We flew to space for America — now we're defending democracy at home

The Artemis II astronauts who recently traveled around the moon reminded us that watching humans rocket into space creates a profoundly shared sense of connection, unity and hope. Between the two of us, we’ve flown millions of miles through space. In each of those missions, we proudly represented our country, worked together to achieve a common goal and carried a responsibility to speak up if we spotted a concern.

We are former NASA astronauts, and we swore an oath to support and defend the U.S. Constitution. We love this country, and we believe deeply in the American values that have guided our nation for nearly 250 years. On Tuesday, April 21, we launch a new patriotic mission: to protect the Constitution and the rule of law, and to elevate leaders who are committed to getting things done and preserving American democracy for the long term.

With help and support from over 100 fellow former NASA astronauts, we’ve created Astronauts for America to promote the democratic values that make self-government possible. Our members are Republicans, Democrats and Independents from every corner of the country and from all walks of life. Collectively, we bring a deep sense of duty, not ideology, to this work.

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Steve served our nation for over 30 years in the U.S. Air Force and at NASA as a pilot and astronaut. Garrett spent 95 days on the International Space Station and worked at SpaceX for more than a decade, most recently as a senior advisor and director of space operations. We both joined NASA because it represents the pinnacle of American possibility and achievement — using science, ingenuity and teamwork to explore the outer reaches of our world.

We’re not the kind of guys who do a lot of politicking. Spaceflight is about commitment to the mission and working toward a common goal. Despite all the time we’ve spent together over the years, politics never entered the conversation. Only recently did we learn that one of us is a registered Republican and one of us is a registered Democrat.

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From space, you can clearly see that what unites us is far more important than what divides us. But over the past few decades, partisan polarization has driven a weakening of our democracy and an erosion of our constitutional norms, including respect for the rule of law and limits on government power. Too often, evidence and expertise are dismissed by those seeking to score political points. And when democratic systems fail, it sparks a domino effect: civil rights diminish, science suffers and national security is compromised.

Strengthening our democracy requires continued work and effort from all of us. As an organization, Astronauts for America aims to restore respect for the Constitution by working across our differences and prioritizing truth and integrity in leadership. We will team up with voters and support elected officials who govern with fealty to the Constitution and who, like us, prioritize data and evidence. We will elevate leaders who work across differences to get things done. And we will hold policymakers accountable when they ignore the rule of law.

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To our fellow Americans, we say: Democracy is not a spectator sport. Let’s stand against divisiveness, polarization and any attack on our American values. Let’s look this kind of evil in the face and remember our collective responsibility to defend the Constitution and the democratic values that make the U.S. the greatest country in the world. Stand up for every kid in America who shouldn’t fear violence or ostracism when they voice a dissenting opinion, and every kid who dreams of representing America in space or realizing his or her own version of the American dream.

Everyone who serves in the armed forces or straps into a rocket wonders how they’ll react when tested. Will they rise to the occasion or falter and wilt in the face of fear? We all hope and pray that we will be our best selves in that moment, and that our colleagues will have our backs.

We are in a challenging moment now. But we have seen — up close and from space — what is possible when Americans come together to put our country first.

Garrett Reisman is a former NASA astronaut and co-chair of Astronauts for America.