NATO

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>Two astronauts with NASA's STS 129 Mission, U.S. Navy Captain Barry Wilmore (pilot) and Mike Foreman (mission specialist), visited the Joint Warfare Centre on 21 September 2011 to give a presentation about the STS 129 Mission aboard space shuttle Atlantis in November 2009.

The mission aimed to re-supply parts, including two spare gyroscopes, and conduct further research at the International Space Station as part of NASA's Space Shuttle Program.

The mission also included four spacewalks and the return of a Canadian astronaut from the space station to Earth. The presentation at Jatta consisted of a demonstration of pictures that the STS 129 crew took from outer space as well as a spectacular movie, showing Atlantis' launch at 700 frames per second; films taken inside the International Space Station at zero gravity and ultimately Atlantis' successful landing after the completion of its 11-day mission.

At the end of the presentation there was a 40-minute question and answer session where astronauts answered questions about their experiences in outer space. They talked about the mysterious beauty of Earth and its intense colours of blue, green and orange as seen from outer space; its stillness and fragility; NASA's partnership with industry for space-based research and development, and the future of space exploration, including a proposed mission to an asteroid or even a landing on Mars, predicted for 2035.