Strong Budget Support for Moon to Mars Effort on This Week @NASA – March 15, 2019

TL;DR

NASA's Moon to Mars initiative receives strong budget support, including funding for lunar exploration, the development of the Gateway command and service module, and the advancement of technologies for future Mars missions.

Transcript

Strong budget support for our Moon to Mars effort … A new crew launches to the space station … And training for Orion recovery … a few of the stories to tell you about – This Week at NASA! During our March 11 Moon to Mars event at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, our administrator, Jim Bridenstine discussed the President’s $21 billion budget reques... Read More

Key Insights

• 🇲🇭 NASA's Moon to Mars initiative receives significant budget support, highlighting the agency's commitment to developing a sustainable human presence on the moon and advancing technologies for future Mars missions.
• 🐕‍🦺 The development of the Gateway command and service module is a crucial component of NASA's plans for lunar exploration and expanding human presence on the moon.
• 🌍 The budget also prioritizes NASA's efforts in low-Earth orbit, including partnerships with commercial and international entities, the resumption of launches of American astronauts from American soil, and progress on the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft.
• 🛄 NASA's research aims to make air travel safer, quieter, and more accessible, contributing to an improved standard of living for Americans.
• 💪 The budget demonstrates strong support for NASA's Earth Science programs, underscoring the importance of studying the Earth and its changes.
• 👶 NASA is studying carefully stored Moon samples from the Apollo missions using advanced technology to gain new insights into our nearest neighbor.
• 👻 The launch of astronauts Nick Hague, Christina Koch, and Alexey Ovchinin to the International Space Station restores the station's population to six and allows for continued scientific experiments.
• 👾 Testing with the Orion spacecraft's Crew Module Uprighting System demonstrates NASA's commitment to ensuring the safety and success of future deep space missions.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the purpose of the Gateway command and service module?

The Gateway command and service module is crucial for the Moon to Mars initiative as it will enable access to more parts of the Moon than ever before, facilitating lunar exploration and serving as a stepping stone for future Mars missions.

Q: How does the budget support NASA's efforts in low-Earth orbit?

The budget provides strong support for NASA's partnerships with commercial and international entities, helping to resume launches of American astronauts on American rockets from American soil. It also recognizes the progress being made on the development of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft.

Q: What role does NASA play in making air travel safer and more accessible?

NASA's cutting-edge research aims to drive down costs and increase access to air travel, which in turn raises the standard of living for every American. The agency's work in this area is acknowledged and supported in the budget.

Q: Why is NASA's budget for Earth Science important?

The budget request for Earth Science is particularly strong as NASA recognizes the importance of studying the Earth to understand changes happening now and predict potential future changes. This research helps in forecasting and addressing climate-related issues.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• NASA's administrator discussed the President's $21 billion budget request for the agency's Moon to Mars effort, emphasizing the importance of developing a sustainable human presence on the moon.

• The budget also supports NASA's efforts in low-Earth orbit, including partnerships with commercial and international entities, the resumption of launches of American astronauts from American soil, and progress on the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft.

• The budget recognizes the importance of NASA's research in making air travel safer, quieter, and more accessible, as well as the agency's space-based observations of Earth.