First Lady Jill Biden visits the Space Coast

On Monday, First Lady Jill Biden and Secretary of the VA Denis McDonough visited the Space Coast as part of her Joining Forces initiative to support military families. The two started with a tour of Cape Canaveral Space Force Station facilities before returning to Patrick Space Force Base to visit a Starbase classroom and hold a round-table with military spouses.

Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Tour

The first stop of Dr. Biden’s visit to the Space Coast was the Advanced Spaceflight Operations Center (ASOC). In the building, surrounded by Atlas V stages, she spoke with Captain Jennifer Guion, Atlas/Delta Flight Commander for SLD 45.

Leaving the ASOC, the motorcade made its way to the Morrell Operations Center and they entered Mission Control Room #2, where she spoke with more Guardians and learned about the challenges of launching rockets, from safety and tracking assets to weather.

Starbase and Military Spouse Round-table

Following her visit to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Biden’s motorcade made its way back to Patrick Space Force Base. She started off in a Starbase classroom, to learn about the DoD’s STEM education programs.

The Starbase program provides hands-on STEM learning opportunities to at-risk youth from fifth grade through high school. The first group of students were driving their Lego-based robots, while the second group of students were programing Sphero robots to go through a course. While meeting with the students, the First Lady even gave operating one of these robots a try.

DEREK WISE/SPACE EXPLORED

Biden then went next door to hold a round-table with spouses of US Space Force Guardians. She opened with remarks about the efforts the Biden-Harris administration has made to support spouses of service members, including through access to child care, and the unique challenges faced by members of the Space Force, the newest branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.

The roundtable itself was closed to press.

DEREK WISE/SPACE EXPLORED