David Mould/Dean Acosta
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1898/1400
RELEASE: 06-376
NASA'S TOP EXPLORATION AND DISCOVERY STORIES OF THE YEAR
WASHINGTON - NASA moved forward in 2006 to extend humanity's
exploration of the solar system and learn more about the universe and
our home planet. The space shuttle got back to work building the
International Space Station, and the agency began developing the next
generation of spacecraft and outlined plans for returning to the moon
as a stepping stone toward Mars. Space science missions found new
evidence of water on Mars, sent the first-ever probes toward Pluto,
brought back dust from a comet and launched new instruments to study
the sun and the weather on Earth.
NEXT STOP - THE MOON
America's Vision for Space Exploration, the long-term plan for sending
humans to Mars and beyond, moved ahead in August with the selection
of Lockheed Martin Corp. as the prime contractor to build the Orion
crew exploration vehicle, to be operational by 2014. Orion and its
astronaut crew will be propelled into space by the new Ares I launch
vehicle. Larger equipment bound for the moon and Mars will ride into
space atop the Ares V heavy launch vehicle. The Ares I successfully
completed its systems requirement review during the fall of 2006. The
next generation launch vehicles will be based on advanced versions of
technology from the Apollo and shuttle programs but also will employ
newly developed systems and hardware with far greater capabilities.
In December, NASA unveiled elements of a Global Exploration Strategy
and lunar architecture to explain the rationale for returning to the
moon for further exploration and to help prepare for later journeys
to Mars and other destinations. For more information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/exploration
SHUTTLE AND STATION BACK TO BUSINESS
During the space shuttle's 25th anniversary year, three missions
resumed construction work on the International Space Station. Space
shuttle Discovery's STS-121 mission in July was the second flight to
the station since the Columbia accident in 2003. Astronauts proved
new engineering designs and safety techniques and demonstrated that
if needed the shuttle's robotic arm could serve as a platform for
emergency repairs. Discovery also delivered a new crew member,
increasing the station's crew size to three for the first time since
May 2003. NASA followed up that flight with launches of STS-115 in
September and STS-116 in December. The shuttles delivered and
attached a critical piece of the station's girder-like backbone,
including a new set of solar arrays to provide up to one quarter of
the station's power, and reconfigured the station's power and thermal
control systems. Astronauts also installed a new station component,
giving crew members more room to live and work in orbit. The stage is
now set for an active 2007 that will see the station's size and
research capabilities dramatically grow. For images and information,
visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle and http://www.nasa.gov/station
HUBBLE SERVICING MISSION 'GO'
In late October, NASA Administrator Michael Griffin announced plans
for a fifth space shuttle servicing mission to the Hubble Space
Telescope to extend and improve the observatory's capabilities
through 2013. The announcement reversed an earlier decision, made
following the Columbia accident, that further Hubble servicing
missions would no longer be feasible. NASA revised that decision
after a detailed analysis of safety issues for the shuttle crew and
procedures necessary to carry out a successful repair and upgrade
mission. The flight to Hubble is targeted for launch in 2008. During
2006, the Hubble continued to make unprecedented observations that
included an image of the dimmest stars ever seen in any globular
cluster and the discovery of 16 extrasolar planet candidates. For
more information, visit:
A WET RED PLANET?
New NASA images from the Mars Global Surveyor revealed bright new
deposits seen in two gullies on Mars. The images suggest water
carried sediment through the gullies sometime during the past seven
years. These observations give the strongest evidence to date that
water still flows occasionally on the surface of the red planet. The
new findings heighten intrigue about the potential for microbial life
on Mars. Other Mars program activities included NASA's long-lived
robotic rover Opportunity achieving the long-held goal of reaching
the massive Victoria Crater, with the rover beginning to explore
layered rocks in cliffs ringing the crater. While Opportunity spent
its first week at the crater, NASA's newest eye in the Martian sky,
the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, photographed the rover and its
surroundings. The new level of detail in the images from the orbiter
will help guide the rover's exploration of Victoria. Coupled with
other scientific instruments, the spacecraft will change our
understanding of the Red Planet and lay the groundwork for future
surface missions. For more information, visit:
DEEP SPACE DISCOVERIES
The launch of the New Horizons spacecraft to Pluto in January began an
extraordinary year of deep space activities. Scheduled to arrive at
Pluto in 2015, the spacecraft will encounter Jupiter in 2007. NASA's
Stardust mission completed a 2.88 billion mile round-trip odyssey to
capture and return comet and interstellar dust particles to Earth.
Scientists believe these rare samples may provide answers to
fundamental questions about the origins of the solar system. The
Cassini spacecraft may have found evidence of liquid water reservoirs
that erupt in Yellowstone-like geysers on Saturn's moon Enceladus.
The unusual occurrence of liquid water so near the surface of
Enceladus raises many new questions about the mysterious moon.
Cassini also discovered two new rings around Saturn, confirmed the
presence of two others and photographed something never before seen
on another planet - a hurricane-like storm at Saturn's south pole.
For more information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/features/index.html
WEATHER AND CLIMATE STUDIES
NASA's Earth research provided new discoveries during 2006 about our
home planet and its climate. The agency launched the first satellite
to provide three-dimensional images of clouds and a weather satellite
to provide timely environmental information to meteorologists and the
public. NASA also completed its "A-train" of six satellites flying in
close proximity around Earth to gain a better understanding of key
factors related to climate change. Research activities included a
comprehensive hurricane study on how winds and dust from Africa
influence the life of tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean.
Scientists studied the discovery that this year's ozone hole over the
Antarctic had exceeded earlier observations for area and depth.
Scientists also observed the reduction of the ocean's primary food
supply, which potentially could threaten fisheries and ecosystems in
a warming climate. Researchers also examined the effects of pollution
moving around the world; improved wildfire and hurricane tracking;
and studied the changing landscape of global ice and snow. Scientists
announced that, based on Earth's average temperature, 2005 was one of
the five warmest years in a century, and 2006 was one of the10
warmest. For more information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/features/index.html
A NEW DIRECTION FOR AERONAUTICS
NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate restructured its
research portfolio in 2006 to return to long-term, cutting-edge,
fundamental research. This ensures the directorate conducts the
high-quality, innovative research required to enable the next
generation air transportation system and supports the nation's Vision
for Space Exploration. Today, through close collaboration with
academia, industry and other federal agencies, NASA's aeronautics
research portfolio is better positioned to provide research that is
directly aligned with national priorities. For more information,
visit:
http://www.aerospace.nasa.gov/
HERE COMES THE SUN
NASA research on Earth's nearest star provided many firsts in 2006.
Researchers developed a computer simulation to create a model of the
sun's outer atmosphere. Scientists predicted the next solar activity
cycle to be 30 to 50 percent stronger than the previous one. In
March, NASA and Libyan scientists conducted joint activities to
observe and study a total solar eclipse. This complemented the launch
of NASA's twin Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatories mission
(STEREO) spacecraft that will help researchers construct the
first-ever three-dimensional views of the sun. These research
activities may provide information to help mitigate effects of solar
storms, which can disrupt satellite orbits and electronics, interfere
with radio communication and threaten astronaut safety. For more
information, visit:
NASA'S NOBEL LAUREATE
On Dec.10, Dr. John C. Mather, senior astrophysicist and senior
project scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt,
Md., received the 2006 Nobel Prize in physics in Stockholm. Mather is
the first NASA civil-servant employee to win the Nobel Prize. Mather
and George Smoot of the University of California at Berkeley were
recognized for "their discovery of the black body form and anisotropy
of the cosmic microwave background radiation." Mather coordinated the
science work of NASA's Cosmic Background Explorer satellite, which
helped validate the big-bang theory of the origin of the universe.
For more information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/starsgalaxies/mather_spotlight.html
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
NASA worked in 2006 toward expanding its relationships with the
spacefaring nations of the world. Administrator Michael Griffin and
the leaders of other space agencies from around the world approved a
new configuration and assembly plan for the International Space
Station. Griffin also made landmark visits to India and China to
learn more about the emerging space programs of those nations. Deputy
Administrator Shana Dale also met with leaders of the world's space
agencies and launched an effort to engage other nations in building a
Global Exploration Strategy to help ensure broad and active
international cooperation as NASA pursues the Vision for Space
Exploration.
For more information about NASA and agency programs, visit:
-end-
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