sign in sign up
<<
Home , Gemini 11, NASA Astronaut Corps, NASA Chief Scientist, Randii Wessen, The Blue Marble

Sept. 16, 2011 Vol. 51, No. 18 Spaceport News John F. - America’s gateway to the universe

NASA unveils NASA, ATK plans for work on new new rocket Liberty rocket

By Steven Siceloff By Linda Herridge Spaceport News Spaceport News ASA will build a rocket ASA recently with Alli- larger and more power- ant Techsystems (ATK) Nful than even the massive Nentered into an agreement V rockets under a plan that could help speed up the avail- unveiled Sept. 14 to take ability of U.S. commercial crew farther into space than ever before. transportation capabilities to the The , or International Space Station and SLS, will take astronauts into deep low- orbit, expand interna- space on missions to asteroids, the tional cooperation and bring jobs moon or . into Florida. “We are dreaming big,” NASA An unfunded Space Act Agree- Administrator Charlie Bolden said. ment (SAA), announced Sept. 13 “We’re investing in technologies to between NASA and ATK, will live and work in space and it sets allow a partnership on the devel- the stage for visiting asteroids and opment of ATK’s Liberty Launch Mars.” System as part of the agency’s Just like its predecessor, Commercial Crew Development the SLS heavy-lift rocket will Round 2 activities through March launch from NASA’s Kennedy 2012. Space Center. Kennedy’s main work The agreement through NASA’s during the SLS development will , center on designing ground support based at Kennedy Space Center, equipment for the test flights and will allow the agency and ATK to then the operational missions. review and discuss Liberty system The unique facilities at Kennedy requirements; safety and certifica- are expected to be used for SLS, too. Photo courtesy of ATK tion plans; computational models In addition to the landmark Vehicle of rocket stage performance; and Assembly Building, which stacked avionics architecture design. the Saturn V for launch, Kennedy “We want to explore if this ca- NASA has processing areas and clean pability can be used in a commer- An artist concept of the Space Launch System, or SLS, on a Kennedy Space Center launch pad. The SLS rocket will incorporate technological investments from the Program and the Constel- See DESIGN, Page 3 lation Program. See UNITE, Page 3

Kennedy home to lab Magazine honors Chesson Future Exploration ‘ 18’ Facts vs. Fiction Inside this issue ...

Page 2 Page 6 Page 6 Page 7 Page 2 SPACEPORT NEWS Sept. 16, 2011 Kennedy now home to ISS national lab manager By Linda Herridge will develop and manage a Spaceport News varied research and devel- opment portfolio based on he Space Life Sci- U.S. national needs for basic ences Laboratory at Kennedy Space and applied research. T During the first year of Center is the new home to the organization that will the agreement, Becker said manage the portion of the CASIS will work closely International Space Station with NASA’s existing space that is operated as a U.S. station customers, and national laboratory. develop the infrastructure to A NASA cooperative handle solicitations. CASIS agreement recently was also plans to fund some of awarded to The Center for its own science and research the Advancement of Science experiments. in Space (CASIS). The inde- Though many of the pendent, nonprofit, research experiments may be devel- management organization oped in other parts of the will base its efforts at Ken- country, Becker said that nedy and help ensure the payload integration will be space station’s unique capa- performed at Kennedy’s bilities are made available to Space Life Sciences Lab to the broadest possible cross- prepare each for delivery to section of U.S. scientific, the space station. technological and industrial NASA/Kim Shiflett The cooperative agree- communities. Panelists conduct a question and answer session with news media Sept. 9 after NASA awards a cooperative agreement with ment between NASA and “The station is the the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) to manage the portion of the International Space Station that CASIS is for 10 years with centerpiece of our human operates as a U.S. national laboratory. From left are: Waleed Abdalati, NASA chief scientist; Mark Uhran, NASA assistant activities for associate administrator for the International Space Station; and Jeanne Becker, CASIS executive director. CASIS will be initial assistance funding of the coming years,” NASA located at the Space Life Sciences Laboratory at Kennedy Space Center. up to $15 million per year. Administrator Charlie “Kennedy is the heart Bolden said. “This coopera- -- literally and figuratively tive agreement allows us to “With the space station complete, we’re poised for the next stage, -- of the launching ground expand the station’s use and the next step. We have up in space this tremendous national asset for , so it’s achieve its fullest potential very fitting that it be based so we can reach destinations that is the International Space Station. It’s an asset for science, ex- here,” Abdalati said. farther in the solar system ploration, industry, our nation and the as a whole. It’s an asset “This is a catalyst for and improve life on Earth.” of which we’re very proud and it has tremendous potential.” what we believe will be NASA’s Chief Scientist quite big. We’re at a posi- Waleed Abdalati said that tion now where NASA is this is a time of transition in Waleed Abdalati, going to continue to do its terms of NASA’s Chief Scientist focused research, but we and human exploration as have the here to the agency transitions from do so much more,” Abdalati the shuttle to commercial assistant associate adminis- from which we have seen research and technology said. “We’re poised for capability. trator for the International growing interest,” Uhran development and education discovery and to learn new “With the space station Space Station said that the said. initiatives and also engage things. I think there will be complete, we’re poised for completion of the space CASIS will now step up the community many surprises to discover.” the next stage, the next step. station is a historic achieve- to manage those interests, “I know first-hand We have up in space this tre- ment. further stimulating them the opportunities and mendous national asset that “The award to CASIS as NASA moves into the uti- advancements that can be More online is the International Space for the advancement of sci- lization era of space station, made using this national Station,” Abdalati said. ence and space allows the an era that has opportunities laboratory, this microgravity For more information “It’s an asset for science, agency to go the next step never before available. environment,” Becker said. about the International exploration, industry, our now and extend the national CASIS Executive “CASIS will drive discover- Space Station National nation and the world as a laboratory to organizations Director Jeanne Becker ies that can’t be achieved on Laboratory, visit: whole. It’s an asset of which across the U.S., academic said the organization stands the ground and utilize the www..gov/mission_ we’re very proud and it has and private institutions, ready to develop the premier national lab to return value pages/station/research/ tremendous potential.” and non-profit research and institution needed to re- back to citizens.” nlab/index.html. Mark Uhran, NASA development foundations, ally advance space-based Becker said CASIS Sept. 16, 2011 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 3

complex of the future.” space shuttle missions. we put it out there, will be From DESIGN, Page 1 The rocket will be built around “We have very little engine very attractive to other users,” rooms that can support spacecraft of a core stage the same diameter as development to do,” Gerstenmaier Gerstenmaier said, noting the all sorts. The crawler-transporters a space shuttle external tank and said. rocket could be used to launch huge and the 355-foot-tall mobile powered by three space shuttle main Gerstenmaier said the new satellites or other cargo without launcher, or ML, also are available engines, with later flights using five rocket’s designers focused on astronauts on board. to support a rocket at the launch pad. SSMEs. Five-segment solid rocket using existing technology in the Compared to the Saturn V rocket “Kennedy Space Center received boosters will be mounted to the side rocket in many areas so it can be that carried astronauts to the moon exciting news, as NASA announced of the tank for additional power, built using modern, more efficient from 1968 – 1972, the SLS would the design for the most powerful although liquid-fueled boosters manufacturing techniques. produce 10 percent more thrust American rocket since the Saturn could be incorporated on later flights “This is being designed and when configured to launch 70 metric V took astronauts to the moon after an industry competition. built in a new, modern way,” tons into space. The larger version, -- the Space Launch System,” “We can tell you we have the Gerstenmaier said. “We’ll probably will boast 20 percent more thrust said Bob Cabana, Kennedy Space capability with this for some build the tank vertically instead of than the Saturn. Center director. “Kennedy’s role pretty exciting missions,” said horizontally.” The large version of the SLS also continues to be significant and Bill Gerstenmaier, associate The design also is intended to will be 40 feet taller than a Saturn V, central to shaping the next era of administrator for Human be modular so it can be tailored to coming in at about 400 feet. space exploration as we provide Exploration and Operations.”I think different mission needs without The schedule calls for a test flight infrastructure, facilities capabilities, it’s fair to call this the most powerful requiring one-of-a-kind, and more in 2017 with the upper stage of a and skills that are essential to rocket ever built.” expensive, components. NASA Delta IV rocket, then a flight with our nation’s success. Significant The upper stage will be powered envisions two basic sizes for the astronauts on board in 2021 with progress has already been made at by the J-2X engine and the SLS. One would lift 70 metric tons the J-2X-powered upper stage. The Kennedy implementing upgrades astronauts will fly inside a large into space, about three times more rocket and spacecraft could conduct to Launch Pad 39B that will ensure capsule spacecraft called the than a shuttle. A larger version, a mission to an asteroid taking place our readiness to support the SLS Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle complete with a 10-meter payload potentially in 2025. architecture. We will continue to (MPCV). The J-2X engine and fairing or nose cone, would lift Gerstenmaier said, “Yes, it takes a modify other existing launch and Orion have been in different stages 130 metric tons into space, a larger long time, but when we’re finished processing facilities as we transform of development while the SSMEs payload than any other rocket. we’ll be capable of going to space Kennedy to the multi-user launch have been proven during 30 years of “We think this rocket, when like no other nation.”

From UNITE, Page 1 to low-Earth-orbit, the highest pounds to orbit of cial crew type of purpose, “We wind up bringing jobs into any other vehicle currently which for us it trying to get Florida and using the existing ex- working under commercial a crew to the International agreements. Space Station and low- pertise that has been developed CCP’s goal is to have an Earth-orbit by the middle over the last five decades. We want American-led system by the of the decade,” NASA’s middle of the decade. Commercial Crew Program to be Florida’s launch system pro- “With this agreement, Manager Ed Mango said. ATK believes NASA will The Liberty team will vider with the Liberty vehicle.” benefit from gaining work with NASA’s Com- into the various systems we mercial Crew Office at , are developing, and we can Kennedy. benefit from the feedback. ATK Aerospace The SAA outlines several We hope to offer a com- key milestones that must be mercial solution to NASA, met, including a prelimi- the Department of Defense, nary design, certification asked to come to Ken- fers the safest, most reliable and other commercial hu- process development, and nedy since it is going to be means of putting a crew in man spaceflight programs,” orbit,” Rominger said. an Initial System Design Liberty’s home. He said Rominger said. review, during which ATK Kennedy’s infrastructure is The perfectly set up to enable combines two propulsion will present to NASA of- NASA, ATK and Linda them to process and launch systems. ATK will provide ficials the Liberty systems Herridge contributed to this Liberty. the human-rated, five-seg- level requirements. report. “We are very much look- “We wind up bringing ment solid rocket motor as ing forward to this oppor- jobs into Florida and us- the first stage, and Astrium tunity to work with NASA, ing the existing expertise (an EADS Company) will More online the experts in human space that has been developed provide the core stage from Artist conception courtesy of ATK flight in the world,” said over the last five decades,” the Ariane 5 rocket, includ- For more information An unfunded Space Act Agreement Kent Rominger, vice presi- Rominger said. “We want ing the Vulcain 2 engine as about NASA’s Commercial (SAA), announced Sept. 13 between dent, strategy and busi- to be Florida’s launch Liberty’s upper stage. Crew Program, visit: NASA and ATK, will allow a partnership ness development for ATK system provider with the The Liberty Launch Sys- www.nasa.gov/ through March 2012, on the develop- ment of ATK’s Liberty Launch System Aerospace. Liberty vehicle. tem would have the capa- exploration/commercial. as part of the agency’s Commercial Rominger said that ATK “We believe Liberty of- bility to lift 44,000 pounds Crew Development Round 2 activities. Page 4 SPACEPORT NEWS Sept. 16, 2011 Sept. 16, 2011 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 5 Scenes Around Kennedy Space Center

2011 NASA Family Education Night The Kennedy Space Center Education Office hosted NASA Family Education Night at the Hall of Fame in Titusville on Sept. 10. The free event targeted students in grades 5-8, and was intended to stimulate their interest in science, technology, and mathematics (STEM) by offering various educational experiences, hands-on activities and gee-whiz demonstrations. Guests also were able to meet an astronaut and visit the “Science on a Sphere” exhibit. NASA/Jim Grossmann This week marks the completion of Launch Pad 39B’s deconstruction with the lightning towers remaining at the pad on Sept. 15. In 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA’s , so it is be- Photos by NASA/Amanda Diller ing restructured for future use. The new design will feature a “clean pad” for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of rockets and spacecraft.

CLICK ON PHOTO NASA/Sandra Joseph - Don Kight Flames and smoke from the engines surround the Delta NASA/Frankie Martin NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB II rocket at liftoff carrying NASA’s twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory Actress Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura on Star Trek) signs autographs for a guest at Technicians perform a fillet and wing fit check on the XL launch vehicle in a clean room at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on (GRAIL) mission off Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex during the agency’s Gravity Recovery Sept. 13. The Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus rocket will launch the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) into space. After the rocket Station in Florida. The spacecraft launched at 9:08:52 a.m. EDT Sept. 10. GRAIL- and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) launch countdown activities on Sept. 8. Nichols and spacecraft are processed at Vandenberg, they will be flown on the Orbital Sciences’ L-1011 carrier aircraft to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Mis- A will separate from the second stage of the rocket at about one hour, 21 minutes was on hand to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the first airing of the StarT rek sile Defense Test Site at the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll for launch next year. The high-energy X-ray telescope will conduct a census for black after liftoff, followed by GRAIL-B at 90 minutes after launch. The aim is to map the television series. The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is hosting “Star holes, map radioactive material in young supernovae remnants, and study the origins of cosmic rays and the extreme physics around collapsed moon’s gravity field so completely that future moon vehicles can safely navigate Trek: The Exhibition” to show visitors where “science fiction meets science fact.” stars. For more information, click on the photo. anywhere on the moon’s surface. For more information, click on the photo. Page 6 SPACEPORT NEWS Sept. 16, 2011 Magazine honors Chesson with sustainability award By Melanie Carlson fuel vehicles as part of the Alliance and Lockheed at Spaceport News American Recovery and the center. In his position Reinvestment Act. as Alternative Fuel Pro- t. Patrick’s Day only Chesson also was in- gram Manager, he also is comes once a year, volved in increasing public responsible for developing but many areas of S awareness of alternative and managing the center’s Kennedy Space Center are fuels and initiated sev- Alternative Fuel Vehicle always green, thanks in part eral programs and outreach Strategy Plan. to the efforts of Alterna- events. For example, he Chesson has been recog- tive Fuel Program Manager nized by NASA with numer- Bruce E. Chesson in Center developed Space Act Operations Agreements partnering with ous awards for transporta- In recognition of those Honda Motor Corporation, tion and planning for space efforts, Chesson recently Bavarian Motor Works and shuttle landing and recovery was one of 50 individuals Hybrid Technologies, Inc. operations. selected as a Sustainability CLICK ON PHOTO NASA to provide alternative-fuel In 2008, he received the All-Star by Green Fleet NASA’s Alternative Fuel Program Manager Bruce Chesson has been selected as vehicles for demonstration, Federal Energy and Water a Sustainability All-star by Green Fleet magazine. For more about the awards and test and evaluation. Management Award in the magazine. Individuals were a list of winners, click on the photo. selected based on their Among the center’s individual vehicle fleet significant contributions to fleet of vehicles are Honda management category, an environmental sustainability Knight said.” This truly the fleet has grown to more Civic GX vehicles that run individual award for Ken- in the fleet industry. is his passion and it is an than 1,500 alternative-fuel on CNG and get 200- to nedy Space Center Alterna- Chesson will be featured honor to work with him.” vehicles. 240-miles-per-tank of gas. tive Fuel Vehicle Manage- in the September/October Chesson was instrumen- About 75 percent of Ken- CNG is the least expensive ment, and issue of Green Fleet maga- tal in acquiring alternative- nedy’s fleet uses alternative and one of the cleanest fuels Award for Energy Conser- zine. Chesson and the other fuel vehicles for Kennedy fuels, including bio-diesel, used at Kennedy. Several vation and Environmental recipients will be honored and significantly has in- electricity, compressed natu- years ago, the Kennedy Awareness for Government at the 2011 Green Fleet creased the use of alterna- ral gas (CNG) and E-85 (85 work force was able to test Transportation. Conference, Oct. 3-4, in tive fuels. This has reduced percent ethanol). Sixty-eight drive BMW Hydrogen 7 “Bruce is a critical mem- Grapevine, . petroleum usage by millions electric charging locations vehicles--dual-fuel auto- ber of Kennedy’s sustain- Kimberly Knight, a traffic of gallons, meeting and and six commercial charg- mobiles which use liquid ability efforts, supporting management specialist in surpassing federal guide- ing stations have been hydrogen and unleaded fuel. both the Transportation and Center Operations, nominat- lines for increased use of installed around the center. Chesson began his Communication sub-teams,” ed Chesson for the award. alternative fuels. Kennedy Chesson also was able to career with NASA in 2004, said Bill Roy, Logistics and “He is the most dedicated purchased its first electric obtain 39 additional electric after working in several Services Branch chief in ’green’ person I know,” car in 2005, and since then, vehicles and 24 alternative- positions with United Space Center Operations. Expert: Future of U.S. Planetary Exploration? KSC or nobody

By Frank Ochoa-Gonzales He says the spacecraft used will Spaceport News have diverse mission objectives and a wide range of capabilities but that Kennedy Space Center will to accomplish some of the proposed continue to be the gateway to missions, some will have to land on the planets,” said Dr. Randii “ planets or . Wessen, deputy manager of the During his presentation Wesson Project Formulation Office at Cali- discussed the different mission fornia Institute of Technology’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. areas of Earth, Mars, the solar “It’s you folks or nobody,” Wes- system and the universe. He also son said. “We’ve just got to find spoke about the current mission, new ways to get people excited including GRAIL, which launched about planetary exploration.” Sept. 10. Wesson addressed Kennedy Wesson shared his thoughts about workers Sept. 9 at the center’s the quest for extra-solar planets and Training Auditorium. the search for life in the cosmos. Wessen said that while major “Things may seem slow right CLICK ON PHOTO NASA/Frankie Martin planetary missions in the past only now but everything is cyclical,” Dr. Randii Wessen, deputy manager, Project Formulation Office, JPL, addresses Kennedy Space happened about once a decade, Wesson said. “We’ll get to the next Center workers on the future of U.S. robotic planetary exploration during “KEA-83: The Future of U.S. Robotic Planetary Exploration” on Sept. 9. For more on the Kennedy Educate to Innovate (KETI) future will be system and we’ll be doing missions program, click on the photo. launched almost yearly. that no one’s ever done before.” Sept. 16, 2011 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 7 Remembering Our Heritage Spoiler: ‘Apollo 18’ myths debunked, NASA-style By Kay Grinter Reference Librarian More online There’s a reason we’ve never To learn more about LRO and gone back to the moon,” but the images taken by its wide-angle “contrary to the premise behind camera, visit: the recently released science-fiction www.nasa.gov/lro. horror movie “Apollo 18,” the rea- son was monetary, not biological. In the Hollywood “mockumen- module. tary” version of events, the Depart- Following the same pattern, ment of Defense (DoD) revives the Charles Conrad would have served Apollo 18 mission and asks NASA as commander of Apollo 20 with astronauts Benjamin Anderson, piloting the lunar mod- Nathan Walker and John Grey to ule and Paul Weitz staying in lunar volunteer for this secret mission. orbit aboard the command module. The unsuspecting crew believes Just days after the movie their mission is to deploy some “Apollo 18”opened in theaters classified military equipment. After across America on Sept. 2, NASA landing on the moon, they find an announced that the Lunar Recon- abandoned Soviet lander, a dead naissance Orbiter, or LRO, had cosmonaut and their primary assign- captured the sharpest images ever ment as “guinea pigs” is to verify taken from space of the , why the cosmonaut never returned NASA file/1969 14 and 17 landing sites. to Earth. NASA astronaut Richard Gordon may have been assigned to command the Apollo 18 mission if NASA The images show the twists and At the time and had not been forced to cancel three Apollo missions due to budgetary constraints. Gordon was pilot of turns of the paths made when the as- made the first lunar the three-day mission in 1966 and command module pilot on Apollo 12 in 1969. tronauts explored the lunar surface. landing on the mission in Remarkably, the tracks laid down by July 1969, NASA’s tentative Apollo the was trailing the missions would be designated the lunar rover at the site missions included Apollo 12 to Soviet Union in the world’s most through 17. are clearly visible, along with the 20, the last mission concluding in widely publicized form of competi- Technically, Apollo 18 was last foot trails left on the moon. . tion -- manned spaceflight. Eight never canceled at all, only “renum- “These images remind us of our During this time, public interest years later, the United States clearly bered” to be included in the modi- fantastic Apollo history and beckon in the moon program was waning had demonstrated its superiority. fied schedule. us to continue to move forward in with a shift in priorities to other Congressional budget restric- No crews officially were as- exploration of our solar system,” matters: civil disorders, Vietnam, tions preceded then-NASA Deputy signed to the canceled missions. The said Jim Green, director of the decaying cities, campus unrest and Administrator George M. Low’s normal crew rotation had the backup Planetary Science Division at NASA inflation. announcement in January 1970 that crew for a mission moving up to Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Politically, the cause for Apollo 20 was canceled. NASA was become the prime flight crew three And for the record, LRO found Apollo’s decline was the detente in forced to economize by re-assigning missions later. no evidence of an Apollo 18 mis- American-Soviet relations. In 1961, the Saturn V launch vehicle origi- Based on this strategy, the crew sion. nally designated for Apollo 20 to the of Apollo 18 would have been the program, the first U.S. space backup crew for with station. The Apollo 18 and 19 mis- Richard Gordon serving as com- sions would have to wait until a year mander; , as lunar after the Skylab missions. module pilot; and Vance Brand, as Ironically, the announcement command module pilot. was made in during a There never was a DoD- press interview after the dedication dedicated Apollo mission and of the Lunar Science Institute near no astronauts named Anderson, NASA’s Manned Spacecraft Center, Walker or Grey were ever selected now known as the Johnson Space for NASA’s astronaut corps, as the Center. movie depicts, or failed to return Another “horror” for space from the moon.

NASA file/1971 enthusiasts followed in September The unofficial backup crew NASA file/1971 NASA astronaut Vance Brand may have served as 1970 as NASA canceled Apollo of would have flown on The Apollo 18 lunar module pilot might have been command module pilot on Apollo 18 if the normal missions 15 and 19 because of Apollo 19 with com- NASA scientist-astronaut Harrison Schmitt if the crew rotation remained in effect. Brand, a rookie, congressional cuts in Fiscal Year manding, piloting the mission had remained on the schedule. Schmitt went on to fly as command module pilot for the 1971 NASA appropriations. Then lunar module and traveling to the was reassigned as the Apollo 17 lunar module Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975 and to command pilot after his mission was canceled, presumably three space shuttle missions including STS-5 in NASA Administrator Thomas Paine moon’s surface with Haise, and Wil- replacing who was part of the Apollo 14 1982, STS 41-B in 1984 and STS-35 in 1990. announced that the remaining liam Pogue piloting the command backup crew. Page 8 SPACEPORT NEWS Sept. 16, 2011

Kennedy Space Center Activities NASA Employees of the Month: September 2011 KSC Fall Flag Football League Standings and Upcoming Schedule

POINTS POINTS Week 1 Results (Sept. 13) TEAM RECORD SCORED ALLOWED Predators 21, Bacalao 0 Stuffers 0-0 0 0 Stuffers 27, Ram Rod 6 Rowdies 0-0 0 0 Rowdies 12, Crushers 10 Bacalao 0-0 0 0 Week 2 Schedule (Sept. 20) Dog and Bone Crushers 0-0 0 0 6 p.m. - Bacalao @ Crushers Predators 0-0 0 0 7 p.m. - Rowdies vs. Stuffers Team Ram Rod 0-0 0 0 8 p.m. - Predators vs. Ram Rod Games are played Tuesdays at KARS Park I. For more information, contact Matt Jimeniz at 321-867-4509 or [email protected].

2011 KSC Tennis League Rankings, Leaders and Upcoming Schedule

Singles NASA/ Tom Farrar Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Sept. 15 Schedule Employees for the month of September are from left, Glen Lockwood, Launch Vehicle Processing Rankings Rankings Rankings Rankings Hosan vs. Wheeler Directorate; Elkin Norena, Engineering Directorate; Janice C. Pirkle, Procurement Office; DawnT rout, Norm Hosan Ken Young Kevin Panik Joe Zeppuhar Staubus vs. Specht ; Ann Williams, Center Operations; Debra Preston, Launch Vehicle Process- Calvert Staubus Miguel Rodriguez Ed Bertot Laura Scott Young vs. Shutt ing Directorate; Joette Feeney, Human Resource Office; Stephen Lander, Information Technology and Billy Specht Bob Ingram Scott DeWitt Lashelle McCoy Rodriguez vs. Ingram Communication Services; and Timothy C. Adams, Engineering Directorate. Not Pictured are, Bob Mon- Alan Wheeler Art Shutt Kate Liu Teresa Bolig Panik vs. Liu son, Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate, Maryann Chevalier, Education and External Relations; Bertot vs. DeWitt Amber Hufft, Chief Counsel Office; and Jason Hopkins, 21st Century Ground Systems. Zeppuhar vs. Bolig Scott vs. McCoy The league seeks new players and is open to all Kennedy civil service and contractor personnel and dependents. Matches are played Thursdays at KARS Park I and II. For more information, contact Alan Looking up and ahead . . . Wheeler at 321-867-3565 or [email protected]. * All times are Eastern Doubles 2011 COURT LEADERS FROM SEPT. 13 Oct. 25 Launch/VAFB, SLC-2W: Delta II, NPP; Court 9 - Art Shutt Court 7 - Teresa Bolig Court 4 - Pat Hadden Court 2 - TBD Court 8 - Scott Schilling Court 3 - TBD Court 1 - TBD Launch window: 5:48:01 to 5:57:11 a.m. EDT Court 6 - Jeff Andress COURT GROUPS FOR SEPT. 20 No Earlier Than Nov. 7 Launch/CCAFS: Delta IV, WGS 4; Court 9 Court 8 Court 7 Court 6 Art Shutt Ron Feile Jay Hebert Amy Lombardo Launch window: TBD Chip Hooper Dave Davies Norm Ring Alan Wheeler Ray Jones Miguel Rodriguez Tom Li Ted Moore No Earlier Than Nov. 25 Launch/CCAFS: , Scott Schilling Teresa Bolig Jeff Andress Pat Hadden ; Court 4 Court 3 Court 2 Court 1 Launch: 10:21 a.m. EST Kate Liu Laura Scott TBD TBD Jane Mosconi Laura Rochester No Earlier Than Nov. 30 Launch/CCAFS: SpaceX , Diane Porter Dragon C2/C3; Launch window: TBD The league seeks new players and is open to all Kennedy civil service and contractor personnel and dependents. Matches are played Tuesdays at KARS Park I and II. For more information, contact No Earlier Than December Launch/, Pad 0A: Teresa Bollig at 321-264-8575 or [email protected]. Orbital Sciences Corporation, Taurus II, Launch window: TBD

2012 John F. Kennedy Space Center Early 2012 Launch/CCAFS: Atlas V, AEHF 2; Spaceport News Launch window: TBD

Spaceport News is an official publication of the Kennedy Space Center and is Early 2012 Launch/CCAFS: Delta IV-Heavy, NROL-15; published online on alternate Fridays by Public Affairs in the interest of KSC civil Launch window: TBD service and contractor employees. Contributions are welcome and should be submitted three weeks before publication to Public Affairs, IMCS-440. E-mail submissions can be sent to No Earlier Than February Launch/Wallops Flight Facility, Pad 0A: [email protected] Orbital Sciences Corporation, Cygnus/Taurus II, Launch window: TBD Managing editor ...... Candrea Thomas Editor ...... Frank Ochoa-Gonzales Copy editor ...... Rebecca Regan Feb. 3 Launch/Kwajalein Atoll: Pegasus XL, NuSTAR; Launch window: TBD Editorial support provided by Abacus Technology Corp. Writers Group. NASA at KSC is on the Internet at www.nasa.gov/kennedy USGPO: 733-049/600142