NASA Weekly Update from the Administrator – July 20, 2020
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- Top News: Last week, we announced the agency is now targeting October 31, 2021 to launch the James Webb Space Telescope. The commitment and ingenuity of the Webb team during this pandemic has enabled us to persevere through this challenging time and retire significant risk.
- Next Up: Today, July 20, Science Mission Directorate Associate Administrator Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen and I will join others from the agency at the Space Foundation virtual event to discuss our Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission. This mission is an important milestone in accomplishing our goal of future human exploration of the Red Planet. This event will air live on NASA TV at 1 p.m. EDT.
- Shout Out: Last week, the completed Space Launch System’s launch vehicle stage adapter for the Artemis 1 mission boarded NASA’s Pegasus barge to make its way to Kennedy Space Center. Once there, it’ll undergo launch preparations for the inaugural mission. The team made significant progress on the SLS while we battle a historic pandemic. Thank you all for your commitment and hard work!
Space exploration transcends all terrestrial borders. Last Friday, we celebrated the 45th anniversary of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, the first time two spacecraft from different nations docked together in orbit. These continued collaborations eventually resulted in the monumental construction of the International Space Station. The Artemis program and our preparations to send humans to Mars will require this same spirit of international comradery.
Ad astra,
Jim Bridenstine
