I was selected to a NASA Social Program which consisted of a one day trip and tour of Goddard in Maryland in celebration of the launch of Orian at Cape Canaveral. Before I went I made a Pinterest quiz for the visit, because that's my most popular social media platform: https://www.pinterest.com/mhlangsa/nasa/
QUIZ QUESTION 1: Where will the #Orion test flight be launching from? Answer: http://www.universetoday.com/116785/cool-nasa-animation-beautifully-details-every-step-of-orions-first-launch/
QUIZ QUESTION 2: When #Orion returns to earth how fast will it be traveling? Answer: http://www.space.com/26015-nasa-space-launch-system-orion-capsule.html
QUIZ QUESTION 3: When #Orion returns to earth it will reach what temperatures will it reach? Answer: http://www.space.com/26015-nasa-space-launch-system-orion-capsule.html
QUIZ QUESTION 4: What year in the future will crewed missions take place on#Orion? Answer: http://www.space.com/27824-orion-spacecraft.html
QUIZ QUESTION 5: How many people will ultimately be able to board #Orion? Answer: http://www.foxnews.com/science/2014/10/30/nasas-orion-spacecraft-could-make-interstellar-reality/
QUIZ QUESTION 6: What body of water will #Orion land in when it returns to Earth? Answer: http://www.nasa.gov/content/third-round-of-orion-underway-recovery-tests-help-teams-prepare-for-december-flight/#.VHtnAUuw8wI
QUIZ QUESTION 7: How many parachutes in total are needed to make sure#Orion lands in the ocean safely? Answer: http://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/october/nasa-premieres-trial-by-fire-video-on-orion-s-flight-test/#.VHthiUuw8wI
QUIZ QUESTION 8: What is the highest altitude (or how far into space will) the#Orion test flight will go? Answer: It’s 15X further than the International Space Station. http://www.space.com/27833-nasa-orion-capsule-first-test-flight-infographic.html
QUIZ QUESTION 9: Over how many hours will #Orion's test flight occur? Answer: http://www.space.com/27879-orion-space-capsule-test-webcast.html
QUIZ QUESTION 10: How many years has it been since humans went into deep space? Answer: http://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/nasa-orion-spacecraft-prepped-for-december-4-trial-by-fire/40939/
NASA — Goddard Trip
Sounding rockets are research tools used for direct atmospheric measurements and for a variety of experiments in space science. Every year NASA launches about 50 of them.
Here we were in a video broadcast connecting all of the NASA Social events around the country that day.
Networks Integration Center. Displays are configured for ground and tracking and data relay satellite, TDRS communications for the Orion EFT-1.
The Astrobiology Analytical Laboratory where we had a discussion about the research into meteorites, other extraterrestrial samples and analogs as well as NASA's work in support of missions such as twitter.com/OSIRISREx asteroid sample return.
"This is the oldest thing you will ever hold." Said Jamie Elsila Cook, an astrochemistry research scientist. She estimated this meteorite was approximately 4 billion years old.
The High Bay Cleanroom is the world's largest publicly known ISO 7 cleanroom with 1.3 million cubic feet of space. At the time was where the pathfinder components of the James Webb Space Telescope were being assembled.
Janet Thomas, an environmental testing engineer, showed us the satellite Testing and Integration Facility. We got an overview of vibration, acoustics, the thermal vacuum chamber & high-capacity centrifuge, which can generate 30 G on up to a 2.5 tons load.
Aside from removing all but the smallest trace of air, Goddard's Thermal Vacuum Chamber can chill a payload down to minus 310 F, or heat it to a sizzling 302 F.
You know, I'm a sucker for a logo/badge.
Was a great trip and such a fun day. See more photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/7911394@N04/albums/72157649529328420