National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA LANGLEY RESEARCH CENTER 2012

www.nasa.gov An Orion crew capsule test article moments before it is dropped into a An Atlantis flag flew outside Langley’s water basin at Langley to simulate an ocean splashdown. headquarters building during NASA’s final space shuttle mission in July. Launching a New Era of Exploration

Welcome to Langley NASA Langley had a banner year in 2012 as we helped propel the nation toward a new age of air and space. From delivering on missions to creating new technologies and knowledge for space, aviation and science, Langley continued the rich tradition of innovation begun 95 years ago. Langley is providing leading-edge research and game-changing technology innovations for human space exploration. We are testing prototype articles of the Orion crew vehicle to optimize designs and improve landing systems for increased crew survivability. Langley has had a role in private-industry space exploration through agreements with SpaceX, Sierra Nevada Corp. and Boeing to provide engineering expertise, conduct testing and support research.

Aerospace and Science With the rest of the world, we held our breath as the Curiosity rover landed on Mars – with Langley’s help. The Langley team performed millions of simulations of the entry, descent and landing phase of the Mars Science Laboratory mission to enable a perfect landing, Langley Center Director Lesa Roe and Mark Sirangelo, corporate and for the first time made temperature and pressure vice president and head of Sierra Nevada Space Systems, with measurements as the spacecraft descended, providing the Dream Chaser Space System model. data that will reduce risk and improve the affordability of future missions. We also worked to advance technologies to enable larger payloads for planetary missions, provide affordable options for returning cargo to Earth, and allow smart landers for human and robotic missions. To advance our understanding and the predictive capability of climate and other Earth systems, our orbiting satellites are providing global climate data to the science, aviation, agricultural and energy sectors. Langley flight research campaigns are providing similar data, and also advancing research toward safer, quieter and more fuel-efficient aircraft. Exploration Langley Timeline ...... 12-13 In aviation, Langley continues making significant contributions to all NASA’s aeronautics programs and New Technologies for New Missions ...... 2-3 Education & Outreach collaborates with government agencies, industry and academia to improve performance, safety, and efficiency Mars Science Lab Langley Reaches Out to Lead and Inspire ...... 14 of aircraft and the nation’s air transportation system. We also continue to address broader national issues and Langley Plays Critical Role in Mars Landing ...... 4 Students Also Benefit from NASA Science ...... 15 respond to urgent challenges, such as the F-22 hypoxia concern, a V-22 envelope expansion issue, and Kiowa IRVE-3 People ...... 16 th warrior helicopter aerodynamic stability. Inflatable Heat Shield a Novel Re-entry Concept ...... 5 Langley's 95 Open House ...... 18 Aeronautics Economic Impact ...... 20-21 While we celebrated our 95th Anniversary with an open house that attracted 10,000 people, we also continued preparing for the future. We broke ground on the New Town Phase 2 building and enhanced capabilities at key Making the Next Generation a Reality ...... 6 Patents ...... 22 facilities, including improvements to the 14 x 22-Foot Subsonic Wind Tunnel, resulting in a premier, nationally Pushing the Limit: Flight at 7,000 MPH ...... 7 Awards ...... 23-24 recognized facility with the capability to assess noise reduction technologies. Science Virginia Air & Space Center ...... 25 Finding Answers to Big Questions About Earth ...... 8 Langley's Leadership ...... 25 I’ve touched on just a few of our 2012 accomplishments and invite you to explore the details that are contained Data from Space, Filled Out for the Masses ...... 9 Milestones ...... 26 in the rest of this report. Please enjoy! Systems Analysis Salute to Neil Armstrong ...... 27 Providing the Best Possible Information ...... 10 Partnerships Spurring Invention, Accelerating Innovation ...... 11 Photos by Sean Smith except where noted.

1 Artist's concept of Mars Science Laboratory entering the red planet's atmosphere. The latest materials experiment, MISSE-X, will be deployed in 2014. A Dream Chaser spacecraft model in a Langley wind tunnel. New Technologies for New Missions elping make a successful Mars landing. Testing shield to measure descent temperature and pressure astronauts trained for moon landing. The vertical drops Langley continues its work on the Materials International Ha next-generation astronaut capsule. Developing • Assistance in design of the parachute that slowed complement a series of swing tests also conducted at Space Station Experiment-X Project, intended to laser-based sensors for missions in space. Studying the spacecraft during descent the basin, confirming that Orion could survive water provide affordable access to space so experimenters new materials and evaluating a new heat shield. entry at various horizontal angles. • The Curiosity rover’s mini-computer that commands can develop new materials, devices and subsystems For Langley, contributions to NASA’s space exploration the rock-vaporizing laser for scientists studying Mars Drop tests continued into September to help determine critical to future exploration. missions are all in a day’s work. Langley researchers structural loads that Orion will undergo during ocean geology Langley researchers are also evaluating autonomous continue a tradition begun decades ago with rocket landings. Langley studies are also assessing the development on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, Space Launch System capsule’s aerodynamic and aerothermodynamic landing and hazard avoidance technologies: a suite of laser-based sensors that one day could enable fully astronaut training for the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo Propelling NASA’s deep-space astronauts on future performance, guidance, navigation and control, flight missions, and development of dozens of space-related journeys will be NASA’s Heavy Lift Space Launch software design and structure. autonomous, reliable, and safe landings, rendezvous, devices, instruments, satellites and spacecraft. System (SLS). and docking of rockets and spacecraft. Testing Innovation Not surprising, then, that on August 6, Langley Drawing on expertise in structures and aerodynamics Capturing a Launch researchers celebrated their participation in the computational analysis and an extensive complex of In June, researchers in the center’s Transonic touchdown of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) wind tunnels, Langley, in collaboration with Marshall Dynamics Tunnel tested a 7.9-percent scale model of Langley’s SCIFLI (Scientifically Calibrated In Flight after an eight-month sojourn of 354 million miles. Space Flight Center, is overseeing SLS aerodynamics. the Sierra Nevada Corp.’s Dream Chaser spacecraft Imagery) instrumentation captured visual and thermal The center’s critical design-process contributions mated to an Atlas V rocket. The 13-day test examined snapshots of the SpaceX launch of the Falcon 9 rocket Revisiting the Red Planet include collecting, analyzing, and documenting the aerodynamic forces at play during launch and and its Dragon capsule to the International Space passage through the atmosphere. Langley was among several NASA centers engaged aerodynamic data to support rocket development. Station in May. in the Mars mission, and was the agency lead for In July 2012, Langley and NASA’s Wallops Flight Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) modeling and Orion Space Capsule Drop Testing Facility launched and deployed the third iteration of SCIFLI captured release of the capsule and solar panel simulations. Millions of simulations were performed In January, engineers completed the first vertical the Inflatable Re-entry Vehicle Experiment – IRVE-3 deployments. The SCIFLI team used optical systems leading up to the spacecraft’s approach to Mars. drop test on a mockup of the 22,000-pound Orion – to obtain atmospheric re-entry data on an inflatable on the ground in Florida and on a ship. The project also Contributions included: crew capsule. The model was released into Langley’s heat shield that might someday return payloads to recorded space shuttle heat signatures during re-entry • Development of instruments embedded in the heat Hydro Impact Basin, at the site where Apollo Earth and help land large payloads on Mars. on seven missions.

At Langley's Hydro Impact Basin, the Orion crew capsule test article is subjected to a simulated ocean (Above) The Dragon capsule was launched by a private splashdown. company, SpaceX, to the International Space Station. (Center) SCIFLI took thermal and visual images of the launch. (Right) Launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Dragon cargo spacecraft onboard. 2 3 Langley Plays Critical Role in Mars Landing “ hen the Mars Science Temperatures recorded were as much as 1,000 degrees WLaboratory entered the atmosphere of the red planet last Fahrenheit and the IRVE-3 experienced forces up 20 G’s” August, NASA Langley engineers braced for the thrill-ride of their lives. The next seven minutes would decide whether the spacecraft lived or died. IRVE-3 “You get one shot to get the gold medal,” Jody Davis, a Langley flight mechanics engineer, said at a news conference before the landing. It was a happy ending, with Davis having the honor of announcing to the world that Curiosity had touched down with the words “tango delta nominal.” “Before we knew it, Curiosity had The Mars Science Laboratory approaches Mars in this artist's concept. landed on the surface … and we were a successful mission,” said engineer Alan Little, a member of the Langley team. eight years leading up to the mission. For Davis, Little and about 100 other researchers The other was the Mars Science Laboratory Entry, and technicians who worked on the mission at NASA Descent and Landing Instrumentation (MEDLI), which Langley, their shot at the “gold medal” began shortly recorded heat and atmospheric pressure on the way after 1 a.m. EST on Aug. 6, 2012. The 7,000-pound, down. Engineers will use MEDLI data to see how IRVE-3 launches car-sized spacecraft began to decelerate from 13,200 well computer models predicted the spacecraft’s path aboard a Black mph to less than 2 mph. and aerodynamics and to determine the winds and Brant rocket at Wallops Flight To accomplish that, the onboard computer executed a atmospheric density it encountered. The data will also be useful for spacecraft designers – especially when it Facility carrying complex sequence of events, first using atmospheric an experimental drag, then a parachute, and finally rocket engines to comes to developing future Mars entry systems. inflatable heat slow down. NASA Langley played two critical roles. “It has been an incredible and emotional journey,” shield. One was in the entry, descent and landing phase – the said Little, who directed the MEDLI project. “It is my so-called “seven minutes of terror” when the spacecraft unqualified pleasure and honor to work with such a entered the Mars atmosphere and began descending. dedicated and talented team.” Thanks to a successful Langley was in charge of modeling and simulating that landing, Curiosity is now looking for signs that Mars once phase, and millions of simulations were performed in the was – or still is – a habitable place for life as we know it. Inflatable Heat Shield a Novel Re-entry Concept

hree years of their hard work plunged into the minutes from launch, it landed in the Atlantic about 100 TAtlantic Ocean on a Monday in July, and a group of miles east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Entry, descent NASA engineers could not have been more thrilled. and landing “Everything went well ... like clockwork. The IRVE-3 per- instrumentation They were part of the Inflatable Re- entry Vehicle formed just as it was supposed to,” said Neil Cheatwood, is embedded in Experiment (IRVE-3) team that is working to develop an IRVE-3 principal investigator at NASA Langley. the heat shield of inflatable heat shield. The technology could be used to the Mars Science protect spacecraft when entering a planet’s atmosphere What makes that particularly remarkable is that the Laboratory. or returning here to Earth. IRVE-3 wasn’t made of metal or composite materials like most spacecraft heat shields or aeroshells — it was A Black Brant XI sounding rocket launched the IRVE- made of high-tech fabric and inflated to create its shape 3, encased in a nose cone, from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. The rocket shot 288 and structure. miles up and IRVE-3 and its payload were ejected into “It entered Earth’s atmosphere at Mach 10, ten times the the atmosphere. speed of sound, and successfully survived the heat and "It's kind of bittersweet — you put so much time and work into it, The technology demonstrator inflated and fell back to forces of the journey,” said Cheatwood. “Temperatures and it’s done its job and it’s done it well, ... Now you just wish you Earth — cameras and temperature and pressure sensors recorded were as much as 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit could get it back because everything is so well built." monitoring its performance all the way down. After 20 and the IRVE-3 experienced forces up 20 G’s.” ­— Chris Kuhl, MEDLI Chief Engineer 4 MSL 5 Pushing the Limit: Flight at 7,000 MPH eing able to fly at hypersonic speeds could Brevolutionize long-distance flight and provide more cost-effective access to space. This past summer, a team that included NASA Langley launched an experimental hypersonic scramjet research flight from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on the island of Kauai, Hawaii. It was part of a program called HIFiRE (Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation) to advance hypersonic flight — normally defined as beginning at Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound. A technician works on a hybrid wing body model in a Langley wind tunnel. The program is aimed at exploring the fundamental technologies needed to achieve practical hypersonic Making the Next Generation a Reality flight. angley’s aeronautical researchers continue to Tomorrow’s Airplanes During the experiment the scramjet — aboard a sounding rocket — climbed to about 100,000 feet Lhelp develop the innovative concepts and advanced Langley has provided extensive materials, acoustic (30,480 meters), accelerated from Mach 6 to technologies needed to create the Next Generation modeling, and wind tunnel support for research of hybrid Mach 8 (4,567 to 6,090 miles per hour; 7,350 to Air Transportation System, or NextGen. This multi-billion- wing body (HWB) aircraft. The latest effort involved 9,800 kilometers per hour) and operated about 12 dollar technology modernization effort will make air travel modifications to the Boeing HWB X-48C model, including seconds — a big accomplishment for flight at hypersonic safer, more flexible and efficient, and lead to entirely new removal of the aircraft’s winglets and the addition of twin speeds. It was the fourth of a planned series of up classes of aircraft that will be less noisy, use less fuel, vertical tails. Two larger fanjet engines replaced three to 10 flights under HIFiRE and the second focused and release fewer emissions into the atmosphere. micro-turbojets, and an extended deck area was added on scramjet engine research. “This is the first time To make NextGen a reality, Langley is studying advanced underneath and extending aft of the new engines. The we have flight tested a hydrocarbon-fueled scramjet composite materials for stronger, lighter airplanes, and changes were made to assess their noise-reduction accelerating from Mach 6 to Mach 8,” said NASA developing materials and concepts for advanced aircraft potential. hypersonics project scientist Ken Rock, who is based at structures. By creating 21st century airframe designs Researchers continue to examine ways to fly airplanes Langley. and airframe/engine integration concepts, researchers using a mixture of fuel and batteries, similar to the “This test will give us unique scientific data about are leading the way in noise reduction, including approach in hybrid automobiles that use both gas and scramjets transitioning from subsonic to supersonic methods to virtually eliminate the boom produced by electricity. Early studies, while incomplete, indicate that combustion – something we can’t simulate in wind supersonic aircraft. long-range fuel reduction goals may be met with such tunnels,” Rock said. The data collected is expected to technologies. Unmanned Aerial Systems make a significant contribution to the development of One major Langley effort is development of standards Langley researchers also are studying a new type of future high-speed air-breathing engine concepts and and technologies for civilian versions of unmanned aerial jet engine called an open rotor, whose fan blades are help improve design, and modeling and simulation systems, or UAS. Unmanned aircraft are increasingly exposed to the open air. While an airplane with open- tools. The success of the three-stage launch system, called upon to perform missions of vital importance to rotor engines might at first glance resemble a World consisting of two Terrier boost motors and an Oriole science, firefighting, search and rescue, and emergency War II-era propeller plane, open rotors move much more sustainer motor, is another important achievement of management. air than conventional propellers. Tests indicate open- the HIFiRE 2 mission. rotor engines would use much less fuel than today’s jet The mission, the first flight of this sounding Langley researchers are studying ways to surmount the engines. While open rotors are as quiet as current jet rocket configuration, opens the door for a new technical barriers preventing routine UAS access to the propulsion, the challenge is to quiet them more to meet high – performance flight configuration to support national airspace system. or exceed NASA’s proposed noise-reduction goals. future Air Force, Navy, and NASA flight research. The In September, Langley researchers, in partnership payload was developed under a partnership between with MITRE Corp. and the University of North Dakota, the Air Force Research Laboratory and NASA, conducted a flight demonstration of UAS “sense and with contributions from the Navy’s detachment at avoid” technology when confronted by an “intruder” flown White Sands Missile Range, N.M. and ATK GASL in by university instructor pilots. The test was part of the Ronkonkoma, N.Y. Limited Deployment–Cooperative Airspace Project to better integrate unmanned aircraft, equipped with such The Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation technology as satellite-based Automatic Dependent Program launches an experimental hypersonic scramjet vehicle Surveillance-Broadcast ADS-B data-link tracking, into from the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii during a recent the national airspace. Artist's concept of an open-rotor aircraft. research flight. AFRL

6 7 Finding Answers to Big Questions About Earth Data from Space, Filled Out for the Masses esearchers in Langley’s Science Directorate are he place would look like a locker room except for process that information, of which about 2 petabytes are R passionate about finding answers to big questions Tthe 1,000 or so tiny green lights that show brightly stored. about Earth and how planetary change affects people. through grillwork over the stacks upon stacks of A petabyte is about 13.3 years of HD-TV video. About 50 What modifies global climate? Is the ozone layer thinning computers in the steel cabinets in the server room of the Libraries of Congress. or recovering? How does our world balance incoming Atmospheric Science Data Center. solar energy with energy reflected back into space? That’s just the data in. The ASDC gathers lower level data Data pours in from space, from instruments on satellites and processes it with codes provided by mission scientists And how do these changes affect public health, air quality studying Earth from orbit. Data in amounts that challenge and economic security? to make higher level data products, reprocesses existing the imagination while stretching the vernacular. At the data with new codes provided by the mission scientists to At the Center, we’re part of a NASA-wide effort to create data center, about 1,000 computer cores gather and make newer products, and takes already processed data ways of measuring and analyzing atmospheric data from the missions themselves. to better understand and track the effects of human activity on the atmosphere. We develop instruments Then the ASDC stores the information. From that storage, and measurement techniques for land, air and space. requests for information are filled for doctoral candidates, In the process, we’ve amassed one of the world’s teachers, industry, government and most comprehensive collections of climate-relevant just about anybody else who needs it. A petabyte information. About 766 terabytes went out to is about 13.3 more than 130,000 customers in 160 years of The Best Record countries in 2010. A terabyte would HD-TV video. One key source of that data is Langley’s Clouds and hold 1,000 sets of the Encyclopaedia Brittanica. About 50 the Earth’s Radiant Energy System mission, or CERES. NASA Libraries of In 1984 NASA began to measure and archive fluctuations It goes out in small snippets that in Earth’s energy with a Langley-developed satellite False-color images of clouds and snow transmitted by a Langley students download from a website Congress instrument known as ERBE, or the Earth Radiation instrument in orbit around Earth. to prove a hypothesis for their paper. Budget Experiment. Its CERES successor now boasts It goes out in huge lots. It’s a never- of six instruments on four satellites and a combined 27 the Midwest to study how these massive tempests affect ending data-in-data-out cycle that keeps more than 65 years of data: to date, the longest and best record of atmospheric chemistry. people working. Earth’s energy balance. They targeted large disturbances with powerful updrafts “Our main charter here is data integrity,” said John capable of lofting pollutants and moisture-rich air high Kusterer, who is the head of the data center at Langley, into the upper troposphere. This region of the atmosphere one of 13 Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs) is important because it is here that water vapor, ozone, in NASA’s Earth Observation Systems Data Information cirrus clouds and dust particles all interact to directly System. “We have to make sure what we’re giving out is influence climate. just exactly what the science team wants out there.” In July, Langley scientists tested and deployed an Make no mistake, the scientists want their data out. improved multi-wavelength High Spectral Resolution Lidar instrument – called HSRL-2 – as part of a Department of “Scientists are always trying to make their data more Energy field mission. HSRL-2 is the airborne prototype useable and useful to the science community,” said for a future space-based mission, and one of the most Kusterer. “The more it’s used, the more valuable it is.” advanced of its kind. Center researchers also continued It helps that the data center keeps ahead of the technology Northrop Grumman work on equipment for an upcoming 2013 mission that curve. Where once 12 racks of computers crunched The CERES satellite in this artist's concept studies Earth's will help Earth-observing satellites that measure air numbers from a mission, it might be done with a single clouds and energy system. quality to better distinguish between pollution high in the rack of eight machines now. For one of the instrument’s atmosphere and that near the surface. data processing, where four “data days” of data could This past January, the newest CERES instrument on be processed in one day a few years ago, now 48 “data the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership mission Observing Earth from Space days” can be processed in one day. satellite began operation. Plans are already underway The International Space Station (ISS) offers a unique “Over the past couple of years, we have architected and for the next generation: a new CERES apparatus is in vantage point for Earth observation. Langley’s implemented a system that is flexible enough to handle development for deployment in 2016 to insure continuity Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment III mission the various types of products we’re dealing with,” said of the mission’s unmatched climate-data record. on the ISS is on track to launch in 2014, continuing a Chris Harris, who is in charge of information technology long legacy of measuring ozone, a gas found in the Sky-High Chemistry John Kusterer with racks of tape holding 16 petabytes of data. at the data center. “That means when a new project upper atmosphere that acts as Earth’s sunscreen. This He is head of Langley’s Atmospheric Science Data Center. comes in, we don’t have to reinvent the wheel.” Huge thunderstorms are a daily occurrence in many past year, Center researchers also examined options for parts of the world. In June, Langley researchers – part of an ISS climate-focused mission, whose goal would be a team of 100 from 29 organizations who participated in a to produce better data for detecting climate trends and National Science Foundation field campaign – traveled to testing and improving climate-prediction models.

8 9 he systems analysis experts dramatic noise reductions before ince its founding, Langley has made applied research Tat Langley have a long history overland supersonic flight can Swidely available to the private sector. Today, the of supporting NASA-wide occur. Center’s Office of Business Development (OBD) initiatives. A priority is to provide Langley is maintaining critical coordinates technology transfer and partnership efforts, decision makers with the best support of NASA’s hypersonics reaching out to an array of industries and disciplines. possible information available systems analysis. These studies Internally, the Office offers marketing-support assistance so that NASA’s technical, are critical for national efforts to Langley researchers for the licensable technology programmatic and budgetary in hypersonic air-breathing they develop. decisions will have a sound and propulsion technologies, and Results of this approach are borne out in the number firm foundation in fact. related test flights of such of commercial products generated from the Center’s Among the factors considered vehicles as the Falcon HTV and aerospace studies. In 2012, Langley was first across are the feasibility of mission the X-51 WaveRider. Center NASA in terms of patents issued, and second in the architectures and advanced An artist's concept of a supersonic passenger jet. experts have also supported number of patent applications filed. system concepts; evaluation the successful Hypersonic The Small Business Innovation Research Program of system and technology trades; assessments of life- NASA International Flight Research Experimentation Program (SBIR) is also a part of the Office. Last year, 44 SBIR cycle cost and risk analysis; and the viability of “Rapid prototyping” leads to quick manufacture of engineering Flight 2 for demonstration of hydrocarbon-fueled engine contracts were issued to small technology firms around models like this prototype of a heliogyro solar sail. approaches to system integration. acceleration from Mach 6 to Mach 8. the country. One such effort involved WxAnalyst, Ltd. in software for wearable displays for gaming and general In so doing, Langley’s system analysts call upon the Fairfax, Va., that developed an interactive technology computer use. knowledge and expertise of those at other NASA centers, Next-Generation Space Technologies to help visualize and manage data for flight planning, and in academia and industry, identifying where and how As part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, Langley a product now being used by Hawaiian Airlines to plan In 2012, a collaboration among NASA Langley, Jefferson the Center and its partners can realize NASA’s vision has conducted systems analyses support for Sierra flight routes over the Pacific Ocean. Laboratory and the National Institute for Aerospace led for aeronautics, and sustainable human and robotic Nevada Corporation’s Dream Chaser crew transportation The Center’s Technology Gateway, at http:// to the birth of a new business, BNNT, LLC, whose focus exploration of space. vehicle. These reviews included summaries of all technologygateway.nasa.gov/, remains a clearinghouse will be the production of fibril boron nitride nanotubes, a subsystems, including launch vehicle integration, ground for information on Langley’s technology transfer structurally similar ceramic analog to carbon nanotubes. Achieving New Firsts and mission systems, mission operations, integrated initiatives. Regionally, OBD has joined with These very strong and versatile submicroscopic vehicle performance, safety and mission assurance, During 2012, Langley’s aeronautics-related systems Innovate!HamptonRoads and local governments to assist cylinders, whose diameter is measured in a single verification, and risks and mitigation plans. analysis achieved a new first with the development in technology development, and collaborates with other nanometer — or one-billionth of a meter — may find and open-source release of Open Vehicle Sketch In 2012, the Center’s systems analysts played a government agencies, such as the National Oceanic and wide use in aerospace applications that require high Pad, a geometry modeling tool for conceptual design. significant role in defining reliable space exploration Atmospheric Administration, and the Departments of strength at high temperatures, including as parts for Open Source is the flagship initiative of NASA’s Open architectures. Center analysts evaluated the feasibility, Defense and Transportation. aircraft engines and structural elements. They may also Government Plan, providing the public with direct and design, development and fabrication of potential space be incorporated as components of next-generation body ongoing access to NASA technology. vehicles and habitats, including the second-generation NASA Goes to Market armor, thin coatings, batteries, electrical insulation, fire- Langley’s systems analysis engineers also continued Space Exploration Vehicle mockup aft enclosure and the Unique software developed by Langley researchers retardant cabling, and sensors. Biomedical uses may to study the technology risks associated with Portable Utility Pallet mock-up hardware, both designed directs high-speed cameras in calculating the position include implants for dentistry, materials to aid in nerve development of new complex multi-disciplinary vehicle and built at Langley and delivered to Johnson Space and movement of two objects relative to one another. and bone tissue regeneration, and in cancer treatments. concepts like hybrid-wing bodies, truss-braced wing/ Center earlier in the year. Earlier this year, Magic Leap, Inc., a small business fuselage designs, and open-rotor Efforts continued on development located in Hollywood, Fla., licensed this innovation, New Century Manufacturing propulsion concepts. Such concepts announcing plans to develop augmented/virtual reality of scenarios for human exploration Langley will participate in the National Network for have significant potential to achieve products for mobile computing, and adapting the Langley beyond low-Earth orbit, including Manufacturing Initiative, an online clearinghouse for major advancements in aerodynamic destinations such as cislunar space, news and information on advanced manufacturing efficiencies while simultaneously near-Earth objects, the moon, and programs and related activities. The Center is already reducing harmful emissions Mars and its moons, Phobos and and/or noise levels. applying next-generation manufacturing technologies Deimos. These architectures focused to “rapid prototyping,” quickly fabricating proof-of- Another significant achievement was on a systematic, incremental buildup concept engineering models for a myriad of experimental in the design of software methods to of operational experience and Hawaiian applications. model and assess low-sonic-boom knowledge, developing international Airlines uses concepts in supersonic aircraft design. partnerships, and enabling world- interactive Langley technicians employ additive manufacturing Full-scale aircraft must incorporate Mars and its moons Phobos and Deimos. class scientific return. technology for techniques that take relatively small amounts of raw flight planning. materials, like metallic powders and slender rods of specialty alloys, and build up solid objects layer by layer. This approach results in far less raw-materials waste, more efficient energy use, and the ability to rapidly create A Space Exploration Vehicle during tests at Black Point Lava Flow in Arizona. a vast array of physical shapes and sizes. NASA/Regan Geeseman

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Students Also Benefit from NASA Science ata collection and use isn’t limited to just scien- Dtists. Students in schools around the world are gathering data for NASA. And NASA data and exper- tise is used by teachers and students. The Students’ Cloud Observations On-Line (S’COOL) project is a worldwide effort to collect cloud observations from students and citizen scientists to help NASA better understand how clouds affect our weather and climate. Over the past 15 years, more than 1,200 participating K-12 classrooms from Langley's director, Lesa Roe, at Girl Scout Engineering Day at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Va. Catherine Jaunezems, an education specialist, talks with 10-year- 60 countries have submitted more than 100,000 old Kaylie Strickland of Richmond, Va. observations to S’COOL. The MY NASA DATA project works to make NASA Langley Reaches Out to Lead and Inspire Earth Science data accessible to the K-12 and citizen uring the rover Curiosity’s final ap- The Mars mission was another ma- 25 teachers also participated by attending a summer Dproach to Mars last August, the jor event. In addition to activities session that gave them techniques for using science, public heard the play-by-play firsthand at the Virginia Air & Space Cen- technology, engineering and math in lesson plans. at the Virginia Air & Space Center in ter, Langley’s official visitor center, The Langley Aerospace Research Summer Scholars Hampton. There, dozens packed the events were held as far away as (LARSS) program completed its 26th year of providing IMAX theater to watch as mission con- the Pocono Raceway in Pennsyl- internships to college students. Some of its nearly 5,000 trol tracked the spacecraft through en- vania. At Langley, 30 bloggers from alumni now work at NASA. try, descent and landing. around the country learned about And in-person on the IMAX stage, NASA/Jason Lou the mission and toured Langley as Sports and Space Langley engineer Michelle Munk inter- Stephen Colbert and his new NASA friends. part of a NASA-wide social media And for the seventh year, NASA brought exhibits, educa- jected her own commentary all the way campaign. tors and motivators to the Central Intercollegiate Athletic up to touchdown. Munk, a member of the Mars mission Association’s annual basketball tournament in Charlotte, Summertime Scholars team, had volunteered as part of an outreach and edu- N.C. About 2,000 middle school students attended the cation program that connects with tens of thousands of Even celebrities got into the act. Recording artist Pharrell NASA-sponsored Education Day at the Charlotte Con- people each year. Williams and former astronaut Leland Melvin, Associate vention Center. Langley scientist Lin Chambers reads “All About Earth: Our Administrator for Education, spoke with nearly a thou- World On Stage” to first-grade students. In 2012, Langley continued reaching out with events and Then there was the Yuri’s Night space party at the Vir- sand middle school students and parents last summer programs designed to inform the public about NASA’s ginia Air & Space Center and Girl Scout Engineering Day scientist communities. The team creates “microsets” at the From One Hand to Another Summer of Innovation work while educating and inspiring people of all ages. at Busch Gardens, where Langley’s director, Lesa Roe, from large scientific data sets and wraps these with graduation and awards ceremony in Virginia Beach. The largest local event by far was Langley’s 95th anni- encouraged the girls with this: “Almost every American tools, lesson plans, and supporting documentation Ongoing programs included DEVELOP, an Earth sci- versary open house, which attracted some 10,000 peo- woman astronaut that has flown to date has been a Girl for classroom use. More than 20,000 users access ences training program; the Virginia Aerospace Science ple for six hours of tours and activities (see story, page Scout, so that’s pretty incredible. The first American the site each month. and Technology Scholars (VASTS) program, in which 18). A similar event for Langley’s private-sector woman to walk in space is Kathy Sullivan, and she was Since 2003, NASA Langley has partnered with the high school students completed online assignments and partners was held the same week. a Girl Scout as well. So, lots of history and a lot of Girl Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the attended a one-week summer session at Langley. About Scout opportunities are right there in NASA.” Environment (GLOBE) program, a worldwide hands- on, primary and secondary school-based science and education program that promotes collaboration among students, teachers and scientists. In 2012, Spaced-out costumes were we hosted 60 teachers as part of GLOBE workshops, the theme at training them to conduct inquiry-based investigations Yuri's Night about our environment. Hampton Since 2008, the NASA Langley-based NASA Roads. Innovations in Climate Education (NICE) program has funded 71 education projects across the U.S. that promote climate and Earth system science literacy, and increase the access of underrepresented Former astronaut Leland Melvin with musician Roger Crouch with students from the Virginia Aerospace Science minority groups to science careers and educational Pharrell Williams in Virginia Beach. and Technology Scholars program. opportunities.

14 15 A Diverse Workforce Drives Langley Success Living Through Seven Minutes of Terror — or Fun

t takes a lot of different people and skills and to make Occupation Distribution ast summer, a softball team adjust for variations in the atmo- Ia complex organization like Langley work. Lat NASA Langley was without sphere through a series of rolls. Scientist & Technician 14% Sixteen percent of Langley employees have a two-year Engineer 61% a second baseman, because she “We have run up to 100,000 cas- degree, and 27 percent have a bachelor’s. Thirty per- went with another team at the Jet es in one simulation,” Davis said. cent have a master’s degree, and 20 percent have a Propulsion Lab in California, help- “It’s a roll of the dice. On any giv- doctorate. ing land a laboratory on Mars. en day at Mars, you’ll have a set The occupation distribution tells the story, with 75 per- On two walls in Jody Davis’ office, of dispersed inputs, and you see cent of Langley employees engaged in technical work. esoteric-looking formulae offer tes- how the simulation reacts to those timony to the years it took a NASA dispersed inputs to see if your de- In all, Langley had 1920 civil service positions and 1710 Langley team to determine how to sign is robust.” contractors in 2012. Clerical 3% Administrative Professional 22% land the Mars Science Laboratory The tests ran into the millions with from the point at which it entered one overriding bit of knowledge: the planet’s atmosphere. NASA/Michael Finneran you only get one shot at landing Education Distribution It was called “seven minutes of ter- Jody Davis: “In my high school yearbook, they had the lab on Mars. “Almost” doesn’t me as ‘most likely to go to the moon.’” Masters, Post Masters Bachelors, ror,” because the craft went from count. Course Work, Advanced Pro- Post Bachelors Course 13,000 mph to 2 mph and executed a series of complex fessional Degree 31% Work 27% The pressure was incredible, but it’s what Davis bought and critical maneuvers before landing. into when she left her Minneapolis home for Embry-Rid- “It’s seven minutes of fun,” Davis insisted. dle University in Prescott, Ariz. Langley claims the “entry, descent and landing” series as “I have wanted to do this ever since I was 13 years old,” Doctorate, a specialty, and others have preceded her in staking that Davis said. “I guess I was odd. In my high school year- High School, Advanced Post Doctorate 19% Study Certificate, Some claim, beginning with Mars Viking in 1976. book, they had me as ‘most likely to go to the moon.’ I College 7% To accomplish all of that, the Langley team loaded the don’t think it will happen in my lifetime, but I think I’m Education and occupation distribution getting close.” Associates, More than Two numbers apply to 1,920 civil servants only. spacecraft with a set of parameters that allowed it to Years College 16% Data is not collected for contractors.

Left-right/top-bottom: Bobby Martin; Jill Marlowe; Janet Sellars; Left-right/top-bottom: William Hawkins; Jorge Otero; Trevor Mike Smith and his daughter, Maya, and their robot, Doborg; Grondin; Howie Lewis; Richard Martin; Angel Henderson; Kristen May; and Ed Generazio and Angela Dyke.

16 17 An inflatable Mars rover was among the many cool things to see. Kids line up for autographs from astronaut Anna Fisher. The drop test of the Orion crew capsule test article made a big splash with the crowd. Langley Opens Doors for 95th Anniversary isa Gibson and her daughter Cassidy made an “One day, I’d like to discover something Robots and Splash Tests L11-hour trip from Indiana just to attend NASA that has never been discovered before,” Langley’s 95th Anniversary Open House. Cassidy, Cassidy said. Guests controlled robots built by students and programmed Lego Mindstorms, Bee-Bots and Roamer- an 8th grader who wants to be an astrophysicist, hoped “And then she’ll name it after her mom,” to meet an astronaut. Bots. Many built their own racecars and tried to land on Lisa followed up. Mars with NASA’s Mars Rover Landing game for Xbox. Langley last opened to the public in They enjoyed interactive science shows about physics 2007. The next opportunity may not be until 2017, for the and aerospace and took a trip through the Journey to 100th anniversary. Tomorrow trailer. About 10,000 people found a reason to attend the free At other facilities, visitors learned about spacecraft entry event Sept. 22. Visitors crowded the sidewalks, having heating, unmanned aerial vehicles, electromagnetics the option of 21 tour stops and dozens of hands-on waves, materials and structures, and fabrication. activities and exhibits. In the afternoon, hundreds attended a splash test of Hundreds waited their turn to meet astronaut Anna Orion, a new crew capsule being developed. Visitors Fisher, the first mom in space. also saw some of the center’s historic landmarks, such as the Gemini Rendezvous Docking Simulator “With the way technology is progressing, who can used by Gemini and Apollo astronauts to practice docking imagine what will happen in the next 100 years?” There were planes to look at up close and computers to play on space capsules with other vessels. It’s still suspended inside Langley's flight hangar. Fisher said. “It’s an exciting time to be a young person.” from the ceiling in Langley’s aircraft hangar.

A Sense of Pride Such landmarks have made Langley famous in the 95 years since its inception as the nation’s first civilian aeronautics research lab. When the doors first opened in 1917 it was called Langley Memorial Field. The staff of 11 worked as part of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. Today, about 3,600 civil service and contract employees work across all of NASA’s mission areas to help revolutionize aviation, expand knowledge of climate change, and extend the human presence in space. “When you leave today, I hope you have a sense of pride in the contributions made by NASA,” Langley’s director, Lesa Roe, told visitors, “and that you find NASA/Michael Finneran yourself curious, excited and inspired about the great Among many attractions, Open House visitors could check out Bill Seufzer explains the cost savings associated with using things that lie ahead.” Langley's Electron Beam Freeform Fabrication (EBF3) technology. telescopes set up by local astronomers.

18 19 Langley Spending by State

WASH. Economic Impact of NASA Rises MAINE. MONT. N.D. VT. ORE. MINN. Glenn Research In the previous fiscal year, NASA’s Virginia operations Center N.H. generated an economic impact of $2.7 billion and 21,839 IDAHO WIS. MASS. S.D. N.Y. R.I. jobs in the United States. That impact rose in 2012 to WYO. MICH. CONN. $3 billion, thanks to higher operational expenditures at Ames CALIF. IOWA PA. N.J. both facilities, primarily deconstruction of old buildings Research NEB. MD. $846 Center NEV. DEL. UTAH OHIO Goddard Space and construction of new ones. $37 M ILL. IND. Flight Center $759 $786 $790 $740 COLO. W.VA. $30 M $35 M NASA Headquarters $14 M $48 M VA. In fiscal 2012, NASA Langley generated the following Dryden Flight KAN. MO. KY. economic benefits: Research Center Wallops Flight Facility N.C. Marshall Space TENN. Langley Research • In the United States, the economic impact was $2.3 Center $726 $711 $756 $755 $809 Jet Propulsion ARIZ. OKLA. Flight Center billion that supported 18,743 jobs Laboratory N.M. S.C. ARK. ALA. GA. • In Virginia, the economic impact was $989.8 million MISS. District ofof that supported 8,888 jobs TEXAS LA. Kennedy Space CColumbiolumbiaa Center HAWAII • In the Hampton Roads MSA, the economic impact FLA.

was $886.3 million that supported 7,594 jobs = NASA Center In fiscal year 2012, NASA Wallops generated the fol- ALASKA Johnson Space Stennis Space Center Center lowing economic benefits: • In the United States, the economic impact was $700.9 million that supported 5,067 jobs

• In Virginia, the economic impact was $227.3 million 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Key to Direct State Funding Levels that supported 1,930 jobs Appropriated Work for 0 - $100,000 $100,000 - 1 million $1-5 million $5 - 20 million $20 - 100 million + $100 million Funds Others Source: NASA and Chmura Economics & Analytics report “The Economic Impact of NASA Virginia Operations for Fiscal Year 2012.” Top Obligations to Business Top Obligations to Non-profits Jacobs Technology, Inc...... $ 59,356,189 U.S. General Services Administration ..... $ 34,734,852 Analytical Mechanics Associates, Inc...... 45,481,572 National Institute of Aerospace ...... 24,320,587 Science Systems And Applications, Inc...... 45,295,808 City of Hampton ...... 5,896,231 SGT, Inc...... 27,664,023 Pennsylvania State University ...... 5,116,648 Boeing Company ...... 14,840,232 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ...... 3,475,093 ATK Space Systems, Inc...... 13,833,851 Georgia Tech Research Corporation ...... 2,542,910 Tessada & Associates, Inc...... 12,600,189 University of Southern California ...... 1,343,032 Dominion Virginia Power ...... 10,203,240 University of Illinois ...... 1,161,584 Cornell Technical Services, LLC ...... 9,920,344 Judiciary Courts of the Commonwealth ...... 918,000 Unisys Corp...... 9,864,002 Massachusetts Institute of Technology ...... 917,371 Analytical Services & Materials, Inc...... 7,247,830 Old Dominion University Safety & Quality Assurance Alliance ...... 6,652,061 Research Foundation ...... 846,705 Chugach Federal Solutions, Inc...... 6,428,623 University of Wisconsin System ...... 648,666 Inuteq, LLC ...... 6,383,850 Regents of the University of Colorado ...... 626,599 Northrop Grumman Space NOAA ...... 616,911 & Mission Systems ...... 6,229,590 Wheeling Jesuit University, Inc...... 600,000 Science Applications International ...... 5,723,567 City of Newport News ...... 558,400 Lockheed Martin Corp...... 5,274,208 Virginia Air & Space Center ...... 523,000 Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp...... 4,744,353 Regents of the University of Michigan ...... 517,319 Gentech Partners Joint Venture ...... 3,978,940 University of Tennessee ...... 517,131 Honeywell International, Inc...... 3,849,720 U.S. Army, Department of Treasury ...... 500,000 Intentional Leadership, Inc...... 3,253,683 University of Maryland ...... 495,382 Science And Technology Corp...... 2,949,164 Virginia Tech ...... 444,198 Aitech Defense Systems, Inc...... 2,757,078 University of Iowa ...... 399,955 OSU Center for Innovation and Ohio University ...... 374,990 Economic Dev...... 2,600,473 Defense Advanced Research Projects ...... 365,965 Construction of the second building in Langley's revitalization plan. The Whitestone Group, Inc...... 2,286,768

20 21 Russell A. Wincheski and John 8,167,204 for Wireless Damage of a Testing System. Nanotubes. Always On the Outlook for Invention W. Simpson received patent Location Sensing System. Stanley E. Woodard and Bryant Donald Laurence Thomsen III 8,164,328 for Eddy Current Kennie H. Jones, Douglas M. Douglas Taylor received patent received patent 8,198,976 for e has or is named on more than 30 U.S. patents for of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering as a grad- System and Method for Crack Nark, Michael G. Jones, Tony L. 8,179,203 for Wireless Electri- Flexible Thin Metal Film Thermal Parrott, and Kenneth N. Lodding new materials and technology, a result of product of uate student. He had left electrical engineering for sci- Detection. cal Device Using Open-Circuit Sensing System. H received patent 8,111,832 for Elements Having No Electrical what he calls a “personality trait.” ence in undergraduate school at Valparaiso University. H. Kevin Rivers, Stephen J. Daniel L. Palumbo and Jacob Scotti, Lynn M. Bowman, and Method of Adjusting Acoustic Im- Connections. Klos received patent 8,087,494 “I can see things from beginning to end,” said Rob “I’m always looking for applications,” he said. “It’s good Max L. Blosser received pat- pedances for Impedance-Tunable Jan M. Smits, Russell A. for Method of Making a Com- Bryant. “I can visualize the steps involved.” to understand why things work, but you have to be able ent 8,236,413 for Combination Acoustic Segments. Wincheski, JoAnne L. Patry, posite Panel Having Subsonic to find applications. Otherwise, you have very good jour- Structural Support and Thermal Edward R. Generazio received Anthony Neal Watkins, and Jef- Transverse Wave Speed Charac- And he’s at NASA Langley, at least in part, because he's frey D. Jordan received patent nal articles and what-not, but you’re not really producing Protection System. patent 8,108,178 for Directed De- teristics. been allowed hands-on access to the invention process. sign of Experiments for Validating 8,147,920 for Controlled Deposi- a product.” Stanley E. Woodard and Bryant But just over a year ago, Bryant accepted the job of head Douglas Taylor received patent Probability of Detection Capability tion and Alignment of Carbon of the Advanced Materials and Processing Branch, and Products drive Bryant. He sees technology on the shelf that took away the laboratory time, the hands-on experi- and wonders what else it could do. That leads to inven- ence. tions and patents. The same drive at home leads him to distrust handymen and fix his own appliances. He did it, in part, because “people know me as the guy who always stands up … and asks questions,” Bryant said. “Part of my taking the job was putting my money where my mouth is.” And part was establishing a culture in which the branch’s • Phillip Drummond, Hypersonic best paper for “Testing and Sys- were selected as expert reviewers of the Best Hypersonics Program 35-plus employees work in an environment that encour- Air-Breathing Propulsion Branch, tem Identification of an Ornithop- and authors for the Intergovern- Paper for “An Overview of NASA’S ages and rewards creativity and achievement. The was elected Fellow of the Ameri- ter in Longitudinal Flight” by Jared mental Panel on Climate Change Integrated Design and Engineer- number of times per week that people bring in food and can Institute of Aeronautic and Graur; Evan Ulrich, University of (IPCC) 5th Assessment Report by ing Analysis (IDEA) Environment” treats to share are a sign that it’s working. Astronautics (AIAA). Maryland; James Hubbard, Jr., the United Nations’ IPCC. at the 17th AIAA International • Sang Choi, Advanced Materials National Institute of Aerospace; • Martin Mlynczak, Climate Space Planes and Hypersonic “I was once asked how I know things are going well in & Processing Branch, was elected and Darryll Pines and Sean Science Branch, was selected Systems and Technologies Con- the branch,” Bryant said. “I said, we have three main Fellow of the International Society Humbert, University of Maryland. as an affiliate scientist for the ference. coffee pot areas. I take the number of days in the week, for Optics and Photonics. • William Woods, Aerothermo- National Center for Atmospheric • Oliver Wong, Research Direc- five, and determine how many days that treats show up • Ronald Krueger, Durability, dynamics Branch, received the Research’s High Altitude Observa- torate, received the 2012 Alfred Allan H. Taylor Memorial Award tory. P. Gessow Award for the best by the coffee pots. If it’s 60 percent of the time, then I Damage Tolerance & Reliability Branch, was elected Associate for sustained service to the AIAA • Tian-Bing Xu, Chemistry & paper of the American Helicopter know things are going well.” Fellow of AIAA. Hampton Roads Section. Dynamics Branch; Mia Siochi and Society Annual Forum for “Blade Tip Pressure Measurement Using Bryant learned much of that in the 21 years since he • Jeffery White, Computational • Neal Frink, Configuration Aero- Ji Su, Advanced Materials & Pro- Rob Bryant knows that for technology development, happy inven- dynamics Branch, received the cessing Branch; Xiaoning Jiang, Pressure Sensitive Paint.” came to Langley from the University of Akron’s Institute tors are productive inventors. Aerosciences Branch, was elected Associate Fellow of the AIAA. North Atlantic Treaty Organization North Carolina State University; • Maria Consiglio and James Scientific Achievement Award from Lei Zuo and Wanlu Zhou, Stony Chamberlain, Crew Systems • John Davidson, Dynamic Sys- the North Atlantic Treaty Organi- Brook University; and Paul Rehrig & Aviation Operations Branch, tems & Control Branch, received zation Research and Technology and Wesley Hackenberge, TRS and Sara Wilson, Aeronautics the Hampton Roads Section 2012 Organization. Technologies, were recognized for Systems Engineering Branch, Engineer of the Year Award from the Best Technical Development received a Best of Session Award the AIAA Hampton Roads Section. • Laurence Leavitt, Research Directorate, received the North of an Energy Harvesting Device for the paper “Integration of Methods and Systems for the Measuring High Power Laser Di- Alan T. Pope, David T. Shannon, Wm. Timothy Elam, Warren • Matthew Wilbur, Army employee Atlantic Treaty Organization by IDTechEx Energy Harvesting Weather Avoidance and Traffic and Olafur S. Palsson received C. Kelliher, William Hershyn, Mapping of Acoustic Sources from ode Array Junction Temperature. assigned to Aeroelasticity Branch, Scientific Achievement Award from and WSN Awards. Separation” at the 30th Digital patent 8,062,129 for Physiological and David P. DeLong received Phased Microphone Arrays. Stanley E. Woodard and Bryant received the John W. White Engi- the North Atlantic Treaty Organi- • Sharon Burton, Atmospheric Avionics Systems Conference. User Interface for a Multi-User patent 8,081,734 for Miniature, Lawrence Jacob Prinzel, Alan Douglas Taylor received patent neer of the Year Award from the zation Research and Technology Composition Branch, presentation • Amanda Gillespie and Mark Virtual Environment. Low-Power X-Ray Tube Using a T. Pope, Steven P. Williams, 8,042,739 for Wireless Tamper Hampton Roads Chapter of the Organization. of “Aerosol Classification from Monaghan, NASA Kennedy, and Randall E. Bailey, Jarvis J. American Helicopter Society. Yeonjoon Park, Sang Hyouk Microchannel Electron Generator Detection Sensor and Sensing • Dan Vicroy, Flight Dynam- Airborne HSRL and Compari- Yuan Chen, Electronic Systems Arthur, Lynda J. Kramer, and Choi, Glen C. King, and Electron Source. System. • Matthew Wilbur, Army employee ics Branch, received the North sons with the CALIPSO Vertical Branch, received a Best Paper Paul C. Schutte Feature Mask” with co-authors Sang-Hyon Chu received patent Walter A. Silva received patent received patent Yeonjoon Park, Glen C. King, assigned to Aeroelasticity Branch, Atlantic Treaty Organization Award at the 2012 Reliability and received the Francis A. Roberts Richard Ferrare, Ali Omar, Chris Maintainability Symposium for 8,089,677 for Dynamic Optical 8,060,350 for Method of Perform- 8,164,485 for System and Method James R. Elliott, and Sang Scientific Achievement Award from Memorial Award for Excellence in Hostetler, Johnathan Hair, Ray- “Comparison Modeling of System Grating Device and Associated for Aiding Pilot Preview, Re- Hyouk Choi received patent the North Atlantic Treaty Organi- ing Computational Aeroelastic Unmanned and Robotics Systems mond Rogers, Michael Obland, Reliability for Future NASA Method for Modulating Light. Analyses. hearsal, Review, and Real-Time 8,094,306 for Micro Ring Grating zation Research and Technology Visual Acquisition of F. from the Hampton Roads Chapter Organization. and Carolyn Butler, Atmosphere Projects.” Daniel Joseph Jobson, Zia-ur John W. Wilson, Ram K. Spectrometer with Adjustable of the Association for Unmanned Composition Branch; and Anthony Yeonjoon Park, Sang Houk Rahman, and Glenn Alan Tripathi, Francis F. Badavi, and Aperture. Vehicle Systems. • Thomas Yager, Structural Cook, Electromagnetic & Sensors Choi, Glen C. King, and James Woodell received patent Francis A. Cucinotta received Mark A. Croom, Stephen C. Dynamics Branch, was selected Branch; David Harper, Remote R. Elliott received patent • Gene Morelli, Dynamics Sys- Government Official of the Year 8,111,943 for Smart Image En- patent 8,117,013 for Apparatus, Smith, Paul A. Gelhausen, Mark tems & Control Branch, received Sensing Flight Systems Branch; 8,059,273 for Micro Spectrometer by the International Grooving hancement Process. Method and Program Storage De- D. Guynn, Craig A. Hunter, Da- the Hampton Roads Section 2013 and Karl Froyd, NOAA Earth Sys- for Parallel Light and Method of vid A. Paddock, Steve Riddick, and Grinding Association for his tem Research Lab, received Best Sang Hyouk Choi, Yeonjoon vice for Determining High-Energy Engineer of the Year Award from research in pavement surfaces. Continued on Next Page ... Park, Glen C. King, and James Neutron/Ion Transport to a Target Use. and John Edward Teter received the AIAA Hampton Roads Section. Oral Presentation Award at the Byron L. Meadows, Farzin patent 8,196,858 for Aircraft • Larry Thomason, Climate 9th International Symposium on • Sean Kenny and Luis Crespo, R. Elliott received patent of Interest. • Jared Grauer, Dynamics Sys- Amzajerdian, Bruce W. Barnes, & Radiation Studies Branch; Tropospheric Profiling in L’Aquila, Dynamic Systems & Control 8,174,695 for Arrayed Micro-Ring Thomas F. Brooks and William Configured for Flight in an Atmo- tems & Control Branch, received and Nathaniel R. Baker received Kuan-Man Xu, Climate Science Italy. Branch; Lindsey Andrews, Old Spectrometer System and Method M. Humphreys received patent sphere Having Low Density. the AIAA Hampton Roads Section patent 8,112,243 for Forward Branch; and Jean-Paul Vernier, • Jeffrey Robinson, Vehicle Dominion University; and Dan of Use. 8,170,234 for Deconvolution PATENTS CONTINUED Laurence J. Bement Award for Chemistry & Dynamics Branch, Giesy, Dynamic Systems & Con- Voltage Short-Pulse Technique for Analysis Branch, was co-recipient

22 23 trol Branch, received best paper Aeronautics Systems Engineering • Junilla Applin, Engineering received a Federal Energy and presented on model validation Branch and David Wing, Crew Directorate, was selected by the Water Management Award from Orion Spacecraft Has New Home at Virginia Air & Space Center and uncertainty quantification for Systems & Aviation Operations Society of Women Engineers the Department of Energy for “Robust Control Design for Uncer- Branch, received Best Paper at (SWE) as a panelist for The View “Trash-Powered Research: Opti- tain Nonlinear Dynamic Systems” the Integrated Communication, Inside of NASA – Women Engi- mizing Biomass Energy at NASA he Virginia Air & Space Center in Hampton is NASA from the Society for Experimental Navigation & Surveillance Confer- neers who ROCK at the annual Langley Research Center.” TLangley’s official visitor center. It features interactive Mechanics, Inc. ence for “The Effects of Limited SWE conference. • Bruce Bishop, Projects & aviation exhibits spanning 100 years of flight, more than • Gene Morelli, Dynamics Sys- Intent Information Availability on • Janet Sellars, Equal Opportu- Engineering Branch; Anthony 30 historic aircraft, a hands-on space gallery, unique tems & Control Branch, received Self-Separation in Mixed Opera- nity Office, received the Woman Dell’Arciprete, GSA; Edward the Best Paper Award for “Flight tions.” of Distinction-Government Award Weaver, AECOM Design; Jim space flight artifacts, and more. Test Maneuvers for Efficient • Lucas Horta, Mercedes from the Virginia Peninsula Beckett, Hill International; and New on display this year is an 18,000-pound test version YWCA. Eric Murphy, Whiting-Turner; Aerodynamic Modeling” at the Reaves, Martin Annett and of an Orion space capsule built at Langley. While at 2011 AIAA Atmospheric Flight Karen Jackson, Structural • Lindsay Rogers, Science Direc- received the Federal Energy and Mechanics Conference. Dynamics Branch, received the torate, received the 2012 Young Water Management Award for the air and space center, you can launch a rocket, pilot Better Buildings from the Depart- • Gene Morelli, Dynamics Sys- Best Paper award for “Multi- Woman of Distinction Award from a space shuttle, program Mars rovers for a mission, ment of Energy for “Langley tems & Control Branch, received Dimensional Calibration of Impact the Virginia Peninsula YWCA. become an air-traffic controller, fly an airplane, climb Headquarters Building-New Town the Best Paper Award in Flight Dynamic Models” from the Society • Bill Kluge’s, Media Solu- Phase I.” aboard a WWII bomber and experience a 3D IMAX film. Mechanics for “Efficient Global for Experimental Mechanics, Inc. tions Branch, painting “HELIOS • Langley Research Center Aerodynamic Modeling from Flight • Lesa Roe, Center Director, Ascending” was one of 36 pieces Also on display is the Apollo 12 Command Module that Data” at the 2012 AIAA Aerospace received the Gator Engineer- selected for the American Society received the 2011 GreenGov went to the moon, a Mars meteorite, a three-billion-year- Sciences Meeting. ing Leadership Award from the of Aviation Artist’s Retrospective Presidential Lean, Clean, and old moon rock, a DC-9 passenger jet and a replica 1903 Green Award. • Gaetano Magnotti, George University of Florida. Exhibition at the Arts Center in Wright Flyer. Battle Creek, MI. • Langley Research Center Washington University, Andrew • Bryan Barmore, Crew Systems received the 2012 [Virginia] Gover- Cutler, Hypersonic Air Breath- & Aviation Operations Branch, • Thomas Pinelli, Education For more information, go to http://vasc.org nor’s Environmental Excellence ing Propulsion Branch; and Paul received a Significant Contributor Office, received a meritorious Award. Danehy, Advanced Sensing & Award for his efforts and impact service citation from the Virginia Optical Measurement Branch; as the concept lead for the Children’s Engineering Council. • NASA Langley Headquarters received a Best Paper Award for Airborne Spacing-Flight Deck • Dollie McCown, Education Building was selected as number “Development of a Dual-Pump Interval Management (ASPA-FIM) Office, received the 2012 Women 3 in the top 10 List of Leadership CARS System for Measurements application from the Radio Techni- of Color Corporate Promotion of in Energy and Environmental De- in a Supersonic Combusting Free cal Commission for Aeronautics Education Award, from the Career sign Projects by the Interiors and Jet” from the AIAA’s Aerodynamic Symposium. Communications Group and Sources Trade Magazine. Measurement Technology Techni- • Langley Research Center, • Kelly Hayhurst, Safety-Critical Northrop Grumman. cal Committee. including National Advisory Com- Avionics Systems Branch, re- • James Batterson, retiree, mittee for Aeronautics buildings • Taumi Daniels and Phillip ceived an Outstanding Leader received the Mid-Atlantic Regional now owned by Langley Air Force Schaffner, Electromagnetic & Award from the Radio Technical Science, Technology, Engineering, Base, was listed in the Virginia Sensors Branch; E. Tom Evans, Commission for Aeronautics. and Mathematics Tech Transfer Flight Software Systems Branch; Award from the Federal Labora- Landmarks Register. • Jennifer Keyes, Space Mission Robert Neece, Electromagnetic tory Consortium. • Paresh Parikh, Orion Multi- Analysis Branch, was presented & Sensors Branch; and Steven Purpose Crew Vehicle Office, Langley Leadership with the 2011 Rensselaer Alumni • James Batterson, retiree, and Young, Safety-Critical Avionics was recognized for serving as Association Director’s Award. Behzad Raiszadeh, Atmospheric Systems Branch, received the Flight & Entry Systems Branch, a Combined Federal Campaign Best Paper Award in the Flight • Michael Smith, Safety & Mission were recognized by Virginia Loaned Executive. Deck Systems Track for “Creating Assurance Branch, received the Governor Bob McDonnell for their • Frances DeMarco, Office of the a Realistic Weather Environment 2012 Engineering Alumni Award roles in creating “Modeling and Chief Information Officer, received for Motion-Based Piloted Flight from Southern Illinois Univer- Simulation for High School Teach- a 2012 Volunteer of the Year Simulation” at the 31st Digital sity−Carbondale, Science and ers: Principles, Problems, and award from the American Red Avionics Systems Conference. Engineering Department. Lesson Plans,” a crowd-sourced Cross Coastal Virginia Region. • Daniel Palumbo and Jacob • Sheri Beam, Office of Strate- flexbook. • Linda Woodman, IT Infrastruc- Klos, Structural Acoustics Branch, gic Analysis, Communications, • Ray Comstock, Crew Systems ture Branch, was recognized for received the Martin Hirschorn & Business Development, was & Aviation Operations Branch, re- outstanding executive committee IAC Prize for Best Paper for “The invited to speak at Mansfield ceived a certificate of appreciation performance for Hampton Bay Effects of Voids and Recesses University graduation brunch. for judging the All-City Science, Days. on the Transmission Loss of • Debbie Martinez, Aeronautics Engineering & Technology Fair in • NASA EDGE was selected Honeycomb Sandwich Panels” Research Mission Directorate Newport News, VA. as a finalists for the Sir Arthur from Institute of Noise Control Projects, received the Hispanic in • Zhaoyan Liu, Atmospheric Clarke Award, best space media Engineering. Technology Government Award at Composition Branch, was cited broadcast category, by The British • Allan White, Safety-Critical the Society of Hispanic Profes- for excellence in refereeing by the Interplanetary Society. Avionics Systems Branch, sional Engineers (SHPE) Confer- editor of the Journal of Geophysi- received Best Paper of Session at ence. cal Research-Atmospheres. Lesa B. Roe Stephen G. Jurczyk David Bowles Center Director Deputy Director Associate Director the 31st Digital Avionics Systems • Michael Walther, Security & • Paresh Parikh, Orion Multi- Conference for “An Initial Ex- Program Protection Branch, Purpose Crew Vehicle Office, was amination for Verifying Separation completed the Commonwealth recognized for 5 years of judging How to Contact Us: Algorithms by Simulation” by Allan of Virginia State Police Fusion the U.S. Army Cybermission Liaison Officer Class. White, Natasha Neogi, National Challenge. Office of Strategic Analysis, Communications and Business Development: 757 864-6300 Institute of Aerospace, and Heber • Stephen Bollman, Jacobs Herencia-Zapana, National Insti- • Bryan Wade, Security & Technology; Michael Croft, Government Relations: 757 864-2505 tute of Aerospace. Program Protection Branch, Sierra Lobo; Wesley Wigginton, • Timothy Lewis, Crew Systems completed the Commonwealth Maintenance & Utilities Branch; Doing Business with Langley: 757 864-1178 of Virginia State Police Fusion & Aviation Operations Branch; and John McDonald and Bill Web Site: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/langley Nipa Phojanamongkolkij, Liaison Officer Class. Leonard, City of Hampton, 24 25 “That’s one small step for man, Whitcomb a Hall of Famer

Aeronautics engineer Richard T. Whitcomb, whose legendary one giant leap for mankind.” NASA research contributions made supersonic flight practi- cal, has been inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame. Whitcomb died in 2009 at age 88. The National Aviation Hall With those words, Neil Alden Armstrong became the first human of Fame, at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Day- to walk on the moon, at 10:56 p.m. EDT on July 20, 1969. ton, honors individuals who have uniquely contributed to the Mr. Armstrong died Aug. 25, 2012. He was 82. nation’s aviation achievement. Inductees include the Wright Brothers, Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh and astronauts John Glenn, Neil Armstrong and others. Whitcomb’s insight into aerodynamics and his practical solutions led to three of the most significant and practical contributions to aeronautics in the 20th century — the "area rule," supercritical wing, and winglets.

Shuttle's Last Ride

(Above) Space Shuttle Enterprise on its way to the Intrepid Museum in New York City. (Right) Space Shuttle Endeavour on a two-day crawl through Los Angeles to its retirement at the California Science Center.

Top Secret Tests 8-Foot Transonic Pressure Tunnel

Neil Armstrong next to the Lunar Excursion Module simulator in February 1969, four months before Apollo 11 touched down on the lunar surface. He and 23 other astronauts learned how to land on the moon at this NASA Langley Research recently uncovered top-secret tests that were con- Research Center facility. ducted at NASA Langley on a captured Japanese "Zero" fighter plane. The characteristics of the Zero, which outclassed all U.S. aircraft early in the war, were unknown prior to its capture. After it was flown against American aircraft in California to determine flaws in the design and develop tactics to defeat the Zero, it was sent to Anacostia Naval Air Station in Washington, D.C. for Built in 1953 as the 8-Foot High Speed Tunnel, Langley's 8-Foot further evaluation by the Navy. The Navy asked that Langley Transonic Pressure Tunnel was the site for much of Richard instrument the Zero for the tests, and flew it to Langley, where it Whitcomb's ground-breaking aeronautics research. The tunnel was tested in the Full-Scale Tunnel. was demolished this year.

26 National Aeronautics and Space Administration Langley Research Center Hampton, VA 23681

NP-2012-11-443-LaRC