Feb. 6, 2009 Vol. 49, No. 3 Spaceport News John F. Kennedy Space Center - America’s gateway to the universe

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Though not an , Dr. Mamoru Mohri flew aboard Astronaut shines Endeavour as a on mission STS-47 in September 1992. as JAXA’s first The first-ever Japanese person to fly in space was a journalist, Toyohiro Aki- to live in space yama, on a Soyuz spacecraft to the Russian Mir Space By Linda Herridge Magnus as Expedition 18 Station in December 1990. The first Japanese as- Spaceport News flight engineer. Magnus NASA/Kim Shiflett tronaut to conduct a space- will return to Earth aboard STS-119 Mission Specialist Koichi Wakata is seated in space shuttle Discovery during xcitement is build- walk was Dr. Takao Doi, on Discovery. the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test in January at Kennedy Space Center. ing for the upcoming Columbia’s STS-87 mission Wakata will spend about she feels honored to wit- ducted two spacewalks to STS-119 mission to in November 1997. E three months on the station. ness Wakata’s launch aboard demonstrate and evaluate the International Space Sta- To help Wakata feel at During the mission he will Discovery. tion, especially within Japan techniques to be used in the home on Discovery and the operate the station’s robotic “I think I’m the only Aerospace Exploration assembly of the International space station, JAXA will arm to help install the S6 JAXA worker who’s been Agency, or JAXA. The S6 Space Station. provide Japanese meals truss and solar arrays will be truss and solar arrays to the here to see all the Japanese Wakata also was the first and snacks, such as ramen delivered, as well as Koichi S5 truss already on the sta- launch from Japanese astronaut to work noodles, egg drop soup and Wakata, JAXA’s first astro- tion. These fourth and final Kennedy,” Holdrum said. on space station assembly oolong and green teas. naut to live and work on the set of solar array wings will “Wakata and I are close in during Discovery’s STS-92 “I am very fortunate. orbiting laboratory. complete the station’s truss, age, so it feels very much mission in October 2000. I feel just lucky to be able “This is a very big or backbone, and provide like one of my classmates During the 13-day mission, to serve as a crew member milestone for Japan’s gov- enough electricity to fully is achieving this ‘first’ for the seven-member crew at- to complete the assembly ernment, as well as for the power science experiments the Japanese people and the tached the Z1 truss and Pres- of the International Space Japanese people,” Hiroki in the Columbus and Japa- country.” surized Mating Adapter 3 to Station. When I became an Furihata, deputy director of nese Kibo laboratories. Wakata is no stranger the station using Discovery’s astronaut 16 years ago, I the JAXA liaison office at Furihata said he has to spaceflight. He flew as robotic arm and performed always dreamed of working Kennedy Space Center said. known Wakata for several the first Japanese mission four spacewalks to config- on the assembly of the Kibo “The JAXA engineers work- years and had the opportu- specialist on Endeavour’s ure those elements. That module and staying aboard ing on the Kibo elements for nity to work with him during STS-72 mission in January expansion opened the door the International Space Sta- a future mission are excited, design and testing of the 1996. The six-member crew for future assembly missions tion. So, for me, this is really as well.” Kibo Pressurized Module retrieved the Space Flyer and prepared the station for a dream come true,” Wakata During the STS-119 and Japanese Experiment Unit that launched from its first resident crew. said. mission, Wakata will transfer Module. Japan 10 months earlier, Wakata is not the As of print time, launch to the station and replace Minako Holdrum, an deployed and retrieved the first Japanese person to of Discovery was targeted NASA astronaut Sandra assistant to Furihata, said OAST-Flyer, and con- fly aboard a space shuttle. for Feb. 19 at 4:41 a.m.

Winter tornado Heritage: Inside this issue . . . season begins Shuttle first landed at KSC 25 years ago Orion high bay ready NOAA-N Prime satellite launch

Page 2 Page 3 Page 6 Page 7 Page 2 SPACEPORT NEWS Feb. 6, 2009

NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis Representatives from NASA, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co., Space Florida and the state of Florida participated in a ceremony Jan. 26 to mark the completion of renovations on the historic Operations and Checkout Building high bay for the Constellation Program. Orion, America’s future human spaceflight vehicle, will be capable of transporting four crew members to the moon and later will support crew transfers to Mars. The Orion spacecraft also will take astronauts to the International Space Station after space shuttles are retired in 2010. The first operational launch of Orion atop an Ares I rocket is planned for 2015. O&C high bay ready for Orion processing By Linda Herridge comes opportunity.” “I’m thrilled to be part of this Workers replaced everything in Spaceport News “The place where mankind movement as we go forward into the 70,000-square-foot high bay and literally reaches for the stars is from this next phase,” Kosmas said. the 20,000-square-foot basement, ASA’s Constellation Pro- right here in Florida,” said Lt. Gov. Richard Harris, Orion deputy except the basic structure. gram took another giant Jeff Kottkamp. “We’re proud of that program manager for Production A tour of the facility revealed step forward as representa- N history. We embrace that history, and Operations with Lockheed Martin, new walls, ceilings, paint, air condi- tives from NASA, Lockheed Martin it’s something we believe everyday said the state’s investment is a win- tioning, wiring, a new state-of-the- Space Systems Co., Space Florida we should work hard to build on.” win situation. art heavy lift crane and specially- and the state of Florida helped mark Kottkamp said that he and the “The vision is being realized designed epoxy flooring. Partici- the completion of renovations to the governor recognize Florida’s invalu- at KSC,” Harris said. “Today we pants also were able to view mock- historic Operations and Checkout Building, or O&C, high bay at Ken- able pool of talented work force in celebrate our first goal -- facility ups of the Orion capsule and a heat nedy Space Center on Jan. 26. place at Kennedy. project completed on schedule and shield. Total renovation costs were Kennedy Director Bob Cabana “We are determined to do all under budget.” about $55 million. welcomed participants to the event we can to keep those men and wom- The facility, once used to U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, R-Fla., and thanked the state of Florida en right here in the sunshine state process space vehicles in the Apollo said that one of the things this for their $35 million commitment working at NASA, as well as our era, will serve as the final assem- country is universally, undeniably toward the high bay renovations. fast-emerging commercial aerospace bly and checkout facility for the respected for around the world is the “This is a real program and we industries,” Kottkamp said. Orion crew exploration vehicles, nation’s space program. have real hardware here,” Cabana U.S. Rep. Suzanne Kosmas, which includes the crew and service “A big part of my job is to con- said. “We’re ready for Orion; we’re D-Fla., said the reopening of the modules. Initial Orion production tinue to work with our governor, our ready to go back to the moon.” facility is not only symbolic of our processing will begin with vehicle legislature, our colleagues in Con- Cabana said the new facility ability to move forward into the mock-ups later this year. gress, our county officials, NASA, will create about 400 jobs, which is future, but also is very tangible Construction contractor Hansel the Air Force and Space Florida to important at this time. evidence of what is being done at Phelps Construction Co. of Orlando, absolutely guarantee that we’re go- “We need to focus on our Kennedy, and the innovation and Fla., was awarded the contract by ing to remain No. 1 in space,” Posey future,” Cabana said. “With change partnerships that are taking place. Lockheed Martin in June 2007. said. Feb. 6, 2009 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 3 NOAA-N ‘Prime-time’ weather watcher hen severe weather ap- Editor’s note Wproaches, we As of press time, turn to our local meteorolo- the launch of a gists and in-home weather Delta II carrying the radios for up-to-date infor- NOAA-N Prime satellite mation. But without space- was scheduled for Feb. 4. based detection, such as For complete coverage geostationary and polar-or- and photos, go to: biting satellites, life-threat- www.nasa.gov. ening weather could strike without warning. data to feed the models and The newest polar-orbiting computers big enough to satellite is NOAA-N Prime, run the models. Polar-orbit- set to launch atop a Delta II ing weather satellites are a rocket from Vandenberg Air prime source of that data.” Force Base in California on Madura also said with Feb. 4. new satellites, such as Just as we turn to NOAA-N Prime, forecasters experts to keep us safe, the can rely less on assumptions National Oceanic and Atmo- and more on models. spheric Administration, or “Our goal is to be able NOAA, turns to the experts to say exactly where and at to safely design and launch what time a thunderstorm its satellites. will pop up,” Madura said. “The launch of another “For the contractor who government agency’s satel- can’t pour concrete in the lite is a prime example of rain, these satellites increase synergies that have evolved their economic value.” over time,” NASA Launch The economic values and Director Omar Baez said. life-saving capabilities don’t “NOAA is the prime dis- stop there. seminator of valuable “The spacecraft carries a weather, atmospheric and Search and Rescue Antenna, oceanic data. It recog- which, along with the previ- nizes Goddard Space Flight ous NOAA satellites, will Center’s expertise of procur- continue the partnership ing and designing satellites, with the international satel- which in turn recognizes lite-aided search and rescue NASA’s Launch Services mission,” NASA Mission Program as the expert at Manager David Breedlove getting those satellites into said. “This technology has orbit.” been credited with saving As it orbits Earth’s poles, more than 24,000 lives since NOAA-N Prime will collect 1982.” information about the atmo- Breedlove said processing sphere, cloud cover and sea of the Delta II and NOAA surface temperature, which spacecraft was progressing helps weather experts pre- on-schedule. dict and monitor hurricanes, Something else to note, thunderstorms and frontal which is two-fold for this boundaries. mission, weather satellites “Predicting the weather in orbit will keep an eye on is like a three-legged stool,” Vandenberg on launch day, John Madura, manager of to help the Launch Manage- the NASA Weather Office ment Team. said. “To provide accurate, Twenty-one days after NASA high-quality forecasts, we NOAA-N Prime launches, The first half of the fairing is moved into place around the NOAA-N Prime spacecraft in the launch service tower on Space need models that describe Launch Complex-2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The fairing is a molded structure that fits flush with the outside NASA will transfer opera- surface of the rocket and forms an aerodynamically smooth nose cone, protecting the spacecraft during launch and ascent. the physical processes of the tional control of the satellite NOAA-N Prime is the latest polar-orbiting weather satellite developed by NASA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric atmosphere, atmospheric to NOAA. Administration. Launch of NOAA-N Prime aboard a Delta II rocket was scheduled for Feb. 4. Page 4 SPACEPORT NEWS Feb. 6, 2009 Feb. 6, 2009 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 5 Scenes Around Kennedy Space Center

NASA/Kim Shiflett NASA/Tim Jacobs Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, left, takes part in a wreath-laying ceremony paying tribute to the Workers in the Vehicle Assembly Building’s extended duration orbiter lab, or EDO, remove the shipping crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, as well as other NASA colleagues who lost their NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis cover from the fifth segment simulator of the Ares I-X. Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I, which is lives while furthering the cause of exploration and discovery, during NASA’s Day of Remembrance observance at Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana holds the “Big Ticket,” commemorating the 30th Annual KSC All-American Picnic scheduled for Saturday, March 7, at KARS Park I, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be part of the Constellation Program. Ares I is part of the new rocket system that will carry astronauts to the the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. At right, is Mark Nappi, United Space Alliance vice president of Launch classic children’s games, a fishing tournament, car show, a variety of musical presentations and much more. Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q will provide the food. A vegetarian meal also will be provided. Tickets are $7, $4 International Space Station, back to the moon and on to Mars. Ares I-X is targeted for launch in July. and Recovery Systems and Florida Site Executive. for children 11 and younger. Day-of admission is $10 for adults and $6 for children. For more information, go to: http://kscpicnic.ksc.nasa.gov.

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NASA/Jack Pfaller mail.nasa.gov. The newly arrived simulator crew module for the Ares I-X rocket is lowered onto a work stand in High Bay 4 of the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space NASA/Jim Grossmann Center. The launch of the 321-foot-tall, full-scale Ares I-X, targeted for July, will be the first in a series of rocket launches from Kennedy. When fully developed, the The Kennedy Space Center Black Employee Strategy Team, or BEST, hosted an Inaugural Observance in honor of the first African-American Commander-in-Chief of the United States on Jan. 20 in the Operations and 16-foot diameter crew module will furnish living space and re-entry protection for astronauts. Checkout Building. Workers watched as then-President Elect Barack Obama took the oath of office. Page 6 SPACEPORT NEWS Feb. 6, 2009 Nighttime twisters can be a nightmare By 45th Weather Squadron daily 24-hour and weekly NOAA All Hazards Radio forecasts, issues a tornado For Spaceport News More online planning forecasts, which will sound an alarm if the watch when conditions are are available at: www.pat- National Weather Service likely to produce torna- hings that go bump Weather safety training rick.af.mil. issues a weather warning for does, and issues a tornado in the night aren’t is available from the 45th If a threat continues, the your area. warning when one has been always tricks of the T Weather Squadron by calling squadron issues a severe- This is essential if you detected. mind. In fact, they can be 321-494-7426 or e-mail weather watch with a de- live in an area where there If severe weather is dangerous and even deadly. [email protected]. sired lead time of four hours. is no tornado siren. Even if likely, review your safety While overall deaths If tornadoes are imminent you live near a siren, it may plan, include your family from tornadoes have de- or observed, the squadron not be loud enough to wake and remind everyone where creased in the U.S., twisters common myth is to open issues a tornado warning you inside your house. the safe room is located. between midnight and dawn windows and let the build- with a desired lead time of NOAA radios also If there is time before the are 2.5 times more likely ing “breathe.” Houses do five minutes. If you receive provide alternatives for high winds start, store loose to kill, according to a new not explode from decom- a warning, follow local ad- the hearing and visually outside materials and close study from Northern Illinois pression in a tornado and verse weather procedures. impaired. protective shutters. University. It’s important opening a window actually At home, purchase a Be aware that NOAA If a tornado or severe for Space Coast residents to increases the danger. NOAA All Hazards Radio, radios don’t cover 2 percent weather watch is issued, take that statistic seriously Step No. 2, Stay formerly known as a NOAA of the country, so test the listen for weather warnings because the mid-south is the Informed: The 45th Weather Radio. One of the reception of new radios to and be ready to act. most vulnerable to nighttime Weather Squadron signals main reasons late night be sure you’re covered. Always go to your safe twisters. the potential for severe tornadoes are so dangerous The National Weather room if threatening weather February through April weather at Kennedy Space is that people are sleeping Service in Melbourne gives approaches -- there may is the severe winter-weather Center and Cape Canaveral and not aware of weather the potential for severe not be time for an official season for east-central Air Force Station in their warnings. However, a weather in their general warning. Florida, and tornados are notorious for touching down during strong cold fronts moving into the area. The stronger the cold front, the higher the chance intense tornadoes will spawn. Because these cold fronts are fairly easy to predict, the potential for these tornadoes usually can be forecasted a day or more in advance; but it’s always best to be prepared. Tornado safety is an easy two-step process. Step No. 1, Have A Plan: Identify the safest room in your building and ensure everyone knows where it is located. The saf- est rooms are on the lowest floor, away from windows, farther inside and smaller with solid construction, such as restrooms, closets and basements. A strong table and thick pads can protect against fall- ing debris and motorcycle, bicycle and skateboard helmets can prevent head injuries. People in mobile homes or other weak portable Courtesy of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for NASA buildings should seek proper A winter tornado ripped through Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla., on Christmas Day in 2006. The National Weather Service confirmed an shelter elsewhere. Also, a F2 tornado, with winds around 120 mph, damaged buildings and aircraft and destroyed a hangar. Feb. 6, 2009 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 7 Remembering Our Heritage First KSC shuttle landing 25 years ago By Kay Grinter Reference Librarian major milestone in the Space Shuttle A Program was met Feb. 11, 1984, as Challenger smoothly set down on Run- way 15 at Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, becoming the first spacecraft in NASA history to land at the same site from which it launched. Touchdown came early that Saturday morning at 7:15 a.m. EST. Challenger and its crew made the first landing on a runway specially designed to serve the space shuttle through its operational era, concluding the almost eight- day STS 41-B mission. All previous shuttle missions had ended at Edwards Air Force Base in California or, when weather was unac- ceptable on both the east and west coasts, Northrup Strip at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico. A decision by Mis- sion Control at the Johnson

Space Center in Houston on NASA file/1984 which landing site would Space shuttle Challenger makes the first landing on Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility on Feb. 11, 1984. All previous shuttle missions ended at Edwards be used for STS 41-B kept Air Force Base in California or Northrup Strip at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico. spectators in suspense until just about the end of the there are fewer birds near landing was diverted to Ed- The first official land- “touch-and-go” landings in flight. the runway.” wards in June 1983 because ing at the SLF was not of a the twin-engine Beechcraft Ron Feile, lead air The weather was dicey of heavy cloud cover near the shuttle at all, but of NASA- airplane. traffic controller for the for hours before time for SLF. The dignitaries who had 6 on May 21, 1976, with The landings tested SLF and the Eastern Range the deorbit burn, but then turned out to welcome Sally then-Kennedy Director Lee the approach-and-landing today, was part of the relented. Crew members Ride, America’s first female Scherer at the controls. At techniques designed for operations team that made Vance Brand, Hoot Gibson, astronaut, back to Earth were that time, the landing facil- use that summer by aircraft sure runway readiness was Ronald McNair, Bruce disappointed. ity was called the Orbiter flying onto the center to sup- McCandless and Robert Capcom Bryan O’Con- Landing Facility, or OLF. complete. port the U.S. Bicentennial Stewart walked across nor, an astronaut himself, “The name was “We had been monitor- Exposition on Science and ing the weather overnight, a specially prepared red tried to make light of the changed to ‘Shuttle Land- Technology, Third Century and NASA had a strong carpet to greet the jubilant unavoidable change of plans ing Facility’ after shuttle America. history of being afraid of crowd on hand for the as he said from his console in launches began,” Feile said. Since 1984, there have the dark already,” Feile said. historic event. Mission Control: “Some of the signs on the “We had just gone through STS-7, rather than STS “A great looking landing gates on the west side of the been 67 end-of-mission this with STS-7 when the 41-B, had been the first and from the entry team, got runway, out of sight of most shuttle landings at Kennedy, weather was marginal. The mission scheduled to land some good news. The good employees and spectators, including three landings complications are less with at Kennedy. The STS-7 news is that the beer is very, are still marked with the old originally scheduled for night landings though. The crew missed the chance to very cool this morning; the name to this day.” Edwards that were diverted winds die down, the sun take the first stroll down bad news is that it’s 3,000 Scherer, a veteran to Florida by uncooperative angle is not a factor, and that red carpet when their miles away.” naval aviator, made two weather in California. Page 8 SPACEPORT NEWS Feb. 6, 2009

NASA Employees of the Month: February ON WORD THE STREET With the STS-119 mission taking up the final solar arrays to the International Space Station, what would you use solar power for, if you could?

“Heat and cool my house. In fact, we’re in Florida . . . we already should have them.” Teresa Parham, with NASA

NASA/Tony Gray “Vehicles. I’d put solar panels on the hood Employees of the month for February are, from left: Joy Batterson, Information Technology & as an alternate to today’s engines.” Communication Services; Gerald Green, Center Operations; Derek Petrek, Engineering Directorate; Missi Rocha, Paul Brod, Chief Financial Office; Peter Aragona, Engineering Directorate; Douglas Lesho, Safety & with ASRC Aerospace Corp. Mission Assurance Directorate; Chad Brown, Constellation Project Office; and Lisa Brawn, Launch Services Program. Not pictured are: Susan Barth, Launch Integration Office; andT ina Crass, Launch Vehicle Processing Directorate.

“I’d take advantage of it at home . . . especially if a Make plans for annual AAHM Luncheon storm knocks out power . . . you have a backup.” February is National African-American History Month, or AAHM, and Kennedy Robert Cannon, Space Center is celebrating the outstanding achievements and contributions intern with VisTech Corp. made by African-Americans. The annual African-American History Month Luncheon will be Feb. 19 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Debus Center at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Christyl Johnson, assistant associate administrator with the Office of the NASA Administrator, will be the guest speaker. “Everything . . . heating, cooling . . . that would Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at various locations around Kennedy. be the best way to go and stay ‘green.’” Helen Kane, with NASA Looking up and ahead Scheduled for Feb. 4 Launch/VAFB: Delta II, NOAA-N Prime; 5:22 a.m. EST “I’d heat and cool my house and probably even Target Feb. 12 Launch/KSC: Discovery, STS-119; 7:32 a.m. run the heat pump on my pool.” Target Feb. 23 Launch/VAFB: Taurus XL, OCO; 4:50 a.m. Hortense Burt, Scheduled for March 5 Launch/CCAFS: Delta II, Kepler; 10:48 p.m. EST with NASA

March 7 KSC All-American Picnic, KARS Park I

April 24 Launch/CCAFS: Atlas V, LRO/LCROSS; TBD No earlier than April 28 Launch/CCAFS: Delta IV, GOES-O; TBD

No earlier than May 5 Launch/VAFB: Delta II, STSS-ATRR; TBD John F. Kennedy Space Center Target May 12 Launch/KSC: Atlantis, STS-125; 1:11 p.m. Target May 15 Launch/KSC: Endeavour, STS-127; 4:52 p.m. Spaceport News Target July 11 Launch/KSC: Ares I-X test flight/Launch Pad 39B; TBD Spaceport News is an official publication of the Kennedy Space Center and Launch/KSC: Atlantis, STS-128; TBD Target Aug. 6 is published on alternate Fridays by External Relations in the interest of KSC civil No earlier than Oct. 1 Launch/VAFB: Taurus, Glory; TBD service and contractor employees. Contributions are welcome and should be submitted three weeks before publication No earlier than Oct. 8 Launch/CCAFS: Atlas V, SDO; TBD to the Media Services Branch, IMCS-440. E-mail submissions can be sent to [email protected] Target Nov. 12 Launch/KSC: Discovery, STS-129; TBD Managing editor ...... Candrea Thomas Target Dec. 10 Launch/KSC: Endeavour, STS-130; TBD Editor ...... Frank Ochoa-Gonzales Copy editor ...... Rebecca Sprague Target Feb. 11, 2010 Launch/KSC: Atlantis, STS-131; TBD

Target April 8, 2010 Launch/KSC: Discovery, STS-132; TBD Editorial support provided by Abacus Technology Corp. Writers Group. NASA at KSC is on the Internet at www.nasa.gov/kennedy Target May 31, 2010 Launch/KSC: Endeavour, STS-133; TBD USGPO: 733-049/600142