Anticipating the Return of Launches to Wallops on This Week @NASA – May 6, 2016 | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

NASA recovers from 2014 rocket launch mishap, announces crews for 2017 space missions, dedicates research facility to mathematician Katherine Johnson, observes Mercury transit, discovers potentially habitable planets, and unveils the James Webb Space Telescope.

Key Insights

• 🚀 NASA is recovering from a 2014 rocket launch mishap and conducting engine tests in preparation for returning Antares to flight operations.
• 🧑‍🚀 Crews for International Space Station missions in 2017 have been announced, including both experienced and first-time astronauts.
• 👾 Katherine Johnson, a mathematician recognized for her contributions to America's space program, has a research facility at Langley Research Center named after her.
• 😎 A rare celestial event, the transit of Mercury across the sun, can be observed online and through NASA platforms.
• 🤩 Three potentially habitable planets have been discovered around an ultra-cool dwarf star, offering insight into the possibility of life beyond Earth.
• 👾 Engineers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center are making progress on the James Webb Space Telescope, the most powerful space telescope ever built.
• 💁 The telescope will study the history of our universe, including the formation of solar systems capable of supporting life.

Transcript

“Here’s some of the stories trending This Week at NASA!” On May 3, NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility hosted Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden and others for an employee town hall and a tour of the Virginia facility – including Pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport. Preparations are underway there to conduc... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: What preparations are being made at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility?

NASA's Wallops Flight Facility is conducting an engine test of Orbital ATK's Antares rocket as part of their efforts to return Antares to flight operations following a launch mishap in 2014.

Q: Who are the announced crews for International Space Station missions in 2017?

The crews for the 2017 International Space Station missions include Scott Tingle, who will launch in September 2017 on his first spaceflight as part of Expedition 53, and Randy Bresnik, a veteran astronaut whose second spaceflight will begin with Expedition 54 two months later.

Q: Who is Katherine Johnson and why was a research facility dedicated to her?

Katherine Johnson is a mathematician and a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient who made significant contributions to America's space program. NASA dedicated a new computational research facility at Langley Research Center to her in recognition of her outstanding work.

Q: When did Mercury's transit of the sun occur and how can it be observed?

Mercury's transit of the sun occurred on May 9. It is a rare celestial event, visible to those without specialized equipment on NASA platforms such as their website, social media, and NASA TV.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• NASA's Wallops Flight Facility conducts engine test in preparation for Antares rocket's return to flight operations.

• NASA announces crews for International Space Station missions in 2017, including two NASA astronauts.

• NASA dedicates computational research facility to mathematician Katherine Johnson for her significant contributions to America's space program.

• Mercury's transit of the sun occurs on May 9, a rare celestial event visible online and on NASA platforms.

• An international team discovers three potentially habitable planets around an ultra-cool dwarf star.

• Engineers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center remove protective covers from the James Webb Space Telescope.