July 20 annually marks one of those celebrated milestones in human history that none of us born of the 20th century can ever forget: that captivating moment when humankind first set foot on another celestial body, to begin what arguably is the greatest adventure our species will ever undertake.

Historically, the exploration of space has inspired far-reaching visions to extend humanity’s presence beyond our home planet, and in so doing, forged new inroads to scientific discovery.

Today, the exploration of space holds equal if not greater potential for innovations that can uplift our national economy, strengthen global security, improve health care diagnostics and delivery, enable space-based renewable energy systems, and ultimately launch sustainable settlements on other worlds.

Hawaii’s strategic mid- Pacific location, moon/ Mars-like terrain, resident expertise in multiple aerospace technologies, and long-standing ties with space-faring nations throughout Asia and the Pacific clearly afford strategic assets and capabi- lities that can be leveraged to realize humankind’s full potential in space. In so doing, this will enable our state to engage as both a major contributor to, and beneficiary of, global space enterprise.

Of course, Hawaii is no newcomer to this industry, and for the past half century has played a seminal role in advancing our national space program — beginning with astronaut training for the Apollo lunar missions and development of world-class observatories on the Big Island, and eventually leading to pioneering programs in planetary geosciences, satellite communications, space-based environmental monitoring, deep-space surveillance, and other areas engaging aerospace-related technologies.

Yet new space-related opportunities are now rapidly emerging that hold significant promise for our state.

For example:

» The Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems on the Big Island is providing a world-class setting for the development, testing and validation of advanced manufacturing, renewable energy, in-situ resource utilization and other pioneering technologies to enable future robotic and human missions to space.

» The Air Force Maui Optical Station on Haleakala is conducting research and development of electro-optical sensors to provide support for the detection and tracking of orbital debris, observations of satellite operations, atmospheric physics, space sciences and astronomy.

» The University of Hawaii’s Space Flight Laboratory will soon be launching our state’s first payloads from the Pacific Missile Range on Kauai — making our university the only one of its kind in the world to have both satellite fabrication capabilities and direct access to orbital space.

» Hawaii is developing a commercial spaceport on the Big Island to support the operation of "spaceplanes" — horizontal launch-and-land vehicles that will soon carry satellites, scientific experiments, and passengers to space, and eventually serve as an international node on a trans-Pacific space transportation highway.

This list continues — my point being that Hawaii today is exceptionally well-poised to assume a leadership role in advancing the next generation of space enterprise.

The heady days of Apollo fueled human aspirations to "reach for the stars." We must now restore America’s "can do" spirit in space — forging innovative and sustainable programs that can both rejuvenate our economy and invest in our future.

I believe the Aloha State is exceptionally well-positioned to help lead this charge, and thus strongly encourage our state administration, Legislature and the people of Hawaii to fully embrace this vision and collectively reach toward that brighter future.