Today I had the opportunity to share the stage with a true legend, Sen. John Glenn. We celebrated the 50th anniversary of his historic space flight – the first time an American had orbited Earth. The event was part of NASA's ongoing series of Future Forums, in which we discuss possibilities -- the things we're already able to accomplish and the new capabilities for which we strive. I can think of no person better suited to discuss that broad continuum than John Glenn.

We were in John's home state of Ohio where NASA's Glenn Research Center is honoring its namesake by helping us pioneer the next generation of technologies to help us reach destinations farther in the solar system. These are technologies such as advanced communications; in-space propulsion; cryogenic fluids management; and power, energy storage, and conversion. The center's work is part of our work to expand our nation's capabilities to explore and reach new destinations including an asteroid and Mars.

John Glenn was there when NASA was racing to the stars as part of the Cold War. Later, John returned to NASA, for the second big wave of human spaceflight, the Space Shuttle Program, and showed us once again that we could broaden our sights – that older people could fly in space, something we'd long wanted to know more about as we contemplate longer term human presence in space aboard the International Space Station and in other parts of the solar system.

Each step along the way in the space program, we've learned vital things that have guided us to the next steps, maybe changed our minds about what was next. But always, we've been learning.

Today's space program is vital and alive. It is full of men and women who are passionately dedicated to space and keeping America the leader in its exploration and expanding John's legacy.

All around the nation there is tangible evidence of our progress: from the upcoming first-ever launch and berthing of a capsule to the Station by a private company, to the test firings of the J-2X engine that will power our deep space rocket's upper stage, to the transformation of the Kennedy Space Center to a 21st Century Launch Complex able to support many science and eventually crewed flights.

We're fortunate to have a stable NASA budget of $17.7 billion for FY2013, which President Obama submitted a week ago. It supports a robust space program capable of innovative improvements to benefit life here on Earth and ensure a bright future. It was an honor to hear from John Glenn, and to consider his wisdom along with those across the aerospace field today -- the scientists and engineers, the students and educators at the Future Forum. All of us are opening the next great chapter of exploration today.

The past couple of years have seen NASA and its industry partners make tremendous progress on the commercial capability for delivering cargo and transporting crew to low Earth orbit (LEO). It’s a path that will stop the out-sourcing of our missions to the space station and bring that work back home here to America by relying on U.S. companies to get the job done.

Our initial investments with the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program had two participants -- SpaceX and Orbital Sciences -- and our investments are paying off. From SpaceX's launch, orbit, and successful recovery of a Dragon capsule in December 2010 to this year's planned berthing of capsules at the International Space Station (ISS) by both SpaceX and Orbital, the milestones have been nothing short of historic.

Our commercial approach to space transportation has grown and now features partnerships with a diverse array of companies, both large and small, each with their own expertise and innovations. With the first two Commercial Crew Development rounds of awards, we've moved forward with partners who are working on different kinds of space transportation systems technologies -- all with the aim of providing future robust crew transportation capabilities for our nation to reach low Earth orbit. We look forward to more outcomes from these partners and others in the future.

Now, we've launched our call for the next phase of our ambitious program to develop an integrated system for transporting crew to LEO and potentially astronauts to the ISS. Earlier today, we released an announcement for proposals that asks U.S. companies to bring us their best plans to achieve a crewed orbital flight demonstration by the middle of the decade. The resulting space act agreement awards will range from $300 - $500 million, and we anticipate multiple awards.

President Obama is working hard to create an American economy built to last, and NASA's support of commercial innovation to reach low Earth orbit is helping to support these efforts by spurring new technological development and creating jobs and economic benefits for years to come.

Since the dawn of human space flight, private industry has been a critical partner in building the rockets and spacecraft that have helped NASA reach higher. But no longer can NASA afford to own and operate these expensive systems for travel to low Earth orbit. By handing this work off to U.S. industry, we are freed up to focus on the more difficult destinations including new missions of the future to asteroids and Mars. Also, we keep the work of transporting our astronauts to the ISS here in the United States and stop the outsourcing of this work to foreign providers.

The base period of the funded space act agreements of this next phase of our commercial space program are planned to start in August of this year and run to May 2014. Along with our ongoing work on a heavy lift rocket and Orion crew capsule to reach deep space, a recently graduated class of astronauts and a future class that has just submitted their preliminary applications, America's human space flight aspirations - and the hardware to make them reality -- are going strong.

For more information on the announcement and a pre-proposal conference Feb. 14, visit:

http://commercialcrew.nasa.gov/index.cfm

Today, I had the opportunity to visit one of our nation's great institutions of higher learning – Morgan State University in Baltimore. This Historically Black College has been a leader in creating a whole new generation of scientists, engineers and technology innovators. These leaders will be essential to our efforts to reinvigorate our high tech workforce with jobs for tomorrow, jobs that last and make long-term contributions to our economy and our capabilities.

One of the major goals of NASA and the Obama Administration, as the President emphasized in his State of the Union speech last night, is the engagement of more Americans from all backgrounds in the study of science, technology, engineering and math – or the STEM disciplines.

The President has been clear that we need to do more to create jobs and help economic growth. And under his leadership, the economy is growing again. The economy has added a total of 3.2 million private sector jobs over the last 22 months.

But, it is not enough to create new jobs – we must make sure our students and workers get the education and training they need so that we have a workforce ready to take on the jobs of today and tomorrow. ,

And That's exactly what they're doing at Morgan State. I had the chance to see demonstrations of the university's cutting-edge research in aeronautics, space science and earth science projects that are the result of its partnership with NASA.

The university is a national leader in the production of African American scientists and engineers and turns out more of them than any other college or university in the State of Maryland.

In a typical year, Morgan graduates more than two-thirds of the state's African-American civil engineers; 60 percent of its African-American electrical engineers; 80 percent of its African-American telecommunications specialists; more than one-third of its African-American mathematicians; and all of Maryland's African-American industrial engineers and physicists.

That is a record of which to be proud of and it is one of the reasons NASA chose Morgan as a major research partner.

The story of Morgan…the story of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in America … is the story of overcoming overwhelming odds to give African American students the opportunity to reach their full potential.

President Obama envisions an America that works for everyone, where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share and everyone plays by the same rules. He described it last night as an America Built to Last.

Morgan State and its students will surely be among the engineers and architects of that dream.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden is shown a demonstration of the Air Traffic Management System by Morgan State University student Renee Etoty in the University's Engineering Visualization Research Laboratory on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012, in Baltimore. Bolden visited Morgan State to help highlight the importance of science, engineering and mathematics in creating and sustaining the American economy. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Today it was my privilege to bring greetings from the President of the United States, Barack Obama, to the 44th Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta.

I have had a few out-of-this world experiences, but I must say that standing in the pulpit where Dr. King, Daddy King and now Rev. Warnock, the church's current pastor, have inspired so many, was an out-of-body experience for me.

I brought the audience in that historic building and every person watching it on television greetings from the First Family: President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and their daughters, Malia and Sasha. Like me, they are all proud children of Dr. King’s sacrifice. They have brought his ideals, his faith and his steadfast commitment to building the “beloved community” into the White House.

While Dr. King’s influence and teachings have reached every corner of this globe, today he and Coretta's children are also testament to their parents’ love and commitment to family. As many of you are quite aware by now, I grew up about 200 miles from Atlanta, in Columbia, South Carolina. My mother, wife, and daughter are all products of college and post-graduate education in Atlanta - at Atlanta University, Spelman, and Georgia Tech. Many of the values I have brought to my professional life, I also got from my parents…being bold and being fearless, and not allowing what other people think or say deter me from doing what is right. They taught me not to just sit on the sideline of life, but to strive to turn my passion and dreams into reality. My parents were greatly inspired by the tenets of Dr. King.

While I treasure the inspiration I received today, I hope the NASA Family and our extended circle of friends around the world will also be inspired by Dr. King's example and do something today to make the world a better place.

To watch all of today's presentations at Ebenezer in honor of Dr. King, visit:

http://tinyurl.com/7xa25qz

NASA has been recognized nationally as an innovator once again.

The White House established the Presidential Securing Americans' Value and Efficiency (SAVE) program in 2009 to give front-line federal workers the chance to submit their ideas on how their agencies can save money and work more efficiently.

After nearly 20,000 ideas were submitted and more that 48,000 votes were cast, Matthew Ritsko, a financial manager at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., won the 2011 SAVE award. He was congratulated today at the White House by President Obama.

Matthew's proposal calls for NASA to create a "lending library" where specialized space tools and hardware purchased by one NASA organization will be made available to other NASA programs and projects.

The NASA family comprises some of the most innovative and creative people in government, and we're pleased that Matthew's simple idea can help our nation's space program be more efficient and get more bang for the taxpayer's buck. I congratulate Matthew and all the NASA employees who submitted SAVE ideas. Keep them coming! We are always open to the fresh insights of NASA employees in every capacity across the nation. You're helping us reach for new destinations and making it easier to meet the big challenges we are privileged to tackle for the nation.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/save-award

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Financial Manager and White House 2011 SAVE award winner Matthew Ritsko is seen during a television interview at NASA Headquarters shortly after meeting with President Obama at the White House on Monday, Jan. 9, 2011. The Presidential Securing Americans' Value and Efficiency (SAVE) program gives front-line federal workers the chance to submit their ideas on how their agencies can save money and work more efficiently. Matthew's proposal calls for NASA to create a "lending library" where specialized space tools and hardware purchased by one NASA organization will be made available to other NASA programs and projects. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

NASA and the military have a long and storied history. Our earliest astronauts came from the military because we wanted people who had test pilot experience and the willingness to face dangerous situations. Many members of the current astronaut corps are members of the military, including five people in our newest astronaut class and the current commander of the International Space Station.

As the leader of our nation's space program, and a proud Marine, I am committed to hiring as many veterans as I can at NASA. The President has called on NASA to once again tackle the big things for which we're known. And that's just the kind of challenge at which I know my military brothers and sisters excel.

Earlier this week, I attended an Office of Personnel Management summit on employing veterans. Our nation’s veterans already have a commitment to national public service. National service is founded on doing big things and doing things that benefit the whole world. Outside of the military, nowhere is that more true than at NASA. We truly believe in the potential of our veterans and in taking advantage of the diverse contributions they can make to our space program.

NASA is making great strides as an agency that places a priority on hiring veterans for our many mission-critical needs. At the end of fiscal year 2011, veteran new hires were over 11 percent of our total hires; and of those, almost 5 percent were disabled veterans. In 2012 we have a goal of 12 percent for our veteran new hires, with 5 percent of those being disabled veterans.

We have established a Veterans' Employment Opportunity Program within our Office of Human Capital Management. We've identified Veterans' Employment Coordinators at each of the NASA field centers and at Headquarters. We're identifying high-demand occupations conducive to veteran employment and working with other federal partners to align ourselves and our needs and resources with them. Some of our NASA field centers have developed veteran information pages on their websites, and some have participated in veteran-focused outreach and recruiting events.

When I was flying combat missions over Vietnam, there were times when I didn't think I'd come back – and five of my squadron mates did not. That's just one of many reasons that military service is like no other career in the world. You entrust your life to the integrity and skill of your colleagues. Not every veteran has faced enemy fire, but they've all made sacrifices for their country and fulfilled a public duty that demands our highest respect.

President Obama has asked each federal agency to make an effort to hire veterans. I consider this not only a challenge for NASA, but a personal commitment for me. As our service members return home, it is even more important to ensure that they have a place to continue contributing to the success of our great nation. Veterans continue to be a group whose contributions are crucial to NASA's success, and will continue to be as we enter the next great era of human exploration.

Earlier today I visited Kegman Inc., a woman-owned, veteran-owned business in Melbourne, Florida, that is providing valuable data to assist with Saturday’s expected launch of the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity.

Curiosity’s mission is to get Mars to give up its secrets. But we can’t get to Mars without companies like Kegman who contribute technology, innovation, component parts and know-how to the project.

Small businesses play a big part in the work NASA does every day, and are a big part of the American economy. For the Mars Science Laboratory mission, more than two dozen small companies supplied component parts, engineering design and other technical assistance to the project.  More than 5,000 people in 31 states worked on Curiosity. The world’s most sophisticated interplanetary rover was created, designed, built and will be flown to the Red Planet in large part due to the work of American small businesses.

Small businesses are a critical piece of the American economy, employing 1 in every 3 Americans. As we recognize Small Business Saturday this week, I’m proud that NASA is working with great small businesses like Kegman, as well as supporting the small businesses that provide other services and benefits to the NASA family.

Above: NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden (right); Susan Glasgow, president and CEO of Kegman, Inc., and other members of the Kegman team.