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June 1, 2007 Vol. 46, No. 11 Spaceport News John F. Kennedy Space Center - America’s gateway to the universe http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/snews/spnews_toc.html STS-117 crew members, Atlantis ready to deliver truss segment t press time, the launch of Expedition 15 crew member Space Shuttle Atlantis and Clayton Anderson also will travel Aits seven-member crew for aboard Atlantis to relieve Expedi- NASA’s STS-117 mission to the tion 14 Flight Engineer Sunita International Space Station is Williams of her duties. Williams scheduled for June 8 at 7:38 p.m. will come back to Earth with the During the 11-day mission, returning STS-117 crew members. Atlantis will dock to the station The exchange of Anderson and and crew members will perform Williams was originally planned three spacewalks. STS-117 is the for the STS-118 mission, now 118th space shuttle flight and the targeted for launch in August. 21st flight to the station. However, that flight, first set to fly The crew will deliver solar in June, had to be postponed after arrays, batteries and the S3/S4 an unexpected hail storm damaged integrated truss segment. The Atlantis’ external fuel tank and segment will be installed to the S1 delayed STS-117. truss on the starboard side of the During the first spacewalk, station. Together, the S3/S4 crew members will mate the S3/S4 segments are 45.3 feet long and truss segment and begin powering weigh 35,581 pounds, making this it. The second spacewalk includes the heaviest station element in removing the restraints that kept existence. the truss structure rigid during The integrated segment is the launch, thus allowing the S3 joint third of four power modules that to rotate. The crew will perform provide additional power-genera- various tasks during the third SPACE SHUTTLE Atlantis, mounted on a mobile launch platform, rests on the hard tion capability for the station. spacewalk. stand of Launch Pad 39A for the STS-117 mission. Shuttle Launch Experience lifts off new mission at Visitor Complex By Steven Siceloff Staff Writer t’s tough to stay on the edge of your seat when you’re lying on Iyour back, but the Shuttle Launch Experience pulls it off. The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex unveiled the new $60 million attraction on May 25 during a grand opening event including more than 40 former and current NASA astronauts. The Experience delivers what it promises: a simulation of riding a space shuttle into orbit. There’s the rumbling sound and shaking seat as the solid rocket boosters are igniting, the jolt of the bolts going off to free the shuttle from the KENNEDY SPACE Center and State of Florida dignitaries helped launch the opening of the newest attraction at launch pad and, finally, a slight Kennedy Space Center’s Visitor Complex, the Shuttle Launch Experience. Breaking the ribbon are (left to right) Dan LeBlanc, chief operating officer of the KSC Visitor Complex; Lt. Governor of Florida Jeff Kottkamp; former weightless feeling upon reaching astronauts John Young and Bob Crippen; Center Director Bill Parsons; KSC Director of External Relations Lisa (See EXPERIENCE, Page 5) Malone; and former astronaut Buzz Aldrin. Page 2 SPACEPORT NEWS June 1, 2007 Office of Personnel Management, NIST. This badge will replace all as well as a Federal Bureau of existing badges for individuals Investigation fingerprint check. needing access to NASA physical The minimum level of investiga- property or IT assets and who have tion is called a National Agency a relationship with NASA for more Director’s Check with written Inquiries, or than 180 days. NACI. Each badge will contain an Awards Current NASA civil servants encrypted electronic representa- already have had NACIs. However, tion of the individual’s finger- Update if more than 10 years have passed prints, a photograph and a certifi- since their last investigation, a new cate that can be matched to a Mike Bolger investigation may have to be reader to allow access to IT Information Technology and initiated. resources and area locations. New contractor individuals are Communications Services The new badge is the center- currently undergoing NACIs. Most piece of the Presidential Directive of the existing contractor work and will be issued to all civil rotecting information about contractors and offsite/remote-only force has not had this investigation servants and contractors by America’s space program is users of information technology, and security is working with all Oct. 27. Pvitally important as com- also known as IT; and, contractor personnel to schedule With new badges meeting the puter networks are routinely • Issue new badges with a smart the NACI background investiga- NIST standard in use across all attacked by security outsiders. A card chip to civil servants and tion. government agencies, KSC team Presidential Directive, signed in contractors. The new badge will be issued members’ identities can be 2004, will help NASA counter As a result, NASA is in the through the Personal Identity immediately verified at any NASA these threats. process of implementing the use of center, which should The White House measure the new badge to allow physical “The new badge is the facilitate access and means all government agencies and information technology access centerpiece of the Presidential eliminate most additional must now: at all centers. After the new badges security checks. • Perform more rigorous proof are issued, NASA will implement a Directive and will be issued to all civil servants and contractors by For more information, and documentation of an phased approach for using the contact your directorate’s individual’s identity; badge to access controlled areas, Oct. 27.” security points of contact • Provide more secure physical computers, systems and applica- or visit KSC’s Web site for the and logical access to federal tions. Verification process in accordance directive at http:// facilities and systems; Civil servants and contractors with a government-wide standard hspd12.ksc.nasa.gov. • Perform background investi- must undergo a new background issued by the National Institutes of gations for all civil servants, investigation conducted by the Standards and Technology, or June NASA employees of the month Engineers group offers robotics camps for girls eventh and eighth grade girls can register for the SRobotics Summer Camp for Girls being offered by the Society of Women Engineers from June 18 to 22 in Cocoa Beach. This exciting camp is an opportunity for girls to be creative while building and programming a robot to com- plete a mission. Fourth and sixth grade girls can also learn robotics at the LEGO Robotics Summer Camp for Girls in Cocoa Beach. There are two sessions of this one- week program, with one scheduled for June 4-8 and the other June 11-15. A competition will be held at the end of each THE JUNE NASA employees of the month include, back row from left, Donald Schiller, Chief Counsel; Hudson week. Delee, Center Operations; Nelson Lerma, Engineering Directorate; Denton Gibson, Engineering Directorate Registration information is and Scott Mimbs, Safety and Mission Assurance. Pictured in the front row, from left, are Chris Hinds, Human on the Web at www.swe-sc.org/ Resources; Lisa Smith, Constellation Project Office; and Mari Poulin, International Space Station and Spacecraft Robotics. Processing. Not pictured are: James Davis, Chief Financial Office; Joye Williamson, Information Technology and Communications Services; Jack Gardner, Launch Vehicle Processing; and Mark Mertz, Launch Services Program. June 1, 2007 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 3 Employees step up to donate blood for military By Linda Herridge Engineering Services, helped Staff Writer coordinate the blood drive. “It’s the right thing to do,” ennedy Space Center and McGovern said. “And it’s our Cape Canaveral Air Force obligation to donate blood if we KStation workers stepped up can.” to help the U.S. military serving Daniel Cox, a Boeing em- overseas and at home by donating ployee, said he really wanted to blood to “Mission Life Force,” an give blood for the troops. Armed Services Blood Drive “This is the easy part; our Program operated out of Fort military does the hard part,” Cox Bragg, N.C. It is the only Depart- said. ment of Defense donor center in Linda Keene with Space the United States that maintains a Gateway Support said she hadn’t wartime contingency stock of given blood in a really long time. blood. “I was overdue, and this is for Donors filled two locations: the military,” Keene said. “It’s a Fire Station No. 1 at Cape great feeling to help our troops.” Canaveral Air Force Station on Robert Johnson, with NASA’s May 23, and the Kennedy Learn- Applied Technology group and ing Institute on May 24. Captain also in the Air Force Reserves, said Jason Corley leads the blood drive he wanted to help the troops in any efforts at Fort Bragg. During the way he could. two-day visit to KSC and Cape “They deserve our support and Canaveral Air Force Station, prayers,” said Ron Woods of the Corley said nearly 300 workers Johnson Space Center resident donated 225 pints of blood. office at KSC. “The response was outstand- KENNEDY SPACE Center employees donate blood in the Learning The response to the “Mission ing,” Corley said. “I hope every- Institute for the “Mission Life Force” blood drive May 24. Life Forces” blood drive was so one knows that the blood will be a medical lab specialist attached to soldiers at war, at home, and overwhelming that Fort Bragg is used to support troops overseas Fort Bragg, the tested and pro- patients at the Womack Army planning to return later this year.