Later this year, we'll be holding an event at @NASAKennedy to showcase American leadership in aviation, space exploration, and emerging technologies. Join us for a sneak preview on Friday, Aug. 14:

There is something really special about being reunited with hardware you have flown with in space. This 4th and final engine for @NASAArtemis-III, #2048# and I shared 11 days and 171 orbits of the earth together on @NASA Space Shuttle Atlantis, STS-129.

Today I am in Washington DC for the celebration tonight at the US Capitol televised on PBS and tomorrow on CBS for America 250. I have the privilege of narrating content for both events.  At the moment, I am sitting in my hotel room looking out the window watching our amazing fighter pilots rehearsing their flyover for tomorrow’s 4th of July celebration. I have been on military bases all over the world and seen these jets many times before but experiencing them practicing in the skies over our nation's capital in preparation for our 250th birthday is something quite unique, and special.  We live in a great country. It’s been wonderful to see how folks from around the world who have traveled here for the World Cup are enjoying so many of the things that we are so used to here. We have so much to be thankful for, not the least of which are the men and women who defend our country and protect our cities. Those whose service and sacrifice must not be taken for granted. Where would we all be if no one wanted to serve?  Over the course of our 250-year history, many sacrifices have been made. Thousands and thousands of our fellow Americans are buried in 26 military cemeteries in foreign lands with many more here at home. Each day at the Gary Sinise Foundation we work diligently to serve and honor these sacrifices by supporting those on active duty, those who have served, and the families that serve with them and have sacrificed alongside them.  I have met many over the years and they inspire me each day with their triumphant spirits. America is an evolving idea created by those who chose to fight for independence and freedom against a tyranny. We have inherited that idea, and while there certainly have been many extremely challenging moments in our history, there have been many triumphant ones to celebrate. In this new video of a song called Triumphant, written by my son Mac Sinise and his pal Oliver Schnee, we include a few triumphant shining moments in celebration of America’s 250th Birthday. Please enjoy:

3 weeks after the announcement and still appreciative of the new Astronaut tradition of 'Passing the baton/Passing the torch/Carrying the Fire'. Many more of these and more often with accelerated @NASAArtemis missions!

If I saw just this picture it would be easy to say it was made in Hollywood, but after having watched #Artemis# -1 launch & perform its' test flight so well, so far....it makes these images even more astounding! Godspeed #Artemis# -1, looking forward to your splashdown on Sunday!

So far from home, farthest a spacecraft built for humans has ever travelled from our home planet. @NASA_Orion #Artemis-1# today at nearly 270,000 miles from #Earth# 1/2 way through the mission timeline. Splashdown targeted for 11 Dec.