Vice President Kamala Harris Calls NASA Astronauts in Space

 

‌  ‌  ‌ Vice President Kamala Harris Calls NASA Astronauts Shannon Walker and Kate Rubins Vice President Kamala Harris placed a special phone call to NASA astronauts Shannon Walker and Kate Rubins aboard the International Space Station to find out what it's like to do science in space. Throughout March, we’re celebrating and paying tribute to the many women who have played an essential role in shaping the history of the agency. Dr. Shannon Walker is currently serving as mission specialist on the on the Crew-1 SpaceX Crew Dragon, named Resilience, which launched Nov. 15, 2020. Walker is also the flight engineer for Expedition 64. In 2021, she served as Flight Engineer for Expedition 24/25, a long-duration mission aboard the International Space Station that lasted 163 days. Dr. Kate Rubins is currently serving aboard the space station for a six-month mission as a flight engineer for the Expedition 63/64 crew. Rubins completed her first spaceflight on Expedition 48/49 in 2016, when she became the first person to sequence DNA in space. She spent 115 days in space and conducted two spacewalks. Celebrate Women at NASA This Week in Space Meet NISAR – Earth observations will be taken to new heights with the development of this satellite, a joint mission between our Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Indian Space Research Organisation. Goals for the NISAR mission include spotting potential natural hazards and monitoring rising sea levels. Learn About the Earth Satellite Supersonic Flight – Could loud sonic booms be reduced to quiet thumps? New innovative technology on our X-59 supersonic aircraft aims to do just that. Before it can take flight, we will need to validate the X-plane’s acoustic signature, using a ground recording system. Explore NASA Climate Science Preparing for First Flight – Our Ingenuity Mars Helicopter has to meet a series of milestones before taking its first flight on the Red Planet, targeted for April 8. In a tribute to the first powered, controlled flight on Earth, the helicopter carries a small piece of the Wright Brothers' original Flyer aircraft.  How We're Preparing for the Test Solar Power on the Moon – We're working with industry on vertical solar arrays for Artemis missions on the Moon's surface. Five companies will advance preliminary technology design that could provide a reliable, sustainable power source for habitats, rovers, and even construction systems.  Meet the Five Companies Small Business Boost – Small businesses are vital to our mission, helping expand humanity’s presence in space and improve life on Earth. We’ve selected 365 U.S. small business proposals for initial funding to advance cutting-edge technology, a total investment of more than $45 million.  More about the Selections People Profile Meet Donya Douglas-Bradshaw – As project manager for the upcoming Lucy mission at our Goddard Space Flight Center, Douglas-Bradshaw manages the team that will send the first mission to the Trojan asteroids. “When I lead teams and manage projects, I always take the temperature of the entire project and make sure that everyone’s voice is being heard. I want to make sure that I foster an environment of inclusion, equity, and opportunities for everyone.”  Learn About NASA Careers Image Spotlight Engineers began a series of water impact drop tests at our Langley Research Center with a test version of the Orion spacecraft capsule. The data will help us better understand what Orion and its crew may experience when landing in the Pacific Ocean after Artemis missions to the Moon.   Image credit: NASA Explore NASA A Weekly Bit of Space in Your Inbox  ‌  ‌  ‌  ‌  ‌ Invite Friends to Subscribe NASA | 300 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20546