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The Space Coast’s new congressman wants America to set bold goals for extraterrestrial exploration, believing the nation’s potential will literally take Americans sky high.
“We need to do everything we can to ensure safety, but it’s done in a way that removes some of the unnecessary red tape so we can go out and compete and So that we can beat any other country,” said Congressman Mike. Florida Republican Khalidopoulos said in an interview on Fox News Digital.
“Because the moon and beyond isn’t a Disney movie cliché. It’s the future.”
Khalidopoulos said he would “love to see” the United States return to the moon during the next four years of the Trump administration. The Florida Republican was careful not to make any absolutes, saying “we can’t guarantee anything,” but said billionaires like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos could have such conversations. He was recognized for his contribution to the revitalization of the science and space sector in Japan.
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Congressman Mike Haridopoulos is the newest member of Congress representing Florida’s Space Coast. (Getty Images)
“This is a stepping stone,” he said. “For example, as we begin to move in the direction of [nuclear power]here in the United States we need more and more energy… There are particles on the moon that are so rare here in the United States that we bring them back. [and] all over the world. ”
Helium-3 is a highly coveted resource discovered on the moon and known to be key to the nuclear fusion process.
“From that point on, you settle on the moon and then go to Mars. Of course, that was Elon Musk’s vision,” Khalidopoulos said. “When he thought about things like SpaceX, it was, “How do we get to Mars? And how do we pay to go to Mars?” He was the inspiration behind the technology. And now he’s dreaming of doing something similar with Jeff Bezos, which is really exciting.”
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Khalidopoulos praised Elon Musk (left) and Jeff Bezos for their investment in commercial spaceflight. (AP image)
In Congress, the first-term lawmaker represents a part of the country known for being home to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
According to Florida Today, the Space Coast conducted 93 orbital launches last year, setting a new annual record.
Just this week, launches are scheduled for both Musk’s SpaceX Falcon 9 and Bezos’ Blue Origin rockets.
He praised both President-elect Trump’s vision for space and new House Space Science and Technology Chairman Brian Babin (R-Texas).
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Khalidopoulos also praised Congressman Brian Babin (R-Texas), the new chairman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc, via Getty Images)
“Donald Trump has proven from day one and publicly in 2019 that he loves space,” he said, referring to Trump’s creation of the Space Force.
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He suggested that America’s commitment to the final frontier might be similar to the optimism and pride seen when Americans landed a team of astronauts on the moon in 1969.
“It was an inspiration for my parents’ generation,” Haridopoulos said. “Of course, Elon Musk has given us a whole new vision of potentially landing on Mars in our lifetime, which is amazing. And the president… I said this is the future.”
Elizabeth Elkind is a political reporter for FOX News Digital, where she leads coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines can be found on the Daily Mail and CBS News.
Follow @liz_elkind on Twitter and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com.
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