NASA News
NASA Symposium Marks Key Human SpaceflighWASHINGTON -- NASA's History Program Office and the National Air and
Space Museum's Division of Space History are hosting a joint
symposium entitled "1961/1981: Key Moments in Human Spaceflight."
The symposium is April 26-27 in the James Webb Auditorium at NASA
Headquarters, located at 300 E St. SW in Washington from 9 a.m. to 5
p.m. EDT. It is open to the public and news media.
The symposium reflects on 50 years of human spaceflight using 1961 and
1981 as starting points for broader investigation and insight.
Leading historians and social scientists will address the rich
history of human spaceflight marking four important anniversaries.
Three key events occurred in 1961: Yuri Gagarin became the first human
to travel in space; Alan Shepard became the first American in space;
and President John F. Kennedy gave his famous speech before Congress
which started the Apollo program.
This conference also marks the 30th anniversary of STS-1, the first
space shuttle mission which launched April 12, 1981. The 54-hour,
36-orbit test flight mission verified the shuttle's capabilities and
ushered in a new era of exploration.
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden will open the symposium. Other
speakers include the agency's Chief Historian Bill Barry, and Paul
Ceruzzi, Roger Launius, and Michael Neufeld of the National Air and
Space Museum's Division of Space History.
Keynote speakers include Michael F. Robinson of the University of
Hartford, who will discuss "Lessons from the Last Frontier," and
George C. Herring of the University of Kentucky on the "The Cold War
and Human Spaceflight."
For more information, agenda, to register or to view the symposium
webcast, visit:
http://history.nasa.gov/1961-
For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov
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NASA And USAID To Sign Agreement To Tackle Worldwide Problems
WASHINGTON -- Reporters are invited to the signing of a formalagreement between NASA and the U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID) to promote collaboration on scientific and
technological solutions to worldwide problems. The memorandum of
understanding addresses such challenges as global health, climate
change, food security, and disaster mitigation and response.
The event will take place in the NASA Headquarters auditorium at 300 E
Street SW in Washington on Monday, April 25, at 2 p.m. EDT. NASA
Television and the agency's website will broadcast the event live.
The participants are:
Charles Bolden, NASA administrator
Dr. Rajiv Shah, USAID administrator
Leland Melvin, NASA associate administrator for education
Daniel Irwin, scientist, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center,
Huntsville, Ala.
Josh Nesbit, CEO, Medic Mobile, Austin, Texas
Dieterich Lawson, chief technology officer, Medic Mobile
Alex Dehgan, science and technology adviser to the USAID administrator
Before the signing ceremony, there will be a presentation on two
NASA-USAID programs, SERVIR and LAUNCH. The SERVIR program integrates
satellite observations, ground-based data and forecast models to
monitor and forecast environmental changes and improve response to
natural disasters in Central America, the Caribbean, Africa, and the
Himalayas. It helps inform science-based decision-making in the areas
of climate change, health, agriculture, environment, water, and weather.
LAUNCH is a global initiative to identify and support innovative work
poised to contribute to a sustainable future and accelerate solutions
to meet urgent challenges facing our society. NASA, USAID, the
Department of State, and Nike joined to form LAUNCH in an effort to
identify, showcase and support innovative approaches to global
challenges through a series of forums.
There also will be a question-and-answer session with students from
area high schools and universities with the NASA and USAID administrators.
For more information on SERVIR, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_
For more information on LAUNCH, visit:
http://launch.org/
For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
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NASA Marks Earth Day With Online Activites, Center Programs
WASHINGTON -- NASA is celebrating the 41st anniversary of Earth Daythis week with several online activities to engage the public in the
agency's mission to use the vantage point of space to explore and
protect our home planet.
One of the activities is a webchat on Earth Day, which is Friday,
April 22. Scientists involved in an airborne campaign in Greenland to
monitor Arctic ice cover will participate. NASA maintains the world's
largest contingent of dedicated Earth scientists and engineers to
lead and assist other agencies in preserving the planet's
environment.
For details on NASA Earth Day activities and new agency programs
dedicated to expanding our knowledge of our home planet, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/earthday
NASA Chat: Live from the Top of the World
Friday, April 22 (3-4 p.m. EDT) -- A team of Arctic explorers is in
Greenland keeping a careful eye on changes in the ice landscape. Chat
online with NASA's Lora Koenig from Kangerlussuag, Greenland, and Tom
Wagner from NASA Headquarters in Washington about the Operation
IceBridge airborne mission. The chat window opens at 2:30 p.m. EDT
for advance registration.
http://www.nasa.gov/connect/
NASA Earth Day Video Contest 2011
Share your vision of what NASA's exploration of Earth means to you by
creating a short YouTube video. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in
Greenbelt, Md., announced on Wednesday a contest for the best video
about discoveries or real-world benefits resulting from NASA's Earth
science program. Producers are encouraged to draw from NASA's
extensive collection of public domain Earth imagery. Submissions are
due by May 27.
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/
Student Video Chat with a NASA Earth Scientist
Thursday, April 21 (1-1:30 p.m. EDT) -- The Education Office at NASA's
Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., is hosting a live web
video chat with JPL scientist Annmarie Eldering who will answer
questions submitted in advance by middle school students. Eldering is
the deputy project scientist for NASA's upcoming Orbiting Carbon
Observatory 2 mission that will measure carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere.
http://www.ustream.tv/
NASA Center Activities
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala., Thursday, April 21 (10
a.m. - 12:30 p.m. CDT) -- Events organized around the theme
"Sustainability" include ceremonial tree planting, announcement of
photo contest winners, and exhibits by environmental vendors and
organizations.
Ames Research Center, Mountain View, Calif., Wednesday-Friday, April
20-22 (3:30-4:30 p.m. PDT) -- Employees can tour the "Sustainability
Base," a new facility that has re-purposed NASA technology designed
for closed-loop systems in space. The project is
a candidate for the platinum-plus rating by the internationally
recognized LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green
building certification system.
http://www.nasa.gov/
Source: NASA
