Husted, NASA Administrator in Cleveland to discuss Ohio aerospace industry

“I appreciated the opportunity to bring these leaders together and show Administrator Isaacman firsthand the important role Ohio plays in advancing American innovation and shaping the future of space exploration.” CLEVELAND – Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) hosted NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and leaders from Ohio’s aerospace industry, academia and economic development organizations for a roundtable in Cleveland on Ohio’s role in advancing space exploration, aviation, science and technology. “Ohio continues to lead the way in America’s space exploration, from contributing to the Artemis II mission to the cutting-edge research and technology being developed at NASA Glenn. I appreciated the opportunity to bring these leaders together and show Administrator Isaacman firsthand the important role Ohio plays in advancing American innovation and shaping the future of space exploration,” said Husted. Following the roundtable, Husted and Isaacman visited NASA Glenn Research Center for a discussion of the agency’s nuclear research and technology efforts. Husted supported the Working Families Tax Cuts Act in July 2025, which included key investments in the Artemis Program through Artemis V. NASA Glenn leads the Artemis program’s spacecraft mechanisms, structures and pyrotechnics work. In addition, the Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility Space Simulation Center in Sandusky, Ohio, which simulates the thermal and vacuum conditions of space, was used to test the Orion capsule ahead of the Artemis II launch. Husted has also secured several legislative wins to date that support NASA Glenn’s work: Language in the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to encourage the Pentagon to use existing hypersonic testing facilities instead of wasting taxpayer dollars on building duplicative facilities. This language will ensure the Hypersonic Tunnel Facility located at NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky will remain a critical node of the nation’s development of hypersonic weapons. Fully funded NASA in the Fiscal Year 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies appropriations bill. Language supportive of the Fission Surface Power program in the Fiscal Year 2026 NDAA. NASA Glenn is the lead developer of this program. $110 million for nuclear propulsion systems set aside in the Fiscal Year 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies appropriations bill. NASA Glenn is the lead center for this project