Over the past few years, commercial sector launch activities for communications, navigation and other services have begun to outpace government activities at the U.S. space launch bases and their supporting ranges. Today, A pproximately 60 percent of the U.S. launches of expendable vehicles in 1998 were FAA-licensed commercial launches. Based on industry projections indicate this growth trend for commercial launches will continue. While building or expanding highways will continue to be part of the transportation equation, new capacity is NOT the only answer everywhere. In metro areas across the nation, we are finding that if you widen the roads, the drivers will come and join in the gridlock.
Motorists switch from other routes expecting to save time or abandon mass transit for their cars.
I believe that we can put our innovative ideas, our research, and our resources together to change and greatly improve the way our transportation systems operate. And, I believe we can do this without sacrificing either mobility or our environment. Technology can help us manage our transportation systems, improving the reliability of travel times, avoiding or reducing delays from congestion, and enhancing user satisfaction and quality of life. Over the years, technology has demonstrated its usefulness by enhancing the crash-worthiness of vehicles. Today, technology presents great potential for augmenting human performance to avoid crashes altogether, further improving transportation safety, and indirectly reducing congestion that occurs as a consequence of crashes.