Administrator Bridenstine Attends National Space Council Meeting on This Week @NASA – June 22, 2018

TL;DR

The National Space Council held its third meeting, with discussions on space traffic management and NASA's progress on returning astronauts to the Moon and sending humans to Mars. NASA announced plans to seek a public/private partnership for a high-power solar electric propulsion spacecraft for lunar exploration.

Transcript

The third meeting of the National Space Council … Seeking a partnership to power our Gateway … And – an educational activity that’s quite a blast … a few of the stories to tell you about – This Week at NASA! Administrator Jim Bridenstine attended the third meeting of the National Space Council June 18 at the White House. President Trump opened the ... Read More

Key Insights

• 👾 The third National Space Council meeting focused on space traffic management and mitigating space debris.
• 🧑‍🚀 NASA is making progress in implementing initiatives to return astronauts to the Moon and send humans to Mars.
• ✋ NASA announced plans to seek a partnership for a high-power spacecraft for lunar exploration as part of the Gateway project.
• 👶 A new report outlines the U.S. response to potential near-Earth objects that could pose a hazard to Earth.
• 👻 Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia hosted Rocket Week, aimed at stimulating student interest in STEM careers through rocketry basics and experiments.

Questions & Answers

Q: What was the purpose of the third meeting of the National Space Council?

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss space traffic management and the effects of space debris. Space Policy Directive-3 was signed, directing the U.S. to lead in these areas.

Q: What progress did NASA report during the meeting?

NASA reported on the progress of implementing Space Policy Directive-1, which focuses on returning astronauts to the Moon and eventually sending humans to Mars.

Q: What is the Gateway project?

The Gateway project is a planned lunar exploration platform. NASA announced plans to seek a public/private partnership for a high-power solar electric propulsion spacecraft to power the first element of the Gateway project.

Q: How does the Gateway project expand access to the Moon's surface?

The Gateway project allows for greater access to more parts of the Moon than ever before. Instead of being limited to one spot, the goal is to have access to the entire Moon for exploration purposes.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The National Space Council held its third meeting, where Space Policy Directive-3 was signed, directing the U.S. to lead space traffic management and mitigate space debris.

• NASA reported on its progress in implementing Space Policy Directive-1, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon and eventually send humans to Mars.

• NASA announced plans to partner for a high-power solar electric propulsion spacecraft to provide power, controls, and communications for lunar exploration, specifically for the Gateway project.