Well, it's my honor to welcome to the Oval Office some of our leading scientists and entrepreneurs, space entrepreneurs. Ken, thank you very much for coming. These five folks represented our Nation well in space. They represent the best of the country—very capable, strong, smart citizens who understand that our Nation must always be exploring space. And I'm glad you all are here. Thanks for coming.
Thank you very much, sir, for being here, as well.
NOTE: The President spoke at 11:56 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White House. In his remarks, he referred to Atlantis Mission Commander Kenneth D. Cockrell, Pilot Mark L. Polansky, and Specialists Thomas D. Jones, Comdr. Robert L. Curbeam, Jr., USN, and Marsha S. Ivins; and Administrator Daniel S. Goldin, National Aeronautics and Space Administration. A tape was not available for verification of the content of these remarks.
George W. Bush, Remarks in a Meeting With Crewmembers of the Space Shuttle Atlantis Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/213762
