State of NASA: How Cool Is That?

State of NASA: How Cool Is That?

On Feb. 12, NASA centers across the country hosted “State of NASA” events, following President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2019 budget proposal delivery to the U.S. Congress. The events included an address, by acting NASA Administrator Robert Lightfoot, to the agency’s workforce, from NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, in Huntsville, Alabama. During his speech, Lightfoot highlighted how the budget would help the agency achieve its goals for space exploration.😀

The Moon is simply one step on our truly ambitious and long-term journey to reach out further into the solar system😀

On February 12, 2018, NASA Acting Administrator Robert Lightfoot gave a state of NASA address at Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama.😀

We have one mission success after another, and keep moving toward the next challenges, together.😀

And, because of that I say the State of NASA is strong😀

The Speech highlighted priorities of the President's Fiscal Year 2019 Budget proposal.😀

Our investments in technology lay that groundwork that we need for future human and robotic missions.😀

We're going to invest in a lot of things, from habitat systems to in-space propulsion to entry, descent and landing.😀

The technologies that we're going to need to continue to press humans forward.😀

but the technologies will be focused around exploration.😀

The proposal forecasts lunar activities, including robotic surface missions😀

and an in-space infrastructure, called the Lunar Orbital Platform Gateway.😀

This will give us a strategic presence in that lunnar vicinity😀

and it will drive our activity with commercial and international partners😀

and help us further explore the Moon and its resources.😀

The Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft are critical backbone elements of that future in deep space.😀

He also highlighted the transition of the Space Station to industry.😀

While we head to the Moon and ultimately to Mars, we need to be able to look back into Low-Earth orbit😀

and see a vibrant economy, an economy that we've created

and we've spurred with things like the International Space Station😀

NASA centers opened their doors to social media followers and news mediea.😀

The State of NASA tours showcased how the centers work towards a common goal of exploration.😀

What we do is generational and aspirational.😀

It makes us reach higher than we thought we ever could.😀

It makes us push the limits of our knowledge and ignore those sometimes false boundaries between possible and impossible.😀

For all of that, what do we get in return?

How Cool Is That?😀