Houston, we have a podcast.

Welcome to the official podcast of the NASA Johnson Space Center,

episode 198, the International Space Station,

and beyond.

I'm Pat Ryan.

On this podcast we talk with scientists, engineers,

astronauts, all kinds of experts about their part in America's Space Exploration

Program. Today we turn to look forward in time to the future space exploration that the

International Space Station is making a reality.

Since before its first component launched from Earth in 1998, the major goals of the International Space Station have included

supporting world-class science research, creating benefits on Earth,

promoting international cooperation, boosting the commercialization of space,

and supporting the future of space exploration.

Which is to say, using the space station, flying close by in low Earth orbit to learn what we need

to know so we can go back to the moon and then to the big destination, to Mars.

How to make use of this relatively permanent platform only a couple of hundred miles away in the sky

to answer our questions about how to support people in space on journeys that will take years to complete.

This is the sixth in a series of NASA... on journeys that will take years to complete.

This is the sixth in a series of NASA sponsored panel discussions

in recognition of the 20th anniversary of continuous human presence on the station.

We brought to the others starting in February. This time a

panel of NASA experts heavily involved in planning those future missions

...