Seeking to drive surface exploration on the Moon …
New images of the surface of Mars …
And our newest flight directors … some of the stories to tell you: this week at NASA!
NASA announces Artemis Concept awards for nuclear power on the moon
NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy have selected three design concept proposals for a fission surface energy system design that could be ready to be launched on a demonstration mission to the Moon at end of the decade. Fission systems are relatively small, lightweight and can allow continuous power regardless of location, available sunlight or other environmental conditions. This technology would benefit future exploration under our Artemis program.
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover captured this vision of a sulfate-containing region using its Mastcam on May 2, 2022. Dark rocks seen near the center are believed to have formed from deposited sand. in ancient streams or ponds. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / MSSS
Curiosity captures stunning views of a changing landscape of Mars
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover spent the past year traveling through a transition zone on the red planet, from a clay-rich region to one filled with a salty mineral called sulfate. Captured images of rock formations in this “transition zone” are visually stunning, but they could also provide evidence that a major change in the planet’s climate occurred billions of years ago that caused the dry conditions we see today. . Curiosity will celebrate its 10th anniversary on Mars on August 5th.
A 2022 class photo of NASA flight directors who will oversee the operations of the International Space Station, the commercial crew and Artemis missions to the Moon. Members from left to right: Heidi Brewer, Ronak Dave, Garrett Hehn, Diana Trujillo, Elias Myrmo, Chris Dobbins, Nicole McElroy. Credit: NASA
NASA introduces new flight directors in the 2022 class
NASA has seven new flight directors. After completing a full training program, Heidi Brewer, Ronak Dave, Chris Dobbins, Garrett Hehn, Nicole McElroy, Elias Myrmo and Diana Trujillo will oversee the operations of the International Space Station, the commercial crew and the Artemis missions in the moon.
The color of space collects the personal stories of seven current and ancient black astronauts, each selected to be part of NASA’s astronaut corps and train for space missions. Current NASA astronauts Stephanie Wilson, Victor Glover, Jeanette Epps, as well as retired astronauts Leland Melvin, Bernard Harris, Robert Curbeam and Bobby Satcher, talk about their travels and motivations in a panel hosted by the center’s director NASA Space Johnson, Vanessa Wyche. the first black woman to run a NASA center. Credit: NASA
The NASA documentary celebrates black space explorers
On June 18, Howard University in Washington, DC hosted the screening of NASA’s documentary, “The Color of Space.” The documentary includes a conversation that provokes reflections between current and ancient black astronauts recounting the influences and inspirations that put them on the path to NASA and what they experienced on their trips to the agency. Some of the astronauts also gave advice and shared personal stories of hope and resilience to students who have aspirations to follow in their footsteps. The 50-minute documentary is available for free to the public on NASA TV, the NASA app, NASA’s social media channels, and YouTube.
Vice President Kamala Harris embraces the children who participated in STEM hands-on activities on the grounds of the Vice President’s residence at the Naval Observatory on Friday, June 17, 2022 in Washington. The vice president and second knight hosted an evening of NASA’s STEM activities at the Naval Observatory for military families and local STEM students and their families, including a special screening of Disney Pixar’s Lightyear. Credit: NASA / Bill Ingalls
The vice president hosts NASA for the Family STEM event
Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Knight Douglas Emhoff recently hosted an event at the Naval Observatory that included NASA’s STEM education activities for military families and local students and their families. The event also featured a special screening of the Disney Pixar film, “Lightyear.” Several current NASA astronauts attended the event, including Tom Marshburn, who was NASA’s technical consultant on the film, Stephanie Wilson and Jasmin Moghbeli. Former NASA astronaut and associate education administrator Leland Melvin was also there. Our STEM engagement office aims to attract and engage a diverse group of students in the STEM fields to contribute to the work of NASA and build a diverse future STEM workforce.
This is what happens this week @NASA …