WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), the Ranking Member on the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today called the successful launch of the Ares-1-X test vehicle an important milestone for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

“Today's successful launch of the Ares-1-X test vehicle is an enormous success for NASA and the Constellation team that put this rocket together,” said Senator Hutchison.  “This launch is an important milestone because it has been thirty years since NASA tested a new launch system leading to our ability to put humans into space. We have many issues to resolve in charting the path forward for the U.S. space program, but this test and the upcoming launch of the space shuttle next month proves NASA still has the ‘Right Stuff.’  Now we need to work with the President and make sure NASA has the right budget to be able to do its job.”

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