1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:02,430 An addition to a future Commercial Crew mission … 2 00:00:02,430 --> 00:00:05,910 Our administrator discusses the budget request for NASA … 3 00:00:05,910 --> 00:00:10,140 And NASA’s deputy administrator nominee appears before the Senate … a few of the 4 00:00:10,140 --> 00:00:14,670 stories to tell you about – This Week at NASA! 5 00:00:14,670 --> 00:00:19,439 NASA astronaut Kayla Barron has been assigned to our SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the International 6 00:00:19,439 --> 00:00:23,510 Space Station, expected to launch as early as Oct. 23. 7 00:00:23,510 --> 00:00:29,060 She will join NASA’s Tom Marshburn and Raja Chari, and European Space Agency astronaut 8 00:00:29,060 --> 00:00:30,330 Matthias Maurer. 9 00:00:30,330 --> 00:00:36,220 This is SpaceX’s third crew rotation mission to the station for our Commercial Crew Program. 10 00:00:36,220 --> 00:00:41,290 NASA Administrator Sen. Bill Nelson testified during a May 19 virtual House hearing on the 11 00:00:41,290 --> 00:00:45,290 president’s Fiscal Year 2022 budget request for the agency. 12 00:00:45,290 --> 00:00:51,430 The $24.7 billion funding request supports a wide range of NASA programs and activities. 13 00:00:51,430 --> 00:00:54,550 “This is an exciting time for NASA. 14 00:00:54,550 --> 00:00:59,910 We are having a lot of things happen, just in this next year. 15 00:00:59,910 --> 00:01:08,100 We launch the largest most powerful rocket ever, the SLS in its first maiden flight. 16 00:01:08,100 --> 00:01:13,320 If that were not exciting enough, later in the year, we’re going to launch the James 17 00:01:13,320 --> 00:01:20,770 Webb Telescope which is going to replace the incredible Hubble Space Telescope. 18 00:01:20,770 --> 00:01:30,189 It will peer out into space, capturing the light from far distant galaxies.” 19 00:01:30,189 --> 00:01:35,619 He also pointed to other upcoming milestones for the agency in science, STEM education, 20 00:01:35,619 --> 00:01:37,620 aeronautics and more. 21 00:01:37,620 --> 00:01:42,610 On May 20, former NASA astronaut Pam Melroy, the president’s nominee to be NASA’s next 22 00:01:42,610 --> 00:01:47,181 deputy administrator, appeared before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and 23 00:01:47,181 --> 00:01:51,039 Transportation during a confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill. 24 00:01:51,039 --> 00:01:55,840 “I’ve worked in aerospace for my entire career and have experience in each of NASA’s 25 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:56,950 four mission areas. 26 00:01:56,950 --> 00:02:02,869 If confirmed, I’m ready to help administrator Nelson lead and manage NASA on day one.” 27 00:02:02,869 --> 00:02:09,280 Melroy, a veteran of three spaceflights, logged more than 38 days in space and is one of only 28 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:11,760 two women to command a space shuttle. 29 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:16,550 On May 20, engineers at our Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia wrapped up the 30 00:02:16,550 --> 00:02:21,670 latest series of water impact drop tests for NASA’s Orion spacecraft. 31 00:02:21,670 --> 00:02:26,440 The test series was designed to provide a better understanding of what Orion and its 32 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:31,420 crew may experience during splashdown water landings at the end of future Artemis Moon 33 00:02:31,420 --> 00:02:32,600 missions. 34 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:37,890 Data from the tests are also used to help verify that Orion fulfills structural design 35 00:02:37,890 --> 00:02:47,570 requirements ahead of Artemis II, our first Artemis mission to the Moon with astronauts. 36 00:02:47,570 --> 00:02:52,760 Engineers at our Stennis Space Center conducted an RS-25 engine test on May 20, continuing 37 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:57,700 the latest test series in support of development and production of these engines. 38 00:02:57,700 --> 00:03:03,670 Four RS-25s will power our Space Launch System rocket during future Artemis missions, including 39 00:03:03,670 --> 00:03:08,250 flights that will land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon. 40 00:03:08,250 --> 00:03:13,590 NASA recently flight tested the Airborne Location Integrating Geospatial Navigation System or 41 00:03:13,590 --> 00:03:20,040 ALIGNS, in preparation for future acoustic validation flights of our X-59 Quiet SuperSonic 42 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:21,810 Technology airplane. 43 00:03:21,810 --> 00:03:27,150 ALIGNS will help a chase aircraft outfitted to gather acoustic data on these supersonic 44 00:03:27,150 --> 00:03:33,730 flights, move into various positions relative to the X-59 to collect the most accurate data. 45 00:03:33,730 --> 00:03:38,350 These acoustic validation flights are designed to confirm that the sonic thump created by 46 00:03:38,350 --> 00:03:44,130 X-59 during flight is as quiet as it’s designed to be, and not as loud as a typical sonic 47 00:03:44,130 --> 00:03:45,480 boom. 48 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:50,140 Our Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) National Campaign wrapped up another round of integrated dry 49 00:03:50,140 --> 00:03:55,940 run testing at our Armstrong Flight Research Center in California, using a helicopter as 50 00:03:55,940 --> 00:03:59,610 a stand-in for an urban air mobility vehicle. 51 00:03:59,610 --> 00:04:05,090 These future vehicles might transport people or cargo in the airspaces over urban areas. 52 00:04:05,090 --> 00:04:10,290 NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration and partner companies are combining efforts 53 00:04:10,290 --> 00:04:14,330 to create a safe, new air transportation system for these vehicles.