Vice President Pence Talks Future Human Space Exploration on This Week @NASA – August 24, 2018

TL;DR

NASA discusses future of human space exploration, confirms presence of water ice on the lunar surface, and provides a first glimpse of asteroid Bennu.

Transcript

Discussing the future of human space exploration … a vital resource is confirmed on the surface of the Moon … and a first glimpse at asteroid Bennu … a few of the stories to tell you about – This Week at NASA! Vice President Mike Pence and our administrator Jim Bridenstine, visited the Johnson Space Center in Houston on Aug. 23, to discuss the futu... Read More

Key Insights

• 😑 Vice President Mike Pence and NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine express confidence in the future of human space exploration and NASA's plans for returning to the Moon and exploring Mars.
• 🥶 Scientists analyze data from India's lunar mission and confirm the presence of easily accessible water ice on the lunar surface.
• 🦖 NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft captures its first image of asteroid Bennu and continues its mission to collect a sample from the asteroid.
• 🪐 InSight spacecraft is halfway through its journey to Mars, with preparations underway for studying the planet's deep interior.
• 👾 International Space Station captures footage of Hurricane Lane in the Pacific Ocean, highlighting NASA's ability to monitor Earth from space.
• 🏘️ The Johnson Space Center houses lunar samples collected during Apollo missions and is a vital resource for future exploration.
• 💦 The Moon's surface may offer accessible water resources for future astronauts, potentially simplifying water retrieval compared to water beneath the Moon's surface.

Questions & Answers

Q: What was the purpose of Vice President Mike Pence and NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine's visit to Johnson Space Center?

Their visit aimed to discuss the future of human space exploration and NASA's plans to return to the Moon and eventually reach Mars. They expressed optimism about a new era of exploration and the readiness of astronauts.

Q: How did scientists confirm the presence of water ice on the lunar surface?

Using data collected by India's lunar mission, scientists identified specific signatures that conclusively prove the existence of water ice in the top few millimeters of the Moon's polar regions. Water on the lunar surface could potentially be accessed by future explorers.

Q: What is the mission of NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft?

OSIRIS-REx is the first-ever asteroid sample return mission. It recently captured its first image of asteroid Bennu and is scheduled to arrive at the asteroid in December. The spacecraft will collect a sample from Bennu and return it to Earth in September 2023.

Q: What is the purpose of NASA's InSight spacecraft?

InSight is a mission to study the deep interior of Mars. It has passed the halfway point on its journey to Mars and is expected to touch down on the Red Planet in November. During this time, the team is preparing and checking the spacecraft's subsystems and science instruments.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Vice President Mike Pence and NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine visit Johnson Space Center to discuss future of space exploration and plans to return to the Moon and eventually reach Mars.

• Scientists analyze data from India's lunar mission and confirm the presence of water ice on the lunar surface, potentially making it more accessible to future explorers.

• NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft captures its first image of asteroid Bennu, where it will arrive in December and return a sample in 2023.

• InSight spacecraft reaches the halfway point on its journey to Mars, preparing to study the planet's deep interior.