Erin  Charles  

               

NASA  COMMUNICATION  PLAN  

     

     

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Table  of  Contents    Executive  Summary……………………………………………………………………………    3  Situational  Analysis  Target  Audience………………………………………………………………………………...    4                                                                                                                                                                                                Stakeholders………………………………………………………………………………………    6                                                                                                                                                                                        SWOT…………………………………………………………………………………………………    7  Problem  Statement……………………………………………………………………………    8  Objectives                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Objective  #1……………………………………………………………………………………….    9  Objective  #2………………………………………………………………………………………  11  Timeline……………………………………………………………………………………………    13  Budget………………………………………………………………………………………………    14  Appendix……………………………………………………………………………………………  15    

     

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EXECUTIVE  SUMMARY      Dear Director Dan Huot, Millennials, also classified as Generation Y, account for 77 million of the total U.S. population. They are tech-savvy and tech-dependent, leading the social media movement by constantly connecting with one another via mobile and online technologies. This generation utilizes social networks as news outlets and gains insight to differing opinions online. Resources like Facebook, Buzzfeed and The New York Times are where they gather information. They fail to find the excitement in NASA innovations and Mars travel because the information relevant to them gets lost in translation. Creativity is key when appealing to this generation. The members of Generation Y are a crucial audience that NASA needs respect from because their tax dollars fuel the Mars mission. Without a clear understanding of Mars research and the direct benefits they will reap from it, Millennials will otherwise feel robbed. To fix this problem, NASA should connect with Generation Y through updated social media accounts with intriguing and relevant content. Millennials value teamwork. Show them NASA is a team player and they will be more likely to trust in the mission. There are two main objectives in our plan: to increase Generation Y’s awareness of the 2030 NASA Mars mission and to gain their support through intrigue by January 2017. We will generate sponsored content and press releases for credible sources that Millennials care about to increase awareness. To gain their support, we will collaborate with Snapchat and ESPN to further appeal to Generation Y. ESPN is one of the top 10 most important brands to Millennials and just under half of them access Snapchat. They “like to be loved,” so Generation Y will appreciate NASA utilizing new outlets that are specifically catering to them. To implement our strategies, we will pitch multiple press releases to ESPN Magazine featuring NASA Spinoff innovations and how they have improved the world of sports. These articles will interest Millennials, while displaying benefits space exploration has to offer life on Earth. Hosting a Mars 2030 event that is also broadcast will be one of the most secure ways to reach Millennials. This will expose them to the future goals of NASA’s mission through uses of pop culture, influential celebrities and big name sponsors. Producing new social media accounts that communicate our messages in language Millennials understand will result in their support of our 2030 mission to Mars. This entire plan amounts to an estimated cost of $190,000. Paying celebrities to appear at events, purchasing sponsored content, broadcasting and advertising events and adding new social media accounts are all included in the estimate.

     

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SITUATIONAL  ANALYSIS  

TARGET  AUDIENCE      Millennials, also known as Generation Y, make up 24% of the world’s population consisting of 83.1 million people according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This target audience ranges from ages 18 to 34 and Nielson defines them as the “social generation.” They stay connected with each other via cell phones and online resources because children within this generation were born with constant access to modern technologies. Due to this, they rely heavily on evolving and updated electronics and want to work for companies that embrace and implement new means of communication in the workplace. ADweek states that 71% of Millennials check social media once a day and spend 18 hours per day consuming media in general. Social media is their preferred type of media, surpassing their engagement in TV and even texting. They are most influenced by user generated content because it is 50% more trustworthy and 35% more memorable than other media (Adweek, 2014). Millennials value things that are authentic and creative, supporting members of their communities by purchasing goods locally (Nielson, 2014). Family is important to any generation, but Generation Y is specifically described as family oriented. This generation prefers flexible work schedules and a reasonable work/life balance as opposed to working long hours to become a “top dog.” Though their family life is a higher priority than their work life, Millennials remain very ambitious. Young entrepreneurs of this generation, such as Mark Zuckerberg, have had major influence on their confident attitudes. They believe they can do and be whatever they want, and expect their workplace to be as ambitious as they are. If Millennials are not happy doing something they will not do it, especially when it comes to their career path. Millennials have a more open-mind to controversial topics than their parents do. A poll reported by msnbc and commissioned by the Global Clinton Initiative found only 24% of their parents are focused on the environment, while Millennials themselves are 76% focused. Generation Y cares about the environment and 75% of them openly acknowledge that the earth is in fact warmer due to human activity. This may be a result of their diverse social media feeds. Overall, 70% of them stated that their feeds feature a mixture of opinions different from just their own. Not only are they exposed to alternate opinions, but they are also willing to learn about them.

     

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Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat are the top three social media platforms used by this generation (Pew, 2015). Almost half of teens are using Snapchat which makes it an easy and efficient way to connect with Millennials on lesser known topics. Behaviors:

•   ESPN, Red Bull, Nike and Apple are listed among the top 10 most important brands to Generation Y (Elite Daily, 2013).

•   Fifty-four percent of Millennials feel they’ll make a significant contribution to better the environment (msnbc, 14).

•   88% of Millennials get news from Facebook (American Press Institute, 2015). •   Teenage girls use social media platforms, particularly visual ones, more than

males do (Pew, 2015). •   Empire, Scandal and The Big Bang Theory are the top three most-watched

shows by Millennials (Nielson, 2015). Modern Family, Game of Thrones and The Bachelor are also highly engaging to this audience.

     

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SITUATIONAL  ANALYSIS    STAKE  HOLDERS    Generation Y is tech-savvy and has an interest in companies that implement the newest forms of communication. They don’t see the point of NASA and feel that they can’t participate, therefore we need to appeal to them through outlets that they frequent. They are quickly bored and value instant gratification. As of 2014 they made up 47% of the workforce, so their financial support is imperative to the Mars mission. To do this we must connect with them on a relatable level. Snapchat and ESPN should display NASA content through effective strategies that will reach Millennials.                                              

Snapchat receives 4 billion views a day and is more popular among teens than Facebook is (Adweek, 2015). Features like sponsored selfie and geolocation filters are interactive ways users engage in the app. 33% of Millennials use Snapchat so it would be in NASA’s best interest to create an account in order to reach this audience. Cosmopolitan Magazine averages 3 million viewers a day on their “Snapchat Discover” tab, a resource NASA will utilize. This will highlight big accomplishments made for the Mars mission, behind the scenes snaps of the work done at NASA and other quick facts from various snap interviews. Snapchat will allow Generation Y to be educated on this a little bit each day, making it more retainable.  

ESPN is known as the worldwide leader in sports and is worth $40 billion. It owns countless media outlets; this includes ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN.go.com and various apps. The Walt Disney Company owns 80% of ESPN and according to Disney CFO, 99.4% of sports events are watched live on TV (Forbes, 2012). Millennials have a passion for fitness and healthy living which contributes to their interest in athletics. Bringing popular pro athletes to our events and incorporating our content on SportsCenter will be an efficient way to reach this generation.  

     

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SITUATIONAL  ANALYSIS    SWOT  Strengths

•   More excitement is involved with space travel due to new planet exploration like Mars. Movies contribute to the excitement along with discoveries that could improve our planet.

•   Excellent facilities and technology for research make NASA as successful as they are.

•   NASA uses common outlets like social media: Instagram posts, Twitter posts, Reddit and a Tumblr page.

•   NASA is reliable and trustworthy from having the best scientists in the world. •   Past success with astronauts like Scott Kelly.

Weaknesses

•   Not enough communication employees. Only one guy handles all of the public affairs.

•   NASA is not utilizing all of the social media outlets possible, like Snapchat and Periscope.

•   Due to lack of communication employees, NASA still uses technical jargon that is hard to understand when they announce and post things on social media.

•   NASA has to rely on taxes for funding. •   Missions can be dangerous for those involved with space travel. •   A Mars mission will put strain on relationships and families because of the long

separation period. Opportunities

•   Start using Snapchat regularly and have also have a “Snapchat Discover” tab. •   Incorporate pop culture more. Feature things like One Direction and their music

video as much as possible. •   Write sponsored content and press releases to relevant sources for Millennials. •   Work with professional athletes to promote NASA. •   Make it more understandable to any audience, not just the science and tech

world through revamped social media accounts. Threats

•   Lack of government funding and the potential for it to be cut altogether. •   Not enough support from the audience because of excessive spending that they

feel could be used on other things. •   The mission could be unsuccessful and people could lose their lives. •   Other countries like Russia could get to Mars before we do.

     

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SITUATIONAL  ANALYSIS    PROBLEM  STATEMENT    Generation Y does not understand that traveling to Mars is not just something fun for science nerds to do. NASA’s key goal is to promote the 2030 Mars Mission because it will improve lives on Earth by advancing scientific knowledge and discovery, new technologies, economic opportunities and U.S. leadership in space exploration. Implementing social media, pop culture and relatable benefits to the main generation funding this will contribute to a successful mission. This generation is aware that this travel is possible and that NASA is preparing for it, but they are uninterested because they don’t see its relevance to them. NASA needs to appeal to Generation Y by keeping their attention through outlets that they utilize, such as Snapchat (almost half of this generation uses Snapchat). Millennials are known as the “social generation,” staying connected with each other via phones and online resources. NASA should keep up with Gen Y’s social networking and use viral marketing to make going to Mars appear “cool” to Millennials. This will gain their support. Millennials spend 18 hours per day consuming various types of media, so we should reach them through those outlets. Millennials even admit that they are lazy, or not as hard-working as their parents were. This means they will not willingly go look for new information on topics that don’t interest them. Creativity and authenticity catch this generation’s attention. NASA should sponsor content on popular news sources referenced by Millennials, like Buzzfeed and New York Times. Social media posts need to be tailored to their mindset, not the technical, science world. 88% of Millennials get their information from Facebook and 33% get it from Twitter. NASA should make their accounts more interactive and appealing to this generation so that they will continue accessing the information. The desire to be included in things results in a high loyalty from this generation. When they commit to something, they stay committed. They thrive off of attention and guidance, so NASA must cater to this if they want Millennial’s trust. If NASA puts in the effort to grab Gen Y’s interest, the support will follow.

     

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OBJECTIVES    STRATEGIES  &  TACTICS      OBJECTIVE  #1  To increase awareness of the benefits NASA’s travel to Mars will bring by 25% among Generation Y members by August 2016. STRATEGY Create sponsored content for popular media outlets Millennials frequently visit featuring NASA’s relation to them. Tactics

•   Feature a sponsored content post in Forbes magazine highlighting “8 Ways Mars Travel Will Put Your Degree to Work.” Gen Y doesn’t want to be unemployed out of college.

•   Write sponsored content for the New York Times on some benefits going to Mars will bring to Earth. According to the International Business Times, 32% of Millennials read The NYT.

•   Create a Buzzfeed article using gifs or memes from popular millennial TV shows that serve as relatable and appropriate reactions to ways Mars will enhance life on Earth.

•   Sponsored or native content with Redbull (a top 10 most important brand to Millennials according to Elite Daily) on how Mars travel will allow us to go beyond space jumping because of even more technological discoveries and advancements. Release a Redbull “Mars Edition” drink.

STRATEGY  Generate multiple press releases that display specific ways Mars will benefit planet Earth and its inhabitants. Tactics

•   Write a press release about Mars being a possible saving grace from ending up extinct. Relate it to dinosaurs to highlight the significance of “teaming up” with Mars.

•   Contact journalists writing for either ESPN Magazine or Self Magazine with press releases. Feature spinoffs on sports and how NASA has enhanced them or a healthy lifestyle guide brought to you by astronauts for Self Magazine.

•   Send out a press release to the New York Times or Huffington Post about how the climate change can be better understood from Mars/Mars Rover. Millennials care about the environment and 66% admit there is “solid evidence” the earth is getting warmer.

     

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•   Pitch to credible journalists about future collaboration with other life that may exist on Mars. Life from another planet will grab Gen Y’s attention.

     

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OBJECTIVE  #2  Intrigue Millennials and increase the amount of their support by 15% for travel to Mars by January 2017. STRATEGY  Introduce a highly active and interactive Snapchat account. Tactics

•   Include a “Snapchat Discover” tab when big things are happening or accomplished leading up to the Mars mission.

•   Feature “behind the scenes” type snaps of how astronauts and NASA employees are preparing for Mars each day.

•   Special interactive filters and geotags that are space related. Maybe look like you’re on Mars, have a space helmet around your head etc.

•   Sneak peek/teasers on upcoming news or unveils so that they want to know more and come back to find out.

STRATEGY  Host a Mars 2030 “Shower” or event that is also broadcast for anyone to watch. Tactics

•   Invite celebrities that support NASA to interest Millennials. Matt Damon can speak about the accomplishments from his movie The Martian becoming a reality.

•   Boeing can show off the future of new technology that Mars travel will bring. Millennials are tech-savvy and will like to see newer and better technologies that will benefit them.

•   Collaborate with ESPN and supporting athletes to show that they are interested in this mission, appealing to Generation Y. ESPN is another top 10 most important Millennial brand.

•   A One Direction interview on their experience filming at NASA for their “Drag Me Down” music video. Girls of Generation Y will love Mars if Harry Styles does.

STRATEGY  Develop a social media account targeted directly to Generation Y and their family. Show them that we care about families and our astronaut’s personal lives, not just space. Tactics

•   Gen Y is known as family-oriented. Do a series of either weekly or monthly Facebook posts about features on astronauts and NASA employees’ family life. Can utilize Periscope to capture off duty fun with their kids and their loving support systems.

•   Feature a former big time astronaut every month or so like Buzz Aldrin. They will live tweet answers to questions from followers about space travel and concerns about Mars. It will be credible and Gen Y loves feedback.

•   #SuperStarsSaturday. On the last Saturday of each month, ESPN and SportsCenter will host a relevant athlete at the time who will have 60 seconds to

     

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answer multiple NASA Mars trivia questions. The audience will live tweet with that hashtag their answers as if they are also being quizzed. A winner will be picked from the tweets submitted and will receive NASA merchandise with that athlete's signature. Promotional giveaways or contests keep Millennials involved and feeling included.

•   Tweet out fun DIY projects or activities to do at home as a family that tie in with things done on the International Space Station, like planting. Instagram their final product by tagging NASA.

     

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TIMELINE    MAY  2016  TO  JANUARY  2017    

 

Activities May June July August September October November December January Write sponsored content for Forbes

Send press releases about Mars and climate change research

Create a Buzzfeed article using gifs

Release sponsored content for Redbull & launch Redbull "Mars Edition” drink

Contact ESPN Magazine journalists with press releases featuring sports spinoffs

Write press release about Mars serving as second home

Pitch to credible journalists about possible life that exists on Mars

Meet with ESPN about SportsCenter collaboration

Introduce Snapchat Start planning for Mars 2030 event. Contact celebs/athletes

Host Mars 2030 "Shower"/Event

Snapchat behind the scenes and sneak peeks and teasers

Monthly family-oriented Facebook posts

Former astronaut live tweets

#SuperStarsSaturday SportsCenter Special

Implement new Social Media

Tweet out DIY projects

     

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BUDGET    Pay celebrities to appear at events… $100,000

•   One Direction •   Matt Damon •   ESPN hosted athletes •   Buzz Aldrin

Sponsored Content… $60,000

•   New York Times •   ESPN •   Buzzfeed

Broadcasting and Advertising for events... $15,000

•   Broadcasting on TV and streaming online •   Ads/posters/flyers leading up to events •   Redbull special edition ads •   Giveaways on SportsCenter

Updated social media accounts… $15,000

•   Snapchat •   New staff to handle Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram & FB •   Discover Tab •   Filter designers

*Total ESTIMATE… $190,000

     

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BIBLIOGRAPHY    Alston, C. (n.d.). “Generation Y: Definition, Characteristics & Personality Traits.” Study.com.

Web. Retrieved April 25, 2016.

American Press Institute. (2015, March 16). “How Millennials use and control social media.” American Press Institute. Web. Retrieved April 25, 2016.

Badenhausen, K. (2012, November 9). “Why ESPN Is Worth $40 Billion As The World's Most Valuable Media Property.” Forbes. Web. Retrieved April 24, 2016.

Bennett, S. (2014, November 11). “Millennials Love Social Media And User Generated Content.” Adweek. Web. Retrieved April 25, 2016.

Dorsey, J. (2013). “The Top 10 Millennials and Gen Y Questions Answered - Finally!” Jasondorsey.com. Web. Retrieved April 25, 2016.

Generation Y. (n.d.). “Generation Y Characteristics.” Generationy.com. Web. Retrieved April 25, 2016.

Heine, C. (2015, October 16). “Here Are 6 New Snapchat Stats That Show Why Marketers Want Inside That Walled Garden.” Adweek. Web. Retrieved April 25, 2016.

Lenhart, A. (2015, April 08). “Teens, Social Media & Technology Overview 2015.” Pew Research Center. Web. Retrieved April 25, 2016.

Mahapatra, L. (2013, November 01). “Audience Profiles: Who Actually Reads The New York Times, Watches Fox News, And Other News Publications And Channels?” International Business Times. Web. Retrieved April 25, 2016.

Millennial Marketing. (n.d.). “The NASA Brand and Millennials: It IS Rocket Science | Millennial Marketing.” Millennial Marketing. Web. Retrieved April 25, 2016.

Nielson. (2014, January 27). “Millennials: Breaking the Myths.” Nielson Reports. Web. Retrieved April 25, 2016.

Red Colony. (n.d.). “Why Colonize Mars?” Red Colony. Web. Retrieved April 25, 2016.

Sonny, J. (2013, July 23). “The 10 Most Important Brands To Generation-Y.” Elite Daily. Web. Retrieved April 25, 2016.

Timm, J. C. (2014, March 22). “Millennials: We care more about the environment.” MSNBC. Web. Retrieved April 25, 2016.

 

     

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April 21, 2016 12-80A

Cell: (717) 823-3925 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Email: emcharles@crimson.ua.edu

Ingestible Thermometer Pill Helps Athletes Survive Heat

NASA developed an ingestible "thermometer pill" to track football players’ body temperatures. This pill prevents heat strokes and saves lives.

Excessive heat exposure and dehydration are main contributors to heat exhaustion, or hyperthermia.

Football players experience life-threatening risks in certain conditions, like during pre-season training. They train during the hottest time of the year with full pads, plus their body weight which can be over 300 pounds.

Johns Hopkins and NASA created the pill in the 1980's to prevent heatstroke in astronauts who face extreme temperatures in space.

In 2001, a college and a professional football player both died in the same week from heatstrokes. These deaths brought awareness and improved how the world of sports detects change in core body temperatures.

NASA gave Johns Hopkins University and Goddard Space Flight Center a $75,000 grant to develop the Ingestible Thermal Monitoring System. The ¾-inch capsule sends a signal from inside the body that displays the core temperature reading on a recorder.

A company called HQ, Inc. licensed the pill for commercial use, which benefits athletes. Athletic trainers and physicians can watch up to 99 player’s body temperatures at once with the CorTemp pill and Data Recorder.

Many college level football teams like the University of Florida use the temperature pill. The Philadelphia Eagles, Jacksonville Jaguars and Minnesota Vikings also use the pill on their NFL players.

For more information, please visit:

spinoff.nasa.gov

     

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https://www.nasa.gov/topics/journeytomars/index.html

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http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20070019323.pdf

David Weaver Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 david.s.weaver@nasa.gov Rani Gran Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. 301-286-2483 rani.c.gran@nasa.gov

Last updated: April 21, 2016

Editor: Erin Charles

     

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April 21, 2016 12-80A

Cell: (717) 823-3925 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Email: emcharles@crimson..ua.edu

NASA Helps Football Players Have Healthy Hearts

Thanks to astronauts, football players can improve their cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength development.

The Shuttle 2000-1 physical therapy and athletic development conditioner is like a "horizontal trampoline." President and founder of Contemporary Design Company, Gary Graham developed the machine for astronauts.

Graham worked for The Boeing Company on a design team assigned to develop a cardiovascular conditioner. The project was initially for an Air Force lab but it got cancelled.

A space station first brought this device aboard to avoid "cardiovascular deconditioning." The exposure to the microgravity of space can cause problems in the cardiovascular system.

After Boeing, Graham participated in NASA's space station space conditioning program. He then made the conditioner an Earth-use system.

Football teams have this machine to use on their players. The New York Jets and Giants both use the device. It incorporates kinetic and plyometric exercises to build cardiovascular fitness and develop muscle strength.

Athletes lay on a cushion and push the kick plate to glide back and forth. The amount of resistance is up to the user.

Provided elasticords give a rebound effect that return users to a neutral position.

"The rebound feature, is the principal difference between the Shuttle 2000-1 and other exercisers, because it combines internal and external induced stresses" said Graham.

These different movements together attract blood to the heart. This makes it easier for football players and athletes to condition healthy bodies.

For more information, please visit:

     

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spinoff.nasa.gov

https://www.nasa.gov/topics/journeytomars/index.html

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http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20020080937.pdf

David Weaver Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 david.s.weaver@nasa.gov Rani Gran Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. 301-286-2483 rani.c.gran@nasa.gov

Last updated: April 21, 2016

Editor: Erin Charles

     

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April 21, 2016 12-80A

Cell: (717) 823-3925 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Email: emcharles@crimson.ua.edu

NASA Makes Home Sweet Home Possible for the Detroit Lions

NASA helped develop a fabric roof that covers the Detroit Lions stadium.

The Pontiac Stadium, home of the Lions, has a domed roof that lets in light but still protects football players and the audience from the weather. The fabric material used for this roof is better than hides or canvases that tents use.

NASA needed new material for Apollo astronauts' space suits. It needed to be durable and noncombustible, but also thin, light and flexible.

Under NASA contract, Owens-Corning Fiberglass Corporation wove their ultra-fine glass fiber “Beta” yarn into fabric and coated it with Du Pont Company’s Teflon TFE for the suits.

A stronger spinoff of the Teflon coated fiberglass yarn now makes up the Lions’ domed roof. This specific coating is important because it withstands bad weather and doesn’t rot from mildew or shrink from sunlight.

It also only costs 30 to 40 percent more than conventional roofing does. The city of Pontiac uses this dome as a source of year-round income. When the Lions aren’t playing they can host events like conventions and concerts in any weather.

The roof requires two or three fans to maintain pressure and some others for ventilation. It only weighs 200 tons, which is lighter than a conventional roof that can weigh about 6,000 tons.

The cost of the fabric is already low, but the light weight is another economic plus. Since the roof is light it takes less steel and concrete in the foundation to hold it up.

Many facilities may use this aerospace spinoff fabric as an alternative to conventional roofing.

For more information, please visit:

     

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spinoff.nasa.gov

https://www.nasa.gov/topics/journeytomars/index.html

-end-

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20070018930.pdf

David Weaver Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 david.s.weaver@nasa.gov Rani Gran Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. 301-286-2483 rani.c.gran@nasa.gov

Last updated: April 21, 2016

Editor: Erin Charles

     

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April  21,  2016                                                                                                                                                                              Immediate  Release    

7 Ways Travel to Mars Will Enhance Your Life On Earth. Yes, Gen Y it affects you.  

1. Work for and on Mars creates high-paying space and engineering jobs. The Student Spaceflight Experiments Program and SPHERES Zero Robotics also offer space station educational activities that inspire more than 43 million students across the globe.

Scandal Moments/ Via scandalmoments.tumblr.com  

2. Mars is the closest comparable planet to Earth. It has similar day lengths and water

     

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available on the surface making it an ideal second home for us…to avoid ending up like the dinosaurs.

 

Giphy/ Via giphy.com  

3. Technology to detect breast cancer continually improves through discoveries from research on Mars.

  Lizzie Cox /Via sugarscape.com

     

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4. Bragging rights. Being the first on another planet gives us political and economic power over everyone, #Merica.

 

IGN/ Via dvdmedia.ign.com

5. Mars is worth a lot of money, with 144 trillion square meters of surface area to develop on and an abundance of rare metals (like gold).

     

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Jason Bailey/ Via flavorwire.com

6. Tax revenues will increase with new discoveries and developments on Mars, which will in turn increase your social benefits.

Jamie Primeau/Via bustle.com

     

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7. Mars is older than Earth and alternate life may be found there. This may answer questions about how other planets developed. Basically, it can explain your existence.

Giphy/ Via giphy.com

So get packing for Mars 2030

 

Terri Schwartz /Via zap2it.com

     

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For more information about NASA’s journey to Mars visit: https://www.nasa.gov/topics/journeytomars/index.html

 

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Last Updated: April 22, 2016 Editor: Erin Charles

     

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New York Times It’s Time to Become the Pioneer in Space Travel Mars Robotic space explorers have inhabited Mars for over 40 years, but sending humans there is NASA’s next step. Mars and Earth are similar in their formation and evolution. A human mission to Mars will help researchers learn more about the past and future of our planet. Getting to Mars and thriving there might even be imperative to the existence of mankind. “If the human race is to continue for another million years, we will have to boldly go where no one has gone before,” Stephen Hawking said at a NASA lecture series. Many current NASA researchers and successful innovators believe that mankind cannot exist forever without the help of another planet. It’s hard for people to care about such an expensive mission when gratification will come after this generation’s life ends, but the future’s well-being is at stake. Just think of the dinosaurs. Travel to Mars will provide the research and resources to help save mankind in the long run. If humans can inhabit another planet, there is a better chance of longer existence and knowledge to further that. Elon Musk is passionate about a future on Mars and founded SpaceX, a space transport company, to make getting there possible. In an interview with astronomer and ‘Slate’ writer Phil Plait, Musk said that “humans need to be a multiplanet species.” Both Plait and Musk share a similar perspective on the colonization of more than one planet. A single catastrophe can destroy the existence of a species, but space travel allows the existence of outside colonies that will continue to thrive in another area. Mars is the closest comparable planet to Earth. It has similar day lengths and water available on the surface making it an ideal option. America can take advantage of

     

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inhabiting Mars before another country, which may serve as a redemption for not being first on the moon. Traveling to Mars first will make America look good, but it will also allow America to “do good.” Astronauts will improve the quality of life on Earth from the research they do and the discoveries they make on Mars. Even information provided to NASA from the rovers out there have improved life for earthlings. A British doctor, Alexander Kumar, contributes pros and cons of travel to Mars from some of his own experiences in a two-part feature for BBC News. He even lived in Antarctica, the most Mars-like place found on Earth, to see how his body would adapt. Kumar states that humans will need to recycle air and water and use “life support systems” to live on Mars for significant periods of time. “Only by pushing mankind to its limits, to the bottoms of the ocean and into space, will we make discoveries in science and technology that can be adapted to improve life on Earth, Kumar said. At the beginning of its space travel, NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope took blurry photographs. Astronomers used an algorithm to get hidden information from the blurry photos. Later, a medical doctor put this same algorithm to use in his X-rays of potential breast cancer patients. This algorithm found early stages of breast cancer in the patients better than the original method the doctors would use. Space does not just benefit space, but many other fields like agriculture and medicine.

Mammogram X-rays Science, innovation and education will continue with travel to Mars, but the job market will also benefit.

     

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According to astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, the kids in middle school now are who NASA needs to appeal to because they are the next generation of astronauts. Children need to be fascinated in something to want to learn about and participate in it, so what better way to intrigue young learners than with a Mars mission. If there is work for and on Mars, space and engineering jobs will thrive. The reason our planet has evolved so much is due to mankind’s initial fascination and constant pursuit of space. Many technological innovations and “NASA Spinoffs” are made possible from space exploration, but it is nothing without the humans willing to dedicate their time and lives to the field. Students will want to learn the mysteries of other planets and pursue careers to get all of mankind on Mars, so a mission to Mars now will inspire our leaders of the future. Bill Nye said humans on Mars can make discoveries 10,000 times as fast as current spacecraft explorers. The robotic spacecraft and rovers on Mars now have already increased our knowledge of the planet significantly. On its way to Mars, the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover found radiation and sent back data to NASA from the surface. This data contains information needed to plan how to protect the astronauts that will travel to Mars. Nye’s statement displays how beneficial humans will be on Mars when compared to the already successful robots. Taking on an expedition to Mars means potentially finding life there, and that information is something rovers probably don’t have the ability to find all on their own. A future on Mars is a bright one for planet Earth and its inhabitants, so if Americans don’t take action then others will. From the experienced words of former astronaut Buzz Aldrin, “In my opinion, there is no more convincing way to demonstrate American leadership for the remainder of this century than to commit to a permanent presence on Mars.”   Buzz Aldrin