WEBVTT

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Music.

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Hello and welcome to NASA Direct's prelaunch webcast for the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter mission, the next step in our exploration of the

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Red Planet. I'm your host, Tiffany Nail.

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During today's program, you'll have a chance to hear directly from some of those closest to the launch and mission.

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They'll give you an inside look at what it takes to prepare for, launch, and conduct this exciting project.

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From the launch vehicle to the sophisticated orbiter, you'll get an in-depth look at our newest Martian explorer.

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But first, we begin with a word from the director of NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Jim Kennedy.

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Welcome. I'm Jim Kennedy, director of NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

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Our recent exploration of Mars, the nearest planetary neighbor to Earth, has sparked the imagination of young and old alike.

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We are now poised to take the next step in that exploration with the launch of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

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This exciting project is an important next step in fulfilling NASA's vision of space exploration and, ultimately, sending human explorers to Mars and

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beyond. Stay tuned for today's live webcast, and you'll learn more about this significant mission.

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Thank you, Mr. Kennedy.

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