Cape Canaveral, Florida (CNN) -- President Obama pledged his full commitment to the space program Thursday, outlining a new strategy that ends current programs while funding new initiatives intended to propel humankind farther into the solar system. In a speech at the Kennedy Space Center, Obama outlined his proposal to pump an additional $6 billion into NASA's budget over the next five years while halting a project to resume lunar missions. The new spending would be for research on a propulsion breakthrough to travel deeper into space, as well as development of technologies to allow humans to transport necessary supplies to work and stay longer, Obama said.
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NEW: Obama outlines his proposal to pump an additional $6 billion into NASA's budget
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NEW: President touts private-sector space initiatives, as well as a Mars mission by 2030s
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Well-known astronauts say cancellation of manned flight "is devastating"
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Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin says NASA needs to explore new frontiers
"I am 100 percent committed to the mission of @placeholder and its future," Obama said to applause from the audience of space program workers.