Oct 20 2010
From The Space Library
RELEASE: 10-259
NASA AWARDS CONTRACTS FOR INNOVATIVE LUNAR DEMONSTRATIONS DATA
WASHINGTON -- NASA has awarded Innovative Lunar Demonstrations Data (ILDD) contracts to six companies for the purchase of technical data resulting from industry efforts to develop vehicle capabilities and demonstrate end-to-end robotic lunar landing missions. The data from these contracts will inform the development of future human and robotic lander vehicles and exploration systems. The ILDD Broad Agency Announcement resulted in multiple award firm-fixed price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts with a total value of up to $30.1 million over a period of up to five years. For each selected contractor, the minimum government purchase is $10,000, and the maximum government purchase is $10.01 million. The contracts were awarded to: Astrobotic Technology Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa. The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc., Cambridge, Mass. Dynetics Inc., Huntsville, Ala. Earthrise Space Inc., Orlando, Fla. Moon Express Inc., San Francisco Team FREDNET, The Open Space Society, Inc., Huntsville, Ala. The ILDD contracts provide for issuance of delivery orders that will specify data associated with system testing and integration, launch, in-space maneuvers, braking burns, lunar landing and other enhanced capabilities. Knowledge acquired from this data will be applied to the development of lander systems necessary to execute human and robotic missions to the moon, near-Earth asteroids or other solar system destinations. They will contribute to NASA's efforts to enable affordable and sustainable space exploration. Awarded contracts will be managed by the Lunar Lander Project Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
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RELEASE: 10-235
NASA AND UNIVISION COLLABORATE TO ENGAGE HISPANIC STUDENTS
WASHINGTON -- NASA and Univision Communications Inc. are teaming up to launch an on-air and online initiative to help engage Hispanic students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. NASA is committed to preparing the next generation of scientists, engineers and technologists. Univision, a leading Spanish-language media company with television, radio, online and interactive assets focused on improving graduation rates and preparing Hispanic students for college. Beginning Saturday, Oct. 2, Univision will air a series of Spanish-language educational video segments produced by NASA and titled NASA and You (NASA y Tu). Featuring Hispanic employees from NASA as role models, the 30-second videos will present new perspectives on education and STEM careers. Among many featured NASA staff members are astronaut Jose Hernandez, who talks about his life and how he became an astronaut, and Margaret Dominguez, an optics engineer, who talks about the engineering challenges of putting a mirror as large as a tennis court in small spacecraft. "NASA's challenging missions offer a unique opportunity to inspire excellence in students of every age, said NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver. This collaboration will combine NASA's unique STEM educational content with Univision's communications platforms to reach Hispanic youth and encourage them to pursue STEM-related careers. The segments will air on Saturday mornings on the Univision children's block Planeta U. They are part of the company's comprehensive, multi-platform, three-year national education initiative called Es El Momento (The Moment is Now). Through Es El Momento, Univision is working to improve academic achievement among kindergarten through 12th grade Hispanic students. It is focused specifically on increasing high school graduation rates, college readiness and completion while engaging Hispanic parents and the broader Hispanic community in these efforts.
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RELEASE: 10-088
NASA HOSTS LAUNCH AND MISSION TWEETUPS FOR NEXT SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION
WASHINGTON -- During the next space shuttle mission, NASA will host two Tweetups to give the public an insider's look at the nation's space program. For a second time, NASA Twitter followers are invited to view a shuttle launch in person at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA is hosting the special Tweetup May 13-14. Shuttle Atlantis is targeted to launch at 2:19 p.m. EDT, May 14 on its STS-132 mission to the International Space Station. Once the mission has launched, NASA will host an additional Tweetup at the agency's Johnson Space Center in Houston that will provide a different perspective of mission operations. This also will be the second mission Tweetup at Johnson. "We're inviting the public to share in the excitement of human spaceflight during one of the last three scheduled space shuttle missions, said Stephanie Schierholz, social media manager at NASA Headquarters in Washington. NASA is providing this behind-the-scenes access to give our Twitter followers an understanding and appreciation of all the work that goes into a successful shuttle launch and mission. For the launch Tweetup May 13-14, NASA will randomly select 150 people from those who sign up on the Web. Registration opens at 10 a.m. on Monday, April 19, and closes at 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 20. To sign up and
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