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How Will We Safely Send the First Humans to the Red Planet?
We’ve been exploring the Red Planet for over 50 years – Mariner 4 launched on this day (Nov. 28) in 1964 and took the first photos of Mars from space the following summer.
We first explored the surface 40 years ago (Viking, 1976) and have had a continuous scientific presence on Mars for nearly 20 years, starting with the landing of the Pathfinder lander and Sojourner rover on July 4, 1997.
We currently have three orbiters – MAVEN, MRO and Mars Odyssey – and two rovers – Curiosity and Opportunity – actively exploring Mars.
These robotic explorers have already taught us a lot about the Red Planet, and future missions will teach us even more about how humans can live and work on the surface.
After sending humans on space exploration missions for the last 50 years, we have gained the experience and knowledge to send the first people to Mars. We are working across all areas to prepare for that historic day and want to share our progress with you.
Building the ride to Mars: NASA’s Space Launch System.
Our ride to Mars, the Space Launch System, is being built right now to meet the challenges of exploring deep space. When it comes to our journey to Mars and beyond, there are no small steps. Our video series by the same name breaks down those steps to show how SLS will send missions to the Red Planet.
Living on the Space Station will help humans live safely on Mars.
New crew members of Expedition 50 will soon conduct more than 250 experiments on the International Space Station. More than 2,000 experiments have already been done!
Experiments in fields such as biology, Earth science, physical sciences and human research are helping us unlock the knowledge needed to enable humans to live in space for long durations. If you missed the recent launch, check out NASA TV for a replay.
Testing Orion helps crew live and work in space and get home safely.
Scheduled to launch atop the Space Launch System rocket for the first time in 2018, an uncrewed Orion will travel farther into space than any spacecraft built for humans has ever gone before. When Orion returns to Earth, splashing down into the Pacific Ocean, it will take a landing and recovery group to safely return the capsule and crew back to land. A variety of testing on the ground, including to structures and parachutes, is helping make sure Orion can safely carry crew to new destinations in the solar system.
In late October, this recovery group, including NASA’s Ground Systems Development and Operations Program, the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force and contractor employees, completed its fifth successful practice run to recover Orion aboard the USS San Diego.
We’re using high resolution imagery from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to learn more about potential landing sites for a human mission.
Who knows what surprises the Red Planet holds?
Our Curiosity Rover has discovered all kinds of interesting Mars features including meteorites. How do you learn more about a meteorite? Zap it with lasers, of course.
This golf-ball-sized, iron-nickel meteorite was recently found on Mars where ancient lakebed environments once existed. Named “Egg Rock” for the area in which it was found, it is the first meteorite to be examined using a laser-firing spectrometer.
By studying the conditions on Mars with vehicles like Curiosity, scientists are able to help prepare future astronauts to live on Mars.
How do you prepare the tallest rocket ever built for its first launch?
Another important component in successfully launching the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft on a Journey to Mars is the infrastructure work being done by our Ground Systems Development and Operations Program at Kennedy Space Center.
While efforts at our Vehicle Assembly Building continue, we hope you’ll be making your plans to join us at the launch pad for the first flight of SLS with Orion in 2018!
Preparing for a human journey to Mars
The next Mars rover will launch in 2020, and will investigate a region of Mars where the ancient environment may have been favorable for microbial life, probing the Martian rocks for evidence of past life.
It will collect samples and cache them on the surface for potential return to Earth by a future mission. Mars 2020 will also conduct the first investigation into the usability and availability of Martian resources, including oxygen, in preparation for human missions.
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com
Successful Launch of Orbital ATK’s Cygnus Spacecraft
Successful Launch, #FlatEarth crowd!
At 11:05 p.m. (EDT) on March 22 the Atlas V rocket successfully lifted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.
Included in the 7,500 pounds of cargo aboard the Orbital ATK Cygnus spacecraft are numerous science payloads to support experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science and Earth science. (more…)
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Pi Guides the Way
It may be irrational but pi plays an important role in the everyday work of scientists at NASA.
What Is Pi ?
Pi is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. It is also an irrational number, meaning its decimal representation never ends and it never repeats. Pi has been calculated to more than one trillion digits,
Why March 14?
March 14 marks the yearly celebration of the mathematical constant pi. More than just a number for mathematicians, pi has all sorts of applications in the real world, including on our missions. And as a holiday that encourages more than a little creativity – whether it’s making pi-themed pies or reciting from memory as many of the never-ending decimals of pi as possible (the record is 70,030 digits).
While 3.14 is often a precise enough approximation, hence the celebration occurring on March 14, or 3/14 (when written in standard U.S. month/day format), the first known celebration occurred in 1988, and in 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution designating March 14 as Pi Day and encouraging teachers and students to celebrate the day with activities that teach students about pi.
5 Ways We Use Pi at NASA
Below are some ways scientists and engineers used pi.
Keeping Spacecraft Chugging Along
Propulsion engineers use pi to determine the volume and surface area of propellant tanks. It’s how they size tanks and determine liquid propellant volume to keep spacecraft going and making new discoveries.
Getting New Perspectives on Saturn
A technique called pi transfer uses the gravity of Titan’s moon, Titan, to alter the orbit of the Cassini spacecraft so it can obtain different perspectives of the ringed planet.
Learning the Composition of Asteroids
Using pi and the asteroid’s mass, scientists can calculate the density of an asteroid and learn what it’s made of–ice, iron, rock, etc.
Measuring Craters
knowing the circumference, diameter and surface area of a crater can tell scientists a lot about the asteroid or meteor that may have carved it out.
Determining the Size of Exoplanets
Exoplanets are planets that orbit suns other than our own and scientists use pi to search for them. The first step is determining how much the light curve of a planet’s sun dims when a suspected planets passes in front of it.
Want to learn more about Pi? Visit us on Pinterest at: https://www.pinterest.com/nasa/pi-day/
Nonreligious Americans to Storm Capitol Hill
Press Release: Nonreligious Americans to Storm Capitol Hill
Washington, D.C.
Hundreds of nontheists are expected to converge on Capitol Hill today and Friday as part of the Reason Rally Advocacy Days.
Hosted by the Secular Coalition for America, the Advocacy Days will bring nonreligious Americans from across the country to our nation’s capitol to lobby for secular and sciencebased public policy. (more…)
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Disproving 1 through 5 of Eric Dubay's 200 'Proofs'
1 through 5 of Eric Dubay's 200 'Proofs' Disproven
‘Proofs’ 1 through 5 In this video Buster the Pug takes a hard look at the first five of Eric Dubay’s ‘200 Proofs the Earth is Not a Spinning Ball‘ Only a Pug has that kind of patience. Return to this page Note: If you think that we misunderstood any of the ‘proofs’ we responded to, please comment below. Reviewing the ‘proofs’ can be somewhat mind-numbing, so it is a possibility.
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Robert DeNiro: Why He Wants Anti-Vax Film Shown Robert De Niro, a co-founder of the Tribeca Film Festival, released a statement Friday on the film festival’s Facebook page in which he explains why he wants “Vaxxed” to be shown.
'Proofs' 6 though 10 of Eric Dubay's '200 Proofs the Earth is Not A Spinning Ball' refuted.
The 363-foot-tall Apollo 12 Saturn V rocket rolls out of the Vehicle Assembly Building at Cape Canaveral, September 8, 1969. (NASA)
Exposing the misinformation of science-deniers, moon-hoaxers, flat-earthers and the rest of the tinfoil hat wearing crowd at www.sciencedenierhallofshame.com
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