Nasa Paul E Alers

A small model of the Glory earth-observing spacecraft is seen during a news conference at NASA Headquarters, Thursday, Jan. 20, 2011, in Washington. NASA's newest Earth-observing research mission is scheduled f More

Joy Bretthauer, Glory Program Executive, left, Bryan Fafaul, Glory project manager, Michael Mischenko, Glory project scientist, center, Greg Kopp, University of Colorado, and Brian Cairns, instrument scientis More

Joy Bretthauer, Glory Program Executive, NASA Headquarters, talks about the launch of the GLORY mission during a news conference at NASA Headquarters, Thursday, Jan. 20, 2011, in Washington. NASA's newest Earth More

Joy Bretthauer, Glory Program Executive, seated left, Bryan Fafaul, Michael Mischenko, Greg Kopp and Brian Cairns, seated right, talk about the launch of the GLORY mission during a news conference at NASA Headq More

Brian Cairns, from NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, talks about the launch of the GLORY mission during a news conference at NASA Headquarters, Thursday, Jan. 20, 2011, in Washington. NASA's newest Ea More

Greg Kopp, from the University of Colorado's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics in Boulder, Colo., talks about the launch of the GLORY mission during a news conference at NASA Headquarters, Thursday, More

Michael Mischenko, from NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, and a Glory project scientist, talks about the launch of the GLORY mission during a news conference at NASA Headquarters, Thursday, Jan. 20, 2 More

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, right, shares a laugh with U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., center and U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., prior to an event at the MathScience Innovation Center, Friday, Jan. 28, 2011 More

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, left, holds a box of spiders as MathScience Innovation Center Instructor Rhonda Hawley describes them during a visit to the "Spider Room" at the center, Friday, Jan. 28. 2011, More

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden speaks to students from Albert Hill Middle School during a visit to the MathScience Innovation Center, Friday, Jan. 28, 2011, in Richmond, Va., as U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., More

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden speaks to students from Albert Hill Middle School during a visit to the MathScience Innovation Center, Friday, Jan. 28, 2011, in Richmond, Va. During his talk, Bolden highlight More

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden visits with students from Albert Hill Middle School during a visit to the MathScience Innovation Center, Friday, Jan. 28, 2011, in Richmond, Va. During his visit, Bolden highli More

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, right, counts down along with others as U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., readies to launch a paper rocket as U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., third right, looks on, Friday, Jan. 28, More

William Borucki, Kepler Science Principal Investigator from NASA's Ames Research Center, second from left, speaks during a news conference, Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2010, at NASA Headquarters in Washington as Douglas More

A scale model of the Kepler space telescope is seen at a news conference, Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2010, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Scientists using NASA's Kepler, a space telescope, recently discovered six More

William Borucki, Kepler Science Principal Investigator from NASA's Ames Research Center, second from left, speaks during a news conference, Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2010, at NASA Headquarters in Washington as Douglas More

Debra Fischer, a professor of Astronomy at Yale University, speaks during a news conference, Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2010, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Scientists using NASA's Kepler, a space telescope, recen More

Douglas Hudgins, a Kepler Program Scientist, speaks during a news conference, Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2010, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Scientists using NASA's Kepler, a space telescope, recently discovered More

Jack Lissauer, a planetary scientist and a Kepler science team member at NASA's Ames Research Center, speaks during a news conference, Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2010, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Scientists usi More

Jack Lissauer, a planetary scientist and a Kepler science team member at NASA's Ames Research Center, speaks during a news conference, Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2010, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Scientists usi More

NASA Tweetup participants along with NASA engineers and Robonaut 2 stand at the launch clock, Thursday, Feb. 24, 2011, prior to the launch of the space shuttle Discovery (STS-133) at Kennedy Space Center in Cap More

Former NASA Administrator James Beggs, left, and present NASA Administrator Charles Bolden conduct a dialogue on the future of the space program, Friday, March 4, 2011, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Beggs More

Former NASA Administrator James Beggs, left, and present NASA Administrator Charles Bolden conduct a dialogue on the future of the space program, Friday, March 4, 2011, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Beggs More

Former NASA Administrator James Beggs, left, and present NASA Administrator Charles Bolden conduct a dialogue on the future of the space program, Friday, March 4, 2011, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Beggs More

Former NASA Administrator James Beggs is seen during a dialogue with present NASA Administrator Charles Bolden on the future of the space program, Friday, March 4, 2011, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Begg More

Former NASA Administrator James Beggs smiles during a dialogue on the future of the space program, Friday, March 4, 2011, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Beggs was NASA's sixth administrator serving from Ju More

Former NASA Administrator James Beggs, left, and present NASA Administrator Charles Bolden conduct a dialogue on the future of the space program, Friday, March 4, 2011, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Beggs More

Former NASA Administrator James Beggs, left, and present NASA Administrator Charles Bolden conduct a dialogue on the future of the space program, Friday, March 4, 2011, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Beggs More

Astronauts Tracy Caldwell Dyson, flight engineer on Expeditions 23 and 24, left, and Doug Wheelock, Expedition 24 flight engineer and commander of Expedition 25, discuss their mission to the International Space More

Astronaut Doug Wheelock discusses his experiences while living on the International Space Station during a tweetup at NASA Headquarters in Washington, Wednesday, March 16, 2011. Wheelock, who has accumulated a More

Astronauts Tracy Caldwell Dyson, flight engineer on Expeditions 23 and 24, left, and Doug Wheelock, Expedition 24 flight engineer and commander of Expedition 25, discuss their mission to the International Space More

Astronaut Doug Wheelock discusses his experiences while living on the International Space Station during a tweetup at NASA Headquarters in Washington, Wednesday, March 16, 2011. Wheelock, who has accumulated a More

Astronaut Doug Wheelock discusses his experiences while living on the International Space Station during a tweetup at NASA Headquarters in Washington, Wednesday, March 16, 2011. Wheelock, who has accumulated a More

A tweetuup participant videotapes with her iPhone and tweets as astronaut Doug Wheelock discusses his experiences while living on the International Space Station during a tweetup at NASA Headquarters in Washing More

Astronauts Tracy Caldwell Dyson, flight engineer on Expeditions 23 and 24, left, and Doug Wheelock, Expedition 24 flight engineer and commander of Expedition 25, discuss their mission to the International Space More

Astronaut Doug Wheelock discusses his experiences while living on the International Space Station during a tweetup at NASA Headquarters in Washington, Wednesday, March 16, 2011. Wheelock, who has accumulated a More

The full moon is seen as it rises near the National Mall, Saturday, March 19, 2011, in Washington. The full moon tonight is called a "Super Moon" since it is at its closest to Earth. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

A Shorty Award is seen Wednesday, March 30, 2011 at NASA Headquarters in Washington. The award was presented to NASA astronaut Doug Wheelock for an image of the moon he took and posted to his Twitter account, @ More

A student from the Maryland School For the Blind explores an object while learning about Meteorites, Asteroids and Comets during NASA's Disability Mentoring Day, Thursday, April 7, 2011, at NASA Headquarters in More

A student from the Maryland School For the Blind explores an object while learning about Meteorites, Asteroids and Comets during NASA's Disability Mentoring Day, Thursday, April 7, 2011, at NASA Headquarters in More

A student from the Maryland School For the Blind touches a piece of moon rock while learning about Meteorites, Asteroids and Comets during NASA's Disability Mentoring Day, Thursday, April 7, 2011, at NASA Headq More

A student from the Maryland School For the Blind explores an object while learning about Meteorites, Asteroids and Comets during NASA's Disability Mentoring Day, Thursday, April 7, 2011, at NASA Headquarters in More

A student from the Maryland School For the Blind explores a braille map during NASA's Disability Mentoring Day, Thursday, April 7, 2011, at NASA Headquarters in Washignton. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

Students from the Maryland School for the Blind learn about space food from NASA Public Affairs specialist Nora Normandy, right, during Disability Mentoring Day, Thursday, April 7, 2011, at NASA Headquarters More

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, left, speaks with U.S. Sens. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., center, and Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, right, prior to his testimony in front of the Senate Appropriations Committee, More

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden testifies in front of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Monday, April 11, 2011, at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden is seen during testimony in front of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Monday, April 11, 2011, at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington. Photo Cre More

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden is seen prior to his testimony in front of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Monday, April 11, 2011, at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington. Pho More

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden testifies in front of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Monday, April 11, 2011, at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah, left, and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden sign a five-year memorandum of understanding, Monday, April 25, 2011, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. The agreement formalizes ong More

USAID Administrator Rajiv Shahspeaks prior to signing a five-year memorandum of understanding with NASA, Monday, April 25, 2011, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. The agreement formalizes ongoing agency colla More

USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah speaks prior to signing a five-year memorandum of understanding with NASA, Monday, April 25, 2011, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. The agreement formalizes ongoing agency coll More

USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah, left, and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden shake hands after signing a five-year memorandum of understanding, Monday, April 25, 2011, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. The agr More

Space shuttle Enterprise, mounted atop a NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), is seen as it flies over John F. Kennedy Airport, Friday, April 27, 2012, in New York. Enterprise was the first shuttle orbiter More

Heather Paul, a project engineer for Johnson Space Center, talks about space suit technology during the STS-134 Tweetup, Thursday, April 28, 2011, at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. About 150 NASA More

NASA Astronaut Clay Anderson speaks to NASA Twitter followers during the STS-134 Tweetup, Thursday, April 28, 2011, at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. About 150 NASA Twitter followers attended the More

Actor Seth Green, right, takes a quick photo of two NASA Tweeps holding a Golden Orb Spider during the STS-134 Tweetup, Thursday, April 28, 2011, at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. About 150 NASA T More

NASA Astronaut Clay Anderson speaks to NASA Twitter followers during the STS-134 Tweetup, Thursday, April 28, 2011, at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. About 150 NASA Twitter followers attended the More

Actor and Producer Levar Burton tweets with two devices during the STS-134 Tweetup, Thursday, April 28, 2011, at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. About 150 NASA Twitter followers attended the event. More

Barbie Dolls stand by during the STS-134 Tweetup, Thursday, April 28, 2011, at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. About 150 NASA Twitter followers attended the event. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

Actor Seth Green, a NASA Twitter follower, tweets from his device during the STS-134 Tweetup, Thursday, April 28, 2011, at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. About 150 NASA Twitter followers attended More

Heather Good, Twitter handle @foundonmars, tweets during the STS-134 Tweetup, Thursday, April 28, 2011, at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. About 150 NASA Twitter followers attended the event. Photo More

NASA Twitter followers are seen through a space suit helmet during the STS-134 Tweetup, Thursday, April 28, 2011, at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. About 150 NASA Twitter followers attended the ev More

NASA Twitter followers, who particiapted in the STS-134 Tweetup are seen together by the launch clock, Friday, April 29, 2011, at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. About 150 NASA Twitter followers at More

Rex Geveden, President of Teledyne Brown Engineering, makes a point during a press conference, Wednesday, May 4, 2011, to discuss NASA's Gravity Probe B (GP-B) mission which has confirmed two key predictions de More

Francis Everitt, Principal Investigator for the Gravity Probe B Mission at Stanford University, second from left, makes a point during a press conference, Wednesday, May 4, 2011, to discuss NASA's Gravity Probe More

Francis Everitt, Principal Investigator for the Gravity Probe B Mission at Stanford University, makes a point during a press conference, Wednesday, May 4, 2011, to discuss NASA's Gravity Probe B (GP-B) mission More

Colleen Hartman, Senior Advisor at NASA Headquarters and Research Professor at George Washington University, makes a point during a press conference, Wednesday, May 4, 2011, to discuss NASA's Gravity Probe B (G More

Clifford Will, Professor of Physics at Washington University in St. Louis, makes a point during a press conference, Wednesday, May 4, 2011, to discuss NASA's Gravity Probe B (GP-B) mission which has confirmed t More

Clifford Will, Professor of Physics at Washington University in St. Louis, foreground, answers questions during a press conference, Wednesday, May 4, 2011, to discuss NASA's Gravity Probe B (GP-B) mission which More

Rex Geveden, President of Teledyne Brown Engineering, makes a point during a press conference, Wednesday, May 4, 2011, to discuss NASA's Gravity Probe B (GP-B) mission which has confirmed two key predictions de More

Seated from left, Bill Danchi, Senior Astrophysicist and Program Scientist at NASA Headquarters, Francis Everitt, Principal Investigator for the Gravity Probe B Mission at Stanford University, Rex Geveden, Pres More

Francis Everitt, Principal Investigator for the Gravity Probe B Mission at Stanford University, makes a point during a press conference, Wednesday, May 4, 2011, to discuss NASA's Gravity Probe B (GP-B) mission More

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden along with Deputy Administrator Lori Garver, center, stands with STS-133 crew members from left, Mission Specialists Stephen Bowen, Michael Barratt, Nicole Slott, Alvin Drew, C More

STS-133 Commander Steven Lindsey, far left, presents a montage to President Barack Obama as crew members Michael Barratt, Pilot Eric Boe, Nicole Stott, and Stephen Bowen along with NASA Administrator Charles Bo More

STS-133 Commander Steven Lindsey, far left, presents a montage to President Barack Obama as crew members Michael Barratt, Pilot Eric Boe, Nicole Stott, and Stephen Bowen look on during a visit to the Oval Offic More

NASA Twitter followers from left; Leigh Checkman (@liprap), Barbara Nixon (@BarbaraNixon), and Beth Schaefer (@boonbeth), hold up signs just before the Astrovan, carrying the STS-134 crew out to launch pad 39a More

Guests view space shuttle Endeavour (STS-134) as it launches skyward from the balcony of the Operations Support Building II (OSB-II), Monday, May 16, 2011, at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. During More

NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver, in yellow jacket, stands with participants from the NASA Social underneath the engines of the Saturn V rocket at the Apollo Saturn V visitor center, Thursday, May 18, 2012 More

Recipients of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching stand together with NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and chief scientist Waleed Abdalati, center, at NASA Headquarters in More

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden speaks to recipients of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching at NASA Headquarters in Washington on Wednesday, May 19, 2011. Photo Credit: ( More

Actress June Lockhart delivers remarks during a program entitled Human Spaceflight: The Kennedy Legacy, Wednesday, May 25, 2011, in the concert hall at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Wash More

Former Apolo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin guest conducts the Space Philharmonic as Ted Kennedy III, left, looks on during a program commemorating Human Spaceflight and the Kennedy Legacy, Wednesday, May 25, 2011, More

Musician Herbie Hancock delivers remarks as members of the Space Philharmonic look on during a program commemorating Human Spaceflight and the Kennedy Legacy, Wednesday, May 25, 2011, in the concert hall at the More

Actress Nichelle Nichols, best known for her role as communications officer Lieutenant Uhura in the series "Star Trek", sings as she is escorted on stage, Wednesday, May 25, 2011, in the concert hall at the Joh More

Actress Nichelle Nichols, best known for her role as communications officer Lieutenant Uhura in the series "Star Trek", speaks as Emil de Cou, right, looks on, Wednesday, May 25, 2011, in the concert hall at th More

Actress June Lockhart livens up the audience after donning a NASA cap during a program entitled Human Spaceflight: The Kennedy Legacy, Wednesday, May 25, 2011, in the concert hall at the John F. Kennedy Center More

Former Apolo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, left, Emil de Cou, and Ted Kennedy III, right, bow at the end of a program commemorating Human Spaceflight and the Kennedy Legacy, Wednesday, May 25, 2011, in the concer More

Deputy Administrator Lori Garver, right, smiles after introducing musical guest Herbie Hancock, left, as members of the Space Philharmonic look on during a program commemorating Human Spaceflight and the Kenne More

Former Apolo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin guest conducts the Space Philharmonic as Ted Kennedy III, left, looks on during a program commemorating Human Spaceflight and the Kennedy Legacy, Wednesday, May 25, 2011, More

Deputy Administrator Lori Garver delivers remarks as Emil de Cou, right, looks on during a program commemorating Human Spaceflight and the Kennedy Legacy, Wednesday, May 25, 2011, in the concert hall at the Jo More

Ted Kennedy III guest conducts the Space Philharmonic during a program commemorating Human Spaceflight and the Kennedy Legacy, Wednesday, May 25, 2011, in the concert hall at the John F. Kennedy Center for the More

Jean Kennedy Smith, sister of John F. Kennedy, delivers remarks during a program entitled Human Spaceflight: The Kennedy Legacy as Emil de Cou, conductor of the Space Philharmonic, right, looks on, Wednesday, M More

Astronauts Scott Altman, left, and Leland Melvin speak of their fallen comrades during a program commemorating Human Spaceflight and the Kennedy Legacy, Wednesday, May 25, 2011, in the concert hall at the John More

Musician Herbie Hancock plays a piece on the piano during a program commemorating Human Spaceflight and the Kennedy Legacy, Wednesday, May 25, 2011, in the concert hall at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Per More

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden delivers opening remarks at the beginning of a program entitled Human Spaceflight: The Kennedy Legacy as Emil de Cou, conductor of the Space Philharmonic, right, looks on, Wedn More

Former Apolo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, right, passes the baton to second guest conductor Ted Kennedy III as conductor Emil de Cou looks on while the Space Philharmonic plays on during a program commemorating H More

Emil de Cou conducts the Space Philharmonic during a program entitled Human Spaceflight: The Kennedy Legacy, Wednesday, May 25, 2011, in the concert hall at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in More

Astronauts Scott Altman, left, and Leland Melvin speak of their fallen comrades as Emil de Cou, right, looks on during a program commemorating Human Spaceflight and the Kennedy Legacy, Wednesday, May 25, 2011, More

Pilots Shane Dover, left, and Mike Singer are seen on the flight deck of the P-3B NASA research aircraft at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Tuesday, June 28, 2011, in Baltimore, M More