Aloha and good morning ladies and gentlemen. Lorna Onizuka, Claude Onizuka, members of the Onizuka family, Captain Bowlin, Governor Ariyoshi, distinguished guests and friends, it is an honor to join you to dedicate the world high-altitude record flight of the solar-powered Pathfinder vehicle to the memory of Hawaii's beloved hero, Colonel Ellison Onizuka, and the keiki of Hawaii.
This is a most fitting tribute to honor Ellison and inspire our youth to excellence. Today, as we acclaim a record-shattering NASA milestone, I am particularly delighted that the Environmental Research and Advanced Sensor Technology (ERAST) team of scientists who achieved this landmark are based here on Kauai, and were ably assisted by students from Kauai Community College and the talented personnel at the Pacific Missile Range Facility.
The success of Pathfinder opens the door to educational possibilities, scientific opportunities, and technological applications for Hawaii and our nation that were unimaginable a few years ago. For a solar-powered, propeller-driven aircraft to challenge the edge of space is truly amazing. There are countless implications for advances in the fields of aviation, satellite deployment, solar energy technology, oceanic and atmospheric research and monitoring, and environmental protection. These advances and future research, along with their commercial uses, present wonderful opportunities for Hawaii's educational institutions and business community.
Today, however, let us pause, reflect, and marvel at the sheer majesty of it all. I know Ellison would have responded in that way.
I remember one of my many visits with Ellison, in Cape Canaveral, before his first shuttle launch on a classified mission. In a twist of irony, the importance of that mission restricted public information and the media spotlight on the shuttle astronauts, and limited the people of Hawaii's celebration of a local boy made good.
The shuttle crew was held in medical isolation. After receiving clearances, I joined them for dinner. Ellison was relaxed, confident, and jovial. His selection for the classified mission attested to his knowledge and abilities, but his spirit of adventure was contagious. He never lost the visionary's sense of wonder and fascination with man's exploration of the heavens.
Ellison also never lost track of his culture--his island heritage. Indeed, he drew strength from the aloha of Hawaii's people. At one point in the evening, he pulled out a pair of chopsticks, a reminder carried into space in recognition of his origins, his roots. Ellison Onizuka treasured the love and sacrifices his parents made for their ohana, and never forgot life's lessons learned in Kona. They were the foundations of his success. I encourage all keiki here today, and all whose imaginations soar as we reach unimagined realms in space and near space, to make a commitment to excellence, as Ellison did.
Ellison said it best when he wrote to future generations, "your education and imagination will carry you to places which we won't believe possible. Make your life count--and the world will be a better place because you tried." This message, delivered over 17 years ago, is as challenging and profound today as it was then. It is my fondest hope that this dedication of Pathfinder's world record to Colonel Ellison Onizuka and Hawaii's young people will strengthen and renew our commitment to excellence.
Mahalo and aloha.
