File:KSC-05-S-00248 (ksc 080805 mro intro).webm

English: HOST: Hello and welcome to NASA Direct's prelaunch webcast for the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter mission, the next step in our exploration of the Red Planet. I'm your host, Tiffany Nail. During today's program, you'll have a chance to hear directly from some of those closest to the launch and mission. They'll give you an inside look at what it takes to prepare for, launch, and conduct this exciting project. From the launch vehicle to the sophisticated orbiter, you'll get an in-depth look at our newest Martian explorer. But first, we begin with a word from the director of NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Jim Kennedy. Welcome. I'm Jim Kennedy, director of NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Our recent exploration of Mars, the nearest planetary neighbor to Earth, has sparked the imagination of young and old alike. We are now poised to take the next step in that exploration with the launch of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. This exciting project is an important next step in fulfilling NASA's vision of space exploration and, ultimately, sending human explorers to Mars and beyond. Stay tuned for today's live webcast, and you'll learn more about this significant mission. Thank you, Mr. Kennedy.