Two NASA Science/Exploration Events Today (Update)
Keith’s note: There are two space science/exploration events happening back to back (with some overlap) today:
“Planetary Protection and Lunar Activities” starts at 2:00 pm EDT Jim Bridenstine will be speaking. Some important news about planetary protection and exploration of the Moon and Mars will be presented. But NASA PAO apparently doesn’t care if no one knows about this. Planetary Protection is an important issue for Astrobiology yet NASA’s Astrobiology program website and Twitter account ignore this event too. More info.
NASA Updates Planetary Protection Policies for Robotic and Human Missions to Earth’s Moon and Future Human Missions to Mars
“NASA has released two NASA Interim Directives (NIDs) updating the agency’s requirements for robotic and human missions traveling to the Earth’s Moon, and human missions traveling to Mars. The first NID addresses the control of forward terrestrial biological contamination associated with all NASA and NASA-affiliated missions intended to land, orbit, or otherwise encounter the Moon.”
Keith’s update: NASA did not even bother to add links to the actual interim directives. Jim Bridenstine eventually tweeted the links and I included them in this annotated release. Maybe someday PAO will actually reveal the text of these directives in their release. Further update: PAO eventually added links. It is just baffling that PAO ignored this event to begin with and then they could not even be bothered to find links to the things that were being announced. It is a sad state of affairs when the Administrator of NASA is more responsive to media requests than NASA PAO is.
“NASA Science Mission Directorate Public Town Hall” – NASA’s Science Mission Directorate will hold a virtual community town hall with Associate Administrator for Science Thomas Zurbuchen and other members of the Science leadership team at 3 p.m. EDT Thursday, July 9, to discuss updates on the agency’s science activities. NASA’s Astrobiology folks are also ignoring this event. More info
What is deeply tragic is that it is NOT baffling. Not with the consistency of it.
If it isn’t flashy or glitzy, NASA PAO doesn’t give a damn. No wonder there is a disconnect between NASA and the taxpayers. NASA’s Astrobiology team needs to get their heads out of the sand.To be honest, if it wasn’t for this web site, I would have no clue what kinds of research NASA is conducting.
I remember as a teenager that our local TV stations would show NASA’s “Aeronautics and Space Report” films all the time. They covered a wide scope of NASA programs, not just the the crewed programs like Gemini or Apollo. How hard would it be for NASA PAO to send “This Week at NASA” to media outlets, rather than just showing them on NASA TV? I am perplexed why Bridenstine hasn’t called them to the carpet to do their job.
Keith you always chide NASA PAO but there is never an actual name .. is there a link .. I can not seem to find one.. of who actually WORKS in the office of Public Affairs? Are there some names we can talk to on twitter / facebook and get actual answers?