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Eleasa Kim: Supporting NASA’s Commercial Low-Earth Orbit Development Program
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By NASA
This article is for students grades 5-8.
Artemis is NASA’s new lunar exploration program, which includes sending the first woman and first person of color on the Moon. Through the Artemis missions, NASA will use new technology to study the Moon in new and better ways, and prepare for human missions to Mars.
Why Is This Program Called Artemis?
The first missions to take astronauts to the Moon were called the Apollo Program. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy challenged the nation to land astronauts on the Moon by the end of the decade. NASA met that challenge with the Apollo program, landing the first man on the Moon on July 20, 1969. That program was named after a god of Greek mythology, Apollo.
Artemis was Apollo’s twin sister and the goddess of the Moon in Greek mythology. When they land, Artemis astronauts will stand where no human has ever stood: the Moon’s South Pole.
What Spacecraft Will Be Used for the Artemis Program?
NASA’s new rocket is the Space Launch System (SLS). It is the most powerful rocket ever in the world. SLS will carry the Orion spacecraft with up to four astronauts riding aboard to lunar orbit. Then, astronauts will dock Orion at a small spaceship called the Gateway. This is where astronauts will prepare for missions to the Moon and beyond. The crew will take trips from the Gateway to the lunar surface in a new human landing system, and then return to the Gateway. When their work is finished, the crew will return to Earth aboard Orion.
When Will Artemis Go to the Moon?
Before Apollo put the first human on the Moon, the first Apollo missions launched to test the rocket and equipment. Before Artemis carries a crew to the Moon, NASA will test the rocket and spacecraft in flight then send a crew for a test flight:
Artemis 1 will be a test flight of the SLS rocket with the Orion spacecraft with no crew. Artemis 2 will fly SLS and Orion with a crew past the Moon, then circle it and return to Earth. This trip will be the farthest any human has gone into space. Artemis 3 will send a crew with the first woman and the next man to land on the Moon. What Will Artemis Astronauts Do on the Moon?
The Artemis 3 crew will visit the Moon’s South Pole. No one has ever been there. At the Moon, astronauts will:
Search for the Moon’s water and use it. Study the Moon to discover its mysteries. Learn how to live and work on the surface of another celestial body where astronauts are just three days from home. Test the technologies we need before sending astronauts on missions to Mars, which can take up to three years roundtrip. Artemis will light our way to Mars. The new Artemis identity draws bold inspiration from the Apollo program and forges its own path, showing how it will pursue lunar exploration like never before and pave the way to Mars. Why Is the Artemis Program Important?
The Moon is a good place to learn new science. When astronauts study new places on the lunar surface, NASA will learn more about the Moon, Earth and even the Sun. The Moon is a “test bed” for Mars. A test bed is a place to prove that a technology or idea will work. The Moon is a place to demonstrate that astronauts will one day be able to work away from Earth on Mars for long periods of time.
The first missions to the Moon required NASA to develop new technology. Many of those technologies have been made into items people use on Earth in their everyday lives. NASA is working with businesses and companies to create new technology for Artemis missions. Making new technology helps businesses grow and create more jobs on Earth. Other nations will work with NASA as partners. Just as partners work together on the International Space Station, they will work on Artemis to bring the world together for a mission to Earth’s nearest neighbor in space.
More About Artemis
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Read What Is the Artemis Program? (Grades K-4)
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By NASA
This article is for students grades K-4.
Artemis is a new NASA program to explore the Moon. These missions will land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon. With the Artemis program, NASA will study the Moon in new and better ways.
Why Is This Program Called Artemis?
The first astronauts landed on the Moon in 1969. The missions were called Apollo. The name Apollo came from stories told by Greek people long ago. In the stories, Apollo was a god.
Apollo had a twin sister. Her name was Artemis. She was the goddess of the Moon in the Greek stories. The first crew will land on the Moon’s South Pole.
What Spacecraft Will Be Used for the Artemis Program?
NASA has a new rocket. It is the Space Launch System. It is called SLS for short. It is the most powerful rocket in the world. SLS will carry the Orion spacecraft on top. Orion can carry up to four astronauts. Orion will fly around, or orbit, the Moon. A spaceship will be orbiting the Moon like the Moon orbits Earth. The spaceship will be called the Gateway. Orion will connect to the Gateway. Astronauts will go from Orion to the Gateway. This is where astronauts will live as they orbit the Moon. The crew will take trips in spacecraft called landers to get to work on the surface of the Moon. Then they will return to Gateway. When all of their work is finished, the crew will return to Earth aboard Orion.
When Will Artemis Go to the Moon?
The first Apollo missions were tests. NASA launched the rocket to be sure it was safe for people and work as planned. Artemis will be tested first, too:
Artemis 1 will launch SLS and Orion with no astronauts. Artemis 2 will have a crew. They will circle past the Moon and return to Earth. Artemis 3 will send a crew with the first woman and the next man to land on the Moon. What Will Artemis Astronauts Do on the Moon?
The Artemis 3 crew will visit the Moon’s South Pole. No one has ever been there. At the Moon, astronauts will:
Search for the Moon’s water and use it. Study the Moon to discover its mysteries. Learn how to live and work on a different planet or moon from Earth. Test the new tools NASA will need before sending astronauts on missions to Mars. A mission to Mars will take up to three years from Earth and back. Why Is the Artemis Program Important?
The Moon is a good place to learn new science. NASA will learn more about the Moon, Earth and even the Sun. The Moon is also a place to learn how astronauts can one day live and work on Mars.
The Artemis missions will need new tools. Many companies will make these new tools that NASA will use. This will mean new jobs and new businesses that are good for people and companies on Earth. Other countries will be NASA’s partners for the new Moon missions. They will work on Artemis to bring the world together for a mission to Earth’s nearest neighbor in space.
More About Artemis
Puzzle Book
Pencil and Paper Puzzles: Orion Activities and Coloring Sheets For Kids
Space Launch System Coloring Book (PDF)
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Read What Is the Artemis Program? (Grades 5-8)
Explore More For Students Grades K-4 View the full article
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By NASA
2 Min Read NSSC Small Business Program
The NSSC Small Business Office is responsible for providing outreach and liaison support to industry (both large and small businesses) and other members of the private sector. These activities are accomplished through a combination of individual counseling sessions, dissemination of information on upcoming NSSC procurement opportunities, and participation in local small business outreach events. The NSSC small business specialist also serves as the primary advisor to the NSSC acquisition community on all matters related to small business.
The Vision of the NSSC Small Business Office is to promote and integrate all small businesses into the competitive base of contactors that pioneer the future of space exploration, scientific discovery, and aeronautics research.
The Mission of the NSSC Small Business Office is to:
Advise the NSSC acquisition community on all matters related to small business Promote the development and management of NASA programs that assists all categories of small business Develop small businesses in high-tech areas that includes technology transfer and commercialization of technology Provide small business maximum practicable opportunities to participate in NSSC prime contracts and subcontracts It is important to note the NSSC small business specialist:
Cannot assist contractors in the preparation of proposals Cannot in any way guarantee receipt of a contract award Serves as an advisor to the Contracting Officer who has final authority over contractual matters Is not involved in the personnel decisions of a contractor, including the hiring of new employees
The Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP) website will identify the following:
How to do Business with NASA
Business Development and Technology
Small Business Program
How to Partner with NASA
Outreach
Awards and Achievement
NSSC Small Business Goals
Small Business Resources
Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP)
NASA Vendor Database
Small Business Administration (SBA)
Small Business Marketing Guide
SBA Table of Small Business Size Standards
Acquisition Forecast
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By NASA
Denton Gibson, who began his career at Kennedy Space Center in Florida in 2004, has been named a launch director for NASA’s Launch Services Program.NASA NASA has named Denton Gibson launch director for the Launch Services Program at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Gibson fills a position made available with the recent retirement of former senior Launch Director Omar Baez. Denton will join senior Launch Director Tim Dunn in leading launch activities for NASA’s science and robotic missions. This team is responsible for planning, implementing, and directing launch campaigns for NASA-managed launch vehicle services.
“The Launch Services Program is looking forward to having Denton in his new role as launch director,” Amanda Mitskevich, program manager of the Launch Services Program said. “He has contributed his talents in several technical and programmatic areas for NASA and now his experience will culminate in leading the team that will be launching some of NASA’s most important and valuable missions. He’s going to be great at it!”
Gibson began his career at Kennedy with NASA’s Launch Services Program in 2004, most recently serving as a senior mission manager. His experience involved serving as the primary interface between the program and customers from other NASA centers, federal agencies, federally funded science organizations, as well as international partners.
Launch Services Program Launch Director Denton Gibson stands in front of the Psyche mission satellite, atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, at Kennedy Space Center in Florida in Oct. 2023. NASA “As a launch director, the responsibility for the entire mission falls to you when you give the final ‘go’ for launch,” Gibson said. “However, our meticulous preparations that begin years before the rocket is on the pad, and the amazing team we have, instill that confidence to say NASA is ready to launch.”
Previous roles with the program have helped prepare Gibson for his new responsibilities. As a senior vehicle systems engineer discipline expert, Gibson led the program’s engineering team and was responsible for oversight and insight of a mixed fleet of commercial rockets. He expanded his leadership skills and industry experience during a detail assignment in 2016 to the U.S. Senate’s Space, Science, and Competitiveness Subcommittee staff working on U.S. space policy.
Gibson earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from the University of Florida in Gainesville. He received a master’s in industrial engineering in 2006 from the University of Miami and a doctorate in systems engineering in 2019 from the University of Central Florida in Orlando.
“Denton has accumulated knowledge of launch operations from his years of working advanced planning through integration, systems analysis, and launch” Dunn said. “His ability to ensure the readiness of spacecraft and rockets, as well as handling unique mission challenges that pop up, make him ready to lead the team on launch day.”
Dunn and Gibson will be sharing the responsibilities for launching missions in 2024, including NASA’s PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud ocean Ecosystem); GOES-U, NOAA’s latest generation of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites; and NASA’s Europa Clipper, which will explore Jupiter’s icy moon and determine if it harbors conditions suitable for life. Gibson was born in Nassau, Bahamas, but considers Miami, Florida, where he grew up, to be his hometown.
When Denton is not planning, implementing, and directing launch campaigns he enjoys building cars, scuba diving, working out and spending time with his daughter Phenix. He also is a professional salsa dancer, instructor, and choreographer.
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By NASA
NASA astronaut and Expedition 65 Flight Engineer Megan McArthur works in the Microgravity Science Glovebox swapping samples for an experiment called Solidification Using a Baffle in Sealed Ampoules, or SUBSA. The physics investigation explores experimental methods of crystallizing melts in microgravity and is expected to result in reduced fluid motion in the melt, leading to better distribution of subcomponents and the potential for improved technology used in producing semiconductor crystals.NASA Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) in semiconductor and in-space manufacturing collaborated on a white paper that outlines how microgravity benefits the production of semiconductors and related materials. Earth’s gravitational forces pose substantial barriers to quick, high-yield semiconductor production. Microgravity offers a path to overcome these barriers. There are also substantial practical benefits to incorporating LEO-based manufacturing into the supply chain. The white paper argues that transitioning this industry into space is a path forward to achieving NASA’s In Space Production Applications’ (InSPA) goals. These goals include strengthening U.S. technological leadership, improving national security, creating high-quality jobs, providing benefits to humanity, and enabling the development of a robust economy in LEO.
The paper, “Semiconductor Manufacturing in Low Earth Orbit for Terrestrial Use” can be found here.
Additional information on NASA’s InSPA portfolio can be found at:
www.nasa.gov/inspa
Keep Exploring Discover More Topics
In Space Production Applications
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