If Budget Is Adopted, NASA's Future Never Brighter, Weiler Tells Jplers

Jet MAY Propulsion 2010 Laboratory volume 40

number 5

If budget is adopted, NASA’s future never “ We are really in a different place now. We’ve got the second biggest space brighter, Weiler tells agency [the European Space Agency] . . . signing By Mark Whalen up [with NASA] to do every JPLers Mars mission for the next 10 years, together. That’s If NASA’s proposed fiscal year 2011 creased, Earth science received cuts. He a powerful combination.” budget is approved by Congress, “the said the bump in funding for Earth sci- future’s never been any brighter” for ence has been “a long time in coming.” Ed Weiler, NASA associate administrator the agency and for JPL, according to Ed “This shows that our president is for the Science Mission Directorate Weiler, NASA associate administrator clearly an advocate for science, and es- for the Science Mission Directorate, who pecially for Earth science,” Weiler said. addressed JPL staff April 14. Among Earth science missions, Weiler “I like to refer to this budget, President said, JPL’s Orbiting Carbon Observa-

Obama’s first, as a good news/great tory 2, a follow-on to the mission lost in Dutch Slager / JPL Photo Lab news budget,” he told the crowd in the 2009 through a launch-vehicle failure, is Flight Projects Center auditorium. “It’s considered a “national-needs mission” accomplishment over the last 12 months tion; I’m so glad that the president good news for … heliophysics, astro- due to its ability to provide critical con- is the agencies’ agreement to plan be- has made that decision that Mars is physics and planetary—because they got tinuity in carbon-dioxide measurements. yond a single Mars mission through an the ultimate destination for human stable or slightly increasing budgets with He said the new mission is partially entire program all the way through Mars exploration.” inflation.” funded by a 2010 augmentation from sample return. Weiler added that he was concerned Weiler noted that with the current the Office of Management and Budget Citing Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s about the future of the U.S. Mars pro- state of the economy, most discretionary as well as from federal stimulus dollars. finding of ice just below the Martian gram a couple of years ago, but “We are federal agencies are seeing decreases in Funding would also cover not only a surface earlier this year, Weiler said, really in a different place now. We’ve funding rather than stability. “The fact replacement mission, but also to build “If you’re interested in human explora- got the second biggest space agency that science could maintain stability, if a second instrument to be used for a tion of the solar system, this is a pro- on Earth [the European Space Agency] not get a little inflation, was incredibly future flight. found discovery. Mars Reconnaissance signing up [with NASA] to do every Mars good for us this year,” he said. Weiler also noted the importance of Orbiter has been up there long enough mission for the next 10 years, together. The news is particularly positive for NASA’s continually developing partner- that it occasionally sees the effects of a That’s a powerful combination.” Earth science, which is proposed to get a ships with the European Space Agency; meteorite—not from 4 billion years ago NASA’s budget for the fiscal year that 61 percent increase, approximately $2.4 in particular, for the Mars program. or a billion years ago, but from a few starts in October will soon be consid- billion more over the next five years. “The partnership with the European months ago. ered by Congress. “Remember,” Weiler Weiler noted that while in recent years Space Agency has gotten better and “This is profoundly important for the told the audience, “the president pro- the Office of Space Science budget in- better,” he said, adding that a major idea of Mars being the ultimate destina- poses, and Congress disposes.”

Allen remembered at JPL memorial Former JPL Director Lew Allen Jr. was Allen, a physicist, was credited with remembered in an April 7 memorial tribute the foresight more than two decades ago as a quiet but strong leader whose vision that miniaturized detectors and other was a key factor in JPL becoming a leader components would be critical for space in research and technology development. study. Thus, a major part of his legacy Hundreds of colleagues and friends gath- will be the development of JPL’s Mi- ered at the Flight Projects Center auditori- crodevices Laboratory. um to pay tribute to Allen, who died Jan. 4 “He was the first person who in- at age 84. He served as JPL director from vested in us developing technology and

Dutch Slager / JPL Photo Lab 1982 to 1990. techniques to detect planets around Members of Lew Allen Jr.’s family at the memorial were, from left, Allen’s wife Barbara, daughter Marjorie Dauster, Continued on page 2 son Lew Allen III and daughter Barbara Miller. Un i v e r s e 2 highlights open house open highlights New visitor center take place May 15–16 May place take will showcase Laboratory Annual the greetings and sounds of planet Earth and see the images that are on the record.the areon that images the see and Earth planet of sounds greetingsand the hear touchscreento featuresa that display new a in be VoyagerRecordwill the Golden auditorium, the lobby.In the to entrance the of right the to built been has office center information new a removed,and been has lobby the in receptiondesk The Explorer1. America’sof satellite, model first a and JPL of history the at look a with visitors monitors and touchscreens provide insight into the missions and the people. the and missions the into touchscreensprovideinsight and monitors video while “destinations” the depict images Largepanel exploration. space to butions show NASA TV and videos. and TV NASA show to able be will that monitor 103-inch a with upgraded been areahas mini-theater The touchscreen.a on throughvideos explained morefully is story Its exploration. planet JPL’s Surveyor series was the first U.S. effort to make a soft landing on the moon. the on landing soft a make to effort JPL’sU.S. first the was series Surveyor Earth. to spacecraft the of returnedpieces and 3 Surveyor of meters 180 about within crewlanded 12 Apollo the 1969, November In 1967. April Procellarumin Oceanus southeast in crater a inside landed 3 Surveyor 16. Apollo crewof the by 1972 in Earth broughtto rockwas moon The 3’sSohus. sampler,” said surface Surveyor lunar of be used to show other planets and moons. and planets other show to used be also can globe The data. climate and weather other and winds, ocean carbon, clouds, Earth’sin changes at look to able be will visitors which diameter,on in feet 2 suring JPL Acquisitions, Facilities, and Design Services. Design and Facilities, Acquisitions, JPL and Audio-VisualServices; of manager Inova, Marian Office; Services Public the of er manag- JPL’sLievense, of Kimberly manager Education; and Communications of Office Beyond,” the event will showcase JPL’sshowcase will event the future.Beyond,” presentand past, “WorldsThemed 15–16. Sunday, SaturdayMay and for set House, Open JPL 2010 the upgrade project.upgrade the JPL’sfor Sohus, projectmanager Anita center,”and said education informal for lead JPL’supgrade to opportunity the visitor have Kármán to von arereallypleased we so Elachi said. Elachi ago,” years 10 unthinkable been have would “This Lab. Microdevicesthe werecreatedin detectors millimeter sub- and plane focal the which for universe, early the study to mission Herschel/Plank Agency EuropeanSpace currentlyoperating the of success the directorcited The Elachi. DirectorCharles JPL noted stars,” neighboring Allen summarize the essential points.” essential the summarize and information extract listen, to ability his knowledge, deep his impressedwith was thinker. I independent distinguished, “very a as recalledAllen who Everhart, retiredPresidentTomsaid Caltech great man,” a was dergraduate Research Fellowship Program.dergraduateResearchFellowship Un- Summer the directorsand Interferometerboardof miss his advice and his friendship.” his and advice his miss I all, of “Most said. Everhart things,” many for him to and a life trustee on Caltech’son Trustees,trustee Boardchairedof life a and The exhibits celebrate our solar system and the universe, and highlight JPL’shighlight and universe, the and system contri- solar our celebrate exhibits The The full-scale Galileo spacecraft replica remains as an iconic centerpiece of outer of centerpiece iconic an replicaremainsas spacecraft Galileo full-scale The “We are really excited to once again have a moon rock on display, as well as part as well display,rockas on moon a have again “Weonce to arereallyexcited The museum will also feature an interactive data globe called a Magic Planet, mea- Planet, Magic a called globe data interactive featurean also will museum The Sohus noted the core team in the redesign effort included Blaine Baggett, executive Baggett, Blaine included redesigneffort the in coreteam the noted Sohus The newly updated visitor center at von Kármán Auditorium is the keystone to the to keystone the is Auditorium Kármán von at center visitor updated newly The “As a world-class organization, JPL receives tens of thousands of visitors each year,each visitors of thousands of receivestens organization,JPL world-class a “As The von Kármán lobby has been incorporated into the exhibit space, welcoming space, exhibit the into incorporated been has lobby Kármán von The “In all the ways that one can measuregreatness,Lew can one that ways the all “In Everhart also praised Allen for his service on the Keck the on service his for Allen praised also Everhart “Like many in this audience, I am personally indebted personally am I audience, this in many “Like Albert Wheelon, retired CEO of Hughes AircraftCorp. Hughes retiredof Wheelon, CEO Albert

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In photo at far left, Vacation Paolo Younse is sur- rounded by children at n i v e r s e U leads to the Amani Orphanage in Tanzania. Younse led valuable activities (lower left) that showed them how the solar system works and lessons in also introduced them to astronomy, telescopes. culture By Catherine Sum

For many JPLers, it’s become commonplace to speak publicly about their careers and However, the children were quickly won over by the images before them, and accord- experiences. Talks are given almost daily, and there is always someone ready to listen. ing to Younse, the room was soon filled with upraised hands, while the air buzzed with This was the case earlier this year when Paulo Younse, a mechanical engineer in the inquisitive questions. Robotic Hardware Systems Group, prepared to address a small group huddled together “It was rewarding to see the children walk away inspired from their newly-discovered in a darkened room. “Raise your hands if you look at the stars at night,” he said to an knowledge of their universe!” he said. anxious audience. Equally excited was one of the teachers at the orphanage, who had learned about Except that this conference wasn’t held in an auditorium, nor was it a typically telescopes all his life but never had the opportunity to work with one. “He has a col- scheduled appearance for Younse. Rather, he was speaking in a classroom nestled in lege education and had read all about telescopes growing up,” Younse said, “but this the footsteps of Mount Kilimanjaro. The audience was a group of orphans and the lan- was the first time he had ever seen one in person.” guage Swahili. Even more rewarding for Younse was explaining to the children how to use their “Inua mikono yenu kama mwangalia nyota saa usiku,” Younse said, and as he re- new telescopes. However, “I did need to show them which end to look through,” he quested, arms shot up in the air to show that yes, they were indeed stargazers. Then admitted. Younse saw the children’s eyes light up as they watched videos of astronauts on the Younse’s excursion to the orphanage was part of a longer vacation to different Afri- moon, rovers on Mars and shuttles launching into space. can countries that he had planned for during the month of January. What began as a holiday for Younse turned into an opportunity for outreach, in which While there, he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, witnessed the great wildebeest migration he was able to organize and bring, through donations, one large telescope and 100 on the Serengeti, went snorkeling with dolphins off the coast of Zanzibar and spent a smaller telescopes to Amani Orphanage in the village of Moshi, Tanzania. day with Hadzabe Bushmen, learning how they hunt and survive in the wild. The 100 small telescopes were bought through contributions given by JPLers who But still, Younse said, it was the people of Tanzania that impacted him the most. heard about Younse’s trip through his colleague Karen Woodson, who came up with the “It wasn’t just the towering mountains, magnificent wildlife and breathtaking land- idea to bring telescopes for the children. She spearheaded the donation campaign, and scape that made it memorable,” he said. “Over three weeks in their land, I had the op- eventually ended up with enough money for the instruments, with participation coming portunity to get to know them and their culture quite well. Much of these experiences from about 20 JPL employees. Also, a large refractor telescope was donated by Scope will remain only in my memory but with a camera in hand, I am able to [share] a few City, located in Sherman Oaks. snapshots of who these people were at the time I met them.” Younse came across the orphanage while planning for his trip to Tanzania. It was also having the chance to spread his passion for space exploration and robot- “I contacted them before leaving for Africa and they invited me to talk to the children ics with children that made the trip all the more worthwhile for Younse. about space and robotics,” he said. “It was a challenge developing a lesson for chil- “It was a humbling experience coming from JPL,” he said, “where we push the limits dren, many of whom had never been to school before, had little previous exposure to of technology and have so much knowledge accessible to us, to working with a set of science and space, and having to present entirely in Swahili since they did not speak children from a small village who live such simple lives with very limited educational English.” resources available to them.” Un i v e r s e 4 Pasadena, CA 91109. CA Pasadena, Drive, Grove Oak 4800 Laboratory,Propulsion Jet the of Education and Communications of Office the by published is Universe READ AND SUBMIT CLASSIFIED ADS ADS CLASSIFIED SUBMIT AND READ ATJPL’ online s universe@jpl.nasa.gov David Hinkle David Audrey Steffan Audrey JPL Photo Lab Photo JPL Photography Production Design Whalen Mark Editor B N http://jplspace E-mail

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Photos by Thom Wynne, JPL Photo Lab