Spaceport News America's Gateway to the Universe
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Mission update Vol. 35, No. 4 March 1, 1996 Spaceport News America's gateway to the universe. Leading the world in preparing and launching missions to planet Earth and beyond. John F. Kennedy Space Center Civil servants offered new retirement options Kennedy Space Center is of- itants. The pay structure for the time until the annual limit on Mission: Polar expendable vehicle fering a program to eligible civil full-time positions will essen- hours is reached. launch on a McDonnell Douglas service employees that will en- tially make up the difference Program participation is Delta II rocket. able them to sample retirement between the worker’s retire- strictly voluntary and only those while giving the center the ben- ment income and the step sal- civil servants who are eligible for Launch date, time: Feb. 24, efit of utilizing their years of ary at the time of retirement. 6:24 a.m. (EST) from Space early or optional retirement can Launch Complex-2, Vandenberg experience. For part-time positions that dif- participate. Air Force Base, CA. The Careers Plus program ferential will be divided and Positions the rehired retirees offers employees two new op- paid per hours worked. fill will be consistent with the Mission synopsis: Polar is one of tions for retirement. The first The second option will allow retiree’s previous grade and two spacecraft in NASA's Global will allow a worker to “try out” participants to retire and imme- qualifications and will involve Geospace Science mission. Polar retirement for 12-18 months at diately be rehired. Employees work that is needed to accom- and sister spacecraft, Wind, will which time they may choose to may work up to 1,040 hours a plish the agency’s mission. Work perform simultaneous, coordinated be rehired, either full time or year for up to two years. Work will be either inside or outside measurements of key regions of part time, as reemployed annu- may be either part time or full Earth's space environment. (See RETIRE, Page 4) 'Beautiful' launch draws big crowd The STS-75 launch drew a near-capacity crowd of specta- tors, featured a new viewing site, and increased the number of astronauts and cosmonauts working in space to a dozen. “It was a beautiful countdown and it turned out to be a beauti- ful day,” Launch Integration Manager Loren Shriver said in a post-launch briefing Feb. 22. Mission: STS-76 on Atlantis. The Space Shuttle Columbia lifted off on time from Kennedy Launch date, time: March 21, Space Center’s Launch Pad 39B 3:35 a.m. from Launch Pad at 3:18 p.m. 39B. Although the primary pay- load on the mission, the Teth- Synopsis: The third docking ered Satellite System (TSS-1R) between the U.S. Space Shuttle Atlantis and the unexpectedly separated just as Russian Space Station Mir will the satellite was nearing the full be highlighted by several extent of its deployment from activities: a crew transfer, an the Shuttle at about 8:30 p.m. extravehicular activity (EVA), on Feb. 25, science activities on logistics operations and the mission resulted in the col- scientific research. lection of about five hours of ex- A SMOOTH COUNTDOWN culminates in an on-time liftoff as the Space Shuttle Columbia tensive data on the performance climbs skyward after its launch at 3:18 p.m. Feb. 22. Aboard for Mission STS-75 is an international crew headed by Mission Commander Andrew Allen; Pilot Scott "Doc" of the satellite and tether dy- Horowitz; Payload Commander Franklin Chang-Diaz; and Mission Specialsts Jeffrey namics and electrodynamics. Landing date, time: March 30, Hoffman, Maurizio Cheli and Claude Nicollier. Cheli, from Italy, and Nicollier, from 8:05 a.m. at Kennedy Space NASA is forming an indepen- Switzerland, both represent the European Space Agency. Assigned as payload specialist Center's Shuttle Landing Facility. is Italian Umberto Guidoni, who represents the Italian Space Agency. (See LAUNCH, Page 4) Page 2 SPACEPORT NEWS March 1, 1996 African-American History Month celebrates culture, contributions THROUGHOUT the month of February the contributions of Kennedy Space Center's African-American employees were highlighted during activities planned to commemorate African-American History Month. In the photo at left, Fred Gregory, associate administrator of the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance at NASA Headquarters, speaks at the Training Auditorium Feb. 2 on the month's theme "Building for Tomorrow on the Foundation of Our Past." Prior to accepting his current position in 1992, Gregory logged 455 hours in space as a pilot on STS-51-B, and spacecraft commander on STS-33 and STS-44. In the photo below, Kimberley Jenkins, chairperson of the Black Employee Strategy Team, presents a plaque to Amanda Harris, deputy director of Safety and Mission Assurance at Marshall Space Flight Center. Harris spoke at the BEST breakfast, Feb. 14. KSC employees enjoy an array of food offered during the African-American breakfast held at the Space Station Processing Facility. The breakfast, which was held in place of the traditional luncheon, attracted a sellout crowd of 224 people. Torch bearers to carry Olympic spirit through Kennedy Space Center Kennedy Space Center will be well Olympics officials told where exactly they will carry the flame. represented when the Olympic flame the United Way that a The relay begins April 27 in Los Angeles passes through Brevard County and the number of the positions after the flame is delivered from Greece. It space center on its way to the 1996 Olympic would be allotted to KSC is scheduled to arrive in Atlanta July 19. Games in Atlanta. At least 22 KSC employ- employees to carry the Torch bearers were selected on the basis ees will be among those carrying the flame flame through the center. of outstanding contributions to the commu- through Central Florida after it begins its Application forms were nity. Kennedy Space Center employees journey in Los Angeles. distributed to all KSC selected include: The number of KSC employees selected employees, who were NASA employees Robert Nagy Jr., Lee surprised even the organizers of the event. encouraged to nominate Davies, Joanne Maceo, Jill Burkard, Jane “We had a disproportionate number themselves or others for Hodges and Loren Shriver; EG&G selected from Brevard,” said Judy McGinty, the positions. employees Thomas Arceneaux, Kathleen director of Community Initiative and Fund Marty Winkel, a Lockheed Martin Space Weaver and Maria Emmick; Lockheed Raising for the United Way of Brevard Operations Company employee who assists Martin Space Operations Company County. The United Way agency was used with KSC’s intercenter runs and coordinates employees Michael Phillips, Claude nationwide as the local coordinating group running events for the Space Coast Run- Overfelt, Robin Seymour, Mike for the torch teams. ners organization, said he was pleasantly Chappell, Marty Winkel, Sara Delmonte, McGinty said the selection process was surprised to learn he had been selected for Tom Grimm and Michael McCulley; complicated by the fact that candidates from the relay. McDonnell Douglas Space and Defense Brevard, Orange, Seminole and Lake “I knew my wife had put my name in but I Systems employees Donna Hoven and counties were all chosen by a team of 24 guess a couple other people did too,” he Thomas Anderson; Rockwell Interna- judges at a central judging site in Orlando. said. tional Corp. employees Theresa Clifton Two-thirds of the more than 400 nomina- Team members have been given T-shirts and Richard Unrue and Analysis & tions received at that location were sent in and hats with the Olympic emblem but won’t Technology Inc. employee Deborah from Brevard County, McGinty said. be told until a few weeks before the event Prongue. March 1, 1996 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 3 Hattaway named procurement director STS-72 crew return James Hattaway has been Institute of appointed director of the Technology in Kennedy Space Center Procure- 1979. ment Office. He had served as H a t t a w a y deputy director since 1994 and entered federal assumed the duties of acting di- service in 1974 rector of the organization in as a contract 1995. negotiator for He said he was honored by HATTAWAY the U.S. Air the appointment and excited Force at Warner Robins Air about working with the procure- Force Base, Georgia. ment staff on new challenges. He joined NASA at KSC in Hattaway attended Middle 1977 as a contracts specialist. Georgia College and the Univer- In 1984, he advanced to the po- sity of Georgia until 1970, when sition of chief, contract place- he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He ment section. Prior to serving as was ultimately assigned to deputy director, Hattaway was KOICHI WAKATA from the Japanese Space Agency signs autographs for United States Readiness Com- chief of the Operations Con- Kennedy Space Center employees during a crew return ceremony for members of that mission Feb. 12 in the Training Auditorium. The mission featured the mand at MacDill Air Force Base, tracts Office. retrieval of the Japanese Space Flyer Unit. Tampa. Throughout his career Upon completion of his mili- Hattaway has received numer- tary service, Hattaway earned ous honors and awards, includ- a bachelor’s degree in business ing certificates of commendation Employees eligible for Disney discounts administration from the Univer- from the KSC center director in sity of Tampa in 1973, and a 1988 and 1994, and the NASA Special arrangements have Parking is not included in the master’s degree in acquisition Exceptional Service Medal in been made for KSC employees ticket price. management from the Florida 1990. to purchase one-day Disney And children under age 2 are park tickets at reduced rates admitted free.