NASA to Discuss Progress Today on Asteroid Initiative

WASHINGTON, March 25, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA will host a media teleconference at 2:30 p.m. EDT today to discuss the selection of an Asteroid Redirect Mission concept and other advances supporting the agency's journey to Mars.

The Asteroid Redirect Mission will retrieve an asteroid mass and place it into lunar orbit, where astronauts will explore it in the 2020s. The mission will test a number of new capabilities needed for future human deep space expeditions, including to Mars.

Participants in the media teleconference are:

• Robert Lightfoot, NASA associate administrator
• Michele Gates, program director, NASA's Asteroid Redirect Mission
• Lindley Johnson, program executive, NASA's Near Earth Object Program

To participate, media must email their first and last name, affiliation and phone number to Karen Northon at [email protected] by 2:15 p.m.

Audio of the media teleconference will stream live on NASA's website at:

http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio

Find more information about the Asteroid Redirect Mission at:

www.nasa.gov/asteroidinitiative

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SOURCE NASA

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