Energy & Environment
Documents & Texts from America.gov
20 July 2009
Astronaut Marsha Ivins Discusses 40th Anniversary of Moon Mission
CO.NX webchat transcript from20 July 2009
Astronaut Marsha Ivins answered questions in a July 20 CO.NX webchat on the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon.
Following is the transcript:
(begin transcript)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of International Information Programs
Webchat Transcript
CO.NX Chat: 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Mission to the Moon
Guest: Marsha Ivins
Date: July 20, 2009
Time: 20:30 EDT (08:30 Taiwan)
CO.NX Moderator (Amelia): (7/16/2009 21:03) Welcome to the chat room! We will be having a Q&A with astronaut Marsha Ivins on July 20 at 20:30 EDT/ July 21 00:30 GMT. Please ask your questions now! Advance questions are much more likely to be answered. When submitted, your question will appear in red.
Gloria: (7/17/2009 14:13) we are students from an American language institute in Uruguay. Teachers and students hope to meet you next Monday.
Amelia Vance: (7/17/2009 14:13) Welcome! We can't wait to see your questions.
CO.NX Moderator (Amelia): (14:53) For information on what could happen in space exploration and travel in the next 40 years, check out http://www.america.gov/space.html
Francesco: (7/20/2009 20:05) Hi everybody!
sam: (20:05) hi
walana: (20:06) hi
CO.NX Moderator (Amelia): (20:06) Hi! Welcome to the chat.
Ms. Marsha Ivins: (20:22) HI, Marsha here, morning in Taipei. I'm ready for your questions.
Mohamed Hanafy: (20:24) hello Amelia, hello everyone. I'm Mohamed Hanafy, a physiotherapist from Egypt. Glad to be here
CO.NX Moderator (Amelia): (20:24) Welcome Mohamed! Feel free to start submitting your questions.
Q [Sergio]: (20:25) Hello, my name is Sergio. I am from Tlaxcala, the smallest state in Mexico. My question is: What are the different and best paths to follow for children who hold serious wishes to become astronauts?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (20:25) Young people wanting to go to space will need to study science and math in school. And stay in school through a university degree. That will be a minimum entry for astronaut.
Anadelia: (20:25) By the way, I'm from Mexico and I'm an English teacher.
CO.NX Moderator (Amelia): (20:25) Hi Anadelia! Welcome to this chat.
Q [Gloria]: (20:26) And now Miguel, another student would like to know why you decided to live that experience.
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (20:26) I was 10 years old when the United States launched its first astronaut to space and I was so captivated by the whole idea of going to space I decided then I wanted to work for the space program.
Sergio: (20:26) Thank you so much =-.D
Q [Gloria]: (20:28) Hi. I am with Federico, Ana and Lina , all students at our institute. We would like to know what food you ate while you were traveling into the space. Thanks
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (20:28) We have about 100 different kinds of food on board the shuttle and space station, all mostly freeze dried or thermo stabilized. Some fresh food but we do not have a refrigerator to keep it fresh so we must eat it within a few days or arrival. We even carry some international kinds of food for particular crew members.
CO.NX Moderator (Josh): (20:29) If you're just joining us, please introduce yourself and tell us where you're from!
Q [Anadelia]: (20:30) Hi everybody! Ms. Ivins, 40 years ago all humans stepped into the moon. Now, all these years later, what do you think the moon has to offer us? What can we offer her?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (20:30) The moon is just a first step in exploring the universe. It is the closest and easiest training ground where we can learn the skills and techniques to really long explorations of the planets where we can't always come home in a few days if there is a problem. The moon also holds the pristing geologic history of the earth. We actually know more about Mars then we do about the moon. It will be a fascinating place to really study but really only as a first step.
Q [Oceane (Les Nouvelles)]: (20:31) Is it true that astronauts did not moon but just the flag was flying?
Q [sam]: (20:31) did they really visited the moon??
Q [oelisoa]: (20:31) Hi. I'm from Madagascar. What do you think about the saying that it's a lie that human being arrived in the moon. They said, it's a theory of conspiracy
A [CO.NX Moderator (Amelia)]: (20:32) For any questions about the moon landing conspiracy theory, check out our webchat on Conspiracy Theories. The transcript is here: http://www.america.gov/st/webchat-english/2009/July/20090714143549iaecnav0.4049581.html&distid=ucs
CO.NX Moderator (Catherine): (20:31) Welcome everyone! If you are just now joining us, please tell us who you are and where you are from.
Jason Chen: (20:31) Hi, I am from Taiwan. and It's good to have this chance to join this webchat!
Q [Rene Garcia]: (20:31) Is it very difficult the training for becoming an astronaut?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (20:31) Training takes years. We have to learn all about the Shuttle and the space station, how to work all the systems, and then how to work all the payloads. We are in training all the time prior to a flight. We start training for a shuttle flight about a year prior to the launch. Space Station training starts about 3 years prior to the mission. All of our American crews learn Russian. the Russian crew members learn English.
CO.NX Moderator (Amelia): (20:32) If you are new to the room, please introduce yourself and say where you're from!
Sherif Hosny: (20:34) I'm Sherif Hosny from Egypt
CO.NX Moderator (Amelia): (20:34) Welcome Sherif! We are glad you're here. Feel free to begin submitting any questions you might have.
Q [Lauren]: (20:34) My expertise is in the Molecular Biology of Cancer. I am aware scientists have studied cancer cells in space. How can I get involved and work for NASA?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (20:34) The basic NASA website is nasa.gov. If you go to that site there are links to how to get involved with research in NASA.
Asif : (20:35) Hello America
CO.NX Moderator (Amelia): (20:35) Hello Asif! Welcome to our webchat!
Q [Asif] : (20:35) Was the space mission real?
A [CO.NX Moderator (Amelia)]: (20:35) For any questions about the moon landing conspiracy theory, check out our webchat on Conspiracy Theories. The transcript is here: http://www.america.gov/st/webchat-english/2009/July/20090714143549iaecnav0.4049581.html&distid=ucs
Q [francisco]: (20:35) Hello, I´m from mexico city and my question is: Do you have real evidence about the visiting to the moon and will we be able to live there some day?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (20:35) Well since I've actually had a moon rock in my hand that came back from the Apollo 15 mission, and since I personally know many of the astronauts who walked on the moon, yes I believe we did go to the moon! We hope to start developing a moon base around 2020 that will allow crew members to spend weeks to months in a habitat on the moon to do more extensive exploration.
Asif : (20:36) Thanks
Sherif Hosny: (20:36) i wish to go to the moon
Asif : (20:36) Hope America will lead the world to peace
Conti: (20:36) Hi, I'm a radio scriptwriter & producer from Mexico City
CO.NX Moderator (Josh): (20:37) Welcome to the chat Conti!
Romaa: (20:37) Hello , my name is hesham/ 20 years old / Egypt , May i join to ur chat ?
CO.NX Moderator (Catherine): (20:37) Hi Hesham! Yes, please join in our chat!
CO.NX Moderator (Josh): (20:37) Glad to have you here!
Q [yyy]: (20:37) ando, as a woman, is there any biological change in you when you are in the space or is it the same?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (20:37) The physiological changes are the same for men and women. We all experience a shift of fluid towards the head that makes you feel like you have a cold and have a headache. This goes away in a couple days. some people feel a bit sick for a couple days, but not everyone. I don't think we've noticed any difference in how men and women adapt to space.
Q [Sherif Hosny]: (20:37) can u describe to me what is up?
A [CO.NX Moderator (Amelia)]: (20:37) Of course! We began this webchat about 10 minutes ago. Ms Ivins is currently looking over the questions to decide which ones she is able to answer
Q [Asif]: (20:37) What is meant by Co.Nx actually??
A [CO.NX Moderator (Catherine)]: (20:37) Hi Asif. CO.NX, when said aloud, is supposed to sound like the work "connects." That's all! :)
Asif : (20:38) ohh...
Asif : (20:38) thanks for the information
Asif : (20:38) bye
CO.NX Moderator (Amelia): (20:38) Today's webchat is part of the CO.NX Webchat program. We host weekly discussions on a number of topics and in a number of languages. Find out about our chats at http://co-nx.state.gov.
Q [Romaa]: (20:40) i joined to this chat, just cuz of curiosity, who's Ms Ivins , and what this chat about ?
A [CO.NX Moderator (Amelia)]: (20:40) Ms Ivins is an astronaut, and she is answering questions about space, NASA, and the moon landing which was 40 years ago today.
Q [Sergio]: (20:40) What missions did you tackle while being in space?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (20:40) I was assigned to 5 space shuttle missions. The first retrieved the LDEF satellite which had been in orbit for 6 years. The second demonstrated tether technology. The third was a materials processing experiment. The 4th was a visit to the MIR Space Station and the last was to the International Space Station where we delivered and installed the US laboratory module.
Sherif Hosny: (20:40) i wish to go to the moon
Q [Anadelia]: (20:41) The moon has been a constant companion to lonely people. What does it feel to be actually there looking at the Earth?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (20:41) I have not been to the moon, only to Earth orbit, so sorry, I cannot answer your question.
CO.NX Moderator (Amelia): (20:41) Hi! If you are new to the room, please introduce yourself and tell us where you are from!
Q [Gloria]: (20:41) Marsha, we are a lot of students here now and we would like to know whether your family agreed with your decision from the very beginning.
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (20:41) My family was very supportive although my mother, like most mothers, is always worried about me!
CO.NX Moderator (Amelia): (20:43) Feel free to submit your questions! Ms Ivins is reading them and will respond as soon as possible.
Asif : (20:45) enjoyed this short chatting
CO.NX Moderator (Amelia): (20:46) Please be patient! Ms Ivins is reading your questions and will respond to as many as she can.
Q [Anadelia]: (20:47) Before humans landed on the moon, there were some animals that went to the moon. Did they suffer any kind of effects after they're coming back?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (20:47) I know in the US we did not send animals to the moon. We sent monkeys to earth orbit before we send the first astronauts. And they were all fine.
Wendy Su: (20:47) Hi this is Wendy from Taiwan.
CO.NX Moderator (Catherine): (20:47) Hi, Wendy! Thanks for joining us.
CO.NX Moderator (Amelia): (20:50) Please be patient! Ms Ivins is reading your questions and will respond to as many as she can.
Q [Anadelia]: (20:50) What kind of skills should an astronaut have?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (20:50) The greatest skill an astronaut can have is adaptability. You need to be able to quickly adapt to what is happening around you, especially if it's not all going as planned. And to be able to get along with your crew and work together as a team.
Rolando Lopez: (20:51) Hi this Rolando from Guatemala
CO.NX Moderator (Catherine): (20:51) Hi, Rolando!
Q [Wendy Su]: (20:52) What is the most difficult or inconvenient thing to you while living in space shuttle?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (20:52) Actually having no gravity is the most fun but also the most inconvenient. Because everything is floating, if you don't velcro it to something or tie it down, when you let go, it floats away. Imagine trying to change your clothes, all the clothing items you are wearing, while all the clothing you are not wearing is floating!
CO.NX Moderator (Josh): (20:53) If you're just joining us, please introduce yourself and tell us where you're from!
CO.NX Moderator (Josh): (20:53) And please, keep submitting questions! Ms. Ivins will respond to as many as she can.
Conti: (20:53) the Mexican university UNAM has some moon rocks from Apollo missions, anyone doubting about the missions can see them
Emma: (20:54) Hi, my name´s Emma. I´m from Mexico City.
CO.NX Moderator (Josh): (20:54) Welcome Emma!
Ryan: (20:57) Hi, I'm Ryan from the land of Glenn, Armstrong and the Wright Brothers (Ohio)
Q [Emma]: (20:58) I still find it almost unbelievable to have seen the images of the moon landing on TV. What´s been the most memorable experience during your career?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (20:58) I can't decide which is the most memorable. The whole idea I actually WENT to space to me is still incredible. Seeing the earth from 250 miles, floating from one spacecraft docked to another, attaching the US Laboratory module using the shuttle's robotic arm. All are memorable.
Romaa: (20:58): O
Q [Raúl Porras]: (20:59) Dear Marrsha, another question i want to know if the land of the moon it´ssome similar to the land of the earth
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (20:59) The lunar soil is quite different than earth soil. The lunar soil that we have sampled is very sharp, like tiny glass shards, and very fine. Since we have only explored 6 areas near the lunar equator though, it's not yet possible to say what all lunar soil is like.
Q [prettehkitteh]: (20:59) Hello, I am Stephen. I was wondering what type of cameras NASA uses on their missions now. I know in the Apollo days they used Hasselblads with 70mm film. Do they still use film, or have they gone digital?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (20:59) We stopped using film on board shuttle and station about 4 years ago. Until then we used Nikon 35mm cameras, Hasselblad 70mm cameras and an AeroLinhof large format camera. We also used Hi-8 tape camcordes. Today we use Nikon D2X 35mm cameras with lots of lenses, from 8mm wide angle to 400mm with 2x extender long lenses. For camcorders we are using HDTV camcorders, the small consumer models. All of our cameras are standard off the shelf commercial cameras. We make no special modifications in them to take them to space. We even take the 35mm cameras outside during a space walk. The camera wears its own little space suit that is just a thermal cover but in fact the camera works perfectly in a vacuum. Even the flash works in a vacuum!
Q [Raúl Porras]: (21:01) I want to question to you, if you can tell to me about the possibility to extract some minerals or any chemical elements similar to we have in the earth
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (21:01) There is much speculation about extracting rare elements from the lunar soil like Helium 3. The problem here is the mass of the equipment you need to extract the element, and the amount of power you need to even operate this process may in fact make it more expensive to mine elements from the moon than from earth.
Q [Anadelia]: (21:03) What sort of activities can an astronaut do in his free time out there?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (21:03) We can bring our own music to listen to. There is a guitar and a battery powered keyboard on board and some folks bring other instruments if they are small. We can get movies uplinked and tv shows and sporting events that are on tv. We have email with friends and family. We can bring a few books with us also. but the most fun in off time is just looking out the window.
Anadelia: (21:03) Wow!!!
rookie scientist: (21:03) Hi, this is JB from Monterrey city, did you write your memories? are they on line available?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (21:03) I have not and do not plan to write my memories, sorry.
Q [Anadelia]: (21:04) Where else would you like to go apart from the Earth's orbit?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (21:04) I personally would love to go anywhere. The moon, Mars, I'd especially like to see the rings of Saturn up close!
Q [Dean Clark]: (21:05) Would it be possible to extract enough water for the purposes of running a base on the moon?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (21:05) We do not know yet if it will be possible to extract water from the lunar soil. If we find water ice, the problem will be how much power and how much equipment it needs to actually get to it. In the next couple years, satellites around the moon will help us understand how hard it really will be.
Q [Anadelia]: (21:06) 40 years ago, I supposed all the crew needed to go on some training. How did NASA know the kind of training the astronauts needed if they had not landed yet?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (21:06) The astronauts were trained in how to maintain and repair their spacecraft, they were trained in basic geology techniques, medical procedures, survival techniques.
Q [Gloria]: (21:07) when you started to work?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (21:07) I went to work for NASA in 1974. I was selected into the astronaut program in 1984.
Q [Dean Clark]: (21:08) If it is there, would you expect it to at least be cheaper to extract it from the moon than to ship it from Earth?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (21:08) It may in fact be cheaper to ship it from earth. When you consider the cost per pound to send something to the moon (90% of what we launch to space is actually fuel, not hardware or people), you have to consider the cost of shipping the mass of the hardware, the mass of the power system, the ability to repair the system, and then over time how it balances out to find out which is cheaper. We don't know this answer yet.
CO.NX Moderator (Catherine): (21:09) If you have not yet, please tell us who you are and where you are from! :)
Myrna Balderas: (21:09) Hello, my name is Myrna Balderas and I'm from Merida, Yucatán, México
Dean Clark: (21:11) I'm Dean Clark, from Tokyo, Japan, relocated from Chicago.
CO.NX Moderator (Amelia): (21:11) Welcome! We are glad you have joined us.
CO.NX Moderator (Amelia): (21:12) Today's webchat is part of the CO.NX Webchat program. We host weekly discussions on a number of topics and in a number of languages. Find out about our chats at http://co-nx.state.gov
Dean Clark: (21:13) This is so interesting, because I was just listening to the 40 year time delay of Apollo 11 live feeds at We Choose the Moon. You couldn't chat with the astronauts then.
Gloria: (21:13) thank you bye bye good luck
CO.NX Moderator (Catherine): (21:13) Thank you for joining us, Gloria!
Q [Anadelia]: (21:14) What kind of clothes should astronauts wear?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (21:14) In space we wear regular clothing since we are living basically in a sea level pressure atmosphere only without gravity. Most crews wear shorts and a t shirt. Some crew members find the inside temperature too cold so we can wear long pants and a sweater. We wear socks if our feet are cold but no shoes since you don't walk!
Q [Myrna Balderas]: (21:15) What did you major in?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (21:15) I majored in Aerospace engineering at the University of Colorado
Q [sandra jara]: (21:15) This is Sandra Jara, i am a teacher from Gdl, México and many students dream to be an astronaut but also they want to be mother with a family, is this possible?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (21:15) Many of our women astronauts are mothers. It is very possible. One of our astronauts is even a grandmother!
Q [Myrna Balderas]: (21:16) So there's no problem with age??
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (21:16) no problem with age! Of course she was just newly a grandmother on her last flight. A young one.
Q [Dean Clark]: (21:17) How old were you when you decided to become an astronaut?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (21:17) I was 10 years old.
Dean Clark: (21:17) That's the first thing I can remember wanting to be.
Dean Clark: (21:18) Congratulations on sticking with it!
Myrna Balderas: (21:19) That's fascinating! I always dreamt with being an astronaut at that age. I remember since I was a little child, there used to be a glass made of a very special material with the picture of the astronauts who travelled to the moon and the date when they did it and a kind of picture of the Apollo 11, it used to be an inspiration.
Myrna Balderas: (21:19) Yes, it's not an easy thing to do, is it?
Myrna Balderas: (21:20) The glass was in my house, in the kitchen, so I saw it every single day!
Dean Clark: (21:20) I'm still a sucker for Apollo 11 collectibles.
Q [Jason Chen]: (21:21) I've heard that there are a lot of human-made garbages in the earth orbit, is that true? will that affect the safety of the astronauts?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (21:21) There is quite a bit of manmade debris in the 250 mile orbit where we fly the shuttle and station. This "trash" though is not what you normally expect trash to look like. Space trash is spent stages of booster rockets, satellites that have stopped working but the worst trash is little particles that generate as a result of space operations. For example, when you separate a satellite from the booster that carried it, little bits of paint or metal come off as part of the separation. On earth we would not be bothered by these since gravity would just pull them away from us. But in orbit they become small projectiles travelling at 17,000 mph and when one of these hits you, like a rock hitting your car windshield, it leaves a nick. Sometimes it actually damages the hardware. This is the real problem and I don't know how we clean it up. Eventually this debris will deorbit but while it is in OUR orbit, it is a risk to the spacecraft we are in.
Q [Conti 2]: (21:22) 40 years ago, you couldn't be an astronaut -or a pilot- if you were shortsighted... Can you be one now if you have the eye operation?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (21:22) NASA has relaxed the vision requirements to being correctable to 20/20, so glasses or the eye operation are now accepted.
CO.NX Moderator (Catherine): (21:23) If you are enjoying this web chat, please check out our Facebook page to learn about other upcoming chats: http://co-nx.state.gov
CO.NX Moderator (Catherine): (21:24) Also, please be sure to tell your friends about CO.NX! :)
Q [Anadelia]: (21:29) is there any relation between the global warming and the moon?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (21:29) I don't believe so.
Q [rookie scientist]: (21:30) a friend of mine wishes to be astronaut, where could he find useful information, (we're teenagers)
A [CO.NX Moderator (Amelia)]: (21:30) Check out this NASA website for answers on what it takes to be an astronaut: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/postsecondary/features/F_Astronaut_Requirements.html
rookie scientist: (21:31) thx a lot
Raúl Porras: (21:32) im great full with you for this time because your are very important people the technology development requirement for the men travel in the space it´s incredible; so I think your are a privileged woman your effort it´s admirable i wish you total success in your professional life. God bless you...bye!
Q [Myrna Balderas]: (21:33) It is such an honor having the opportunity to chat with a person who's had the experience to travel to the space. What does the earth look like from that perspective? How do you feel when you see it from space?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (21:33) We are only 250 miles above the earth so it looks like the view from a really high airplane (airplanes fly about 7.5 miles above the earth). For perspective, the moon is 250,000 miles away from the earth. Seeing the view though, of the curve the earth against the total black of space is breathtaking.
Myrna Balderas: (21:33) I don't doubt it!
CO.NX Moderator (Josh): (21:33) If you are enjoying today's Web chat, be sure to check out our facebook page for a listing of upcoming chats: http://co-nx.state.gov!
Q [Dean Clark]: (21:34) I have students in Japan interested in being astronauts. Is the program at the link above only for US citizens?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (21:34) Japan has a space agency and they select their own astronauts actually. JAXA then sends their astronauts to train with us in the US.
Dean Clark: (21:34) Thanks.
CO.NX Moderator (Josh): (21:34) If you're just joining us please introduce yourself and tell us where you're from!
Juan Jose: (21:35) Juan Jose from Tampico, Mexico. Greetings from Mexico !
sandra jara: (21:37) thanks for the opportunity to know more about our great step on the moon, because all of us belongs to the human race!!!
Doris Garcia: (21:38) Doris from Saltillo, I am learning a lot from you thank you very much for sharing all this information
Q [Dean Clark]: (21:39) What's your feeling about China being able to participate in the ISS in the future?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (21:39) This is really a question for politicians, not astronauts!
Q [Dean Clark]: (21:42) So it's political. I see. Does every country which participates in the ISS have its own astronaut program?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (21:42) No. There are 16 international partners currently in the space station program. Canada, Japan, Europe (ESA), France, Russia, US currently have their own astronaut programs.
Juan Jose: (21:43) I have to go, but Thank you anyway, I was just curious about it, Good Night !
Q [Dean Clark]: (21:43) How would someone from Brazil, say, go about trying to be an astronaut?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (21:43) I don't really know. I thought Brazil might be starting an astronaut program.
Dean Clark: (21:44) That would be interesting. Didn't know that.
Q [Gloria]: (21:46) malenna and micaela from nueva palmira, uruguay, do you think that if the man arrives to the moon nowadays, would have the same importance for the world? (comparing with the apollo 11th`s experience)
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (21:46) I don't think you can ever repeat a first. So the first human step on the moon will always be that. But for every first step there are hundreds that should follow and great things to come from them. We may discover great things on the moon, or simply learn the skills we need to make a first step on Mars. Just like the Apollo crew members who tested the vehicles before they land on the moon, what we do in the future on the moon will prepare for the next "first".
Q [Dean Clark]: (21:47) You mentioned people playing music. Is there a stereo system to speak. Any disagreements on what kind of music to play?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (21:47) Mostly IPods so no one has to listen to someone else's music.
Conti 2: (21:47) We hope Mexico will have its own space agency (AEXA) this year... Mexican scientists have already been working with NASA on some moon and Mars projects... No astronaut programs yet.
DALIS: (21:47) Good night my name is Dali and I’m from Puebla, Mexico
Gloria: (21:49) THANKS FOR YOUR TIME! GOOD NIGHT!
Q [Dean Clark]: (21:50) Would you expect a lunar base to be built before any attempt was made to built one on Mars?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (21:50) That is the current plan.
Q [Anadelia]: (21:53) do you think it is possible to go to other planets much farther than the ones in the Solar System?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (21:53) With our current rocket technology Mars is about as far as we can go. Even now it will take 6 months to get there and we cannot return for 18 months and then it will take 6 months to get home.
Q [Dean Clark]: (21:54) How soon could we expect a lunar base?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (21:54) Our current plan is to have our first lunar landing in 2020. The moon base would be built a few years after that.
Q [Myrna Balderas]: (21:54) Where do you see the NASA in 10 years time?
A [Ms. Marsha Ivins]: (21:54) I would love to see NASA funded to continue building this new program to take us to the moon and beyond.
Dean Clark: (21:54) Amazing. Something I could live to see.
Ms. Marsha Ivins: (21:56) It's been a pleasure chatting with everyone. Your questions have been great. thank you for spending the time with me.
Doris Garcia: (21:57) Thank you for your time
Conti 2: (21:57) Thanks and godspeed, Marsha!
Myrna Balderas: (21:57) Thank YOU for allowing us to learn so much from this experience, believe me, I'll show this to my students, and I don't think they will believe it because I can't believe I've had such an honor!
Dean Clark: (21:57) Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule!
Myrna Balderas: (21:57) Yes, that's one of my concerns too. I really hope this is possible. Best of luck!
Sergio: (21:58) Thank you Ms. It's been an honor. Please repeat this event in the future :D
Emma: (21:58) On the contrary. It was a pleasure chatting with you.
CO.NX Moderator (Amelia): (21:58) Thanks everyone for your participation! Check America.Gov next week for a transcript of this chat. Check out http://co-nx.state.gov to find future webchats and more info on CO.NX.
(end transcript)
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