Transcript: This Week at NASA, April 8 - 14
04.14.06
STS-1 REMEMBERED - NASA
Around the country and even in space, the 25th anniversary of the launch of the first space shuttle flight, STS-1, April 12, 19-81, was remembered. Observances at Johnson Space Center were highlighted by a special live broadcast on NASA TV featuring STS-1 Commander John Young and Pilot Bob Crippen.
John Young SOT: “And it is true that it takes 8 minutes and 30 seconds to get to orbit. And even breathing pure oxygen it’s very hard to hold your breath for 8 minutes and 30 seconds.” (laughter)
Bob Crippen SOT: “From a test pilot standpoint it was a dream to fly. We had like 25 people in the astronaut office before we selected the group in 1978 and any of those 25 would have killed to get that first flight. John was the obvious choice. He was the most experienced guy plus he was the chief of the astronaut office so he got to pick.” (laughter)
Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 13 NASA Flight Engineer and Science Officer Jeff Williams offered his commemorative message on
Jeff Williams SOT: “As we remember the flight of STS-1, and the world’s greatest test flight, let us also remember that we are still a people capable of great deeds.
And back on terra firma, Dryden Flight Research Center hosted media for a look back at Columbia's historic landing at Edwards Air Force Base April 14, 19-81. And, Ames Research Center welcomed back STS-114 Mission Specialist Steve Robinson, a scientist at Ames during STS-1. Robinson visited students at a San Jose elementary school.
COSMONAUTICS DAY – JSC
April 12 is also Cosmonautics Day in Russia. And, speaking from the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated the Expedition 13 crew on the 45th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's pioneering launch as the first human in space.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (via phone) SOT: “Distinguished crew members on behalf of the Roskosmos, I wish to congratulate you on this wonderful holiday. We wish you good health, success”
The new station crew is in the first month of their scheduled six-month mission.
NEW PARTNERSHIP – HQ/KSC
Television coverage of Space Shuttle launches will look better, thanks to a new partnership NASA and HDNet have joined together to provide high definition TV coverage of space shuttle launches through 2010. The agreement ensures the remaining shuttle lift offs and landings and selected unmanned rocket launches at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida will be broadcast in the highest quality television format available. The announcement was made by NASA Administrator Michael Griffin and HDNet Chairman and President Mark Cuban.
TENTH PLANET? - STScI
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has seen distinctly the "tenth planet," currently nicknamed "Xena," and found it's only slightly larger than Pluto. Located 10 billion miles away, with a diameter just under 15-hundred miles, Xena is only 1.5 picture elements across in Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys' view. But Xena, shown in this artist's rendering with its moon, Gabrielle, is about 68 miles larger than Pluto, less than previously thought. Finding that the largest known Kuiper Belt object is a virtual twin to Pluto may only further complicate the debate about whether to categorize the large icy worlds that populate the belt as planets.
CRASH COURSE - HQ
With the scheduled launch of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter in October 2008, NASA will send a second spacecraft to the moon to prepare for the return of astronauts. The Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite will travel independent of the orbiter to search for water ice. First, the craft will direct the upper stage used to leave Earth orbit to crash into a permanently-shadowed crater at the lunar south pole, creating a plume visible to Earth-based observatories. Next, the satellite will observe the plume and fly through it using several instruments to look for water. Then the satellite will itself become an impactor, creating a second plume visible to lunar-orbiting spacecraft and Earth-based observatories.
Daniel Andrews SOT: And the whole idea is that we will create a substantial plume; excavate a bunch of materials, some of which we believe may be water ice.”
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