NASA Administrator Charles Bolden shared his thoughts on the life and legacy of Gemini and Apollo astronaut Gene Cernan, who passed away on Jan. 16 at the age of 82.
Cernan flew on three separate space missions. He was the second American to walk in space as the pilot on Gemini IX; ventured to the moon on Apollo 10, the pathfinder for the first lunar landing; and as commander of Apollo 17, Cernan holds the distinction of being the last person to leave his footprints on the surface of the moon.
During a March 10 hearing of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies, NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden testified about the $19 billion dollar Fiscal Year 2017 budget proposed for the agency by President Obama. In his remarks, the Administrator outlined the many benefits that this investment in NASA’s present will yield for the future. The funding will enable a future where we send American astronauts to Mars in the 2030s; where more Americans work in good-paying Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) based careers; where future generations can breathe cleaner air, drink cleaner water, and fly on cleaner, greener, more fuel-efficient aircraft; and a future where humankind has a deeper understanding of our universe, our place in it, and our own planet. Also, First SLS Flight Engine Test, New SLS Rocket Test Stand “Topped Out”, Crew Previews Upcoming Mission to ISS, Total Solar Eclipse, and Dawn’s Anniversary Image of Ceres
On Tuesday, Feb. 9, as part of the rollout of President Barack Obama’s Fiscal Year 2017 budget proposal for NASA, Administrator Charles Bolden delivered a “State of NASA” speech at the agency’s Langley Research Center, in Hampton, Va. During the speech, Bolden highlighted key work and advancements by the agency during the last few years and discussed some of the future goals the agency continues to work toward, including exploration of Mars and elsewhere in our solar system and beyond, aeronautics research, development of technology to enable humans to explore deep space, and research aboard the International Space Station for the benefit of life on Earth and for astronauts on long duration space missions.
In its quarter-century in orbit, the Hubble Space Telescope has transformed the way we understand the Universe, helped us find our place among the stars, and paved the way to incredible advancements in science and technology. The Hubble story is a human story. Hubble overcame much adversity early on in its mission and demonstrated the great heights NASA is capable of achieving against all odds. Much of that is thanks to the “Hubble Heroes”, including scientists, engineers, and the brave astronauts who flew five Space Shuttle missions to service Hubble.
Join NASA Television in celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope in orbit April 24, 2015.
Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 42 Commander Barry Wilmore and Flight Engineer Terry Virts of NASA discussed their mission and life and research on the complex during an in-flight chat Jan. 21 with NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, officials of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and middle and high school students. The unique discussion was part of the third annual State of Science Technology, Engineering and Math event (SoSTEM), a type of science fair that included students from schools in Maryland, Virginia and Washington.
NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden, other NASA officials and representatives from The Boeing Company participated in a September 12 ribbon cutting for the new 170-foot-high Vertical Assembly Center at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. The Vertical Assembly Center is a new tool that will be used to assemble parts of NASA’s Space Launch System rocket that will send humans to an asteroid and Mars. The administrator also visited Stennis Space Center in nearby Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, where engineers plan to test the RS-25 engines that will power the core stage of SLS. Also, Orion moved for fueling, Curiosity to climb Martian mountain, Possible geological activity on Europa, Expedition 40 returns, Earth Science on ISS and Hurricane-hunting aircraft!
NASA wrapped up its second Underway Recovery Test Aug. 4 with the Orion spacecraft, off the coast of San Diego, California. The agency teamed with Lockheed Martin, the U.S. Navy and the Department of Defense’s Human Space Flight Support Detachment 3 to evaluate primary and alternative methods to recover Orion after the spacecraft safely splashes down in the ocean at the conclusion of future deep space missions. Orion’s first spaceflight test with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean is targeted for December. Also, Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator update, 2nd anniversary: 7 Minutes of Terror, Bolden visits MMS at Naval Research Lab, Scanning for algal blooms, Earth science showcase, and more!
The Journeys of Apollo is a previously produced documentary narrated by Actor Peter Cullen that relives the 40th Apollo Anniversary and mission to explore Earths neighbor, the moon.
The story of the first Moon landing in July 1969. Depicts the principal events of the mission, from the launching through the post recovery activities of astronauts Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins. Through television, motion pictures, and still photography, the program provides an “eyewitness” perspective of the Apollo 11 mission.
Data from NASA’s Aquarius instrument has helped researchers create worldwide maps of soil moisture, showing how the wetness of the land fluctuates with the seasons and weather phenomena. Soil moisture, the water contained within soil particles, is an important player in Earth’s water cycle. When it launched in June 2011, the primary science objective of the Aquarius mission was to study the salt content of ocean surface waters. But investigators have since developed a method to retrieve soil moisture data from the instrument’s microwave radiometer. Also, SLS Core Preliminary Design Review, JWST update and Dry ice gullies on Mars.
In recognition of the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, this series of short videos features NASA employees discussing their experiences and recollections related to the Civil Rights Movement, the civil rights progress of the last 50 years and the challenges that still confront us. The Civil Rights Act was signed into law July 2, 1964 by President Lyndon Baines Johnson — the namesake of NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
The third U.S. National Climate Assessment was released which took observations from NASA’s fleet of satellites to help understand climate change in the United States. Also, NASA’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 spacecraft arrived at California’s Vandenberg Air Force Base to begin final preparations for a scheduled July 1 launch. In Florida, the remaining flight hardware for the Delta IV rocket that will launch NASA’s Orion spacecraft on Exploration Flight Test-1 in December arrived at Port Canaveral. At the Stennis Space Center, a cold-shock test for the RS-25 engine that will help power NASA’s new Space Launch System rocket was completed. The Chandra X-ray Observatory found new stars, simulated space dust was created on earth, a new ISS crew trains in Russia, Shannon Lucid and Jerry Ross are inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame and NASA recognizes the small business community for helping the agency work toward achieving its goals!
In celebration of Star Wars Day, NASA flight engineer Rick Mastracchio hopes to deliver a special message from the International Space Station. Little does he know, however, that the Empire plans to jam his transmissions. Thankfully, R2-D2 is on the case.
An April 29 exploration forum aired on NASA Television from NASA headquarters, featured Administrator Charles Bolden and other agency leadership showcasing NASA’s human exploration path to Mars. NASA is developing the capabilities needed to send astronauts to an asteroid by 2025 and Mars in the 2030s.
SpaceX-3 launches to the International Space Station, Kepler finds a Earth-sized planet and LADEE ends its mission on the lunar surface. These stories and more on this week’s, This Week @NASA
NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden responded to questions at a Congressional hearing about the agency’s $17.5 billion FY2015 budget proposal, which affirms the bi-partisan plan agreed to by Congress and the President for NASA to carry out an ambitious deep space exploration program. One that includes sending humans to an asteroid and Mars, extending use of the International Space Station to at least 2024, developing the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket and fostering commercial partnerships. Also, Asteroid Initiative Opportunities Forum, Nyberg and Parmitano in DC, Welcome to space! GPM’s first light, Exploration Design Challenge, Composite cryo tank delivered and Angry Nerd robot!
NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden visited aeronautics and space research facilities at Ames Research Center on March 17, including the laboratory for the volleyball-sized satellites called SPHERES, which are used onboard the International Space Station for space robotics and spacecraft navigation experiments. He also saw the high-fidelity airport control tower simulator called, “Future Flight Central”, used by NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration and other industry partners for joint research on next-generation air traffic management. Also, Rocket for Orion’s flight test highlighted, Future explorer celebrated at KSC, NASA’s new Chief Technologist, Coastal Flooding Challenge, Next space station crews , Hubble 24th anniversary image and more!
NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden visited Marshall Space Flight Center to see work being done on the avionics and flight software for NASA’s Space Launch System rocket. Marshall’s System Integration Lab conducts flight simulations of the avionics system — including hardware, software and operating systems — that will guide the launch vehicle, to see how the SLS will perform during launch. Also, Dream Chaser agreement expanded, ISS crew returns safely, Senate Youth Program, More high marks for Morpheus, Asteroid Data Hunter challenge, SXSW Interactive and more!
In a message to NASA employees, Administrator Charles Bolden celebrates the legacy of Neil Armstrong, who died Saturday, Aug. 25, at age 82.