NASA Weekly Update from the Administrator– Nov. 16, 2020
NASA is delivering on our promise to the American people. More science and space exploration are being enabled in a safe, reliable, and cost-effective way because of the dedicated work of our team across the agency.
- Top News: Yesterday, Nov. 15, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 mission successfully launched from Kennedy Space Center as the first crew rotation mission on a U.S. commercial spacecraft. The four astronauts are scheduled to dock with the International Space Station today at 11 p.m. EST. NASA TV will provide live coverage of docking, hatch opening, and the ceremony to welcome the crew aboard.
- Next Up: This Saturday, Nov. 21, the U.S.-European Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich mission will launch in an effort to observe and record global sea level changes on our planet’s oceans and much more. Liftoff is scheduled for 12:17 p.m. EST (9:17 a.m. PST) from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Everyone is invited to attend virtually by registering here. NASA TV will also provide live coverage of the launch.
· Shout Out: NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN, or MAVEN, spacecraft team at Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland helped scientists discover that water vapor on Mars is lifted high into the atmosphere by gigantic dust storms and then escapes the planet. Better understanding the water cycle on Mars is critical to our future exploration efforts there.
Tremendous teamwork results in terrific results even during trying times. The launch of Crew-1 and their aptly named “Resilience” SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket yesterday proves again that when we work together there is nothing we can’t achieve. The unknown discoveries yet before us in this next, grand era of spaceflight are ours for the taking.
Ad astra,
Jim Bridenstine
