1 00:00:00,580 --> 00:00:02,850 Here’s a look at some of the top NASA stories of 2014 … 2 00:00:02,850 --> 00:00:11,969 “That’s one small step for [a] man; one giant leap for mankind.” 3 00:00:11,969 --> 00:00:16,520 With 2014 marking the 45th anniversary of Neil Armstrong’s historic first step on 4 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:21,789 the moon, NASA outlined plans for America's next giant leap in space exploration -- to 5 00:00:21,789 --> 00:00:24,130 send astronauts to Mars. 6 00:00:24,130 --> 00:00:28,850 To prepare for that leap, NASA stepped up development in 2014 of many game-changing 7 00:00:28,850 --> 00:00:31,250 technologies and capabilities. 8 00:00:31,250 --> 00:00:35,840 The agency worked on solar electric propulsion technology ,which could enable cost-effective 9 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:38,370 trips to deep space destinations … 10 00:00:38,370 --> 00:00:43,650 Destinations that could include a human mission in the 2020s to an asteroid placed into orbit 11 00:00:43,650 --> 00:00:49,660 around the moon by a robotic spacecraft, as part of NASA’s Asteroid Redirect Mission. 12 00:00:49,660 --> 00:00:54,660 Agency officials plan to announce more specific details about potential candidate asteroids 13 00:00:54,660 --> 00:00:58,160 and the design of the mission[1] in early 2015. 14 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:04,820 The successful first flight test in June of the saucer-shaped Low Density Supersonic Decelerator, 15 00:01:04,820 --> 00:01:09,280 demonstrated an inflatable system that could be used to land heavier and larger payloads 16 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:13,550 than ever before on planets with atmospheres … 17 00:01:13,550 --> 00:01:18,050 The International Space Station continued its role as a unique platform off the Earth 18 00:01:18,050 --> 00:01:23,170 where astronauts are working for the Earth, with biomedical research … and with payloads 19 00:01:23,170 --> 00:01:29,070 delivered by commercial partners SpaceX and Orbital Sciences Corporation – such as the 20 00:01:29,070 --> 00:01:34,650 first 3-D printer in space… which could be used to manufacture parts in space…. 21 00:01:34,650 --> 00:01:38,680 … and the addition of an Earth science instrument to the space station’s exterior to monitor 22 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:44,290 ocean surface wind speed and direction for use in weather forecasting and for monitoring 23 00:01:44,290 --> 00:01:47,880 large-scale changes in the Earth’s climate. 24 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:53,850 In September, NASA selected two U.S. commercial providers, Boeing and SpaceX, to develop the 25 00:01:53,850 --> 00:01:58,750 systems to transport astronauts from U.S. soil to and from the space station … with 26 00:01:58,750 --> 00:02:05,160 a goal of ending the nation’s sole reliance on Russia in 2017. 27 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:09,560 Development of the rocket and spacecraft designed to carry astronauts on NASA’s Journey to 28 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:12,190 Mars progressed in 2014 … 29 00:02:12,190 --> 00:02:16,760 The green light was given in August, to start building the Space Launch System heavy lift 30 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:20,720 rocket, following successful completion of a key review. 31 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:26,150 New manufacturing facilities began testing operations and prototypes built with new, 32 00:02:26,150 --> 00:02:29,010 more lightweight composite materials were evaluated. 33 00:02:29,010 --> 00:02:37,230 “And liftoff at dawn, the dawn of Orion and a new era of American space exploration.” 34 00:02:37,230 --> 00:02:42,180 The successful first flight test of NASA’s Orion spacecraft in December, was a historic 35 00:02:42,180 --> 00:02:46,459 moment for the agency and a critical step on the Journey to Mars. 36 00:02:46,459 --> 00:02:52,480 The 4.5 hour trip to space and back, tested the Orion systems critical to crew safety 37 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:57,451 in preparation for deep space missions by astronauts to an asteroid and then on to the 38 00:02:57,451 --> 00:02:58,680 Red Planet. 39 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:04,849 NASA’s fleet of Mars robotic explorers continued its work in 2014… 40 00:03:04,849 --> 00:03:09,430 The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution spacecraft arrived at the Red Planet in September 41 00:03:09,430 --> 00:03:11,739 as the newest member of the fleet. 42 00:03:11,739 --> 00:03:17,020 MAVEN is on a mission to investigate how the past loss of atmospheric gases impacted the 43 00:03:17,020 --> 00:03:19,040 Martian climate through time. 44 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:24,210 Samples from the first rock drilled at the base of Mount Sharp by the Curiosity rover, 45 00:03:24,210 --> 00:03:28,520 provided the first confirmation of a mineral mapped from orbit by the Mars Reconnaissance 46 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:29,660 Orbiter. 47 00:03:29,660 --> 00:03:33,849 And the science instruments were selected for the Mars 2020 rover, the next robotic 48 00:03:33,849 --> 00:03:37,349 explorer NASA will send to Mars in 2020. 49 00:03:37,349 --> 00:03:42,300 It will conduct unprecedented science and exploration technology investigations, including 50 00:03:42,300 --> 00:03:48,629 potential habitability of the current environment and directly searching for signs of past life. 51 00:03:48,629 --> 00:03:54,410 “NASA’s role in studying and protecting our home planet has never been stronger.” 52 00:03:54,410 --> 00:03:59,550 NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden called 2014 the “Year of Earth” for NASA – with 53 00:03:59,550 --> 00:04:04,400 the agency planning to launch five Earth science missions within a year’s time … 54 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:08,760 The first images from the Global Precipitation Measurement mission, launched in February, 55 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:14,500 of an “extra-tropical cyclone” – illustrated the mission’s ability to provide next generation, 56 00:04:14,500 --> 00:04:17,609 detailed observations of global precipitation. 57 00:04:17,609 --> 00:04:22,630 In April, NASA celebrated Earth Day with the hugely popular online “global selfie” 58 00:04:22,630 --> 00:04:26,789 postings from around the world to help promote environmental awareness. 59 00:04:26,789 --> 00:04:31,860 And the test data from the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 mission following its launch 60 00:04:31,860 --> 00:04:35,849 in July, confirmed the health of the spacecraft’s instruments. 61 00:04:35,849 --> 00:04:41,120 OCO-2 will help track our impact on the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the 62 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:45,169 various human-made and natural sources of CO-2 63 00:04:45,169 --> 00:04:52,190 2014 included new discoveries, new intriguing mysteries and new reasons to explore our solar 64 00:04:52,190 --> 00:04:54,180 system – and beyond … 65 00:04:54,180 --> 00:04:59,300 In November, the European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft – which has three NASA instruments 66 00:04:59,300 --> 00:05:04,009 onboard – successfully landed its Philae robotic probe on the surface of a speeding 67 00:05:04,009 --> 00:05:07,689 comet -- the first-ever soft landing of a spacecraft on a comet … 68 00:05:07,689 --> 00:05:14,069 And, NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope discovered a new Earth-sized planet in April, about 500 69 00:05:14,069 --> 00:05:18,490 light-years from us that also may have liquid water. 70 00:05:18,490 --> 00:05:22,999 The agency’s premier aeronautics research centers continued work on solutions to help 71 00:05:22,999 --> 00:05:29,150 improve the safety, efficiency and comfort of air travel … while reminding people NASA 72 00:05:29,150 --> 00:05:31,309 is with you when you fly. 73 00:05:31,309 --> 00:05:36,139 A demonstration in November featured a wing that can change shape in flight -- this could 74 00:05:36,139 --> 00:05:40,719 lead to technology for quieter and more fuel-efficient airliners … 75 00:05:40,719 --> 00:05:46,479 In September, NASA co-hosted an event that showcased two new technologies being evaluated 76 00:05:46,479 --> 00:05:51,530 that could improve takeoff time predictability of flights and help flight dispatchers choose 77 00:05:51,530 --> 00:05:55,039 more efficient routes around bad weather. 78 00:05:55,039 --> 00:06:01,930 “Home of the brave …” 79 00:06:01,930 --> 00:06:07,520 And in May, NASA celebrated the renaming of its Dryden Flight Research Center to The Neil 80 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:12,449 A. Armstrong Flight Research Center – and designated Hugh Dryden’s name to the center's 81 00:06:12,449 --> 00:06:14,430 aeronautical test range.