Obama: Former shuttle workers can be integral to future space efforts

While President Obama pushed for support for the American Jobs Act in an interview Thursday with WESH in Orlando, Fla., he acknowledged the loss of jobs in Florida that has come with the end of the space shuttle program. But he also emphasized his administration's attempts to reemploy those workers to help build the next effort in human space flight.

"Even with the shuttle program suspended, what we're trying to do is figure out how we can move as many of the folks -- the engineers, the scientists, the technicians -- who have expertise into these new projects to develop that next stage of human space flight," Obama said.

The president said time is needed to reach the next goal in space.

"We've said let's emphasize human space flight. That's part of what makes America great," he said. "To do that, we must take the time to transition, to develop technology, more effective rockets, making sure that as humans are in space longer, we figure out how to maintain environments for them. There will be a huge amount invested in that area," Obama said.