NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and Associate Administrator for Space Technology Michael Gazarik will visit the agency’s Glenn Research Center’s Plum Brook Station on Wednesday, March 12, to see an advanced solar array system being tested at the facility.
Bolden, Gazarik, Glenn Director Jim Free and executives of ATK, the California company that built the array, will tour the Plum Brook test facility and hear the latest about how advanced solar array and solar electric propulsion systems will enable NASA’s asteroid initiative, journeys to Mars and beyond. Members of the local Ohio Congressional delegation have also been invited to the tour.
The testing of the ATK array marks a major milestone toward development of a new solar electric power system that will generate the high power needed for extending human presence throughout the solar system.
Reporters are invited to participate in the 3:30 p.m. tour and a media availability at about 5 p.m. Journalists interested in attending should contact Katherine Martin at 216-433-2406 or the Glenn Media Relations Office at 216-433-2901 by 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 11.
NASA selected ATK and Deployable Space Systems (DSS), both of Goleta, Calif., in 2012 to develop advanced solar systems to support advanced solar electric propulsion. DSS expects to test its system later this year. After testing, both companies may compete for NASA funding to test their arrays in the harsh environment of space.
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