Halfway point of the one year mission on This Week @NASA – September 18, 2015

TL;DR

This week at NASA, the halfway mark of the yearlong mission on the International Space Station was celebrated, NASA completed a review for the Orion spacecraft, a global ocean was discovered on Saturn's moon Enceladus, and discussions on environmental decision-making and Arctic sea ice were held.

Transcript

“Here’s some of the stories trending This Week at NASA!” Sept. 15 marked the halfway point in the yearlong mission on the International Space Station with NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko. An event the day before at the National Press Club in Washington included a discussion about the biomedical research conducted ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🎟️ This week marked the halfway point of the yearlong mission on the International Space Station, highlighting the progress and research being conducted for future human missions to Mars.
• 👾 NASA has completed a significant review for the Orion spacecraft, demonstrating their support and commitment to deep space exploration.
• 🚴 The discovery of a global ocean beneath the icy crust of Saturn's moon Enceladus provides further evidence of the potential for life beyond Earth.

Questions & Answers

Q: What was discussed during the discussion about biomedical research on the International Space Station?

The discussion focused on the biomedical research conducted on the space station to help formulate future human missions to Mars. NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko, who are on the yearlong mission, participated in the discussion.

Q: What did the live broadcast of the space station feature?

The live broadcast, in partnership with Slooh, showcased live views of the space station from ground-based telescopes. NASA experts discussed work on the space station and the future of space exploration during the broadcast.

Q: What was the significance of presenting a flag flown in space at Fort McHenry?

Astronaut Terry Virts presented officials at Fort McHenry with a flag flown in space during his mission. In return, they gave Virts a flag flown over the fort, commemorating the anniversary of the 1814 battle that inspired the writing of the Star Spangled Banner.

Q: What was concluded from the analysis of satellite data on Arctic sea ice?

The analysis revealed that the 2015 Arctic sea ice summertime minimum extent is the fourth lowest on record. The decreasing extent of the sea ice is a response to warming temperatures and affects the planet's temperature regulation.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Halfway point of the yearlong mission on the International Space Station celebrated with a discussion on biomedical research conducted on the station and live views of the space station broadcasted.

• NASA completes a technical and programmatic review for the Orion spacecraft, confirming support and commitment to take humans into deep space.

• Research using data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft determines the presence of a global ocean beneath the icy crust of Saturn's moon Enceladus.