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The benefits of space
 station research and development ...

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Refining the architecture
 for the Mars Sample Return Mission ...

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And test firing a solid rocket booster
 for our mega Moon rocket ...

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a few of the stories
 to tell you about – This Week at NASA!

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The 11th Annual International Space
 Station Research

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and Development Conference took place
 July 25-28 in Washington.

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The conference was hosted by the American
 Astronomical Society and the Center

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for the Advancement of Science in Space
 in cooperation with NASA.

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The event coincided
 with the release of the 2022 edition

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of the International Space Station
 Benefits for Humanity publication.

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The digital book, which is available
 online, is filled with examples

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of how people on Earth
 have benefited from research

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conducted in the microgravity environment
 of the space station.

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For more about the groundbreaking
 discoveries, benefits for humanity,

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and how the agency and its commercial
 and international partners

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are maximizing research and development
 aboard the space station,

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check out nasa.gov/stationbenefits.

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The Mars Sample Return program is nearing

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completion of the conceptual design
 phase of the mission.

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The program has reviewed, evaluated,
 and refined the mission architecture

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that will be used to return
 the scientifically selected samples

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currently being collected on Mars
 by our Perseverance rover.

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Refinements to the mission
 architecture include using Perseverance

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to replace the Sample Fetch Rover
 as the primary means

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of transporting the samples
 to our Sample Retrieval Lander.

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The program has also added
 two sample recovery helicopters

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based on the design of our Ingenuity
 helicopter that will provide

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a secondary capability
 to fetch cached samples from

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the Martian surface.

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Teams from NASA's

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Space Launch System
 or SLS Program recently test fired

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a ground-based version of a booster engine
 for our SLS mega Moon rocket

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at Northrop Grumman's test
 facility in Promontory, Utah.

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Engineers are using the test data
 to evaluate improvements

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and new materials in the boosters
 for missions after Artemis III.

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Together, two solid rocket
 boosters on SLS will provide

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more than 75% of the initial thrust
 during an Artemis launch.

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NASA's Volatiles Investigating
 Polar Exploration Rover or VIPER

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prototype, recently faced
 the most realistic tests to date

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of its ability to navigate
 the most difficult

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terrain it might encounter
 at the Moon's South Pole.

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The VIPER team used the Simulated
 Lunar Operations or SLOPE Lab at our Glenn

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Research Center to create an assortment
 of tricky soil conditions.

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They also tested the prototype's ability
 to use its wheels

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to inchworm its way out of being stuck.

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VIPER is targeted for delivery to the Moon
 in November 2024

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to search for water and other resources
 that could eventually be harvested

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to sustain human exploration on the Moon,
 Mars – and beyond.

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We participated in the Experimental
 Aircraft Association's

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AirVenture Oshkosh 2022 event.

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Our NASA pavilion included exhibits
 and hands-on demonstrations,

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showcasing aviation inspired technology
 and the latest in NASA

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aeronautics research, space
 exploration, science, and more.

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One of the goals of the annual event,
 which is often called the world's greatest

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aviation celebration, is to inspire
 the next generation of innovators.

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That's what's up this week @NASA ...