Mon, Nov 18, 2013
Spacecraft Scheduled For Launch Monday
As NASA prepares for next week's launch of the agency's next Mars-bound spacecraft, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN), actor LeVar Burton shares the excitement of the mission in a new NASA public service announcement (PSA). The video, containing newly edited NASA animations, will be used at events around the country and shared on the web and social media. The goal is to educate the public about MAVEN and NASA’s efforts to better understand the Red Planet and the history of climate change there.
Burton has been a lifelong advocate of education through his many STEM initiatives and participation in educational programming. He is also known worldwide as Geordi LeForge, chief engineer of the Starship Enterprise on "Star Trek: The Next Generation," as Kunta Kinte in the breakthrough mini-series "Roots" and beloved by generations of children as the host and producer of the "Reading Rainbow" television series.
"NASA is thrilled to have LeVar Burton explain this mission to the greater public," said Bert Ulrich, NASA's multimedia liaison for film and TV collaborations. "Thanks to Burton’s engaging talents and passion for space exploration, audiences of all ages will be able to share in the excitement of NASA’s next mission to Mars."
MAVEN is targeted to launch Monday, Nov. 18 at 1328 EST from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The spacecraft will take critical measurements of the Martian upper atmosphere to help scientists understand climate change over the Red Planet's history. MAVEN is the first spacecraft devoted to exploring and understanding the Martian upper atmosphere.
More News
Inversion to Launch Reentry Vehicle Demonstrator Aboard SpaceX Falcon 9 This fall, the aerospace startup Inversion is set to launch its Ray reentry demonstrator capsule aboard Spac>[...]
"We are excited to accelerate the adoption of electric aviation technology and further our journey towards a sustainable future. The agreement with magniX underscores our commitmen>[...]
"The journey to this achievement started nearly a decade ago when a freshly commissioned Gentry, driven by a fascination with new technologies and a desire to contribute significan>[...]
Aero Linx: OX5 Aviation Pioneers Each year a national reunion of OX5 Aviation Pioneers is hosted by one of the Wings in the organization. The reunions attract much attention as man>[...]
"Our driven and innovative team of military and civilian Airmen delivers combat power daily, ensuring our nation is ready today and tomorrow." Source: General Duke Richardson, AFMC>[...]