Putting on the Brakes Decelerator Will Benefit Future Heavier Payloads at Mars by Mark Whalen

Jet JULY Propulsion 2014 Laboratory VOLUME 44

NUMBER 7

Carbon satellite heads to space

California’s central coast may have been cloaked in fog, but the late-night ride into space was essentially flawless for JPL’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2 as it launched July 2 from Vandenberg Air Force Base. In the 10 days following launch, the spacecraft began a checkout process before going into three weeks of maneu- vers that will place it in its final 705-kilometer (438-mile) near-polar orbit. It will be at the head of a string of Earth- observing satellites known as the Afternoon Constellation, or “A-Train.” The launch was “a perfect ride,” JPL Project Manager Ralph Basilio enthused in a post-launch briefing. Over the years several hundred JPLers have worked on the mission, and about 100 will continue supporting it during its operational phase, Basilio noted. The satellite’s single science instrument—a group of three high-reso-

The saucer-shaped Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator test vehicle is lifted aboard the Kahana recovery vessel following the June 28 test off the coast of Kauai. lution spectrometers sharing a common telescope—was fabricated at JPL. Putting on the brakes Decelerator will benefit future heavier payloads at Mars By Mark Whalen

Happy landings may await future Mars-bound payloads, In the test, the flying saucer–shaped vehicle experi- thanks to a successful experimental test flight June 28 off enced rough aerodynamic conditions similar to what a the coast of Kauai, Hawaii. Mars lander would encounter as it enters the planet’s The test of JPL’s Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator thin atmosphere. The goal is to develop atmospheric project started with the early-morning launch of a balloon braking systems able to carry heavier, more sophisti- carrying the test vehicle to 119,000 feet above the Pacific cated landers to the surface than current systems can Ocean. The test vehicle separated from the balloon and handle. fired a rocket engine to begin powered flight, achieving The project has long planned two more supersonic flights Mach 4.1 at 191,000 feet about a minute later. next summer. Still, Adler says this first “shakeout flight” was The vehicle splashed down at 11:35 a.m. Hawaii time. critically important for the team to get information this year The vehicle and parachute were recovered from the ocean to feed into those future tests. a few hours later, and returned to port the next day. “We don’t want to do these tests at the same time and Although the mission’s parachute failed to deploy as not learn from one to the other,” Adler says. His team’s goal planned, Project Manager Mark Adler was happy with the for the first test was “to be able to show that we know how test and expects to garner numerous lessons learned for to operate it, know how to get the data, and take that infor- further test flights next year. mation that we learned.” “The test vehicle worked beautifully and we met all of Not only did the test determine the flying ability of the our flight objectives,” says Adler. “We have recovered all the vehicle—which flew to required speeds and low atmo- vehicle hardware and data recorders and will be able to spheric densities, returning all planned telemetry—it also apply this information to our technology demonstration deployed two new landing technologies as a bonus. flights next year.” Continued on page 2 2 Acquisition Division aims to niverse U save paper, time, money By Mark Whalen

tracts manager has 82 binders in their office, a bookcase full. That’s not unusual for a big flight project job. So the spinoff benefits are huge – of not handling, trans- porting and storing all these notebooks and papers.” “It’s been an easy transition,” said Bird. “I’m pleased that it hasn’t been that hard for the folks who have been here for de- cades to adapt to it. It’s like working on a paper file, except it’s on your computer screen.” Bird, who previously worked for the U.S. military, is reminded of the creation of JPL Rules, the online repository for JPL documents that replaced countless binders of policies and procedures. “When I first came here, I thought JPL Rules was fantastic,” said Bird. “I had never been anywhere where they actu- ally had these electronically available to everybody, and you knew you were looking at the current version. That impressed me. And our plan to go paperless will be similar.” While there’s no official accounting for how many pounds of paper or the number The Work Different team. of trees is consumed by JPL procure- In the interest of creating a system that the Chief Information Officer, trained Ac- beneficiary. ments, a tally of Acquisition’s first month offers rapid access, accuracy, efficiency – quisition Division staff in using software “In the past, if a contract required of creating electronic files, rather than not to mention saving trees – JPL’s Acqui- such as Microsoft OneNote, an informa- review by the Office of the General Coun- paper, is telling. sition Division has begun the process of tion-gathering program that can be edited sel, a subcontracts manager hauled a big “Through the first three weeks of June going paperless. by multiple users. binder up to Building 180 for the review,” we entered 64,000 individual files in an On June 1, the division kicked off an noted Acquisition Division Manager Karl e-share account,” noted Bird. “So the initiative called “Work Different” to transi- Bird. “Now we send it to the General overall numbers will be astounding. But tion from a procurement system based on When I first came here, I Counsel electronically. It’s done very look at the paper savings in less than a paper documents to an electronic system thought JPL Rules was quickly and will cut down on the time month’s time.” for subcontract documents. needed for reviews. It also eliminates all Bird said the initiative is serving as a Perhaps more than most JPL organi- fantastic. … And our plan of the trips up there and back.” “proving ground” that could be adapted zations, the Acquisition Division goes to go paperless will be Bird cited another example of paper for use by others at JPL. The project is through a lot of paper. From small overload that he expects will be avoided already drawing interest from procure- purchase orders of several pages to similar. from now on. ment offices at other NASA centers. mammoth-sized, multimillion-dollar sub- — Karl Bird “A subcontracts manager will have a The next level of the division’s efforts contracts, three-ring binders used for very large contract for our desktop com- will be the purchase of electronic signa- record keeping quickly fill up bookshelves. puters. The basic contract is probably a ture software, expected by early July. A team led by Martin Johnson of the One goal of the initiative is to foster couple of large three-ring binders,” said Institutional Services Support Section, quicker document reviews. The Office of Bird. “But the modifications take up 79 working with support from the Office of the General Counsel has been the first large three-ring binders. So one subcon-

LDSD Continued from page 1

During the flight, the vehicle success- One of the motivations for the project, tributed to the project, including about the stratosphere with this balloon-lofted, fully deployed the Supersonic Inflat- says Principal Investigator Ian Clark of JPL, 100 from JPL. Currently, the equivalent of rocket-powered entry vehicle. The super- able Aerodynamic Decelerator, a large, is “to take the next steps, to get the bigger 50 to 60 full-timers at JPL support it. sonic test architecture worked perfectly on doughnut-shaped inflatable drag device. and more efficient parachutes and decel- “It’s been a tremendous effort by the its very first flight.” The second new technology, the Super- erators to operate at higher mach, so that team,” says Adler. “We developed not just For more information about the mis- sonic Disk Sail Parachute, did not deploy we can put bigger payloads on the surface the technologies but entirely new test sion, visit: http://go.usa.gov/kzZQ as expected. Both technologies will be of Mars.” architectures for these technologies, both tested again off Kauai next summer. Some 200 people NASA-wide have con- on the ground using rocket sleds and in Paying it forward By Mark Whalen Former summer interns become mentors for new arrivals

Sarah Milkovich, second from left, with Mars Science Laboratory colleague Nicole Spanovich, left, joins interns Marie McBride and Genevieve De Mijolla, right, on landing night in August 2012..

With hundreds of interns now on-site at JPL, many “You don’t always have an opportunity in school to get with science interests didn’t even know existed. And unforgettable experiences are in store for the students that kind of experience and it’s certainly something that they think you have to be either a scientist or an engi- taking part. But internship doesn’t only benefit the stu- will serve people well—whether they come here or not. neer. But the idea that people here can do science and dents themselves—over the years it has changed JPL Later on, it’s a good life experience.” engineering is information that I want to make sure to for the better. Milkovich also treasured JPLers’ generosity with their give them.” Consider gravity assist, the technique that allows time and, as a mentor, has followed in their footsteps, Gregory Villar, who studied astrophysics during his spacecraft to use one planet’s gravity to reach another offering much of the same advice she had been given. 2008 internship, was hired as a full-time JPLer in 2010. planet. It has been a major factor in missions ranging “A lot of times students think of their future careers He exemplifies those who have taken advantage of JPL’s from Mariner 10 to Voyager to Galileo and Cassini. How wide variety of career opportunities. did it first show up at JPL? Through a summer project “My internship was in science, but I eventually got by an intern in 1962. One of the big things about JPL is hired as a systems engineer,” Villar said. An opportunity Or there was the Grand Tour, the ambitious flight opened up on Mars Science Laboratory a year before plan taking Voyager 2 to all of the giant gas outer plan- that science and engineering talk launch so he joined the Mission Systems Verification ets. That too was the brainchild of an intern. to each other and really become and Validation Team. Even today, interns are playing an important role at Last summer, Villar was mentoring an intern for Mars JPL. Many students whose experiences were so highly intertwined. And it’s so important Science Laboratory but took it upon himself to rally all treasured and memorable became JPL employees fol- because so much of what we do of the MSL interns, about 15 of them. “When I started lowing the completion of their education. Some are working on the project, I was fortunate to have ‘implied committed to pay it forward to the next generation by at JPL is to have somebody with mentorship’ with senior engineers,” he said. “I really guiding newcomers. a science perspective working appreciated them taking me under their wing. They were Sarah Milkovich, currently an investigation scientist on always there, sometimes without me having to ask. I real- Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and science systems engi- directly with the engineers. ized that if I ever have a problem in the future, I can go neer for the Mars 2020 rover, was a co-mentor for Mars —Sarah Milkovich to these people openly and ask for advice. Science Laboratory 2012 summer interns. “I told myself that this is another reason I should pay it Herself a 1999 JPL intern with a focus on Team X forward,” he said. “They gave me the opportunity to work (JPL’s Advanced Projects Design Team), Milkovich recalls in terms of research science and only research science,” on a life-changing mission and I wanted to do the same.” her valuable experiences of learning how JPL works. said Milkovich. “One of the big things about JPL is that When he first started his internship, Villar wasn’t sure “We presented to Team X what we had designed,” said science and engineering talk to each other and really be- whether he wanted to stay. “The thing that really got me Milkovich. “I remember seeing how important the com- come intertwined. And it’s so important because so much thinking that JPL was the place I wanted to work was munication aspect of the presentation was, and how of what we do at JPL is to have somebody with a science being on a flight project. I love interacting with people Team X poked holes in ideas as much as possible. It was perspective working directly with the engineers. and I really enjoyed MSL. At that point I realized, it’s very eye opening. “It’s like a whole new career path that a lot of people going to be pretty hard to take me out of JPL.” 4

JPL in Computerworld top 100 extrasolar planets.” infrared channels on the observatory. ews Computerworld magazine has recog- Considered a cousin of the Hubble Science operations are conducted at N nized JPL as one of the top 100 places Space Telescope, Spitzer, launched the Spitzer Science Center at Caltech.

niverse to work in information technology, in 2003, studies the early universe in Werner will receive the award on U the second year in a row that JPL has infrared light. The first telescope to see behalf of the team Aug. 7 at the AIAA Briefs received the honor. light from a planet outside our solar Space and Astronautics Forum in The list is compiled based on a system, Spitzer has also made impor- San Diego. comprehensive questionnaire regarding tant discoveries about comets, stars, company offerings in categories such as exoplanets and distant galaxies. benefits, diversity, career development, In 2009, the telescope began its Early-career honors for Frankenberg training and retention. In addition, “warm” mission, which takes advantage Christian Frankenberg, a researcher Computerworld conducts extensive sur- of the still-working, shortest-wavelength in the Tropospheric Sounding, Assimi- veys of information technology employ- lation and Modeling Group, has been ees and their responses factor heavily named a recipient of the American in determining the rankings. Geophysical Union’s James B. Macel- JPL finished 19th among employers Mike Werner wane Medal in recognition of “signifi- with 5,000 or more employees in the cant contributions to the geophysical annual ranking. entist Mike Werner has been selected to sciences by an outstanding early career To view the Top 100 list, visit receive the American Institute of Aero- scientist.” http://www.computerworld.com/s/ nautics and Astronautics’ 2014 Space Frankenberg joined JPL in 2010. His article/9248311/100_Best_Places_ Science Award. current studies include greenhouse gas to_Work_in_IT_2014. For a profile Established in 1961, the award is retrievals from JPL’s newly launched on the JPL team, visit http://www. given to an individual for demonstrated Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2 mission computerworld.com/s/article/9248903/ leadership of innovative scientific inves- and the Japanese Greenhouse gases Best_Places_spotlight_Independence_ tigations associated with space science Observing SATellite (Gosat) mission. In reigns_at_NASA_s_Jet_ missions. The award cites “outstanding 2012, he received NASA Early Career Propulsion_Laboratory. science producing over 2,000 papers, Achievement Medal. 50,000+ hours of observation, and Frankenberg will receive the honor Institute honors Werner, Spitzer significant findings such as the first at the American Geophysical Union’s Spitzer Space Telescope Project Sci- telescope to directly detect light from Christian Frankenberg fall meeting in San Francisco.

ginia, died April 3. ment upgrades for Mars 2020. Love is survived by his wife, Ann; son assings Kehoe joined JPL in 1983 after retir- P and daughter-in-law Christopher and ing from the U.S. Army as a colonel. In Marilynn Davis, 76, a retired secre- 1986, JPL was tasked with performing Imelda Love; grandsons Jordan and Jerry tary, died Jan. 5. systems engineering for Space Station Justin; granddaughter Chloe; sisters Love Davis worked at JPL from 1990 to Freedom, and established a field office Patricia Love and Louis Stratton and 2004. She served as project secretary in Reston, Va. for the activity. Kehoe brother Daniel Love. on the Galileo and Mars Exploration also worked in the East Coast Defense Rover missions. Program Support Office and Flight William “Mel” Smith Jr., 84, a Davis is survived by her daughter Car- Projects Administrative Office. He retired construction manager, died olyn and granddaughter Ariel. Services retired from JPL in 1994 when space June 2. were held at Forest Lawn, Glendale. station operations moved from Reston Smith worked for JPL for 13 years, to Houston. retiring in the mid-1980s. Among the Kehoe is survived by his wife, Kay; construction projects he supervised was chil-dren Katherine, Thomas and Kevin; Software Systems Section, died April JPL’s Microdevices Laboratory. grandchildren Cheyne, Danielle, Lau- 21. Smith is survived by his wife, Alice; ren and Alyssa; and a great-grandson Love supported JPL missions as a children Steven and Carolyn; grandson contractor from 1967 to 2005 and as Evan; step-granddaughter Holly and Gerhard Cameron. Klement Kehoe will be interred at Arlington a JPL employee from 2006–14. He great-grandchildren Piper and Mitch- National Cemetery following Aug. 6 started his career testing breadboard ell. A memorial service was held June services at Ft. Myer, Va. and flight radios for Mariner and most 10 at First Congregational Church in recently supported avionics test equip- Pasadena. READ AND SUBMIT CLASSIFIED ADS AT JPL’S ONLINE NEWS SOURCE http://jplspace I would like to thank the JPL com- munity and in particular my friends and E-MAIL US AT James L etters management in Section 333 for their Gerhard Klement, 84, a retired universe@jpl.nasa.gov Bryden kindness and support over the past few electrician, died Feb. 19. On behalf of myself and family we years during the decline and passing of Klement worked for 25 years for JPL. want to thank our JPL family, we are my mother in May. I am touched by the He was a contributor to the Voyager 2 thankful for the beautiful plant on the Neptune Encounter project in August words written on the card, and by the recent loss of my mother. There are 1989. kindness people have shown me. It feels simply no words to express my heart- He is survived by his wife, Helene, personal and I thank you all for your felt thanks for the sympathy you have Editor three children and six grandchildren. words and support. extended toward me and my family dur- Mark Whalen Retired supervisor James Bryden, Scott Allen ing this time of our loss. We are deeply Thomas Kehoe, 79, retired from 83, died April 15. grateful to you all. JPL space station operations in Vir- Bryden worked at JPL from 1961 to Design Greg Pruitt Audrey Steffan 1983. He held project management positions on the Ranger, Mariner and Barbara Insua Surveyor programs, including supervi- My most sincere thanks and apprecia- etirees Production sor of telemetry and command and data tion to my JPL friends and colleagues R processing for Surveyor. He also man- for the many expressions of sympathy David Hinkle The following employees retired in Tom aged several development projects in and support for the passing of my Kehoe the Defense and Civil Systems Program father, Zivomir (aka Steve) Stefanovich June: Laura Hollis, 43 years, Sec- Photography Office. on May 26. He was very proud of his tion 2143; Kristine Blom, 38 years, JPL Photo Lab Bryden is survived by his wife, Janice; employment at JPL from 1957 to 1997 Section 9050; Angela Belcastro, 31 Universe is published by the Office children Nina and Philip; and grandsons in what today is the Facilities Mainte- years, Section 3564; Loretta James, of Communications and Education Michael, Trevor, Paul and Viggo. nance and Operations Section. Thank 30 years, Section 1163; Mirna Roach, you also to JPL for the beautiful ter- 16 years, Section 8010; Cynthia of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Jerry Love, 73, a ground support rarium sent in memory of my father. Heep, 12 years, Section 2800. 4800 Oak Grove Drive, engineer in the Flight Electronics and Andre Stefanovich Pasadena, CA 91109.