NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley invites members of the media on Monday, March 11 to a behind-the-scenes glimpse into some of the NASA facilities that are working to return humans to the Moon, and eventually to Mars. This tour highlights the future of human space exploration, and brings reporters into facilities and labs that have been instrumental to the agency and partners since the Apollo era.

 

This is an opportunity for media in television, radio, print and digital to see the facilities and experts we have on hand to support coverage of NASA’s “forward to the Moon” activities as well as this year’s celebration of the 50thanniversary of the Apollo 11 landing. We are offering two (2) options:

 

Broadcasters are invited to attend a tour from 10 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Attendees will learn about:

 

  • NASA’s Arc Jet Facility – this unique facility tests and helps to make sure that all spacecraft can safely reenter Earth’s atmosphere as well other planet’s
  • The Vertical Gun Range – built in the 1960s to support the Apollo mission, the range helped researchers understand what the surface of the Moon was like and if it would even be possible to land a spacecraft there. The range continues its lunar research by supporting NASA’s commercial partners as we return to the Moon
  • BioSentinel Lab – this mission will carry a life science experiment beyond the Moon to conduct the first study of biological response to space radiation outside low-Earth orbit in over 40 years

 

Print and digital media are invited to attend a tour from 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Attendees will learn about:

 

  • BioSentinel Lab – this mission will carry a life science experiment beyond the Moon to conduct the first study of biological response to space radiation outside low-Earth orbit in over 40 years
  • Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel – dating back to the Apollo era, this wind tunnel is now studying the performance of the world’s largest rocket, NASA’s Space Launch System, which will carry humans into deep space on the Orion capsule
  • Lunar Mission Planning and Operations Lab – this lab examines the challenges of remotely operating a robotic rover on the Moon’s surface
  • Engineering Evaluation Laboratory – this laboratory hosts the near-IR volatile spectrometer system (NIRVSS) instrument that is designed to survey the mineralogy and hydration of lunar surfaces

 

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine will address the agency’s workforce at 10 a.m. PDT from NASA’s Kennedy Space Flight Center in Florida. His remarks will air live on NASA Television and the agency’s website. An opportunity for media to view the speech at Ames before the media tour will also be provided as well.

 

Broadcast media who are interested in participating should RSVP by contacting Darryl.e.waller@nasa.gov. Print and digital media who are interested in participating should RSVP by contacting Alison.hawkes@nasa.gov. Media should contact either by 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 10.

 

NASA is going to the Moon and on to Mars, in a measured, sustainable way. The direction from Space Policy Directive-1 builds on the hard work NASA is doing on its SLS and Orion spacecraft, agency efforts to enable commercial partners, its work with international partners at the International Space Station in low-Earth orbit, and what NASA learns from its current robotic missions at the Moon and Mars. 

 

Learn more at:

 

https://www.nasa.gov/moontomars