sign in sign up
<<
Home , Dick Scobee, NASA Railroad

Feb. 11, 2011 Vol. 51, No. 3 Spaceport News John F. - America’s gateway to the universe

www..gov/centers/kennedy/news/snews/spnews_toc.html

Tank fixed, Discovery rolls out for STS-133 launch By Frank Ochoa-Gonzales Spaceport News s New York Yankee great Yogi Berra once said: “It’s Adéjà vu all over again.” On the final night of January 2011, in front of Kennedy work- ers, their friends and family, Discovery trekked its way from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A. It was the second time Dis- covery rolled out for its STS-133 mission to the International Space Station, which now is targeted to launch Feb. 24 at 4:50 p.m. EST “Anytime we have a long flow of challenges, which we’ve had for STS-133, that makes the final out- come even sweeter,” said Stephanie Stilson, Discovery’s NASA flow director for the past 11 missions. So when we finally get to the launch we really appreciate the work that NASA/Kim Shiflett has happened and all the long hours Xenon lights illuminate space shuttle Discovery as it makes its nighttime trek, known as “rollout,” from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A at our team has put in.” Kennedy Space Center on Jan. 31. The first rollout came last year For Discovery’s flow team, the in late September when Discovery xenon lights not only highlighted Follow along on launch day was supposed to make its last flight the STS-133 stack, but the many NASA’s Launch Blog is set to begin about five hours prior to liftoff, and will highlight to the space station in November. hours of work put in to allow the the countdown milestones from the Launch Control Center’s Firing Room 3 as the six “The entire team was anxious shuttle to make its final trip to the STS-133 prepare to embark on their 11-day journey to the International Space to get back to the launch pad and launch pad. Station. They’ll take with them the Permanent Multipurpose Module, filled with equipment and critical spare components, and Robonaut 2 (R2), the first humanlike robot in space. get the entire stack ready to launch,” But it hasn’t been easy. Stilson said. “It’s a good exciting On launch day Nov. 5, two http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/launch_blog.html time and it’s been a long time waiting.” See ROLLOUT, Page 2

Inside this issue . . . Railroad on track Heritage: MPLMs arrive 10 years ago Day of Remembrance Glory ready to shine

Page 2 Page 3 Page 6 Page 7 Page 2 SPACEPORT NEWS Feb. 11, 2011 Ceremony pays homage to Challenger crew By Linda Herridge crews of Apollo 1 is present every day in our Spaceport News and shuttles Challenger and work and inspires genera- Columbia. tions of new space explorers. n the eve of the Kennedy’s Center Di- Every day, with each new 25th anniversary rector Bob Cabana, Deputy challenge we overcome and of the space shuttle O Center Director Janet Petro, every discovery we make, Challenger accident, Ken- and United Space Alliance’s we honor these remarkable nedy Space Center observed Associate Program Manager men and women. Please join NASA’s Day of Remem- for Solid Rocket Boost- me in working to fulfill their brance, Jan. 27, with a ers Roger Elliott placed dreams for the future.” wreath-laying ceremony at the wreath, inscribed with Cabana shared similar the KSC Visitor Complex the words, “Remembering sentiments: “I think it’s . our Fallen Heroes,” at the really important that every The Day of Remem- memorial, and observed a year we take a few moments brance honors members of moment of silence. of our day, on this Day of NASA/Kim Shiflett the NASA family who lost A statement issued by Remembrance, to remember their lives while furthering Dr. June Scobee Rodgers, the founding chair of the Challenger Center for Space President Barack Obama those that paid the ultimate Science Education, honors her late-husband, ’s STS-51L the cause of exploration read in part, “Today, on this sacrifice in the quest to Commander Dick Scobee, on Jan. 28. Challenger broke apart over the Atlantic and discovery, including the Day of Remembrance when explore space,” Cabana Ocean 73 seconds into flight 25 years ago. NASA reflects on the mighty said. “The loss of their lives Challenger Center for Space later may have looked the Remembering sacrifices made to push would be meaningless if we Science Education; Cabana; same, but had hundreds of NASA’s pioneers those frontiers, America’s did not continue. I think it’s chairman of The Astronauts changes to make it safer and

space agency is working extremely important to con- Memorial Foundation and Apollo 1 more reliable.” to achieve even greater tinue our quest to explore former astronaut Mike “It’s not easy to look Virgil “Gus” Grissom goals. Through triumph and expand our knowledge.” Edward White McCulley; and Rick Soria, back and reflect,” Gersten- and tragedy, each of us has On Jan. 28, The Astro- Roger Chaffee 2009 Tech- maier said. “We learned benefited from their courage nauts Memorial Founda- nology in Education Award that little things that seem and devotion, and we honor tion’s remembrance service Challenger winner. harmless can become cata- their memory by dedicating at the Space Mirror Memo- Francis “Dick” Scobee Scobee Rodgers said, strophic events. The human Michael Smith ourselves to a better tomor- rial was attended by NASA “We’re not a nation of spaceflight team has learned row. Despite the challenges officials, dignitaries, families naysayers, we’re a nation of tremendous lessons from before us today, let us com- of the fallen, Kennedy work- believers. We’re innovators Ronald McNair these events. mit ourselves and continue ers and the general public. and problem solvers. We’re “We will continue to S. Christa McAuliffe their valiant journey toward Moderated by the foun- risk-takers with a pioneering a more vibrant and secure dation’s President Stephen spirit. We as a nation are in- strive to be better. To ex- plore, to expand our knowl- Columbia future.” Feldman, the guest speakers debted to the space pioneers Before a wreath-laying included NASA Associate who blazed a trail of explo- edge of our universe and to William McCool ceremony at Arlington Na- Administrator for Space ration and discovery.” reach beyond,” Cabana said. Michael Anderson tional Cemetery, NASA Ad- Operations William Ger- Cabana said, “We At the conclusion of the ministrator Charlie Bolden stenmaier; Dr. June Scobee learned many lessons from memorial, Scobee Rodgers David Brown also issued a statement that Rodgers, widow of STS-51L the loss of Challenger. And and Gerstenmaier placed a read in part, “The legacy Commander Dick Scobee the vehicle that returned to wreath below the names of of those who have perished and founding chair of the flight two-and-a-half years the Challenger crew.

back into the Vehicle Assembly the stringers with small metal strips, “The last three flights were sup- From ROLLOUT, Page 1 Building on Dec. 21. called radius blocks, to strengthen posed to be easy,” said Taylor. “But problems surfaced: A problem with Additional investigations were and fasten their tips during tanking we continue to learn about the ve- the ground umbilical carrier plate performed by utilizing an X-ray- and ultimately, the climb to orbit. hicle and ways to make it safe to the (GUCP) and a crack in the orange type machine, called a backscatter Engineers evaluated another end of the .” foam near the top of the external device, showed small cracks on type X-ray scan called computed ra- According to Stilson, the team fuel tank’s midsection. Under the three stringers on the opposite side diography images of the 108 string- has remained very focused on foam, small cracks on the top of two of the external tank. Stringers are ers. Five cracked stringers were safety. stringers were found. support beams that make up the fixed with double-thick stringer tips “The team has been supportive “Anytime we have a vehicle tank’s corrugated intertank portion. and radius blocks; 94 more stringers of the decisions being made and safety issue, we always try to do “The program determined to were reinforced with radius blocks; have done everything they possibly everything we can do to make it as modify the tank stringers and make eight stringers were not modified could to ensure they completed all safe as possible,” said Wayne Bing- them more robust,” said Jim Taylor, because they were made of a differ- the work as quickly and as safely as ham, United Space Alliance (USA) integrated vehicle flow manager ent batch of aluminum-lithium alloy possible,” Stilson said. “We wanted Discovery flow manager. with USA. not susceptible to stress-relief frac- to make sure we did it right and After an instrumented tanking To fix the tank, technicians tures. One stringer was not modified that when we rolled back out to the test Dec. 17, the orbiter was rolled worked around the clock to bolster because of where it was located. launch pad we were good to go.” Feb. 11, 2011 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 3 Taurus XL ready to launch Glory climate spacecraft By Steven Siceloff aerosols are and how far their Spaceport News effects reach. The effects of some aerosols are he Glory spacecraft and its limited to those parts of the world Taurus XL launch vehicle are that generate them. For example, coming together at Vanden- T cities in developing nations often berg Air Force Base in California as produce the most “black carbon,” or NASA gets ready to launch its first soot, and it is in those areas that the Launch Services Program (LSP) effects are seen most dramatically, mission of 2011. sometimes even in the form of Researchers are looking for health problems. more puzzle pieces to fill out the picture of Earth’s climate and However, other aerosols Glory was designed to give them including dust from the Sahara the pieces relating to the role tiny desert, reach high enough into the air particles known as aerosols play in that they are transported across the the planet’s weather. The spacecraft, oceans. In the case of the Sahara, its about the size of a household dust has been seen in the Caribbean. refrigerator, also is equipped with While the spacecraft will get an instrument to measure the sun’s significant attention, many eyes impact on Earth’s conditions. will be on the Taurus XL rocket Measuring the solar irradiance that will lift Glory. The four-stage, will help scientists determine the solid-fueled rocket was last used impact solar fluctuations have on the in February 2009 to launch the average rising global temperatures. Orbiting Carbon Observatory. Glory is scheduled to lift off Feb. 23 However, the payload fairing at 5:09 a.m. EST. protecting the spacecraft during the “The Glory will help us early part of launch did not separate understand the interaction of what’s and the spacecraft never reached called aerosols in our environment,” orbit. said Chuong Nguyen, LSP’s mission “Glory is going to do some integration manager for Glory. fantastic stuff as far as mapping out The particles Glory will aerosols in the atmosphere, but it’s measure are small enough to float also a groundbreaker in that this in the atmosphere and affect is the first flight after a failure of weather conditions by either the Taurus XL vehicle,” said Omar absorbing sunlight or reflecting it. Baez, launch director for the Glory The particles also can affect rain mission. “So we’re excited to be patterns by seeding clouds and have doing this and Glory just happens to other effects. be the science that we’re taking up The Glory mission also will find with us this time.” NASA/Roy Allison, VAFB out how long-lasting the effects for Compared with other rockets On Jan. 21, the Stage 0/1 interstage is attached to Stage 0 of the four-stage Taurus XL rocket that will carry NASA’s Glory spacecraft into low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 576-E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. that have launched many hundreds that have been working this one item of times, the Taurus XL is quite for two years,” Baez said. young and Baez said the trouble Glory is launching from the with the last launch is part of any California coast so it can go into new system’s growing pains. a sun-synchronous orbit to scan “We’ve had a lot of work put almost all of the Earth’s surface into this vehicle,” Baez said. “We’ll as part of the “A-Train” of Earth- take out those problems that we had observation already in with the failure.” orbit. Two review boards were Together, Glory, the other established to find the cause of the spacecraft already in orbit and a failure, one by NASA and one future mission called the Orbiting by the rocket’s maker, Orbital Carbon Observatory-2, which is Sciences. When those were the replacement spacecraft for the complete, the launch team moved original OCO, are expected to give NASA/Dan Liberotti, VAFB At the Astrotech payload processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians ahead with changes and preparations the most complete picture to date of configure the equipment for the fueling of the Glory spacecraft, seen in the background wrapped in a for the Glory mission. Earth’s climate and what makes it protective covering, with its attitude control propellant Jan. 23. “There’s physically been people change. Page 4 SPACEPORT NEWS Feb. 11, 2011 Feb. 11, 2011 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 5 Scenes Around Kennedy Space Center

NASA/Kim Shiflett Apollo 14 Capcom Bruce McCandless, left, and Apollo 14 Lunar Module Pilot take part in the Apollo 14 Anniversary Soirée at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex’s Saturn V Center on Jan. 29. The celebration was hosted Photo courtesy of Al Jenkins by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. Apollo 14 landed on the lunar surface 40 years ago on Feb. 5, 1971. Retirement Electrical Maintenance Facility Celebrations Hosts Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony From top: Napoleon Carroll, special assistant to Kennedy’s new, 18,500-square-foot Electrical Maintenance Facility (EMF) on Contractors Kennedy’s deputy director, right, celebrates his retire- Road in the Launch Complex 39 area opened for business Feb. 8. ment on Jan. 7 after 37 years of federal service. The facility will provide new and renovated space for maintenance shops, offices, and Bill Potteiger, Technical Integration Branch equipment and material storage in support of the electrical maintenance functions at Kennedy. chief of the Launch Vehicle Processing Directorate’s Construction and renovation of the energy-efficient facility began in September 2009. Project Control Office at Kennedy, right, accepts

The EMF, designed by Jones Edmunds and Associates and constructed by H.W. Davis For NASA a space shuttle photo, signed by co-workers and Construction, is projected to receive Gold certification under the U.S. Green Building Council’s friends, during his retirement celebration Jan. 27. At Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system. left is George Jacobs, the directorate’s Project Control Below: Participating in the ribbon-cutting ceremony are, from left, Director of Kennedy’s Office division chief. Center Operations Mike Benik, NASA Construction of Facility Project Manager Nick Rivieccio, David Alonso, a senior advisor for and Kennedy Center Director Bob Cabana. Kennedy’s Institutional Management for the Associate Director for Business Operations, left, celebrates his retirement with retired Kennedy Associate Administrator for Business Operations Jim Hattaway on Jan. 14. For NASA

NASA/Jack Pfaller Space shuttle Atlantis goes through a routine landing gear test in Kennedy’s Orbiter Processing Facility-1 on Jan. 25. Technicians are checking to make sure the shuttle’s wheels, brakes, NASA/Jack Pfaller NASA/Troy Cryder elevons and body flap function properly. Atlantis is being prepared for the STS-135 mission, which will carry the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies, logistics and Crews assess a break in a natural gas line in the area north of Kennedy’s Multi-Function Facility (MFF) on Feb. 2, after it was spare parts to the International Space Station. STS-135 is targeted to launch June 28, and will be the last mission for the Space Shuttle Program. inadvertently struck by a backhoe. Page 6 SPACEPORT NEWS Feb. 11, 2011 NASA Railroad played vital role in shuttle booster haul By Anna Heiney a locomotive engineer and the journey. Fully loaded, a Spaceport News mechanic with URS Corp. single segment car weighed Bryant is one of 11 team 513,000 pounds. or nearly three members in the URS rail- The cross-country decades, the NASA road shop who operate and route involved commer- Railroad at Kennedy F maintain the railroad’s cars, cial rail companies such as Space Center kept the space tracks and facilities. Union Pacific, Kansas City shuttle’s solid rocket boost- At the Wilson’s Corners Southern, Norfolk South- ers on track. junction at the northern ern, CSX and Florida East Getting the 12-foot- end of the space center, the Coast Railway (FEC). FEC NASA/Jack Pfaller wide, 150-ton segments to NASA Railroad splits into handled the final leg of the The NASA Railroad train hauls an Ares I-X segment to the Rotation, Processing the launch site was possible two nine-mile stretches of trip, pulling the hazardous and Surge Facility at Kennedy Space Center on March 20, 2009. only by rail. The segments track. Kennedy’s mainline cargo into NASA’s Jay Jay cars were removed. FEC added a 7.5-mile con- were loaded by manufactur- runs south, past the Vehicle railroad yard north of Titus- Bryant said once nection from its mainline er ATK at a plant in Prom- Assembly Building and ville, Fla. completed, all the cars across the Indian River to ontory, Utah, then shipped other Launch Complex 39 That’s when the were gathered and taken to the space center. At that in customized train cars on a facilities before reaching Kennedy railroad crew took Suspect Siding, which is an time, the spaceport was seven-day trip to Kennedy. the center’s Industrial Area. charge, starting with a thor- isolated staging area on the in the midst of a construc- The final set of space To the east, a second line of ough inspection. northeast side of the Shuttle tion boom as facilities shuttle booster segments ar- track extends to the Cape “You want to make Landing Facility. The seg- were built for the Apollo rived in May 2010 for space Canaveral Air Force Station. sure you’re not going to ments remained there until Program, and the railroad shuttle Atlantis’ targeted Each incoming shuttle- drag anything in that’s ATK technicians were ready provided a means of hauling STS-135 mission to the booster segment rested on a going to cause a hazard to for them in the booster heavy building materials International Space Station. cradle in a custom-built rail- the commodity,” explained Rotation, Processing and into the center. “The railroad is a car. A clamshell-like cover, Will Eriksen, a three-decade Surge Facility, where they But by the time the lifeline in and out of this hinged at the top, protected veteran of Kennedy’s rail- were rotated to vertical and Space Shuttle Program was center,” said Chris Bryant, the hardware throughout road operation. prepared for stacking. beginning, the railroad was Although the train had Although the Kennedy in sad shape after years of to traverse a drawbridge rails are built to withstand exposure to the salt air and spanning the Indian River, mainline track speeds of moist, tropical climate. The the bridge is not strong 60 mph, when the booster wood crossties were rotting, segments arrived, the weight enough to hold a train with rust had eaten away at the so many heavy cars. The and the danger involved hardware, and the rail itself solution: Empty “spacer” required more caution. needed to be strengthened. cars were added between the “When we’re hauling FEC was contracted to segments to distribute the in, we’re hauling 4 to 5 mil- upgrade the system. weight over the individual lion pounds of explosives,” NASA bought that spans of the bridge. Bryant points out. “Through portion of the railroad line The NASA locomotive the crossings, too. It’s not from FEC in 1983, two pulled the train across the something to sneeze about, years after the shuttle began NASA/Jim Grossmann river to Wilson Yard, just you know.” flying, and today the skilled A NASA Railroad mechanic checks out the brakes on a Union Pacific rail car haul- west of Wilson’s Corners Kennedy’s rail system ing one of the last space shuttle solid rocket booster segments on May 28, 2010. junction, where the spacer was activated in 1963 when Kennedy crew maintains the system. “No safety issues and no real problems ever, since day one,” said URS Lead Mechanic Mike Stephens. “It’s been a great working operational feat, that’s for sure.” In addition to the shuttle boosters, the NASA Railroad has carried nitro- gen tetroxide, an oxidizer used as rocket propellant; Air Force Titan rockets; Navy Trident missiles; and the shuttle-based booster NASA/Kim Shiflett The NASA Railroad train transports the last space shuttle solid rocket booster segments over the Indian River on the 13-mile trip from the Jay Jay Rail Yard in Titusville, segments for the Ares I-X Fla., to Kennedy Space Center on May 28, 2010. flight test. Feb. 11, 2011 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 7 Remembering Our Heritage MPLMs’ mission success a total team effort By Kay Grinter to carry equipment, experiments and Reference Librarian supplies to and from the ISS aboard the space shuttle. en years ago, the third and Unlike the shuttles, there is no final multi-purpose logistics flow director for each module. The Tmodule was delivered to mission manager for each flight on Kennedy Space Center, a happy which an MPLM is scheduled over- event for the NASA family. sees the processing of the module Donatello, the newest of three thereby acting as its guardian. nearly identical modules, joined its The modules reside and are “siblings” Feb. 1, 2001. The old- prepared for flight in the Space est and first off the assembly line, Station Processing Facility (SSPF). Leonardo, had been in residence at They are installed in the shuttles Kennedy since August 1998, with vertically at the pad for launch. Raffaello following close behind in Francesco Santoro, ASI/AL- August 1999. TEC Liaison Office manager at All three were manufactured Kennedy, was in Italy for Leonar- and assembled for the Italian do’s assembly but moved to Florida Space Agency (ASI) at the Alenia to prepare for its arrival. Santoro Aerospazio factory in Turin, Italy. and his colleague, Giuseppe Man- Ownership of the modules was then NASA file/2004 cuso, support all MPLM processing transferred to the U.S. in exchange All three multi-purpose logistics modules (MPLMs) are on the floor of Kennedy Space Center’s Space and operations. for Italian access to U.S. research Station Processing Facility on Feb. 18, 2004. Leonardo is at front left, and Donatello is behind it. Raf- “The Advanced Logistics faello is at front right. The MPLMs were built by the Italian Space Agency to serve as reusable logistics time on the International Space Sta- Technology Engineering Center, carriers and the primary delivery system to resupply and return International Space Station cargo requir- tion (ISS). or ALTEC, in Turin, Italy, is under ing a pressurized environment. The modules were named by contract to ASI to provide sustain- ASI after some great Italian minds, ing up to 2,000 pounds. It is the Leonardo has been modified ing engineering and logistics, and suggesting high aspirations for the only one of its kind in the world.” into the Permanent Multipurpose supports NASA in the operations triplets. Like human children, the mod- Module, or PMM, to allow it to and utilization of the the MPLMs The first, Leonardo, was named ules have occasionally been “held remain on the ISS to provide ad- for the entire ISS life,” Santoro for Leonardo da Vinci; the middle, back,” although due to no fault of ditional storage. explained. Raffaello, for the artist Raffaello their own. “(My team and I) worked Leonardo has flown seven mis- Sanzio; and the last, Donatello, for “Launch of STS-121 slipped directly with that Italian team who sions, beginning with STS-102 in sculptor, Donato di Niccolo i Betto because of issues with foam shed- came here to Florida to modify 2001, and Raffaello, three. Donatel- Bardi. ding from the external tank on the Leonardo,” Higginbotham said. lo has never flown. Not unlike astronauts, their pre- Return to Flight mission “Although we had a compressed “Donatello is kept in flight ordained purpose in life was to fly (STS-114),” said Deborah Hahn, timeline, they did wonderful work.” status configuration, maintained, in space. These unpiloted, reusable NASA mission manager for Leon- A welcoming party is already and in some cases has been used,” pressurized modules were designed ardo’s STS-121 flight. “We had to planned for Leonardo’s arrival on Santoro said, “to provide spare parts the station. destow and restow the pressurized for the other modules.” “The entire U.S.-Italian team cargo in Leonardo because of the NASA’s Glenn Chin represent- signed a banner which, after Leon- delay.” ed Kennedy’s Space Station Hard- ardo is berthed, will be brought out Scott Higginbotham has served ware Integration Office in Italy for and hung in the station,” Higgin- as NASA mission manager for 20 the assembly of all three MPLMs, botham revealed. “The astronauts shuttle flights, including the upcom- and was a member of the accep- will take pictures, commemorating tance team and mission manager for ing STS-133 mission, making him the event, and the banner will be Leonardo’s first three missions. Leonardo’s guardian during its final brought back and put on display in “There was a huge learning processing flow. Italy.” curve processing Leonardo the first “We are sad that Leonardo The two modules remaining time,” Chin said, “but by STS-111, is leaving but excited that it’s not on Earth could potentially support the procedures were routine.” going to a museum, but to the ISS,” future NASA programs. Michael Kinslow, Boeing’s Higginbotham said. Bill Dowdell, deputy director payload flow manager since 2005, Robonaut 2, the station’s first of International Space Station and explained: “NASA Design Engi- humanlike robot, is one of its cargo Spacecraft Processing, projected:

NASA file/2005 neering created a unique piece of passengers. “If STS-135 is funded, Raffaello On March 8, 2005, a Space Station Processing equipment to process MPLMs: the “Preparing an MPLM for flight is manifested to fly again, and if Facility worker stands by as the Rack Insertion Rack Insertion Device. Its 45-foot is never mundane,” Higginbotham NASA’s follow-on program to the Device moves the Human Research Facility-2 telescoping arm has end effectors said. “The cargo and experiments space shuttle needs a proven cargo (HRF-2) science rack into the multi-purpose lo- gistics module Raffaello for flight on space shuttle which can rotate in any axis and are different every flight, requiring carrier, even Donatello may yet get Discovery’s Return to Flight mission, STS-114. lift cargo and system racks weigh- new rack configurations.” the chance.” Page 8 SPACEPORT NEWS Feb. 11, 2011

NASA Employees of the Month: February ON WORD THE STREET If you could catch a ride aboard the NASA Railroad train, where would you go and why?

“I would go to middle America to promote NASA’s vision to all those youngsters who want to travel to space.

NASA/ Tom Farrar They don’t get to see Employees for the month of February are, from left, Kristin Kelley, Safety and Mission Assurance; what we see here in Florida.” Christine Du Quesne, Center Operations; Matthew Zbin, Information Technology and Communications Services; Zijian (Steven) Xu, Procurement Office; Karen Childree, Launch Services Program; Raymond Josie Burnett, Wheeler, Engineering Directorate; Andrew Swift (Employee of the Quarter) Launch Integration Office; with NASA and Jennifer Tharpe, Launch Vehicle Processing Directorate. Not pictured, are Dina Davila, Education and External Relations; Telita De Souza, Chief Financial Office; Amy Houts Gilfriche, Constellation Project Office; and Christopher Broadaway, Engineering Directorate. “I’d like to go sightseeing up the Pacific Coast.”

Did you take part in NASA’s Mercury Program? Tom Batchelder, with Boeing Space Operations Co. People who worked in NASA’s Mercury Program and during the early years of the space program are encouraged to indicate their interest in attending a 50th anniversary celebration by calling 321-867-1000 or writing to Alan Shepard 50th Anniversary, c/o “I’d take my daughter, Kristen, Jane Mosconi, Mail Code EX-P, NASA, Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899. Include your skiing in Colorado.” name, address, phone number, e-mail address and role you played in the program. If the phone number indicates it is full, call back later. The mailbox only accepts 30 mes- Ken Koby, sages at a time. with Boeing Space Operations Co.

“I would put my Prius on board and travel NASA seeks volunteers for mentors, colleagues to Utah . . . to explore to the Canyonlands.” Kevin Gill, NASA’s External Relations Education Programs and University Research Division seeks with Indyne Inc. volunteers to share their expertise as mentors/colleagues for undergraduate students, graduate students and postdoctoral scholars for the summer 2011 session. The dead- line for submission of opportunities is Feb. 15. Go to http://intern.nasa.gov to create a mentor profile and an opportunity for students. For more information, contact Benita “I would take my co-workers with me to Desuza by e-mail at [email protected] or call 321-867-3671. Washington, D.C., to help promote our future.”

Brenda Heeke, with Boeing Space Operations Co. Looking up and ahead . . .

Feb. 23 Launch/VAFB: Taurus, Glory; 5:09:43 a.m. EST

Targeted for Feb. 24 Launch/KSC: Discovery, STS-133; 4:50 p.m. EST John F. Kennedy Space Center No Earlier Than March 4 Launch/CCAFS: Atlas V, OTV 2; TBD No Earlier Than March 11 Launch/CCAFS: Delta IV, NROL-27; TBD Spaceport News Targeted for April 19 Launch/KSC: Endeavour, STS-134; 7:48 p.m. EDT Spaceport News is an official publication of the Kennedy Space Center and is No Earlier Than April 30 Launch/CCAFS: Atlas V, SBIRS GEO-1; TBD published on alternate Fridays by Public Affairs in the interest of KSC civil service and contractor employees. No Earlier Than June 23 Launch/CCAFS: Atlas V, GPS IIF-2; TBD Contributions are welcome and should be submitted three weeks before publication to the Media Services Branch, IMCS-440. E-mail submissions can be sent to [email protected] No Earlier Than June 9 Launch/VAFB: Delta II, Aquarius / SAC-D Satellite; TBD Managing editor ...... Candrea Thomas Editor ...... Frank Ochoa-Gonzales Targeted for June 28 Launch/KSC: Atlantis, STS-135; 3:48 p.m. EDT Copy editor ...... Rebecca Regan

No Earlier Than July 15 Launch/CCAFS: SpaceX Falcon 9, Editorial support provided by Abacus Technology Corp. Writers Group. Dragon C2; TBD NASA at KSC is on the Internet at www.nasa.gov/kennedy USGPO: 733-049/600142