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Apollo 11 CapCom Charles M. Duke, Jr., left, with astronauts James A. Lovell, Jr., center, and Fred W. Haise, Jr. during the first human lunar landing on July 20, 1969. Photo Credit: NASA
This Month in NASA History: CapCom for Apollo 11

Duke talks Armstrong and Aldrin through communications issues, alarms, and a dwindling fuel supply to help them reach the lunar surface.

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This image, captured by the Hubble Space Telescope, shows the aftermath of DART’s collision with the asteroid Dimorphos at 13,000 miles per hour, blasting more than 2 million pounds of dust and rock off the asteroid, and changing its orbit. Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI, and Jian-Yang Li (PSI); Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI)
Exercise Focuses on Asteroid Response

Representatives from NASA, FEMA, federal agencies and international partners discuss real challenges posed by hypothetical scenario.

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The first image taken this year with Hubble’s one-gyroscope pointing method is of NGC 1546, a nearby galaxy in the constellation Dorado. The galaxy’s orientation provides a good view of dust lanes from slightly above and backlit by the galaxy’s core. Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI, David Thilker (JHU)
Hubble Team Moves to Extend Gyroscopes

Pointing method developed decades ago uses full complement of instruments to focus on targets with precision.

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Shuttle Software Anomaly

Case Study–A few minutes after the Shuttle Endeavour reached orbit for STS-126 on Nov. 14, 2008, mission control noticed that the shuttle did not automatically transfer two communications processes from launch to orbit configuration. Primary communications continued to use S-band frequencies after they should have transferred to the more powerful Ku-band. The link between the shuttle and its payload — the Payload Signal Processor (PSP)–remained configured for a radio link rather than switching.

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Overview on Organizational Silence (SMA-OV-WBT-131)

The course is for all NASA personnel and defines the basic knowledge, types, factors and consequences behind organizational silence; identifies organizational silence conditions; and describes tactics and steps to combat organizational silence.

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Technical Authority Course (SMA-OV-WBT-128)

This course was developed to provide NASA employees with an overview of intent of the Technical Authority program/initiative and management structure designed to ensure checks and balances between decision-making authorities.

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Ariane 5 Case Study (SMA-OV-WBT-134)

This course is designed to provide you with an overview of the Ariane 5 failure, which occurred on June 4, 1996. Arianespace, the world’s first commercial launch provider, developed and operated the Ariane family of launch vehicles on behalf of the European Space Agency (ESA). Ariane 5 Flight 501 was the first flight for the Ariane 5 launch vehicle series. It launched from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. The vehicle self-destructed 37 seconds after lift-off.

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NASA astronaut Scott Kelly participated in an extra-vehicular activity (EVA) on November 6, 2015, as part of the One Year Mission on the International Space Station. The EVA lasted nearly eight hours. Photo Credit: NASA
EVA Water Intrusion Close Call Case Study (SMA-OV-WBT-133)

This course is designed to provide you with an overview of the Extravehicular Activity (EVA) suit water intrusion close call which occurred on July 16, 2013. Two U.S. crew members aboard the International Space Station had to terminate an EVA when one of them reported water inside his helmet. A summary of the events leading up to the accident, a discussion of the underlying and proximate causes, root causes, and lessons learned by NASA are presented by Chris Hansen, Chairman – Mishap Investigation Board and Manager, Extravehicular Activity Office at Johnson Space Center.

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Orion Capsule Recovery Case Study (SMA-OV-WBT-132)

This course provides an overview of the mission of Exploration Flight Test 1 (EFT-1), the first orbital flight test article of the NASA Orion Multi-Purpose-Crew Vehicle Program. It focuses on the test philosophy conducted prior to EFT-1 mission to prepare the recovery team, the EFT-1 at-sea mission recovery efforts, and lessons learned from the testing.

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