National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Volume 63 Number 5 April 2021 Boom! Boom! Columbia landing 40 years ago ushered in new era

NASA The distinctive double sonic boom on April 14, 1981 indicated that Columbia was headed to its planned landing on the dirt runway on Rogers Dry Lake, which is adjacent to NASA Armstrong (then Dryden). An estimated crowd of 320,000 people, including a graduate student who now is Armstrong’s Deputy Director Pat Stoliker, were there to greet shuttle commander and pilot Crippen. Young and Crippen had completed the Space Shuttle Program’s first mission to space. See story, page 2.

www..gov/ X-Press 2 April 2021 3 News at NASA Witnessing history Helicopter Deputy director was graduate student then makes first Mars flight By D.C. Agle NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter became the first aircraft in history to make a powered, controlled flight on another planet April 19. The Ingenuity team at the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern confirmed the flight succeeded after receiving data from the helicopter via NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover. “Ingenuity is the latest in a long and storied tradition of NASA projects AFRC2016-0002-21 achieving a space exploration goal NASA/Ken Ulbrich once thought impossible,” said acting NASA Armstrong Deputy Di- NASA/Ken Ulbrich NASA Administrator Steve Jurczyk. rector Pat Stoliker was a gradu- “The X-15 was a pathfinder for the space ate student when he witnessed The NASA Armstrong Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration in the National Airspace System shuttle. Mars Pathfinder and its Sojourner ’s land- project team was honored with the 2020 Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate Associate Ad- rover did the same for three generations of ing on April 14, 1981. ministrator Award in the category of Technology and Innovation (Group). In the above image, the Mars rovers. We don’t know exactly where Flight Test 6 team is seen prior to the pandemic by the aircraft used in that effort. The aircraft include Ingenuity will lead us, but today’s results By Jay Levine from center clockwise, the TigerShark, the T-34C, The Beechcraft Beech 200 Super King Air aircraft indicate the sky – at least on Mars – may X-Press editor and the TG-14. not be the limit.” Patrick Stoliker began to scan Altimeter data for the solar-powered the sky as he heard the loud helicopter indicate Ingenuity climbed to its double boom. He and about prescribed maximum altitude of 10 feet (3 320,000 spectators knew that Team recognized meters) and maintained a stable hover for sound signaled the re-entry and 30 seconds. It then descended, touching soon landing of Space Shuttle back down on the surface of Mars after Columbia on a dirt runway UAS Integration into the NAS project logging a total of 39.1 seconds of flight. on Rogers Dry Lake, adjacent Additional details on the test are expected to NASA Armstrong (then earns award for groundbreaking work in upcoming downlinks. Dryden). Ingenuity’s initial flight demonstration Shuttle commander John S81-30734 NASA The Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration in the National Airspace System project team was autonomous – piloted by onboard Young and pilot Robert Crippen Space Shuttle Columbia landed on Runway 23 on April 14, 1981 to conclude the first shuttle mission to space. The was honored with the 2020 Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate Associate Administrator guidance, navigation, and control systems completed the 54-hour first orbiter landed on Rogers Dry Lake, which is adjacent to NASA Armstrong (then Dryden). Award in the category of Technology and Innovation (group). running algorithms developed by the space shuttle mission, which is “As we strive to make aviation more sustainable and enable new forms of air travel for all, team at JPL. Because data must be sent considered one of the boldest the deputy director at Armstrong. gate with Stoliker, his family and “Following the double boom your group’s contributions toward achieving our research goals during the past fiscal year to and returned from the Red Planet test flights in history and which He and some friends drove from his friends. In addition to a wide people scanned the skies for the stood out among your peers across the nation,” ARMD AA Robert Pearce said. “You and your over hundreds of millions of miles using ushered in a new era in human USC north to Lancaster, where his open view of the skies where they orbiter and watched as it landed,” team more than deserve this special recognition.” orbiting and NASA’s Deep Space space flight. family lived, when Columbia was set were parked by the rock formations he recalled. “Columbia rolled The team was honored for its completion of two partner-inspired Unmanned Aircraft Network, Ingenuity cannot be flown with April 14 marked 40 years since to land. Stoliker’s father, Fred, was on Rosemond Boulevard, Stoliker to a stop and the Star-Spangled Systems (UAS) demonstrations in fiscal year 2020, along with capturing certification lessons a joystick, and its flight was not observable that milestone happened, but in technical director at the Air Force said he also could see the mass of Banner began to play on the loud learned. In addition, the project delivered data research and inputs that resulted in updates to from Earth in real time. many ways some details are as Flight Test Center (now known as people who came in cars, trucks, speakers. It was a very patriotic operational performance standards for mid-size UAS Detect and Avoid and Command and NASA Associate Administrator for vivid as if it was that clear, calm the Air Force Test Center) and had motor homes and buses to be a moment.” Control functions. Science Thomas Zurbuchen announced day. Stoliker, who was a 25-year passes to the shuttle landing. part of history. There were many highlights These accomplishments will pave the way for future UAS operators to successfully complete the Martian airfield will be called Wright old graduate student in 1981 The family motor home departed “Seeing the mass of cars helped that day, but there is one that the FAA certification process to obtain permission to operate their vehicles. The UAS-NASA Brothers Field, in recognition of the at the University of Southern early the morning of Columbia’s put it in perspective that this was a project has helped open the door for industry to bring mid-size UAS for FAA certification. ingenuity and innovation that continue to California, Los Angeles, now is landing for the air force base main historical moment,” Stoliker said. Stoliker page 7 Mars helicopter page 8 X-Press 4 April 2021 5 Rising to the challenge By Jay Levine X-Press editor NASA Armstrong moved to required telework in March 2020. No one anticipated the Early in the dramatic changes to how people pandemic NASA worked, how major work could Armstrong and be accomplished, or that a year all NASA centers later the worldwide pandemic were required to would continue to influence have most staff daily life. telework and for As the anniversary date few but the most approached, NASA Armstrong essential to be at staff discussed at a town hall the facilities. how they have responded, the challenges, and how the center continues to work on major milestones. March 13 was the last full day on center for most people. NASA/Bill Werner Armstrong Center Director David McBride remembers it NASA Armstrong engineer well. Mike Buttigieg works on an “I was driving to visit my oxygen hood system prototype mother when I found out we worn by Dr. Daniel Khoda- NASA had COVID-19 positive people bakhsh from the Antelope Valley at the center,” he said. “I had to A town hall panel talked March 13 about how the center has continued to make progress on major projects during the pandemic and learned to live in the very differ- Hospital. The hood is designed make a U-turn because there ent work environment. Top left clockwise are Megan Person, Jennifer Cole, David McBride, Kassidy McLaughlin, Jerry Dobbins, Russell Leonardo and Kevin Rohrer. to help coronavirus patients was a risk of exposing her to the who don’t yet need a ventila- pandemic and I have not seen tor, but who are experiencing her since.” breathing troubles. The hood Hope is on the horizon. forces oxygen into patients with “She just received her second mild coronavirus symptoms, vaccine shot,” McBride added. minimizing the likelihood that “In a couple of weeks, I should the patient will need to use a be able to go see her.” ventilator. The morning before the AFRC2020-0058-032 NASA/Carla Thomas town hall multiple people As part of that vigilance, Dr. Megan Person, Armstrong integration engineer, has been tested positive for COVID-19 Dwight Peake, AFRC chief medical news chief, moderated the town working on NASA’s Advanced on campus, which led center officer, offered some advice. hall discussion and Kevin Rohrer, Air Mobility National Campaign, officials to decide to error on “We need to be persistent with Strategic Communications which is working toward a new the side of caution and close our PPE (personal protective chief, read questions staff posted type of transportation system, and a building and get everyone equipment) preventive practices electronically during the event. the X-57 electric aircraft. tested. and maintaining our space,” he Panel members described empty “The past month or two has “Don’t let your guard down,” suggested. “The time will come in parking lots and few people in the been pretty crazy with aircraft McBride said. “The situation the next couple of months when halls at the start of the pandemic flying for the National Campaign AFRC2020-006331 NASA/Lauren Hughes AFRC2021-0040-018 NASA/Lauren Hughes shows why COVID-19 is still a we will all have a chance to get and how center personnel adapted and getting ready for the X-57 danger to us. We still need masks The Flight Operations Office at NASA Armstrong was able to gain agency NASA’s all-electric X-57 Maxwell aircraft under goes high-voltage ground testing at our vaccination. That is key to to work on key missions. high-voltage testing,” she said. and to socially distance and get approved to use its G-III (pictured) and C-20 aircraft at Armstrong for trans- NASA Armstrong. A goal of the X-57 project is to help the Federal Aviation Adminis- returning to something resembling Kassidy McLaughlin, the vaccine when you can.” port of mission-critical JPL staff from California to . tration set certification standards for emerging electric aircraft markets. normal.” Armstrong instrumentation and Challenge, page 6 X-Press 6 April 2021 7

Challenge... from page 5

“Making sure I shut off the adapt. A few more people are computer at a reasonable hour back on center now and it is a has sometimes been difficult.” little less strange because I get to McLaughlin, who is early see some folks, but it is all at a in her Armstrong career, said distance.” teleworking has disadvantages Cole added that no one was for new employees who can’t just aware of how long the telework go down the hall and ask mentor guidance would remain. a quick question. However, a lot “As a supervisor, I did not of work can be accomplished know how much to bring remotely in a similar way to how home,” she said. “There were works on center. performance reviews and project “A tech brief (which provides plans. Faxing and the regular an aircraft project status) is exchange of information also different online, but a lot has was a challenge. In fact, just to happened to make it a seamless be in office when the flight line NASA NASA process,” McLaughlin said “You and office was empty felt like I feel like you are presenting was intruding, like I shouldn’t NASA Space Shuttle John Young and Robert Crippen (in tan Columbia received a humorous sendoff before its ferry flight atop a modified as you would in a room. A be there.” space suits) are greeted by members of the ground crew after stepping off the NASA 747 back to NASA’s . From left are Melvin Burke, lot has changed in the virtual All of the speakers focused Space Shuttle Columbia after STS-1. The first shuttle mission from space Armstrong (then Dryden) Orbital Flight Test (OFT) program manager, Arm- environment to enable us to do on the center’s amazing teams ended with a landing on Rogers Dry Lake, which is adjacent to NASA strong Director Isaac ‘Ike’ Gillam, NASA 747 pilot Fitzhugh ‘Fitz’ Fulton, and a majority of work from home that have proved to be flexible Armstrong (then Dryden). Donald ‘Deke’ Slayton, NASA Johnson Space Center OFT project manager. AFRC2020-102-35 NASA/Ken Ulbrich from the non-flight stage to the and innovative. For example, Leonardo said his team is still flight stage from home.” Bolts are torqued on a Compact Fiber Optic Sensing System unit, also known Stoliker... from page 2 repairing computers and about For staff members who have as a FOSS rocket box, which was developed at NASA Armstrong. NASA 20 people a week are able to jobs that require hands on tasks research engineer Jonathan Lopez works on the unit that is a new variant stands out to Stoliker. my day, every day.” receive help at Armstrong’s on the aircraft, the challenges of aircraft technology that researchers have advanced to withstand the harsh “I enjoyed sharing the day with One of those events can be seen Building 703 in Palmdale. are many. environments of a rocket launch and space travel. my father,” he said. “Dad had on the main screen of Stoliker’s cell Jerry Dobbins, Armstrong “We have changed the ways worked at Edwards since the early phone. Big and bold is an image SOFIA crew chief since 2014 we do things in nearly every 1950s and he had seen a lot of of the Space Shuttle Endeavour and currently serving a detail than 60 hours a week because in a year.” facet of IT for everyone to history occur. I was raised on the on the back of the NASA 747 as the deputy branch chief for my computer was six feet from The pandemic has brought do their jobs,” he said. “It is accomplishments at the air force Shuttle Carrier Aircraft during Aircraft Maintenance, noted where I was sitting, I could hear center employees together even incredible to me how the team base and took them for granted. its final mission, which is detailed some of those challenges for messages coming in and I couldn’t though everyone is dealing with has managed to get the work I remember seeing the Enterprise at https://www.nasa.gov/sites/ the Stratospheric Observatory go anywhere,” he added. “Now I challenges in different ways. accomplished.” Approach and Landing Tests, but default/files/files/10_05_12.pdf. for Infrared Astronomy am trying to take a lunch, even if “Our project managers and While what people used to this was something above and The aircraft landed at Armstrong maintenance team. it’s just on the patio.” teams are wonderful and remind call normal will be different, beyond that.” and departed the next morning for “We have had some ups Jennifer Cole, Aeronautics me of family members that that I McBride said, some changes, After the landing, Stoliker, his a final flight along the California and downs and some of our Projects office branch chief, works miss,” Cole said. “I look forward such as some of the staff family and friends, went back to coast and for a landing at Los colleagues have gotten sick,” on management and technology to seeing everyone on center and telecommuting more frequently, Fred Stoliker’s office and waited Angeles International Airport. Dobbins said. “We’ve had to development projects in the hearing aircraft on the flight line will remain. Regarding getting for the traffic to clear. From there, it was towed through learn how to operate in a new Aeronautics Research Mission and getting back to whatever that back on Armstrong, he said the Stoliker had grown up with the streets of Los Angeles to the environment, which has not Directorate. Helping project new normal looks like.” center has a plan, but is awaiting Mercury, Gemini and Apollo NASA California Science Center, where been an easy adjustment. I am managers adjust was a focus at Immediately after most upcoming guidance from the launches and, “it was right that An estimated 320,000 people waited on Rogers Dry Lake, which is adjacent it is on display. encouraged by the way we have work. At home, having dueling Armstrong staff were required Center for Disease Control and the United States had a spacecraft to NASA Armstrong (then Dryden), for the Space Shuttle Columbia to land Stoliker book-ended his shuttle adapted and we’ve learned to meetings for her and her husband to telework, it was noticeably NASA Headquarters. again.” on April 14, 1981. The landing marked the end of the program’s first mis- experience with seeing Atlantis communicate in new ways. We and school for their two children different right away. “We want to make sure we Stoliker’s experience with the sion to space and back and the beginning of a new era in space flight. make the final space shuttle have had a lot of opportunity to is challenging. “I remember when I locked the come back in a safe and effective space shuttles began years earlier mission on July 8-21, 2011. think outside the box.” “There are distractions all day,” door behind me at work,” Russell way,” he said. when he was a cooperative Enterprise as it was released from two years later assigned to “That was special to me, being Russell Leonardo, Armstrong she said. “I really have tried hard said. “It was surreal to see the In the meantime, McBride education engineering student the back of a NASA 747 to an the X-31A Enhanced Fighter able to see the first landing and the deputy chief information officer to carve out time just for our parking lot empty. I thought it said staff members should try to at Philips Laboratories (now the unpowered landing on the lake Maneuverability project as the final launch,” he said. and Information Technology family and doing things to help us would be a few weeks and that it balance the work-life equation. Air Force Research Laboratory), bed in 1977. lead flight controls engineer. See more about the center’s Services branch chief, said the to connect. We have a lot going would provide extra quiet time to “I am taking a week off and which is just up the hill from In 1992 Stoliker came to “I always had tremendous pride contributions to the space shuttle work/life balance was a challenge on any given time. I also feel for get extra work done. I don’t think I encouraged others to do the Armstrong. While there, he was Armstrong as a senior aerospace in everything we do here,” he said. program at https://www.nasa.gov/ when the crisis initially started. my school age kids who have not anyone realized the seriousness same,” he said. “Get away and able to view three of the flights engineer for PRC Inc. and “The projects we take on and the sites/default/files/files/09_11_ “I was easily working more been able to play with other kids of our new situation and how to disconnect.” of the Space Shuttle Prototype became a government employee people who work on them make Shuttle_Tribute.pdf X-Press 8

Mars helicopter... from page 3 propel exploration. unknowns. The Red Planet has a shelf-commercial parts – many doggedness of our team here at As one of NASA’s technology significantly lower gravity – one- from the smartphone industry – JPL, as well as at NASA’s Langley demonstration projects, the third that of Earth’s – and an that were tested in deep space for and Ames Research Centers, and 19.3-inch-tall (49-centimeter- extremely thin atmosphere with the first time with this mission. our industry partners. It’s a shining tall) Ingenuity Mars Helicopter only 1 percent the pressure at the “The Mars Helicopter project example of the kind of technology contains no science instruments surface compared to our planet. has gone from ‘blue sky’ feasibility push that thrives at JPL and fits inside its tissue-box-size fuselage. This means there are relatively study to workable engineering well with NASA’s exploration Instead, the 4-pound (1.8-kg) few air molecules with which concept to achieving the first flight goals.” rotorcraft is intended to show Ingenuity’s two 4-foot-wide on another world in a little over The helicopter team will receive whether future exploration of the (1.2-meter-wide) rotor blades six years,” said Michael Watkins, and analyze all data and imagery Red Planet could include an aerial can interact to achieve flight. director of JPL. “That this project from the test and formulate a plan perspective. The helicopter contains unique has achieved such a historic first is for the second experimental test This first flight was full of components, as well as off-the- testimony to the innovation and flight.

Fisher, former engineer, dies David Fisher, a former long-time engineer at Armstrong (then Enevoldson, former Dryden), died March 12. He was 76. Most of his career was at Armstrong as a research engineer. Fisher worked on a number of projects including the rocket-powered X-15, pilot, dies at 88 the XB-70 and the triple supersonic YF-12. He also worked on the Einar K. Enevoldson, a He was awarded a F-15, the Jet Star, the F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle, the F-16XL, former research pilot at NASA Distinguished Flying Cross and forward swept wing X-29, and the highly maneuverable X-31. Fisher Armstrong (then Dryden), died two NASA Exceptional Service also published numerous articles on his research and was known for April 14. He was 88. Medals. In 1974 Enevoldson his boundary layer research. He worked at the center for 18 was awarded the NASA years and was involved in many Exceptional Service Medal for Gaugler, former center lead, dies research programs, including his contributions as a NASA those with experimental Linda Gaugler, who worked at Armstrong (then Dryden) for decades, project pilot on the F-111 wings, propulsion, and digital died Nov. 12, 2020. She was 68. Supercritical Wing Program computer flight control She came to the center in 1991 and served as lead mathematician and on the F-15 Remotely systems. for the Acquisition and Management Office. Gaugler retired in 2012. Piloted Research Vehicle. In The NASA aircraft he flew 1980 he was awarded the NASA included the F-111, F-14, F-8 Exceptional Service Medal for Halasey, former engineer, dies Digital Fly-By-Wire and F-8 contributions as project pilot Robert Halasey, who retired in 1985 from NASA Armstrong (then Super Critical Wing. Enevoldson on F-14 stall and spin resistance Dryden) as an engineer and system analyst, died Jan. 17. He was 88. also piloted the triple supersonic tests. YF-12A, the oblique wing AD- In 2006, at the age of 74, Wells, former mathmatician, dies 1, the Controlled Deep Stall Einar and his co-pilot set the Larry Wells, former mathmatician, died March 15. He was 88. Sailplane, the subscale F-15 sailplane altitude world record. Wells began his 28-year career at NASA Armstrong (then Dryden) remotely piloted spin research The Perlan Project continues in 1961. He worked in the flight simulation lab and developed vehicle and the X-24B lifting to carry forward his vision for simulations for the X-15 and the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle. body aircraft. high-altitude flight.

The X-Press is published the first Friday of National Aeronautics and each month for civil servants, contractors Space Administration and retirees of the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center. NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center Address: P.O. Box 273, P.O. Box 273 Building 4800, MS 1422 Edwards, California, 93523-0273 Edwards, California, 93523-0273 Phone: 661-276-3449 Official Business FAX: 661-276-3167 Penalty for Private Use, $300 Editor: Jay Levine, Logical Innovations, ext. 3459

Managing Editor: Steve Lighthill, NASA

Chief, Strategic Communications: Kevin Rohrer, NASA