“You have to come through Mississippi in order to get to space,” said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden at a press conference held Saturday at the INFINITY Science Center.
Bolden stopped at the tourist attraction Saturday after touring Stennis Space Center before heading to speak at the Essence Festival in New Orleans.
“What I hope to do is to show young people that if they’re willing to work hard, to study hard and not be afraid of failure… that’s what I hope to tell them and that’s what I have done in my career,” said Bolden.
Currently, NASA is developing a new Space Launch System rocket, the engine of which will be tested at Stennis Space Center, said Bolden.
The SLS rocket will be paired with the new Orion spacecraft, first tested in December 2014, said Bolden.
Orion has been developed alongside the SLS to send humans further into space than ever before, said Bolden.
“We’re really excited about our journey to Mars,” said Bolden. “Mars is really critical for us because one it’s the most important planet in our solar system next to Earth.”
The 2016 class of NASA astronauts had over 18,300 applicants, said Bolden. He contributed this record-breaking number to the excitement about Mars and where the future of NASA is going.
The Curiosity rover has been on Mars for more than three years and is still finding something new every day, said Bolden.
Last year, the rover found flows of water that could prove the existence of microbes, which could provide proof of former or current life on the planet, said Bolden.
“It has given us renewed hope that we will find life itself, if not at least signs of life on Mars,” said Bolden.
On Monday July 4, at about 10:53 p.m. the solar-powered satellite Juno will enter into Jupiter’s orbit after a five-year trip to the outer planet, Bolden said.
Additionally, on Wednesday July 6, Dr. Kate Rubins, a member of the 2009 astronaut class, will be launching a six-month mission to the International Space Station along with Russian and Japanese astronauts, said Bolden.
See Tuesday’s edition of the Item for more coverage on Bolden’s visit.