[Spacetalk] https://www.nasa.gov/index.html

Mon Jul 20 22:49:18 CDT 2020

Good evening all…

 I have been getting allot of questions about the Mars link, to be sure to go to this link… https://go.nasa.gov/2OpRpGA <https://go.nasa.gov/2OpRpGA> only 10 days to go….

#CountdownToMars

There’s so much to explore and learn as we get ready for the launch of Mars 2020 Perseverance. We wanted to highlight a few opportunities:

This afternoon <https://go.nasa.gov/2EXB6dx> (7/20/2020 at 1 p.m. EDT) Administrator Jim Bridenstine and other NASA leaders will participate in a LIVE virtual discussion with the Space Foundation on the mission
Watch a new launch video <https://go.nasa.gov/3hfwF0w>= It's time to get excited! 
Explore a 3D Perseverance Rover <https://go.nasa.gov/37CCS33>
Want to get even more involved? Applications to join the virtual NASA Social for launch are now open <https://go.nasa.gov/2e21GW5>.
Speak Spanish? Submit questions using #CountdownToMars to our Social Media Q&A: En Español show live on 7/22, Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. EDT on Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/nasa.en.espanol/> and NASA TV <http://www.nasa.gov/live>
Want to share with friends, family, other space enthusiasts? Share NASA's Be Our Guest web page: https://go.nasa.gov/2OpRpGA <https://go.nasa.gov/2OpRpGA>

To participate in future missions go to:

https://mars.nasa.gov/participate/send-your-name/future <https://mars.nasa.gov/participate/send-your-name/future> 

for the comet: NEOWISE…the pictures are amazing, the real thing will be awesome….

the closest approach of Saturn on July 21 (the opposition of Saturn) and a double meteor shower at the end of July. But the sky of July will be dominated by yet another celestial body, the recently discovered comet NEOWISE. Go to this site for all the info… https://edgeofspace.in/comet-neowise/ <https://edgeofspace.in/comet-neowise/> 

go to the subject link for all the latest...

we have to remember to do our best, enjoy everything we do, believe in ourselves, and let those we care about most know (I always say this, we all need to take it to heart) …hugs & smiles... :-) :-) STAY SAFE, TAKE CARE, Love ya, Gabe

Comet Neowise...it will be 6,800 years before it can be seen from earth again

CONGRATULATIONS: Riding a Japanese rocket, the Arab world’s first interplanetary probe departed planet Earth on Sunday to begin a seven-month journey to Mars on a dual mission of scientific exploration and proving the mettle of the UAE’s growing space program.

NASA to Broadcast Mars 2020 Perseverance Launch, Prelaunch Activities
 <https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/mars2020-small_0.jpg>
Engineers observe the first driving test for NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover in a clean room at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, on Dec. 17, 2019.
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech
NASA is targeting 7:50 a.m. EDT Thursday, July 30, for the launch of its Mars 2020 Perseverance rover on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The launch window is approximately two hours, with a launch opportunity every five minutes.

Live launch coverage will begin at 7 a.m., on NASA Television and the agency’s website <https://www.nasa.gov/live>.

The mission – designed to better understand the geology and climate of Mars and seek signs of ancient life on the Red Planet – will use the robotic scientist, which weighs just under 2,300 pounds (1,043 kilograms) and is the size of a small car, to collect and store a set of rock and soil samples that could be returned to Earth by future Mars sample return missions. It also will test new technologies to benefit future robotic and human exploration of Mars.

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, managed by Caltech in Southern California, built the Perseverance rover and will manage mission operations for NASA. The agency's Launch Services Program <https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/index.html>, based at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, is responsible for launch management.

Mars 2020 Perseverance is part of America’s larger Moon to Mars exploration approach that includes missions to the Moon as a way to prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet. Charged with sending the first woman and next man to the Moon by 2024, NASA will establish a sustained human presence on and around the Moon by 2028 through NASA's Artemis program. <https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis/>

Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, media participation in news conferences will be remote. Only a limited number of media, who already have been accredited, will be accommodated at Kennedy. For the protection of media and Kennedy employees, the Kennedy Press Site News Center facilities will remain closed to all media throughout these events.

The deadline for media to apply for accreditation for this launch has passed, but more information about media accreditation is available by contacting ksc-media-accreditat at mail.nasa.gov <mailto:ksc-media-accreditat at mail.nasa.gov>.

To participate in the Kennedy briefings by phone, reporters must e-mail ksc-newsroom at mail.nasa.gov <mailto:ksc-newsroom at mail.nasa.gov> no later than one hour prior to each event.

Questions also may be asked via social media with the hashtag #CountdownToMars.

Full mission coverage is as follows (all times Eastern):

Monday, July 27

1 p.m. – Mars 2020 Prelaunch News Conference. Participants include:
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine
Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator, NASA’s Science Mission Directorate
Omar Baez, launch director, NASA’s Launch Services Program
Matt Wallace, deputy project manager, JPL
Tory Bruno, CEO, United Launch Alliance
Jessica Williams, launch weather officer, 45th Space Force

3 p.m. – Mars 2020 Mission Engineering/Science Briefing. Participants include:
Lori Glaze, NASA Planetary Science Division director
Jennifer Trosper, deputy project manager, JPL
Farah Alibay, mobility engineer, JPL
Ken Farley, project scientist, Caltech
Tanja Bosak, science team member, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Tuesday, July 28

2 p.m. – Mars 2020 Mars Sample Return Briefing. Participants include:
Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator, NASA’s Science Mission Directorate
David Parker, director of human and robotic exploration, ESA (European Space Agency)
Jeff Gramling, NASA Mars Sample Return Program director
Julie Townsend, sampling and caching operations lead, JPL
Chris Herd, returned sample science participating scientist, University of Alberta
Lisa Pratt, NASA planetary protection officer

4 p.m. – Mars 2020 Mission Tech and Humans to Mars Briefing. Participants include:
Jeff Sheehy, chief engineer, NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate
Jim Watzin, NASA Mars Exploration Program director
Michael Hecht, MOXIE principal investigator, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mimi Aung, Ingenuity Mars Helicopter project manager, JPL
Amy Ross, lead spacesuit engineer NASA’s Johnson Space Center
Michelle Rucker, Mars Integration Group lead, NASA’s Johnson Space Center

Wednesday, July 29

Noon – Administrator Briefing. Participants include:
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine
NASA Deputy Administrator Jim Morhard
Kennedy Center Director Bob Cabana
NASA astronaut Zena Cardman

No phone bridge will be available for this event. In-person media at Kennedy’s Press Site countdown clock may ask questions.

Thursday, July 30

7 a.m. – NASA TV live launch coverage begins
11:30 a.m. – Postlaunch News Conference

Audio only of the news conferences and launch coverage will be carried on the NASA “V” circuits, which may be accessed by dialing 321-867-1220, -1240, -1260 or -7135. On launch day, "mission audio," the launch conductor’s countdown activities without NASA TV launch commentary, will be carried on 321-867-7135.

On launch day, a “clean feed” of the launch without NASA TV commentary will be carried on the NASA TV media channel. Launch also will be available on local amateur VHF radio frequency 146.940 MHz and UHF radio frequency 444.925 MHz, heard within Brevard County on Florida’s Space Coast.

For more information, visit:

https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/ <https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/>

NASA’s Mars 2020 press kit:

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press_kits/mars_2020/launch/ <https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press_kits/mars_2020/launch/>