Sept. 7, 2012 Vol. 52, No. 18 Spaceport News John F. Kennedy Space Center - America’s gateway to the universe

Radiation Belt Storm Probes begin two-year mission Early morning liftoff team from the University of Iowa. The mission uses two probes so a major success for scientists can distinguish transient Launch Service Program features from those that are there for a longer period, or may be changing, By Anna Heiney Fox said. Spaceport News Based at Kennedy Space Center, the Launch Services Program (LSP) ASA's Radiation Belt Storm was involved in prelaunch planning Probes (RBSP) are bound for the RBSP mission for several Nfor the heart of the Earth's years. radiation belts after an early-morn- NASA Launch Manager Tim ing launch from Cape Canaveral Air Dunn said, "The team has been Force Station on Aug. 30. The Unit- preparing in total for about six years ed Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket for the RBSP mission. The early carrying the twin probes lifted off planning began that long ago, back from Space Launch Complex-41 at in about the 2006 timeframe. The 4:05 a.m. EDT. core team came in at about contract The Van Allen radiation belts award time in March of 2009. So are two concentric, wide rings of we've been very heavily involved high-intensity particles encircling the with RBSP for the last three years." Earth's equator. This dynamic region Rex Engelhardt, LSP's mission changes in response to the sun, with manager for RBSP, worked on the the potential to affect GPS satel- project since 2006. He pointed out lites, satellite television and more. that ensuring the separation of both The RBSP mission aims to study spacecraft from the Centaur upper this ever-changing environment in stage, after launch, required some greater detail than ever before. extra attention. The RBSP mission is part of "You've got to point it in the right NASA's Living with a Star program, direction, spin it back up again, which is managed by the agency's separate the second (probe), then Goddard Space Flight Center in you've got to spin the Centaur back Greenbelt, Md. The Applied Phys- down again, and quietly back away," ics Laboratory team built the RBSP Engelhardt said. spacecraft and will manage the mis- Now that the probes are flying in sion for NASA. their proper orbits, they'll undergo a The discovery of the radiation two-month "commissioning period." belts dates back to the dawn of This offers the team plenty of time the space age. Their existence was to extend the instrumentation booms, detected in 1958 by a Geiger counter check out the probes' health and CLICK ON PHOTO NASA/Rusty Backer on NASA's first spacecraft, Explorer safety, and ensure the electronics are The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, lifts off 1, built by James Van Allen and his working. Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 4:05 a.m. EDT on Aug. 30.

Armstrong remembered Topping out Exploration Park update Harvest Experiments Inside this issue...

Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 6 Page 2 SPACEPORT NEWS Sept. 7, 2012 Workers praise Armstrong as an American hero By Bob Granath Spaceport News mployees at NASA's Kennedy Space Cen- Eter paused recently to remember Neil Armstrong, the first human to walk on the moon and one of America's greatest heroes of exploration. Armstrong died Aug. 25 at the age of 82. During a brief wreath- laying ceremony on Aug. 31, Bob Cabana, Kennedy's center director, described Armstrong as a role model. “Neil Armstrong was a true American hero, and one of the nicest gentlemen around," he said. "He was the epitome of what an engi- neering test pilot should be." Cabana added that Arm- CLICK ON PHOTO NASA/Kim Shiflett Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana addresses employees and guests gathered for a brief ceremony on Aug. 31 to honor Neil Armstrong, who died Aug. 25 at strong was greatly interested the age of 82. Armstrong was hailed by Cabana as one of our heroes and a truly great American. in Kennedy's path forward to the future. aboard Apollo 11 in 1969, lessons at 15. While most Armstrong was offered an the Apollo 11 mission," Al- "Neil's one small step for they carried with them the American teenagers look for- opportunity to join NASA's drin recently said. "Virtually man was the culmination of aspirations of an entire na- ward to receiving a driver's expanding astronaut corps the entire world took that a lot of hard work by a lot of tion . . . they set out to show license, Armstrong earned which he accepted without memorable journey with us." people down on the ground," the world that the American his pilot's license before he hesitation. "When you have hundreds he said. "His step was only spirit can see beyond what could drive a car. On his first spaceflight, of thousands of people all the beginning of a very long seems unimaginable - that Putting his college work Armstrong was command doing their job a little better journey that we must now with enough drive and inge- aside, Armstrong was a naval pilot for Gemini 8 in March than they have to, you get continue as we prepare to nuity, anything is possible." aviator from 1949 to 1952, 1966. He and David Scott an improvement in perfor- move even further from our NASA Administrator flying 78 combat missions successfully performed the mance," Armstrong said in a home planet and continue Charles Bolden, like Cabana during the Korean conflict. first spacecraft docking in NASA oral history interview this quest in our exploration a former astronaut, also After leaving active duty, he orbit, linking their Gemini in 2001. "And that's the only of space." reacted to the loss of a fellow continued serving in the U.S. capsule with an Agena target reason we could have pulled Armstrong's family shared former astronaut. Naval Reserve until 1960. satellite, a crucial step in this whole thing off." the news of his passing "Besides being one of Armstrong completed his preparing for future trips to Looking to the future, following complications America's greatest explorers, work at Purdue University the moon. Bolden noted that Armstrong from recent cardiovascular Neil carried himself with a in 1955 earning a bachelor's After serving as back- helped pave the way. procedures: grace and humility that was degree in aeronautical engi- up commander to Frank "As we enter this next era "Neil was our loving an example to us all," Bolden neering. That same year he Borman for the first Apollo of space exploration, we do husband, father, grandfa- said. joined the National Advisory flight to leave Earth orbit so standing on the shoulders ther, brother and friend," Fellow Apollo 11 moon- Committee for Aeronau- and circle the moon in 1968, of Neil Armstrong," he said. the family statement read. walker Buzz Aldrin also tics, or NACA, NASA's Armstrong was selected to While tributes for Arm- "Neil Armstrong was also a honored Armstrong's flying predecessor organization, command Apollo 11, the first strong arrived from all areas reluctant American hero who skills. as a research pilot at Lewis lunar landing mission. of the world, his family had a always believed he was just "I know I am joined by Laboratory in Cleveland. With much of Earth's pop- suggestion. doing his job." millions of others in mourn- He later transferred to ulation watching, Armstrong, "For those who may ask Tributes honoring Arm- ing the passing of a true NACA's High Speed Flight along with lunar module what they can do to honor strong have been numerous. American hero and the best Research Station at Edwards pilot Aldrin and command Neil, we have a simple re- "Neil was among the pilot I ever knew," he said. Air Force Base, Calif. As module pilot Mike Collins, quest. Honor his example greatest of American heroes Armstrong was born Aug. project pilot, he was in the lifted off from Kennedy on of service, accomplishment - not just of his time, but of 5, 1930, on his grandfather's forefront of the development July 16, 1969. and modesty, and the next all time," President Barack farm near Wapakoneta, of many high-speed aircraft, "Neil and I trained togeth- time you walk outside on a Obama said in a statement Ohio. His passion for flying which included flying the er as technical partners, but clear night and see the moon released by the White House. began at an early age. He X-15 to the edge of space were also good friends who smiling down at you, think "When he and his fellow moved from building model seven times. will always be connected of Neil Armstrong and give crew members lifted off airplanes to taking flying In September 1962, through our participation in him a wink." Sept. 7, 2012 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 3 Atlantis' new home at visitor complex topped out By Steven Siceloff come see our future." Spaceport News The exhibits will tell the shuttle program's history he new home for with interactive displays space shuttle Atlantis and other features that allow was topped out T visitors to learn as much as Wednesday with its high- they want about the space- est beam in a milestone craft that carried astronauts ceremony marking the into space for 30 years. continuing construction of a 90,000-square-foot exhibit "Every time you come hall at the Kennedy Space out of those story zones, Center Visitor Complex. you look at Atlantis with "Topping out of a building different eyes to appreciate is always a special occa- what we've accomplished," sion," said Bob Cabana, di- said Louis Berrios, design rector of NASA's Kennedy specialist for Kennedy. Space Center and a former "This has been a project that space shuttle commander. "I is just on such an amazing remember when Joe Tanner pace you sometimes don't was doing a spacewalk and get to take a breather and he topped off the Interna- admire what's been done. tional Space Station, the It wasn't very long ago this highest point on it, and he was bare concrete with had brought a facsimile of a CLICK ON PHOTO NASA/Kim Shiflett nothing here." tree on it." A steel beam is fitted to the highest point of a new exhibit facility under construction at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor The work to get the The 38-foot-long, one-ton Complex on Sept. 5. The 90,000-square-foot facility will house space shuttle Atlantis and 62 shuttle program exhibits. shuttles to their new homes steel beam was lifted 116 is close to wrapping up. the Vehicle Assembly Build- of steel beams, workers will the headquarters building feet off the ground where Discovery, the most-flown enclose the space in the next at Kennedy, then across to workers locked it into place. ing. of the shuttle fleet, has been couple of months, careful the developing Exploration A small tree and American "I just thought it was on display at the Smithson- to leave one wall open so Park for a three-hour stop flag were fitted onto the important that I show my re- ian's Air and Space Museum Atlantis can be rolled in and before finishing the trip to beam, which was signed by spect for the space program for a few months. the building finished around the visitor complex's exhibit hundreds of contractor and and the accomplishments Endeavour, the youngest it. It will take some 1,400 structure. With the retired NASA employees. we've made," Tharpe said. of the shuttles, has been out- tons of steel to complete the orbiter inside, workers will Roy Tharpe added his "I'm getting old, but this fitted for its Sept. 17 flight structure. be able to complete the signature at the last moment, work never gets old." atop a modified 747 Shuttle The exhibit is being built building around the shuttle. continuing a tradition he be- Construction is far from The shuttle will be lifted Carrier Aircraft to Los gan in the early 1960s when complete on the structure. by Delaware North, which manages and operates the onto a stand and tilted at Angeles where it will be put he signed the top beam of Now mostly a framework Kennedy Space Center Visi- 43.21 degrees - that number on display at the California tor Complex for NASA. Tim is intentional - with its pay- Science Center. Macy, director of Project load bay doors open. The Enterprise, the proto- Development for the visitor shuttle will look as it did in type shuttle that flew glide complex, said the exhibit is space. tests and was used to test scheduled to open during Sixty-two exhibits will be all manner of fixtures and the July Fourth weekend in erected around it, including techniques before the first 2013. a full-scale mockup of the shuttle launch, stands on the Atlantis will be the last Hubble Space Telescope flight deck of the Intrepid in shuttle to move out of the and a full-scale model of a New York City as a promi- operational area at Kennedy. portion of the International nent exhibit at the Intrepid The move will take place Space Station. Sea, Air and Space Mu- Nov. 2, with the shuttle "The orbiters are special seum. attached to the orbiter to us, they're family but re- Eventually, each shuttle transport vehicle, or OTV, ally this facility is going to will be displayed in a unique that carried the shuttles for tell the story of an amazing configuration. Endeavour years from their processing 30-year program and this will be displayed vertically hangars to the Vehicle As- venue is going to be abso- as it was for launch. Atlantis sembly Building. lutely outstanding," Cabana will reveal to visitors a

NASA/Kim Shiflett The OTV will take said. "This is the place shuttle as it appeared in A worker signs the steel beam before it was lifted and placed at the top of the Atlantis on a 9.8-mile to come see our history orbit. Discovery looks like it exhibit structure being built for space shuttle Atlantis on Sept. 5. journey from the VAB to and this is the place to just landed. Page 4 SPACEPORT NEWS Sept. 7, 2012 Exploration Park development ready for first phase By Linda Herridge Florida also will manage the in progress on landscaping, Spaceport News facilities through subleases irrigation and additional modern sign now to appropriate tenants. signage, and these should marks the entrance Prior to signing the En- be completed by the end of

to Exploration hanced Use Lease, Busacca the month. A said an Environmental “The site is now vertical- Park along Space Com- merce Way near the Ken- Impact Statement (EIS) was ready and all development prepared. entitlements are in place,” nedy Space Center Visitor “This process, which is Odyssey said. “We hope to Complex. Beyond the sign, an inherently public one, announce our first tenant much of the 60 acres of included meetings with by the end of 2012 and to land has been cleared, roads the public and addressed break ground on Building A are paved and most of the comments from the public in the first quarter of 2013.” necessary infrastructure is Phase I will include nine CLICK ON PHOTO NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis and government agencies,” in place for the first phase Busacca said. sustainable, state-of-the-art of construction. A new sign on Space Commerce Way marks the entrance to Exploration Park near Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on Aug. 15. Much of the 60 acres of “The EIS did not reveal buildings that will provide The sign also marks land has been cleared for the first phase of construction. any significant issues that 350,000-square-feet of the new entranceway to would affect the original work space. Each building to the SLSL outside the Florida, is the anchor for the Space Life Sciences development plans.” is expected to qualify for center’s secure perimeter the park. The building cur- Laboratory (SLSL). Previ- The first set of roads the U.S. Green Building will allow greater access rently is being repurposed ously, the SLSL entrance leading into the park are Council’s Leadership in was along State Road 3 on to many users, including to provide for more use by paved and marked. Facil- Environmental and Energy NASA’s Kennedy Space foreign nationals,” Busacca the commercial space com- ity infrastructure, includ- Design, or LEED, certifica- Center, but the entrance said. “Being in Explora- munity. ing electrical power, street tion. was rerouted in June as tion Park will allow tenants Development of the park lights, water and sewer, has Exploration Park is a flag- part of the development of to reside there without the is a partnership between been completed, moving ship Space Florida project Exploration Park, according badging requirements and NASA and Space Florida. Phase I development closer supporting the state of to Mario Busacca, acting extensive security reviews.” NASA granted Space to facility construction. Florida’s 2020 Vision for manager of Kennedy’s Busacca said the SLSL, Florida the right to de- Allison Odyssey, senior economic growth in aero- Spaceport Planning Office. which was built and is velop the property under an program manager with space and related fields of “Placing the entrance owned by the state of Enhanced Use Lease. Space Space Florida, said work is science and technology. From R2-D2 to Curiosity: Good fiction to great science By Steven Siceloff on the "Star Wars" films who gave and then you accomplish it." can't reach that well." Spaceport News R2-D2 a voice mix of electronic If they had the chance to send The most important thing, the sounds with human inflections. R2-D2 on a scouting mission to a fans said, was to keep exploring, ASA's Curiosity rover is He also was trained as a scientist, real planet in the solar system, Mars and pushing the boundaries of scouring the Martian having majored in physics. "I never would still get most of the attention. knowledge outward. Nsurface at Gale Crater with could have imagined that being "Mars, that's the best bet," said "I think we're just scratching the drills, cameras and even a laser so the case back 40 years ago when Evan Greenwood, portraying Glen surface," said Tim Martinez, dressed it can find out more about the Red we started on the first 'Star Wars.' Marek, or Starkiller. "It's probably in the menacing black armor of Planet. Curiosity carries no people, At that time, even the R2 on the the only one that will be terrafor- Darth Vader. "I was a big astronaut instead taking all of its readings by set could barely move down the mable at some point. Not nowadays, buff when I was young and Mars remote control and radioing them but it has the best chance. It's the hallway." has always intrigued me and I think back to eager scientists on Earth. While Curiosity represents the closest to Earth, it's a mini-Earth, so the more that we explore, the more It's a story familiar to "Star Wars" technological cutting edge for ro- it's the best place for a base. So if an we'll learn and the more there is to fans, thousands of whom gathered bots landing on other planets, it still asteroid hits Earth, and if there are explore. Maybe we'll travel there in Orlando, Fla., for Celebration lacks the personality and other high- people somewhere else, the human one day." VI. For lovers of the galaxy far, far level attributes of the fictional "Star race can survive. Until we do that, away, the idea of a robotic traveler Wars" machines. No worry, say fans we're in peril." "Every step we take gets us a lit- working diligently far from home of the film franchise. Reality will A more Hoth-like world also tle bit closer," said David Atteberry, is reminiscent of R2-D2's various catch up soon enough. got a vote, though. wearing a detailed Mandalorian ar- journeys to Tatooine, Dagobah and "I think good science fiction moti- "Pluto would probably be the mor costume similar to Boba Fett's Bespin or the Imperial Probe Droid's vates good science," said best to send it to because we don't attire, "and that's one of the things I search around the ice planet Hoth. Brian Pauley, an Ohio fan who know anything about Pluto," said an found about the Curiosity rover, it's "From what I've seen, people dressed as young hero Luke Imperial Officer-costumed Jasmine like we're finally getting out there, being able to steer a robot on Mars Skywalker for the event. "When you Seale. "It's so far away, it's so hard back into space and getting closer to from so far away is truly amazing," see something, you say, 'I'd like to to figure anything out. So I'd love that dream of being able to explore said Ben Burtt, the sound designer do that' and you set about doing it, to send R2-D2 out there where we our galaxy." Sept. 7, 2012 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 5 Scenes Around Kennedy Space Center

NASA/Kim Shiflett Launch Services Program (LSP) Manager Amanda Mitskevich, left, was presented with a framed com- memorative collage of five United Launch Alliance (ULA) mission photos in 2011 from Jim Sponnick, second from left, vice president of Mission Operations at ULA on Aug. 27 at Kennedy Space Center. Also at the presentation were ULA Program Manager for NASA Missions Vern Thorp and LSP Deputy Program Manager Chuck Dovale.

NASA/Kim Shiflett Firing Room 3 of the Launch Control Center at Kennedy Space Center is undergoing a major reconstruc- tion as shown here Aug. 27. Space shuttle era consoles have been removed, as well as flooring and cables that had been in place dating back to the Apollo program. For more than 40 years, the firing rooms of the Launch Control Center have served as the “brain” for launches at NASA’s Florida Spaceport. Whether an Apollo-Saturn rocket or the space shuttle, the focus was always on one program. Now the fir- ing rooms are being modified to be more generic in nature to support a variety of future launch vehicles.

CLICK ON PHOTO NASA/Eric Reyier NASA/Frankie Martin As part of NASA's Kennedy Space Center's first-ever Innovation Expo, employees had the opportunity Lt. Gen. Thomas P. Stafford, former astronaut and Air Force test pilot, stands near the Astrovan and to take a tour, called "Living Outdoor Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability," on Sept. 6. Here space shuttle Atlantis inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center on Aug. 10. Staf- lemon sharks are shown in the shallow surf. Innovation Expo gave employees the opportunity to see ford flew two Gemini missions, commanded Apollo 10 and commanded the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project the unique estuarine ecosystems that are protected from development by the presence of Kennedy and during his NASA career. the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Page 6 SPACEPORT NEWS Sept. 7, 2012 LED lights shine on plant growth experiments By Linda Herridge the plants’ growth during his light quality can potentially Spaceport News tenure at the center. increase antioxidant proper- During a recent harvest hat kind of food ties of crops, such as the of the plants, Mickens will astronauts lettuce used here,” Mickens measured the plants’ shoot eat and what said. “The nutritional quality W length, shoot diameter, total of the vegetables meant to is the best way to grow it fresh mass or the weight of feed our astronaut explorers during deep space explora- the plants at time of harvest, can be controlled by proper tion missions? A group of total dry mass of the edible selection of lighting used plant biologists is seeking plant matter accumulated the answers as it works on during the growth cycle, and to grow these crops during one of NASA’s Advanced the leaf area index. long-range space missions Exploration Systems (AES) “One of the objectives of beyond low Earth orbit.” Habitation Projects at Ken- “As we learn more about CLICK ON PHOTO NASA/Frank Ochoa-Gonzales the study was to understand nedy Space Center’s Space Dr. Matthew Mickens, a plant biologist from North Carolina Agriculture and Techni- the effects of green light different light sources we Life Sciences Laboratory. cal State University in North Carolina, measures Cherry Bomb Hybrid II radish on plant growth,” Mickens can better configure the Gioia Massa, a NASA plants harvested from a plant growth chamber Aug. 3 inside the Space Life Sci- said. lights to more efficiently ences Laboratory at Kennedy Space Center. The plant experiment at Kennedy is Postdoctoral Fellow in the For the test, he compared product plants that will Surface Systems group of part of the Advanced Exploration Systems program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. the growth responses of the produce food for the crew, Kennedy’s Engineering Di- lettuce and radishes grown recycle the atmosphere rectorate, works on this AES “LED lights are efficient using LED lights to grow under a treatment of red and and help to recycle water,” habitation-related project. and versatile,” Massa said. plants was an idea that blue LEDs, and a treatment Massa said. For this experiment, “Because of their durability originated with NASA as far of broad spectrum white “Ultimately, we would Massa said they looked at and long life, they are ideal back as the late 1980s. fluorescent lamps with green like to develop closed-loop the responses of a red-leaf for space missions where re- Matthew Mickens, a light present. lettuce called “Outred- supply of things from Earth graduate of North Carolina “I discovered that there bioregenerative technologies geous” and radish plants is limited.” Agricultural and Technical were considerable physi- that are self-sustaining,” to different light sources— According to Ray State University and recipi- ological differences between Massa said. “Our current broad spectrum fluorescent Wheeler, lead for advanced ent of the NASA-sponsored the two treatments,” Mick- supplemental food produc- lighting and solid state red life support activities in the Harriett G. Jenkins Predoc- ens said. tion system is a step towards and blue LED lighting. Engineering Directorate, toral Fellowship, followed “Even subtle changes in this future goal. ” High stakes elevate importance of 'Malfunction Junction' By Steven Siceloff can ground a rocket fleet for more a long time to find the right piece. and why and what we can do to get Spaceport News than a year, let alone an afternoon. But it was pretty rare that you got flying again," said Bryan Tucker, an One of the first teams called into ac- stumped." engineer in the lab. orking side-by-side with tion is the failure analysts. Making the work much harder was Working at the agency's primary designers developing "Everyone's looking to you to the fact that when rockets fail, there launch site means Kennedy's analy- Wtechnologies of the future come up with the answer," said Chad isn't often much left to study. sis teams work mostly with rockets are engineers deciphering what went Carl, who leads the Materials and "When something fails, it's usually and ground support equipment, wrong with some of the technologies Processes Engineering Section of a long way away and it's not com- though there are occasional times of the present. the Failure Analysis and Materials ing back, so we won't get to look at when the spacecraft also is evaluated They analyze readouts from preci- Evaluation Lab at Kennedy. it," said Todd Campbell of NASA's to determine its role in a problem. sion tools, devise ways to test large Their analyses cover such a wide Launch Services Program, which is "At the end of the day, it's all about pieces of rocket hardware without range of failures of everything from responsible for sending many of the Earth to space," said Dave Sollberg- damaging the rocket itself, and burn, tiny valves in processing equipment space agency's flagship missions into er, deputy chief engineer of NASA's blow up or vaporize leftover frag- to nose cones that the lab is nick- space. Launch Service Program and the ments in an effort to find out why named "Malfunction Junction." The failure analysts and the engi- person who determines that a rocket something failed. "It was like solving puzzles all the neering teams consider themselves is ready to go from an engineering Think of it as CSI: KSC. time," said Rick Rapson, a retired a critical element in minimizing the standpoint. "Our job is not the sci- NASA's Kennedy Space Center is engineer who examined everything disruption by tracking down what ence of what the satellite does, our home to a failure analysis lab system from quick-disconnect valves on went wrong, finding out if more job is altitude and velocity to get the whose ancestral roots extend back to shuttle components to a propane rockets have the same problem and spacecraft either to low Earth orbit or the 1960s when failures were not un- tank that exploded on a turkey farm coming up with a way to fix it. on a deep space trajectory." common during early days of rocket in Iowa. "Like a policeman solves "If there's something that's sup- He depends on his team of engi- development. crimes by looking at the evidence, posed to fly and it can't because neers and data drawn from stringent These days, the stakes are far you're looking for the piece of the it has a crack in it or there's some evaluations of a rocket's components greater for engineers and designers, puzzle that caused the event to oc- unknown, we're called in to solve the and a significant failure on a launch cur and sometimes you had to look mystery, figure out what happened See ANALYST, Page 8 Sept. 7, 2012 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 7 2012 NASA AWARDS 2011 Jennifer M. Levitt Assurance Organization, Christina Pobjecky Laura Segarra JUNO LAUNCH VEHICLE Rebecca L. Lewis as a Contractor Jacob D. Rivers Jon Cowart INTEGRATION AND LAUNCH PRESIDENTIAL Joseph E. Madden Ivan I. Townsend Misty Snopkowski TEAM Janet A. Mayers E. David Griffin Jeffrey Wilt Robert Dempsey Accepted by John Calvert, RANK AWARD Kenneth Tenbusch Dallas L. McCarter A.I. Solutions, Inc. NASA Philip T. Metzger NASA Exceptional Bradley Jones Valin Thorn Meritorious Executive William Lane Eddie N. Montalvo Achievement Medal Susan P. Kroskey Scott Thurston K-12 EDUCATION SUPPORT Cuong C. Nguyen INDIVIDUAL NASA Chief Financial Officer Cheryl Malloy TEAM Richard D. Nielsen HONOR AWARDS Steven Bigos Sarah Waechter Accepted by Laura Colville, Tracy L. Wetrich Jennifer M. Nufer Joseph A. Dant Henry May NASA Outstanding Oklahoma State University Director, Human Resources Gary J. O’Neil Laura C. Gallaher Terry S. Parnell Leadership Medal Krista Y. Jensen BLUE MARBLE KSC INTEGRATED Jorge L. Piquero Ellen R. Lamp HONORABLE MENTION AWARD Janice C. Pirkle Judith C. Blackwell-Thompson Laura M. McDaniel DISPOSITION TEAM Mark R. Borsi Accepted by Ewing B. Swaney Distinguished Service Bobbie J. Raymond Roger S. Rudig NASA EMD Director’s Hortense B. Burt Medal Robert Russo Randall E. Scott Environment and Energy III, NASA Jeremy J. Graeber David M. Martin Rosaly J. Santos-Ebaugh Michael B. Stevens Award Robert B. Holl Manager, Launch Vehicle Roland Schlierf Thomas N. Williams LUNAR REGOLITH TESTING Vicki C. Johnston Systems Office, Commercial Clyde D. Shreve Nancy P. Zeitlin Individual TEAM John J. Kiriazes Crew Program James C. Simpson Denise Thaller Accepted by Michael W. Csonka Susan P. Kroskey Susan D. Sitko NASA Exceptional Craig Technologies - ESC Karen D. Lucht Group Philip E. Phillips Alice F. Smith Public Achievement Peggy L. Masters Shuttle Program Transition and Program Manager, Scott P. Stilwell Medal Wayne W. McClellan Retirement Environmental MARS SCIENCE Ground Systems Development Phillip L. Swihart Glenn S. Semmel Management Team LABORATORY MISSION and Operations Program Erik E. Tormoen Robin Bullock Vanessa K. Stromer Accepted by Francis Kline INTEGRATION TEAM Terry S. Turlington Tara S. Miller Eugene E. Walker Stephen J. Swichkow Accepted by Wanda Harding, HONORABLE MENTION John M. Phillips Alice F. Smith, NASA Christine L. Weaver Mark D. Wiese NASA Ann T. Williams, NASA Distinguished Public Lorene B. Williams NASA Exceptional Amy S. Mangiacapra, United Henry W. Yu NASA Outstanding NPP LAUNCH VEHICLE Service Medal Administrative Space Alliance Public Leadership Medal INTEGRATION AND LAUNCH Achievement Dorothy Couch, Bridget BTC James Sponnick KSC Quality and Inc. TEAM Brian J. Gloade Medal United Launch Alliance Safety Achievement Accepted by Bruce Reid, NASA Ernest G. Tonhauser Recognition Catherine D. Bond NASA GROUP Michael L. Young (QASAR) Award Carole-Sue Feagan ACHIEVEMENT PAD B EARLY DEPLOY United Space Alliance NASA Exceptional AWARDS SYSTEMS ENGINEERING Lifetime Achievement Service Medal NASA Early Career TEAM AQUARIUS MISSION Achievement Medal Accepted by David P. INDIVIDUAL Humberto “Bert” T. Garrido Tammy L. Annis INTEGRATION AND LAUNCH Armstrong, NASA KSC HONOR KSC Safety and Mission Todd C. Arnold TEAM Damara M. Belson AWARDS Assurance Allard J. Beutel Accepted by Jorge Piquero, Andrew C. Bundy Daniel H. Hull NASA QUICK ATTACH UMBILICAL Victoria S. Long KSC Certificates of Most Significant Quality Raoul E. Caimi TEAM Kristen P. Luther Commendation or Safety Contribution Ernesto T. Camacho DUNE VULNERABILITY TEAM Accepted by Gabor J. Tamasy Jessica R. Paglialonga Accepted by Donald J. Dankert, From Within the NASA Brekke E. Coffman NASA Rommel A. Rubio NASA Charles F. Abell Safety and Mission Scott T. Colloredo Jennifer L. Tharpe Alan Alemany Assurance Organization, Georgianna B. Cox REIMBURSABLE AGREEMENT ELANA III MISSION Lesley C. Fletcher Jennifer G. Wilson William C. Atkinson as a Civil Servant INTEGRATION AND LAUNCH PROCESS IMPROVEMENT James D. Blake Marcia M. Groh Hammond TEAM NASA Silver TEAM Dawn M. Borden Todd E. Brandenburg Patrick E. Hanan Accepted by Marilyn Davidson, Achievement Medal Accepted by William Atkinson, Michael D. Bruder Kathleen A. Milon NASA NASA Dave W. Burris Most Significant Quality Miguel Morales Gloria A. Murphy Mary MacLaughlin Michael L. Canicatti or Safety Contribution GRAIL LAUNCH VEHICLE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN TEAM Hung T. Nguyen Scott Vangen Craig J. Chesko External to the NASA INTEGRATION AND LAUNCH Accepted by Denise Thaller, Adam C. Cooper Safety and Mission Jack S. Payne TEAM NASA Vicki M. Cox Assurance Organization, John L. Rigney KSC FIRST Sustainability Team Accepted by Bruce Reid, NASA Frances E. Cunningham as a Civil Servant Jade R. Rymkos Accepting for the team is Billy Gary M. Felker William B. Simmonds McMillan, NASA GDSO MISSION CONCEPT Rogelio Franco Frank J. Merceret Robert F. Speece REVIEW TEAM Thomas E. Frattin Ground Processing Pamela P. Steel NASA Accepted by Timothy Honeycutt, Ralph Fritsche Burton R. Summerfield Derek Bailey NASA Jay E. Green Most Significant Quality Ewing B. Swaney Christopher Bershad Greg J. Harrigan or Safety Contribution Joseph Tellado Anthony Harris IMCS DIGITAL SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY TRAINING Kari L. Heminger-Sperna From Within the NASA John M. Vondenhuevel Raquel Lumpkin COMMITTEE Luke D. Hoffman Safety and Mission Raymond M. Wheeler Billy McMillan Accepted by Brad Postlethwaite, John Hueckel Assurance Organization, Scott B. Wilson Lance Rogers Abacus Technology Anne C. Jamison as a Contractor Brittani Sims Janice R. Justice NASA Exceptional INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING Commercial Crew Program James B. Keen Joseph B. Hamilton Public Service Medal (IE) NETWORK TEAM Daniel S. Keenan Millennium Engineering and Partner Integration Team Accepted by Shaqueena Lewis, Larry W. Kiel Integration Co. Carole J. Chauncey Accepting for the team is Scott NASA David C. Knoblock Kathy S. Fleming Thurston, NASA Scott W. Koester Most Significant Quality Steven C. Geis INSTITUTIONAL BASELINE To view a copy of the program Stanley R. Kuhns or Safety Contribution Robert J. Loomis James Burnum REVIEW TEAM that includes award descriptions Stephen P. Lander External To The NASA Timothy Olinger John McKinnie Accepted by Lisa Saunders, and team members' names, Staci A. Leach Safety And Mission Services Contract. Gennaro Caliendo NASA click on the photo. Page 8 SPACEPORT NEWS Sept. 7, 2012

From ANALYST, Page 6 Ground tests routinely are performed NASA Employees of the Month: September on components and engines are and materials to help him feel com- test-fired, but on launch day, the fortable that a launcher will perform rocket carrying a satellite into space correctly. is doing something it has never done Sometimes a launch does not go before. well, such as two recent occasions "On the LSP side, every launch in which payload fairings did not vehicle is brand new," Carl said. "So separate correctly from around the every single time you are dealing spacecraft and the missions were with a set of parts coming together lost. to make a launch vehicle that have In the past, Sollberger did not have never flown before, and essentially the Kennedy lab to call on since it it’s an all-new vehicle every single spent the vast amount of its time time." studying space shuttle components. Understand, also, that even when With the shuttle program winding they are not thinking about a prob- down and then retiring, though, the lem or test result, these engineers NASA/Kevin O’Connell LSP engineer found a sound source still arrive at a solution. Employees for the month of September are, from left, James Joyner, Safety and Mission Assurance of expertise to help his work. "I've popped awake at 3 o'clock in Directorate; Norman Beck, Launch Services Program; Jeffrey Crisafulli, Engineering Directorate; Ken Ford, Ground Processing Directorate; and Richard Quinn, Procurement Office. Not pictured are Melodie Before, the LSP engineers farmed the morning, bam, there it is, the a-ha Jackson, Ground Systems Development and Operations; and Jeff Johnson, Center Operations. testing to outside labs, but that meant moment" Tucker said. "I thought I the engineers and analysts didn't was peacefully sleeping." meet face to face much and the com- Rapson came up with the cause of munication back and forth was often the drag chute door popping off the Looking up and ahead . . . very formal, Sollberger said. With shuttle at launch of STS-95 while * All times are Eastern this approach, if something comes up driving into work, six weeks after the engineers can simply walk over they'd started looking into the issue. 2012 and share a finding or new theory It turned out the sheer pins holding Oct. 4 USAF Launch/Cape Canaveral Air Force Station easily. the door on were not strong enough (SLC-37B): Delta 4, GPS 2F-3 Much of the work this year has for the design. They were strength- Launch window: 8:10 to 8:29 a.m. centered on making sure the payload ened to solve the issue. fairing problems did not extend to "We looked at everything we could Dec. 6 NASA Launch/Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (SLC-41): Atlas V, other rockets and missions. While think of," Rapson said. "I figured it Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-K (TDRS-K) engineering boards determine a out driving in. The one piece of the Launch window: 12:29 to 1:09 a.m. categorical cause for the failure, puzzle, it can be a thing where all of NASA still has upcoming missions a sudden a light comes on." to launch. Long airplane flights also can do Although rocket designs fly the trick. In celebration of Kennedy Space Center's dozens and dozens of times success- "I can't tell you how many times I 50th anniversary, enjoy this vintage photo . . . fully, to an engineer certifying that was on a plane and have been work- a rocket is ready to safely deliver a ing on my laptop, maybe cleaning up cutting-edge spacecraft into orbit, email and out of nowhere it just hits FROM THE VAULT there still are plenty of things that you, we need to look at that, that's can go wrong on each flight simply going to be where the answer is," because launchers are not reused. Carl said.

John F. Kennedy Space Center Spaceport News

Spaceport News is an official publication of the Kennedy Space Center and is published online on alternate Fridays by Public Affairs in the interest of KSC civil service and contractor employees. Contributions are welcome and should be submitted three weeks before publication to Public Affairs, IMCS-440. Email submissions can be sent to KSC-Spaceport-News@mail.nasa.gov Managing editor ...... Candrea Thomas Assistant managing editor ...... Stephanie Covey NASA file/1961 Editor ...... Frank Ochoa-Gonzales This 1961 photo shows Dr. William H. Pickering, left, JPL director, presenting a Mariner space- Copy editor ...... Kay Grinter craft model to President John F. Kennedy. NASA Administrator James Webb is standing behind the Mariner model. Mariner 2 launched 50 years ago on Aug. 27, 1962. The Mariner 2 probe flew Editorial support provided by Abacus Technology Corp. Writers Group. by Venus in 1962, sending back data on its atmosphere, mass, and weather patterns. It stopped NASA at KSC is on the Internet at www.nasa.gov/kennedy transmitting in 1963 after delivering a wealth of scientific information. SP-2012-08-180-KSC