NASA Partners With Forest Service To Highlight Wildfires,
Science HOUSTON, June 29, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — NASA
and the U.S. Forest Service signed a Space Act Agreement this
week that unites the two agencies in raising awareness about the
importance of fire prevention and fire safety. This partnership
will highlight areas of common interest in wildfires, forest and
plant growth research and materials science. The joint effort
will be enhanced by the personal interest of astronaut Joe
Acaba, a flight engineer currently aboard the International
Space Station. Acaba is an avid outdoorsman who has focused much
of his career on the environment. He selected Smokey Bear, the
forest service’s mascot, as the zero-gravity indicator and
talisman for his Soyuz flight to the orbiting laboratory last
month. “I’ve always enjoyed the outdoors and our natural
environment,” said Acaba. “When you view our planet from space,
it only makes you appreciate it more. I hope that sharing my
experiences aboard the space station