While there he oversaw and represented agis commercial off the shelf products and technology, to intelligence, congress, and civil government sectors within the aerospace industry. More than two decades mr. Stalmer has also served as an officer in the United States army, in army reserves. Hes currently assigned to the pentagon and the office of the army for efofstaff, logistics. Mr. Stalmer earned a masters in Public Administration from George Mason University and a bachelor of arts degree in science and history from mount st. Mary college. Of you, mr. Ch krantz, you may begin. Could you turn your mike on, please. A green button and now its red. Normally green means go. I never have to say magined i would be giving you technical advice. [laughter] ill start over. Chairman and members of the sub committee, thank you for the opportunity to discuss nasas early and future human space flight programs. Exciting time for me and for nasa and the space industry. Of our lebrate one nations greatest technological achievements. American astronauts on the moon and returning them apollo o earth, and the 11 mission. I was fortunate to be a part of endeavor. For that growing up, i could never have imagined i would serve in such a role. Boy, all i wanted to do was fly. Boxing an aviator, i received an appointment to the academy, but unfortunately, i failed the physical. I believed my dream was gone. I obtained a loan and attended college of st. Louis niversity, and earned a degree in aeronautical engineering and received an air force commission. And ected reserve status, 1958 i was assigned as a b52ian Flight Engineer on program. After completion of the flight est program i applied to nasa and was selected to join the langley in roup at 1960. At the beginning of the mercury mission, i served on the craft as the assistant flight director. Having never met him before, our nitial introduction was short and to the point. He tapped me on the shoulder, he for im chris you work me, i want you to go down to the cape. Rules, when ission youre ready give me a call and watch. Ome down and that was redstone one. I had been two weeks on the job. Space missions became more hallenging, we grew into an incredibly capable team. During this period, we developed them of values, we called the foundations, which guided our operations for the past 50 still apply to our work today. For the past several weeks ive dozens of interviews for local, national and global media. Of the reporters have questioned, should we go back to the moon . Should we go to mars directly the moon . Can we do it again . Nd why havent we done it already . All good questions. Should we go back to the moon . The answer was simply yes. No question. There are tremendous opportunities. The Lunar Missions would provide space industry, and developing the new capabilities and technologies for space to the moon and then beyond. My answer, can we do it again done it avent we already, is much more complex. Thats really why im here to offer some perspective based on my experience as a of the space flight teams, which accomplished resident kennedys 1961 mandate, to land an american on the moon and return him safely to earth. The 19 sits were not dissimilar, to some extent, of where the nation is today. President kennedy faced a confident over yacht union and a Sleeping Giant in the peoples of china. We were at the beginning of the ietnam war and the domestic turmoil or civil rights was building. Kennedys goal was timely and masterful, and utilizing the challenge of Space Exploration our nation and demonstrate the technical united ties of the states. Today we have many of the same issues. Isever, one critical element still missing. Ennedys mandate was the impetus but there was a National Unity that assured our success. Country, today in our unity is necessary for great effort and its lacking within government, and within the space industry. We have an administration that strongly supportive of space, that is willing to provide the resources. An agency charted to do the mission. Top level leadership in place very capable work force. Ut each of the segments are divided on the goal. Here is a lack of focus and prioritization. I believe that the general upport for space and a desire to see our nation continue to explore will continue. Unity, the Space Exploration program will be grounded. Answer the question, what made apollo successful . T was leadership, unity, and the team. Mercury and Gemini Programs rovided the knowledge, experience and environment, and have developed the teams and the echnologies and provided the Training Ground for time critical, complex highrisk leadership. Three elements of the Space Task Group were literally incredible. Created a unique organizational energy, classical engineers from the Langley Research center. Personnel light test from canada. We had knowledgeable and recruits from americas colleges. That was wide unity focused on a singular objective. The moon. As the program evolved we came facetoface with various challenges. We truly began to solidify our teams values. Were simpl