About Us

National Awards Dinner

Vice President George Bush

The mission of the Challenger Center is very close to our hearts and close to our vision of an America that gives its children the best possible education for their challenging future. The mission of Challenger Center is to spark in our young people an interest and a joy in science, a spark that can change their lives and help make American enterprise the envy of the world. We applaud your private efforts.

We are a nation of trail-blazers, risk-takers, and dream-makers. The Challenger Center believes that the future is bright, if we Americans are dedicated to making it so. That dedication is what we see in the remarkable programs of the Challenger Center.

In January 1986, Barbara and I grieved for the Challenger families, as did all of America. The courageous Challenger astronauts were very much on my mind earlier this year when we gathered on the twentieth anniversary of the moon landing to chart a course for the next century: first, space station Freedom, our critical next step in all our space endeavors-then back to the moon, back to the future, and this time back to stay, and then a journey to another planet. In the next century, men and women will travel to Mars.

I said that our fallen astronauts have taken their place in the heavens so that America can take its place in the stars. Today, we are moved by the continuing faith and commitment that have moved America's space program forward and brought the Challenger Center into being.

We salute you tonight for all that you have done for our common future, and we pledge you our continuing support as you move forward with the vision and the determination to carry out the Challenger mission.

1989
Washington, D.C.

Additional Information

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