Celebrating contributions by women to space exploration … A spotlight on the leading role of women in our Artemis program … And views from the space station of Hurricane Dorian … a few of the stories to tell you about – This Week at NASA!

Recognizing Women’s Contributions to Space Exploration

In celebration of Women’s Equality Day on Aug. 26, we recognized the contributions of women to space exploration. For our Christina Koch, it also marked her 164th day in space and the midway point of what is expected to be a record-setting stay onboard the International Space Station, by the time she returns to Earth in February 2020. Aug. 26 was also the 101st birthday of legendary NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson who, along with many other human computers, performed critical calculations that helped our nation’s space program get off the ground.

NASA Celebration of Women Leaders

Our Administrator Jim Bridenstine participated in a Women’s Equality Day event during a visit to our Ames Research Center in California. It was an opportunity to highlight women leaders and to discuss our Artemis program, which will put the first woman on the Moon within the next five years. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo (Eh-shoe) and others also attended the event. The administrator also toured the nearby facilities of NASA partner Made in Space, a company that has developed 3D printers used onboard the International Space Station, and is also developing technologies that could support our Moon to Mars exploration effort.

Space Station Cameras Capture Views of Hurricane Dorian

Cameras outside the International Space Station captured views of Hurricane Dorian on the afternoon of Aug. 29 as it churned over the Atlantic Ocean north of Puerto Rico. At the time the storm was moving northwest at about 13 miles an hour and was predicted by the National Hurricane Center to approach the east coast of Florida around Labor Day, as a possible category 4 hurricane.

Spacecraft Maneuverings at the International Space Station

A busy week of spacecraft maneuverings at the International Space Station. Just before midnight EDT on Aug. 25, three station crew members – including our Andrew Morgan relocated a Soyuz spacecraft from one docking port to another. The vacated port was then used the following day for the successful docking of an uncrewed Soyuz on its second attempt to dock to the station. It arrived with 1,450 pounds of cargo for the station crew.

US Cargo Ship Departs Space Station

Also on the move – a SpaceX Dragon resupply spacecraft left the space station on Aug. 27 for its return to Earth. The Dragon, which arrived at the station about a month earlier, safely splashed down off the coast of Long Beach, California with almost 2,700 pounds of valuable scientific experiments and other cargo.

NASA Invites Students to Name the Next Mars Rover

We are recruiting help from students around the country to come up with a name for our next Mars rover mission. The Mars 2020 Name the Rover essay contest is open to entries from K-12 students in U.S. public, private and home schools – with one grand prize receiving an invitation to see the mission launch in July 2020 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. For complete contest and prize details, visit: go.nasa.gov/name2020.

That’s what’s up this week @NASA …