One of the best things about my job as NASA administrator is that it allows me to visit our NASA centers as well universities and aerospace industry facilities around the country where I am continually meeting people who share my excitement about the growing importance of space exploration. A few weeks ago, I was in Seattle at a President’s Jobs Council meeting where the focus was on preparing more young people for the high-tech jobs of today and tomorrow. On consecutive days in January, I visited students at Georgia Tech in Atlanta and Morgan State in Baltimore who were eagerly pursuing space-related studies in science and engineering. It is clear that an increasing number of Americans, including key leaders in Congress, understand that NASA and a nascent commercial space industry are critical to job growth and American competitiveness. President Barack Obama punctuated that point Feb. 13 with his release of a 2013 budget that includes $17.7 billion for NASA.

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