The Next Space Station Crew Launching From America on This Week @NASA – November 13, 2020

TL;DR

Astronauts prepare for SpaceX Crew-1 mission to the space station, Mars rover nears its destination, NASA releases report on Mars Sample Return mission, and announces partnerships with U.S. companies for space technologies.

Transcript

The next space station crew  launching from America …   A mission milestone for our next Mars rover …

And an update on a future Mars sample return   mission … a few of the stories to  tell you about – This Week at NASA!   The astronauts of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 mission  to the International Space Station arrived at   the agency’s Kennedy Space Ce... Read More

Key Insights

• 👾 The SpaceX Crew-1 mission is a significant step in NASA's partnership with commercial space companies, furthering human space exploration.
• 🎟️ The Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission aims to gather valuable data and potentially pave the way for future human missions to Mars.
• 🌍 The Mars Sample Return mission represents a groundbreaking international collaboration to bring back pristine samples for scientific study.
• 👾 NASA's partnerships with U.S. companies demonstrate the agency's commitment to advancing space technologies and fostering public-private collaborations.
• 🌑 The glow on Europa's dark side, caused by radiation from Jupiter, provides new insights into the moon's composition and will be studied during the Europa Clipper mission.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the name of the spacecraft for the SpaceX Crew-1 mission?

The spacecraft is named "Resilience," chosen to represent the team effort behind the mission's preparation.

Q: What is the purpose of the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission?

The rover's mission includes searching for signs of ancient microbial life and collecting and storing samples for a future Mars sample return mission.

Q: What did an independent review report conclude about NASA's readiness for the Mars Sample Return mission?

The review indicated that NASA is prepared to undertake the campaign and partner with the European Space Agency to send pristine samples from Mars back to Earth for scientific study.

Q: What types of partnerships has NASA announced with U.S. companies?

NASA announced 20 partnerships to develop space technologies for the Moon and beyond, including a 3D printing system for the Artemis program and methods to remove dust from planetary solar arrays.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The NASA SpaceX Crew-1 mission astronauts arrive at Kennedy Space Center to prepare for their journey to the International Space Station.

• NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover is 100 days away from reaching its destination and will search for signs of ancient microbial life and collect samples for a future Mars sample return mission.

• An independent review indicates NASA is ready for its Mars Sample Return campaign and plans to partner with the European Space Agency.

• NASA announces partnerships with U.S. companies for the development of space technologies for future missions.