Rocket welding tool ready on This Week @NASA - September 12, 2014 | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

NASA announces new tools and missions, including the Vertical Assembly Center for the Space Launch System rocket and the exploration of Mount Sharp on Mars.

Key Insights

• 🦻 NASA has inaugurated the Vertical Assembly Center to aid in the assembly of the Space Launch System rocket.
• 😒 Preparations for the un-crewed flight test of the Orion spacecraft are underway.
• 🔰 The Curiosity Mars Rover will begin studying the geological layers of Mount Sharp.
• 🥮 Plate tectonics have been observed on Jupiter's moon, Europa.
• 🏝️ Expedition 40 of the International Space Station has safely landed in Kazakhstan.
• 😘 Training continues for the next crew, Expedition 41/42, who will launch to the ISS in September.
• 😘 The ISS is playing a role in the exploration of Earth through instruments like ISS-RapidScat and CATS.

Transcript

“Here’s some of the stories trending This Week at NASA!” NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden, other NASA officials and representatives from The Boeing Company participated in a September 12 ribbon cutting for the new 170-foot-high Vertical Assembly Center at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. The Vertical Assembly Center is a new tool t... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the purpose of the Vertical Assembly Center at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility?

The Vertical Assembly Center will be used to assemble parts of NASA's Space Launch System rocket, which is designed to send humans to an asteroid and Mars.

Q: What is the purpose of moving the first Orion spacecraft to the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility?

The spacecraft will undergo fueling and installation of its launch abort system before its un-crewed flight test in December.

Q: What will the Curiosity Mars Rover study on Mount Sharp?

The rover will examine the mountain's lower slopes near an outcrop called "Pahrump Hills" to gather samples for analysis and study the geological layers that represent early Mars' environmental evolution.

Q: What evidence of plate tectonics has been found on Jupiter's moon Europa?

Researchers analyzing images from NASA's Galileo spacecraft have discovered the first signs of plate tectonics on a world other than Earth, indicating shifting geological activity on Europa's surface.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• NASA inaugurates the Vertical Assembly Center, a new tool to assemble parts of the Space Launch System rocket.

• The first Orion spacecraft is transported for fueling in preparation for its un-crewed flight test.

• Curiosity Mars Rover begins climbing Mount Sharp to examine its geological layers.