Nov. 4, 2013 Vol. 53, No. 20 Spaceport News John F. Kennedy Space Center - America’s gateway to the universe SpaceX preps for 2014 abort test By Rebecca Regan Spaceport News

n preparation for a summer I2014 test, NASA partner Space Exploration Technolo- gies (SpaceX) recently laid out its plan to demonstrate the Dragon spacecraft’s ability to carry astronauts to safety in the event of an in-flight emer- gency. This review of the in-flight abort test plan provided an assessment of the Dragon’s SuperDraco engines, the soft- ware that would issue the abort command, and the interface between the Dragon and the Falcon 9 rocket on which the spacecraft will be launched. “It’s critical to have a launch abort system in which NASA and SpaceX can have confi- dence,” said Phil McAlister, director of Commercial Space- flight Development at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. The in-flight abort test will take place along Florida’s Space Coast. During the test, a Dragon spacecraft will launch on a standard Falcon 9 rocket and an abort command will Photo courtesy of SpaceX SpaceX displays its launch abort test Dragon capsule in September at its headquarters in Hawthorne, Calif., in preparations for its sched- uled in-flight abort test which will take place along Florida’s Space Coast in Summer 2014. For more information about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and its aerospace industry partners, click on the photo. be issued approximately 73 will deploy for a splashdown in Commercial Crew Integrated seconds into the flight. Dragon the Atlantic, where a ship will Capability (CCiCap). The com- will be outfitted with about be pre-positioned for simulated pany is on track to complete all 270 special sensors to measure rescue operations. The test 15 of its CCiCap milestones by a wide variety of stresses and spacecraft will be returned to the summer of 2014. All NA- acceleration effects on the Port Canaveral by barge so data SA’s industry partners, includ- 2013 Combined Federal spacecraft. An instrumented can be retrieved and incorpo- ing SpaceX, continue to meet Campaign gets mannequin, similar to a crash rated into the system’s design. their established milestones in underway, Page 8 test dummy, also will be inside. This review was the eighth developing commercial crew The spacecraft’s parachutes milestone for SpaceX under transportation capabilities. Page 2 SPACEPORT NEWS Nov. 4, 2013 MIST takes ride on airborne Cloud Lab By Linda Herridge Spaceport News

mission to study how Earth’s .atmo- A sphere affects microbes has brought together researchers from Kennedy Space Center’s Space Life Sciences Laboratory (SLSL) and engineers from the center’s Rocket Uni- versity (RU). In September, a meteorological airship containing a “Cloud Lab” flew over Ken- nedy’s Shuttle Landing Facility carrying components of NASA’s Microorganisms in the Stratosphere (MIST) experiment. According to principal investigator David J. Smith, a microbiologist in Kennedy’s Engineering and Technology directorate, MIST has two goals. One is to collect microorganisms at high alti- tudes. The other is to intentionally expose microorganisms to the atmosphere to understand how they survive while aloft. NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis Microbes get into the atmosphere in a A meteorological airship flies over Launch Complex 39 past the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center on variety of ways. Winds are the primary Sept. 19. A team of scientists from project “Cloud Lab” are conducting a number of experiments aboard the airship as it flies across the U.S., including NASA’s Microorganisms in the Stratosphere (MIST). mechanism for lofting debris or dust particles off the ground, plant surfaces, tist from the University of Florida and standpoint, microorganisms are roads and deserts. Solar heating also co-investigator on MIST, is working on present on spacecraft at the time of causes air to rise, carrying fine particles related research at Kennedy. launch,” Schuerger said. “They’re in of organic matter, dust or microorgan- “Why does NASA care about airborne very low numbers because the Planetary isms. microbes? From a planetary exploration Protection Program within NASA spends MIST was developed at Kennedy and a great deal of effort to develop protocols will be flown at even higher altitudes to keep the microbial contamination on next year. In addition to MIST measure- spacecraft to very, very low levels." ments, Cloud Lab scientists are conduct- Schuerger’s background is in microbi- ing several other experiments as ology, plant pathology and astrobiology. the airship flies across the U.S., Currently, he is using a Mars Simulation exploring various aspects of the Earth’s Chamber to study how bacteria found on atmosphere. spacecraft may survive and potentially Smith said the relationship between the proliferate on the surface of Mars. MIST team and Rocket University has According to Schuerger, knowing been a great collaboration. Founded at which microbes can survive in Earth’s Kennedy more than two years ago, RU's dry and radiation-rich atmosphere may goal is to provide engineers and scien- improve our understanding of which spe- tists at the center with more flight system cies might survive on a planet like Mars. and hands-on experience and to move As NASA begins to explore outside concepts quickly through the mission life of low-Earth orbit with humans once cycle. again, microorganisms are very benefi- “We will piggyback on just about cial in human activity, whether it’s in the any opportunity we have to get into the human body itself or whether it's in a upper atmosphere,” Smith said. “RU’s plant-growing system that might be used Near Space Program, which launches to regenerate oxygen, water or food for balloons into the stratosphere, will allow NASA/Daniel Casper humans. us to tackle a variety of engineering and Inside the Space Life Sciences Laboratory near Kennedy "In that case, microbes would be Space Center, Dr. David J. Smith, a microbiologist in the scientific goals.” Surface Systems Office, prepares microbes for the Microor- very beneficial to human exploration," Andrew Schuerger, a research scien- ganisms in the Stratosphere (MIST) mission. Schuerger said. Nov. 4, 2013 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 3 Adversity intrinsic to spaceflight testing By Steven Siceloff controlled models in the early Curatorial Affairs for the Na- the fuselage. The third, the left Spaceport News stages of development for more tional Air and Space Museum. side’s gear, stayed retracted. radical aircraft, but it took full- “There’s theoretical work that The spacecraft touched down ierra Nevada Corpora- size planes and risks to prove needs to be done. There’s design on the concrete and then tried to tion (SNC) of Louisville, S the ideas, sometimes at tragic and review that’s mostly done compensate for the stuck land- Colo., conducted a promising costs. by computers and people oper- ing gear by keeping itself level first flight of its developmental “It isn’t that you expect any- ating equipment and then there’s as long as it could before grav- Dream Chaser spacecraft thing to go wrong,” said Peter the process of actually testing ity forced it on its side and the during a glide test Oct. 26. Merlin, historian at NASA’s hardware. Ultimately, there’s aircraft skidded off the runway. While failure of one of its land- Dryden Flight Research Center a full-size vehicle that has to “What we saw, which made ing wheels to deploy correctly adjacent to be tested in us pretty pleased, was the dealt a harsh blow to the full- Edwards real condi- vehicle’s command and control scale engineering model that and home “The idea is to mitigate tions, and system kept the vehicle from made the flight, it is thought to to decades the risks as much as possible, if you don’t lowering itself to the runway on be repairable. The test did not of cutting- do all those that side as energy dissipated,” include a pilot and produced no but you have to accept edge test some degree of risk. steps, you’re said Mark Sirangelo, vice presi- injuries or significant damage flights that probably not dent and head of Sierra Nevada to the runway at Edwards Air stretched The only time the plane going to be Corporation’s Space Systems. Force Base in California. the limits of is truly safe is when it’s in the able to fly a “That was pretty special and In the 110-year history of aerospace hangar and you don’t fly.” vehicle suc- pretty advanced and we had no aerospace, such test flights have design and Peter Merlin, cessfully.” idea how to test that and now been critically important for engineering. Historian, NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center In the we do.” advancing aviation and human “The idea is Oct. 26 Sirangelo said Sierra Nevada spaceflight. to mitigate test, SNC Corporation is taking the same In 1903, the Wright Brothers the risks as much as possible but simulated the final phase of the long-view after Dream Chaser’s had extremely limited tech- you have to accept some degree spacecraft returning from orbit free-flight testing. nology to forecast how their of risk. The only time the plane to land on a runway. Steered “This won’t set us back. We flying machines would work, is truly safe is when it’s in the by its software instead of an may even accelerate,” Siran- so they had to build aircraft and hangar and you don’t fly.” onboard or remote pilot, the gelo said. “The landing issue is fly them themselves. Into the In recent decades, computers, Dream Chaser adjusted its glide certainly one we wouldn’t have latter half of the 20th century, math models and ever-more- slope from 50 degrees to about liked to have had, but we got designers couldn’t be sure how sophisticated wind tunnel 29 degrees a few seconds after it terrific data on this lifting body. their concepts would work until testing alleviated many levels was released from a helicopter. It was rock solid and we are a pilot was at the controls of of testing, but the real world The Dream Chaser leveled out surprised how well it performed. the most sophisticated aircraft remains the ultimate proving further as it neared the runway. Clearly, it’s a good design for of the age. This included the ground. Dream Chaser lifted its nose this type of activity. With the X-1 experimental aircraft that “Getting a vehicle ready to fly up and an automatic command flight data, we might bring broke the sound barrier and the is sort of a three-step process,” to deploy its landing gear went it back earlier, and in some prototype space shuttle Enter- said Roger Launius, associate out, though only two of the strange way, we may accelerate prise. Designers used remote- director for Collections and three mechanisms emerged from development.”

NASA Archives NASA’s North American X-15 lands at Edwards Air Force Base in California during one of NASA’s flight testing programs in the early 1960s. Page 4 SPACEPORT NEWS Nov. 4, 2013 Nov. 4, 2013 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 5 Carpenter’s travels: ocean floor to low-Earth orbit By Bob Granath U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. Recent globe. Launched May 24, 1962, Car- time, the initiation of retrofire the ocean floor. During that Spaceport News trips to Kennedy Space Center penter described the initial seconds was slightly late,” Carpenter time, he spoke directly with included the February 2012 celebra- of being in space five minutes and said. “After receiving a count- astronauts Gordon Cooper s the second American to tion of the first American orbital 24 seconds after liftoff. down to retrofire from the and Charles Conrad during orbit the Earth and one A spaceflights. “The best cues to the end of pow- California (tracking station) the eight-day Gemini 5 of the “Original 7” Mercury “It is a special pleasure to go back ered flight were weightlessness and capcom, I waited two seconds mission in August 1965. astronauts, Scott Carpenter is to where the times were so magical,” absolute silence,” he said. “(Weight- and then punched the manual Carpenter returned to one of the icons of NASA’s Carpenter said during activities at lessness) was very pleasant, a great retrofire button. About one NASA as executive assistant early efforts to explore the Kennedy’s visitor complex. freedom and I adapted to it quickly.” second after that, I felt the first to the director of the Manned new frontier of space. Before his own trip into space, In addition to continued tests of retrorocket fire.” Spacecraft Center (now Carpenter died Oct. 11 at Carpenter served as backup for the Mercury spacecraft, Carpenter Aurora 7 splashed down Johnson Space Center) and the age of 88 from compli- astronaut John Glenn’s flight. As conducted a number of scientific about 250 miles downrange of was active in underwater crew cations following a recent the capsule communicator in Cape experiments during his four-hour, the targeted location. A recov- training for spacewalks and stroke. He had been living in Canaveral Air Force Station’s 54-minute flight. He studied how ery aircraft spotted Carpenter the design of the Apollo lunar Vail, Colo. Launch Pad 14 blockhouse, Carpen- liquids behave in weightlessness, in a raft next to the capsule module. “The world mourns the ter wished his close friend a safe conducted observations of the air- 30 minutes later. A Navy In 1967, Carpenter returned passing of Scott Carpenter,” mission. glow layer of the atmosphere, and helicopter soon picked up the to the Navy’s Deep Submer- said NASA Administrator “Godspeed, John Glenn,” he said photographed terrestrial features. astronaut for a trip to the air- gence Systems Project as Charles Bolden. “As one of seconds before liftoff. Carpenter gave a vivid description craft carrier USS Intrepid. director of Aquanaut Opera- the original Mercury 7 astro- In a statement following Car- of his observations of the Earth. “Overall, I believe the tions during the SEALAB III nauts, he was in the first van- penter’s passing, the last remaining “The sunrises and sunsets were MA-7 flight can be considered experiment. After retirement guard of our space program member of the Mercury 7 responded the most beautiful and spectacular another successful step on the from the Navy two years later, -- the pioneers who set the similarly. events of the flight,” he said. “Un- road to the development of a Carpenter founded and was tone for our nation’s pioneer- “Godspeed, Scott Carpenter, a like those on Earth, the sunrises and useful and reliable manned chief executive officer of Sea ing efforts beyond Earth and great friend,” said Glenn. “You are sunsets in orbit were the same. The spacecraft system,” Carpenter Sciences Inc., a corporation accomplished so much for our missed.” sharply defined bands of color at the said after the flight. active in developing programs nation.” Carpenter was born in Boulder, horizon were brilliant.” Speaking during Ken- aimed at enhanced utiliza- A frequent visitor to Flor- NASA file/1962 Colo., May 1, 1925. He earned a Another discovery of the flight of nedy ceremonies celebrating tion of ocean resources and Scott Carpenter is assisted into his pressure suit in the crew quarters of Hangar S at Cape ida’s Space Coast, Carpenter bachelor’s degree in aeronautical Aurora 7 was resolution of the mys- the 50th anniversary of his improved health of Earth. NASA file/1962 Canaveral Air Force Station before the morning of the flight of Mercury Atlas 7, May 24, 1962. was a charter member of the engineering from the University of tery of Glenn’s “fireflies.” During and Glenn’s orbital flights, In pursuit of these and other objectives, he worked closely “Liftoff was unmistakable,” said Scott Colorado in 1949. America’s first orbital flight, Glenn Carpenter emphasized that the Carpenter, who was boosted to space After being commissioned as an reported small particles that looked entire Project Mercury team at with the French oceanogra- May 24, 1962, atop an Atlas rocket for his officer in the U.S. Navy, Carpenter like lightning bugs, appearing to be NASA centers and contractors pher Jacques Cousteau. three orbits of the Earth. was designated a naval aviator in luminous, surrounding his spacecraft around the nation made the April 1951. During the Korean War, “A number of times during the program successful. he flew missions in the area of the flight, I observed the particles “It was not a solo effort,” Yellow Sea, the Formosa Straits and reported by John Glenn,” Carpen- Carpenter said. “It took South China Sea. He later attended ter said. “They appeared to be like thousands of people to get (us) the Navy Test Pilot School at Patux- snowflakes. I believed that they safely up there and back.” ent River, Md., and in 1954, was reflected sunlight and were not truly In addition to being one of assigned to the Electronics Test Di- luminous.” America’s first space ex- vision of the Naval Air Test Center. As Carpenter reached for an in- plorers, Carpenter also held Carpenter was selected as one strument at dawn on the third orbit, the distinction of being an of the Mercury astronauts in April he inadvertently hit the wall of the aquanaut, having participated 1959. Along with his six colleagues, capsule and a cloud of particles flew in the U.S. Navy’s Man-in he underwent intensive training for by the window. The “fireflies” turned the-Sea Project. During the what then was unknown -- whether out to be particles of ice and frost. summer of 1965, he took a or not humans could survive in While most systems had worked leave of absence from NASA space. well during the flight of Aurora 7, to participate in the SEALAB Following two suborbital Mercury the pitch horizon scanner malfunc- II program off the coast of flights and Glenn’s mission to orbit tioned at retrofire. Additionally, La Jolla, Calif. NASA/Kim Shiflett the Earth three times, Carpenter was firing of the capsule’s retrorockets As part of the 45-day Lifelong friends Scott Carpenter, left, and John Glenn pose at the Kennedy Space Center NASA file/1959 Visitor Complex in front of a Mercury spacecraft used in an unpiloted flight test. They were on NASA’s original seven astronauts inspect a Mercury model April 30, 1959. From left are Gus Grissom, Alan Shepard, Scott Carpenter, assigned to Mercury Atlas-7 (MA-7), was delayed. experiment, Carpenter spent hand to participate in celebrations of the 50th anniversary of their orbital flights. Glenn was Walter Schirra, Deke Slayton, John Glenn and Gordon Cooper. also slated for three circuits of the “Although retro sequence came on 30 days living and working on the first American to orbit the Earth on Feb. 20, 1962. Carpenter followed on May 24, 1962. Page 6 SPACEPORT NEWS Nov. 4, 2013 Scenes Around Kennedy Space Center

NASA The 2013 Combined Federal Campaign will run from Oct. 28 to Nov. 22. This year’s CFC cabinet members are, back row from left, Patrick Smith, Bonni McClure, Laurie Brown, Patty Hepburn, Steven Gilmore, Bobbi Gnan, Bob Cabana, Ian Kappes, Shamika Hamilton, Leslie Kelley, Kimberly Cross, Ralph Fritsche, Kari Heminger-Sperna, and Chris Hummel. Front row, from left are, Jennifer Stahre, Amanda Griffin, Tracey Drake, Rose Dougherty, Michele Richtmeyer, and Courtney Cannon.

NASA/Kim Shiflett Technicians install a new roller bearing on crawler-transporter 2 (CT 2) inside Kennedy’s Vehicle Assembly Building Sept. 10. For more than a year, NASA’s CT 2 has been undergo- NASA ing a major tuneup. The work has included addition of upgraded components, including Carol Craig, founder, president, CEO, and CFO of Craig Technologies, accepts the the redesigned and upgraded roller bearings. Under the oversight of Kennedy’s Ground Kathleen P. Sridhar Small Business Executive of the Year Award Sept. 25 in Springfield, Systems Development and Operations Program office, the modifications are designed to Va., from Kennedy Space Center Deputy Director Janet Petro, left, and National Defense ensure CT 2’s ability to transport greater loads anticipated with the agency’s new Space Industrial Association President and CEO Larry Farrell Jr., USAF (Ret). The award is Launch System. The launch vehicle is designed to take astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit named in honor of Dr. Kathleen P. Sridhar, who was a small business CEO of uncommon for the first time since the early 1970s. ability and accomplishment.

NASA Employees of the Year: 2013

NASA/Tony Gray Employees of the Year for 2013 are, from left, Jennifer E. Van Den Driessche, Ground Processing; Dung H. Trang, Center Operations; Rogelio Curiel, Procurement; Patrick J. Maloney, Engineering and Technology; Matthew A. Bzura, Human Resources; John E. Newport; Safety and Mission Assurance; Nicole L. Dawkins, Engineering and Technology; Bryan G. Onate, ISS and Spacecraft Processing; and Dana M. Hutcherson, Commercial Crew Program. Not pictured are Bradley W. Smith, Chief Council; Sheryl D. Koller, Education and External Relations; Michael P. Porta, Chief Financial Officer Office; Stephen K. Cox, Ground Systems Development and Operations; Nancy L. Bray, Public Affairs; and Laura A. Ulrich, Launch Services Program. Nov. 4, 2013 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 7

NASA/Cory Huston Center Director Bob Cabana welcomed counterintelligence agents from NASA’s 10 centers to Kennedy Space Center on Sept. 17 for three days of training. Agents refine counterintelligence skills By Linda Herridge interest target for stealing technology,” various CI community members, including Spaceport News said Darrell Slone, NASA’s CI program the FBI and the Naval Criminal Investiga- director in Washington, D.C. tive Service. The meeting also included errorism threats are on the rise Created 10 years ago, the CI program’s updates on policies and operational issues throughout the world and safety re- T primary focus is education and awareness. and how to better coordinate efforts across mains the No. 1 priority at NASA. “Whether it’s a tailored briefing for the the centers. Protecting workers, missions, and assets center director, a foreign travel briefing for “Trying to prevent threats from foreign at all NASA centers always has been the one of our engineers traveling abroad, or intelligence has never been greater. We are top priority of the NASA Office of Protec- a meeting to discuss technology develop- spending a lot of time on cyber issues,” tive Services. ment, our program strives to provide the Slone said. To that end, NASA counterintelligence workforce with the information they need “Face-to-face meetings help to solidify (CI) agents from the agency’s 10 centers to thwart possible future collection efforts relationships with our counterparts,” Slone converged on Kennedy Space Center on by foreign entities,” said Ron Storey, said. “It’s very important and also helpful Sept. 17 for three days of intensive training Kennedy’s lead counterintelligence special to work with other agencies. It creates a sessions and briefings designed to improve agent. good support system.” their skills. Intelligence officers participated in brief- Slone said the goal is to help prevent “NASA’s high visibility and technology ings about cybersecurity issues, counter- incidents. “We want NASA to know it has programs make the agency a high-priority- terrorism and counterintelligence from someone to turn to.” Officials: Economic opportunities pepper spaceport By Steven Siceloff novation into a marketable product for uses They refined the technology to target spe- Spaceport News other than spaceflight. cific audiences and began manufacturing Kennedy’s Mike Lester, Research and and selling them. ommercial enterprises and partnerships Technology Partnership manager, said there “If you’re not a little jealous, you ought increasingly are taking advantage of C are plenty of examples of each working out to be,” Lester said. economic opportunities at Kennedy Space successfully. As the event progressed, business Center and the agency is eager to add to “We believe collaborating with Kennedy specialists detailed how entrepreneurs and the tally, center officials recently told the Economic Development Commission of in research and technology can provide you businesses can make their own success Florida’s Space Coast during a session with commercial advantages in the market- stories with partnerships, including using focused on technology transfer. place,” Lester told the audience at a Cocoa NASA grants to develop a business model “I hope today will lead to establishing Beach convention center near the Florida and plans that apply to the agency’s desired new partnerships,” said Karen Thompson, spaceport. goals. The proposals are judged competi- chief technologist at Kennedy. “NASA He noted several success stories, includ- tively on a number of factors. really is passionate about establishing ing a group of college students who worked “The heaviest weight is the technical external partners. It helps us do a better job with Kennedy on a class assignment to and scientific merit,” said Joni Richards, with our development.” develop a hypothetical business case. Technology Infusion manager at Kennedy. All of NASA’s field centers have tech- “Did the students just turn in their as- “What can really push them over the edge nology transfer programs that focus on signment, get their grade and walk away?” is the commercialization plans.” their different specialties. The partnerships Lester asked. “No. They formed a startup Center Director Bob Cabana said, “I the agency has in mind fall roughly into company called the Juntura Group and then think we can share information and figure two areas: businesses working closely with immediately entered into partnership with out what you need to do to be part of this NASA scientists or resources to develop Kennedy.” exciting future on the Space Coast. Even new technology benefitting spaceflight, and With the agreement, the company had though we’re a launch center, we also do a enterprises that adapt an existing NASA in- exclusive rights to sell position sensors. lot of technology development at KSC.” Page 8 SPACEPORT NEWS Nov. 4, 2013 NASA touts CFC counting on George Low Kennedy workers awardees he 2013 KSC Combined Federal Campaign started Oct. 28, providing us the opportunity to help our community by par- Spaceport News Report T ticipating. This year’s campaign will run through Nov. 22. RS Federal Technical Ser- The slogan, “You Can COUNT on KSC,” voices our response Uvices Inc., the institutional to the requests for aid from local, national, and international services contractor at Kennedy charities. Space Center, is one of two This year, NASA is striving for the highest participation ever NASA/Jim Grossmann companies that has received for the agency. You can make a one-time donation of any amount URS Program Manager Larry Ostarly, left, NASA’s premier honor for and URS Deputy General Manager Jim or select a payroll deduction to any number of charities. Talk to quality and performance, the McCarthy show off the George M. Low your organization’s CFC cabinet member or, for more informa- George M. Low Award. Award their company recently won. tion, go to http://cfc.ksc.nasa.gov. NASA recognized URS of subcontractors, URS maintains Germantown, Md., in the large 1,250 facilities, roadways, Did you know . . . business award category and railroad tracks and an airfield; ATA Engineering Inc. of San Giving up one coffee ($3) per week could provide 17 days of adult care provides utilities, indoor cli- Diego, Calif., in the small busi- to a senior suffering from Alzheimer’s OR provide 15 nights of shelter for a mate control, life support and ness award category. According domestic violence victim? propellant storage; conducts to the award, both companies non-destructive evaluation; Giving up a sandwich ($5) per week could give counseling to six share a commitment to team- cleans, samples and calibrates individuals experiencing domestic violence, helping put them on the path to work, technical and managerial components; and coordinates safety OR deliver meals to three home-bound seniors? excellence, safety, and cus- logistics. tomer service Giving up a fast-food meal ($7) per week could provide 12 hours of “NASA’s industry partners Evaluators cited URS’ coaching and supervision to individuals with disabilities, allowing them to are crucial in our work to reach automation initiative, which live independently OR serve 121 meals to families and individuals struggling new destinations and expand deployed tablet computers to to make ends meet? our nation’s capabilities, and employees to reduce their pa- perwork burden; its process for Giving up a pizza delivery ($10) per week could employ one person we’re happy to recognize these with a disability OR provide 130 nights of supportive housing, helping people two companies with the high ensuring customer satisfaction; to find a permanent and safe place to live? honor of the George M. Low and the breadth of its safety Award,” NASA Administrator program in an industrial envi- Giving up a movie ($15) per week could serve 10 seniors with meals at Charles Bolden said. “Their ronment with so many potential a Senior Lunch site, providing nutritious food and necessary socialization success both in space and on hazards. OR provide more than 700 hours of teaching to children with learning disabilities, catering the teaching style to the child’s learning style? the ground has demonstrated ATA Engineering Inc. sup- ported development of the excellence and innovation that Giving up a dinner out ($20) per week could support one mentor match will help us reach our challeng- Mars Science Laboratory and for at-risk kids OR assist six homeless veterans with basic supplies, such ing goals and keep America the its robotic rover, Curiosity, at as tents and flashlights, and provide them the resources to come out of leader in space exploration.” NASA’s Jet Propulsion Labora- homelessness? With 1,100 employees and tory in Pasadena, Calif. Looking up and ahead . . . John F. Kennedy Space Center * All times are Eastern

Nov. 18 Spaceport News Mission: Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) Atlas V Spaceport News is an official publication of the Kennedy Space Center. Contributions are Launch Vehicle: welcome and should be submitted three weeks before publication to Public Affairs, IMCS-440. Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Email submissions can be sent to [email protected]. Launch Pad: Space Launch Complex 41 Managing editor ...... Chris Hummel Launch Time: 1:28 to 3:28 p.m. Editor ...... Frank Ochoa-Gonzales Description: MAVEN is the first mission devoted to understanding Mars’ Assistant editor ...... Linda Herridge upper atmosphere. The mission’s goal is to determine the role that loss of Copy editor ...... Kay Grinter atmospheric gas to space played in changing the Martian climate through time. Editorial support provided by Abacus Technology Corp. Writers Group. NASA at KSC on the Web, at http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy To watch a NASA launch online, go to http://www.nasa.gov/ntv. SP-2013-10-251-KSC • NASA Kennedy Space Center Public Affairs