Sen. Barbara Mikulski Visit To Goddard Jan. 6, 2016

B-roll of includes:

Senator Mikulski views the James Webb Space Telescope being assembled in a clean room at Goddard. Webb project manager Bill Oches talked to the Senator about the progress being made with the installation of its 18 primary mirrors. The James Webb Space Telescope is the scientific successor to NASA's Hubble Space Telescope.

Next Senator Mikulski participated in a ribbon cutting to officially open the new Robotic Operations Center (ROC) developed by the Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office. Goddard Center director Chris Scolese and Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office (SSCO) Associate Director Frank Cepollina stood next to the Senator as she cut the ribbon. SSCO Deputy Project Manager Ben Reed showed Mikulski around the ROC where they saw a demonstration of the robotic technology.

Sen. Barbara Mikulski speaks to employees at the Goddard Space Flight Center on January 6th, 2016.

Sen. Barbara Mikulski participated in a ribbon cutting at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center on January 6th, 2016, to officially open the new Robotic Operations Center (ROC) developed by the Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office (SSCO). Here, she receives an overview of a robotic console station used to practice satellite servicing activities.

Image credit: NASA/Chris Gunn

Sen. Barbara Mikulski participated in a ribbon cutting at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center on January 6th, 2016, to officially open the new Robotic Operations Center (ROC) developed by the Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office. Within the ROC's black walls, NASA is testing technologies and operational procedures for science and exploration missions, including the Restore-L satellite servicing mission and also the Asteroid Redirect Mission.

Image credit: NASA/Chris Gunn

During her tour of the ROC, Sen. Mikulski saw first-hand an early version of the NASA Servicing Arm (visible above, at right), a 2-meter-class robot with the dexterity to grasp and refuel a satellite on orbit. She also heard a description of Raven, a payload launching to the International Space Station that will demonstrate real-time, relative space navigation technology.  The robotic technologies that NASA is developing within the ROC also support the Journey to Mars.

Image credit: NASA/Desiree Stover

Impromptu speech following the ribbon cutting of the Robotic Operations Center (ROC).