Vice President Mike Pence in Air Force Two landed at Kennedy's Shuttle Landing Facility in Central Florida Thursday.
The visit follows the Trump administration's revival of the National Space Council. Pence will lead the council as chair.
Pence toured the enormous and historic Vehicle Assembly Building, originally built for the Apollo and Saturn vehicles and more recently, the space shuttles. Now, NASA is building the spacecraft that will eventually travel to Mars and beyond.
"Under President Donald Trump, America will lead in space once again," said Pence.
Pumping up the pioneers in space exploration, the vice president aimed to encourage NASA.
"Here from this bridge to space, our nation will return to the moon and we will put American boots on the face of Mars," said Pence.
NASA is working on the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System operation rocket that will go deeper into space.
"When I was young we watched Star Trek, Star Wars was just coming out and those things might actually be real one day," said former astronaut Andrew Allen.
Allen flew three space shuttle missions. He is now the vice president and general manager of Ground Operations at Kennedy Space Center. He and his team will assemble the spacecraft that could make history.
"We'll be putting all those components together including Orion and the Space Launch System rocket and we’ll get it off this planet," said Allen.
NASA employees cheered and clapped while Pence celebrated their achievements.
"Give yourself a round of applause for making miracles happen, for making science fiction, science fact," added Pence.
VP #Pence says he's excited to be a part of a new era in space exploration for #America#NASA@WPTVpic.twitter.com/e1sJ2uvel3
— Michelle Quesada (@M_Quesada) July 6, 2017
#Pence: #Americans will return to the moon and we will put American boots on the face of #Mars@NASAKennedy@WPTV
— Michelle Quesada (@M_Quesada) July 6, 2017
Pence tells #NASA employees "Give yourself a round of applause for making miracles happen; for making science fiction, science fact."@WPTV
— Michelle Quesada (@M_Quesada) July 6, 2017
#Pence says it is an honor to lead National Space Council, says @POTUS wants council to guide space policy within the administration. @NASA
— Michelle Quesada (@M_Quesada) July 6, 2017
