An Addition to a Future Commercial Crew Mission on This Week @NASA – May 21, 2021

TL;DR

NASA announces astronaut assignment for SpaceX Crew-3 mission, Administrator Bill Nelson testifies on agency's budget request, nominee for deputy administrator appears before Senate committee, and various engineering tests conducted for future missions.

Transcript

An addition to a future Commercial Crew mission … Our administrator discusses the budget request for NASA … And NASA’s deputy administrator nominee appears before the Senate … a few of the stories to tell you about – This Week at NASA! NASA astronaut Kayla Barron has been assigned to our SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the International Space Station, exp... Read More

Key Insights

• 🎟️ NASA is assigning astronauts to upcoming missions, including the SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the International Space Station.
• 🚀 Administrator Bill Nelson testified on NASA's budget request, emphasizing milestones like the maiden flight of the SLS rocket and the launch of the James Webb Telescope.
• 🧑‍🚀 Pam Melroy, a former astronaut, is nominated for the deputy administrator position and highlights her experience in aerospace.
• 🚒 Engineers are conducting tests for the Orion spacecraft and RS-25 engines in preparation for future Artemis missions to the Moon.
• 💦 NASA is working on validating the acoustic performance of the X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology airplane.

Questions & Answers

Q: Who has been assigned to the SpaceX Crew-3 mission?

NASA astronaut Kayla Barron has been assigned to the SpaceX Crew-3 mission, joining other astronauts from NASA and the European Space Agency.

Q: What did NASA Administrator Bill Nelson discuss during a House hearing?

During a House hearing, Administrator Bill Nelson discussed NASA's budget request, including milestones such as the maiden flight of the SLS rocket and the launch of the James Webb Telescope.

Q: Who is the nominee for NASA's deputy administrator?

Pam Melroy, a former NASA astronaut with experience in each of NASA's four mission areas, is the nominee for NASA's deputy administrator position.

Q: What tests were conducted for future lunar missions?

Engineers conducted water impact drop tests for NASA's Orion spacecraft to better understand splashdown landings for future Artemis Moon missions.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Astronaut Kayla Barron assigned to SpaceX Crew-3 mission, joining NASA's Tom Marshburn, Raja Chari, and European Space Agency astronaut Matthias Maurer.

• NASA Administrator Bill Nelson testifies on the agency's $24.7 billion funding request, highlighting upcoming milestones like the maiden flight of the SLS rocket and the launch of the James Webb Telescope.

• Former astronaut Pam Melroy appears before the Senate Committee for her confirmation hearing as NASA's next deputy administrator.

• Engineers conduct water impact drop tests for NASA's Orion spacecraft and RS-25 engine test for Space Launch System rockets.

• NASA tests the Airborne Location Integrating Geospatial Navigation System and conducts integrated dry run testing for Advanced Air Mobility National Campaign.