33rd Space Symposium Sparks Conversations for Exploration, Partnership, and JSC's Future

The 33rd Space Symposium concluded on April 19 in Colorado Springs. This premiere annual conference for the aerospace industry brought together everyone from the military to NASA and international and private partners. JSC and the Exploration Integration and Science Directorate (EISD) were well represented at the event, with EISD Director Vanessa Wyche and Chief of Mission Planning Office Joe Carem attending. Wyche notes, “One vendor highlighted that over $270 billion was invested in commercial space for Fiscal Year 2015, and that serves as an excellent reminder that part of our mission is to advance commercialization. For EISD that number means we can address some of Vanessa Wyche and Joe Carem pose with our objectives with help from outside partners.” Blue Origin capsule simulator and rocket

Wyche adds, “There are so many opportunities to reach out beyond our gates to further exploration through partnerships. When you see a thousand companies there all looking to invest in space, you start to imagine all the possibilities. New connections we made this year included an industry partner interested in helping with NEEMO funding and a company that wants to set up a STEM leadership academy to connect our scientists and experts with students to leverage our volunteer and outreach a little differently, giving students a chance to earn college scholarship money as they learn about STEM.” NASA interactive exhibit shows attendee what she would look like as

NASA presentations included Robert Lightfoot’s participation on a panel with other government leadership, all reaffirming NASA’s commitment to the Journey to Mars and cislunar vicinity plans, and our partners’ continued support. “Mexico’s contributions to the discussion were very interesting. As an emerging organization, they’re still looking for a place to fit, and there is ample opportunity for partnership that I am sure JSC will have the chance to work in future.” Other topics of discussion from Lightfoot included NASA’s new Authorization Act and overall goals for going beyond LEO, including plans for a deep space gateway. Poster presented by Bill Gerstenmaier discusses four phased plan through 2030s for Mars exploration.

“For the Center Director’s Panel,” Wyche adds “Dr. Ochoa talked about shifting our focus from being exclusively ops to exploration too. Specifically, she discussed our readiness to support Orion, SLS, and deep space missions. Gerstenmier’s presentation reiterated, focusing in on the deep space gateway and Mars transport vehicle.”

NASA center director’s panel gives the latest news from each center

A Model for Partnerships: NEEMO 21 Integrates the Expertise of EISD, Other Centers, and Academic Partners to Prepare for the Journey to Mars

NEEMO 21 wrapped up on August 5, 2016 after a successful 16 day mission. A crew of 8, with a crew rotation mid-way through, provided lessons and new knowledge for everything from International Space Station operations to future deep space mission planning.

Exploration Mission Planning (XM), which hosts and plans each NEEMO mission, worked closely with the Extra Vehicular Activity Office (XX) and Astromaterials pose in front of Aqua Research and Exploration Science (ARES, XI). Base L to R: - Reid Wiseman, Dawn Kernagis, Noel Du Toit, Matthias Maurer, Marc O Griofa, Megan McArthur

EVAs studied operations concepts for planetary environments, sample selection methodologies, and delayed exchanges between the crew and a science team in MCC to replicate the delay with Mars.

Data from NEEMO 21’s EVAs has been used to update operations concepts for ISS and allow EVA to fill in large risk and gap matrices. Partnership with marine researchers ensured EVAs were driven by real, in-situ science analogous to the planetary science we will one day

conduct on Mars. Experts from Ames, Kennedy, JPL, and Goddard also participated in the mission, strengthening Reed Wiseman collects a sample of coral XM’s expertise as an integrator and mission planner. from existing reef

“NEEMO gives crew offices globally the chance to train rookies prior to their first flight and give potential commanders a first command experience,” says NEEMO Mission Director Marc Reagan. In addition to this partnership service, XM and EISD work with marine biologists at the Florida International University to collect coral samples during NEEMO EVAs.

NEEMO 21 Aquanaut group poses with hands all in to celebrate their teamwork L to R: Reid Wiseman, Dawn Kernagis, Noel Du Toit, Matthias Maurer, Marc O Griofa, and Megan McArthur

Advancing Space Exploration at the Bottom of the Ocean: New Technology Tests on NEEMO 21 Enhance Capabilities for ISS and Deep Space missions

Within , NEEMO 21 improved future ISS experiment procedures and validated hardware and software for flight readiness. NASA’s new MinION mini-DNA sequencer was used on NEEMO 21 and is now aboard ISS, where it has been used to test lab sample bacteria and will soon be used to test surfaces for ambient bacterial colonies. This technology will provide on deep space missions with a tool for Aquanaut tests out the mini DNA sequencer, which is diagnoses, and is also promising for microbiome only as large as a remote control. experiments.

The MED 2.0 resistive exercise devise was also tested. Says NEEMO Mission Director Marc Reagan, “An earlier iteration of the device had been used on a past NEEMO mission, and this latest version is really small and potentially suitable for the Orion capsule. It’s on board ISS now, and the crew procedures are significantly improved thanks to the use and crew feedback received on NEEMO 21.”

Reagan adds, “NEEMO represents a resource for directorates like Engineering and Health and Human Performance. It provides a testbed for 1E Flight Hardware, and can help accelerate its development for spaceflight.”

Megan McArthur tests out the MED 2.0

The NEEMO team represents one of the world’s greatest resources for analog research. Of his team Regan adds, “We do such diverse work. Part operations, mission design, and science, part integration across our directorate and other groups. It’s a pleasure to be part of this A- team of leaders and to know that management on up to Vanessa Wyche is right behind us, keeping up with what we’re doing, cheering us on, and advocating for us.”

The NEEMO 21 Team poses aboard the George F. Bond at Aquarius Reef Base

Bringing Home a Piece of Space: The Antarctic Meteorite Collection’s Latest Additions

When 219 new Antarctic meteorite samples returned to JSC’s Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES) Office (XI) in late March from the 2016-2017 ANSMET Expedition, Planetary Scientist and Antarctic Meteorite Curator Kevin Righter was ecstatic.

“Every year, we get these new samples and there’s so much excitement about their potential scientific value. It’s rather like opening a present. In June we’ll be wrapping up with our current lab requests to send out samples to our academic and interagency partners, and then we’ll be taking a look at these new samples,” he says. Scientist on snowmobile closes in on lone meteorite in snow The US Antarctic Meteorite Collection, numbering nearly 22,300 samples, contains material from the asteroid belt, the Moon, and Mars. Ongoing collection expeditions may soon provide samples from Mercury, Venus, or other bodies such as Jupiter’s moon Io.

Collected from a region called Elephant Moraine (some 160 miles northwest of McMurdo Station in Victoria Land) between early December 2016 and late January 2017 by a team of academic and government scientists, the new samples allow JSC a close look into deep space as we prepare for the Journey to Mars, helping the Exploration Integration and Science Directorate better plan research needs for future missions. Two scientists collect and bag up meteorite for transport to JSC “The kind of material that’s delivered to Earth at any given point in geologic history changes over time because of the physics and dynamics of orbital resonances. These resonances push materials around the solar system and cause a change in what materials impact with Earth over millions of years. So the questions are - What’s the actual diversity out in the asteroid belt? What can we expect to find when we get there? What could we expect to find on Mars? Collecting meteorite samples provides answers to these questions and removes some guesswork, and achieving this is pretty inexpensive. This helps us inform EISD activities when we plan missions – either human or robotic. It’s great to see how our work can help direct the science goals of NASA’s missions, both ongoing and in the future,” Righter notes. Scientists return to camp after collecting samples from Elephant Moraine Click here to read more about the Antarctic Meteorite Program.

48th LPSC: Astromaterials Research & Exploration Science (ARES) Shares Latest Research, Grows the Planetary Science Community, & Serves as a Resource for Exploration

“The Lunar Planetary Science Conference is the premiere planetary science event nationally and internationally” notes Dave Draper, ARES Manager and LPSC Program Committee Co-Chair. Over 1800 scientists and students from around the world attended the 48th LPSC between March 20 and 24th, held at the Woodlands Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. “It dates back to Apollo days, and NASA presentations have made up an important chunk of the total presentations. This year we delivered over 120 presentations,” Draper adds, “NASA is well represented Three members of the ARES team, with support from within the conference’s planning committee. In addition to Jacobs, stand ready to answer questions at JSC’s main booth. myself, JSC Chief Scientist Eileen Stansbery is a co- convener for the event.”

This year, NASA discussed everything from Mars Rover findings to results of detailed studies of astromaterials to topics in advanced curation, and our subject matter experts made use of the networking opportunities provided by the conference to strengthen ties with existing research partners and generate new interest in research partnerships with JSC’s ARES team. “The conference is also unique in that we leverage the first full day’s excitement to pair new JSC Chief Scientist - Dr. Eileen Stansbery – Presents at scientists and students with existing experts, allowing the opening ceremonies newcomers to shadow our scientists for a day to scope out what interests them at the conference, have a chance for mentorship, and really grow to be a part of the community.”

Speaking to the larger work of the ARES team, Draper notes, “We take a lot of pride in the work that we do. It helps direct where we should be looking and what we should be doing in

terms of technology development here at JSC. So for EISD we represent a real resource for looking forward. And we also serve as a critical source for academic interests worldwide.” JSC is leading human space exploration on a journey to Mars, and it’s the ARES team that helps us know what we’ll find Two attendees answer student’s questions at LPSC. The conference gives aspiring planetary scientists a chance to when we get there. connect with experts and grow with their community. Photo Credits: LPSC Photos Courtesy of Lunar Planetary Science Institute

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