The Vice President Checks Out New Earth Science Work on This Week @NASA – November 5, 2021

TL;DR

Vice President Kamala Harris visited NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center to learn about Earth science missions and unveil the first images from Landsat 9.

Transcript

The Vice President checks  out new Earth Science work … Two decades and counting of  continuous human presence in space … And 29 days on the edge for the Webb  Space Telescope team … a few of the   stories to tell you about – This Week at NASA! Vice President Kamala Harris visited our  Goddard Space Flight Center on Nov. 5 for   a first-hand look a... Read More

Key Insights

• 🎟️ Vice President Kamala Harris visited NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center to observe the crucial role of Earth science missions in addressing climate challenges and managing natural resources.
• 👣 Landsat 9, a joint mission by NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey, launched in September and has already captured images that showcase its contributions to tracking climate change impacts and resource management.
• 💋 The International Space Station marks its 21st consecutive year of human presence, underscoring its importance in conducting research necessary for long-duration spaceflight and future missions to the Moon and Mars.
• 🎟️ NASA and the U.S. Navy are collaborating on a certification run to ensure the safe recovery of the Orion spacecraft after the Artemis I mission, paving the way for crewed deep space missions.
• 🎁 The upcoming James Webb Space Telescope launch presents a challenging 29-day period for the Webb team, where precise sequence and deployment of components are crucial for the telescope's final configuration.
• 💝 The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission, targeting a launch in late November, aims to determine the effectiveness of intentionally crashing a spacecraft into an asteroid to alter its course and mitigate a potential collision threat to Earth.
• 🍂 DART will impact the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos in fall 2022, orbiting the larger asteroid Didymos. Neither of these poses a threat to Earth.

Questions & Answers

Q: What was the purpose of Vice President Kamala Harris' visit to NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center?

Vice President Kamala Harris visited NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center to gain insights into how NASA's Earth science missions contribute to addressing climate challenges and managing natural resources. She also unveiled the first images captured by the Landsat 9 mission.

Q: What is the purpose of the Landsat 9 mission?

The Landsat 9 mission, a collaborative effort between NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey, aims to provide essential data for managing natural resources and tracking the impacts of climate change. The recently unveiled images from October 31 demonstrate the mission's capability to continue the space-based Earth observation record.

Q: How long has the International Space Station been hosting resident crews?

The International Space Station has been continuously occupied by resident crews for 21 years since the launch of Expedition 1 on Halloween in 2000. This milestone highlights the importance of the research conducted onboard in enabling long-duration spaceflight and future missions to the Moon and Mars.

Q: What is the purpose of the Orion spacecraft recovery certification run?

NASA is collaborating with the U.S. Navy to verify and validate procedures and hardware for recovering the Orion spacecraft after it splashes down in the Pacific Ocean at the end of the uncrewed Artemis I mission. This certification process ensures a safe recovery system for future crewed missions, including those to the Moon.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Vice President Kamala Harris visits NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center to observe how Earth science missions provide essential information for addressing climate challenges and managing natural resources.

• Landsat 9, a joint mission between NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey, launched in late September and has already captured images on October 31, previewing its impact on climate change tracking and resource management.

• The International Space Station celebrates 21 years of continuous human presence, with the onboard research vital for future space exploration missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.