Mars a rich destination for scientific discovery.
As we expand our presence into the solar system
with robotic and human exploration
The formation and evolution of Mars will help
us learn more about our own planet's history
and future.
In its past the Red Planet had conditions
suitable for life, and future exploration
may uncover evidence of life, answering one
of the fundamental mysteries of humanity:
Does life exist beyond Earth?
At NASA, we're reaching for new heights
so we remain the world's leader in
space...
We're pioneers and we always have
been.
And we're building on that
pioneering sprit in science and technology
so that we make the world a better place,
so we create jobs right here on earth.
NASA is developing the capabilities needed
to send humans to an asteroid by 2025 and
to Mars in the 2030s.
We're building something that can go
lunar, something that can go to an
asteroid, we can go to Mars with this,
this is the next step we've been looking
for since the Apollo era.
Robotic explorers have studied Mars for more
than 40 years.
NASA's path for the human exploration of Mars
begins in low-Earth orbit aboard the International
Space Station.
Onboard the orbiting laboratory, astronauts
are helping us prove many of the technologies
and communications systems needed for human
missions into deep space.
Well the crews right now on International
Space Station are using this wonderful
outpost to help us get further and further
into space, to asteroids, to Mars
eventually, I think the science on station
is
making incredible breakthroughs that are
going to help us make life better for
people right here on Earth.
We and our other international partner
crewmates are working off the planet for
the planet.
NASA, along with our international
partners, conduct scientific research
every day here on the station.
We use this
orbiting laboratory as a stepping-stone for
future deep space exploration.
In tandem with space station research...
NASA will send a robotic mission to capture
and redirect an asteroid to orbit the moon.
Astronauts aboard NASA's Orion spacecraft
will explore the asteroid and return to Earth
with samples.
This experience will help NASA test new systems
and capabilities, such as Solar Electric Propulsion,
which will send cargo as part of human missions
to Mars.
NASA's new Space Launch System rocket will
enable these "proving ground" missions to
test new capabilities.
Human missions to Mars will rely on Orion
and an evolved version of the Space Launch
System, which will be the most powerful rocket
ever flown.
With Orion and our heavy-lift Space
Launch System... we're going to send
humans into space farther than they've
ever gone before.
This year's Orion test flight will be the
most aggressive human spacecraft flight
in more than forty years!
Apollo happened before I was born so
this, for our generation, will be the
exploration missions that we get to see in
our lifetime.
A fleet of robotic spacecraft and rovers already
are on and around Mars, dramatically increasing
our knowledge about the Red Planet and paving
the way for future human explorers.
Future missions seeking signs of past life
will demonstrate new technologies that could
help astronauts survive on Mars.
I think some of the most amazing things
that we are learning is actually how to be
really good detectives on another planet
which is a really difficult job.
Engineers and scientists around the country
are working hard to develop the technologies
astronauts will use to one day live and work
on Mars... and then safely return home from
the next giant leap for humanity.
Through advanced aerospace
technologies, used in everything from
modern aircraft to suborbital rockets and
the commercial vehicles servicing low
Earth orbit today, we're building the
machines to take us further into the high
frontier.
NASA is here to raise the bar for human
achievement.
We are a community dedicated to
research and discovery in service to
society.
We have a responsibility to the future
generations of engineers, the future
generations of engineers, scientists,
technologists, explorers, that's our
challenge.
