Volume 33, Issue 4 AIAA Houston Section www.aiaa-houston.org Fall 2008 HubbleNASA Revisited Celebrates on NASA’s its 50th 50th Anniversary Year

Vanguard 1 Launched March 17, 1958 The fourth artificial satellite and the oldest human-made artifact still in space

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Fall 2008

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

From the Editor 3 HOUSTON Lecture Summary—X-Prize at JSC 4

Horizons is a quarterly publication of the Houston section Lecture Summary—Global Warming 5 of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Town Hall Meeting Report 7 Dr. Steven Everett Editor International Space Activities 10 Assistant Editors Douglas Yazell OES in Toulouse 12 Jon Berndt Sean Keefe Lunar Exploration 14 Bob Beremand 1940 Air Terminal 16 AIAA Houston Section Executive Council NASA’s 50th Anniversary— 17 Looking Back, Celebrating, Looking Forward Chad Brinkley Chair Historic Sites 22 Ellen Gillespie Sarah Shull NASA’s 50th Anniversary—Norm Chaffee Interview 23 Chair-Elect Secretary Membership 39 Douglas Yazell Jason Tenenbaum Past Chair Treasurer Book Review—A View from the Doghouse 40

Nick Pantazis Sean Carter APR Corner 42 Vice-Chair, Operations Vice-Chair, Technical Dinner Meeting—Aerospace’s Role in the Prevention of Terrorism 43 Operations Technical Dr. Gary Turner EAA Corner 44 Melissa Gordon Dr. Al Jackson Linda Phonharath Dr. Zafar Taqvi Odds and Ends 46 Munir Kundawala Bebe Kelly-Serrato Dr. Doug Schwab Bill Atwell Cranium Cruncher 47 Lisa Voiles Sheikh Ahsan Svetlana Hanson William West Jim Palmer Paul Nielsen Horizons and AIAA Houston Section Dr. Ben Longmier Bob Beremand Web Site Gabe Garrett Gary Brown AIAA National Communications Joel Henry Chet Vaughan Award Winner Matthew Easterly Dr. Michael Lernbeck (& 2008 Honorable Mention) Dr. Steven Everett Ludmilla Dmitriev Gary Cowan Dr. Kamlesh Lulla Amy Efting

Councilors

Tom Propp 2005 2006 2007 Natasha Rowell Donald Baker Rafael Munoz This newsletter is created by members of the Houston section. Opinions expressed herein other than Prerit Shah by elected Houston section officers belong solely to the authors and do not necessarily represent the Holly Feldman position of AIAA or the Houston section. Unless explicitly stated, in no way are the comments of Ansley Collins individual contributors to Horizons to be construed as necessarily the opinion or position of AIAA, Lorenn Vega-Martinez NASA, its contractors, or any other organization. Please address all newsletter correspondence to the Editor: [email protected]

More information at: www.aiaa-houston.org/orgchart Cover: Vanguard 1 liftoff, March 17, 1958 (NASA photo).

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The Old and the New From the Editor STEVEN EVERETT, HORIZONS EDITOR

I hope everyone has had Keefe and Robert Beremand. tion Processing Facility, and some success in recovering Despite the new editorial staff, Launch Control Center. Most from the effects of Hurricane however, you won’t see any impressive to me was the lo- Ike. The widespread devasta- significant changes to the for- gistical miracle of each launch tion and drain on local re- mat, the professional appear- considering the incredible sources undoubtedly affected ance of which has undoubtedly amount of hardware that must every person in the area in contributed to the Communica- coalesce perfectly before every some way. Among the effects tions Award our chapter news- mission. As a part of this se- which were particular to the letter has received the past ries of tours, our group visited aerospace community, the three years. pad 34, the site of the Apollo 1 Ballunar Liftoff was cancelled, Our profession is seeing the fire. From there, we could see and extensive damage was old and new most obviously in pad 37 where a Delta 4-H, done to the Lone Star Flight the Constellation architecture adorned with a United Launch Museum. Publication of this being developed to support the Alliance logo, was being pre- issue of Horizons, which was new Vision for Space Explora- pared for launch. It was some- to be online in September, was tion. Capsules reminiscent of what dismaying to see this itself delayed by nearly a the 1960’s Apollo era vehicles historic site marked by little month. However, we will be promise to take mankind back more than a kiosk, plaque and back to a quarterly release of to the place they took us almost engraved benches, and to read Horizons now that its con- 40 years ago. But this time, the words “Abandon in Place” tributors are beginning to re- they will be brimming with the stenciled on the concrete pil- sume their normal lives. newest technology, and will lars and flame diverters. This Just as many other magazine take crews of four or more to site stood among a string of features and celebrations have the lunar pole for weeks rather abandoned launch pads along done this year, in this issue of than days. Meanwhile, rum- the Cape Canaveral coastline, Horizons we chose to high- blings about a possible exten- generated as each new system light some of the events of the sion of the Space Shuttle pro- outgrew its current facilities 50 years since NASA’s incep- gram beyond the established during the 1960’s and 70’s. tion in our feature article. deadline of 2010 continue. Only time will tell if pads Norm Chaffee also shared the One of the most poignant 39A and B will also stand unique perspective on NASA’s juxtapositions of the old and empty someday, or if the history he has gained over his new I’ve seen recently was on modifications in process will four-decade career at JSC. a visit I made to Kennedy finally result in a new gateway During this, the 50th year of Space Center this past Spring. I back to the moon, and eventu- NASA’s existence, it seems had the once-in-a-lifetime op- ally Mars and beyond. appropriate to reflect on the portunity to take some close-up old and the new. Award- tours of the Vehicle Assembly winning editor Jon Berndt and Building, launch pads, Mobile Below: ULA Delta 4-H launch acting editor for the last three Launch Platforms, Orbiter vehicle on pad 37, as seen from pad 34, site of the Apollo 1 fire. issues, Douglas Yazell, have Processing Facility, Space Sta- (photo by the editor) moved on to other things, but they remain as assistant edi- tors. I am a relatively new member of the Houston AIAA chapter who has worked in Shuttle Entry flight control for the past few years, and I am looking forward to serving our local chapter as Horizons edi- tor for at least the next few issues. I am also fortunate to have the assistance of Sean

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Lecture X-Prize at JSC Summary MICHAEL FROSTAD After a long day of work ple people to stay in space, the get big results. An idea is and meetings a good cross most famous being Dennis crazy one day, and a section of the JSC population Tito, the first commercial breakthrough the next. made their way to Building space traveler, and Anousheh • Looking at recent history 30’s Auditorium here at Ansari, the first female space who were those that were NASA JSC. The reason? X traveler and the person who making things happen? Prize Foundation Chairman funded the $10 million X The internet and .com and Founder, Dr. Peter Dia- prize. The Zero-G corporation explosion? People in their mandis was in town and the Be sure to check out the review of is a commercial parabolic 20’s. The manned pro- this talk in Justin Kugler’s blog at Advanced Planning Office flight service where people gram of the 60’s? People the Houston Chronicle website also. asked him to give a talk about experience 15 parabolas of in their 20’s. Make sure Go to his inspiring ventures. microgravity on a Boeing 727- you are giving them the http://blogs.chron.com/sciguy/ Dr. Diamandis is involved 200. They fly out of KSC, Las then look for COSMO.SPHERE on chances and responsibili- with many exciting space ven- Vegas, and now JSC ties where they can excel the right. You can find his discus- tures and he probably has even sion in the August archives. (Ellington Field)! Finally, the and use their creative en- more exciting plans for the Rocket Racing League, the ergy. All generations can future. Some of his best newest venture using NASA learn from each other. known ventures are the X developed technology, is just Did you know Lindbergh Prize Foundation, Space Ad- getting started and will com- • flew across the Atlantic ventures, Zero-G Corp., and bine the excitement of NAS- for a $25,000 prize? New now the RRL (Rocket Racing CAR and flying to give the prizes and different con- League). public a whole new experience tracting set ups may drive If you are unfamiliar with while driving technology de- future feats. (Dr. Dia- his ventures, The X-Prize velopment. mandis is now focused on Below: Dr. Peter Diamandis (holding foundation and its $10 million So what advice did Dr. sword) with Arthur M. Dula (left), building the X Prize Foun- Ansari X PRIZE for private Diamandis have for those Kristen Diamandis, and astronaut Buzz dation into a world-class spaceflight led to Space Ship seeking it? Aldrin upon receipt of the half million prize institute whose mis- dollar Heinlein Prize for Space Com- One’s flight, a first for pure • Never give up. Determina- mercialism on July 7, 2006. (photo by commercial interests. Space sion is to bring about radi- tion and persistence, even AIAA Houston section member Jim Adventures has allowed multi- cal breakthroughs for the McLane III) in the face of failure, can benefit of humanity. The X Prize is now developing in fields such as Genom- ics, Automotives, Educa- tion, Medicine, Energy, and Social arenas.) • For NASA, things like the COTS program are essen- tial to building commer- cial capability from which NASA can then expand.

In summary, Dr. Dia- mandis gave an insightful and inspiring speech. He showed activities that he has under- taken to push commercial space and technology develop- ment, as well as giving those who attended some things to think about, always key to a good presentation.

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The Colder Side of Global Warming Lecture SEAN KEEFE, ASSISTANT EDITOR, HORIZONS Summary On July 22, 2008, the JSC that our planet spins faster Chapter of the NASA Alumni with ice at the poles. League and the AIAA Hous- Wysmuller discussed the ton Section co-hosted a talk on albedo effect of glaciers and Global Climate Change at the glacial movement and showed Gilruth Center. Keynote an extruded topo map of Long speaker Tom Wysmuller pre- Island’s great outwash plain— sented The Colder Side of an erosion plain created from Global Warming to a packed glacial melt and debris depos- room of about 70 people from its. He discussed deep ice the JSC aerospace community. cores that have been taken in Wysmuller studied mete- Arctic regions and the gases orology, sociology, and politi- contained within those core cal science at NYU and samples that indicate climate worked as a meteorologist in change variations and atmos- the Netherlands. During the pheric CO2 at various times in Apollo era, he worked as a the past millennia. Wysmuller NASA intern at Ames and focused on graphs of data indi- Goddard. He also wrote the cating global climate change code used in TI calculators trends during the past glacial marine ice soundings, and the Above: The speaker relaxing before the that solves the polynomial epochs. He discussed the ef- decreasing extent of Arctic sea presentation Below: An attentive audience regression algorithm. Cur- fect of atmospheric dust on ice. He highlighted the short- rently, Wysmuller is President temperature, the city heat is- term (400-year) cooling period of the NYU Alumni Associa- lands phenomenon, the open of the Middle Ages, a period tion and speaks regularly to water and thinning sea ice when Chinese astronomers various educational, commu- found in the North Pole, sub- also recorded no sunspot activ- nity, and science organizations around the country on global warming. Wysmuller proceeded quickly through his presenta- tion, showing many phenom- ena, including polar-centered maps of Earth, seasonal tem- perature gradient images of Earth, Pangea recreations (which he rotated 90 degrees to illustrate how he viewed the actual position of land masses away from the Earth’s poles), videos of Jupiter’s perpetual storms, and diagrams of Earth’s latitudinal wind belts. He also showed photos related to basic meteorological con- cepts, including heat transfer, evaporation, condensation, and the influence of wind on Earth’s temperature. Wysmuller explained that the Earth’s rotation can speed up or slow down depending on a number of factors, and said (Continued on page 6)

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side of global warming. He of temperature rise. He pointed showed slides illustrating the out that Earth’s temperature annual recession and progres- has steadily increased by an sion of glaciers, the Grinnell average of one degree per Ice Cap Retreat, summer vs. 1000 years in the last 18,000 winter in Hudson Bay, and years, but Earth’s temperature Norwegian pack ice flows. He has increased by two degrees discussed the Soviet-era in just the last 200 years. This Vostok (Antarctica) ice core “sudden” increase, Wysmuller drill data covering four said, is due to an anthropo- 100,000-year glacial periods. genic effect—an increase of The Vostok ice core data indi- greenhouse gases from human cates that Earth has experi- industry. He theorized that, enced warming periods of although Earth’s climate is roughly 15-20,000 years in warming up now, the next ice between those long 100,000- age will get here faster than it year glacial periods. Wysmul- normally would due to this ler explained that we are at the sudden warming. He cautioned ity, indicating that the lower end one of those warming pe- that the northern latitudes will Above: The speaker shows a polar view solar input contributed to this riods. There are also some experience severe snowstorms of Earth Below: After the talk, more questions temporary temperature drop. mini-cooling periods or “little or “lake effect snow” due to The latter part of Wysmul- ice ages” interrupting those Arctic sea ice melting from ler’s talk centered on his the- warming periods, for example, global warming and decreas- ory that, when the Arctic ice the 400-year cooling period ing albedo. He stated that no caps melt, heavy “lake effect” during medieval times. sea level rise will be caused by or “ocean effect” snows will Wysmuller’s noted that polar ice melting because po- result when Arctic winds pick long-term temperature trends lar ice is already being dis- up water vapor from open Arc- from the Vostok ice core sam- placed like an ice cube in a tic waters and deposit them on ples indicate that an increase water glass. (He did not dis- the leeward shores—the colder of CO2 is a “lagging indicator” pute the sea level rise from melting, land-based glaciers. The nature and conse- quences of global climate change are the subject of great debate in academia and the media. Like many discussions of global warming change, Wysmuller’s presentation seemed to raise more ques- tions than it answered. Ulti- mately, the presentation gave the JSC aerospace community an opportunity to explore and discuss the many forces at work behind global climate change.

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Congressman Lampson Town Hall Meeting Town Hall July 21, 2008 Meeting Report ALAN SIMON

In conjunction with Shuttle Program. NASA's 50th Anniversary, Lampson indicated his Congressman Nick Lampson frustration, though, with the (22nd Congressional District of responsiveness of the federal Texas) hosted a panel discus- government, and stated that sion to highlight NASA's ac- NASA was hugely under- complishments over the past funded. He explained that he 50 years, and to answer ques- was working with other mem- tions from local citizens as the bers of Congress very proac- space exploration industry tively to convince them of the looks forward to NASA's next need to authorize additional 50 years. Members of the budget and resources in order panel included President of the to accomplish the NASA char- University of Houston at Clear ter. Congressman Lampson Lake (UHCL), Dr. William contrasted the ten-to-one fund- Staples; Harris County Com- ing ratio between the Apollo missioner for Precinct 2, Ms. era of NASA versus today, Sylvia Garcia; NASA Deputy which limits the achievements Associate Administrator for that NASA can realize. He plished with robotics missions. Above and Below: Congressman Strategic Partnerships, Mr. N. commented on the value of For the STS-123 mission Lampson in joined in a panel discussion Wayne Hale; and Barrios manned space flight in particu- this past March, Lampson was with Dr. William Staples, Ms. Sylvia Technology President, Ms. lar, and stated that human able to fly about two-dozen Garica, Mr. N. Wayne Hale, and Ms. Sandy Johnson (photos from Mr. Sandy Johnson. Additionally, space flight holds achieve- congressmen to see this night Lampson’s office) Florida Senator Bill Nelson, ments that cannot be accom- launch, returning them back to Chairman of the Senate Com- merce Subcommittee on Tech- nology and Space (and former shuttle payload specialist), addressed meeting participants via recorded video. Congressman Lampson was very upbeat about the influence of NASA-JSC in the local community, and the im- pacts that NASA innovations have made over the past 50 years. He expressed his per- sonal appreciation and respect for the NASA and contractor community for the work that continues to be done, and he said that the current NASA Administrator, Mike Griffin, shares this same appreciation immensely. He told the assem- bly that Mr. Griffin was very clear in saying that, although skill set changes are expected, he anticipates no net job losses here at JSC following the tran- sition and retirement of the (Continued on page 8)

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Washington without missing cated to SATOP. He antici- munity. any congressional activities. pates that federal funding for Commissioner Sylvia Gar- That goodwill helped secure SATOP projects will be on cia also was very inspired by signatures from 29 congress- hold until the next presidential NASA’s history. She said that, men who petitioned the House administration has settled into because of her elected posi- leadership to consider increas- office and NASA funding can tion, her participation in her ing the FY2009 NASA budget get out from under another community, and her family, by $2.6 billion. And, in fact, a continuing resolution. she personalizes JSC and the $20.2 billion budget was Lampson said that the success Bay Area. She commented that passed for next year. The addi- of this program has been the she is often incensed by Hous- tional budget would be used to result of community assis- ton Chronicle articles that close the gap between the tance, and the support of the paint NASA or JSC in a nega- Shuttle and Constellation pro- Bay Area Houston Economic tive light. She appealed to the grams, and minimize depend- Partnership (BAHEP). In fact, audience members to take ad- ence on Russia for access to Mr. Bob Mitchell, BAHEP vantage of every opportunity space. Additionally, Lampson president, recently testified to reach out to those in the confirmed the authorization of before a congressional sub- community who may not be two contingency shuttle committee on the positive im- aware of the Space Program flights, though these must still pacts of SATOP. achievements, and to counter be funded. Dr. Staples spoke briefly negative criticism with NASA Below: Audience member and AIAA Congressman Lampson about UHCL’s 40-year history successes. Houston Section International Space also specifically mentioned the relative to NASA and the Wayne Hale delivered his Activities Committee (ISAC) member Space Alliance Technology Johnson Space Center. He also thoughts and insight to the George Abbey, Jr. greets Congressman Outreach Program (SATOP), touched on the alliances that assembly just as anticipated— Lampson (photo from Mr. Lampson’s office) and the significant return on exist among the University, very articulately and inspir- investment of tax dollars allo- JSC, and the contractor com- ingly. “What does it mean to us today to be at this current place in the history of the world and universe?” was his initial question. Prior to the inception of NASA, no one in the history of the world knew what the far side of the moon looked like; no one knew whether great civilizations may have once lived on Mars; and no one knew what the environment of Venus was really like. But within the past 50 years, because of the work of NASA, anyone born today has the answers about the far side of the moon, Mars, and Venus. Because of NASA accomplishments, there are four spacecraft traveling within interstellar space. And today, the knowledge of the human cardiovascular system has been greatly expanded because of experiments per- formed on the ISS. Mr. Hale spoke about the inspiration of technical learn- ing that NASA has provided. He maintained that the creativ-

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ity and innovation of the space The panel was also asked to the STS-123 launch now program directly yielded US about the potential for space- continue to talk up the awe of leadership in space explora- based solar power satellites NASA. Lampson went on to tion. Hale opined that the Hub- that could collect energy and present an interesting perspec- ble Space Telescope has be- send the power via microwave tive that, if the US would come the most productive in- to earth. Several panel partici- choose to play catch-up with strument of all time, and that pants commented that the cost the Chinese in space explora- the James Webb telescope and level of maturity of that tion, for instance, that decision would prove to be even more technology precludes its short- could cost taxpayers much astonishing. Mr. Hale made a term or even long-term feasi- more money in the long run. solid case that a successful bility. However, Mr. Hale sug- He sees a substantial cost space program can lead to a gested that mining Helium-3 avoidance by maintaining US sound physical environment from lunar regolith could leadership in space. Lampson on earth, help to shore the US prove promising for nuclear also assured the assembly that financial system, promote bet- fusion power generation, and he was working very closely ter primary and secondary without producing any radio- with members of both presi- education, and even improve active waste materials. Mr. dential campaigns on the im- homeland security (through Hale talked briefly about the portance of NASA. teaming with other countries research facility that the coun- Finally, the panel mem- in space exploration). try of Costa Rica built for Dr. bers and several members of Ms. Johnson spoke of the Franklin Chang-Diaz. Costa the audience commented that opportunities that NASA has Rica is now working very dili- NASA Public Relations has provided for small and disad- gently towards advancing pro- tools that can be provided to vantaged local businesses, pulsion technology. reach out to schools, commu- many of which have had All of the panelists agreed nities, organizations, etc. A women and minority owners. that industry partnerships with public sponsored site, Thank- She spoke of her personal ex- NASA are frequently limited sToNasa.blogspot.com, allows periences in this area, detailing because of the process of au- for commentary and public her successes in building Bar- thorizing budgets on an annual opinion for anyone wanting to rios Technologies from just a basis. Short-term government participate. few employees, to now over funding hurts these partner- 500; and developing a com- ships that most often require pany infrastructure that pro- greater than one year commit- vides high quality, cost- ments. effective services to its NASA Several from the audience customer. Her company has were clearly frustrated with earned the George M. Lowe NASA’s inability to popular- Award twice in recent years, ize its successes, and achieve- and Ms. Johnson currently ments, and spin-offs. The serves on the BAHEP board. panel members cited a variety Several questions from the of sources that provide infor- audience focused on NASA’s mation on NASA developed role in studying climate new technologies. But, most change on earth. Mr. Hale readers will agree that this is emphasized the need to study an area that NASA has much changes in the sun in addition room for improvement. to studying the earth. He also Another comment to the explained that to understand panel was that NASA has al- climate change, scientists need ways provided a sense of hope to explore more than a single to the country, and to the model. To fully understand world. But decreasing empha- cause and effect of complex sis on NASA and its annual weather systems, an investiga- budgets is reason for concern. tion is needed of other planets, Congressman Lampson and the influence of their re- agreed, but said that those spective suns. colleagues he was able to take

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International Sister Section Visit to Toulouse, France Space Activities DOUGLAS YAZELL, PAST CHAIR later by a conference in Hous- Two photos at La Cite de Thanks to a royal welcome area, or centre ville, called the ton. l’Espace, both showing the Mir from our sister section mem- Ours Blanc, the White Bear, at Lunch was provided cour- space station bers in France, my wife Bea- Place Victor Hugo. A nice en- tesy of Thales and our host Mr. trice and I had an unforgettable closed farmers market, so to Pierre Conforti, President of the Top: Philippe Mairet, Michel visit in Toulouse June 24-28 speak, was across the street, AAAF TMP Space Observation Bonavitacola, Douglas Yazell, for four days and five nights. with a long outdoor covered and Exploration technical com- and Laurent Mangane and Mir Our hosts were members and patio. mittee. While I met with them leaders in l’Association Aero- We began our visit on as a guest for this lunch-hour Bottom: Beatrice Cartier-Yazell nautique et Astronautique de Wednesday, June 25, with my meeting, a superlative lunch replacing Douglas, and a better France, Toulouse - Midi- visit to the AAAF TMP office, was served in a private dining view of space station Mir Pyrenees. which is in an aerospace uni- Thanks to our hosts, we versity, SUPAERO. Obviously, room. Mr. Luc Fonda of Thales found a hotel in the downtown this gave me the idea of renting gave a brief presentation about an office in the Hous- GMES, Global Monitoring for ton Clear Lake area for Environment and Security, one AIAA Houston Sec- of Europe’s flagship programs. tion. I worked with the Attendees included Mr. Phil- AAAF TMP secretary ippe Mairet, Mr. Laurent Man- Joelle Stella (a paid gane, Mr. Michel Bonavitacola, employee) and AAAF and others. member Philippe Beatrice and I then made Mairet as I was wel- an afternoon visit to theme park comed to this meeting La Cite de l’Espace, accompa- by the AAAF TMP nied by Mr. Mairet, Mr. Man- President, Alain gane, and Mr. Bonavitacola. Chevalier. Later Mr. The full-sized Mir space station Chevalier and I met replica was purchased from with AAAF member Russia, and visitors can walk Mr. Jean-Jacques Run- through and around it. There avot to plan a confer- was much more to see, and the ence in Toulouse in visit was very enjoyable and 2010 or 2011, to be inspiring for both of us. A simi- followed two years lar attraction called La Cite de

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l’Aviation is planned nearby Torgue showed us a bit of Houston. Attempts to round up for the near future. Toulouse after the Airbus tour. a delegation from France to Wednesday was aeronau- On Friday evening our visit Houston, DC, and Or- tics day for the two of us. Our hosts invited us to a memora- lando did not work out for guide was Airbus Vice Presi- ble meal at Le Bouchon 2008, but we will keep the dent Mr. Francis Guimera, and Lyonnais, a restaurant pat- door open and work to encour- the first visit was a glance at terned after a famous one in age such visits in cabin interiors for some Air- Lyon. the near future. bus airplanes. Such visits are Our visit also included normally reserved only for exchanges of gifts and dinners Airbus clients. Stephan Bou- on three evenings at the homes tonnet was our guide for this of three AAAF members. We part of our visit. Mr. Guimera stand by to return the favor in then welcomed us to an excel- lent lunch in a private room at the Airbus cafeteria. He then gave us a tour of the buildings where the final assembly takes place for the Airbus A380 airplanes. We especially en- joyed stepping onto the upper deck of one of these airplanes. Mr. Guimera had an historic job supervising the A380 evacuation certification on March 26, 2006, in Hamburg, Germany. Using Wikipedia for these details, “With 8 of the 16 Above: artwork from Airbus showing an A380 for exits blocked, 853 passengers Qantas airline of Australia and 20 crew left the aircraft in Left: lunch at Airbus 78 seconds, less then the 90 in Toulouse thanks seconds required by certifica- to Mr. Francis tion standards.” Alain Cheva- Guimera, second lier and Alice Torgue joined from left, Vice us for this visit, and Mrs. Chairman of Airbus. At left, Alice Torgue. From right: Philippe Mairet, Alain Chevalier, and Douglas Yazell

Above: left to right: Klaas Dijkstra, Etienne Rouot, and Marie Froment

Toulouse: The church of the Jacobins, begun in 1229

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OES in Toulouse Working Group Meeting in Toulouse, France DOUGLAS YAZELL, PAST CHAIR

The Association come. We note that AIAA that this working group adopt of Aeronautics Houston Section is a sister the theme, “From Toulouse to and Astronautics section with AAAF TMP since the Moon”, and his motion of France 2007 for an initial period of was carried by a unanimous (AAAF) working three years. vote. One can imagine a group Space Ob- Mr. Pierre Conforti is the “space base” for the general servation and President for 2008-2009 of public in the outlying regions Exploration (OES this OES working group. He of Toulouse, a “simulator of for Observation began by recalling the scope of life beyond Earth”. The 2,000 and Exploration working group from our re- children who will be 18 years of Space) met for cently revised brochure: old in 2013 could be ambassa- the first time on • Observation of Earth and dors for the project. On a simi- June 25, 2008, at Space lar scale, similar projects cur- Thales, 105 ave- • Astronomy (interface) rently exist in Turin (Italy) and nue du Général • Space exploration (human in Belgium, but unfortunately Eisenhower, Tou- and robotics) not, for now, in the Region louse, France. His primary focus is pro- MP. This new working group suc- fessional employees and insti- Olivier Marty noted that ceeds the one called Human tutions, but he will not neglect there were, also, in the past, and Robotic Space Exploration the public audience. similar capabilities which were (ESHR), created in October of Pierre Conforti spoke first brought into existence by avia- 2007. of all about the interest which tion pioneers, such as air mail. Guests at this meeting our working group has in four Pierre Conforti suggested included Mr. Douglas Yazell big projects in which Thales sending documentation of a (AIAA Houston Section chair participates currently: GMES, multi-use isolation integrated 2007-2008, Honeywell Aero- FIPES, EXOMARS and simulator (created with lunar space), Luc Fonda (Project AURORA. He thinks that outposts in mind) to Douglas Lead for GMES at Thales), space observation is our strong Yazell in order to exchange and Thomas Babits (formerly point, but that the Region ideas and perhaps exchange CLS). Also present were Mr. Midi-Pyrénées (MP) is very, skills between AIAA Houston Pierre Conforti, Philippe Mai- very interested in human Section, NASA, and the Re- ret, Jean-Jacques Runavot, spaceflight and space explora- gion MP. Laurent Mangane, Michel Bo- tion. It would be unthinkable Toulouse would be well navitacola, Olivier Marty, that the Region MP would not placed to receive the simula- Jean-Luc Chanel, et Thierry invest in these subjects which tor. Land, scientists, research- Çamalbide. are already the next techno- ers, and workers in industry Douglas Yazell thanked logical breakthough of 2010- are available in the MP region. AAAF Toulouse – Midi- 2030 and the assurance of of The problem is in the lack of Pyrenees (TMP) for his wel- the creation of scientific, cul- leadership carrying the project tural and economic riches. to a European level, despite Pierre Conforti pointed the good examples from places out that Toulouse is still in the in Italy, Germany, Spain, and running as a candidate to be Belgium. In addition to being the 2013 European Cultural a tourist attraction unique in Capital. The selected the world, this project would “Toulouse 2013” theme was create 2,500 jobs in Toulouse. “Europe En Route” (L’Europe Also, this simulator could en Chemin), which might also serve as a training center for be translated as “On the Way future passengers of suborbital to Europe”, “On the Road to spacecraft. Europe”, “En Route to Michel Bonavitacola Europe”, etc. He suggested added that this simulator also

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must have a capability to dates. The competition would simulate radiation. take place in two school cy- Pierre Conforti hopes that cles, over a period of about 18 this OES working group will months. The prizes would be organize, with the help of the awarded in Toulouse. Regional Council of the MP Thomas Babits empha- region, the Consul General of sized that it would be neces- the Haute-Garonne region and sary to motivate students to of the city of Toulouse, a com- study science. petition (open to European Laurent Mangane spoke to countries) related to lunar ex- us next, about the first results ploration. Possible ambassa- of the call for candidates for dors to be contacted are Mr. the recruitment of future Euro- Jean-Pierre Haigneré and Mi- pean astronauts. The “winning chel Tognini, the City of trio” is France, Germany, and Space (la Cite de l’Espace, a Italy (since they are by chance tourist attraction in Toulouse the biggest contributors to similar to Space Center Hous- European space programs). ton), the President of the Note about 16% of candidates French National Center for from France must be women, Space Studies (CNES) et the vs. 17% in Germany. In 4th Director of The Space Center and 5th positions are Spain and of Toulouse (CST). Great Britain. The competition would be Thierry Çamalbide pro- open to Europe (educational posed, for better communica- establishments and French and tion, a relaunching of tradi- a long life for the sister section foreign university students) tional media. Olivier Marty relationship with AIAA Hous- and to the USA (Awty Interna- added that communication is ton Section. tional School in Houston, created with worthwhile sub- After the meeting: Texas, in the USA, which has jects, not for large groups, but “Toulouse 2013” not being grades K-12, for example). A more targeted (small meetings kept, the collection of the OES correspondent in the USA in secondary schools, for ex- working group projects above would need to be named in ample). is maintained, but independent that example. Laurent Mangane noted of the “2013 calendar”. A Five categories of that AAAF will need interme- change to the timing is possi- “competitors” would be possi- diaries (journalists) to commu- ble with the project of a space ble: kindergarten, students in nicate with the public. conference co-organized by elementary school, students It was decided to organize AAAF TMP and AIAA Hous- from junior high schools, stu- in Toulouse in 2010 (or 2011) ton Section in 2010 or 2011 in dents from high schools, and a space conference co- Toulouse. advanced students organized by (commercial and scientific AAAF TMP and schools for those preparing for AIAA Houston Sec- universities, also those in other tion, the idea being courses of study, university to promote Tou- students, various institutes…). louse and to de- A call for candidates would be velop a bridge for sent out in the national and working with space- regional press. A jury consist- related programs ing of people of note would between Toulouse select the best candidates who and Houston. would win excellent prizes. Douglas Yazell This OES working group thanked the AAAF of AAAF would draft the TMP for his warm specifications and the condi- welcome and ex- tions for the call for candi- pressed his wish for

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Lunar Lunar Surface Systems Architecture Overview Exploration ROBERT BEREMAND, GN&C TECHNICAL COMMITTEE CHAIR DOUGLAS YAZELL, PAST CHAIR

Chris Culbert of NASA A NASA Constellation tems that augment basic core Johnson Space Center (JSC) program organization chart capability, 6) core technolo- kindly gave us permission to shown and dated January 16, gies and operations applicable summarize his presentation 2008, had Jeffrey M. Hanley’s to Mars exploration, and 7) here in this article. This is name at the top as Program outpost configuration and ca- from our Annual Technical Manager and Chris Culbert’s pabilities (layout, mission du- Symposium of May 9, 2008 name in the lower right corner. ration, power) can be imple- (ATS 2008), which took place mented to mimic Mars surface Seven desired characteris- at the NASA/JSC Gilruth Cen- scenarios. tics were included for the Lu- ter with an audience of about nar Architecture Framework: A notional internal habitat These charts shown are are a 100 people. few of those presented by Chris 1) minimally functional out- layout was presented for a Culbert. More information and The JSC Lunar Surface post capability established as crew of four, including two images are available on the Systems project office was early as possible, 2) “Go as “habs”, with one airlock for web at http://www.aiaa- established in August of 2007 you pay” philosophy, in which each hab. in the Constellation program an outpost can be built at any houston.org/cy0708/event- Two “artist concept” office. Its mission statement is rate, 3) pervasive mobility, the 09may08/program.php paintings showed alternate to develop a sustained human ability to move outpost com- architectures, including struc- presence on the Moon to pro- ponents to other locations on tures which would be inflat- mote exploration, science, the lunar surface, 4) ability to able, but with outpost func- commerce, and the United pause outpost buildup at any tionality remaining unchanged. States’ preeminence in space, time to accommodate sortie and to serve as a stepping missions to other locations, 5) A few graphic images stone to future exploration of ability for international and were used to present the Ant- Mars and other destinations. commercial participants to arctic Inflatable Habitat Dem- contribute elements and sys- onstrator and the McMurdo Station Science Support Cen- ter. Pervasive mobility on the lunar surface was discussed, in which the habitat elements would be capable of separating from the outpost and travers- ing long distances across the lunar surface. They would be crewed or uncrewed, move to sortie lander location and be used as a “base camp”, and serve as long-distance pressur- ized rover & habitat function,. Integration with Small Pres- surized Rovers (SPRs) is also being investigated. Four illustrations were used to present a notional power system concept, with five points to elaborate on a stationary outpost, and five points to elaborate on mobility applications. Alternate power concepts

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include stationary power crew exploration time, and (alternate array concepts and self-sufficiency, and 3) tech- Fission Surface Power (FSP) nology spin-in/spin-offs help using regolith shielding, and recycling Earth/space econ- mobility power using radioiso- omy. tope power systems. Science integration was In-Situ Resource Utiliza- mentioned: “A desire that all tion (ISRU) would use “in- future lunar surface systems situ” resources (found on the and exploration plans are sci- Moon and not brought from ence friendly and user- Earth) to create necessary ser- oriented.” Planetary science, vices for robotic and human Earth science, astrophysics, exploration. These include planetary protection, life sci- regolith, minerals, metals, ence, and heliophysics were volatiles, and water/ice. These mentioned. also include discarded materi- To summarize: 1) This als: 1) LSAM (Lunar Surface architecture is robust but ag- Access Module) descent stage gressive, 2) The final outpost fuel residual scavenging, configuration is only achiev- tanks, etc., after landing (with able with international and power), and 2) Crew trash and commercial partner contribu- waste (after life support proc- tions, and 3) The Lunar Sur- essing is complete). Benefits face System is the next step in of ISRU include 1) increased exploration that will enable us science and exploration hard- to continue on to Mars. ware (instead of oxygen and water), 2) increased safety, “Moon, Mars, Beyond…”

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1940 Air Terminal Wings & Wheels, Saturday, July 19, 2008 DOUGLAS YAZELL, PAST CHAIR The bigger the crowd, the which includes lunch and the March 2009, April 2009, or more fun we have at the event) at the 1940 Air Terminal maybe in October of 2009 Below: Photos of the terminal monthly Wings & Wheels Museum at Hobby Airport. when the city of Houston sup- and Joe Montana, the winner of program (3rd Saturday of each This was one of the biggest ports an annual celebration of an airplane raffled at the event. month, $10 for adults, $5 for crowds yet, and a record 14 Hobby Airport. Captain High (photos by Andrew Broadfoot) kids, free for volunteers, planes were on display. The tells me that the runway by the highlight of the day was the museum was filled with planes drawing for the raffling off of a from end to end for the Wings Cessna 140 airplane, won by & Wheels program of October Joe Montana of Pearland. Drew 2007, including WW II planes Coats is shown below with the in flying condition. raffle tickets. He phoned the I met Andrew Broadfoot winner while the crowd lis- of tened. The winner said some- www.andrewbroadfootphotogr thing like, “That’s great! I am aphy.com, who took the pho- washing my airplane right tographs of the winner and his now! I will be there in an new airplane being flown in hour.” The new raffle plane that morning. I also met was also unveiled, a 1956 Celeste Graves, author of, “A Cessna 172 A-model, View from the Doghouse: Of and tickets went on sale the 319th AAFWFTD”, the soon after. Army Air Force Women’s Captain A. J. High at Flight Training Detachment at the museum will work Houston Municipal Airport, with me and Emily whose training started in late Springer of AIAA to 1942. have the ceremony to Call ahead at 713-454- award the plaque from 1940 if you would like to AIAA honoring the know what will be on display 1940 Air Terminal as for the third Saturday of the an AIAA Historic month. Enjoy a Saturday lunch Aerospace Site, as de- with Wings & Wheels at the scribed in past issues. 1940 Air Terminal Museum at The ceremony will be Hobby Airport. held with a Wings & Wheels program in

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Looking Back, Celebrating, Looking Forward NASA’s 50th SEAN KEEFE, ASSISTANT EDITOR, HORIZONS Anniversary NASA’s 50th Anniversary was global in scope, but much is being celebrated this year, of it took place in the polar so it is time to reflect on and equatorial regions of NASA’s achievements. This Earth. Advances in research article briefly summarizes technologies from the prior NASA’s genesis and the two decades and the advent of events that commemorate its electronic computing facili- milestones. tated this major undertaking. IGY scientific investigations Looking Back: encompassed twelve Earth NASA’s Evolution Sciences—aurora and airglow, cosmic rays, geomagnetism, In 1952, the International glaciology, gravity, iono- Council of Scientific Unions spheric physics, precision (ICSU), put forth a plan for a mapping, meteorology, ocean- coordinated, comprehensive ography, seismology and solar array of international scientific activity. Additionally, and observations of varied geo- significantly for the genesis of physical phenomena. This NASA, rocketry was also ex- joint initiative, The Interna- plored. The International Geo- tional Geophysical Year physical Year lasted from July (IGY), was modeled after the 1, 1957 to December 31, 1958. International Polar Years of The results of the IGY were, 1882-83 and 1932-33. Eventu- among other benefits, scien- ally, sixty-seven countries, tific and predictive improve- including the United States ments in the fields of meteor- and the Soviet Union, were ology, seismology, and glacial involved in this research. The analysis. action. Nine months later, on Above: Project Mercury astro- National Academy of Science As part of the Interna- nauts (NASA photo) (NAS) appointed the US Na- tional Geophysical Year, the July 29, 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Act Front row, L-R: Wally Schirra, tional Committee (USNC) in US and Soviet Union launched was passed. That act converted Deke Slayton, John Glenn, and 1953 to oversee American several satellites to explore the Scott Carpenter research during the IGY. upper atmosphere. The US the World War I-genesis mili- tary agency focused on aero- Back row, L-R: Alan Shepard, USNC had a core of sixteen Navy tested the first satellite nautics, the National Advisory Gus Grissom and Gordo Coo- members, five working to 126 miles in April of 1957. per groups, and thirteen technical On October 4, 1957, the So- Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), into NASA, a civil- panels. Eventually, hundreds viet Union launched Sputnik of scientists were involved in into geocentric orbit. The sat- ian agency focused on aero- the planning. ellite was used to study the nautics. All NACA facilities and budgets were transferred Research during the Inter- density of Earth’s upper at- national Geophysical Year mospheric layers and radio- intact to NASA, with addi- signal distribution in the iono- tional funding and facilities sphere. Sputnik’s radio signals added to NASA’s purview. were picked up by ham radio Before the advent of NASA, NACA had been developing operators worldwide. The Space Age had begun. reliable, high-performance X- Sputnik’s success demon- series jets with the US Air Force and US Army Air Force, strated the viability of using artificial satel- primarily at lites and stimu- Langley. Project Mer- lated the US government into cury, the first Ameri-

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The National Aeronautics den Planetarium’s Space Thea- and Space Administration was ter, one of the world’s most created on October 1st of 1958, sophisticated planetariums. It so NASA’s actual 50th Anni- boasts a customized Zeiss versary is not until October 1st Mark IX projector, with fiber of 2008, but NASA started the optic technology and a digital, celebration a little early. full-dome video projection On September 5, 2007, system that can provide a 3-D Discovery Communications visualization of the universe announced a partnership with based on real-time images NASA to commemorate the generated by an SGI super- space program's 50th anniver- computer. The Hayden Plane- sary. That partnership includes tarium is part of the exciting unique programming, podcasts, new Rose Center for Earth and and other activities highlight- Space. It has a seven-story ing NASA’s 50th Anniversary. glass cube surrounding the 87- The announcement was made foot-diameter Hayden Sphere. at the New York premiere of a The top half of the sphere Above: The Hayden Planetar- can human spaceflight pro- documentary about the Apollo houses the Space Theater. ium and New York City skyline gram, began one week after era, “In the Shadow of the In the Shadow of the at night (Source: Henny Ray NASA’s formation. The Space Moon”. The British film high- Moon won the World Cinema Abrams) Act also established a military/ lights personal interviews with Audience Award at the 2007 civilian advisory panel head- Apollo-era astronauts and con- Sundance Film Festival. In quartered at Vandenberg AFB. tains rare footage not seen March of 2008, the film Their role was to advise and since the Apollo days. In atten- earned the first ever Sir Arthur Below: Apollo astronauts Har- coordinate the military uses of dance at the film’s New York Clarke Award for Best Film rison Schmitt, Charlie Duke, space. [http://history.nasa.gov/ debut were five Apollo astro- Presentation. The film also Edgar Mitchell, Alan Bean, and spaceact.html] nauts: Harrison Schmitt, Edgar made its television debut this Buzz Aldrin at the New York Mitchell, Charlie Duke, Alan summer on the Discovery premiere of the film, “In the NASA’s 50th Anniver- Bean, and Buzz Aldrin. Channel. Shadow of the Moon” (Source: sary Celebrations: High- The film was digitally pro- In 2007, NASA estab- Henny Ray Abrams) lights from 2007-2008 jected on the dome in the Hay- lished a 50th Anniversary website [http:// www.nasa.gov/50th/home/ index.html] with 50 special images, timelines, videos, the online version of the 50th an- niversary magazine, essay competition winners, and links to past and present NASA projects and programs with AV podcasts and other interac- tive features. On September 15, 2007, NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale unveiled the new NASA 50th Anniversary logo at Wired magazine’s 2007 NextFest technology expo in Los Angeles, along with NASA’s new Cliffbot rover and other NASA technologies. The design of the NASA 50th logo incorporates the Hubble Space Telescope image of Grand Design spiral galaxy

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M81 in the constellation Ursa (JWST). Dr. Mather is a cos- Major, approximately 11 mil- mologist at NASA Goddard lion light years away from and Senior Project Scientist Earth. for the JWST. The JWST is a On October 1, 2007, large, infrared-optimized NASA published a 350-page, space telescope, now sched- large-format book, titled uled for launch in 2013. It will America in Space: NASA's orbit Earth at a height of 1.5 First Fifty Years. The book million kilometers. Mather features over 400 stunning explained how the telescope images from NASA archives, will help astronomers find the with foreword and editing by first galaxies formed in the Apollo 11 commander Neil early Universe. Above: New book cover (NASA Armstrong. On April 5, 2008, a image) The official opening of NASA 50th Anniversary golf Above: The newly unveiled NASA’s 50th Anniversary tournament took place at the NASA 50th Anniversary logo took place on October 3, 2007 Wildcat Golf Club in Houston. (NASA image) at the Smithsonian’s National The event was sponsored by Air and Space Museum Starport, Jacobs, JSCFCU, (NASM) in Washington, D.C. USA, MEI, Lockheed Martin, John Mather, 2006 Nobel Lau- Bastion Technologies, Cimar- reate for Physics, made a pres- ron, Boeing, and Sodexo. Pro- entation about the James ceeds from the event went to Webb Space Telescope the Starport Scholarship Fund. NASA has also released 50th Anniversary golf balls and other commemorative items for sale at Space Center Hous- ton and NASA Exchange shops. On May 23, 2008, Ascen- sion Island commemorated the anniversary with the release of six postage stamps depicting Bottom left: The tethered Cliffbot the NACA Bell X-1 plane, the system descending a steep in- 1969 Lunar Landing of Apollo cline during field trials in Nor- 11, the Lunar Roving Vehicle, way (NASA photo) the Space Shuttle, Hubble Bottom right: The NASA 50th Space Telescope, and the In- Anniversary golf tournament in ternational Space Station. The Houston (NASA photo)

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volved in many defining events lege through the promotion of which have shaped the course innovative educational pro- of human history and demon- grams. strated to the world the charac- (B) The Challenger Center ter of the people of the United for Space Science Education, States.” The Act goes on to list for the purposes of creating dozens of those defining events positive learning experiences and accomplishments. using space science as a theme This bill requires the US that raise student expectations Treasury to mint a limited edi- of success, fostering a long- tion set of coins, including a term interest in mathematics, $50 gold coin and nine $1 sil- science, and technology, and ver coins with a required sur- motivating students to pursue charge and proceeds to be dis- careers in these fields.” tributed as follows: the first The remainder of the sur- four million dollars will go to charges will be used to pre- the NASA Family Assistance serve NASA artifacts at the Fund, “for financial assistance Smithsonian’s National Air to the families of NASA per- and Space Museum. Read the sonnel who die as a result of fascinating descriptions of injuries suffered in the per- these new coins online at formance of their official du- http://www.coinnews.net/coin- ties.” The second million dol- legislation/s-2159-nasa-50th- lars goes to two scientific liter- anniversary-commemorative- Above: Ascension’s commemo- island, a British dependency, acy programs: coin-act/. rative stamp series (Source: had been used as a tracking “$1,000,000 to each of the In June and July of 2008, http://www.collectspace.com) station, and its expanded air- following: the US Park Service high- field is an emergency runway (A) The Dr. Ronald E. lighted NASA’s 50th anniver- for the Space Shuttle. McNair Educational sary at the 42nd annual Smith- On June 20, 2008, the US (D.R.E.M.E.) Science Literacy sonian Folklife Festival in Senate approved the NASA Foundation for the purposes of Washington, D.C. 50th Anniversary Commemo- improving and strengthening rative Coin Act (S.2159). “The the process of teaching and Looking Forward: Upcom- Congress finds that– the Na- learning science, math, and ing 50th Anniversary Events tional Aeronautics and Space technology at all educational Administration has been in- levels, elementary through col- Throughout the spring and

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fall of 2008, NASA 50th An- the AIAA will organize a their the NASA 50th t-shirts. niversary promotions will ap- NASA 50th Anniversary Cele- Also in October, NASA will pear on local cable stations bration Gala at the National distribute a commemorative near JSC. In September of Air and Space Museum in 50th Anniversary magazine to 2008, NASA will coordinate Washington, D.C. On Septem- all NASA employees. an agency-wide Fun Run/ ber 27, 2008 (postponed until Other NASA 50th Anni- Walk. November 22, 2008, due to versary exhibits and related From September 9-11, Hurricane Ike), Johnson Space events will take place at the 2008, the AIAA is coordinat- Center will host a 50th Anni- Wings Over Houston Airshow ing the AIAA Space 2008 con- versary gala at the San Luis on October 25-26, 2008 at ference in San Diego, Califor- Resort in Galveston. Tickets Ellington Airfield. (This air- nia. Several panels and ses- for the black-tie JSC Golden show will take place as sions will evaluate the last 50 Celebration include dinner, planned despite the effects of years of spaceflight. The con- dancing, and entertainment. Hurricane Ike’s arrival on Fri- ference will bring industry and The event will recreate differ- day, September 12, 2008. academic scientists and lead- ent eras of NASA’s history. AIAA Houston Section will be ers together in a forum to re- For an additional fee, guests there at a booth shared with view the past and to debate can also attend an Astronaut our hosts, the Houston Chapter and plan the future of aero- Wine and Cheese reception an of the Experimental Aircraft space. hour before the main gala, but Association. This issue of our On September 14, 2008 our latest information tells us newsletter Horizons arrived (now rescheduled for Novem- that this extra event is sold just in time for us to show a ber 9, 2008, due to Hurricane out. For more information and few printed copies there.) Ike, and for now it is unknows tickets, check the StarPort There was to be a 50th whether Reliant Stadium will page. [http:// Anniversary Open House for still host its NASA Day on starport.jsc.nasa.gov/] A re- the Ballunar Liftoff Festival that date), there will be a quired password is found in a on October 31-November 2 at NASA Day held at Reliant daily e-mail note called JSC Johnson Space Center, but it Stadium with the Houston Today. was canceled this year due to Texans vs. the Baltimore Ra- On October 1st (This took Hurricane Ike. vens. This will be a NASA place as planned.), Johnson 50th Anniversary-themed Space Center will host an on- game with visiting astronauts. site 50th Anniversary event NASA employees can pur- with food, drinks, ice cream, Below: Galveston Island Con- chase discounted tickets. group photos, and live bands. vention Center (GICC) at the On September 24, 2008, Participants are invited to wear San Luis Resort (GICC photo)

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Historic Sites AIAA Historic Sites in Houston DOUG YAZELL, PAST CHAIR

windows we lost were over 50 years old and had weathered many storms. We had a couple other broken panes in the building and on the museum side flooded a bit from a win- dow being blown inwards but not breaking. Since out build- ing is leaky to begin with we had already moved everything off the floor and away from windows, so we sustained no damage except to gift shop books. The hangar where we keep our vintage Lodestar and other planes was hit pretty hard, with several off the doors blowing off, one onto the Lodestar, causing cosmetic damage to its left wing and engine. The wind must have picked the door up again and pushed it away. The back of this building is also missing the center section.” Top left and right: Storm dam- Two of the 30 or 40 eral doors off our plane storage A ceremony to award the age at the 1940 Air Terminal at worldwide AIAA Historic hangar. Considering what AIAA plaque will be an- Hobby Aerospace Sites are in Hous- could have happened though, nounced in the coming Bottom left and right: AIAA ton. In the coming months we we are surprisingly less dam- months. plaque honoring NASA/JSC, will have a ceremony at the aged then we could have been. located near the rocket park site selected in 2008: The 1940 The atrium and north wing Meanwhile, the 2005 Air Terminal at Hobby Air- have been under construction monument citing NASA/JSC port. Their web site has their preparing for our Grand Re- has been straightened up after update after Hurricane Ike hit Opening in October, so no arti- being moved on its base. It on Friday, September 12, facts or exhibits were under- was probably bumped lightly 2008: neath the flood of water we got by a delivery truck. Thanks to as a result of the windows be- those who fixed that! “Museum Re-Opened ing lost in the Terminal. The after Hurricane Clean-Up! “The Museum has been closed for a short period while we cleaned up glass and debris from Hurricane Ike. Only the Theater re- mains closed during our nor- mal operating hours. “The 1940 Air Terminal Mu- seum and its hangars felt the brunt of a couple (mini- tornado?) wind gusts, which blew out 6 of 8 windows on our top control tower and sev-

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Interview with Norman H. Chaffee: Observations NASA’s 50th from a Long NASA Career Anniversary SEAN KEEFE, ASSISTANT EDITOR, HORIZONS Norman Chaffee is a busy Chief of Robotics. person. You wouldn’t guess Norm studied chemical that he has retired from NASA engineering at Rice University because he is still involved from 1955 to 1958. He holds with so many NASA projects. Bachelors and Masters de- Norm is one of the first- grees from Tulsa University in generation engineers from the Chemical Engineering, but he early days of NASA. He has doesn’t limit himself to that played a key role in a number one discipline. Norm’s broad of NASA’s biggest and most interests cover a wide range of successful space programs— subjects, including opera, phi- including the Mercury, Gem- losophy, and psychology. He ini, and Apollo Projects; the has been a lifelong learner, Space Transportation System formally studying manage- (Space Shuttle) and the Inter- ment through NASA and the national Space Station Pro- University of Houston and gram. Norm has spent over taking continuing education four decades working at John- courses in many subjects since son Space Center, starting his the 1970s. Norm excelled in career there in 1962, and he his career, earning several still maintains an office on- special awards for his engi- site. AIAA interviewed Norm neering, management, and Chaffee as part of our look leadership skills—including back at NASA’s first NACA the NASA Outstanding Lead- and NASA days and several ership Medal. More recently, programs that he was involved Norm has been actively in- with. He shares some fascinat- volved with educational out- ing anecdotes and valuable reach, for which he was lessons learned from his long awarded the Exceptional Pub- He continued there a contrac- career as an engineer and lic Service Medal by NASA. Above: Norm Chaffee (photo by tor for seven years, and since Sean Keefe) manager, outlining several Throughout his career at 2005, he has been an enthusi- helpful things that aerospace NASA, Norm has been active astic Education Outreach Vol- professionals can do as they in the Houston aerospace unteer. Norm is also currently move along in their careers. community. Since the late serving as President of the Norm’s own career cov- 1970s, he has been involved in NASA Alumni League’s JSC ered the eras of Sputnik, the the Clear Lake Council of Chapter—an advisory associa- Cold War, an the Space Race. Technical Societies. He was tion of engineering and scien- It also spanned several stages the Chairman of the AIAA tific professionals. Norm helps of development in the early Houston Chapter from 1980- organize lectures, social manned missions, Skylab, the 1981, and later became the events, and educational out- Space Shuttle, and the Interna- chapter Secretary. Norm con- reach programs for the chap- tional Space Station. His jobs tinues to be active in AIAA, ter. He is also active in the titles over the years have in- serving as an informal Senior JSC chapter of the National clude “peon” [self-titled], Technical Advisor to the Management Association. “Reaction Control System/ chairs of the Houston chapter. How did Norm end up Rocket Engine Guy,” Engi- After his official retirement in working on the manned space neer for the Energy Systems 1996, Norm kept working for flight program at NASA John- Branch, Deputy Chief of the NASA. He took advantage of son Space center for four dec- Propulsion and Power Divi- the retired annuitant program ades? It was Norm’s wonder- sion, Chief Integration Engi- from 1996-1998, working in ful imagination and sense of neer for Station, and Deputy the Education Office at JSC. wonder about the Universe

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I always had a fair amount of dent Kennedy made the an- money. I spent some of it on nouncement that we were go- science fiction books. Back in ing to send humans into space those days, they had these pulp and go to the Moon and bring fiction magazines. There were them back safely in this dec- seven or eight of them that I ade, that greatly excited me. I routinely bought and read av- immediately thought, ‘I won- idly from cover to cover, like der how do you get involved Amazing Science Fiction. That in that?’ Shortly thereafter I was in the late 40’s and early heard that the Manned Space- 50’s. craft Center was going to be in So I was always a science Houston—and I absolutely fiction fan and dreamed about loved Houston. I had gone to those kind of things and won- Rice, and I like the city and I dered about them and inde- liked the climate, I liked the pendently studied astronomy access to the beach, that kind as a young kid to try to under- of thing. stand stuff like that, but I knew that the term ‘science fiction’ AIAA: Where were was exactly that. In my youth, you raised, and where did you the concept of people going go to college? into space and going to the Moon or Mars or further out Norm: I was raised into the solar system—that was in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and I was fun to think about and specu- born up in the Northeast. So, late about, but it was sheer I’m a Yankee by birth, but I fiction, and it was never going left there as soon as possible. I to happen in my lifetime. And ended up going to Rice Uni- so, lo and behold, the post- versity, which at the time was second world war Cold War called Rice Institute. I selected led to this tremendous im- Rice because it was very com- provement in rocket technol- petitive and, if you were ad- ogy, primarily for the develop- mitted to Rice, it was free, so ment and production of missile my Dad said, “golly that kind Left: cover from 1950 Fantasy (Continued from page 23) systems, and the guidance sys- of makes the decision for you, & Science Fiction magazine that led him to follow his tems, and the other things that doesn’t it?” We didn’t have a (source Wikipedia) dreams. went with making war on other lot of money. In addition to ______people in the world. That led to that, I had a little scholarship Sputnik in 1957 of course, and which paid for room and AIAA: Tell us what then to the foundation of board and books. your inspiration was to get NASA, and later on to the suc- involved in the Space Pro- cessful launch in one orbit AIAA: Was your gram. flight of Yuri Gagarin. father an engineer, too? I remember the first time I Below: Sputnik 1, 1957 Norm: I was always saw Sputnik coming over. I Norm: No, he was an (source: NASA) interested in engineering, but I was at a football game and administrator for the Army was always a science fiction somebody yelled out “the sat- Corps of Engineers, so he was nut, too. As a kid, I always ellite, the satellite!” And we all around engineers a lot. He ran had jobs, and so I had a little looked up. It was the Moon the personnel department. He pocket money through deliv- they were talking about, but was really a bright ‘people ering newspapers, cutting later on I did get to see Sputnik person.’ I learned so much grass, and doing yard work for going over. And of course, from him about how to deal my newspaper customers. I we’d get on the ham radio and with people. I watched him on also bagged groceries and I you could hear the ‘chirp, the phone at night, when peo- tutored younger kids in math chirp, chirp.’ That was pretty ple would call him with their and chemistry and physics, so exciting. And then when Presi- personnel problems. He’d be

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Left: Mercury Astronaut Alan Shepard receives NASA Distin- guished Service Award after his historic flight in 1961 (source: NASA)

on the phone for hours some- and I’ve been here ever since, in. As a chemical engineer— times, trying to get people in various jobs. although I had never really through a crisis. studied rocket engines, other AIAA: Can you give than doing some homework AIAA: And you did- us an overview of the projects problems in advanced thermo- n’t fall far from that tree, did you’ve worked on at NASA dynamics classes on that—I you, because you were a man- Johnson Space Center? basically knew what a rocket ager, so you had to deal with engine was and how it engineers, being an engineer Norm: When I first worked, and what the physics yourself still? came here, they put me to and thermodynamics of the work in what was called the device was. So, you have to Norm: Right, I think Energy Systems Branch in the talk to some people and read I learned a lot about how to Spacecraft Design Division. some reports, and go back and deal with people from my That particular branch was get some books out, this kind father and observing him, but responsible for the propulsion of thing, but very quickly, I you really learn about that and power systems, including got into the swing of things. I when you have to do it your- things like pyrotechnic de- basically learned by on-the- self. You can’t always learn vices, the parachutes, the bat- job training. By osmosis, I something just by watching teries and fuel cells, and the began to be more comfortable. somebody. You can get some rocket engines. So I was very Then, shortly after I got insights, and that kind of fortunate to come in and get here, we had the capability to thing. Anyway, I was working placed in the little rocket en- establish our first little labora- in a refinery, and when I heard gine group. We worked on the tory at Ellington Field where that the manned spacecraft main engine on the spacecraft we could do rocket engine test center was going to be in and on the steering rockets, work and a little bit of fuel Houston, I took very aggres- called the attitude control sys- cell work. So we had the op- sive action and got a job down tem, or sometimes the reaction portunity to put together the here. I showed up in early control system. So I was a systems to support that and do 1962 with a wife and a brand reaction control system/rocket some design work of our own, new baby three months old, engine guy when I first came and run the rocket engines out

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learned that these things were important.

Norm: One of the things that benefitted me greatly was all of the people I worked with had come from the original NACA centers— the precursor of NASA—and the bulk of the people had come from Langley Center in Virginia. In those days, the people in Langley were doing all kinds of work, primarily aeronautics. The core of the Manned Spacecraft Center had come from an organization called PARD, Pilotless Air- craft Research Division, which was headed by Dr. Robert Gilruth. The guy who was later hired very quickly to became my Division Chief, Guy Thibodaux, had been a Above left: Mercury Capsule there. So just gradually, you staff to do their own engineer- key member and a section Model being tested in Lang- developed an expertise. You ing, and we would get stuff head in that group. He was a ley’s spin tunnel, 1959 could do your own design and built in-house. solid rocket and a liquid (original photo by NACA, get it built and go and test it. rocket expert. source: NASA) AIAA: So there was In those days, if you Above right: Langley techni- AIAA: Is there more control from the ranks worked in those organizations, cians working on the Mercury much design work going on at about the funding, the money, there weren’t any contractors, spacecraft, 1960 (original JSC now? and where the projects went in so you did your own design photo by NACA, source: NASA) those days? work. There were government Norm: My percep- draftsmen that helped you get tion is that there’s not as much Norm: Right. As an your drawings made. There opportunity for the JSC engi- example, when I first came to were government machinists neer to get hands-on experi- work, the Mercury Program and technicians who helped ence as there used to be. But was in full swing. Scott Car- you with the instrumentation there are still pockets of capa- penter’s Mercury Flight hap- and the manufacture of the bility areas where that is being pened not too long after I first device, and putting it up, and preserved. And I think maybe got here, so I worked a little bit getting the launch stand built. the pendulum also is starting on the data reduction from that All of that work was done by to swing back to that. But so flight. I didn’t really under- people who were NACA em- much of the work has been stand really well what I was ployees, and then when it was given out to contractors, as doing, but I could figure out— all done, you reduced the data opposed to the NASA engi- from guidance navigation and and analyzed it yourself. Then neers, who have less and less control system data—what was you wrote your own report, opportunity, it seems to me, to the response of the vehicle to which was peer-reviewed by a do their own work and learn. the firings, and how effective board of managers. And you However I will tell you that, the system was, and what was were quizzed on it, almost like in the areas that I worked in, the propellant usage, what being quizzed on a thesis, and my colleagues and my bosses were the temperatures doing as it wasn’t published until you and I tried very hard to get a function of where we were in had satisfied that group. You enough funding to always orbit, and what the attitude of weren’t promoted until you keep some small projects go- the spacecraft was relative to had done some of these things ing that we could assign to the the sun. Very quickly, I and had them under your belt.

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So it was more of an academic to be his Deputy. We formed that has dexterous hands. environment than an industrial an organization from bits and environment. pieces of about sixteen other AIAA: So do they groups around JSC and built take lessons learned from the AIAA: But still you that division. One of the Canadian robots, the arms on did some manufacturing and things we did was work very Shuttle and Station, and Dex- testing here. What’s going on hard to keep a small stream of tre and apply then to Ro- with that now at JSC? funding coming in from vari- bonaut or are they separate, ous sponsors, so that most of parallel projects? Norm: There still is our people could—in addition some testing. In the early to overseeing the program Norm: No, Robonaut days, because the leaders engineering and watching the was always very far ahead of came from this culture at work that the contractors did Dextre. That particular work, Langley, that’s what they and managing them—do in- one of its purposes is to be brought with them. That’s house design, engineering, able to develop an astronaut what they felt was the right and testing in the robotics EVA helper. It’s a robot that thing to do, so for the first 8- area. And that is still going could help an astronaut on 12 years I was here, I was in on: Walt Guy still works at EVA, handing tools, holding an organization that encour- JSC, he never retired. Just in things, going to get things, aged that. They expected you the last couple of years, he and bring them back, and has to do testing and provided the moved to a different position the same dexterity as a gloved resources, including the from the Robotics area. But astronaut. So it could use the money, the drafting people, even now, if you go to the same tools, this type of thing. the machinists, and the test Robotics area, those Labs over facilities, where you could do there are still doing a lot of AIAA: Does Ro- Below: Project Fire Thermal that. their own work. There is a bonaut have Artificial Intelli- Structures Tunnel Reentry project called Robonaut, gence (AI)? Heating Test at Langley, 1962 AIAA: They encour- which is a very capable robot aged you to design. At some point in NASA’s past, not too long ago, research was some- what discouraged here at JSC and it has become more of a management facility. You have that long perspective on how things have changed. Can you comment on that?

Norm: I think that’s true, although there are still— at least, in organizations that I was in and people that I worked with who are in the same generation as I was— folks who stayed in control of major organizations up until the last ten years or so. As an example, one of the last or- ganizations I was in, JSC’s Automation, Robotics and Simulation Division, was headed by a fellow named Walter Guy. He came out of Langley with that same cul- ture. He was selected to lead the Division and I was picked (Continued on page 28)

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vehicle with Robonaut sitting work, that’s a different thing. up driving the rover. He drives But when you are talking down the streets around JSC about hardware—structures and goes over to the simulated and mechanics, life support, Lunar and Martian surface area propulsion, power—I think that is over in the back area of it’s so important for people to the Center now. Or, we mount get their hands on hardware Robonaut—which is just an and do some work themselves. upper torso, it’s a torso of two arms and a head with stereo- AIAA: Can we go scopic eyes, TV camera eyes— back? You started off talking onto one of these Segway two- about the first program, Mer- wheel, gyroscopically- cury. Can you list the other controlled devices. It’s really programs you worked on? interesting to be over in Bldg 9 and see this robot on wheels Norm: I started on rolling around doing tasks. Mercury, and basically it was support the flights, reduce the AIAA: Do you have data, and try to figure out what young engineers working in happened, what went wrong, that laboratory? what we could do if there were some problems, what Norm: Yes, and they could be done. But then very Norm: There can be, are doing the design. The hard- quickly, we got into the early Above,: Closeup view of Ro- but right now it’s teleoperated. ware is being built in the design of the Gemini Program. bonaut’s dexterous hands But we are also doing a lot of Building 8 shops. Gemini was also done by (NASA photo) work with AI, where the con- McDonnell Aircraft, which trol is ported from an astro- AIAA: So you think built the Mercury. So Gemini naut or the slave-master de- design is on the upswing gen- was kind of a ‘big Mercury,’ vice into the robot itself. But erally at JSC? and its function was to demon- this project has for years and strate being able to survive years has been paid for by the Norm: It’s not dead two weeks in space in orbit DOD’s DARPA agency. So, everywhere. I think managers and to demonstrate the rendez- Walt and I would work very have understood the impor- vous and docking techniques hard to keep a stream of fund- tance of doing design. And of that were necessary for the ing coming in from either the course, in divisions where you proposed approach that we Space Station Program or the are primarily doing software were going to take to send Shuttle Program, promising Below, left: Exploded view of the managers of those pro- Robonauts hands (NASA photo) grams that we were working Below, right: Robonaut on devices that had the poten- telepresence demonstration tial to benefit their programs. (source: NASA) But over the years, the diffi- culty of getting those funds, became more, more, more, you really had to fight and be clever to get those funds. I think DARPA is still funding that research. If you go in that laboratory now, I think they are getting some Constellation Program funds, and they have built some mar- velous, robotically-controlled vehicles. You can see a very large-surface, rover-looking

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with Gus Grissom and John Left: Gemini capsule being Young, in 1965, and then it tested in Langley’s Unitary ended with Gemini 12 the Plan Wind Tunnel (source: next year. There were some NASA) exciting times. Neil Arm- strong was on Gemini 8 when one of our little thrusters actu- ally had a short in the control system of the propellant valves. They opened up, and it turned on and stayed on. They spun the aircraft up so fast that they were just within a minute or so of hitting a rotational velocity where they would have blacked out when they figured out what was going on. Armstrong pulled the cir- Apollo to the Moon. It would thrusters and the propulsion cuit breaker for the propulsion require the lunar module to system, and McDonnell was system. Then, when they saw come up from the lunar sur- doing the system engineering. that the acceleration wasn’t face and dock with the com- But they had a lot of prob- continuing, he knew what was mand module, so it was criti- lems, and our people were going on. He was able to turn cal that we knew how to do helping at that time because the system back on and con- those kinds of things. we had independent funding trol it and get it stopped using So once again, we had a from the Gemini Program other thrusters. small-rocket engine guy, and I office to backstop them. We was responsible with a group always had these in-house AIAA: That’s not a of folks for the Gemini atti- projects. So, when Rocket- story you hear very often. tude control system. It had dyne and the other subcontrac- two systems: it had the atti- tors involved in the system— Norm: That was as tude control system of the maybe the guy who was build- close in the Gemini Program two-man capsule—which con- ing the propellant tanks, and as we came to losing a crew. trolled it during entry into the guy who was building the We learned a lot about system Earth’s atmosphere, just like pressure regulator or some- cleanliness in there, because the Mercury did. But it also thing—when they had prob- we’d have thrusters go up, and had an on-orbit system which lems, we would jump in and then we would find out that controlled the spacecraft dur- look at look at what they were their effective thrust was ing the two weeks it was on doing, make suggestions, much, much less than they orbit. So, for all of the mis- work with them, but also cre- should have been. sion, except for the final entry, ate our own projects to create When we’d analyze the the on-orbit control system did alternative concepts. There is part that came back—the crew the control. That was a series a lot of the Gemini thruster capsule—we’d find a lot of of 100-pound thrusters, and work that reflects work that trash in the propellant lines then small 25-pound thrusters we did, that was shown to be that had gotten caught in the controlled the capsule as it better than their approach, filters. And in some cases, the reentered the Earth’s atmos- which got adopted by them filters were not in the right phere. It came down just be- and worked into the system. place and there had been in- fore chute deploy. sufficient cleaning of the AIAA: Once you lines. Trash got down in the AIAA: So, once figured out how the Gemini valves and plugged things up. again you were a design engi- would work docking with the Mostly it was the filters—they neer? capsule, then what happened? would get so plugged up with braised material and trash that Norm: Well, Rocket- Norm: Well, Gemini hadn’t been sufficiently dyne had the contract for the 3 was the first manned flight cleaned out of the system that

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AIAA: Did you go research money…that proba- over budget in those days? Did bly happens less and less now you duke it out over the at JSC? money? Norm: Right. Norm: Yes, but at a very low level. In those days, AIAA: And you the early days, the program think the trend is swinging the manager for the Gemini Pro- other way now? gram or Apollo Program had a tax on his money to give, like, Norm: Right. In the 10% to divisions like mine for years I was in Automation and support, including independent Robotics, two things were research and development. But very successful. The Aer- that R&D had to be focused on CAM/Sprint was one project. an area that would support his It was a little round flyaround program, and he could veto robot that actually flew on one your research. But we had a the shuttle missions, STS-87. Above: Gemini 4 prime crew in you couldn’t get enough pro- pot of money that belonged to It was about the size of a large elevator preparing to enter pellant through there to make our vision. And then we had to basketball. It was a free-flyer Gemini capsule (source: NASA) the thrust that the engine was go back and sell the program with its own little propulsion designed to produce. So those manager on the value of what system in it. It used nitrogen provisions on the Apollo Pro- we were going to do with it. gas-powered thrusters and it gram benefited from that And in addition to that, within had two TV cameras in it, so it learning experience. The the manned space area at HQ, could fly around and do in- Apollo systems were much, there was a research division spection. much cleaner. The filters were which had its own budget for better positioned, better de- applied research. So we could AIAA: Was that the signed, the electrical design of go back and say we had an precursor to the SAFER? the valve was such that, if idea for a new fuel cell ap- Below: A view of Gemini 6 there was a short, it didn’t turn proach, or we got an idea for a Norm: The SAFER from Gemini 7 window (source: the valve on. new material to make the is a backpack. SAFER was the NASA) rocket engines out of or a dif- other thing I was going to ferent valve concept or a dif- mention. It’s a little like a ferent package. It had to be fanny pack on the back of an focused on what the center was astronaut, who, if he becomes doing because they didn’t want detethered, can reach back and a lot of resources working on activate this thing. Pull out the independent sandboxes out control stick and fly himself or here. herself back into the airlock.

AIAA: Do you think AIAA: Well, we’ve that still happens today, that, talked a lot about Gemini and you’d be working on a particu- a little about Apollo, and lar request for someone above about Robotics, so obviously but you’d also put in your own there’s a lot in between those request, not just for capital projects, and you worked on equipment but to do some kind Shuttle. of research? Norm: Yes, we went Norm: It has to have from Gemini and segued di- an application that the program rectly into Apollo because it manager can see, otherwise turns out that the thrusters on you’ll not get it. the Gemini orbital attitude control system essentially AIAA: But applied were identical to the command

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module thrusters, until we Left: Gemini capsule being gave Rocketdyne a contract tested in Langley’s Unitary with the idea that this is going Plan Wind Tunnel (source: to be identical, we won’t have NASA) a new development cost. First thing Rocketdyne did was set up a new organization out there, and then the design im- mediately began to diverge and get different and that kind of thing. So it was a fight with the contractors.

AIAA: Do you think that was a slow-down?

Norm: We wanted it to be the same, and then for some good reasons, it ended up that it had to be a little bit different. So we were in a very good position to manage the command module thrust- ers and still did a lot of work Above: AerCAM being re- here. And one thing I’ll tell was going to be possible at the trieved after testing you, a big part of what we did Norm: I don’t think time. We hoped the Shuttle during STS-87 (NASA photo) was to get early versions of they do near as much of that could be an all-hydrogen/ the contractor’s hardware, and as we did back in those days. oxygen system, with not only bring them down here and do So I worked on the command the booster engines being liq- independent tests. That’s be- module thrusters and on the uid hydrogen/liquid oxygen, Below: Astronaut Mark C. Lee cause contractors frequently Service Module and Lunar but also the on-board main tests the new Simplified Aid for would not want to test outside Module thrusters, which were engine of the spacecraft, the EVA Rescue (SAFER) system the range of specification re- of a different type, all the way attitude control system, the (NASA photo) quirements. And one of the through the Apollo program. things we wanted to know Through Apollo, I was basi- was, what are the limits of this cally an RCS or Attitude Con- hardware, because that is very trol Systems guy, with an em- important to Ops, the people phasis on the rocket engine. in mission control, this kind of But I also was familiar with stuff. So we would get hard- the tank design and their prob- ware, either get the program to lems and the various other give us hardware, or we would system components like check take some of our money and valves and relief valves and independently buy some pressure regulators and filters pieces of hardware from the and things of that nature. contractor. We would bring it So I became a systems down here and just really guy, and at the end of Apollo, wring it out to see—What if and even well before the last the pressures got real high or Apollo flights, I was diverted real low, or the temps got real off into the early days of the high or low, or the pressures Shuttle design, and got going were mismatched, or what is on that with some of the early the effect on the hardware? technology. I did Phase A and Phase B studies, and some of AIAA: Is that done the early hardware technology today at JSC? studies that we did to see what (Continued on page 32)

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Above,: Closeup view of Ro- bonaut’s dexterous hands (NASA photo)

Above: Illustration of the Sky- auxiliary power unit, and the bit on Skylab. Really the cen- basically. That shielded the lab Program (source: NASA fuel cell being hydrogen/ ter of gravity for that was at spacecraft from sunlight, so Marshall Space Flight Center oxygen. And the benefit of Marshall Space flight Center, that it didn’t overheat. And Collection) that is, you get common tank- because they were doing the then the question became, is age, you can share propellants lab. They turned the third the parasol strong enough to between systems, it’s not stage, the S4B stage, into the withstand the exhaust from the toxic, and it’s not corrosive. It Lab. We were basically flying attitude control engines as the is explosive, but you can Apollo hardware and support- command module service breath it and it doesn’t wipe ing that. But I supported that module approached? The you out. Skylab program, and the first parasol was made out of alu- And we did an awful lot flight when they launched the minized Mylar, which was of work on that in the early laboratory, the thermal shield subjected to the RCS jets fir- days, and it turned out that the on the laboratory ripped off ing for docking. We used the technology level and the cost during launch. So we had to large vacuum chamber, Cham- was not going to be compati- figure out how to protect that ber A in Building 32, to test ble with what the program module from getting over- the parasol with pulses of ended up having, and so we heated. One of the things we plume. It buffeted it but didn’t went back to the same kinds did was come up with a solar destroy it. of systems that we had on parasol that got poked out of Gemini and Apollo. But, in the side of the lab and de- AIAA: Let’s talk the meantime, I worked a little ployed like a big umbrella, about your Space Station ca-

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reer. sians or the Europeans, but on the concept of knowledge each NASA center had its capture. We knew that this Norm: I went to Sta- own drawing system and way was going to be a multi- tion in the early 80s. At the of doing things, and suddenly generational program and that time, I was Deputy Chief of we were in this system where the folks who made key deci- the Propulsion and Power everybody was in each other sions in the early days were Division, but I felt like I had knickers, and so you have to going to be gone, or dead and command of that domain and have common systems. gone. We knew we had to was ready for some new ad- On Apollo, the interfaces have a system to capture all ventures. I got invited to the were real clean, because Mar- the logic, not only what we Level 2 Program Office—that shall did the booster, there did, and how we did it, but is the level that coordinates was a real simple interface why we did it, so that we can the individual project activi- where the spacecraft that we easily go back and track that, ties at the centers. I was Chief did sat on top of the booster, to see what the implications Integration Engineer for Space so you had a mechanical joint would be for making a change Station. My job was to show and some electrical connec- 30 years from now or what- that we could technically put tions and some computer con- ever. all of these pieces on-orbit and nections and that kind of stuff, Knowledge capture was a have 47 different configura- so that was fairly simple. very difficult problem. The tions of vehicle, each of which Now, when we got to the center is just now coming to was a viable, stand-alone Space Station, you’ve got grips with it. They got a lady spacecraft. I did all the analy- Marshall building the struc- named Jean Engle who has sis for that. So I wrote the ture, and Lewis [now Glenn] been appointed to be a Chief Systems, Engineering, and building some of the other Knowledge Officer, and she’s Below: Artist’s rendition of Integration Plan, or was re- systems so everyone was in trying to capture stuff like this Space Station Freedom, 1991 sponsible for it, and pulled each others knickers all over and figure out what the sys- (Artist: Alan Chinchar. Source: together all of the activities of the place. Making the compro- tems are. In my capacity as NASA Great Images in NASA the NASA centers. For in- mises was hard. President of the JSC Chapter Collection) stance, everybody had a dif- We also worked very hard of the NASA Alumni League, ferent drawing system and everybody had a different way of expressing interfaces, so we had to standardize all of these things so that we could talk to one another and all the hard- ware would be compatible. The politics and management techniques of doing that were probably much more challeng- ing than the engineering.

AIAA: How success- ful was that? Can you give us a lesson learned from that integration experience?

Norm: I think it was successful. The technical chal- lenge was much less than the political challenge of trying to get several disparate groups of people who had their own ways of doing business to agree on one way. This wasn’t as difficult as trying to work with the Japanese or the Rus- (Continued on page 34)

AIAA Houston Horizons Fall 2008 Page 33 Page 34

Jean has called me and said, mentoring program, and I’ve asleep,” you know. I thought, “Hey, can we get some of participated in it for a number “let me step back. Does this your members who have been of years, but as a more senior report communicate what he through this in the past back guy, I tend to mentor people in did and communicate the re- together? Let’s make sure mid-career. They’re looking sults? Yes, it does. It’s not as we’ve got the lessons learned not so much at technical things good as I could have done it, and the rationale and logic as as career decisions, and how but it’s good enough. So I well as trying to find out what should I deal with this manage- have to quit doing this.” is a system for setting up stuff ment situation or career option. I had another experience for the future.” Occasionally, I There are some training pro- when I first moved to the still get calls from other peo- grams now for engineers that Space Station program office. ple. For instance, the propul- are moving up into manage- We had a system for process- sion system on CEV will be ment, because being an engi- ing engineering changes called very similar to Apollo— neer as an individual performer the change board, with a Re- although they’ll reflect in- is a completely different thing quirements Change Board and creases in materials and elec- from being a supervisor of a an Engineering Change Board. tronics—but the propellants group of engineers. And I was kind of the man- will be the same. So I’ll get a I had a very hard time ager of part of that and would call asking, “we’ve heard that making that transition myself. help set up the board agenda. this and this happened, and is As an individual engineer, I set The heads of all the major that the case, and why was it, very high standards and had departments would sit on the and what did you do about it?” high expectations for myself boards, along with reps from and was a very good individual individual NASA centers that AIAA: Up to now, it performer, which resulted in were participating and the sounds like there were people my being promoted to Section Program Manager. We had a who had been on the previous Head. Suddenly, I was head of regular agenda that got put project every step of the way 18 people who on Friday had together every week of issues during your career at NASA, been my colleagues, and on that came before the disposi- and new people coming in all Monday they were my em- tion. The philosophy behind the time still doing design ployees. It was difficult for the process was that you’d work, but now there is a gap them to see me in a different work all your issues out before with CEV. So how do you light, and for me to see them in it got to the board. You’d only close that gap? a different light. But the thing bring up things to the board that I struggled with was that I that you’d reached an impasse Norm: With the had to review their work. And on, otherwise stuff came just knowledge capture and this frequently I would find myself for rubber-stamping and infor- mentorship and the transfer of nitpicking it, or it wasn’t the mation only. But it got to the knowledge from one genera- way I would have written it, or point where the politics of tion to the next; by having an wasn’t quite the way I would inter-center agreement was so ongoing program of in-house have done it. So I was sending difficult that nothing ever got work, where an older engineer it back and getting some com- agreed to before it got to the who has been through some- plaints. I remember one night board. thing can work with a younger that I had taken work home—I I had gone early on to the engineer who is trying to im- was working on memos and Program Manager, who was prove or making something reports that people had written an ex-flight controller, very else. He can say, well, look, that were getting ready to go well thought-of guy, very bril- nitrogen titroxide behaves like out. It was about three o’clock liant guy, excellent manager, this in a vacuum and you’ve in the morning, and I was sit- that kind of stuff, except in got to be careful, and you ting there reading this guy’s this case. I told him, “look, I can’t use this or that material. report. I was red-lining it and put together the agenda for editing it, and finally I thought, you, and I’ll research each of AIAA: So they are “well, you know, it’s 3 o’clock the agenda issues. I need an acting as mentors for NASA in the morning, here I can hour on your schedule every engineers? hardly keep my eyes open, I’m day before the board meeting, working on this guy’s draft and I will come give you a Norm: There is a report. He’s home, happily quick summary of what the

AIAA Houston Horizons Fall 2008 Page 34 Page 35

issues are, what centers are for was a leader of the propulsion step into that role and not have what, and what our staff’s and power team. Once a week, to go through those painful recommendations are.” And we had to meet with the board mistakes, learn from what has he said, “no, that’s a waste of or the Program Manager to gone before? my time and your time. I’m a tell them what our progress flight director, and I’m used to had been in the previous week Norm: You can do a taking in huge amounts of and bring up any issues and little bit of it academically, data and making a decision on changes that we needed. And people can learn the tools of the fly and I can do that.” As a when I had something that the the trade and some of the prin- result, they would start those Program Manager was very ciples by getting a degree in board meetings at 8:30 in the resistant to—because it was business management or in- morning on Friday morning going to cost him money or formation management. There and sometimes at 10:00 on cost him schedule or some- are training courses now that Friday night they were still thing like that—I would get NASA has, and there are sys- going on. Because they were my ducks all lined up within tems engineering curricula arguing the nitty-gritty of the my organization, so I knew for and program management issues at this very high level. sure what all our people curricula that have happened thought, and we were all in after I retired. I’m not sure if AIAA: They had the agreement with it. Then I they are required or not, but same issue as you did as a would go around to the mem- even when I became a Section new manager, they were nit- bers of the board, the head of Manager, there were courses picking? engineering, head of ops, head that were required that you of SRQA, head of manufac- had to take within a year after Norm: Right. I re- turing, and say, “listen, I need you got that job. member the first time that 15 minutes of your time to everybody was out of town, pre-brief you on this issue, AIAA: How do you and they said, “Norm, you you know, and tell you what’s learn how well you’re apply- chair the board this week.” going on, what the problem is, ing those skills in a manage- The meeting was over at what we need and why we ment job? How did you do 10:30 am the day I chaired it, need it.” I would go around that in such a big bureaucracy because the issue would come and do my pre-briefing like as NASA? up, and I’d ask, “have you that, so when it got up to the coordinated this with the other board, we would make our Norm: We had a centers?” “Well, no.” And I’d presentation. Initially, the Pro- ‘culture of responsible con- say, “OK, issue postponed. gram Manager would disagree flict’ at JSC. We’d have some Next issue!” I wouldn’t listen with our recommendation for very, very spirited discussions to the discussion. I said, “I money reasons or whatever, amongst ourselves and with don’t know enough about it, but frequently the other par- other centers about how to do people around this table don’t ticipants would agree such things and what was right and know enough about it, you that he would be convinced you know, you’d be pounding people have got to boil this and they would end up being the table and yell, “that’s down to decide on some of adopted. So, I learned how to crap!” But when the meeting these things, and only on the manage the system. was over, you could all go out kernel issues.” and have a beer together, and AIAA: Well, you’re you’re buddy-buddies. You AIAA: So eventually brilliant, but not every engi- could have technical disagree- you learned those efficiencies, neer can get to that point. You ments at a very strenuous, you learned how to deal with can become a technical expert deep level and respect one people and how to be diplo- in what you do, even though another. I’ve always had that, matic and still get things you might not get that title, or even up to the day I retired. I done? you can get into management, had no problem going to a although you may lose techni- project manager—you know, I Norm: At a lower cal skills. So, what can engi- wouldn’t be impolite, but I’d level, in the Shuttle program, I neers do in order to become say, “you’ve got that wrong, learned how to guide and good managers, either in col- Aaron.” manage that system because I lege or during their careers, to I remember at one point,

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“you get out to Rockwell, and cerned that Station seems to you get this resolved.” I said, become more of a European, “OK, I’ll go down, make travel Japanese, Russian experiment plans, I’ll be out there tomor- than an American experiment? row.” “No,” he says, “I want you out there tonight!” And I Norm: It looks to me said, “well, I have to go pack like the US is getting ready to my bag and get orders,” and he kind of walk away from the said, “I want you out there Station. We’ve been the chief tonight!” So I said, “yes sir, architect and chief engineer. I I’ll get out there tonight.” I think we can minimize our called my wife and asked her staff that’s focused on mainte- to pack a bag quick, and I got nance, and I think it needs to my secretary to get me travel, be an important United States and a little team was formed, research facility. I think the and we went out. The next role of Station is to be a very morning, we walked into the multi-functional space labora- meeting room with the Rock- tory, a working laboratory that Above: Current ISS configura- when I was still in the Propul- well guys, and they were lis- has a variety of capabilities. I tion (Source: NASA) sion and Power Division, we tening apparently to our meet- think it’s important to get the had a disagreement on the ing, because they said, “Oh, full complement of crew up kinds of seals that were being we see you got yourself out there. At one time, there was used in the actuators for the here!” And then later Aaron going to be a crew of 8, I think aeronautical systems, the called me on the phone and now they’re talking about 6, flaps, elevons, body flap. The said, “hey, I’m sorry I said that and they have two Soyuz vehi- people who built the actuators and got angry with you.” And cles to get everybody back. At were in the GNC system, and we’re still good buddies. one point, there was going to I had the hydraulic system that be a US emergency recovery supplied the fluid to the actua- AIAA: What is your vehicle, which, to our credit, tors. It was a complex inter- hope for Station? Do you hope we were building ourselves face, and we had a disagree- that it’s going to outlive its over at Bldg 33 or 228. But ment over the kinds of seals design specs like Mir did? they pulled the plug on it be- we ought to be using to pre- cause of money. That was the vent fluid leakage and seep- Norm: I certainly X-38. I used to take tours over age—both the design and the hope so. I’m worried about the there to look at it. It was a material. And we got in front big rotating joints, the SARJ. winged vehicle that could of the Orbiter Program Man- There is a lot of threading of house 8 people, designed as an ager, a guy named Aaron the races and bearings. We’ve emergency vehicle. It was Cohen, and there was a pres- been to the point where we going to be docked to Station, entation by the GN&C guys. haven’t been able to make very all 8 people could get into it Something about the seals good utilization of Station as a and hit the big red button and came up, and they said they science laboratory because so it would essentially separate felt like best way to go was much of the time is going into and fly itself back on Earth such-and-such. I was in the operations and maintenance even if the crew was partially meeting, and I said, “hey, that and assembly. Now that we get incapacitated. isn’t right, we need this differ- there, we have to be very care- ent kind of seal that has dem- ful that the amount of effort AIAA: Let’s talk onstrated much greater life, that goes into those kind of about the future. China has a there is less leakage, you things gets minimized, and that plan to land a manned space- know, it doesn’t take a set a large portion of the crew of 6 craft on the Moon by 2025. Is under pressure.” or 8 or whatever it’s going to that realistic? Aaron got real angry be can focus on doing research about the fact that we were in that can only be done in a zero Norm: I really don’t disagreement in that big meet- gravity environment. know much about their pro- ing, so he reamed me right in gram. I think they have a front of the meeting. He said, AIAA: Are you con- flight planned in the next year.

AIAA Houston Horizons Fall 2008 Page 36 Page 37

I read recently that they had things are going: telerobotics? moved a launch vehicle to Norm: We could their launch site. What they’ve have a reliable domestic Norm: You know, done gets a lot of press, but source of propulsion, but what we spent some money early they’re where we were in the you have to realize is that the on trying to develop better 1960s, although their technol- government is going to be also helmets and VR things in ogy obviously has taken ad- the sole customer for that, Automation, Robotics and vantage of things that have basically. For instance, in my Simulation until we realized come along in electronics. own mind, in robotic control, that the gaming people were we would in doing a teleop- spending a whole lot more AIAA: Do you think eratic robot in a complex and money doing that and making that a feeling of competitive- busy environment, we would greater progress. So we fig- ness with China is going to be put on a VR helmet, which ured, hey there’s no point in good for NASA? was not operating in VR, in- us doing any research in this, stead, the little eyesecreens let’s just let those guys drive Norm: Yes, competi- would see what the TV cam- the capability and we’ll buy tiveness drives accomplish- eras of the robot eyes were their products, and that’s what ment in many cases. If you seeing, so you could essen- we ended up doing. So, in don’t have a goad to push you, tially become a robot. If you areas where private industry, then you’re going to be happy had controls on your own for other reasons, is driving with the status quo, because hands and arms, and on your the technology, there’s no need is the mother of inven- head, where the robot would point in the government doing Right: The X-38 flies free after tion. A program manger told emulate what you did. that. But there are certain ar- release from the B-52’s wing me a long time ago that ‘better eas like rocket engines, where (source: NASA) is the enemy of good.’ When AIAA: Is that where almost always the government you’re a program manager, when you get something that’s good enough to do your pro- gram, then you quit spending money on making it better until there’s a driving need to make it better. But we’re hop- ing to get back to the Moon by 2020, and then have a sem- blance of a base there fairly early on. The early missions are obviously going to be just a few people on the Moon for a few days, but later on when we have the capability to land a habitat where we can stay there…

AIAA: There is dis- cussion that, with all these private rocket companies coming up, that could basi- cally put NASA out of the launch business.

Norm: I think that would be good.

AIAA: And then, what would NASA focus on, ideally? (Continued on page 38)

AIAA Houston Horizons Fall 2008 Page 37 Page 38

is going to be the primary cus- before they commit humans. and the planning for Mars tomer. It’s good to have a pri- That is because the Mars mis- exploration. vate company do that. I’m sion is basically a three-year impressed with Elon Musk mission. You’re talking about and his company, and he’s had going for seven or eight some failures now, but I know months travel time, 23 months the guy. I bet he’s going to on the surface before the plan- come along and do a good job. ets are in position for you to I think the government can get return, and then eight months to the point where they can coming back. hand off the technology, or maybe do the manufacturing AIAA: Unless you and stay in a lower-cost, ad- get some propulsion system vanced technology thing like that gets you there fast with a VASIMR, some fun stuff like lot of mass somehow. that. Norm: Unless it gets AIAA: Things that there fast. are launched from space. AIAA: Norm, do you Norm: Yeah. have any general advice for engineers? AIAA: So, knowing what you know about Elon Norm: When you Musk and VASIMR and ro- have a decision to make, you botics and all these things, have to make it in a timely what is the most likely sce- manner. But all decisions are nario for future Mars mis- made with incomplete infor- sions? mation. So, if you later get additional or better information Norm: There are that indicates you need to going to be more landers and change your decision, don't be ever more capable rovers. too proud to change it. Then Spirit and Opportunity, what explain to those affected why tremendous job they both have the change was made. done. And the one that’s up there now, Phoenix, it’s not AIAA: Finally, what mobile, but it has dug a project or accomplishments trench. If you can get a VW- during your many years at sized or bigger device up there NASA are you most proud of? that’s mobile, a tracked or wheeled vehicle, that has a lot Norm: My greatest of end effectors and robotic legacy hasn't been my personal devices, where it can roam contributions to any of the around and pick things up and programs or projects I have observe them—something like worked on at NASA. I am Robonaut, that we’re working most proud of my contribution on over on the Building 9 fa- as a manager who tried to ef- cilities right now—it could fectively develop my employ- take core samples and do a ees professionally, to mentor whole variety of things to in- them in their career progress so vestigate a site on Mars. With- they could maximize their con- out a doubt, the early missions tributions and success. I feel will be robotic missions, in- like I have helped some of the cluding some that are very folks who are now in key posi- sophisticated mobile robots tions in our return to the Moon

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Membership LISA VOILES, MEMBERSHIP CHAIR

Please welcome our Greg Loe Avinash Prabhakar newest AIAA Houston Brian Lusby Kristina Rojdev Members from July & Michael McCulley Brandon Rotavera August! Sara Mercer Nathan Sanders Matthew Mickle Truong-Dzuy Truong- MEMBERS: Miroslav Mihalj Cao Christopher Aiken Walter Miller Mana Vautier Laura Allen Angie Najarian Drew Woodbury Jennifer Allred Jeffrey Osterlund James Baker Jason Palmer EDUCATOR ASSO- Daniel Bauman Leah Pate CIATES: Richard Barton Moonish Patel Dr. William Hitchcock Raktim Bhattacharya Eric Petersen (Conroe ISD – Academy Raktim Bhattacharya Jeremy Rea for Science and Health) Suman Chakravorty Dr. Junuthula Reddy Mary Parker Jacob Collins Michelle Smith (Conroe ISD – Academy Above: New member Greg Loe was a co-presenter and co- Gerald Condon Nebojsa Solunac for Science and Health) author for the presentation, "Orion Entry Flight Control William Davidson Patricia Stratton Major Bjorn Sundet Modifications and Performance" at the AIAA GN&C confer- Christopher Draper Benjamin Sullivan (Civil Air Patrol) ence in Hawaii on August 18-21, 2008. The photo is from Samuel Flores Byron Wing Krystal Sims (Willow AIAA Houston Section's Annual Technical Symposium of 2007 at the NASA/JSC Gilruth Center. Michael Frostad Keith Van Tassel Creek Elementary) Below: New member Michael Frostad displays his enthusi- Timothy Fuller Arturo Vasquez Deetrice Wallace asm for manned spaceflight Tim Glover Michael Weeks (HISD) Lyndon-Michael Gordon STUDENT MEM- Congratulations to Melissa Gordon BERS: Houston chapter’s Michael Graul Faye Allen newest AIAA Associ- Gene Grush Christopher Aul ate Fellows: Neal Hammond Thomas Brenner David Hash Nick Denissen Darby Cooper David Hyland Parikshit Dutta Larry Friesen Rebecca Heller Matthew Evans John E. Hurtado Eric Hurlbert Raymond Fontenot Michael Kezirian Professor David Hyland Joseph Harvey Patrick Rodi Matthew Jessick Kevin Kreitz William West Harry Johnson Jonathan Lawrence Kanthi Kannan Agustin Maqui Robert Kowalski Brent Mayorga Monica Lee Vinh Nguyen

Update Your Membership Records Important notes: • Not a member? See the end page. Please verify your AIAA http://www.aiaa.org/ to update members, 229 student mem- member record is up to date. your member information or bers, and 88 educator associ- Nominate a Colleague Knowing where our members call customer service at 1-800- ates. As of August 1,2008, for One of AIAA's Top are working is vital to the NEW-AIAA (639-2422). there are 1202 members Awards Houston Section in obtaining which includes 869 profes- Do you know of a colleague corporate support for local You may always contact us at sional members, 243 student who has made significant AIAA activities (such as our membership@aiaa- members, and 90 educator contributions to aeronautics monthly dinner meeting, houston.org associates. or astronautics or to AIAA? workshops, etc.). Nominate them for one of The membership total from AIAA's top awards. Please take a few minutes and July 1, 2008, was 1173, which visit the AIAA website at included 856 professional Visit http://www.aiaa.org

AIAA Houston Horizons Fall 2008 Page 39 Page 40

Book Review A View From the Doghouse DOUGLAS YAZELL, PAST CHAIR

This 321-page book from 2004 was available both in hardcover and softcover when I bought my copy from the au- thor (Celeste Graves, www.celestegraves.org) at the 1940 Air Terminal Museum at Hobby Airport recently. It is my first introduction to the WASP (Women Airforce Ser- vice Pilots) of World War II. For me, it was educational, entertaining, and uplifting, with a nice mix of photographs (lots of them) and text. The full title is A View From the Doghouse of the 319th AAFWFTD, which Above: Homer Jones and Jimmy Craddock and the Doghouse, 1942. Below: The cover photograph for the book, Celeste Graves at the Doghouse, circa 1942 (photos provided by Celeste Graves)

Above: Celeste Graves, circa 2002, with Fifinella, the WASP mascot from Walt Disney. Note another book by Celeste G. Graves, Magnolia Memories.

was the Army Air Force in Sweetwater. The first class of Woman’s Flight Training De- Houston trainees were called tachment. Aviation Enterprises the Guinea Pigs, since no one won the contract and the train- would have been surprised if ing started in November of the entire program of training 1942 at Houston Municipal these women as ferry pilots Airport, whose terminal build- were cancelled. More publicity ing is now the 1940 Air Termi- has been given to the history of nal Museum at Hobby Airport. the WASP in Sweetwater, but This book’s focus is the the WASP started in Houston, three WASP classes who where their hard-earned success trained at Houston Municipal made the WASP a reality. Airport starting in November Author Celeste Graves of 1942. The first class gradu- worked for Aviation Enter- ated at Ellington Field, and the prises at the Houston Municipal last two classes graduated at Airport during the early years Avenger Field in Sweetwater, of World War II. Her office Texas, a 460-mile drive to the was a small building on the northwest from Hobby Airport. flight line with windows on A fourth class started their three sides. It was called The training in Houston and fin- Doghouse. She kept flight logs ished in Sweetwater, along for student pilots who were all with other trainees who started men and she was surprised to

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ghan hounds, standing in front of a top-of-the-line private aircraft, a Fairchild 24W (see “Odds and Ends” on page 46). It’s a privilege to get to know these WASP and some of their trainers from the sto- ries and photographs in this book. Imagine Celeste Graves’ good fortune in this regard, from the acknowledgments page in the book, “Special thanks to Mary Lou Neale, Geri Nyman, Betty Blake, Marion DeGregario, and Lois Hailey for helping me in so many ways. I may have been rather dim in their memories see the first class of women times led the target too much but they were vivid in mine!” who were later (in August of and hit the tow plane. Celeste Graves knew many of 1943) named WASP. The book consists of short them starting in 1942 and in These women were brave biographies or autobiographies the years leading up to 2004 and determined enough to be of all of these women and when this book was published. experienced pilots before their some of the male trainers. The These pages will inspire applications for this training in women were promised these and educate any reader with Houston were accepted. They jobs as military roles in ad- stories worth telling and well replaced military pilots in the vance, then were told that was told. continental USA so that those not true once they arrived, and male pilots could go overseas benefits were not awarded in combat roles. Once the until 30 years later. women graduated, they ferried Each life story in the book all kinds of military airplanes has photographs of the subject around the USA, a dangerous person, all with some photos assignment at times, some- from the 1940s, and some with times fatal. They often towed photos from as late as the targets so that soldiers could 1980s or 1990s. One of my train with anti-aircraft weap- favorites is of Marion Flor- ons. Live ammunition was sheim in the 1940’s after the used, and the soldiers some- war years with one of her Af-

Above, left: Main reception area of the 1940 Air Terminal Museum at Hobby Airport on July 19, 2008 (Wings & Wheels program, which is around the lunch hour on the 3rd Saturday of every month). Celeste Graves is seated and looking to her left, with her books and other mate- rials on the table. Above & left: Scenes from that day’s Wings & Wheels (Photos from www.1940airterminal.org)

AIAA Houston Horizons Fall 2008 Page 41 Page 42

APR Corner SCOTT LOWTHER

As manufacturer of the interesting effect of this change parachutes) this high-value Saturn V first stage, the S-IC, was the ability for the S-ID to item for refurbishment and Boeing was naturally inclined serve as a stage-and-a-half ve- reuse. to try to sell more units. To hicle, with a planned payload Standard S-IC structures, APR Corner is the first in a se- that end, Boeings designers of 50,000 or more pounds. including tanks, intertank ries of articles from Scott Low- and planners came up with As the single-stage S-ID structures, F-1 engines and ther, whose unique electronic new missions for the Saturn V consumed about 70% of its much of the thrust structure, publication is described as a and S-IC, as well as designs propellant, the valves for the would be used for the S-ID “journal devoted to the untold for modified versions of the S- outer four engines would be vehicle. However, by stretch- tales of aerospacecraft design”. IC. Perhaps the most interest- closed. The thrust structure ing the tanks a total of 20 feet, More information, including ing was the S-ID stage from would then be separated from the mass ratio could be im- subscription prices, may be 1967. Visually similar to the the forward thrust ring, and the proved, giving a total payload found at the following address: S-IC, the S-ID differed in that assembly separated from the of 65,000 pounds. It’s not the outer ring of four F-1 en- main stage. The stage would known if versions were stud- Scott Lowther gines was intended to be shut then continue on to orbit using ied using the more advanced PO Box 2220 down and dropped in flight. the central F-1 sustainer en- F-1A engines, though it’s very Elkton, MD 21922 Much as the outboard gine, which would have to op- likely that further performance [email protected] booster engines on the Atlas erate for a total of 192 seconds. gains would have been possi- www.up-ship.com were dropped, the result of this The booster engines and their ble. would be not only a reduction support structure, meanwhile, The S-ID, once in orbit, in thrust, but a major reduction would plummet towards the would have had no good way in dry weight. While this ocean. Boeing considered it to return safely to Earth for would be useful for standard technically feasible and finan- refurbishment and reuse. How- multi-stage launches, the most cially practical to recover (via ever, propellant tanks the size of the RP-1 and LOX tanks that the S-ID was equipped with would have been massively use- ful on orbit… not only for, say, deep space missions, but also as raw materials and as the basis for large “wet lab” space stations. A single launch, with a payload of densely packed space station essentials, would have formed the nucleus of a “wet lab” space station far larger and more ca- pable than Skylab or ISS… not with many launches by the Space Shuttle and the Russians, but in a single launch.

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Aerospace’s Role in the Prevention of Terrorism Dinner Meeting NICK PANTAZIS, VICE CHAIR OPERATIONS

Aerospace’s Role in the disrupt the operational proc- Prevention of Terrorism was ess of terrorists. Mr. Brink- the topic of the September 4, ley informed us that as indi- 2008 AIAA Houston Section viduals, our role in helping to dinner meeting held at the prevent terrorism is to be Johnson Space Center’s (JSC) “somewhat selfish” and keep Gilruth Center. Our guest an eye out in our neighbor- speaker was Mr. Sam Brink- hoods for uncharacteristic ley, Vice President Homeland behavior. We should under- & International, Security Ser- stand the indicators and vices Office, Wackenhut Ser- warnings of the terrorist plan- vices, Inc. Mr. Brinkley, a ning process and hold our retired marine, has served in a Local, State, and Federal offi- variety of security and training cials accountable for Preven- positions throughout his career tion, he counseled. Compa- for the Federal Aviation Ad- nies should cooperate with ministration, Department of local Law Enforcement to Energy, Department of State, support intelligence-led po- and the National Commission licing in order to help prevent on Terrorist Attacks upon the terrorism. They should also recently went to renew his Above: Mr. Sam Brinkley, Vice United States (9-11 Commis- invest in research and devel- President Homeland & Interna- sion). He has also worked opment that will reap benefits driver license. On arrival in the parking lot, he took out tional, Security Services Office, with a number of senior level across the Homeland Security Wackenhut Services US and international leaders community. Mr. Brinkley the envelope which was and currently provides coun- provided us with several ex- mailed to him as a reminder, terterrorism consulting ser- amples of what is being done and he read that a social secu- vices to several large urban to prevent terrorism at the rity card would be required. area police departments. Mr. federal, state and local levels. However, he lost his social Brinkley urged all of us as He also explained that terror- security card years ago and Americans to unite and work ists can enter our country like had not replaced it. When he from the ground up to protect an immigrant does and that went inside, he read signs on our communities and busi- security personnel, in airports the wall explaining that the nesses. He noted that on Sep- and other areas, are being only scenario requiring a so- tember 11, 2001, terrorists trained to recognize suspi- cial security card is a person successfully hit 3 of their 4 cious behavior in people’s faltering when asked to recite targets, and only missed the responses simply by talking their social security number fourth, the Capital building, with them in a casual manner. at the counter. In response to because that flight was de- Mr. Brinkley concluded his this story, Mr. Brinkley men- layed 45 minutes before fi- discussion by noting that pre- tioned that people pretending nally taking off. He pointed venting terrorism is not to be someone else can be out that we tend to forget “Rocket Science”, but it is detected, sometimes with about the role that industry and just as hard. very little effort, and that it is citizens should play in the The meeting finished extremely difficult for some- prevention of terrorism. with a lively question and one to stay in character all of Mr. Brinkley began his answer session. One person the time. He gave the exam- presentation with a video asked a question about cyber ple of James Bond the British about terrorism. He then de- attacks. Another asked about secret agent. James Bond fined prevention as the ability the recent background ques- carries many false passports, to DETER, DETECT, DIS- tionnaires required for NASA but when he arrives at his nearly impossible to stay in RUPT, and DENY a terrorist employees and some NASA destination, he goes back to character as a different per- attack. He noted that it takes contractors as well as how his James Bond identity son…even for “Bond, James an absence of complacency that information would be (“vodka martini, shaken, not Bond.” and increasing our ability to used. A third noted that he stirred”) because it would be

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EAA Corner

Meeting Schedule 2008-2009

October 25 - 26, 2008 – Wings Over Houston – EAA/AIAA Hanger Party on Saturday Only, If you are going to the air show, we have a place to drop your gear, use a real restroom and sit to watch the air show. AIAA actually has a planning committee to help – love those space guys! (AIAA’s initial publicity for an open hangar event was modified to move it to a booth on the Ramp next to the General Aviation area: the EAA/AIAA booth – look for our banners.) October 27 - 30, 2008 – EAAs B-17 Tour Houston Please e-mail if you can help volunteer for the event and please forward to anyone that might be interested in volunteering or booking a ride. Good fund raiser, but need volunteers to help the 3 days, 5 to 6 of the volunteers will be picked at random to fly on to the next stop in Austin on 30 Oct free of charge – a really outstanding prize and the odds are really great! Volunteers do not need to be aviation inclined, but what a thrill! If anyone has contacts at the local media outlets, please contact Phil Perry at [email protected] (thanks for taking this on Phil!) Need the Following Help for This Event: - Staffing: 5 people on 28 and 29 Oct (whole or half day) to help with their concession (2 sitting/trailer positions if that helps), “crowd” control (no need to be an EAA member), Hotel: Tour is looking for donated hotel rooms for the crew on 27, 28 and 29 for anyone that has connections near Ellington or even really reduced rates. Donation will get you in the raffle for the ride to the next stop. We also need some help for publicity, signs, etc. All are eligible for the ride raffle. Drawing Information: One slot per person, 1 chance per half day worked (work 2 whole days – 4 chances!), 2 Chances for a donated car for the duration (ground the kids from the car for 3 days and take advantage…(smile)), 1 chance for each 3 nights of Hotel donated (we have to have them in the same hotel). Raffle winners or their designees must: be over 18, be able to travel unassisted/alone on the airplane (requires ability to get in out and through the aircraft unassisted), provide their own travel back to Houston (carpool back?). Contact: Richard Sessions at [email protected] to sign-up or more informa- tion. Please advise as soon as possible on volunteer support so we can make sure we have enough people to cover. This event will have a lot of competition for attentions with the wonder- ful local aviation resources and the air show, but why not build on it by forwarding to everyone you can and pitching at organizations – might bring you good luck if one can believe the zillions of good luck e-mails for a lot of other things.

EAA Workshop, E-LSA Inspection and Maintenance Course – Back On for 7-9 November? – EAA had advised they can cover, but trying to determine if feasible to fill the 16 slots at this point with the delays – Will advise. Ellington? This has not really started rolling, but anyone wishing to help should contact Richard Sessions at [email protected]. I have a space at Ellington – VoloAviation, but and Todd Fowler or Bradley Aerospace is donating the E-LSA aircraft for the class. Class Information: http://www.sportair.com/workshops/Repairman%20(LSA)%20Inspection-Airplane.html Please let me know if you are interested in attending the class, even if rescheduled.

November 8, 2008, Chapter Party - Tentative, 6 to 10 PM, VoloAviation, Ellington Field, Pot- luck cookout – other volunteers if not here? – Will likely follow the E-LSA workshop unless someone wants to host.

February/March 2009 – 1940 Air Museum EAA Day – Tentative, Hobby Airport

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Recurring Events Monthly Meeting: Chapter 302 Monthly Meeting, 2nd Saturday, 10 AM, Lone Star Builder’s Center, Lone Star Executive, Conroe TX 1st Saturday of Each Month – La Grange TX BBQ Fly-In, Fayette Regional (3T5) 2nd Saturday of Each Month – Lufkin TX Fajita Fly-In (LFK) 2nd Saturday of Each Month – New Braunfels TX Pancake Fly-In 3rd Saturday of Each Month – Jasper TX BBQ Lunch Fly-In (JAS) 3rd Saturday of Each Month – Tyler TX Breakfast Fly-In, 8-11, Pounds Field (TYR) 4th Saturday of Each Month – Denton TX Tex-Mex Fly-In 4th Saturday of Each Month – Leesville LA Lunch Fly-In (L39) 4th Saturday of Each Month – Shreveport LA Lunch Fly-In (DTN)

EAA Chapter 12 Associates

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics – Lots of activities in the local area and some announcements of our meetings! www.aiaa-houston.org Houston Aviation Alliance, First Monday of each month at the Hobby Airport Hilton: www.houstonaviationalliance.com/ America’s Flyways Magazine – Local Houston Editor - Jim Hartley, A great read: www.americasflyways.com/ Collings Aviation Foundation (some great war birds including jets and barnstormer vintage): www.collingsfoundation.org/menu.htm EAA’s B-17, Aluminum Overcast: http://www.b17.org – Scheduled to be in Houston 28-29 October 2008

Chapter Mission

The Experimental Aircraft Association's Chapter 12, located at Ellington Field in Houston, is an organization that promotes all forms of recreational aviation. The organization includes inter- est in homebuilt, experimental, antique and classic, warbirds, aerobatic aircraft, ultralights, helicopters and commercially manufactured aircraft and the associated technologies. This organization brings people together with an interest in recrea- tional aviation, facilitating social interaction and info mation sharing between aviation enthusiasts. Many of the services that EAA offers provide valuable support resources for those that wish develop and improve various skills related to aircraft con- struction and restoration, piloting, aviation safety, and aviation education. Every individual and organization with an interest in aviation and aviation technology is encouraged to participate (EAA membership is not required, but encouraged). Meetings are generally from 6:30 PM to 9 PM at Ellington Field in Houston Texas. We welcome everyone. Come as you are and bring a guest; we are an all aviation friendly organization!

Contact Information Please update e-mail information, host a meeting, present a topic or sponsor an event or make recommendations, please contact: Richard Sessions at [email protected] EAA Chapter 12 Home Page: http://www.eaa12.org/ EAA National Home Page: http://www.eaa.org/

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Odds and Ends SPECIAL EVENTS, PICTORIALS, ETC.

Above: Photo from 1992 Shanghai visit by delegates from AIAA Houston section, led by James C. McLane, Jr. and Li Furong. (Photo by delegate Tuyen Hua)

Below: Chad Brinkley (Chair, AIAA Houston Section), Ellen Gillespie (Chair Elect), Dr. Gary Turner (College and Co-op Chair), and Professor Andrew Meade visit Author Celeste Graves kindly sent us a color photograph during a July 2008 meeting at Rice University of one of the WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots). Only the black and white version was published in her book A View from the Doghouse of the 319th AAFWFTD. WASP trainee Marion Flosheim is the sub- ject of this photograph. She was in the first class of WASP trainees, and they trained at what is now Hobby Airport. Marion did not graduate with the WASP for medical reasons. From the book, "She was a New Yorker and preferred to live alone, so she shared an apartment in the Warwick Hotel with the two Afghan hounds she brought with her. She was a lovely redhead and was quite a picture exercising her hounds each day... Later she took up interior decorating and was a member of the National Committee of the National Society of Interior Designers who redid the International Reception Room at the White House for President and Mrs. Eisenhower - and again refurbished it for President and Mrs. Kennedy... Marion spent her time between living in New York and France."

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Cranium Cruncher BILL MILLER, SENIOR MEMBER Last issue's problem was derived from another one given by Lewis Carroll in the year 1880. The following individuals submitted correct answers:

Sina Gibson Douglas Yazell Thomas Morrow Bob Maraia Ronny Newman Alan Simon Ludmila Dmitriev-Odier.

They all got correct answers for the payload weights (in metric tonnes), as follows:

Alpha - 5.5 Bravo - 6.5 Charlie - 7.0 Delta - 4.5 Echo - 3.5

Thanks to all who participated (a large response this time).

This issue's problem:

An JSC engineer is visiting KSC and is looking at one of the Orbiters in the Orbiter Processing Facility. He asks a technicians how old the Orbiter is. The technician replies:

"Well, I've just finished checking out the robotic arm on this Orbiter, which was installed quite a while after the orbiter was delivered. So, to answer your question, this Orbiter is twice as old as its arm was when the Orbiter was as old as its arm is now."

Seeing the baffled look on the engineer's face, the tech adds "Also, the combined age of the arm and the Orbiter is 30 years."

How old is the Orbiter?

Send your solutions to Bill Miller at [email protected] Names of the solvers, references, and the answer will be given in the next isue.

AIAA Houston Horizons Fall 2008 Page 47 Non-Profit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID Houston Section PERMIT NO. 1 P.O. Box 57524 Webster , Texas Webster, TX 77598

AIAA Mission & Vision Statement

The shaping, dynamic force in aerospace - THE forum for innovation, excellence and global leadership. AIAA advances the state of aerospace science, engineering, and technological leadership. Core missions include communications and advocacy, products and programs, membership value, and market and workforce development.

The World's Forum for Aerospace Leadership

Become a Member of AIAA

Are you interested in becoming a member of AIAA, or renewing your membership? You can fill out your membership application online at the AIAA national web site:

www.aiaa.org

Select the AIAA membership option.

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