Ames Appoints New Deputy Director Place at NASA” During His First All-Hands Address As Center Director

National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA

May 2006 Worden gives rousing address; predicts strong future for Ames “Ames is the template for the new ministrator of NASA, who hailed opportunities for Ames to play a vital NASA,” declared Simon P. (Pete) Worden as a “world-class scientist” and role in space exploration. military leader. “There are lots of Silicon Valley ven- Mark, who said he first met Worden ture philanthropists who want to part- 28 years ago when he was the secretary ner with us,” Worden ventured. He said of the Air Force and Worden was an Air in order to succeed, Ames will have to Force captain, described Worden as “a move quickly to implement new pro- bit of a philosopher.” grams and take on new ventures. “Actually, he's a zen master,” “I'm interested in seeing how we quipped Mark. He then presented can do things quickly,” Worden said. “If Worden with the Ames badge that he we do that, I think we can succeed in wore 30 years ago when he served as the space exploration.” center's third director. In addition to space exploration,

NASA photo by Dominic Hart As Ames moves ahead to expand its Worden also said there are “real oppor- role in space exploration, Worden said tunities in aeronautics” and that he wants the focus of the center should remain on to expand the center's partnership with its scientific and technical expertise, the Department of Defense. while working with other partners in One such opportunity Worden said government, in the private sector and in he was interested in pursuing involved other nations. He said there are a lot of continued on page 2

Pete Worden declared Ames “the coolest Ames appoints new deputy director place at NASA” during his first all-hands address as center director. NASA Ames Research Center Di- NASA Administrator Michael Griffin on rector Simon “Pete” Worden announced April 21, 2006. Christensen assumed his on May 11 that he had named Marvin new duties on May 14. Worden, Ames' newly appointed 10th He has served as the acting center center director, during a well-received director for the past two and a half all-hands meeting on May 5. “In my months pending Worden's arrival from opinion, Ames is the coolest place at the University of Arizona, Tucson, where NASA.” he was a research professor of astronomy. Addressing a capacity audience gathered in the main auditorium for his "Chris has provided experienced first meeting with Ames employees, leadership as acting program manager Worden predicted a strong role for the of the Robotic Lunar Exploration Pro- center as NASA implements the Vision gram (RLEP) since coming to Ames in for Space Exploration. September 2005," said Worden. "In that “Mike Griffin has sent me here to NASA photo by Dominic Hart role, he has been instrumental in regain- expand the center, so there won't be any ing a true mission management role for job cuts,” Worden asserted to enthusias- continued on page 2 tic applause. Worden, who arrived at the center the day before, explained that his remarks contained his “preliminary thoughts” on the state of the center and On the Inside . . . that he would deliver a much more com- Newly appointed Ames Deputy Center Page 3 - Ames tests heat shield samples prehensive briefing to employees in a Director Marvin “Chris” Christensen is Page 5 - Ames spacecraft to look few weeks after he has settled into his looking forward to his new role. for valuable ice at Moon’s new job. A retired U.S. Air Force brigadier south pole general who worked as a research pro- “Chris” Christensen to serve as his Page 7 - ‘Federal employees at the Park’ fessor of astronomy at the University of deputy director. Page 9 - Ames celebrates Earth Day Arizona prior to coming to Ames, Worden was appointed NASA Page 12 - Ames’ emergency crews help Worden was introduced by Hans Mark, Ames Research Center director by pilot land safely. a former Ames director and deputy ad-

www.nasa.gov Worden gives rousing address; predicts strong future for Ames continued from front page 'air launches' whereby rockets would be He called the agreement between Asked if he would be able to “restore dropped from the back of an airplane. Ames and Google Inc., a “neat idea” and prosperity” to Ames, Worden said he He suggested the procedure might be a said that he would like to work with the will do everything he can. Silicon Valley icon in space exploration. “I'm sure as heck going to try,” At the conclusion of his remarks, Worden said. “I'm going to fight as hard Worden received a standing ovation and as I can.” prolonged applause from the crowd. BY MIKE MEWHINNEY Ames appoints new deputy director continued from front page the center and in kicking off our efforts by building on our traditional areas of in the area of small satellites, which I excellence, expanding our business base think will be key to our future." and pursuing creative use of our facili- NASA photo by Dominic Hart Prior to coming to Ames, ties.” Hans Mark, left, a former Ames director and Christensen served as a senior manager Christensen succeeds Steven deputy administrator of NASA, presented at Lockheed Martin, and he also brings Zornetzer, who served as acting deputy Worden with the Ames badge that he wore 30 40 years of experience at NASA Head- center director in addition to his duties years ago when he served as the center's third director. quarters, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, as deputy director for research since NASA field centers and the aerospace August 2005. “viable approach” for supplying the In- industry. “With Chris and Steve at the helm, ternational Space Station and also might “I am delighted that Pete Worden the center was able to navigate its way tie in to exploration. has demonstrated his confidence in me through turbulent times and we find Turning to the status of the Strato- by naming me as his deputy director,” ourselves closer to our goals as a result spheric Observatory for Infrared As- Christensen said. “I look forward to of their skill and dedication,” Worden tronomy (SOFIA), Worden voiced cau- working with him to strengthen Ames said. tious optimism. BY MIKE MEWHINNEY “I know there's a lot of concern about SOFIA here and I think there's a recogni- tion of how important it is at Headquar- ters,” Worden said. “I hope to get some New goals outlined for safety good news soon.” Worden also said the center's exper- and health Improvement tise in astrobiology, nanotechnology and The Executive Safety Committee causes of injury by adopting protec- robotics would serve it well in helping approved goals for improvement of tive measures in your daily activity. define Ames's role in space exploration. safety and health at Ames during 2006. The second centerwide goal is to “I have a vision that in a few de- cades when astronauts travel to another These goals include two new center- ‘update the interim control measures planet and walk into a space habitat, wide goals, continued commitment to for our x-files.’ No, this does not mean there will be a robot there with a martini the five Ames Safety Accountability we are restricting a certain television -- made with lunar material,” Worden Program (ASAP) metrics to ensure show, or that we've become the branch joked. superior safety performance, and, for of government that monitors para- He also touched on the Kepler the first time, a specific safety improve- normal phenomena. The center's x- project, calling the mission's search for ment goal within each directorate. files are a list of safety hazards, which other Earth-like planets “incredibly The first new goal is to “improve require specific financial arrange- neat,” and said it represented an area of awareness of injury and occupational ments for resolution, such as install- possible expansion for Ames, as would illness trends.” Examples of occupa- ing stair railings. Since the need does the center's research in near-Earth ob- jects and asteroids, which he jokingly tional injuries include slips, trips and not necessarily produce the necessary described as “the pet rocks of the uni- falls; back injuries and chemical funds to correct the safety hazard, in- verse.” splashes. terim control measures are instituted. Worden also predicted strong roles Occupational illnesses include Such an interim control measure can in information technology for Ames. “In- hearing loss and repetitive trauma vary, depending on need, from post- formation technology is the most pow- disorders such as carpal tunnel syn- ing a warning sign to closing a facility. erful factor in our lives,” Worden said. drome. You can expect to hear from Supervisors have been asked to re- “Space is about getting information and your supervisor about the center's view all the x-file issues in their orga- generating information.” monthly ‘Safety Snapshot’ of injuries nization and make sure the interim He said he wants to see Ames retain and illnesses in your bi-monthly safety control measure has been updated NASA Research Park and the airfield, calling them “incredibly valuable as- meetings. By being aware of signifi- within the past 12 months. sets” and he pledged to strongly advo- cant trends, you can avoid common BY PAUL DAVIS, SHELLEEN LOMAS, cate retaining them. AND STAN PHILLIPS

Astrogram 2 May 2006 Ames shows media how CEV heat shield materials were tested During a recent visit to the center, The big disk will be attached to the base and Ames's Ernie Fretter made presen- local news media representatives of the cone-shaped CEV crew capsule. tations. Reporters interviewed Ames en- learned that Ames is playing a vital role Initial tests of materials that could gineers, scientists and technicians as well be used in the as Reuther, Fretter and George Sarver, heat shield for who leads Ames’s CEV support office. the new space- The CEV heat shield must protect ship were re- the capsule and its astronaut crew from cently com- the searing heat that develops during pleted in Ames' flight through the atmosphere when re- arc jet facility. turning from either low-Earth orbit, or Reporters from the moon. As it streaks into Earth's and television atmosphere after a trip to the moon, the cameras from all heat shield of NASA's spaceship of the NASA photo by Cesar Acosta but one Bay future must endure searing tempera- Area TV station tures capable of melting any metal. watched as en- The Ames arc jet tests are among the gineers and first steps NASA Ames is taking to de- technicians fired sign and test a new space exploration up their arc jet system that will return human beings to apparatus and the moon and support later missions to conducted a Mars. Several other NASA facilities Arc jet test at the NASA Ames Interaction Heating Facility (IHF) (top view) with simulated test across the nation also are taking part in thermal protection system (TPS) material coupon glowing after test completion. run of hockey- the development effort. The tests are a critical part of developing new TPS materials. puck-size Additional information about samples in what NASA's effort to develop a new space- in the creation and testing of the 16.5- resembles a 'room-size blowtorch.' ship is on the World Wide Web at: http:/ foot (5-meter) diameter, Frisbee-shaped Ames’s James Reuther, project man- /www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/ex- heat shield for NASA's new spaceship, ager for the CEV Thermal Protection ploration/main/index.html the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV). System Advanced Development Project BY JOHN BLUCK

Science fair winners visit Exploration Center

NASA award winners of the 2006 Synopsys Silicon Valley Science and Engineering Technology Championship join NASA researchers Karen Gundy- Burlet, left, of code TI, and Anthony Colaprete, right, of code SST, for a visit to Ames on May 4. A NASA judging team chose the winners from nearly 1,000 students who displayed their projects in March at the San Jose Convention Center.

NASA photo by Dominic Hart

Astrogram 3 May 2006 NASA Ames tests prototype software for future spaceflight Software that astronauts could use "By using the systems we are devel- recordings of the activities using the during spaceflight and in future moon oping in the habitat, we are both testing crew-activity analyzer system devel- habitats was tested by a NASA Ames our ideas and validating our assump- oped under a Small Business Innova- team in a Utah desert April 23 to May 7, tions about what kinds of tools people tion Research Program grant to Foster- 2006. really need," Clancey said. Miller, Inc., Waltham, Mass. It synchro- The research took place in Utah's "A total systems perspective - de- nized audio and video recordings with southeast desert, at the Mars Society's veloping our software in a setting analo- records of the crewmembers' locations gous to where it in the habitat. will be used - pro- From analysis of the recordings and vides direct expe- other data, investigators can evaluate rience and new in- the prototype power system monitor- sights about how ing software and develop requirements people and auto- for computer systems to interact with mated systems can people. be designed to fit "Human-systems interaction is one photo by Bill Clancey together," Clancey of the focus areas for exploration re- added. search," said David Korsmeyer, chief of Team mem- the Intelligent Systems Division at Ames. bers used proto- "Ames participates in several space au- type tools, includ- tonomy, health management and ad- ing a wireless com- vanced software projects that can in- puter network, crease future exploration spacecraft ca- and voice-com- pabilities," Korsmeyer explained. manded mission The Spacecraft Autonomy Project is A crew member at the Mars Society’s Mars Desert Research Station near control communi- a component of the Exploration Tech- Hanksville, Utah, wearing a wireless headset, inspects the power system cation services that nology Development Program within inverter to monitor or modify the power settings. He is interacting with partly automate NASA's Exploration Systems Mission his ‘personal agent’ using voice commanding to inquire about the current the role of capsule Directorate, and funds mobile agents and historical status of the power system. communicator research. The project is developing a (CAPCOM) per- computer language, simulation environ- sonnel, who moni- ment and operational network for mod- Mars Desert Research Station near tor and advise astronauts like they did eling and simulating how software Hanksville, where scientists field-tested during the Apollo missions to the moon 'agents,' people, tools and facilities in- a computer network to monitor space in the late 1960s and early 1970s. teract in practical settings. power systems. The network uses the Scientists made audio and video BY JOHN BLUCK same kind of intelligent software that also may assist astronauts to conduct planetary exploration with robotic sys- Be safe - avoid being a distracted driver tems. "We will experiment with sensors We all know that distracted driv- or potential collision by nine times," and software that will help us manage a ing is hazardous. We now know pre- according to the researchers at the Na- generator and batteries that provide cisely how hazardous it is. tional Highway Traffic Safety Admin- power to a habitat, while we are living Ken Thomas of the Associated istration and the Virginia Tech Trans- and working inside (of it)," said Bill Press reports that "Researchers re- portation Institute. Clancey of Ames, the project's principal viewed thousands of hours of video This caught my eye because years investigator, just before the tests began. and data from sensor monitors linked and years ago, I caused just such an Nine scientists and engineers from to more than 200 drivers and pin- accident right here at Ames. NASA Ames took part in the experi- pointed examples of what keeps driv- I had an object on the passenger ments with the software and hardware ers from paying close attention to the seat of my car. I was approaching an systems. The Mars Desert Research Sta- road." intersection and a truck in front of me tion simulated a spaceship in flight or a For more than a year, researchers came to a stop. As I began to apply my habitat on the moon. studied the behavior of the drivers of brakes, the object shifted and I instinc- During the field exercise, the re- 100 vehicles in metropolitan Washing- tively reached for it, releasing the pres- searchers' objective was to test software ton, D.C. They tracked 241 drivers, sure on my own brakes. I was not 'agents' that will assist astronauts by who were involved in 82 crashes of injured, and the hefty truck survived monitoring an electrical power system various degrees of seriousness (15 were intact, but my car was totaled. and sounding alarms that indicate prob- reported to police) and 761 near- So when you are reminded to lems. The agents also will provide pro- crashes. Air bags deployed in three avoid distracted driving, remember cedural advice when problems occur. instances. two things -- we now have scientific The system could keep track of astro- We are all frequently made aware proof of its danger, and the distraction naut locations, timelines and important these days of the dangers of cell phone you are not thinking of, is worse than tasks. Researchers triggered some simu- use and eating while driving, but even the distraction you know about! lated problems to learn how the com- worse, "A driver's reaching for a mov- puter systems help or hinder the crew's ing object increased the risk of a crash BY PAUL K DAVIS response.

Astrogram 4 May 2006 Ames’ spacecraft to look for valuable ice at moon's south pole Most people might think that find- turning the upper stage of the rocket that will look at infrared light, which is ing water on the moon would be as that brought us to the moon into a sub- not visible to human beings," he added. impractical as locating green cheese stantial impactor on the moon," said "These cameras will tell us how the tem- there. But as unlikely as it might seem, Daniel Andrews of Ames, water may well exist on our nearest whose team proposed the neighbor in space. Both the Clementine LCROSS mission. (in 1994) and the Lunar Prospector (in The LCROSS space- 1998) spacecraft found indirect -- but craft will arrive in the lu- not rock-solid -- evidence that water ice nar vicinity independent may be in the dark shadows of craters in of the LRO satellite. Prior the lunar south pole area - gloomy places to impacting the moon, that never see the light of day. LCROSS will orbit Earth These permanently shadowed cra- twice for about 80 days, ters are ideal spots for ice to exist in the and then will strike the extreme cold. As part of the Vision for lunar south pole in Janu- Space Exploration, the United States has ary 2009. plans to send astronauts back to the On the way to the moon by 2018 to establish bases there. moon, the LCROSS One good place to build a base might be spacecraft's two main in an area where water ice could be parts, the Shepherding mined. Scientists think there might be Spacecraft and the Earth enough of this precious water to pro- Departure Upper Stage, vide astronauts with drinking water. will remain coupled. During the Lunar Prospector mis- As the spacecraft ap- sion in 1998, scientists estimated that as proaches the moon's south much as 6 billion metric tons of water ice pole, the upper stage will Artist’s conception: LCROSS enroute to moon. could be under about 18 inches of lunar separate, and then will im- soil in the craters. Astronauts could even pact a crater in the south pole area. A perature of the cloud changes over time. break down the water into hydrogen plume from the upper stage crash will This is important because the water and oxygen to make rocket fuel. develop as the Shepherding Spacecraft would affect the temperature of the So it is no surprise that NASA has heads in toward the moon. cloud. Therefore, these infrared cam- begun work to launch a spacecraft to the "The strategy is not to go there and eras indirectly will be able to detect moon to look for solid evidence of water dig it up, but, we're lifting it by means of water." ice - potentially a very valuable com- an impact and bringing it to the space- The four infrared cameras also will modity there. Scientists currently reckon craft in a huge cloud," said Tony give scientists measurements of what it would cost more than $10,000 per Colaprete, LCROSS principal investiga- minerals are in the cloud, which re- pound (0.45 kilogram) to launch mate- tor, and a planetary scientist at Ames. searchers can compare to samples col- rial, such as water, to the moon. To lift an The Shepherding Spacecraft will fly lected on the surface of the moon in the ounce (28.35 grams) of water from the through the plume, and instruments on equatorial regions during the Apollo Earth to the moon would cost at least the spacecraft will analyze the cloud to missions of 1969 through the early 1970s. $625. If you have lugged a bucket of look for signs of water and other com- "We'll be able to distinguish between water, you know how heavy even a pounds. Additional space and Earth- water vapor, water ice, and hydrated small amount of water can be. based instruments also will study the minerals like salts or clays that contain To kick off the quest for lunar water 2.2-million-pound (1000-metric-ton) molecularly bound water," Colaprete ice, NASA announced April 10 that a plume. said. "We'll be able to compare the moon small, 'secondary payload' spacecraft, The Shepherding Spacecraft will dirt from the permanently shadowed to be developed by a team at NASA have six cameras and two spectrom- regions of craters at the lunar south pole Ames would begin a trip to the moon in eters. "The instruments are capable of with moon soil samples collected dur- October 2008 to look for precious water. telling us whether there is water in the ing the Apollo missions at much lower The water-seeking spacecraft is plume, either in the form of vapor or latitudes, near the equator. The stuff called the Lunar CRater Observation ice," Colaprete explained. "We'll be able inside the dark craters of the south pole and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS). It is to measure water down to a tenth of a may well be different from what we known as a 'secondary payload space- percent of the total mass of the cloud." found during Apollo," Colaprete ob- craft' because it will begin its trip to the "We will have two cameras that can served. moon on the same rocket as the Lunar see both visible and ultraviolet (UV) Then the Shepherding Spacecraft Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), which is light," Colaprete said. "The cameras will itself will become an impactor, creating on a different mission to the moon. The document the growth of the shape of the a second plume visible to lunar-orbiting rocket, the Evolved Expendable Launch cloud, and they will also measure UV spacecraft and Earth-based observato- Vehicle (EELV), will launch from light emitted by excited water molecules. ries. If water ice exists in clumps only in Kennedy Space Center, Florida. So these cameras are capable of detect- certain areas within the targeted crater, "We think we have assembled a very ing water, too." the upper stage impactor could miss an creative, highly innovative mission, "Then there are four other cameras continued on page 8 Astrogram 5 May 2006 NASA internet software shows planets in 3-D color NASA recently updated its World is scheduled for release in September Defense spacecraft. Wind computer program that enables 2006, Hogan noted. The program enables users to better Internet users to explore not only the "NASA is providing the free World understand Earth processes such as Wind program to im- changing ozone conditions, ocean tem- prove public and re- perature, weather and earthquake ac- searcher access to high- tivity. quality imagery and "We're working with the United other data," said Hogan. States Geological Survey and the De- In the future, the partment of Defense to deliver their data planetary imagery will to the public," Hogan said. According to give users the chance to Hogan, the Department of Defense itself explore not only the is using World Wind software, and the moon, Mars, Venus and National Guard plans to make use of the Jupiter, but also other software to help respond to natural di- planets when additional sasters. data sets become avail- NASA processes almost 10 million able. requests for World Wind imagery daily. The computer pro- The program is delivering terabytes of gram can 'transport' Web global NASA satellite data that are a users to just about any- result of years of daily observations of where on the moon, precipitation, temperature, barometric when they zoom in from pressure and much more. Hurricane a global view to closer Katrina data are part of World Wind's pictures of our natural collection of images. satellite taken by the NASA programmers recently have Screen snap shot from the World Wind Web site of the Earth Clementine spacecraft in increased the resolution of images of and the view of the eastern hemisphere. the 1990s. Earth from 3,281-foot (one-kilometer) "We can . . . (now) resolution to 1,640-foot (500-meter) reso- deliver the moon at 66 lution in an upgrade called 'Blue Marble, Earth and the moon, but now permits feet (20 meters) of resolution," Hogan Next Generation Earth.' Also, some Web surfers virtually to fly through huge said. World Wind data sets include images of Mars canyons and visit Venus and Jupi- Launched in early 1994, Clementine the entire Earth at 49-foot (15-meter) ter in 3-D color. took 1.8 million pictures of the lunar resolution. World Wind accesses public The new version also allows users surface during a two-month orbit of the domain United States Geological Sur- to see some of Jupiter's moons, and to moon. The Ballistic Missile Defense Or- vey aerial photography and topographic cruise into the depths of Earth's oceans. ganization and NASA jointly sponsored maps as well as Shuttle Radar Topogra- The newly revised, free program is avail- the Deep Space Program Science Ex- phy Mission and Landsat satellite data. able on the Web at: http:// periment that included the Clementine Computer users from more than 100 worldwind.arc.nasa.gov spacecraft. Its principal objective was to nations have acquired the free World "The users -- from the comfort of 'space-qualify' lightweight imaging sen- Wind program, though most users are their own homes -- can visit anyplace on sors and component technologies for from the United States. Earth, Mars and other places in the solar the next generation of Department of BY JOHN BLUCK system," said Chris Maxwell, lead World Wind developer at Ames. "All you need is (a) standard personal computer (PC) with a decent video card, and a decent Internet connection." SATERN'S ‘go-live’ date arrives More than 10 million users have The ‘System for Administration, vidual learning history and launch used World Wind since NASA first re- Training, and Educational Resources online courses from your desktop. leased it about a year ago. "Well over for NASA’ (SATERN) has been imple- The URL to log in to SATERN is 100,000 new users download the pro- mented as the agency's new learning gram each week from all over the planet," https://satern.nasa.gov. said Patrick Hogan, program manager management system. Support and assistance on for World Wind at Ames. SATERN is now available for use SATERN will be offered through WBT The program itself is only five mega- by both civil servants and contractors. at https:saterninfo.nasa.gov as well as bytes, but data containing place names This new system will provide you with at drop-in clinics. and imagery make up the rest of the 50- one-stop access to a robust learning For more information, visit megabyte World Wind download, ac- and development environment where http://ameshr.arc.nasa.gov/ cording to Hogan. A version written in you can view course catalogs, self- SATERN/index.html or contact the Java computer language that will register for courses, view your indi- [email protected]. run on Macintosh and Linux computers

Astrogram 6 May 2006 Upcoming events . . . Come to the ‘Federal Employees Night at the Park’ Attention Bay Area baseball fans! nate the possibility of getting shut out, • When will I get my tickets? This will The San Francisco Bay Area Federal send your order in as soon as possible. depend on ticket sales. We hope to Executive Board is pleased to an- Ask your friends, family and have all the tickets in your hand two nounce another Federal Employee neighbors to join you for this night of weeks before the game Night at the Park on Friday, Aug. 18, fun. This is going to be an exciting • Can friends and family purchase at 7:15 p.m., when the Giants play the game, so come out and see the San tickets? Yes, everyone is welcome to Los Angeles Dodgers. Francisco Giants. come out and enjoy the game. Plan to join other federal employ- Frequently asked questions and Mail in your orders early. For ees, family and friends at beautiful answers: questions and further information AT&T Park to cheer the Giants to • Once I place my order, can I contact Gail Castaneda at (510) 637- victory. change it?Yes, you can increase the 6104. The Federal Executive Board has ticket total as long as tickets Order forms are available on reserved a block of 1,500 tickets for a are available. the Internet Web site at game that is expected to sell out. Last • Can I buy individual tickets www.sanfrancisco.feb.gov/ year, 1,500 tickets were sold in about to the game? Yes, you may buy four weeks and it is expected to be as many as you need or you may another sellout this year. To elimi- buy a single seat

JPL to co-host Viking 30th Anniversary conference

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory is co- composition, meteorology and seismol- effort. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory hosting a technical conference on June ogy. built the orbiters and would later man- 22 to commemorate the Viking 30th an- Along with Viking 2, which joined age the science mission. niversary. its partner on Mars two months later, Glenn Research Center, known then Thirty years ago this July, the Vi- these craft provided a catalog of more as NASA Lewis, designed the Atlas/ king 1 lander made its historic landing than 50,000 images from the martian Centaur rockets. on Mars. Over the following years, the surface as well as from orbit. For more information, contact Lind- Viking spacecraft conducted experi- Managed from Langley Research say Crouch at Langley at e-mail ments studying atmospheric and soil Center, Viking was truly a collaborative [email protected]

Employees prevent major hazard from occuring at Ames

The Sierra Lobo contractor safety award was presented recently to three of its employees at Ames. They received the award for detecting a leak in the building N250 compressor. If this leak had gone undetected, a catastrophic failure could have resulted in equipment damage costing millions NASA photo by Tom Trower of dollars, or at worst, injury or death to the arc jet team or any nearby bystanders. Shown (left to right) are: presenter, Michael Dudley director, Code Q; award recipients: Eduardo Tamez, Alejandro Saura and Kenneth Huber.

Astrogram 7 May 2006 Congressman Wu visits Oregon's first NASA Explorer school Congressman David Wu of Oregon's signing a space mission to the Lewis and "What part of your job is the most im- First Congressional District visited Clark expeditions, and stressed the fact portant?", and "What are the most diffi- that the initial goals one sets cult challenges ahead?" Wu stressed out to achieve often lead to that one of the biggest challenges is go- unexpected discoveries, and ing to be refocusing our national goals that this is the wonder of ex- from consumption and immediate grati- ploration. He mentioned fication, to looking for long-term solu- scholarships being offered to tions. These answers, he said, would students for space camp ex- require careful research and study. He periences at both the Oregon also spoke of the need to invest in sci- Museum of Science and In- ence and education for a prosperous

photo by Anthony Leavitt dustry in Portland and in future. Huntsville, Ala., and encour- He spoke with the students for aged students to apply. nearly a full hour, and fully engaged Students shared many their attention. He said that the enthusi- NASA and other educational asm and programs generated by the experiences and asked a num- NASA Explorer School program at Congressman David Wu addresses students during his ber of questions. Many fo- Sheridan needed to be continued and he visit to NASA Explorer School Faulconer/Chapmn Middle cused on the congressman's vowed to help get the support to make School in Sheridan, Ore., in April. job, such as "What part of your that happen. job is the most difficult?", and BY TOM CLAUSEN NASA Explorer School Faulconer/ Chapman Middle School in Sheridan, Ore., in April. The school is part of the Ames spacecraft to look for ice on moon NASA Explorer School Ames service continued from page 5 region. Wu was accompanied by staffer icy area, scientists note. The second "The point is that this water is in- Ramona Perrault and was greeted by plume will give scientists a second dicative of processes that may be com- principal Marty Hofenbredl, Catherine chance to look for water ice, according mon across all bodies in the inner solar Lanier of Oregon Space Grant and Tony to researchers. system," Colaprete observed. "The moon Leavitt of NASA's Aerospace Education "We've talked about water as a re- is a fossil record of the solar system. Services Project. Hofenbredl briefed Wu source, but also these water measure- Understanding about the water at its on the newly expanded school - now ments are scientifically significant. We poles is to understand the nature of the kindergarten through eighth grade. want to understand how the water got early solar system. The earth is loaded Wu visited the school library and there and what its state is -- water ice or with water, and it might have come met with 25 students, ranging from 6th hydrated minerals -- such as clays or salt from comets, according to some scien- grade to high school seniors who talked where water is chemically bound to a tists." with the congressman about their school mineral," Colaprete noted. In addition to the instruments on and the NASA Explorer School pro- The information gathered by the Shepherding Spacecraft that will gram. Also in attendance were NASA LCROSS will give scientists insight into observe the impact up close and per- Explorer School team members Marie the processes that took place during the sonal, the LRO satellite will be able to Scott and Carol Clark; school district formation of the early solar system. "For superintendent Roy Williams; high observe the fresh LCROSS impact cra- school principal A.J. Grauer and a re- example, if this water was emplaced by ters with multiple instruments. They porter from the Sheridan Sun newspa- comets, it was probably done billions of may be able to see remnant water ice in per. years ago," Colaprete said. "Or, if it's the fresh material lying around the new The congressman spoke about his implanted by hydrogen in the solar wind craters formed by the impact of space- job working with schools and said he that comes from the sun, then that could craft. had come to Faulconer/Chapman be a process that continues today." Water vapor from ice changing di- Middle School to get feedback from Solar wind is a fast outflow of hot rectly into water vapor will remain en- people in his district. The students gas in all directions from the upper at- circling the moon from hours to as long shared their experiences as part of the mosphere of the sun. The composition as days. This water is said to be 'exo- NASA Explorer School program. In par- of solar wind matches that of the sun's sphered', according to Colaprete, and ticular, the students spoke about NASA atmosphere (mostly hydrogen) and its will be observable by LRO satellite as Explorer School student symposiums typical velocity is 400 km/sec, covering well as ground-based telescopes. LRO they attended at Kennedy Space Center the distance from sun to Earth in four to will carry advanced sensors that can in 2004 and Johnson Space Center in five days. detect water in at least four different 2005; trips to the Evergreen Aviation According to Colaprete, Mercury, ways. Museum and the Oregon Museum of which is at least 801 degrees Fahrenheit The LCROSS prime contractor for Science and Industry; as well as activi- (427 degrees Celsius) in the sunlit areas the spacecraft and the spacecraft inte- ties with their own classes, including and is the planet closest to the sun, may gration is Northrop Grumman. rocket launches, egg drop contests, e- well have ice in permanently shadowed missions and Marsbound mission de- BY JOHN BLUCK craters, similar to those of the moon. sign. Wu compared the challenges of de- Astrogram 8 May 2006 Ames celebrates Earth Day with its employees In April, the AIB Express hosted its semi-annual free customer appre-

Second place Ames’ Earth Day photo contest winner was Faten First place Ames’ Earth Day photo contest winner was Ray Gilstrap’s Mansour’s photograph, ‘Endless Serenity Where the Sky Meets photograph, ‘Rainbow at Victoria Falls.’ the Earth.”

ciation lunch in building 255. This was in celebration of Earth Day, which is April 22 of each year. The Environmental Services Divi- sion hosted its annual environmental Third place Ames’ Earth Day event in conjunction with the AIB photo contest winner was lunch. Linda Montgomery ‘Green,’ or environmentally photograph, ‘Our Mark on the friendly companies, were on hand to Earth Should be as Temporary share information describing ways in as Bird Tracks in the Sand.’ which one can make more sustainable choices every day at home and at work. The Environmental Services Division also sponsored the 2006 Ames Earth Day photo contest.

Planetary care starts with household care What does a company that sells laun- sustainability ideas, Hollender brought dry detergent have in common with in a professional storyteller to teach em- NASA? On April 18, Jeffrey Hollender, ployees how to better communicate their the CEO of Seventh Generation, a non- ideas. As a result of this effort, someone toxic household products company, told wondered if laundry detergent could be an audience assembled to celebrate Earth formulated in a way to strengthen cloth- Day that “both want to communicate ing fibers, instead of weakening them. the value they generate for society.” Once the company tapped the creative According to Hollender, Seventh genius of its employees, the possibilities Generation has distinguished itself as a to be more sustainable were endless. company that strives to be sustainable. During his talk, Hollender encour- Moving toward sustainability means not aged NASA employees to share their only minimizing your impact on the stories. He asked the audience “Which NASA photo by Dominic Hart environment, but finding ways to re- of the many research and exploration store the natural world. Manufacturing projects you are doing benefit our envi- Jeffrey Hollender, CEO of Seventh Generation, and selling post-consumer recycled con- ronment? Think about it and tell those spoke at the recent Earth Day celebration at tent paper towels and non-toxic clean- stories.” Ames. ing products helps reduce natural re- Both Seventh Generation and NASA source consumption and hazardous are helping to build a more sustainable their value to society and encourage waste. But that's only part of the solu- world: one does so at the household more support for the environmental tion. level and one at the planetary level. The sustainability work they do. To facilitate the generation of more challenge for both is to communicate BY JUSTINE BURT

Astrogram 9 May 2006 Ames Ongoing Monthly Events Calendar

Ames Amateur Radio Club, third Thursday of each Ames Contractor Council Mtg, first Wednesday Ames Sailing Club Mtg, second Thursday of ea. month, 12 noon, N-T28 (across from N-255). POC: each month, 11 a.m., N-200, Comm. Rm. POC: Linda month (Feb through Nov), from 12:00 p.m. -1:00 Michael Wright, KG6BFK, at ext. 4-6262. McCahon, ext. 4-1891. p.m. in Bldg. N-262, Rm 100. URL: http:// sail.arc.nasa.gov/. POC: Becky Hooey, ext. 4-2399. Ames Ballroom Dance Club. Classes on Tuesdays. Ames Diabetics (AAD), 1st & 3rd Weds, 12 Beginning classes meet at 5:15 p.m. Higher-level class noon to 1 p.m., at Ames Mega Bites, Sun room. Environmental Forum, first Thursday of each meets at 5:50 p.m. Held in Bldg. 944, the Rec. Center. Support group discusses news affecting diabetics. month, 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Bldg. 221/Rm 155. POC: Helen Hwang at [email protected], ext. 4- POC: Bob Mohlenhoff, ext. 4-2523/e-mail at: URL: http://q.arc.nasa.gov/qe/events/EHSseries/ 1368. [email protected]. POC: Stacy St. Louis at ext. 4-6810. Ames Bicycling Club Every 3rd Wednesday of the Ames Federal Employees Union (AFEU) Mtg, The Hispanic Advisory Committee for month 11:00 a.m. to12:00 p.m. in Building 245 third Wednesday of ea. month, 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., Excellence (HACE) Mtg, first Thurs of month in auditorium. POC: Julie Nottage at Bldg. 221, Rm 104. Guests welcome. Info at: http:// N255 room 101C from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. [email protected] or ext. 4-3711. By-laws of www.afeu.org. POC: Marianne Mosher, ext. 4-4055. POC: Eric Kristich at ext. 4-5137 and Mark Leon at Ames Bicycling Club can be found at: http:// ext. 4-6498. zen.arc.nasa.gov, the link is under the picture. Ames Mac Support Group Mtg, third Tuesday of ea. month, 11:30 a.m.to 1 p.m., Bldg. N262, Rm 180. Jetstream Toastmasters, Mondays, 12 p.m. to 1 Ames Bowling League, Palo Alto Bowl on Tuesday POC: Tony ext. 4-0340. p.m., N-269/Rm.179. POC: Bob Hilton at ext. 4-2909, nights. Seeking full-time bowlers and substitutes. [email protected]. Questions to sign up: Mike Liu at ext. 4-1132. Ames Model Aircraft Club, flying radio- controlled aircraft at the north end of Parsons Ave. on Native American Advisory Committee Mtg, Ames Child Care Center Board of Directors Mtg, weekend mornings. POC: Mark Sumich, ext. 4-6193. fourth Tues each month, 12 noon to 1 p.m., Bldg. 19, every other Thursday (check Web site for meeting dates: Rm 1096. POC: Mike Liu at ext. 4-1132. http://accc.arc.nasa.gov), 12 noon to 1:30 p.m., N-210, Rm. 205. POC: Cheryl Quinn, ext 4-5793. NASA Engineering Network goes on-line Safety Data NASA has unveiled a new knowl- network also links to other agency-wide edge network designed to promote resources, such as the NASA Technical NASA-Ames Occupational learning and sharing knowledge among Standards, risk management principles Illness-Injury Data for Calendar agency engineers. and guidelines and project/program Year-to-Date 2006 The NASA Engineering Network leadership training and development Jan. 1, 2006 – April 30, 2006 (NEN) is an enhanced knowledge-man- programs (APPEL). Civil Contractors agement system that provides capabili- In the near future, NEN will pro- ties to search across distributed engi- vide the engineer with collaboration Servants tools to help in creating, reviewing and disseminating requirements and speci- First aid cases 4 9 fications. This fall, the expertise locator will be operational and ready to assist in Lost-time cases 0 2 finding the best collaboration partner from across NASA to help other engi- Recordable cases 0 3 neers complete their tasks. Sponsored by the office of NASA Lost workdays 0 2 chief engineer Chris Scolese, the NASA Engineering Network is managed by Restricted duty days 0 0 JPL's Knowledge Management Tech- nologies Program. Above data are as of 05/10/06. May More information and network be subject to slight adjustment in the neering data sources, build technical access are available on the Web at: event of a new case or new inform- communities of practice and create on- http://nen.nasa.gov. ation regarding an existing case. line presence for agency engineers. The network's centerpiece is the 'lessons learned' repository that documents critical success factors for flight projects. Undersecretary of the Air Force This repository replaces the former Les- sons Learned Information System. tours Ames’ wind tunnel Through three phased roll-outs during 2006, NEN will supply NASA engi- Former astronaut Ronald neers with tools and engineering re- Sega, undersecretary of the Air sources, including NASA's lessons Force (far left), visited Ames on learned, to help them solve problems May 16 to meet with Ames and design solutions more efficiently. Deputy Center Director Marv As a vehicle to facilitate learning Christensen (far right) and to within the engineering community, the tour the National Full-Scale NEN has redesigned the lessons learned Aerodynamics Complex 40- system to make searching, browsing and foot-by-80-foot-by-120-foot submitting lessons easier. Advanced wind tunnel. search capabilities also mine information from other NASA engineering re- positories, so the engineer can search NASA photo by Tom Trower few, several or all resources at once. This Astrogram 10 May 2006 Tahoe Donner vacation home, 2 bd/2ba. trees, Ames Classifieds Exchange Information deck. Access to pools, spa, golf, horseback riding, $280 Ads for the next issue should be sent to Information about products, services and wkend, $650 week. Call (408) 739-9134. [email protected] and must be resubmitted for opportunities provided to the employee and contractor Pine Mountain Lake vacation home. Access to golf, each issue. Ads must involve personal needs or items; (no community by the Ames Exchange Council. Visit the tennis, lake, swimming, horseback riding, walk to commercial/third-party ads) and will run on a space- web site at: http://exchange.arc.nasa.gov beach. Three bedrooms/sleeps 10. $100/night. Call available basis only. First-time ads are given priority. Ads (408) 799-4052 or (831) 623-4054. must include home phone numbers; Ames extensions and Beyond Galileo N-235 (8 a.m. to 2 p.m.) Incline Village, Forest Pines, Lake Tahoe condo, 3 email addresses will be accepted for carpool and lost and ext. 4-6873 found ads only. Due to the volume of material received, bdrms/2 ba, sleeps 8, fireplace, TVs/VCR/DVD, stereo w/ we are unable to verify the accuracy of the statements Ask about NASA customized gifts for special CD player, microwv, W/D, jacuzzi, sauna, outdoor pool. made in the ads. Caveat emptor! occasions. Walk to lake. Close to ski areas. Visit web site for pictures: http://www.ACruiseStore.com $135/night Housing Mega Bites N-235 (6 a.m. to 2 p.m.) spring and fall, $173/night summer and winter ext. 4-5969 (holidays higher) plus $125 cleaning fee and 12 percent Room available for rent in house in mid town Palo Alto, Nevada room tax. Charlie (650) 743-8990. with kitchen, laundry, and pool, $500 plus $50 toward See daily menu at: http://exchange.arc.nasa.gov New York, 5th Ave. One fully furnished bedroom in utils, for a quiet, neat, stable and conscientious person or 24 hour security bldg. overlooking Washington Square couple. E-mail [email protected]; ham call wb6yoy. Visitor Center Gift Shop N-943 Park, $1,000/wk or $3,000/mo. negotiable. Call (650) Unfurnished single family home for rent in Tracy. (10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) ext. 4-5412 349-0238. 1,400 sq.ft - 3bd/2 1/2 ba, 2 car garage; exc. cond., NASA logo merchandise, souvenirs, toys, gifts and Paris/France: Fully furnished studio, 5th Arr, Latin recently painted. hottub and external shed for storage. educational items. Quarter, Notre Dame and Lie-St. Louis., $1,400/wk. Monthly rent $1,370, security dep. Pets allowed w/add’l negotiable. Call (650) 349-0238. security. Call (209) 221-5002 or E-mail Tickets, etc...(N-235, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.) [email protected] ext. 4-6873 Santa Cruz townhouse, 2 bedrooms plus study, 2 baths, decks, totally furnished, 3 blocks from beach, 2 bd/1ba house for rent. 5 mls from Moffett, near available July, August, September; $1,600 per month. downtown Sunnyvale. Available 13 May. $1,500 mo. Call Check web site for discounts to local attractions, Call (831) 423-5777 (H) or (831) 277-8476 (C). (408) 736-8260. http://exchange.arc.nasa.gov and click on tickets. Vacation rental. Ferndale - The Victorian Village. Miscellaneous NASA Lodge (N-19) 603-7100 Victorian home on Main Street a short stroll to the The Ames Cat Network needs help finding homes for Village which has been designated as a state historical Open 7 days a week, 7:00 a.m. to 10 p.m. Rates cats trapped at Moffett. They range from feral to landmark. Enjoy the many holiday activities which from $40 - $50. abandoned/lost pets. Tested, altered and inoculated. Call include a Christmas parade and lighting of America's Iris at ext. 4-5824 if you or someone you know are tallest living Christmas tree. Four bedrooms (sleeps (N-109) 603-8025 interested in fostering or adopting a cat. Ames Swim Center approx. six), two full baths, large kitchen, dining room, parlor w/fireplace, enclosed desk w/hot tub. For info call 1/2 share in Skylane C182A, $24,000. New paint and Ames Swim Center, 25 meter swimming pool open (707) 983-9514. recent annual. New fuel bladders. Good condition. Basic and heated year round. (80-82 degrees) Lap swim: Mon, IFR panel. Can base at LVK, 4Q5, TCY, possibly elsewhere. Weds, Fri, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3-6 Tues to Thurs 10 Monterey Bay vacation rental at Pajaro Dunes, 20 Key Dismukes. Call (408) 938-0455. a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Seasonal recreation miles south of Santa Cruz, 3bd/2ba beach house with swim; swim lessons. Locker rooms w/sauna and shower distinctive architecture. Beautiful ocean and valley Craftsman gasoline lawn mower, 3.5 HP, 20". Runs facility. Open to all civil servants and contractors. views, only 150 ft from the beach, first-class tennis fine. $60 or B/O. E-mail [email protected] Location: Bldg. 109 across the street from the tennis courts. $600/wkend, $2,100/wk, including cleaning by courts. Fees vary depending on activity. POC: Tana the maid service when you depart. Call (408) 252- Automotive Windhorst, ext. 3-8025; e-mail: [email protected] 7260. Lake Tahoe cabin rental in Agate Bay, North Shore. ‘96 Ford Explorer XLT, 4WD, 4-dr, all pwr, 2 extra Vacation Opportunities 4bd/3ba tri-level, AEK, cable TVs, fireplace, BBQ, deck, wheels / tires, new radio/CD player, tow hitch ball, sleeps 10. Closest skiing is Northstar, Alpine and Squaw. excellent condition, 85K mls. $5,700 firm, must see. Call or Lake Tahoe Squaw Valley townhouse, 3bd/2ba- Rates are $375 a weekend, $1,000 a week. Call (408) e-mail Vince Ambrosia (408) 666-7609. equipped, balcony view, horseback riding, hiking, 867-4656. biking, golf, river rafting, tennis, ice skating and more. Summer rates. (650) 968-4155, e-mail Florida west coast vacation in St. Petersburg, [email protected] beautiful 2bd/2ba condo, fully equipped kitchen and furnished, sunset views, 1/4 mile from St. Pete Beach, Protective Services South Lake Tahoe cottage w/wood fireplace, hot monthly or 2 week minimum rentals only. Call (703) tub. Rates $50 to $130 per night. Call (650) 967-7659. 299-8889 or e-mail: [email protected] monthly activity Vacation rental, Bass Lake, 4 mls south of Yosemite. Maui luxury oceanfront resort one-bedroom condo 3bd/1.5 ba, TV, VCR, MW, frplc, BBQ, priv. boat dock. available one week. Rents for $345/night now, $495/ A statistical summary of activi- Sleeps 8. $1,050/wk. Call (559) 642-3600 or (650) night in the summer. We will rent to an Ames family for ties of the Protective Services 390-9668. $1,750 for the week. See the condo at http:// Division's Security/Law Enforce- Big Sur vacation rental, secluded 4bd/2ba house in www.starwoodvo.com/resorts/ ment and Fire Protection Services canyon setting. Fully eqpd kitchen. Access to priv. villafeatures.jsp?resortID=12 Call (650) 572-8877 for beach. Tub in patio gdn. Halfway between Carmel and availabilty and questions. units for the month of April 2006 is Big Sur. $175/night for 2; $225 for 4 and $250 for shown below. more, plus $150 cleaning dep. Call (650) 328-4427.

Security/Law Enforcement Activity

Astrogram deadlines Please submit articles, calendar Ames emergency and classified advertisements to Fire Protection Activity [email protected] no announcements later than the 10th of each month. If this falls on the weekend or holiday, To hear the centerwide status then the following business day be- recording, call (650) 604-9999 for in- comes the deadline. formation announcements and emer- For Astrogram questions, con- gency instructions for Ames employ- tact Astrid Terlep at the aforemen- ees. You can also listen to 1700 KHz tioned e-mail address or ext. 4-3347. AM radio for the same information.

Astrogram 11 May 2006 Ames airfield, emergency crews help private pilot land safely Thanks to the prompt response of the pilot was directed to land on Run- the necessary emergency resources for NASA Ames Research Center airfield way 32L, the secondary runway, to avoid this emergency landing demonstrates personnel and emergency crews, a po- creating a potential hazard on the main how valuable the airfield is to the com- tential disaster was averted this month runway, Runway 32R, used for instru- munity.” when a small airplane whose landing ment landings. Although Ames had a small crane gear malfunctioned landed safely at “She did a superb job of landing the available, it was not big enough to safely Moffett Federal Airfield. aircraft,” said Munro Dearing, aviation lift the aircraft off the runway where it The accident happened on Thurs- safety officer for Moffett Field. Both the landed. An East Bay company in New- day, May 18, 2006, about 2:30 p.m. PDT pilot and her passenger were not in- ark, however, did have a large crane that when a was brought in Cessna 172 early that Cutlass RG evening to lift airplane was the aircraft onto forced to a flatbed truck make an that took it to emergency Hangar 2 for landing at temporary Moffett Fed- storage. The eral Airfield Federal Avia- when the pi- tion Adminis- lot was un- NASA photo by Dominic Hart tration is inves- able to lower Ames airfield and emergency crews responded to an emergency landing at Moffett in May by a private aircraft. tigating the in- the airplane's cident. landing gear. “We'll be The single-engine, four-seat aircraft was jured in the accident and there was no looking into the maintenance of the air- returning to the Bay Area from a cross- fire. “Everything worked beautifully, craft and work with the mechanics to county trip when the incident occurred. just like clockwork,” Dearing said. determine the cause of the main landing The pilot attempted to lower the “I am very proud of the way our gear not retracting,” said Michael landing gear; however, the left main emergency crews and airfield personnel Schaadt, aviation safety inspector, FAA gear failed to lock in position for land- responded to help prevent what could Flight Standards District Office, San Jose, ing. The pilot then proceeded to circle have been a major incident,” said Marvin Calif. the airfield several times to burn off “Chris” Christensen, deputy director of BY MIKE MEWHINNEY excess fuel and reduce the potential for NASA Ames Research Center. “The fact a fire. After burning off sufficient fuel, that Moffett Field was available and had

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Astrogram 12 May 2006