1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:11,740 Hello, everyone. I'm Steele McGonigal. And I'm Cara O'Brien. Welcome to this special 2 00:00:11,740 --> 00:00:15,960 edition of Destination Tomorrow. On this episode, we'll be focusing on NASA's 3 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:21,660 new exploration plans to travel to the Moon, Mars and beyond. In recent months, NASA planners 4 00:00:21,660 --> 00:00:25,920 have been preparing for a new initiative that will set a pioneering vision for NASA's exploration 5 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:30,280 programs. To prepare for this vision, NASA researchers are developing a step-by-step 6 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:35,440 process that will enable us to reach this goal in a safe and economical way. First by 7 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:40,120 using robotic missions as a testbed, then gradually moving into human missions, NASA 8 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:44,520 is paving the way for a human presence on other worlds in the next few decades. This 9 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:48,760 new NASA vision will help us carry on the basic human desire to explore. 10 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:53,340 From the earliest discoverers to our modern travelers, every step taken from the known 11 00:00:53,340 --> 00:00:58,260 into the unknown has helped to feed this exploration instinct. One of the most important 12 00:00:58,260 --> 00:01:03,620 agencies ever formed to help meet this need is NASA, or the National Aeronautics and Space 13 00:01:03,620 --> 00:01:08,980 Administration. Obviously, exploration has been one of the cornerstones of the NASA mission 14 00:01:08,980 --> 00:01:14,060 throughout its existence. Over the years, the talented men and women of NASA have changed 15 00:01:14,060 --> 00:01:18,100 our world for the better, making exciting discoveries that have not only furthered the 16 00:01:18,100 --> 00:01:23,140 space program, but have also transformed our daily lives here on Earth. In fact, for 17 00:01:23,140 --> 00:01:28,980 every dollar NASA spends in space, at least $7 is returned to the public by way of inventions 18 00:01:28,980 --> 00:01:34,300 and discoveries. This investment return can be seen in everyday technologies, ranging 19 00:01:34,300 --> 00:01:40,260 from cordless power tools, cancer research, to weather prediction. Over 30,000 inventions 20 00:01:40,260 --> 00:01:44,940 and discoveries have been made as a direct result of NASA's involvement. 21 00:01:44,940 --> 00:01:49,100 Although NASA has done a great job pushing the envelope of exploration in space and back 22 00:01:49,100 --> 00:01:53,860 here on Earth, there is still much more that needs to be done. Even with great public support 23 00:01:53,860 --> 00:01:58,020 to reach our exploration goals, few people understand the challenges we'll face in getting 24 00:01:58,020 --> 00:02:02,260 to other worlds. To help us better understand the technical and environmental problems we'll 25 00:02:02,260 --> 00:02:07,140 encounter, researchers will first plan to test the waters by increasing our robotic 26 00:02:07,140 --> 00:02:12,140 presence throughout the universe. These robotic missions will expand our knowledge base and 27 00:02:12,140 --> 00:02:16,340 help us focus training that will prepare humans for the next step of exploration. Now 28 00:02:16,340 --> 00:02:19,980 to help us understand how this will work, Jennifer Pulley spoke with Mark Saunders at 29 00:02:19,980 --> 00:02:22,220 NASA Langley Research Center to find out more.