Inside Wallops
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Inside Wallops National Aeronautics and Space Administration Goddard Space Flight Center Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Virginia Volume XX-00 Number: 46 December 4, 2000 NASA Technology Allows Engineers to See NASA Astrobiology Architect, Airframe Noise Dr. Gerald Soffen, Dies Bright, computer images of landing we constructed are the first of their kind by A. V. Diaz gear wind noise are enabling NASA generated in the United States at this Dr. Gerald Soffen, a friend, a leader engineers to pinpoint loud and scale, to the best of our knowledge, and a pioneer passed away on preventable aircraft flight sounds more Soderman said. Wednesday night, November 22. He easily than in the past, raising the served as the Goddards Director of prospect of quieter take-off and Using an array of 70 microphones University Programs and as an advisor landings.In a series of tests conducted inside a wind tunnel wall and linked to to the Administrator. at NASAs Ames Research Center the a computer, engineers can see the vivid images of landing gear wind sounds Gerry left a life-time of contributions, passions and achievements. He had a that normally occur during aircraft take- fire in his heart, soul and mind for off and landings. The microphone array science, students and NASA. minimizes wind tunnel airflow noise so that landing gear noise sources as small Journalists from around the world as 6 mm (about a quarter of an inch) sought Gerry for his ability to interpret can be identified. At full-scale, these complex and exciting science sources are 24 mm across, or about an information, whether about Mars or inch, according to engineers who astrobiology. As a leader he inspired conducted the tests in the Ames 7-by millions of people over the course of 10-foot wind tunnel that the U.S. Army his 30-year career. Gerry pioneered operates for NASA. Researchers scientific investigations as part of the reduced noise significantly as they Viking mission and later in Earth removed various combinations of sciences. The scientific community landing gear parts from the test model will remember him for his forth- in the wind tunnel. rightness and willingness to challenge the status quo. A landing gear slows an airplane as it NASA Ames Photo comes in for a landing, and if we reduce Gerry loved bridging the talents and the Aircraft landing gear undergoing testing. the drag too much, the plane would be potential of young people with NASAs missions. He knew more students, traveling faster than it should as it faculty and places to offer than we can sounds have been depicted as colored approaches the runway, Soderman count. The NASA Academy is a images on a computer screen. These explained. Removing pieces, or testimony of Gerrys abiding interest new test data provide critical visual altering part shapes, is not as easy as it to develop a pipeline from higher information to aircraft designers sounds because many of the changes education institutions to the labs and concerned about possible enforcement would greatly affect how the landing research environments across the of stricter aircraft noise rules. gear and plane operate. Agency. He touched many students who will remember him for his Some airports are imposing nighttime The results from this test will enable kindness and caring approach in curfews on noisy take-offs and researchers to decide how to create air pursuit an aerospace career. landings, encouraging aircraft drag, or friction, to slow the airplane manufacturers to make quieter planes, without causing as much noise, he Gerry loved NASA. He never recognized said Paul Soderman, leader of the Ames added. Preliminary data analysis a clock or schedule when it came to aeroacoustics group. If U.S. airplane indicates that a faired landing gear giving to the organization. He gave of makers cant meet the new noise rules, generates considerably less noise than himself every waking moment to those manufacturers may well have an unmodified landing gear and, though Goddard and the spirit of NASAs mission to explore, share and inspire. difficulty selling their aircraft, both full fairings may not be commercially domestically and in foreign markets, practical, the data represent a probable We will miss Gerry. We will remember he speculated.Engineers anticipate that lower limit of landing gear noise, him as a bold pioneer, a delicate lower aircraft noise limits also will be Soderman said. listener, enthusiastic communicator, issued by the International Civil and a friend. Aviation Organization, which makes Ames conducted the landing gear tests airplane noise rules for much of the in collaboration with researchers at Brian Welch, NASA Director non-U.S. aviation community. NASAs Langley Research Center and of Media Services, Dies Boeing Commercial Airplane Co., Brian D. Welch, a veteran public affairs Now that we can easily see the causes Seattle, WA, as part of NASAs quiet officer for the space agency and of the annoying whooshing wind aircraft technology program. NASAs Director of Media Services, noises that come from airliner landing died Friday, Nov. 24, after suffering a gear, we can take steps to analyze and In June 2001, engineers plan to attach heart attack. He was 42. eventually reduce the noise signifi- the quarter-scale landing gear model to cantly, Soderman said. Airframe parts, a model of a quarter-scale commercial All of us at NASA are stunned and including landing gear, flaps and slats, transport wing and to conduct more saddened by this tragic loss, said create almost as much noise as the tests. Researchers will measure NASA Administrator Daniel S. aircraft engines on approach to landing. airframe fly-over noise and surface Goldin. Brians love and enthusiasm wing pressures with and without the for space flight and exploration was We are pleased to see a lot of detail in landing gear extended during simulated infectious. He approached his job with the sound pictures. The sound images landing approaches. Researchers also a passion and a purpose and truly of the quarter-scale landing gear model will evaluate noise control devices. embodied the spirit of this agency. Educational Programs Offered at the Visitor Center Astronomy, Earth Science, scientific ballooning, careers and more are the subject of programs being offered for school and civic groups December 2000 through February 2001 at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility Visitor Center. Each program is designed for specific grade levels and incorporates Virginia and Maryland Standards of Learning. December - Space Science Sun/Earth Connections (Grade 3 - 6) Explores the relationship between the Sun and the Earth. Topics include seasons, Earths orbit and properties of our planet. Sunspots and other features on the Sun also are discussed. Solar System (Grade 3 - 6) The nine planets and other elements in our solar system are explored and students work in groups to develop an in-depth planetary study. Astronomy - Hubble Space Telescope (Grade 3 - 6) Students use Hubble Deep Field images BrettVincent, GN&C Engineering Branch, checks equipment during a gondola to collect and interpret scientific data hang test, Nov. 30. The gondola is scheduled to fly on an Ultra Long Duration and apply estimation skills. Balloon from Alice Springs, Australia in January 2001. January - Earth Science & Ballooning The Cafeteria will be serving soup Hunting on Wallops Island Earth from Space (Grade 4 - 8) and sandwiches only the week prior to Christmas, December 18 - Senior management of the Goddard Students use images and data from 22 and will be closed the week after Space Flight Center has recently satellites and the Space Shuttle to study Christmas, December 26 - 29. considered several issues relative to different aspects of our planet. Normal operations will resume on providing a safer working environment Tuesday, January 2, 2001. for employees and assuring compliance Weather and Climate (Grade 3 - 6) with federal and agency firearm Using information from satellites UpcomingEvents policies. This has resulted in certain students investigate factors that The Wallops Christmas Party will be restrictions on the use of Wallops Island influence our weather. Ocean currents, held on Dec. 15 in Bldg. F-3 for recreational purposes. hurricanes and global cloud cover are immediately following some of the topics discussed in this the Annual Awards Hunting on Wallops Island will be program. Ceremony. allowed only on Saturdays and on The event is certain holidays during the legal Balloons and Weather Instruments hunting season. The island will be (Grade 5 - 8) sponsored by Students participate in hot-air balloon the Wallops closed to other recreational uses of the launches and learn about buoyancy and Exchange island on those days. For the 2000 how NASA uses balloons to lift and Morale Association (WEMA), hunting season, the designated hunting payloads to the fringes of space. Morale Activities Committee and will days in December are: Dec. 2, 9,16, 23, be catered by W.W. Catering & 25, and 30 and in January are: Jan. 1, February - Careers, Black History Jonithan Stone. Beginning at 6 p.m., 6, 13, 15, and 20, 2001. Month and more. music will be provided by The Zydecats. Wallops civil service and Multi-cultural Astronomy (Grade 3 Additional safety rules for hunting are contractors and their spouses are still being formulated. Interim rules will - 10) Feb. 12 - 16, 2001 invited. This program relates the role of be briefed when hunting passes are astronomy in the Underground Join us: obtained from the WEMA Hunt Club. Railroad. Students learn about star In January for a Super Bowl Party with Only waterfowl hunting will be allowed constellations and their importance to a Best Chili contest and cash awards initially, though it is expected that deer navigation. given to the winners. hunting will be allowed soon.