Discovery, Innovation and New Destinations Highlight "This Year @NASA"

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2011: a year of scientific discovery, technological innovation, and new
destinations for exploration.
That was “This Year at NASA.”
2011 was a year of transition for human exploration of space.
With the Dec. 23 arrival at the International Space Station of the remaining
Expedition 30 crew members, the orbiting complex continued along its new path
to full utilization as the world’s only laboratory in microgravity.
The three new members of the Expedition 27 crew are busy making the International
Space Station their new home for the next five months. Flight engineers Alexander
Samokutyaev, Andrey Borisenko and Ron Garan arrived at the station in their Soyuz
spacecraft following a successful journey from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in
Kazakhstan.
Cosmonauts Sergei Volkov and Alexander Samokutyaev conducted a six-hour
spacewalk to continue outfitting the Russian segment of the International Space Station.
The Expedition 28 Flight Engineers also installed laser communications equipment and
replaced experiments on the Zvezda service module.
“Ron Garan flashing a big smile as he’s extracted…”
The Soyuz spacecraft carrying NASA astronaut Ron Garan and his fellow Expedition 28
flight engineers returned safely to Earth with a landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan.
The International Space Station Program Office at the Johnson Space Center partnered
with the Glenn Research Center to highlight the unique research opportunities offered
by the world’s laboratory in microgravity.
Held in Cleveland at the Great Lakes Science Center, this "Destination Station" forum noted
the accomplishments of the ISS National Laboratory, and promoted future opportunities
for commercial, academic and government research and technology development.
Full utilization of the ISS could only be realized after the final flights of Discovery…
Endeavour… and Atlantis. “Assembly Complete.”The last great contribution of
many by the space shuttle in more than thirty years of service to NASA and
humankind.
“Go for main engine start. We have main engine start… 2-1, booster ignition, and
the final liftoff of Discovery; a tribute to the
dedication, hard work and pride of America’s space shuttle team. The shuttle has cleared
the tower.”
In the late afternoon of Feb. 24, shuttle Discovery took off on its final mission into
space, to carry STS-133 crew members Commander Steven
Lindsey, Pilot Eric Boe and Mission Specialists Alvin Drew, Mike Barratt,
Steve Bowen and Nicole Stott to the International Space Station. This 35th shuttle
mission to the ISS delivers the Permanent Multipurpose Module, the Express Logistics
Carrier 4, and Robonaut 2, the first dexterous humanoid robot in space. R2 will
become a permanent station resident.
“Are you guys making him do chores up there – washing the dishes or something or
does he have more exciting jobs?”
“He’s still in packing foam so we hope to get him out shortly so it’s going to
be fun to see how he works.”
“He’s still in packing foam? Come on guys, he flew all that way and you haven’t
unpacked him?”
“Yeah the poor guy has been in foam for about four months … every once in a while
we hear some scratching sounds from inside.”
“2, 1 and liftoff of the final launch of Endeavour – expanding our knowledge, expanding
our lives in space.”
Space shuttle Endeavour lifted off Monday from the Kennedy Space Center for the
International Space Station and STS-134. Commander Mark Kelly and his five
crewmates began their mission with a picture-perfect launch at 8:56 a.m. Eastern.
Before a crowd of thousands, lead singer Bono dedicated their award-winning hit
'Beautiful Day' to Kelly’s wife, Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who is recovering from a
gunshot wound, while Kelly enthusiastically greeted the crowd and sent a heartwarming
message to his wife in a prerecorded message from his time aboard the International
Space Station during mission STS-134.
: “Tell my wife I love her very much. She knows.”
In a history making event from the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI spoke with the
Expedition 27 and STS-134 crews working on-orbit aboard the International Space
Station. -“From your excellent observation point,
how do you see the situation on Earth, do you
see science phenomena to which we need to be more attentive.”
Well your holiness, it’s a great honor to speak with you, and you are right it really
is an extraordinary advantage point we have up here,
on the one hand we can see how indescribably beautiful the planet that we
have been given is, but on the other hand, we
can really clearly so how fragile it is.”
Those newly-released images of a space shuttle docked to the International Space
Station are the first taken from the perspective of a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. On May
23, European Space Agency astronaut Paolo Nespoli took the pictures and video of the
ISS and Endeavour on STS-134. Nespoli, along with Russian cosmonaut Dmitry
Kondratyev and NASA astronaut Cady Coleman were aboard the Soyuz that had just
undocked from the station and was about to carry them back to Earth.
: “All three engines up and burning… 2-1- 0 and liftoff, the final liftoff of Atlantis.
On the shoulders of the space shuttle, America will
continue the dream. “
Space shuttle Atlantis lifted off from launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center on
July 8 to begin STS-135, the final mission of NASA’s Space Shuttle Program.
: “Landing gear down and locked.”
After more than 30 years, NASA’s shuttle era has come to a close.
Atlantis made a picture-perfect, pre-dawn landing at the Kennedy Space Center during
STS-135’s 200th orbit of Earth.
“Mission complete Houston. After serving the world for over 30 years, the space shuttle
which has earned its place in history has come to a final stop.”
Brought safely home after 13 days of stocking up the International Space Station for the
post-shuttle era was the STS-135 crew: Commander Chris Ferguson… Pilot Doug
Hurley… and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus… and Rex Walheim.
In spaceflight history, the date “April 12” is special. On that day in 1981, the
first shuttle mission, STS-1, began with the launch of Columbia
from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Administrator Charles Bolden led a commemorative program at Kennedy to honor the
space shuttle’s work force for its invaluable contributions to space exploration over the
past 30 years.
“I want to thank each and every one of you, and the many others in the shuttle work force
over the years for your significant contribution to this tremendous American
accomplishment. You’ve inspired a generation, helped make the world a better place
and given us a road map for future space exploration.”
Bolden also announced the four locations at which the orbiters Atlantis, Discovery,
Endeavour and Enterprise will spend their retirement on permanent display.
With the shuttle retired, NASA and its commercial partners continued development
of new ways to get astronauts and cargo to the International Space Station.
This engine test, the successful test fire of Aerojet Corporation’s AJ26 flight engine,
was one of several events at which NASA senior
leaders showed support for their commercial spaceflight partners.
“The whole NASA family is really proud whenever we’re able to do something like this.
We work every day to try to reach new heights because we look to reveal things that are
previously unknown so that we can make life better here on earth.”
The AJ26 will power the first stage of Orbital Sciences Corporation’s Taurus II space
launch vehicle. NASA has partnered with Orbital through the agency’s ongoing
Commercial Orbital Transportation Services initiative. Under COTS, Orbital is
scheduled to provide eight commercial cargo flights to the International Space Station
beginning early next year.
NASA has awarded more than $269 million for the continued development of
commercial transportation systems to carry astronauts to and from low-Earth orbit.
Four U.S. companies, Blue Origin of Kent, Wash., the Sierra Nevada Corporation,
Louisville, Colo., SpaceX of Hawthorne, Calif., and the Boeing Company in Houston
received the awards in the second round of NASA’s Commercial Crew Development, or
CCDev, effort.
: “So many people on both the government and industry teams worked so very hard to
build this wonderful high-tech facility
Administrator Charles Bolden was joined by Sen. Barbara Mikulski of Maryland and
other dignitaries for the unveiling of the Wallops Flight Facility’s new Horizontal
Rocket Integration Facility, or HIF.”
“The genius of the private sector working with government is going to lead the way in
commercial spacecraft to take cargo to the space station so the space station can
continue the innovation and discovery, be the national laboratory in the sky.
“Today I am happy to announce that the Boeing company has settled Florida for its
commercial crew office”…clapping
A new partnership has been formed between NASA and Space Florida to occupy, use
and modify the Kennedy Space Center's Orbiter Processing Facility, OPF 3, the Space
Shuttle Main Engine Processing Facility and Processing Control Center. The 15-year
use permit deal is the latest step Kennedy is making in its transition from a historically
government-only launch complex to a multi-user spaceport.
- Deputy Admin. Lori Garver: “Kennedy and the entire space coast have been
synonymous with NASA’s historic 30 year shuttle program as well as America’s first
50 years in human space flight and the agreement
that we have reached today with Spaceport Florida will help set-up an even
future.”
Space Florida, the state’s aerospace economic development agency, is leasing OPF-3
to the Boeing Company to manufacture and test the company's Crew Space
Transportation spacecraft. Development of the CST-100, a reusable capsule-shaped
spacecraft to transport up to seven people, or a combination of people and cargo to
space, is expected to create as many as 550 jobs along the Space Coast.
Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, is scheduled to launch its Dragon
spacecraft on its second Commercial Orbital Transportation Services demonstration
flight in Feb. 2012. Pending completion of final safety reviews, testing and verification,
SpaceX might also send Dragon to rendezvous with the International Space Station.
With travel to low Earth orbit covered commercially, NASA is freed up to send
humans to explore new destinations beyond, such as asteroids, the moon and,
eventually, Mars.
“The next chapter of America’s space exploration story is being written today.”
Administrator Charlie Bolden was on Capitol Hill for the announcement of NASA’s
selected design of its new Space Launch System.
(nat launch animation)
The new heavy-lift rocket will take NASA astronauts farther into space than ever before.
The booster will be America’s most powerful since the Saturn V rocket that carried
Apollo astronauts to the moon and will launch humans to places no one has gone
before.
“We’ve got near earth asteroids to go look at, possible visits to the moon, La Grangian
Point, higher earth orbit, geosynch orbit; lots of opportunities out there, we just have
to sort out what makes sense.”
: “The Space Coast is open for business.”
Administrator Charlie Bolden led members of the media on a tour of NASA’s new
mobile launcher at the Kennedy Space Center. Center Director Bob Cabana and other
Kennedy management joined Bolden to discuss NASA’s Space Launch System. The
SLS is the agency’s heavy-lift rocket.
This is one of three successful drop tests of NASA’s next deep space exploration vehicle
conducted this summer at the Langley Research Center’s new $1.7 million Hydro
Impact Basin.
“3 ..2…1…GO!”
Langley hosted an official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new facility that expands
the center's capabilities to test and certify
future spacecrafts for water landings.
: “The Lander facility and the vast experience of its Langley staff provide a perfect
combination to study the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle’s options for returning to
Earth.”
Assembly of the first J-2X, dubbed engine ten thousand one, is in full swing at NASA’s
Stennis Space Center. The J-2X engine is designed to be a highly efficient and versatile
rocket engine and has the ideal performance characteristics to power the upper-stage of
a heavy-lift launch vehicle.
And NASA conducted its latest test firing of the J-2X rocket engine. The next-
generation engine will help propel Orion beyond low Earth orbit. This test is to give
engineers a better understanding of start and shutdown procedures, and the
performance of modifications made since previous test firings.
2011 was another banner year for science. Four new NASA missions were
launched, and contributions by seasoned stalwarts of science exploration added
to our understanding of life here on Earth – and what lies beyond.
“These photos have been already a great revelation to the team about what the surface
is like; we did not imagine the detail that we’re seeing.”
Newly-captured, full-frame images of the asteroid Vesta were unveiled by the Dawn
mission team at a Jet Propulsion Laboratory news conference.
“Vesta is much larger than the state of California and it is has some very exciting
geomorphological and composition features that you’ll be hearing about and will shed
some light on how our solar system actually was formed.”
The Dawn spacecraft was successfully inserted into the giant asteroid’s orbit several
weeks ago and has since begun collecting scientific data.
“And lift off of the Atlas V with Juno on a trek to Jupiter.”
The wait is over, and launch teams are celebrating the successful liftoff of the Juno
spacecraft from the Kennedy Space Center as it 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.
“We’re on our way, and at this point the spacecraft’s out, it’s open; the solar
arrays are open; we’re flowing our electricity through
the veins of Juno.”
These dark, finger-like features extending down some Martian slopes could be flowing
water occurring during the warmest months on the planet Mars. NASA’s Mars
Reconnaissance Orbiter, has been repeatedly tracking and observing seasonal changes
in these recurring patterns in Mars’ southern hemisphere.
“We have followed the water and we have found repeated and predictable evidence
suggesting water flowing on Mars.”
This discovery, which was discussed at a press briefing held at NASA headquarters,
could be vital to continued studies on whether life could exist on the Red Planet.
According to scientists the flow of liquid briny water is the best explanation, thus
far, for these dark lineations which spread down some
Martian slopes during late spring through summer, fade in winter, and then return during
the next spring.
“3-2-1-zero, and liftoff of the Delta 2 with GRAIL; journey to the center of the Moon.”
A Delta II rocket launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida has sent the
twin GRAIL spacecraft on their way to the moon.
The two spacecraft will fly in tandem orbits around the moon for several months to
measure its gravity field in unprecedented detail from crust to core. The mission also
will answer longstanding questions about the moon
and provide scientists with a better understanding of how Earth and other rocky
planets in the solar system formed.
On November 26th -- at 10:02 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, NASA’s Mars Science
Laboratory Curiosity rover launched aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket
from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, in Florida. MSL is scheduled to reach the Red
Planet next August at a site known as Gale Crater. Curiosity rover’s ten instruments
will investigate whether that area of Mars could
ever have sustained microbial life.
Also sent aloft was the Aquarius/SAC-D spacecraft, roaring off the launch pad at
Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. From its polar orbit of the Earth, the NASA-
built Aquarius, the spacecraft’s primary instrument, will analyze the oceans for their
comparative levels of salinity, or the waters’ saltiness, a major factor in the flow of
currents that, ultimately, affect climate.
The nation's newest Earth-observing satellite has begun its mission. The National Polar-
orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System Preparatory Project, or NPP, was
launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, heralding a new era of climate
change science and weather forecasting for the United States.
Data from NPP will enable the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to
continue issuing accurate forecasts and provide advance warning for severe weather.
For the first time, NASA-funded researchers have created a complete map showing the
speed and direction ice flows throughout Antarctica. The animation demonstrates how
ice is naturally transported from the continent’s deep interior region to the coast. The
colors represent the speed of the ice flow with red and purple areas flowing fastest.
The map was created using integrated radar observations
from a consortium of international satellites. Observing the map will give scientists
not only a better understanding of how ice sheets flow, but also better insight on
how they might respond to climate change and contribute to sea levels in the future.
Several craft in NASA’S fleet of Earth Observing Satellites have captured these images
of severe flooding along the Mississippi River Basin. So far, nearly 3 million acres in
Arkansas, Tennessee, and Mississippi, have been affected by severe springtime rains.
The Mississippi River Basin is third largest in the world, and managing floods in this
area has been a challenge for more than a century.
More than 34 years after its launch, NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft has entered a new
region between our solar system and interstellar space. Data it’s obtained over the last
year suggest this new region is a kind of cosmic purgatory, where the solar wind is
calm, our solar system's magnetic field piles up,
and higher-energy particles appear to leak from our solar system into interstellar space.
Although Voyager 1 is about 11 billion miles from the sun, it has yet to cross one major,
space-faring threshold.
“We’re very close to the edge of interstellar space now. Unfortunately, our models are
not accurate enough to tell us how close. So, it could be a few more months or it could
be a few more years. But Voyager One is moving out a billion miles every three years,
so we shouldn’t have too long to wait to find out what’s outside.”
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has discovered what astronomers believe is the most
distant object ever seen in the universe. The dim object is a tiny, compact galaxy of
blue stars that existed 13.2 billion years ago,
roughly 150 million years farther back in time
than the previous record holder. The age of the universe is 13.7 billion years.
The tiny galaxy, so small that more than a hundred similarly-sized galaxies would be
needed to make up our Milky Way galaxy, was discovered by Hubble’s Wide Field
Camera 3, installed in 2009 during the last space shuttle servicing mission to the
telescope.
“This is the first time we're really pinpointing when these black holes were really forming
and growing.”
NASA’s Science Mission Directorate conducted two news conferences to update the
media on progress and developments in the Chandra X-Ray Observatory and
MESSENGER missions. The first of the two provided a look at new pictures and data
collected by Chandra.
Black holes are the last evolutionary stage in the lifetimes of stars that were once at
least 10 to 15 times as massive as our own sun.
These cold remnants are extremely dense, exerting a gravitational pull so strong that
nothing, not even light, can escape their grasp.
At a press conference held at NASA Ames Research Center, the Kepler team
announced the discovery of its first confirmed planet in the "habitable zone" or the region
around a star where liquid water could exist on a planet’s surface. Named Kepler-22b,
the planet is about 2.4 times the radius of the Earth and orbits a sun-like star about
600 light years away between the constellations
of Cygnus and Lyra.
“Well, certainly the thing that’s most exciting to me is the fact, that finally after
looking at all these candidates, spending all this effort,
that we can confirm a planet, in the habitable zone that’s nearly Earth size.
Scientists don't know yet if Kepler-22b has a predominantly rocky, gaseous or liquid
composition, but its discovery is a step closer to finding Earth-like planets.
NASA's aeronautical innovators continued in 2011 to lay the foundation for the
future of flight by exploring new ways to manage air traffic, build more fuel-
efficient and environmentally friendly airliners, and ensure aviation's outstanding
safety record.
Airplane passengers and people living near airports are all too familiar with the noise
associated with air travel. After years of work and research with partners in industry
and academia, NASA has developed a noise-reduction
technology called chevrons. Chevrons, the sawtooth pattern on this jet
engine’s trailing edges, can significantly reduce the noise caused by commercial jet
airplanes.
It's not every day that a Marine V-22 Osprey lands at a convention center parking lot.
The tilt-rotor made a special appearance at the American Helicopter Society forum in
Virginia Beach, Virginia. The annual event is where the who's who in rotorcraft
research and technology meet to showcase the latest in vertical flight. Among the
presentations – 31 papers from s researchers at NASA's Langley, Ames and Glenn
Research Centers.
The Ames Research Center recently completed a series of tests that may help take
some of the loudness out of sonic booms and allow supersonic aircraft to fly over land.
Inside Ames’ 9-foot by 7-foot supersonic wind tunnel, fans or compressors moved air
over a sleek new aircraft design at speeds replicating flying conditions. Tests like
these help researchers understand the forces acting
on a real aircraft and its impact, like the creation of a sonic boom, on the surrounding
atmosphere.
NASA also broke new ground in how it reaches out to the next generation of
space enthusiasts, winning kudos for its successful use of the Web, Facebook,
Twitter and other, popular social media.
A group of fifty-five science and space enthusiasts who follow the NASA Ames twitter
account were invited to NASA Ames Research Center to participate in an event called
a “Tweet-up.”
These tweeps, or people who use twitter, were given a rare opportunity to tour the labs
at NASA Ames, listen to presentations and get answers to their questions from
researchers who work at the Center.
“Social networking is really critical. As we move forward as a country, this is an
increasing way that the public, particularly the interested public, can actually participate
and ride with us as we do the wonderful things we do at NASA.”
Elmo Monster, one of the most popular characters on public television, brought a film
crew from Sesame Street to the Kennedy Space Center to talk with NASA experts like
Leland Melvin, astronaut and NASA’s Associate Administrator for Education.
“And here’s the external tank, the big orange tank, this falls back into the ocean
and burns up.
“Really?”
He also participated in a tweet-up with Astro-Mike, aka, Mike Massimino and Astro-
Wheels, the handle for astronaut Doug Wheelock.
: “Elmo did you touch anything?”
“Elmo did not touch nothing.” (laughter)
Once again, NASA has been recognized for several of the world’s best Internet sites by
winning two Webby Awards. NASA.gov received its third consecutive People's Voice
Award for best government Website, and NASA's Global Climate Change site, last
year's People's Voice Award winner for science, captured this year’s Judges' Award for
best science site. Created in 1996, the Webby Award honors excellence in online
technology and creativity.
“It’s an honor to be here … I’ve always dreamed of coming to watch rocket leave the
planet.”
Helping Melvin tout the importance of inspiring our youth about STEM-based careers
was entertainer Will.i.am of the musical group, The Black Eyed Peas. An avid fan of
robotics, will and Melvin were interviewed by TV stations and networks throughout North
America.
“When you think about tomorrow and the people who are going to be leading the way—
it’s the youth that we have right now.”
NASA continued its mission to promote student education in science, technology,
engineering, and math – disciplines so vital to the future of NASA and our nation.
Teen-agers around the world are ramping up their engineering skills with the start of
the 2011 FIRST Robotics competition.
High school teams from southeast Virginia filed into the Virginia Air and Space Center
in Hampton January 8 to learn this year’s challenge.
They watched as speakers, and a live broadcast on NASA TV, unveiled the requirements
for Logomotion: build a robot and mini-bot that can move and climb.
The excitement and inspiration of space exploration was the subject of a special forum
held in New York to celebrate Women’s History Month. NASA's Deputy Administrator
Lori Garver, and Associate Administrator for Education and former astronaut Leland
Melvin attended the event at the Stephen Weiss Studio in Greenwich Village and met
with 200 young women from middle and high schools in the city.
“NASA is a wonderful place that is making a difference in people’s lives every day.
Our satellites look back on the planet to help
us learn what’s happening with our own planet so that we can have a more secure future.
Co-sponsored by fashion designer Donna Karan's Urban Zen Foundation and the
Foundation for Advancing Women Now, founded by singer Mary J. Blige, the event
encouraged the students to consider careers in the STEM fields of science, technology,
engineering and math.
NASA spinoffs are the subject of two new Public Service Announcements airing on
NASA TV.
“Speaking of space technology, did you know that space is hidden all around you?”
The first features Elf 6409EF from Sony Pictures new film, “Arthur Christmas.” Our
animated protagonist illustrates how NASA-developed space technologies are making
our lives better here on Earth.
“Hi, I’m Norah Jones … and I’m Piers Sellers.
And, Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Norah Jones teams up with astronaut Piers
Sellers on the second PSA. Jones and Sellers recorded their message in the NASA TV
studio in Washington.
NASA’s 2011 included remembrances of milestones past, among them: the 50th
anniversary of the flight of the first American in space, Alan Shepard…
“The first time we ever put anybody into space, and Al was a great person to represent
us on that.”
“He was outstanding and he deserved it.”
“We were always proud of him.”
“Roger, Two G.”
…the tenth anniversary of 9-11 and the unique perspective then offered us by
NASA astronaut and Expedition 3 commander, Frank Culbertson, aboard the
International Space Station…
“I realized our country was under attack. I was, ironically, half-way through a Tom
Clancy novel about a similar situation, at the time, and it almost put me inside the
novel which was a very strange feeling. And then
once I saw it out the window, and we took video as the second tower was collapsing,
I didn’t know exactly what was happening, but I knew it was really bad because there
was a big cloud of debris covering Manhattan. That’s when it really became painful, because
it was like seeing a wound in the side of your country.”
…and, as marked by the award of the Congressional Gold Medal, the contributions
of John Glenn and the crew of Apollo 11.
“Thank you all very, very much. We must consider ourselves among the most fortunate
of all generations, for we have lived at a time when the dream became a reality. When
we finally could travel above the atmosphere around the earth, where we could establish
laboratories in space and do research, and for the very first time in history, leave
human footprints on some place other than Earth.”
“The Apollo 11 crew is honored to receive the Congressional Gold Medal and accept on
behalf of our fellow Apollo teammates – all of those who’ve played a role in expanding
the human presence outward from earth.
But 2011 also established new milestones for our future, including: NASA’s Green
Flight Challenge produced the world’s most fuel-efficient aircraft.
In the skies above Santa Rosa, Calif., three flight teams competed in the CAFÉ Green
Flight Challenge for the title of most fuel-efficient aircraft in the world. The NASA-
provided purse for this accomplishment -- $1.65 million, the largest aviation prize ever
offered. The challenge: to fly 200 miles in less than two hours, using less than one
gallon of fuel per occupant, or an equivalent amount of electricity.
The appeal to our next generation of explorers with a new, NASA-powered radio
channel on the Internet…
“Welcome to Third Rock – Radio – powered with NASA”
“We focus on S.T.E.M., and we’ve all learned that STEM is the science and technology
and engineering and math, to remind young adults that a career in that direction is
a great way to have a wonderful life – possibly
end up with a career at NASA.”
And, the non-profit Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, CASIS, was
selected by NASA to manage the U.S. national laboratory aboard the International
Space Station – and all the promise of new discoveries it holds for the benefit of all
humankind.
Located in the Space Life Sciences Laboratory at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida,
the independent, nonprofit research management organization will help ensure the
station’s unique capabilities are available to the broadest possible cross-section of
the U.S. scientific, technological and industrial
communities.
And on that note provided by Cady Coleman and Jethro Tull founder Ian
Anderson, we say goodbye to 2011
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.
That was “This Year @NASA!”
For more on these and other stories, log onto: www.nasa.gov.
May your exploration of 2012 be happy, healthy, and full of wonder and discovery.
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