Feb. 22, 2013 Vol. 53, No. 4 Spaceport News John F. Kennedy Space Center - America’s gateway to the universe

'We are designing, defining our future' By Steven Siceloff Crew Program continues to aid Spaceport News the development of commercial transportation to carry astronauts ennedy Space Center con- to the International Space Station. tinues to transform into a The ISS Ground Processing and Re- world-class, multiuser K search Project Office also is based spaceport but has plenty of steps at Kennedy. to finish before the evolution is NASA's Launch Services Pro- complete, the center's director told gram was praised for its continuing Kennedy employees Feb. 20. role assuring the safe launch of the "We are defining our future and agency's scientific spacecraft, in- NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis there are not many chances in his- cluding the two missions launched Speaking at the annual Community Leaders Briefing on Feb. 21 at the the Kennedy Space Center tory when you get to do that," said Visitor Complex, Center Director Bob Cabana explained that NASA has a great deal of work going on this year. Bob Cabana, Kennedy director. "We in support of current and future space program projects. are going to make ourselves what Cabana also noted the priority we want to be." role of the James Webb Space Tele- During the center-televised scope in the agency's planning. all-hands meeting, Kennedy of- The transition from an exclusively Cabana briefs leaders ficials noted numerous changes NASA launch site to a spaceport in areas and organizations across amenable to different spacecraft and the center as the future unfolds. rockets from commercial compa- on latest endeavors nies still offers plenty of challenges, From major contracts just starting By Bob Granath tives, along with individuals from to the removal of structures and the center director said. Specifi- cally, the federal budget to NASA Spaceport News business and industry. facilities that are no longer needed, Cabana explained that the space the Florida launch site is taking a and Kennedy is not expected to n Feb. 21, Kennedy Space center has a great deal of work number of steps to set itself up for increase in the near future and could Center Director Bob Ca- going on in support of current and emerging roles. be reduced in some areas. Also, bana and several members the center is placing a premium on O future space program projects. Kennedy's three resident pro- of his leadership team provided an grams have important parts to play reducing bureaucracy and increas- update on current and future activi- "NASA has three top priorities, in NASA's priority fields, Cabana ing efficiency. ties at the Florida spaceport. Their SLS (Space Launch System), the said during the presentation. The "Regardless of what budget reports were part of the annual International Space Station (ISS) Ground Systems Development comes in the future, those are Community Leaders Briefing at the -- and supporting it we need to have and Operations Program is design- NASA's priorities and we play a Kurt H. Debus Conference Center a commercial crew capability -- ing and building infrastructure for key role in them," Cabana said. at the Kennedy Space Center Visi- and the James Webb Space NASA's Space Launch System tor Complex attended by local, state and Orion, while the Commercial To ALL-HANDS, Page 3 and U.S. government representa- To LEADERS, Page 2

Employee spotlight ISS resupply mission Luna*Bot mascot Honor awards Inside this issue...

Page 2 Page 3 Page 5 Page 11 Page 2 SPACEPORT NEWS Feb. 22, 2013 Habenicht helps build center's future team By Bob Granath Because of the nature of the work Spaceport News at Kennedy, the needs are often very specific. ASA Human Resources "We have to make sure we help specialist Susan managers find people with the right NHabenicht has a daunting skill set to fill their job openings," task. Each day she assists mem- Habenicht said. "We often help job bers of the Kennedy Space Center applicants with suggestions on how management team find the right to prepare a resume. My most fre- people with the best skills to fill the quent suggestion is to be sure any- needs of a spaceport transitioning one reading it will understand their from a historically government- training, skills and experience." only launch facility to a multiuser Engineering and other disciplines spaceport for both government and in the space business tend to be commercial customers. technical. Habenicht said these Habenicht grew up on Long NASA/Bob Grananth unique skills must be explained so Island, N.Y., where she earned Shown here Feb. 14, NASA Human Resources specialist Susan Habenicht focuses primarily on supporting others understand what an applicant a bachelor's degree in business Kennedy Space Center's Engineering and Technology Directorate as its management is putting together a is capable of doing. team to prepare the spaceport for future programs such as Orion and the Space Launch System. management at Molloy College in "We try to help people do the best January, 1990. here at Kennedy," Habenicht said. "I an exciting place to work." job explaining their experience," "After graduation, I didn't put supported the intern program known Habenicht now focuses primarily Habenicht said. my education to use right away," as Pathways." on supporting Kennedy's Engineer- Habenicht said that although her Habenicht said. "I married and was Two years after starting work at ing and Technology Directorate as job is tough, it is also very satisfy- a stay-at-home mom for about 11 Kennedy, Habenicht accepted an of- its management is putting together ing. years." fer to work for the space agency. a team to prepare the spaceport for "While some outside the space During 2001, she and her family "It was an honor to be selected," future programs such as Orion and program seem surprised we are still moved to Florida's Space Coast. she said. "I started as a Human the Space Launch System. in business, we do have a bright "Four years after moving to Resources assistant and then be- "We are spending time helping future," she said. "It is gratifying to Florida, I went to work for a con- came an HR specialist in 2009. The management in the various Engi- know you are a part of the process tractor that supported the NASA variety in our tasks keeps the job neering divisions optimize their to build the team that will take Ken- Human Resources staffing office interesting, and NASA makes this staffing," she said. nedy well into the future."

From LEADERS, Page 1 are doing research today encourage the development The objectives include was launched from Van- and every day making some of transportation subsystems establishing a multiuser denberg Air Force Base in Telescope," he said. incredible scientific discov- and represent the next phase spaceport for launching the California. Bedell described "At the Kennedy Space eries." in which industry partners next generation of rockets the role of LSP as an agent Center, our Ground Systems Space station support cur- develop crew transportation and spacecraft. matching spacecraft in need Development, Commer- rently managed by Burnett's capabilities as fully inte- GSDO's efforts also are of transportation to space cial Crew, ISS and Launch team at Kennedy includes grated systems. preparing infrastructure to with the appropriate rocket. Services programs are an a group of engineers that is Cabana noted that Ken- support NASA's heavy-lift "We are a broker buying integral part of every one of developing a plant habitat nedy is making great strides Space Launch System (SLS) launch services to ensure those three top priorities," with a large growth chamber in transitioning from a rocket. SLS will launch success for our customers," Cabana said. to learn the effects of long- historically government- cargo and the Orion capsule he said. Overviews with a theme duration microgravity expo- only launch facility to an designed to take crews of In summing up the re- of "Pushing the Boundaries" sure to plants in space. affordable, sustainable, up to four astronauts on mis- ports, Cabana said that in a focusing on center op- As manager of the Com- multiuser spaceport for both sions to deep space. period of budget uncertainty erations were presented by mercial Crew Program’s government and commercial Darren Bedell, System he has challenged the Ken- leaders of four key organiza- Partner Integration Office, customers. Much of that Integration manager in nedy workforce to become tions. Scott Thurston's organiza- work is being supported by Kennedy's Launch Services Josie Burnett, director tion is working to provide the Ground Systems Devel- Program (LSP), reported more efficient and cost of the International Space transportation to the space opment and Operations, or the program succesfully effective. Station Ground Processing station and low-Earth orbit. GSDO, Program. launched two missions "To become the spaceport and Research Project Of- "Our ultimate goal is to Ruth Gardner, Explora- within the past three weeks. of the future, we've got to fice, spoke of how Kennedy purchase the ability to fly tion Systems manager in An Atlas V rocket lifted integrate commercial opera- is supporting the orbiting our astronauts to the Inter- GSDO, explained how off from Cape Canaveral tions," he said. "We have to laboratory. national Space Station," he Kennedy facilities are being Air Force Station on Jan. 30 figure out how to be more "The space station is an said. updated to accommodate a with NASA's Tracking and efficient, we have to be extraordinary accomplish- The current Commercial wide variety of spacecraft. Data Relay Satellite-K. more commercial-friendly, ment and engineering Crew Integrated Capability GSDO has two main On Feb. 11, the Landsat and we have to deliver in a achievement," she said. "We agreements are designed to goals at Kennedy. Data Continuity Mission timely manner." Feb. 22, 2013 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 3 SpaceX targets March 1 for next resupply launch By Cheryl Mansfield and Flight Engineer Tom Spaceport News Marshburn of NASA are scheduled to use the station's he second Interna- tional Space Station robot arm to grapple Dragon Commercial Resup- following its rendezvous T with the orbiting outpost. ply Services (CRS) flight by Space Exploration Tech- Ground commands will be nologies (SpaceX) is set for sent to attach the spacecraft liftoff at 10:10 a.m. EST on to the Earth-facing port of March 1 from Space Launch the station's Harmony mod- Complex 40 at Cape Canav- ule where it will remain for a eral Air Force Station. few weeks while astronauts Carried by a Falcon 9 unload cargo. The crew rocket, the Dragon spacecraft then will load more than will ferry 1,268 pounds of 2,600 pounds of experiment supplies for the space station samples and equipment for crew and for experiments return to Earth. being conducted aboard the Dragon is scheduled for orbiting laboratory. a parachute-assisted splash- The Falcon 9 and Dragon down in the Pacific Ocean were manufactured at off the coast of Baja Califor- SpaceX headquarters in NASA/Kim Shiflett Hawthorne, Calif., and ar- nia on March 25. Solar array fairings are installed on the Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) Dragon spacecraft inside a processing This SpaceX flight is the rived at the Florida launch hangar on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Jan. 15. site by truck. The rocket, second of at least 12 mis- topped with the spacecraft, 855,000 pounds of thrust engine powers the second than 7,000 pounds of cargo sions to the space station stands 157-feet tall. at sea level, rising to nearly stage to complete the climb split between pressurized and that the company will fly The two-stage rocket 1,000,000 pounds of thrust to space. The 14.4-foot- unpressurized sections. for NASA under the Com- uses nine engines to power as Falcon 9 climbs out of tall Dragon spacecraft is On March 2, Expedition mercial Resupply Services the first stage, generating Earth’s atmosphere. One capable of carrying more 34 Commander Kevin Ford contract.

From ALL-HANDS, Page 1 former shuttle astronaut Andy Allen numerous cost savings from recent Bray said. for Jacobs Technology, will provide development. For example, the Even with all the changes taking "We still have a mission that we Kennedy with spaceflight hardware 1-megawatt solar electricity station place, morale at Kennedy is quite have to execute." processing and operations for NASA in the Industrial Area is saving an high according to an Office of Some of the changes will shine a programs. Other government agen- average $160,000 a year in power Personnel Management survey of brighter light on projects at Ken- cies and commercial entities also costs. Recent work on the NASA federal workers. NASA as a whole was rated the top place to work in nedy that haven't always received a can call on the contract for work. causeway also saved $3 million by the federal government. great deal of attention. Nancy Bray, who serves as Ken- using concrete recycled from earlier Kennedy scored 73.2 percent, For example, research and nedy's director of Center Operations demolition. up three points compared to 2011. technology programmatic roles and and is the center's sustainability "Keep the ideas coming and we Kennedy also scored in the third slot responsibilities at Kennedy are now officer, said the center has seen will do our best to implement them," on diversity among 292 subagency managed by the Center Planning components in the government, and Development Office, or CPDO, and No. 6 on fairness. The center's which recently became an supervisors ranked seventh on the independent organization. survey, and Kennedy came in at 13 "This demonstrates our commit- for teamwork. ment to research and technology by Tracy Anania Wetrich of the putting it all in one place, making Human Resources Office said the it visible and allowing people to center will focus on leadership at all have a single front door for all of levels during 2013 to improve the those kinds of activities," said Mario scores. Busacca, chief of the Spaceport Noting that the changes at the Planning Office. center are not going to slow for One of the biggest changes of the some time as NASA aligns itself for past year could take place in about ambitious exploration, Cabana said a week when the Test and Opera- the center's workforce can make the tions Support Contract begins. The NASA/Kim Shiflett transition effective with careful at- contract, which will be managed by Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana shares insight with workers at an all-hands meeting Feb. 20. tention to detail and innovation. Page 4 SPACEPORT NEWS Feb. 22, 2013 Scenes Around Kennedy Space Center

NASA/Frankie Martin Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q hosts its grand opening Feb. 19 in the Operations and Checkout Building (O&C) in the former O&C cafeteria. Sonny's serves breakfast and lunch during its hours of operation from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Breakfast is served until 10:30 a.m.

CLICK ON PHOTO NASA/Frankie Martin Various fluid interface connections are installed at Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in February. New system connections include chilled water supply- CLICK ON PHOTO NASA/Jim Grossmann and-return and conditioned air that will be used to provide the mobile launcher From left former astronaut Jon McBride, Delaware North President Rick Abramson (slightly hidden), and Kennedy Space Center with the necessary commodities during launch operations. The Ground Systems Visitor Complex chief operating officer Bill Moore unveil the new logo of the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit Feb. 21 at the visitor Development and Operations Program office at Kennedy is overseeing upgrades complex. The exhibit opens June 29. To watch the exhibit take shape, click on the photo. and modifications to pad B to support the launch of NASA’s Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket, and new Orion spacecraft, under development.

Reader-submitted photo Otto Fischer celebrated his retirement from the Bionetics Corp. on Feb. 8 with co- workers and friends at the Central Instrumentation Facility (CIF) at Kennedy Space Center . Fischer started working at Kennedy in 1981 as a calibration technician in the Standards and Calibration laboratories and devoted his entire 32-year career CLICK ON PHOTO NASA/Jim Grossmann to metrology and these labs. During the latter half of his career, Fischer was a Sgt. Kim Montes of the Florida Highway Patrol speaks to employees Feb. 19 during the KSC Safety and Health Days cam- metrologist in the standards lab designing and performing complex measurements paign, which runs through Feb. 28. The theme for the 2013 campaign is "Safety and Health in Your Organization," in which on pressure, vacuum and flow instruments. From left are Perry King, Bionetics KSC departments developed customized programs and activities tailored toward the day-to-day hazards employees are likely S&C branch manager; Fischer; Bob McKay, Bionetics S&C metrology manager; to encounter on the job or at home. and Ken Walla, ISC Laboratories Division manager. Feb. 22, 2013 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 5 Pink, purple Luna*Bot aims to inspire

By Frank Ochoa-Gonzales "Luna has been invaluable in help- to outreach events, upload photos to Spaceport News ing us to engage students in STEM- Facebook and Twitter for everyone related (science, technology, engi- to see (when uploading to Twitter tudents around the world are neering and mathematics) activities use the hashtag #LunaWW), and gearing up for NASA's fourth and create interest in the Lunabotics share Luna with their friends and annual Lunabotics Mining S Mining Competition," said Bethanne families to add to her adventures. Competition coming up May 20-24 Hull, Lunabotics Mining Competi- The mining competition is a uni- at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor tion supporting coordinator. "Our versity-level competition designed to Complex. artist, Matthew Young, did an amaz- engage and retain students in STEM. Last year, 55 teams representing ing job working the initial design NASA directly will benefit from 28 states and eight countries com- concept into a mascot that has been the competition by encouraging the peted in the event. well received." development of innovative lunar NASA This year, the Education and Romain Charles, a flight engineer of the European Since her debut in December excavation concepts from universi- External Relations Directorate Space Agency’s MARS500 study, joined in the fun ties, which may result in clever ideas hopes for even 2012, Luna*Bot taking Luna*Bot to the Arena at Nimes, a beautiful and solutions that could be applied Roman amphitheater built around 70 A.D. greater numbers has been seen to an actual lunar excavation device as it reaches out in places as far away as Syd- or payload. to students, Volunteers needed The challenge is for students to with an em- ney, Australia, NASA's fourth annual Lunabotics Mining design and build a robotic excavator, phasis on and the Arena of Competition is in need of volunteers. This called a Lunabot, that can mine and elementary Nimes in France. university-level competition will be held May deposit a minimum of 10 kilograms school-age "Luna has 20-24 at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor of lunar simulant within 10 minutes. girls. been spotted in Complex. Volunteers may register at The complexities of the challenge And the five countries http://www.nasa.gov/lunabotics. include the abrasive characteristics group is go- and in some POC: Bethanne Hull, of the BP-1, the weight and size ing to try and pretty unique bethanne.hull@nasa.gov do that with places," Hull limitations of the Lunabot, and the its newest said. "It has ability to telerobotically or autono- Video link mously control the Lunabot from a member and been excit- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q remote mission control center. mascot . . . ing for us AVJtIav_6c&feature=youtu.be&a Luna*Bot. to see how our This year, the scoring for the mining category will not be based This robot- teams have taken Facebook ic mascot will be the challenge and primarily on the amount of material http://www.facebook.com/Lunabotics used as an ambassador to promote really made it something remark- excavated in the allowed time but in- the annual competition that takes able." stead will require teams to consider place in a supersized sandbox filled Along with Luna*Bot, the 2013 a number of design and operational for this year's grand prize, the Joe with crushed basalt that has similar Lunabotics team has issued a chal- factors such as dust tolerance and Kosmo Award for Excellence. characteristics to lunar soil, called lenge . . . the Luna Worldwide Chal- projection, communications, vehicle "I am always amazed at the BP-1. lenge. Entrants were asked to print mass, energy/power use, and full camaraderie you see develop among Luna*Bot was designed with out Luna and take pictures of her autonomy. the teams," Hull said. "It’s really most little girls' favorite colors in adventures. The instructions were to Some 50 teams from across the amazing to see such international mind -- pink and purple. bring Luna and her activity sheets world have registered to compete cooperation at the university level."

NASA photos Left: The Sydney Lunabotics Team shows off Luna*Bot on the skywalk of Sydney Tower Eye, the tallest building in Sydney. Right: Students from Instituto de Astrobiologia in Bogota, Colombia, took Luna*Bot with them on their Moon Night outreach event. Luna Worldwide Challenge entrants are asked to print out Luna and take pictures of her on their adventures. Page 6 SPACEPORT NEWS Feb. 22, 2013 Facelift prepares crawlerway for future By Linda Herridge the crawler-transporter’s Spaceport News tracks became coated in mud as it traveled to the pad. everal sections of the “It’s important to get the crawlerway that lead work completed now, while Sfrom the Vehicle the center is upgrading its Assembly Building (VAB) infrastructure,” Talluto said. to Launch Complex 39 at Work is targeted for Kennedy Space Center are completion by June 2014. getting a facelift to prepare Canaveral Construction of to transport the agency's Mims, Fla., is handling the Space Launch System (SLS) project. Beginning near Pad rocket and future commer- B, crews are removing all of cial spacecraft to the launch the existing Alabama river pads. rock and the top layer of the Led by the Ground lime rock foundation. Systems Development and Lime rock will be added Operations (GSDO) Program to return the foundation to its office at Kennedy, work is original elevation and about under way to refurbish the CLICK ON PHOTO NASA/Jim Grossmann 30,000 tons of new river two 40-foot-wide pathways A worker from Canaveral Construction in Mims, Fla., regrades a section of the crawlerway at Kennedy Space Center on Jan. rock will be added to return the crawler-transporter will 31. The crawlerway is being refurbished to improve the foundation and prepare it to support the weight of NASA’s Space the top layer to its original travel as it carries the SLS Launch System rocket and future commercial spacecraft to the launch pads. Workers are removing the original Alabama river eight to 12 inches in depth. from the VAB to the rocket's rock and restoring the layer of lime rock below to its original depth. Then, new river rock will be added on top. The Ground When the work is com- Systems Development and Operations (GSDO) Program office at Kennedy is leading the center’s transformation to safely launch site at Launch Com- handle a variety of rockets and spacecraft. For more information about GSDO, click on the photo. plete, the crawlerway, which plex 39 Pad B. Portions of has supported NASA’s the pathway that lead from it was constructed in the The crawlerway can han- Water drain-off issues space program for 50 years, the turnoff from Pad B to early 1960s. The top layer of dle weights of up to 26 mil- developed from time to time will be ready to handle the Pad A also will be updated. river rock was removed and lion pounds, but has become during heavy rainstorms, weight of a new breed of According to Sam Talluto, replaced as it wore down, but compacted from the weight including just before the roll- space vehicles, including a GSDO senior project man- the lime rock foundations be- of crawler-transporters car- out of the shuttle stack for commercial spacecraft and ager, it is the first time that low it saw very little, if any, rying the Apollo/Saturn V the STS-130 mission in 2010 the towering SLS atop the the crawlerway’s founda- rework since the original rockets and space shuttles to when heavy rains saturated crawler-transporter beside its tion will be repaired since installation. the pads for launch. areas of the crawlerway and mobile tower. HTV-4 elements en route to Japan, space station By Cheryl Mansfield tor at the JAXA launch site in order elements and payloads," said Bigos. payload using Kennedy's payload Spaceport News to help ensure the three elements "At Kennedy, we performed peri- rack checkout unit and EXPRESS arrived safely and to provide coor- odic maintenance tasks and installa- logistics carrier simulator. The STP ven though the structural dination between JAXA and NASA tion of the MBSU and UTA ORUs H-4 contains seven experiments for elements of the International during installation into the JAXA onto their respective flight releasable investigating space communications, Space Station prepared in E launch vehicle," said Steve Bigos, adapter mechanism hardware and Earth monitoring and materials sci- the processing facility at Kennedy Space Station Orbital Replacement flight support equipment," Bigos ence. Space Center are now in space, Unit project manager at Kennedy. said. The shipment to Japan for the the team at Kennedy continues to The Kennedy team also com- Also included in the shipment was HTV-4 launch continues the interna- support the orbiting laboratory in a pleted the planning, processing and the Space Test Program-Houston 4 tional cooperation that began during number of ways. integration of unpressurized Orbital (STP H-4) payload whose team per- construction of the station, as the As evidence of that support Replacement Units (ORU) for the formed development testing of their partner nations work together. coupled with international coopera- Main Bus Switching Unit (MBSU) tion, hardware destined for the space and Utility Transfer Assembly (UTA) station just left Kennedy, headed for -- both important elements for keep- the Tanegashima Space Center in ing the space station running. Japan. There it will be turned over "The Utility Transfer Assembly to the Japan Aerospace Exploration is a critical component of the S3 Agency (JAXA) in preparation for and P3 truss segments' Solar Alpha launch on the H-II Transfer Vehicle 4 Rotary Joints. Its function is to (HTV-4) mission this summer. pass electrical power generated by CLICK ON PHOTO NASA/Jim Grossmann "We provide an on-site coordina- the solar arrays to the other ISS The Japan-bound H-II Transfer Vehicle 4 elements depart from Kennedy Space Center on Feb. 20. Feb. 22, 2013 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 7 Israeli students visit, honor hometown hero By Bob Granath Be'er Sheva have Force," she said. "He humbly un- Auschwitz concentration camp. They Spaceport News come to Kennedy derstood his unique place in history immigrated to Israel in 1949. so they can be as Israel's first astronaut. He and his In addition to attending the Day of s NASA paused on Feb. 1 to here for the Co- family blessed all of us (Columbia Remembrance ceremony and learn- remember the astronauts lumbia anniver- crew and families) by teaching us ing about Ramon, the students toured who were lost on the space A sary," she said. Jewish traditions." the Florida spaceport, seeing the shuttle Columbia's STS-107 mission, This year there Those traditions were not only Apollo-Saturn V facility, the Vehicle students from the hometown of one was a total of rooted in the Bible, but also in the Assembly Building, Launch Pad 39A of its crew members joined in the Ilan Ramon 44 students and history of the modern state of Israel. and the Shuttle Landing Facility. Day of Remembrance ceremonies at three teachers Ramon grew up in Be'er Sheva, Colville noted that out of the 24 Kennedy Space Center. from Makif Gimel High School, Ra- a city of 185,000, with parents who names on the Space Mirror Memo- Israeli Space Agency astronaut mon's alma mater, and Makif Aleph were both victims of Nazi persecu- rial at Kennedy's visitor complex, Ilan Ramon served as a payload High School that made the trip. tion. His father, Eliezer Wolferman, Ramon's is the only astronaut from specialist aboard Columbia with During their visit, the students fled from Germany in 1935. Wolfer- another country. fellow crew members Rick Husband, participated in several educational man went on to fight in Israel's War "It's appropriate that the students William McCool, Michael Anderson, programs and heard from speakers of Independence between 1947 and could participate in this observance," Kalpana Chawla, David Brown and such as State Sen. Thad Altman, 1949. Ramon's mother and grand- Colville said. "They exhibited a great Laurel Clark who perished when the president and chief executive officer mother were Holocaust survivors deal of national pride. We were glad shuttle broke apart during re-entry on of the Astronauts Memorial Foun- from Poland, having been in the to share in it." Feb. 1, 2003. dation (AMF) and former NASA Each year, junior and senior high astronaut Jon McBride, chairman of school students from Be'er Sheva, the AMF board of directors. Israel, make a trip to Kennedy to McBride told of his experiences as honor Ramon and draw inspiration a U.S. Navy aviator, which included from his efforts to explore. spending almost two years in Israel. "The students are very inter- He also spoke about his mission as a ested in Ramon's participation in pilot on the STS-41G shuttle mission the shuttle program," said Laura in October 1984. Colville, program manager for "As a result of his time in Israel, NASA's Educator Resource Center. Jon learned to speak Hebrew and "We also try to encourage them to was able to talk with many of the stay in school and pursue higher students in their language," Colville educational opportunities. Educators said. in Israel, like America, encourage At the Day of Remembrance interest in STEM -- science, technol- ceremony, the young people heard ogy, engineering and mathematics." Evelyn Husband-Thompson, widow Colville noted that the annual of STS-107 commander Rick Hus- NASA pilgrimage began a year after the band, honor Ramon. Israeli high school students listen to former NASA astronaut Jon McBride, chairman of the Astronauts Memorial Foundation board of directors, during a visit Feb. 1. McBride shared his experiences as a pilot Columbia accident. "Ilan was a tremendously gifted on the STS-41G shuttle mission. Having spent almost two years in Israel, McBride was able to talk with "Since 2004, the scholars from pilot and a colonel in the Israeli Air many of the students in Hebrew. Delaware North shares visitor complex plan with space club By Linda Herridge a presentation to National up here at Kennedy Space Station gallery, Hubble were created, and Moore said Spaceport News Space Club members and Center.” Space Telescope display, about $15.5 million could be guests on Feb. 12. Atlantis will be displayed Atlantis cockpit simulator, generated annually in food, pace shuttle Atlantis Moore said construction in the largest building that children's play area, retail hotel stays and retail sales displayed inside its continues on the Atlantis Delaware North has ever shop and more than 60 inter- from the thousands of visi- Snew home and the facility, with plans to remove built -- about 90,000 square active exhibits. tors to the complex. Angry Birds Space Encoun- about 16,000 feet of protec- feet -- according to Moore. Visitors will pass under The new visitor complex ter will soon greet visitors to tive plastic wrap and open Visitors will see Atlantis actual-size replicas of two entryway near the Rocket the Kennedy Space Center the shuttle’s payload bay tilted at a 43.21 degree angle solid rocket boosters and Garden recently was com- Visitor Complex. doors in May. The grand and about 67 feet off the an external tank to enter the pleted and a new restaurant, Bill Moore, chief operat- opening will be June 29. ground for optimum viewing building. the Rocket Garden Café, was ing officer with Delaware “We’re putting Atlantis in with its payload bay doors “We’re not only celebrat- added. North Companies Parks & a new home so we can tell open. One of the shuttle's ing the shuttle, but we’re “We’re not at the end of Resorts, gave an update on the story to others,” Moore wings will be only about also telling the story of the program, we’re at the the progress of new attrac- said. seven feet off the ground. spaceflight here on the East beginning,” Moore said. tions and improvements at “It’s very fitting that the The attraction also will in- Coast,” Moore said. “America will not stop the visitor complex during last shuttle to fly would end clude an International Space Many construction jobs exploring.” Page 8 SPACEPORT NEWS Feb. 22, 2013 New Doppler wind profiler to replace system near SLF By Linda Herridge Spaceport News s NASA moves forward next year to place instru- Aments on the International Space Station to take ocean- surface wind speed and direction measurements, the Ground Sys- tems Development and Operations Program office at Kennedy Space Center has plans of its own to up- grade decades-old wind measure- ment equipment near the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF). The 50 megahertz Doppler Radar Wind Profiler (DRWP) Project team successfully completed a preliminary design review on Jan. 18. The team, working under Kennedy's Engineering Sup- port Contract, has members from NASA, QuinetiQ North America and its subcontractor, DeTect Inc. of Panama City, Fla. NASA/Jim Grossmann The DRWP currently is used to The current radar wind profiler system was built in the 1980s and is located at the north end of the Shuttle Landing Facility on the east side of the runway. Its antenna comprises more than 100 wire dipoles and occupies about 3.7 acres of ground surrounded by an eight-sided fence. warn launch operators of poten- tially hazardous upper-air wind and direction at 500-foot intervals service providers who want to use electronics with state-of-the-art conditions not detected by weather from 6,000 to 60,000 feet in alti- the wind profiler, rather than bal- equipment. balloons that are used as the pri- tude every five minutes. loons, as their primary wind source The software will be replaced mary day-of-launch wind system. “The profiler has the advantage to certify it for that purpose. with modern, wind-finding algo- According to Dr. Frank Merceret, that it measures the winds 12 times The new system’s antenna will rithms, including an upgrade to the director of research for Ken- faster than the balloons, and the replace the large array of wire di- the NASA-designed Median Filter nedy’s Weather Office, the DRWP measurements also are closer to the poles with 640 three-element Yagi First Guess wind-finding algorithm accurately measures wind speed flight path of the vehicle,” Mer- sensors in a staggered antenna ar- used on the existing DRWP. ceret said. ray. Each Yagi will be mounted on “This is a major project,” The current system, built in the a 10-foot-high pole and consist of Merceret said. “The purpose is to 1980s near the north end of the three 10-foot- provide the SLF on the east side of the runway, long aluminum same or better, supports all launches on the East- tubes at right "This is a major project. reliable and ern Range. Its antenna comprises angles to the The purpose is to provide the accurate wind more than 100 wire dipoles and mounting pole. same or better, reliable and profile data to occupies about 3.7 acres of ground The hard- accurate wind profile data to Range Weather surrounded by an eight-sided fence. ware and asso- Range Weather Operations Operations and The system’s electronic compo- ciated software and launch customers." launch custom- nents include the radar transmit- systems will ers.” ter, receiver and computers which be designed, Dr. Frank Merceret, A critical are housed in a trailer adjacent to constructed director of research for design review the antenna. Merceret said that and installed Kennedy Space Center’s will be com- hardware in the system has become by DeTect Weather Office pleted by mid- difficult to maintain because spare Inc., which is April. The new parts are no longer manufactured building the system will or available. National Wind Profiler Network for take seven months to install, with The existing profiler cannot be the National Oceanic and Atmo- work to remove the old system used as the primary upper-air wind spheric Administration (NOAA). starting in March 2014. Installation instrument, Merceret explained, Kennedy’s system will largely be of the DRWP will be completed by NASA file/2006 because it is not certified for that based on the NOAA design. October 2014. A Rawinsonde weather balloon sails into the sky application. Because of its age, it Merceret said this is to ensure Much of the old system hardware after release from the Cape Canaveral forecast cannot meet the stringent reliability off-the-shelf components will be and spares will be shipped to Van- facility in Florida in 2006. The balloons are and maintainability requirements available to support its mainte- denberg Air Force Base in Califor- GPS-tracked and can collect data on atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity, and wind speed for certification. Installation of the nance for many years. The new nia, where an identical system is and direction up to 100,000 feet. new instrument will permit launch system will replace the obsolete in use. Feb. 22, 2013 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 9 Restoration to protect shoreline infrastructure By Bob Granath primary dunes along snakes and gopher Spaceport News Kennedy's beaches tortoises," Dankert were required. A said. "Restoring the n late October, one 15-foot-high, 725-foot- dunes will also help us of the most de- long secondary dune protect these species." Istructive storms was completed in Dankert noted that ever to hit the United 2010 along the widest the rebuilt dunes also States bashed the expanse between pads would block launch beaches of Brevard A and B. The new dune pad lighting on the County in Florida, was the only stretch beach, thus aiding nest- including the shoreline remaining intact after ing and hatchling sea of NASA's Ken- Hurricane Sandy. turtles find their way to nedy Space Center. "After rebuilding the and from the ocean. Scientists are assess- dunes, we may remove "The newly hatched ing damage along a the rail since it hasn't sea turtles are dis- 1.2-mile stretch of been used in years," oriented by artificial shoreline near Launch Dankert said, "so we light," he said. "We Pads 39A and 39B and can protect the beach want to encourage developing restoration road and the launch them to head toward plans. pads which are crucial the sea." Hurricane Sandy to Kennedy's future." According to damaged portions of NASA/Frankie Martin The space center's Dankert, the funding the Caribbean and had Constant pounding from hurricanes, such as Sandy, other weather systems and higher than usual tides have destroyed sand dunes protecting the infrastructure at Kennedy Space Center, as seen here Feb. 19. shoreline also is an to begin restoring the serious impacts along important habitat for beach dunes comes at the Southeastern and in the 1960s for the the shoreline farther he said. "Hopefully, wildlife, including a crucial time for the Mid-Atlantic states Apollo/Saturn V rock- inland." we will be able to use several endangered Florida spaceport. before delivering a ets that sent astronauts Dankert explained some of that money to species. "Our beaches have devastating blow to the to the moon, the launch that Sandy was only rebuild the sand dunes "Losing portions of been slowly erod- Northeast. pads were modified in the most recent blow here." the Kennedy shoreline ing for years and the Constant pound- the late 1970s to sup- to beaches along the Kennedy officials are may have negative sooner we get started, ing from hurricanes, port the Space Shuttle Space Coast. hoping to bring in sand effects for species such the better," he said. such as Sandy, other Program. Pad B is now "During Kennedy's to replace the protec- as the Southeastern "This will, at least, get weather systems and being updated to sup- history, tropical weath- tive sand dunes on the beach mouse, indigo us going." higher than usual tides, port NASA's heavy-lift er has continued to beach that can serve as have destroyed sand Space Launch System batter our shoreline," a buffer from tropical dunes protecting the launch vehicle and he said. "Some pass by, cyclones. spaceport. Orion capsule. Pad and with some we've "A Dune Vulnerabili- "The shoreline A may be used in the had a few direct hits. ty Team was formed in continues to move future for commercial It's a constant battle to 2009 to assess the con- farther inland threaten- rockets. restore the dunes that dition of our shoreline ing critical portions o "The pads are crucial hold off the weather- and develop a strategy f our infrastructure," to our future, and induced erosion." to provide long-term said Don Dankert, a bi- we've got to make sure Experts such as protection," Dankert ological scientist in the we do all we can to Dankert are busy said. "The DVT is NASA Environmental protect them," Dankert developing a long- a joint effort with Management Branch said. term plan to mitigate NASA, U.S. Geologi- of Center Operations. It doesn't take a the constant battering cal Survey, U.S. Army "The ocean is now direct hit from a hur- from the environment. Corps of Engineers less than a quarter of a ricane to cause severe They hope to use some and the University of mile from Launch Pads erosion on the beaches. of the $15 million Florida. In addition to A and B. The ground "When Sandy moved included for NASA in rebuilding the dunes, under the railroad lines north past Florida, the multi-billion-dollar we needed to plant has been breached, and it was 220 miles off Hurricane Sandy relief native vegetation on the line of erosion has shore, but its effects bill passed by Con- newly created dunes to moved dangerously were far-reaching," gress. provide soil stabiliza- close to the beach road. Dankert said. "The "Part of these funds tion and benefits to Additionally, we need ocean pounds the will go to the NASA native wildlife." to protect underground beaches with higher facility on Wallops Following a number NASA utilities near the beach tides and strong Island on the coast of of hurricanes and tropi- The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer on NASA’s Terra satellite captured this image of Hurricane Sandy on Oct. 28, road." winds that rip away Virginia since they had cal storms dating back 2012. At the time, Sandy was off the southeastern United States Originally built at the dunes, moving a lot of damage too," to 2004, repairs to the and spanned about 2,000 miles. Page 10 SPACEPORT NEWS Feb. 22, 2013 CST-100 reviews road to mission operations By Bob Granath Spaceport News he Boeing Company's plans for its CST-100 spacecraft Tcontinue to firm up as the aerospace company works with NASA's Commercial Crew Pro- gram (CCP) to establish what will be needed to communicate with the spacecraft and recover it when it returns from a mission. The capsule-shaped spacecraft is on track to launch to low-Earth orbit atop a United Launch Alli- ance Atlas V rocket from Florida's Space Coast around the middle of the decade. It is designed to hold enough crew members to allow the spaceship to operate as a taxi and lifeboat on missions to the Interna- tional Space Station. The company, one of three NASA is working with to establish a commercial industry to ferry astronauts to and from the orbiting laboratory, recently completed its Artist's image courtesy of The Boeing Company fifth performance milestone and Space Florida currently is renovating the former Orbiter Processing Facility-3 for the future of human spaceflight.Above, an artist's aerial image shows The two in-depth reviews as part of the Boeing Company's CST-100 processing high bay in the Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility (C3PF) at Kennedy Space Center. CST-100's development. craft is integrated with the launch The latest review milestone under ground portions of mission opera- of equipment and consumables the funded Space Act Agreement tions software. necessary for exclusively low-Earth vehicle, ground systems, and with NASA during the Commercial "It gave us an opportunity to look orbit missions. everything needed to manufacture, Crew Integrated Capability (CCi- at how they are moving ahead and Recent analyses of landing sys- process, launch, fly and return the Cap) initiative at Boeing's facility to provide input to their products," tems have taken place in Delamar CST-100." in Titusville, Fla., established the Caliendo said. "Innovation and Dry Lake in Nevada, proving the Bill Lane, deputy partner man- baseline plan for the equipment and ingenuity of commercial companies CST-100 can return to Earth with ager in CCP's Partner Integration infrastructure needed to run space- will be important, but since NASA three parachutes, as was the case Office, said the recent reviews are craft ground communications, and will be purchasing a transportation with Apollo. Just prior to landing, ensuring that NASA's new initiative landing and recovery operations. service to the space station, we air bags will deploy on the bottom remains on track. The company also completed have requirements that companies of the spacecraft allowing a safe "These reviews provided the back-to-back production design and eventually will have to meet if they touchdown on the ground. To add foundation of capsule production, “phase 1” safety reviews in Novem- plan on competing for services in flexibility, the CST-100 also can processing and flight operations," ber, which allowed agency manag- the future." return for a water landing. Lane said. "The teams have worked ers and engineers to analyze safety The design of the CST-100 Boeing currently is on schedule very hard to identify hardware, and support systems being designed resembles NASA's legacy Apollo to complete a total of 19 mile- software and mission operations for the CST, short for Crew Space command and service modules. stones during the base period of its requirements that will be necessary Transportation. However, the CST-100 crew mod- CCiCap agreement. The company to ensure flight safety starting from "The safety review showed some ule is larger with a greater habit- will be designing both flight and the initial production and continu- ways Boeing is mitigating and con- able interior with the capacity to ground systems hardware, writing ing through the full life-cycle of the trolling hazards in the preliminary carry up to seven astronauts or four and testing code for flight software, capsule." design review level of the integrat- astronauts and cargo, compared to developing ground communications NASA's new CCiCap agreements ed design," said Gennaro Caliendo the three sent on the lunar missions systems, and performing wind tun- follow two previous commercial of CCP's Partner Integration Office. of the 1960s and '70s. It also is nel tests. All of the work leads up to endeavors by the agency to spur "Boeing has a great deal of expe- designed for reusability for up to a Critical Design Review scheduled the development of crew transpor- rience in the human spaceflight ten missions. for April 2014 prior to optional tation systems and subsystems. business and has been integral in The service module is consider- qualification and flight demonstra- Work by NASA's industry partners helping develop future spacecraft ably smaller than Apollo because tion milestones. during CCiCap will set the stage for our national capability." it doesn't need a propulsion engine "The CDR will be an integrated for a crewed orbital demonstration The third review covered Boe- capable of getting it back from the systems review," Caliendo said. mission around the middle of the ing's progress in developing the moon. That also reduces the amount "We'll be looking at how the space- decade. Feb. 22, 2013 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 11 2012-13 KSC Honor Awards NASA GROUP YOU MAKE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS A DIFFERENCE AWARD

CCP ULA Technical Discipline Team Sheila L. Frowiss

Commercial Crew Cost Estimating Team Jael P. Lamothe

Commercial Crew integrated Capability Jeannette R. Lockman (CCiCap) Performance Evaluation Profile (PEP) Robert J. Ruiz Commercial Crew Transportation Systems Requirement Margaret A. Truitt

Crawler-Transporter 2 Modifications KSC ENGINEER/SCIENTIST

Crew Module Outreach Tour Transition Team OF THE YEAR AWARD NASA/Jim Grossmann Cryogenics Design and Development Team Pete Nickolenko, center, accepts the 2012 Kennedy Space Center Director's Award from Director Bob Timothy W. Widrick – Civil Servant Category Cabana and acting Deputy Director Michael Bolger on Feb. 15 at the visitor complex. ELVIS 2 Source Evaluation Board Team SPEAKERS INSPIRE SMALL BUSINESS Pravinkumar K. Asar – Contractor Category AWARD Fire Protection Design and Construction Team OFFICE AWARDS KSC DIVERSITY & EQUAL Stephen Ernest Kennedy Educate to Innovate Volunteers Small Business Prime Contractor of the OPPORTUNITY AWARD Year Award KSC Commercial Space Strategy Team George Gabrielle Kimberlyn B. Carter Millennium Engineering and Integration Company KSC International Space University Space Studies ENVIRONMENTAL AWARDS Edwin Martinez Small Business Subcontractor of the KSC-IT Mobile Development Team Environmental Individual Awards Year Award KSC STRATEGIC Looking Behind The Scenes Lisa M. Ruffe Dynamac Corporation LEADERSHIP AWARD

Mars Science Laboratory William B. Simmonds Large Business Prime Contractor of the Linda D. Euell Year Award Morpheus Propellants Loading Team Environmental Team Awards The Boeing Company KSC EMPLOYEE OF THE

Pegasus NuStar Communications and Telemetry Design and Construction of Lunar Landscape for Small Business Advocate Procurement YEAR AWARD Team the Testing of Morpheus Lander Team of the Year Award David R. Ungar Restore Propellant Transfer System Development KSC Reuse and Recycling of Shuttle Legacy Kennedy Space Center Protective Services Ozone Depleting Substances Procurement Development Team Shuttle Landing Facility Area Development Team KSC DIRECTOR’S AWARD SECRETARIAL BEST OF KSC Peter P. Nickolenko Shuttle T&R Data Team EXCELLENCE AWARD SOFTWARE AWARD SLSL Water Main Break Lab Recovery Effort Jennifer P. Horner – Civil Servant Category Future articles Automated Utility Database Reporting and VAB Counterweight Well Access Improvement Melissa A. Swinson – Contractor Category Information System (AUDRIS) Spaceport News will highlight those who Team received Kennedy Space Center’s most prestigious awards in future editions. VAB Vertical Door Brake Addition Implementation To check out the event program, click here

Certificates of Michael C. Davis Susan J. Habenicht Michael V. Le Roberta S. Nesworthy Laura Poliah Samuel G. Vaughn Michelle E. Amos Bhupendra H. Deliwala Michael J. Hartnett Roger H. Liang Rolando J. Nieves Sue G. Preece Gary J. Villa Appreciation Jeffery S. Beyer William Denis Kay D. Heck Jonathan E. Lisak Kathleen L. O’Brady Eric A. Reyier Thomas J. Villane This award is Timothy M. Bianchi Kenneth R. Ford Penelope A. Herbst Bryan R. Lutinski Frank E. Ochoa- James C. Schick James R. Wachter intended to recognize James S. Bolton Tara M. Francisco Kenneth C. Hosterman Kelli C. Maloney Gonzales David M. Stark Richard T. Warren contributions made Steven E. Cain Gregory M. Galloway Paul T. Hudson Alissa M. Matthews David W. Olsen Kenneth J. Strite Angela R. Watkins by NASA employees, Amy C. Canfield Sherry L. Gasaway Danny K. Hunt John E. McClelland Evelyn M. Orozco- Derrick J. Thomas Charles F. Wendling individual citizens, Grant R. Cates Steven P. Gersten John G. Ilgenfritz David T. Miller Smith Vernon L. Thorp Douglas E. Willard contractors, or public Jeffrey A. Cheatham Amanda M. Gillespie John J. Ippolito Kevin L. Miller Kevin R. Panik Christopher L. Torres Virginia M. Williams organizations to Michael K. Collins Louis E. Goetz Anibal A. Karban Sonia S. Miller Terry S. Parnell Rhonda S. (Kistner) Tracy G. Young Kennedy Space Center Jared F. Congiardo Leticia Gomez Charla G. King David A. Mohler Robert M. Peacock Tugg Richard J. Zeitler endeavors. Michelle L. Crowe David L. Grau Eric M. Kirby Kim M. Moore Amber N. Philman Stacie M. Turner Christopher A. Zuber Susan E. Danley Philip A. Gvozd Steven W. Larchar Robert E. Moore Timothy A. Pirlo Christine A. Vanaman Lisa B. Zuber Page 12 SPACEPORT NEWS Feb. 22, 2013

NASA Spinoffs: Did you know? X-ray technology is evolving with a lot of help from NASA. Among the 2012 NASA spinoffs was an X-ray fluorescence scanner that detects the elemental composition of an object and is frequently used by museums to authenticate works of art. It also analyzes NASA spacecraft components.

In 1983, a portable X-ray instrument was developed by NASA. Called a Lixiscope -- Low Intensity X-Ray Imaging Scope -- it is a self- contained, battery-powered device that produces an instant image and uses less than one percent of the radiation required by conventional X-ray devices.

In 1977, NASA developed an X-ray filter to get a clearer image of Earth on Landsat missions. This technology now enables physicians to diagnose patients by allowing them to see the underlying tissue beyond the bone.

In 1967, NASA flew an X-ray telescope aboard Orbiting Solar Observatory-4 to study X-ray emissions from the sun's corona. Among the spinoffs were an X-ray scanner for medical use, a digital

radiography diagnosis system for CLICK ON PHOTO NASA/Kim Shiflett nondestructive testing of manufactured products and a system of load ULA's Atlas V carries newest Landsat management for electric utilities. NASA's Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) lifts off Space Launch Complex 3 at California's Vandenberg Air Force Base at 1:02 p.m. EST on Jan. 15 atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. LDCM is the future of Landsat satellites. Like its predecessors, the Landsat 8 satellite will obtain valuable For more about NASA Spinoffs,, go to http://www.nasa.gov/spinoffs. data and imagery to be used in agriculture, education, business, science and government. The Landsat Program provides repetitive acquisition of high-resolution, multispectral data of the Earth's surface on a global basis. The data returned from the Landsat spacecraft constitute the longest record of the Earth's Looking up and ahead . . . continental surfaces as seen from space. For more information about the mission, click on the photo. * All times are Eastern

March John F. Kennedy Space Center Mission: Orbital Sciences Test Flight Launch Vehicle: Antares Launch Window: TBD Spaceport News Launch Site: Wallops Flight Facility, Va. Launch Pad: 0A Description: The Antares is scheduled for a test flight under NASA’s Commercial Orbital Spaceport News is an official publication of the Kennedy Space Center and is published Transportation Services agreement with the company. online on alternate Fridays by Public Affairs in the interest of KSC civil service and contractor employees. March 1 Contributions are welcome and should be submitted three weeks before publication to Public Mission: SpaceX 2 Commercial Resupply Services flight Affairs, IMCS-440. Email submissions can be sent to [email protected] Launch Vehicle: Falcon 9 Managing editor ...... Candrea Thomas Launch Window: 10:10 a.m. Assistant managing editor ...... Stephanie Covey Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Pad: Space Launch Complex 40 Editor ...... Frank Ochoa-Gonzales Description: SpaceX CRS-2 will be the second commercial resupply mission to the Copy editor ...... Kay Grinter International Space Station by SpaceX. Editorial support provided by Abacus Technology Corp. Writers Group. NASA at KSC is on the Internet at www.nasa.gov/kennedy To watch a NASA launch online, go to http://www.nasa.gov/ntv. SP-2013-02-021-KSC