Jul 7 2010
From The Space Library
RELEASE: 10-035
NASA INVITES PUBLIC TO TWEET THEIR WAY INTO SPACE NEXT WEEK
HOUSTON -- The Twitterverse and universe will converge during space shuttle Endeavour's upcoming mission to the International Space Station. NASA is inviting the public to send questions for the astronauts via Twitter and have them answered live from space. Astronaut Mike Massimino will be accepting questions for the crew from the public via his Twitter account until Thursday, Feb. 11. Massimino will be a shuttle Capcom, or spacecraft communicator, at NASA's Mission Control in Houston during Endeavour's flight, scheduled for launch Feb. 7. At 2:24 a.m. CST on Feb. 11, Massimino will host an interactive event with the crew from his console in Mission Control. He will ask the astronauts as many submitted and live questions as practical during the 20-minute event. The shuttle will be docked to the station during the live question and answer session. The event with Endeavour's crew will be broadcast live on the Web and NASA Television. The public is invited to start tweeting questions for Endeavour's crew today to Massimino's Twitter account, @astro_Mike, or add the hashtag #askastro to their tweets. Endeavour's 13-day STS-130 mission will include three spacewalks and the delivery of the Tranquility node, the final module of the U.S. portion of the station. Tranquility will provide additional room for crew members and many of the space station's life support and environmental control systems. Attached to Tranquility is a cupola, which houses a robotic control station and has seven windows. The windows will provide a panoramic view of Earth, celestial objects and visiting spacecraft. After the node and cupola are added, the orbiting laboratory will be approximately 90 percent complete. The time and day of the Twitter session are subject to change due to mission priorities. Updates to the NASA TV event schedule are available online at: http://www.nasa.gov/shuttletv For additional NASA TV streaming video, scheduling and downlink information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
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RELEASE: 10-150
PRESIDENT OBAMA PROPOSES ADDITIONAL FINANCING FOR GROWTH AND JOBS
WASHINGTON -- The president submitted to Congress on Friday, June 18, a fiscal year 2011 budget amendment that targets up to $100 million toward spurring regional economic growth and job creation in the aerospace industry. The amendment would provide up to $40 million in aid for Florida's Space Coast and a maximum of about $60 million for other affected regions. These funds specifically would be made available from the Constellation Program transition element of the agency's exploration request. The amendment does not increase the total of the administration's fiscal year 2011 budget request. The amendment was presented to support the administration's new course for human spaceflight, while revitalizing NASA and transitioning to new opportunities in the space industry and beyond. "We're very pleased the president has asked for additional support to help the communities and workers most deeply involved in our space program, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said. NASA's work force is incredibly talented and dedicated. This $100 million investment in our people is essential to spurring economic growth and job creation. The president established the Task Force on Space Industry Workforce and Economic Development on May 31. The task force is chaired by Bolden and Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke. It is charged with developing, in collaboration with local stakeholders, an interagency action plan to enhance economic development strategies and plans along the Space Coast and affected aerospace communities in other states. The task force team will report its recommendations to the president by Aug. 15. The administration launched a $40 million, multi-agency initiative in May for regional economic growth in Florida and to prepare space industry workers for future opportunities there. Task force activities will complement local and federal economic and work force-development efforts.
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