March 20, 2009 Vol. 49, No. 6 Spaceport News John F. Kennedy Space Center - America’s gateway to the universe www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/snews/spnews_toc.html STS-119 takes final US arrays to orbiting lab By Linda Herridge Spaceport News MMT Lead ili Villarreal, a Learn more about NASA mission op- Launch Integration Lerations engineer Manager for NASA’s in the International Space Space Shuttle Program Station and Spacecraft Mike Moses, Page 2. Processing Directorate, watched with co-workers as space shuttle Discovery in December 2002. lofted into orbit atop a bil- Villarreal, a former lowy plume of smoke just as Boeing Co. employee, sup- dusk set in along the Space ported the S6 truss team Coast at 7:43 p.m. EDT with Boeing during most of March 15. the assembly operations. The Kennedy Space “We are all excited Center Space Station to see that picture of the Processing Facility payload station when the shuttle processing team watched departs the ISS,” Villar- its hard work pay off when real said. “To see the truss Discovery lifted off Launch components together and to Pad 39A carrying the S6 see all of the beautiful solar truss to the International arrays deployed is some- Space Station. thing we have all worked so The team was caretaker hard to achieve.” of the fourth and final truss On flight day 5 of the segment and solar arrays, NASA/Rusty Backer-George Roberts which arrived at the center See STS-119, Page 2 Space shuttle Discovery takes off March 15, at 7:43 p.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center. All-American Picnic Heritage: Women’s Inside this issue . History Month Kepler launches Meet Mike Moses Page 2 Page 3 Pages 4-5 Page 7 Page 2 SPACEPORT NEWS March 20, 2009 Obstacles no match for management lead By Linda Herridge the group lead for the Shuttle Spaceport News “It’s a whole Electrical Systems Group. ichael Moses’ He was selected to be a first time as Mis- lot sweeter flight director in February sion Management being here 2005, and participated in five M shuttle missions as a shuttle Team lead came with a few tonight.” challenges. orbit flight director. He was The launch integration the shuttle lead flight director manager for NASA’s Space Mike Moses, for the STS-123 mission Shuttle Program was in his Launch Integration in February 2008, prior to office at Kennedy Space Manager appointment to his current Center when Discovery’s position. launch was scrubbed due to a “I didn’t know that hydrogen leak during tanking flight control was my calling clude Program Requirements until I started working in that on March 11, at Control Board meetings, 2:36 p.m. EDT. position,” Moses said. major milestone reviews Moses received an He has a Bachelor of and facilitating program and update from Launch Director Science in physics from Pur- agency Flight Readiness Mike Leinbach at the Launch due University in Indiana, a Reviews. Moses also serves Control Center, or LCC, and Master of Science in space as the program’s interface to then got busy assembling his sciences from the Florida the 45th Space Wing range team to assess the problem Institute of Technology in operations. and decide how to proceed. Melbourne, and a Master “I want to bring to the Moses began his career of Science in aerospace at Johnson Space Center as position a fair and balanced NASA/Kim Shiflett engineering from Purdue a flight controller in the Mis- integration of the shuttle Launch Integration Manager Mike Moses is all smiles after the successful launch University. program elements, ultimately of Discovery, beginning the STS-119 mission. In Firing Room 4 at the Launch sion Operations Directorate He is a recipient of making the decisions and Control Center, Moses undergoes the traditional tie-cutting ceremony. in August 1995. He worked the NASA Exceptional risk trades to make sure for United Space Alliance Leadership Medal, Johnson issue giving way to a flaw- activities. He reports directly we’re flying safely,” Moses as a flight controller in the Director’s Commendation less liftoff. to Space Shuttle Program said. Space Shuttle Propulsion and several NASA Group On March 13, crews re- As Moses sat at the ops Manager John Shannon, and Systems Group from August Achievement Awards. placed the seven-inch quick position in the LCC during assists with overall manage- 1995 to August 1998. From Moses and his wife, disconnect and two seals, Discovery’s launch March ment, integration and opera- there, he became a NASA Beth, reside in Cape Ca- one on the external tank 15, at 7:43 p.m. EDT, he tions of the program. He sits employee, continuing to naveral, Fla. They have two side and one on the ground- said, “It’s a whole lot sweeter at the operations manager work in the propulsion sys- daughters, Sarah, 4, and Lau- equipment side. being here tonight.” position in the LCC, and pro- tems group and supporting ren, 1. Beth is a private pilot Then on launch day, a Moses is responsible vides shuttle program author- 29 shuttle missions. and also works for NASA crew was sent to Launch Pad for shuttle landing, recov- ity to proceed for launch. In November 2003, in the EVA Project Office at 39A to fix a helium pressure ery, processing and launch Daily responsibilities in- Moses transferred to become Johnson. From STS-119, Page 1 tor on the S6 truss. ments over a 10-year period.” station,” Ashley said. Villarreal said the S6 truss was Dave Cormack, the Boeing S6 Two Boeing mechanical engi- STS-119 mission, and from inside processed by a group of about flow manager, and Ashley were in neers and one electrical engineer will the orbiting laboratory, Mission 30 people called the outboard truss Firing Room 2 at the Launch Control monitor mission activities from the Specialists John Phillips and Koichi team. Final assembly and integra- Center during Discovery’s launch. mission evaluation room at Johnson Wakata will use the station’s robotic tion of the truss long spacer and “There’s a sense of satisfaction Space Center in Houston. arm to put the S6 truss segment into Integrated Equipment Assembly was seeing the S6 truss segment and so- “Our core team will follow mis- performed by Boeing. lar arrays finally launch,” Cormack position. sion activities on the station,” Ashley Spacewalkers Steve Swanson Robby Ashley is NASA’s mis- said. “It will be exciting to see the said. and Richard Arnold will assist with sion manager for S6 and also serves solar arrays deployed on the station.” After 13 days of hard work, the installation of the S6 and unstow as deputy to the station directorate’s Ashley said the team’s goal is to the solar array blanket boxes on the Project Integration Division. He get the payloads processed, out the Discovery and crew are to return array structure. helped process the S0, P1 and P4 door and launched. home March 28, at 1:43 p.m. EDT. The arrays will be delicately de- truss segments as well. “But the true satisfaction comes That hard work will pay off ployed on flight day 6 or 8 depend- “It’s exciting, but at the same once they’re on orbit, activated and when the nation and its international ing on whether a focused inspection time it’s a little bittersweet. It’s the fulfilling their intended mission, and partners see the space station’s su- is required, and the astronauts also end of an era,” Ashley said. “We’ve we can see the fruits of all our labor perstructure complete and operating will deploy a heat dissipating radia- processed the station’s truss seg- being realized up there on the space at full power to support full science. March 20, 2009 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 3 Kepler launches, seeks Earth-like planets s there anybody out WORD ON THE STREET there? For many gen- erations, humans have “What do you think I Kepler will find wondered if there was a during its mission?” planet similar to Earth out in space somewhere. Page 8 NASA’s journey to find out began when its Kepler Calif. Borucki has worked spacecraft took off from on the mission for 17 years. “Everyone is very excited Cape Canaveral Air as our dream becomes a re- Force Station on top of a ality. We are on the verge of Delta II rocket March 6, learning if other Earths are at 10:49 p.m. EST. ubiquitous in the galaxy.” “It was a stunning While the spacecraft launch,” said Kepler Project is in its initial setup mode, Manager Dr. James Fanson NASA scientists and en- of NASA’s Jet Propulsion gineers will be in contact Laboratory in Pasadena, with it 24 hours a day. Calif. “Our team is thrilled When it moves into to be a part of something so scientific mode, NASA will meaningful to the human be in communication with race -- Kepler will help us Kepler every four days, and understand if our Earth is once a month the ground unique or if others like it will turn the spacecraft so are out there.” its antenna points toward NASA’s Launch Ser- Earth and data can be trans- vices Program at Kennedy mitted down. Space Center managed “We expect the first processing and launch, in- downloads of data to come cluding payload integration in about May and June, by and certifying the Delta II July we’ll have processed launch vehicle for NASA’s enough of it to look for use.