Aug 6 2018

From The Space Library

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Current revision

MEDIA ADVISORY M18-119 NASA Holds Media Teleconference on New Public-Private Space Tech Partnerships

NASA will host a media teleconference at 3 p.m. EDT Wednesday, Aug. 8, to announce new public-private partnerships that will develop commercial space capabilities and benefit future NASA exploration missions.

The selected U.S. companies are developing 10 “tipping point” technologies. For this solicitation, a technology is considered at a “tipping point” if an investment in a ground or flight demonstration will result in significantly maturing the technology and improves the company’s ability to bring it to market. The Technology Readiness Level (TRL) must also be at four or greater at the time of proposal submission.

Selections are based on the agency’s third competitive Tipping Point solicitation. The most recent solicitation targeted three Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) strategic technology focus areas, including: Expand Utilization of Space, Enable Efficient and Safe Transportation Into and Through Space, and Increase Access to Planetary Surfaces.

Jim Reuter, STMD’s acting associate administrator, will participate in the media teleconference and will be available for questions following the announcement.

To participate in the briefing by phone, media must contact Gina Anderson at gina.n.anderson@nasa.govor 202-358-1160 by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 7. Media and the public also can listen to the audio live by visiting: https://www.nasa.gov/live

STMD is responsible for developing the cross-cutting, pioneering technologies and capabilities needed to achieve NASA missions. Projects resulting from the Tipping Point solicitation will enable public-private partnerships managed by programs within STMD.

MEDIA ADVISORY M18-118 NASA to Host Briefings, Events for Aug. 11 Launch to Touch Sun

As NASA nears the launch of its Parker Solar Probe, the agency will host a series of media briefings beginning Wednesday, Aug. 8. These briefings, as well as special programs, the launch on Saturday, Aug. 11, and a postlaunch news conference all will air on NASA Television and the agency’s website.

Parker Solar Probe will lift off on a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket from Space Launch Complex 37 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The first launch opportunity is at 3:33 a.m. EDT, at the opening of a 65-minute window.

Although the deadline has passed for media to attend the launch of this historic mission to our Sun, journalists may participate in prelaunch and postlaunch news briefings via phone by contacting Kennedy’s News Center at 321-867-2468 for dial-in information.

The following is a complete schedule of mission coverage, including opportunities for media participation. All time are EDT:

Wednesday, Aug. 8

NASA will host a full morning of foreign-language teleconferences for international media, during which they can discuss mission science with project researchers.

• 9 a.m. – Japanese
• 10 a.m. – Italian
• 11 a.m. – German
• Noon – French
• 1 p.m. – Spanish

To participate, media must email their name and affiliation to Andrew Schurr at andrew.d.schurr@nasa.gov by 8 a.m. Aug. 8.

Thursday, Aug. 9

• 1 p.m. – Prelaunch mission news briefing

Friday, Aug. 10

• 6 p.m. – NASA Edge prelaunch broadcast
• 7:30 p.m. – What Parker Solar Probe Will Provide to Humanity

Saturday, Aug. 11

• 3 a.m. – Launch coverage begins
• 3:33 a.m. – Launch
• TBD – Postlaunch news conference

Media may participate in the postlaunch news briefings via phone by contacting Kennedy’s News Center at 321-867-2468 for dial-in information.

Parker Solar Probe will revolutionize our understanding of the Sun. The spacecraft will fly closer to the Sun’s surface than any spacecraft before it, facing brutal heat and radiation. It will be the first spacecraft to fly directly through the Sun’s corona – the part of the solar atmosphere visible during an eclipse – to answer questions about solar physics that have puzzled scientists for decades.

Gathering information about fundamental processes near the Sun can help improve our understanding of how our solar system’s star changes the space environment, where space weather can affect astronauts, interfere with satellite orbits, or damage spacecraft electronics.