CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA's Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot, or RASSOR, is ready to demonstrate its unique skills during a media tour of the Granular Mechanics and Regolith Operations, or GMRO, Lab in the Swamp Works at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. RASSOR, lunar soil excavator, resembles a small tank chassis with a drum at either end, each attached with arms. The drums, one of the robot's most innovative feature, are mounted on moving arms, allowing the robot to step and climb over obstacles. Kennedy's Swamp Works provides rapid, innovative and cost-effective exploration mission solutions, leveraging partnerships across NASA, industry and academia. Kennedy's research and technology mission is to improve spaceports on Earth, as well as lay the groundwork for establishing spaceports at destinations in space. For more information, visit http:__www.nasa.gov_centers_kennedy_exploration_researchtech_index.html. Photo credit: NASA_Frankie Martin

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Robert Mueller, at center, chief of the Surface Systems Office, talks to media representatives touring the Swamp Works at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Kennedy's Swamp Works provides rapid, innovative and cost-effective exploration mission solutions, leveraging partnerships across NASA, industry and academia. Kennedy's research and technology mission is to improve spaceports on Earth, as well as lay the groundwork for establishing spaceports at destinations in space. For more information, visit http:__www.nasa.gov_centers_kennedy_exploration_researchtech_index.html. Photo credit: NASA_Frankie Martin

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The Orion Ground Test Vehicle is on display in the high bay of the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida during a tour for media representatives. Orion is the exploration spacecraft designed to carry crews to space beyond low-Earth orbit. It will provide emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during the space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities. The first unpiloted test flight of the Orion is scheduled in 2014 atop a Delta IV rocket, and in 2017, on a Space Launch System rocket. For more information, visit http:__www.nasa.gov_orion. Photo credit: NASA_Frankie Martin

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Dr. Mason Peck, second from left, NASA's chief technologist, and a team of NASA's innovative engineers discuss some of NASA's cutting-edge projects with media representatives touring the Swamp Works at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Kennedy's Swamp Works provides rapid, innovative and cost-effective exploration mission solutions, leveraging partnerships across NASA, industry and academia. Kennedy's research and technology mission is to improve spaceports on Earth, as well as lay the groundwork for establishing spaceports at destinations in space. For more information, visit http:__www.nasa.gov_centers_kennedy_exploration_researchtech_index.html. Photo credit: NASA_Frankie Martin

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Dr. Phil Metzger, at right, a principal investigator in the Surface Systems Office, discusses some of NASA's cutting-edge projects with media representatives touring the Granular Mechanics and Regolith Operations, or GMRO, Lab in the Swamp Works at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The GMRO team develops robotics to excavate regolith and ice as resources and to prepare berms, roads and landing pads. The laboratory also studies the physics of blowing rego¬lith and other materials in a rocket exhaust plume to predict and mitigate the blast effects of launches and landings. The team performed a demonstration of the Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot, or RASSOR, for the media. Kennedy's Swamp Works provides rapid, innovative and cost-effective exploration mission solutions, leveraging partnerships across NASA, industry and academia. Kennedy's research and technology mission is to improve spaceports on Earth, as well as lay the groundwork for establishing spaceports at destinations in space. For more information, visit http:__www.nasa.gov_centers_kennedy_exploration_researchtech_index.html. Photo credit: NASA_Frankie Martin

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Robert Mueller, chief of the Surface Systems Office, is interviewed by a representative of the media during a tour of the Swamp Works at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Kennedy's Swamp Works provides rapid, innovative and cost-effective exploration mission solutions, leveraging partnerships across NASA, industry and academia. Kennedy's research and technology mission is to improve spaceports on Earth, as well as lay the groundwork for establishing spaceports at destinations in space. For more information, visit http:__www.nasa.gov_centers_kennedy_exploration_researchtech_index.html. Photo credit: NASA_Frankie Martin

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A photograph of NASA's Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatiles Extraction, or RESOLVE, rover is on display atop a RESOLVE lander during a media tour of the Swamp Works at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. RESOLVE consists of a rover and drill provided by the Canadian Space Agency to support a NASA payload under development to prospect for water, ice and other lunar resources. RESOLVE also will demonstrate how future explorers can take advantage of resources at potential landing sites by manufacturing oxygen from soil. NASA used the lander to conduct field tests outside Hilo, Hawaii, in July 2012. Kennedy's Swamp Works provides rapid, innovative and cost-effective exploration mission solutions, leveraging partnerships across NASA, industry and academia. Kennedy's research and technology mission is to improve spaceports on Earth, as well as lay the groundwork for establishing spaceports at destinations in space. For more information, visit http:__www.nasa.gov_centers_kennedy_exploration_researchtech_index.html. Photo credit: NASA_Frankie Martin

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - This aerial view combines NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex (left) and the proposed 500-acre site for one of the largest solar power plants of its kind. The planned 100-megawatt photovoltaic solar plant would use similar panels to those already built at Kennedy by the SunPower Corp. The energy produced by the proposed facility would be used to provide power to Florida Power and Light customers. Kennedy Center Director Bob Cabana, FPL Vice President and Chief Development Officer Eric Silagy and a SunPower Corp. representative made a joint announcement regarding the new construction during a ceremony held in November 2009 to commission a 1-megawatt solar plant. Included in the announcement were plans to establish a permanent renewable energy research and development center at Exploration Park, Kennedy's new business complex. The dedicated RandD facility proposed for Exploration Park could result in at least 50 high-salary science and engineering positions permanently established at Kennedy by SunPower and FPL's other partners, a potential for solar panel manufacturing located nearby and as many as 1,000 new construction jobs. FPL and Kennedy have initiated environmental studies and a plan to support the next project, which could be initiated before the end of 2010. Photo credit: NASA_Kim Shiflett