Where Should We Go in Space? Tell Bill Nye During a Live Ustream Chat

"Tell us where you want to go in space!" said Bill Nye, slated to take the reins as the Planetary Society's new executive director.

Nye will join Louis Friedman, the Society's current executive director, on July 14, 2010 to talk with the public about The New NASA Plan -- Destinations, during a live interactive video event on Ustream.

"We want a lively debate!" said Friedman, urging people to join the discussion.

The Planetary Society has been actively encouraging discussion of the new plan proposed for NASA, a plan that would entail a major shift in NASA's human spaceflight program. The Society leadership feels that it is vital that public interest be represented in discussing issues that will change the course of the US space program for decades to come.

The new NASA plan for human spaceflight focuses on technologies and milestones that will advance human space flight out of Earth orbit and into the solar system. Mars may be the ultimate goal, but the path for humans to set foot on the Red Planet is flexible, to be determined step-by-step.

During The New NASA Plan -- Destinations, Nye and Friedman hope to field questions, such as:

• Is it enough to set deadlines for new technologies – like designing a deep space rocket by 2015?
• Does NASA need first to set destinations with deadlines – like landing on an asteroid by2025, and reaching Mars by the mid-2030s?
• And what about the Moon – is it a step toward Mars or a destination by itself?

The Planetary Society plans to continue to hold webcasts on topics such as the deep space rocket, use of commercial launch vehicles, and robotic precursor missions.

Those wishing to participate in the Ustream chat room or to ask questions will need to set up a free account with Ustream prior to the start of the event. The New NASA Plan -- Destinations will also be archived on Ustream for later viewing.