1 00:00:07,390 --> 00:00:09,990 This Week at NASA... 2 00:00:09,990 --> 00:00:15,620 "One, zero and ignition and liftoff ..." 3 00:00:15,620 --> 00:00:20,730 LADEE, the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer robotic probe launched Friday night 4 00:00:20,730 --> 00:00:24,439 atop an Orbital Sciences Corporation Minotaur V rocket. 5 00:00:24,439 --> 00:00:27,980 The first deep space mission from Wallops Flight Facility, LADEE will orbit the moon 6 00:00:27,980 --> 00:00:32,579 to collect information about its atmosphere and environmental influences on lunar dust. 7 00:00:32,579 --> 00:00:38,240 "Launching a rocket is hard and there's so many things that we control -- tonight just 8 00:00:38,240 --> 00:00:40,899 went spectacularly well ... there's things that we don't control." 9 00:00:40,899 --> 00:00:45,609 Data from LADEE will help scientists better understand other planetary bodies in our solar 10 00:00:45,609 --> 00:00:48,260 system. 11 00:00:48,260 --> 00:00:52,399 A news briefing at Johnson Space Center focused on the upcoming Antares rocket launch from 12 00:00:52,399 --> 00:00:57,219 Wallops -- and test flight to the International Space Station of Orbital's Cygnus cargo craft. 13 00:00:57,219 --> 00:01:02,429 "They're going to be demonstrating the full mission with a brand new state of the art 14 00:01:02,429 --> 00:01:06,470 cargo carrying autonomous spacecraft." 15 00:01:06,470 --> 00:01:09,010 Launch is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 17. 16 00:01:09,010 --> 00:01:13,210 The flight is part of NASA' Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Program to develop 17 00:01:13,210 --> 00:01:19,810 private and public partnerships for resupply of the ISS. 18 00:01:19,810 --> 00:01:24,530 NASA has chosen the 96 most promising ideas out of 400 submitted in response to its June 19 00:01:24,530 --> 00:01:30,060 request for information or RFI about protecting Earth from asteroids and finding asteroid 20 00:01:30,060 --> 00:01:31,970 humans can explore. 21 00:01:31,970 --> 00:01:36,750 Submitted by industry, universities, international organizations and the public, the ideas include 22 00:01:36,750 --> 00:01:41,619 pointers on how to decrease an asteroid's spin, nudge it away from Earth, take samples 23 00:01:41,619 --> 00:01:47,469 and increase public awareness about asteroid threats and potential scientific benefits. 24 00:01:47,469 --> 00:01:53,530 NASA plans a public workshop Sept. 30 - Oct. 2 to examine and synthesize the 96 highly 25 00:01:53,530 --> 00:01:57,259 rated ideas. 26 00:01:57,259 --> 00:02:01,030 Engineers and technicians at Kennedy Space Center are done testing the solar array wings 27 00:02:01,030 --> 00:02:05,320 for MAVEN, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN spacecraft. 28 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:09,560 Scheduled for launch November 18, MAVEN is the first mission dedicated to studying the 29 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:16,879 upper atmosphere of Mars for traces of the elements that existed there in the past. 30 00:02:16,879 --> 00:02:21,349 Expedition 37/38, the next crew in line for a trip to the International Space Station 31 00:02:21,349 --> 00:02:27,220 took part in prelaunch activities at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia. 32 00:02:27,220 --> 00:02:31,580 NASA Flight Engineer Michael Hopkins, along with Soyuz Commander Oleg Kotov and Flight 33 00:02:31,580 --> 00:02:35,690 Engineer Sergey Ryazanskiy (Ree-ZAN-skee) of the Russian Federal Space Agency are scheduled 34 00:02:35,690 --> 00:02:39,220 to launch September 26 from Kazakhstan. 35 00:02:39,220 --> 00:02:45,760 A new compatibility testing system developed at Glenn Research Center verifies that spacecraft 36 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:51,310 radio signals properly operate through NASA satellites before the spacecraft is launched. 37 00:02:51,310 --> 00:02:56,200 The Satellite Communication Compatibility Test Sets system replaces larger, obsolete 38 00:02:56,200 --> 00:03:04,010 equipment and is important because satellites rely on radio commands for operation. 39 00:03:04,010 --> 00:03:08,909 At NASA Headquarters, a special farewell and thanks to Lori Garver for four years service 40 00:03:08,909 --> 00:03:13,730 as NASA's Deputy Administrator and best wishes in her new role as General Manager of the 41 00:03:13,730 --> 00:03:15,560 Air Line Pilots Association. 42 00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:23,540 "My three priorities when I came in were to align NASA with national objectives, to provide 43 00:03:23,540 --> 00:03:29,150 the best value for the taxpayers and to be a clear and consistent leader." 44 00:03:29,150 --> 00:03:34,480 "She has been a face of the agency and has been an incredibly effective leader." 45 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:40,260 During her tenure Garver spearheaded many of the Obama Administration's space priorities, 46 00:03:40,260 --> 00:03:44,410 including NASA's commercial crew and cargo programs, the re-establishment of a space 47 00:03:44,410 --> 00:03:49,690 technology mission directorate, the agency's use of challenges and prizes, and an unwavering 48 00:03:49,690 --> 00:03:54,830 commitment to diversity and inclusion. 49 00:03:54,830 --> 00:03:59,050 September is National Preparedness Month, and the Emergency Management Team at NASA 50 00:03:59,050 --> 00:04:04,300 Headquarters is sponsoring events and activities to educate employees on how to ready themselves 51 00:04:04,300 --> 00:04:06,970 for emergencies at work and at home. 52 00:04:06,970 --> 00:04:13,730 For more on how to prepare, visit www.ready.gov. 53 00:04:13,730 --> 00:04:17,769 Center Director Chris Scolese joined others at Goddard Space Flight Center to support 54 00:04:17,769 --> 00:04:20,840 the Stuff-A-Truck Feds Feeds Families event. 55 00:04:20,840 --> 00:04:25,670 The campaign collects donated items for food banks -- including portable meals, canned 56 00:04:25,670 --> 00:04:28,190 and dry goods, and toiletries. 57 00:04:28,190 --> 00:04:32,600 The Center was striving to collect 10-thousand pounds of items. 58 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:34,470 And that's This Week @NASA.