First Mission into the Sun’s Atmosphere

The first mission designed to fly directly into the sun’s atmosphere – Solar Probe Plus has been renamed the Parker Solar Probe, in honor of University of Chicago physicist, Eugene Parker. Parker is best known for developing the concept of solar wind, which is the stream of electrically charged particles emitted by the sun. This is the first time a NASA spacecraft has been named after a living person. Targeted for launch in 2018, the mission will help answer questions about the physics of how stars work.

Webb Space Telescope Showcased at JSC

Our James Webb Space Telescope was showcased during a May 31 event at Johnson Space Center. Starting in late June, humanity’s next great observatory will undergo vacuum testing at Johnson – which can simulate the extremely cold conditions of deep space. The powerful new telescope will launch in 2018 on its mission to study every phase in the history of our universe.

Space Station Crew Safely Returns to Earth

The International Space Station’s Expedition 51 crew returned to Earth June 2 – touching down safely in Kazakhstan. Soyuz Commander Oleg Novitskiy of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Flight Engineer Thomas Pesquet of ESA (European Space Agency) spent 196 days in space. Two of our astronauts, Peggy Whitson and Jack Fischer, are among the crew still onboard the station conducting research and operational work.

Centennial of JFK’s Birth

John F. Kennedy-1962 Speech at Rice University:
“We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”

May 29 marked what would have been President John F. Kennedy’s 100th birthday. His 1962 challenge to safely send humans to the moon and back within the decade, was an important milestone that has led to many historic accomplishments by our space program.

And that’s what’s up this week @NASA …