Vice President Sees Acceleration to Artemis at Langley

Vice President Mike Pence, chair of the National Space Council, and NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine got a glimpse Feb. 19 into how NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, is at the forefront of space exploration and has been vital to missions from Apollo to Artemis.

While there, Pence, accompanied by Bridenstine and Education Secretary Betsy Davos, toured Langley’s Wind Tunnel Testing Facility; Structure and Materials Lab; and the Hangar.

The visit from the vice president and NASA administrator showcased Langley’s contributions to the Artemis program on the heels of the message that the president’s 2020 budget amendment supports accelerated plans to land astronauts on the Moon by 2024.

It was also a celebration of African American History Month, as Pence recognized Langley’s hidden and modern figures, including Katherine Johnson, represented by daughters Joylette Hylick and Katherine Moore; Christine Darden; Vanessa Wyche, deputy director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center; and astronaut Stephanie Wilson.

Johnson, who worked for the agency from 1953 to 1986, passed away on Feb. 24.

For more on Johnson’s historic life and achievements, click here.