SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 888
WHEREAS, The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's
Johnson Space Center in Houston is the American headquarters for
the International Space Station, one of the most impressive
scientific and engineering achievements in history; and
WHEREAS, A joint project of NASA, the Russian Federal Space
Agency, the European Space Agency, the Canadian Space Agency, and
the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, the International Space
Station is the result of a remarkable collaboration between 15
countries, sharing the most advanced technologies in the world
for the peaceful and productive use of space, and thousands of
Texas workers have contributed greatly to this success; and
WHEREAS, The largest structure that humans have ever put
into space, the International Space Station is made up of
pressurized modules held together by external trusses and powered
by a vast array of solar panels; the station is the length of a
football field, and the solar array has the wingspan of a Boeing
777; orbiting the globe every 92 minutes at an altitude of roughly
250 miles, the International Space Station is large enough to be
seen from the surface of the Earth by the naked eye; and
WHEREAS, Since November 2000, the International Space
Station has been continuously occupied by international teams of
astronauts who, during that time, have conducted thousands of
experiments in a microgravity environment, focusing on human
health, space studies, engineering development, materials testing,
and global education; these experiments are helping develop NASA's
capabilities for such long-duration, deep-space missions as a trip
to Mars and back, and are assisting businesses, other government
agencies, and university researchers develop knowledge and
products that have and will result in benefits to humanity for
years to come; and
WHEREAS, With its many ongoing research projects and its
educational outreach touching the lives of people around the
world, the International Space Station is one of the global
community's most successful programs, helping to improve life on
Earth even as it inspires our species to reach for the stars; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 83rd
Legislature, hereby commend NASA for its achievements as part of
the International Space Station program and extend to the many
Texans who have given to it so much of their skill, effort, and
passion sincere best wishes for continued success in their
important work; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be
prepared for NASA as an expression of high regard by the Texas
Senate.
Taylor
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on May 16, 2013.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate