THIS WEEK @NASA: Vice President Mike Pence Highlights U.S. Return to Human Spaceflight ‘Launch America’

By  //  May 23, 2020

Latest Happenings around NASA

ABOVE VIDEO: How to virtually participate in ‘Launch America,’ Vice President Pence highlights the nation’s return to human spaceflight, and honoring a legendary astronomer … a few of the stories to tell you about – This Week at NASA!

NASA Invites Public to Virtually Participate in ‘Launch America’

On May 20, astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley arrived at our Kennedy Space Center, in Florida ahead of their launch on NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 test flight to the International Space Station. Two days later, the mission got the formal go ahead for a May 27 launch attempt at a Flight Readiness Review. The mission, targeted for launch from Kennedy’s historic Launch Complex 39A, is being celebrated as ‘Launch America,’ marking the first human spaceflight from the U.S. since the end of the space shuttle era.

Doug Hurley / NASA Astronaut:
“I happen to have been one of the four astronauts that landed here almost nine years ago in T-38s on the Fourth of July in 2011 to close out the Space Shuttle Program. So it’s incredibly humbling to be here to start out the next launch from the United States.”

Bob Behnken / NASA Astronaut:
“As graduates of military test pilot schools, if you gave us one thing that we could have put on our list of dream jobs that we would have gotten to have someday it would have been to be aboard a new spacecraft, be conducting a test mission aboard that spacecraft, and Doug and I get that chance to do it. So, we’re thankful for that opportunity.”

While pre-launch and launch day activities are not open to the public due to social distancing concerns, NASA invites you to virtually participate in this historic milestone. In addition to continuous launch-day to docking-day coverage on NASA Television, virtual activities include a NASA Social, as well as activities across our social media channels including YouTube, Twitter, Facebook. Instagram and LinkedIn. For more about how to virtually participate go to nasa.gov/beourguest.

National Space Council Meets at NASA Headquarters

Mike Pence / Vice President:
“Welcome to the ‘Launch America’ edition of the National Space Council.”

On May 19, Vice President Mike Pence convened the 7th meeting of the National Space Council at our headquarters in Washington, D.C. Our Administrator, Jim Bridenstine, as well as astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley joined the event via live web streams, to highlight NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 mission to the space station.

NASA Telescope Named for Late Astronomer Nancy Grace Roman

On May 20, we announced that the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope currently under development has been named in honor of the late Nancy Grace Roman, NASA’s first chief astronomer. The telescope is targeted for launch in the mid-2020s to investigate long-standing astronomical mysteries, and to search for distant planets beyond our solar system.

NASA Wins 4 Webbys, 4 People’s Voice Awards

NASA received four 2020 Webby awards, and four People’s Voice awards highlighting the agency’s diverse online offerings. We received an agency record 12 nominations this year. The Webby Awards are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences.

Japanese Cargo Ship Launches to the Space Station

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries launched an unpiloted HTV-9 cargo spacecraft on May 20, loaded with more than four tons of supplies for the International Space Station, including the final set of new lithium-ion batteries and adapter plates to complete a multi-year upgrade of the station’s power system.

NASA Remembers Annie Glenn

Annie Glenn, wife of late NASA astronaut and U.S. Senator John Glenn, died this week at age 100. A NASA statement praised Annie Glenn as a stalwart member of the space and military communities, whose courageous support of her legendary husband was unmatched. The statement also noted her lifelong public service on behalf of children, the elderly, and the disabled.

That’s what’s up this week @NASA

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