Tim Willert
President George W. Bush might have stolen his thunder Wednesday, but
the nation's second explorer-in-chief received a hearty welcome at
Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Hours after Bush announced plans to return Americans to the moon
and beyond, Vice President Dick Cheney was cheered by hundreds of JPL
employees basking in the success of the Mars exploration program.
"The president and I appreciate the outstanding work performed by
everyone here at the JPL," Cheney told 1,500 employees after touring
the Mars mission-control area. "You're using your talents and your
dedication to the benefit of your country and all mankind. America is
proud to lead the world into space, and the American people are proud
of all of you."
Earlier in the day, Bush proposed developing a spacecraft that
will carry Americans back to the moon by 2015, and establishing a
long-term base there as an eventual springboard to Mars and beyond.
Cheney thanked JPL employees for their hard work, and commended
them for "capturing the nation's imagination" with the Mars
exploration rovers.
The rover Spirit was scheduled to roll off its landing pad early
Thursday morning and begin examining the surface of Mars. A second
rover, Opportunity, is scheduled to land on Mars on Jan. 24.
"The Spirit mission is showing your ingenuity in its absolute
highest form," Cheney said. "Each of the hundreds of people here who
worked on this project can be enormously proud of the mission's
success, and you can know that people all across the country, indeed
around the world, are thrilled and inspired ..."
The vice president was preceded at the podium by NASA Deputy
Administrator Dick Gregory, who referred to Cheney as a supporter of
America's efforts to "explore the new frontiers of space.
"I'm certain that you share my excitement with the president's
announcement that the United States will undertake the sustained
human and robotic program to explore the solar system," Gregory said.
"This is great."
JPL Director Charles Elachi, who ate lunch with Cheney and
accompanied him on his tour of the mission-control area, said the
vice president's appearance sent morale though the roof.
"The morale is sky high," Elachi said following Cheney's
appearance. "I'm flying on cloud nine. I'm very proud of all the team
here."
JPL Deputy Director Eugene Tattini shared Elachi's enthusiasm when
he greeted the crowd gathered in the laboratory's courtyard.
"Isn't it great to be alive and well and working at the Jet
Propulsion Laboratory?" Tattini asked. "By any measure, the year 2003
has been a record-breaking year for all of us here at JPL."
