From understanding our Earth, to new clues about possible life elsewhere. From fostering life-changing research in space, to sharing our vision of the future with those destined to journey there.
From the end of one monumental mission, to the beginning of a new era in the human exploration of our solar system. “This Year @NASA” looks back at the stories that made 2011 — and help frame our path ahead.
Tag: this
-
Discovery, Innovation and New Destinations Highlight “This Year @NASA”
-
New Crew Sets Sights on Station on “This Week @NASA”
At the Baikonour Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, training continues for the next residents of the International Space Station. Expedition 30 Soyuz Commander Oleg Kononenko, NASA Flight Engineer Don Pettit and European Space Agency Flight Engineer Andre Kuipers, are reviewing flight procedures and making other preparations in advance of their upcoming launch to the orbiting laboratory scheduled for on Dec. 21. Also, next-gen tests; Dawn’s new orbit; and, Third Rock rolls out.Plus, Cleveland tech showcase; Explorer moves; “Sully” at the sim; FIRST Lego; “Operation Cookies,” and more.
-
Mars Rover Launches on This Week @NASA
The NASA Mars Science Laboratory launched from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, beginning its journey to the Red Planet. When it arrives at Gale Crater next August, Curiosity rover’s ten instruments will investigate whether that area of Mars could ever have sustained microbial life. Also, ISS spinoff; Bolden on tour: lander test; best of the feds; money saver; high-flying feast, and more.
-
World’s Largest Aviation Prize Awarded on This Week@NASA
NASA has awarded the first place prize of $1.3M to Team Pipistrel in its Green Flight Challenge. Both Pipistrel, and second-place eGenius, flew all-electric aircraft at more than 375 miles on the equivalent of one gallon of fuel. Also, ISS Preps, Nobel Prize; Earth and comet water; ozone depletion; SpaceFarm7, and more.
-
Asteroid News from NASA’s WISE Satellite Headlines the Latest Episode of This week at NASA
Also: Deputy Administrator Lori Garver delivers keynote at Space Launch System Industry Day; flight teams compete for the title, most fuel-efficient aircraft in the world, James Webb Space Telescope gets a new coat; President Obama visit Ames’ Moffett Field; Casualty Drills at Wallops; Dryden honors shuttle workers; Profile: Astronomer Rosa Diaz, and three 135 crew members visit Glenn.
-
Opportunity Rover Reaches Martian Crater on This Week @NASA
NASA’s Mars Rover Opportunity has reached its next destination. Three years after climbing out of Victoria crater, Opportunity has completed an eleven-mile trek to the rim of Endeavour crater at a spot informally named “Spirit Point” after the rover’s decommissioned twin.
At 14 miles in diameter, Endeavour has ridges along its western rim that expose rock outcrops older than any Opportunity has seen so far. Also, Future Forum; shuttles nose-to-nose; hydro basin; women of WISH; STEM forum; and engineering interns. Plus, NASA Art! -
Juno to Jupiter on This Week @NASA
The successful liftoff of the Juno spacecraft from the Kennedy Space Center begins a five-year cruise to the planet Jupiter to investigate the planet’s structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere.
It will also provide detailed images of Jupiter’s surface and capture the first high-resolution views of its poles. Also, possible Martian water flows; Vesta’s new look; oxygen in space; and, Columbia debris. Plus, HQ crew visit; Russians spacewalk; SOFIA ambassadors; new Apollo 15 book; and dunk tank for food. -
Final Shuttle Rollout on This Week @NASA
The final rollout of the Space Shuttle Program has brought Atlantis from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center for the liftoff of STS-135 targeted for July 8. Mated to its external tank and solid rocket boosters, the orbiter traveled the 3.4-miles atop a crawler-transporter at a top speed of less than a mile an hour. Also, farewell to Spirit; cave research; lunabotics, and aviation history revisited.
-
Aquarius Nears on This Week @NASA
Scientists from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France and Italy were at NASA Headquarters in Washington to discuss their upcoming international spacecraft mission, Aquarius/SAC-D. Scheduled to launch June 9th, the spacecraft’s primary instrument will scan the world’s oceans to measure surface salinity, important to ocean circulation and climate. Also, Atlantis’ final rollover; Bolden checks out Juno; lowering the booms; astronauts as aquanauts; Houston’s hero; a new STORRM on station; Goddard open house; and remembering JFK’s challenge to America.
-
STS-134 Gets New Launch Date on This Week @NASA
The launch of space shuttle Endeavour on STS-134 has been rescheduled for May 16th. Launch is scheduled for 8:56 a.m. Eastern. Also, NASA’s Gravity Probe B mission confirms two aspects of Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity. Plus, two Mercury explorers honored; Young innovators recognized; ISS honored; NextGen Day; rotocraft research; FIRST finals; and HQ Cyber Café.
-
Endeavour Ready to Go on This Week @NASA
April 29 is the official launch date for space shuttle Endeavour on STS-134. That announcement came at the conclusion of the mission’s Flight Readiness Review, where shuttle managers expressed satisfaction with the preparations for the program’s next-to-last flight. Launch is scheduled for 3:47 p.m. Eastern. Also, developing new ways to low-Earth orbit; putting the freeze on Webb’s mirror; Hubble turns 21; NASA’s Earth Day; soaring student rockets; do the Logo Motion; and Yuri’s Night at Langley.
-
Newly-Discovered Sun-Like System Highlights This Week @ NASA
The continuous monitoring of more than 156,000 stars for subtle brightness changes has led to the discovery by NASA’s Kepler Mission of the first confirmed system outside our own that has more than one planet transiting the same star. Also, researchers head north to “Mars on Earth;” “Avatar” director and film’s imagery featured in NASA Earth science public service campaign; Mary J. Blige encourages students “to reach for the stars;” NASA helps celebrate “Star Wars;” and more.