Administrator Visits
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OCTOBER 2002 Volume 4 Issue 10 October 2002 Administrator visits D uring an All Hands Address on August 26, NASA Adminis- trator Sean O'Keefe reaffirmed his commitment to adopting three guiding principles of a great organization—professional- ism, resources, and recognition—and gave examples of how the Agency has addressed these values since his first visit to Glenn in January. Professionalism Administrator O'Keefe referenced the Freedom to Manage (F2M) task force's August 22 visit to Glenn. "This (F2M) is a very significant initiative," he said. "We need to break down barriers that go against professionalism and respect." Citing the recent change that allows civil servants of any center to easily enter any NASA installation using their badge, Administrator O'Keefe noted that it was a great example of how the Agency is working to break down barriers that perpetuate division and disrespect. C–2002–1651 Photo by Marvin Smith With Center Director Donald Campbell Furthermore, e-mail addresses that will change to @NASA.gov, rather than the current at his side, Administrator Sean O'Keefe addresses that reflect individual centers, will bring more unity within the Agency. spoke to and with Glenn employees during an All Hands Address on August 26. Continued on page 7 F2M task force shares its mission BY DOREEN ZUDELL Central to the President's Management Continued on page 00 Agenda, the F2M program was estab- lished in January by NASA Administrator I s there a barrier that gets in the way of R&D 100 AWARDS ...................... 6 you performing your work efficiently Sean O'Keefe to encourage civil servants Two Glenn innovations named and effectively? NASA's Freedom to and contractors to identify and stimulate most significant products Manage (F2M) task force recently trav- changes. eled to Glenn to solicit input that will IT'S ALL ABOUT ATTITUDE......... 8 improve work processes and practices This program is about "getting rid of Duane Schaft proves that attitude within the Agency. extraneous, unnecessary impediments determines altitude and getting on with our work at hand," explained NASA Chief of Staff Courtney NEW EMPLOYEE BREAKFAST ..... 12 Stadd, who chairs the task force. Director's Leadership Team and "F2M will be ongoing at NASA. others share breakfast and conversation with new hires Continued on page 9 Hubbard named Contract awarded for new environmental satellite system Ames director Headquarters news release TRW Company of Redondo Beach, CA, has been awarded a $4.5 billion contract to build and deploy the Nation’s future environmental satellite system. The contract is for G. Scott Hubbard, the Acquisition and Operations phase of the National Polar-orbiting Operational former deputy Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS), which will combine the Nation's military director for Re- and civilian environmental satellite programs into a single national system to provide search at Ames, was vital information about our weather, environment, climate, and oceans. The new selected center system represents an integrated effort among NASA, the Commerce Department’s director at Ames National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Department of Defense Research Center. that is expected to result in taxpayer savings of approximately $1.6 billion over the He replaces Dr. NPOESS lifetime. More information on the NPOESS program is available at http:// Hubbard Henry "Harry" Mc- www.ipo.noaa.gov/. Donald who will join the faculty at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga as distin- NASA studies lightning with UAV guished professor of computational engineering. To better understand both the causes of an electrical storm’s fury and its effects on our home planet, NASA Hubbard was previously responsible for and university research scientists are using a tool no the organization and oversight of Ames' atmospheric scientist has ever used to study lightning— research efforts. He is widely acknow- an uninhabited aerial vehicle ledged as the originator of the highly (UAV). Researchers chased Altus II successful Mars Pathfinder mission down thunderstorms using concept and was the project manager the Altus II twin turbo remotely for Ames' portion of that 1997 mission. piloted aircraft, based at the He helped establish NASA's Astrobiology Naval Air Station Key West in Institute at Ames, which addresses Florida, which allowed them to fundamental questions about the origin achieve the dual goals of and evolution of life in the universe, and gathering weather data safely served as its initial director. N and testing new aircraft technology. Capable of high- altitude flight up to 65,000 Glenn participates feet, the UAV has the ability Marshall’s Tony Kim and Dr. Richard in symposium to fly near thunderstorms for Blakeslee test UAV sensors. long periods of time, allowing T he 2002 Turbine Engine Technology investigations to be conducted over the entire life cycle of storms. This research is part Symposium, sponsored by the U.S. Air of the Altus Cumulus Electrification Study, a collaboration among NASA's Marshall Force, was held last week in Dayton, and Goddard Centers, the University of Alabama at Huntsville, Penn State University OH, in which Glenn was well represented. at University Park, and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., in San Diego. For This event enabled the turbine engine more information, visit http://www1.msfc.nasa.gov/NEWSROOM. community to review and discuss the latest technology advances achieved NASA okays proposals for Solar Dynamics Observatory under the Integrated High Performance Turbine Engine Technology (IHPTET) and, NASA selected three proposals to execute on the Solar Dynamics Observatory more recently, the Versatile Affordable (SDO), the cornerstone and first in a series of missions in the new Living With a Star Advanced Turbine Engines (VAATE) (LWS) Program. The SDO will provide new data on the nature and consequence of Programs. solar variability. The proposals selected are the Helioseismic and Vector Magnetic Imager, Solar Heliospheric Activity Research and Prediction Program, and Extreme The theme of this year's symposium was Ultraviolet Variability Experiment. All flight instruments for the SDO mission will be "A Century of Power for Flight," which coordinated through the Goddard Center and flown on a NASA-supplied Sun- acknowledges the contribution of pro- pointing spacecraft in geosynchronous orbit. The SDO mission is a multilateral pulsion to the centennial celebration of international collaboration with university and industry participants from Belgium, powered flight that will occur in 2003. Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, England, and the United States. NASA The technical program emphasized ac- intends to launch in August 2007 for a prime mission of 5 years. More information on complishments and future challenges to NASA's Living With a Star program is available at http://lws.gsfc.nasa.gov/. develop superior propulsion capability for weapon systems. N 2 OCTOBER 2002 Appointments emphasize "One NASA" Jennings earns new Headquarters post Headquarters news release Kennedy news release N ASA's Associate Administrator for Kennedy Space Center, and David A. Space Flight, William F. Readdy, an- King, as deputy center director at Mar- dministrator nounced the appointment of James W. A shall Space Flight Center, effective Sean O'Keefe Kennedy as deputy center director at November 3. Kennedy currently serves named James L. as deputy center director at Marshall Jennings, for- while King is director of shuttle process- mer deputy ing at Kennedy. director of the Kennedy Space The appointments reflect Administrator Center, deputy Sean O'Keefe's new approach of "One associate ad- NASA," which focuses on NASA Head- ministrator for Jennings quarters and field centers having Institutions and Asset enhanced coordination, collaboration, Management at Headquarters , effective Kennedy King and communication to reach a September 9. common goal. N Jennings, who has been with the Agency O'Keefe names first ISS Science Officer for 35 years, will be responsible for providing operational and management Johnson news release support for Headquarters and will direct a full range of activities relating R esearch aboard the International station June 7 as an Expedition 5 flight to personnel and institutional manage- Space Station (ISS) is getting a boost. engineer. Prior to selection as an astro- ment, reporting directly to Deputy Administrator Sean O'Keefe named naut, Whitson's NASA career included Administrator Frederick Gregory. Dr. Peggy Whitson service as a researcher developing space the first ISS science shuttle experiments, as project scientist "Jim's diverse management experience officer while noting for the Shuttle-Mir program, and as with NASA makes him uniquely that it is time to cochair of the U.S.–Russian Mission qualified for this position," Administrator increase emphasis Science Working Group. O'Keefe said. "He has literally watched on the orbiting this Agency grow up from the front lines. outpost's main The ISS science officer is a new duty Jim’s leadership and resource manage- mission—research. assignment that will be made for a NASA ment expertise are needed in Washington astronaut on each ISS Expedition Crew. as we re-evaluate the way NASA manages N Dr. Whitson Whitson, who has a The science officer will continue to be the its infrastructure and assets." doctorate in bio- point of contact for the space station chemistry from Rice University in Hous- crew with NASA-sponsored principal ton, became the station's first resident investigators as well as payload develop- scientist when she arrived at the space ers, integrators, and trainers. N Pamela Mountjoy dies; managed NASA teacher programs P amela L. Mountjoy, 49, former curricu- She managed the Teacher in Space Pro- During her 17 years lum/dissemination program officer for gram, which was suspended following of service to NASA, NASA's Office of Human Resources and the death of space shuttle Challenger's both as an indepen- Education, died of cancer September 12 entire crew in 1986, but was reactivated dent contractor at her home in Laurel, MD.