National Aeronautics and Space Administration

MAVEN Supports Mars 2020 EDL

and BeyondPage 8

Spotlight on Lucy’s Pursuit The Million Scenario of Diamonds ISPD March to Launch in the Sky Page 12 Page 20 Page 24

FLIGHT PROJECTS DIRECTORATE | Volume 29 • Number 1

Enabling exploration and earth + space science by transforming concepts and questions into reality www.nasa.gov CONTENTS

PUBLISHED BY THE FLIGHT PROJECTS DIRECTORATE

TCP TEAM Michelle Belleville Maureen Disharoon Page 20 Sarah Harnish Laura Paschal Code 400

Message from the Director...... 4 Page: 32 JPSS - Instruments Complete Did you Know?...... 54 Reese Patillo Integration An update from Tom McCarthy Building diversity and inclusion awareness Jennifer Poston WE’RE ON Focus on Facilities ...... 33 David Ryan THE WEB! A Word from the Deputy ...... 7 What’s New D&I Committee Updates...... 55 Shannon Smith Messages from the FPD deputy Let’s Connect Code 400 Paula Wood In Memoriam http://fpd.gsfc.nasa.gov Articles Out and About...... 56 Page: 34 Aurora Martinez SUPERVISING Life’s highlights off campus EDITOR Page: 8 Maven Supports Mars 2020 EDL Page: 35 Greg Smith and Beyond Donna Swann Page: 36 Dave Parker FPD Launch Schedule ...... 58 Page: 12 Goddard’s Microcosm Code 490 Where are we now? Reorganizes to Assist with Page: 38 Tom Griffin Special Projects Have a story idea, news item or letter Articles for The Critical Path? FPD Project Support Community Spotlight...... 18 Page: 40 NASA EVS 2020 Results Let us know about it. Include your name, phone number and send it to: Page: 42 What’s up with our FPDP? FPD COVID-19 Updates...... 19 [email protected] We are in this together Comings and Goings...... 45 Who’s new, who’s moving, who’s moving on Code 460 Articles Knowledge Management Insights. . . 46 Ext. 6-9125 Page 24 Page: 20 Landsat 9 - The Million Scenario Good Practices March to Launch The deadline for the next issue is Page: 24 Lucy’s Pursuit of Diamonds in FPD Mission Updates...... 48 July 1, 2021 the Sky Latest mission updates Page: 28 Hubble’s Treasure Trove of Less- explored Data Behind the Badge...... 50 Page: 30 NASA’s Laser Communications Getting to know the faces of 400 Relay Demonstration Launching in 2021 SAR Saves Statistics...... 54 DOWNLOAD ISSUE The latest Search and Rescue beacon saves Page 28

2 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRING 2021 3 Our operations, networks, and shipped to Lockheed Martin The pandemic has not slowed space communications teams for JPSS-2. Lucy completed the great work that our New Message from the are continuing the outstanding its Pre-Environmental Review. Business teams are executing. job of supporting and flying GOES-T completed vibration Already in 2021, we have missions without missing a beat. and acoustics testing. JWST completed and submitted the Space network Ground Segment completed a comprehensive Astrophysics Dorado concept DIRECTOR Sustainment (SGSS) is in the systems test. Plankton, Aerosol, study report and two Earth process of transferring over to Cloud, ocean Ecosystem’s Venture Mission proposals the Advanced Communications (PACE’s) flight spacecraft that have been in process for Capabilities for Exploration and structure is in build. Landsat nearly two years. The final Science Systems (ACCESS), 9’s observatory is in thermal report and presentation for the As 2021 kicks off, I want to express the Hubble Space Telescope vacuum. On-orbit Servicing, Earth Science decadal study, my gratitude to everybody who helped (HST) continues providing Assembly, and Manufacturing Aerosol and Cloud, Convection support the mission of Flight Projects us with awesome science (OSAM)-1 completed the and Precipitation (ACCP), was as we navigate numerous challenges data, Mars Atmosphere and SPace Infrastructure DExterous delivered to NASA Headquarters. and changes within the Directorate. Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) Robot (SPIDER) Critical Design The delivery of this final report As I stated on my Day 1, I want to successfully recorded the Mars Review. The Exploration and was a victory all in itself, the congratulate Dave Mitchell on becoming 2020 Perseverance rover entry, In-Space Services (ExIS) division culmination of over two years the Director of the Engineering and descent, and landing event, architecture development of work. Finally, the Planetary Technology Directorate (ETD). His the Technology Enterprise team completed a Mission Discovery Phase A study, Deep leadership and guidance to all of us has and Mission Pathfinder Office Design Lab study for the Atmosphere Venus Investigation been a constant positive force in our (TEMPO) kicked off pre- Dexterous Robotic Extended of Noble gases, Chemistry, workplace and his shoes will be hard to formulation activities for the Assembly Mission (DREAM). and Imaging Plus (DAVINCI+), fill, and most importantly, we know where Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite Lunar GNSS Receiver Experiment All of our other projects and completed its virtual site visit. to find him. (GOES)-T. Another mission from Marshall Space (LuGRE) pathfinder mission, the instruments, including Explorers, Congratulations to all these Flight Center, the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry I want to welcome both Cynthia Simmons and Near Space Network’s Kongsberg Heliophysics, Astrophysics, teams maintaining such high Explorer (IXPE), being managed out of our Cathy Richardson to their new roles as our Deputy Satellite Services (KSAT) and Earth Science continue levels of accomplishment while Explorers Program, will also launch this year. It is Director and our Deputy Director for Planning completed site acceptance to make progress even during working remotely. shaping up to be a historic year of launches for the testing of a new antenna in these trying times. Our heartfelt and Business Management, respectively. I am Our Flight Projects Development directorate and Goddard. Norway, and our Search and thanks go out to all of you for looking forward to working this them as they bring Program (FPDP) participants Rescue (SAR) technologies continuing NASA’s mission. their expertise and counsel to help me run our It is through our diverse community that we are have been successful in helped first responders locate directorate. I also want to thank Michelle Gates for succeeding in Flight Projects and we look forward We were also happy to announce their assignments and are and rescue 302 people in the her rotation into our front office to help with the to showing our appreciation for the community this that the National Oceanic and getting ready to move to new United States alone in 2020, and transition activity in our office. year. We started 2021 celebrating Black History Atmospheric Administration positions for their second more worldwide. month and that work is continuing to ensure every We continue to maneuver through a global (NOAA) new Low Earth Orbit year assignments. They are voice is heard through the “Do You Hear us?” pandemic and keep our missions moving forward Other development milestones (LEO) program successfully also preparing to work on the series. Next, we focused on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and, most importantly, keep our people safe. We over the past few months passed its Milestone 0. A Capstone projects and are on transgender and queer (LGBTQ) history month are very saddened to hear of the passing of some included the delivery of Program Authorization Letter track to complete the program with virtual speakers and great presentations in of our team members and their families and friends numerous instruments such (PAL) is to be generated to next year. the directorate. In March, we celebrated Women’s as L’Ralph, Lucy LOng Range start formulating a Sounder are in our thoughts and prayers. Our challenges The directorate also held History Month with peers nominating outstanding Reconnaissance Imager project. Geostationary Extended and successes this past year have happened as numerous Let’s CONNECT women for the “I’m Every Woman” campaign. The (L’LORRI), and Lucy Thermal Observations (GeoXO) is a community and I appreciate you all working listening sessions, partnering Women of Flight (WoF) hosted Cynthia Simmons Emission Spectrometer (L’TES) working with NOAA’s National together to make the most of these trying times. with the Office of the Chief in a discussion on her career. Cynthia has also to Lucy. Solar Ultraviolet Imager Environmental Satellite, Data, and Financial Officer (OCFO), Despite all the obstacles of the last year, we are volunteered to be the senior champion for Women (SUVI) and Cross-Track Infrared Information Service (NESDIS) to on childcare and eldercare in the position to launch five Goddard missions of Flight. Cathy will be the senior champion for the Sounder (CrIS) were integrated define the program to fit into their challenges. The sessions were this year: the Laser Communication Relay Directorate’s Diversity and Inclusion program. These to Joint Polar Satellite System cost cap and define phasing. well attended, and tools and Demonstration (LCRD) payload; Landsat 9, Lucy, celebrations and information are just the start of an (JPSS)-2. Geostationary We are also working on defining resources were shared to help James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), and amazing year to come. Lightning Mapper (GLM) was Landsat NeXt. Continued on page 6 4 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRING 2021 5 Continued from page 5 navigate work life and home Having been to Tom Griffin’s take the time to practice and life. We are planning our next funeral and Dave Parker’s recognize these moments of listening session with our celebration of life, one of their generosity as we do our work Center’s Asian Pacific American qualities, of the many that were each day. A Word From THE DEPUTY Advisory Committee on May spoken of, was their generosity. And lastly, throughout this year, 10th and look forward to how we, It is the quality of giving more being isolated at home, and as a community, can be an ally. then you receive. It a quality that making periodic visits to the reflects going one step beyond I am looking forward to office with no one around, I for another person. And just the Cathy Richardson recognizing those nominated have struggled to normalize not other day in one of our tag-ups for Peer Awards within FPD, as seeing all of you in person. The with Center management, in a the most important part of this only thing I can think of to make discussion about a particular directorate is the people. We plan up for all this lost time, reaching hardware schedule issue, I heard on having a ceremony on August back to a much earlier stage in of a technician postponing their 4th, either in person or remotely, to my life, is a Beer Blast in the 400 paternity leave to execute a I look forward to getting to know more of celebrate the great things that our front office when we all return. critical engineering build process the people in FPD. To share a little about people are doing. For this I want Well, maybe, or something like to support a colleague’s absence myself, I live in Columbia with my husband, to thank each of you and wish you that. I’ll run it by Ray! who was out on bereavement Mark, and my 16-year-old son, Kyle. I enjoy continued health and happiness bowling and golf and have continued leave. Generosity. It’s an Stay safe and take care of one It is such an odd experience to change as we move through 2021. these as safely permitted throughout the important quality in all human another. jobs while full time teleworking! I am sure pandemic. Being at home full time, I have I’d like to close my first Critical endeavors and is one that we many of you know the feeling of leaving a Tom McCarthy enjoyed creating an oasis of flowers and Path message with a few will be remembered for, both position without a full sense of closure, not Director, Flight Projects herbs on my deck and front porch. I am personal observations from in our personal lives as well as being able to say thank you and goodbye [email protected] always happy to hear about you, receive my new seat in the directorate. our professional ones. Please in person and then beginning the next feedback, provide advice and mentoring, or day with new people and a new routine. I just chat. I believe it is the people you work started officially as the FPD Deputy Director with that make a job fun and rewarding. for Planning and Business Management on A Farewell Message from Dave Mitchell April 11th, after a 6-week detail with FPD. There have been many changes in the FPD I worked my first day from the same spot leadership over the last several months in my dining room as have been for over a and I am very happy to be a part of the year. permanent leadership team. I look forward to working with Tom and Cynthia to chart I am excited to bring my project and our course into Stage 2 and ultimately program management experience to this define our new normal. I cannot wait to see new position where I’ll be focused on the everyone again in person and to celebrate institutional and business side of flight the accomplishments, both personal and projects. There are many challenges to professional, that we’ve all achieved over be addressed, including a new cyber the past year. security environment, shrinking institutional budgets, and space constraints, just to name a few. My emphasis will be to streamline processes, identify areas to improve efficiency, be responsive to and supportive of our projects, promote diversity and inclusion, and communicate clearly and with transparency.

6 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRING 2021 7 MAVEN Supports Mars 2020 EDL

and Beyond (left) MAVEN’s solar array and (right) members of the MAVEN spacecraft operations team, pictured here after MAVEN’s Mars Orbit Insertion in 2014. CREDIT: LOCKHEED MARTIN

While the world watched on February 18, 2021, Mars 2020 EDL,” says John Nagy, MAVEN Mission 2020 made its entry, descent, and landing onto the Director at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. surface of the Red Planet. There to greet Mars 2020 “We were told by the Mars Program Office that as it endured the “Seven Minutes of Terror” was MAVEN would be one of two missions (the other MAVEN, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN being the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter) receiving mission. MAVEN recorded data from the entire event, the data as the lander entered the atmosphere starting just before Mars 2020 entered the upper and touched down. If something were to go wrong atmosphere until shortly after the Perseverance Rover during EDL, the data collected by the orbiters would touched down on the planet’s surface. be vital to determining the issues.” This rendezvous positioning MAVEN above Mars 2020 at precisely the right time and altitude has been years in the making, but it was never part of Tightening MAVEN’s Orbit MAVEN’s original mission. While MAVEN has an When MAVEN was designed, the team chose a Electra ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio transceiver very specific orbit for its instruments to achieve to communicate with Mars ground assets for relay the science mission. While MAVEN was already purposes, the spacecraft was not automatically in serving as an occasional communication liaison an orbital position to support Mars 2020 EDL. with the Curiosity Rover, it would need a new The MAVEN mission launched in November 2013 position to support Mars 2020 EDL. The original to explore Mars’ upper atmosphere, ionosphere, MAVEN orbit was not naturally conducive to and interactions with the Sun and solar wind as meeting those requirements. part of NASA’s Mars Scout program. MAVEN As the MAVEN team began an investigation to completed its primary mission in November 2015 determine how to position MAVEN for Mars 2020 and has been operating in an extended mission EDL, the Mars 2020 Mission also asked for studies since then, continuing to investigate Mars’ upper of how they could tighten MAVEN’s orbit to make atmosphere while providing relay capabilities it an even better relay partner after EDL. With Mars for NASA. The MAVEN mission was designed to 2020 equipped with several color cameras, it can MAVEN’s meet up with Mars 2020 as it made its entry, descent, last 2 years in space, but with the spacecraft still produce ten times the amount of data the Curiosity and landing (EDL) marked the beginning of a data relay operating normally and the mission managing Rover processed. NASA needs more of its orbiters to its fuel to last through 2030, NASA plans to use relationship with the potential to last through 2030. be able to relay all of that data home to Earth. Having MAVEN as long as possible to relay data between MAVEN closer in orbit to receive transmissions from Earth and rovers or landers on Mars. the rover would enable more data to be processed “The idea for MAVEN to support Mars 2020 started faster. Nagy likens it to a cell phone performing in early 2016, approximately 5 years before Mars better the closer it is to a cell tower or Wi-Fi source. CREDIT: NASA/GSFC Continued on page 10 8 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRING 2021 9 Continued from page 9 EDL data along with the Mars new software and firmware of its successful aerobraking Reconnaissance Orbiter enabled were ready and uploaded to campaign, the MAVEN Mission everyone at home to see the Mars the MAVEN spacecraft. This Operations Team is receiving the 2020 landing in near-real time. new firmware provides a new International SpaceOps Award capability for the Mars 2020 for Outstanding Achievement for During the years and months mission that will enable it to send 2020. leading up to the Mars 2020 a higher volume of data back EDL, the MAVEN flight team was Both Haggard and Nagy say to Earth than the previous Mars performing testing on the ground the MAVEN team takes pride in Science Laboratory mission. and in flight. The ground testing seeing the images and hearing MAVEN has the potential to relay required coordinated efforts with audio from Perseverance on the 20 percent more data during up the Mars 2020 team, the JPL news. Haggard says, “You see to 3 data relays per day and has Electra operations team, and the a new Mars panoramic image already set a record with sending MAVEN team. For flight testing, and you wonder—did MAVEN 1.8 gigabytes back to Earth. the Mars Science Laboratory transmit that one back?” mission (Curiosity Rover) was When not conducting relay used as a surrogate for testing communications, MAVEN will Michelle Birdsall / Code 470 MAVEN capabilities for its continue studying the upper Senior Communications Specialist MAVEN Aerobraking to Achieve Science and Relay Orbit. CREDIT: NASA’S SCIENTIFIC VISUALIZATION STUDIO/KEL planned Open Loop Recording atmosphere of Mars. The ELKINS AND DAN GALLAGHER during EDL. aerobraking campaign and new orbit has already benefitted The team investigated how low communication with Mars leading up to EDL, though the An Open Loop Recording is a MAVEN’s science mission, the MAVEN orbit could dip closer 2020 and future rovers. MAVEN team has not been able to meet in special mode that the MAVEN enabling 8 weeks of consecutive to the Mars surface in a new orbit, originally carried out about one person since February 2020. Electra is placed in to record a science as MAVEN reached the without damaging the spacecraft relay pass per week with one of wide range of signals coming Four maneuvers—taking place lower atmosphere. In recognition or MAVEN’s science instruments the Mars rovers. This number from a source (in this case in the second half of 2020 into and without burning too much could now increase to up to three Mars 2020). This mode has the early 2021—were needed to sync fuel in the process. The engineers relay passes a day. With the greatest chance of collecting MAVEN’s orbit with Mars 2020’s determined that an aerobraking tighter orbit in place, the MAVEN all the data. Nagy says, “It is approach at the lowest altitude maneuver would work, skimming team began planning a series of like recording all your local and necessary angle to capture the spacecraft through Mars’ maneuvers in 2020 to position it radio stations at once and then the EDL data. The final maneuver upper atmosphere to slow it. for Mars 2020 EDL. transmitting that recording took place just 2 weeks before In 2019, the MAVEN team’s back and then pulling out just “Then COVID-19 hit, making the February 18 event. Haggard successful aerobraking campaign your favorite from all the rest. everything more difficult,” MAVEN says after the January maneuver, to tighten its orbit around Mars For Mars 2020 EDL, MAVEN Spacecraft Operations Lead “the atmosphere wasn’t behaving reduced the highest point of the recorded 7.65 Gb of raw data, Micheal Haggard says. Despite as expected, putting MAVEN MAVEN spacecraft’s elliptical orbit and less than 12 Mb was actual restrictions and safety precautions off by 70 seconds.” The final from 3,850 to 2,800 miles (6,200 Mars 2020 telemetry from the requiring social distancing and February maneuver lined MAVEN to 4,500 kilometers) above the Open Loop Recording. That’s telework, Haggard notes the team MAVEN up within 10 seconds surface, improving its capabilities about 0.2%!” MAVEN is the first Mars mission managed by NASA Goddard did not have to scale back at all, of the desired mark within its as a data-relay satellite. Space Flight Center, which provides mission systems engineering, accomplishing all of their work 2½-minute window. In addition to testing the special mission design, and safety and mission assurance. The MAVEN A stronger telecommunications remotely while still supporting modes for recording data, the Ultimately the new elliptical orbit mission is a collaboration among: antenna signal was not the special science and all relay Electra UHF software was of MAVEN also allowed for a only benefit. Now coming in requests. The operations team, updated for Mars 2020. This had • NASA’s Goddard Space • NASA’s Jet Propulsion much longer recording of the EDL nearly 1,000 miles (about 1,500 based at the Lockheed Martin not been done in flight previously Flight Center Laboratory of up to 30 minutes. “After EDL, kilometers) closer enables facility in Littleton, Colorado, where with the MAVEN Electra. Many MAVEN spent 9 straight hours • University of Colorado, • Lockheed Martin MAVEN to circle Mars more the spacecraft was built, continued iterations and ground tests were staring back at Earth sending Boulder/LASP Space Systems frequently — 6.8 orbits per Earth working closely with the Mars performed in 2020 to certify data,” says Haggard. Having day versus 5.3 orbits previously 2020 Mission team at NASA’s this new software for flight. • University of California, MAVEN positioned to capture — allowing more frequent Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) In early November 2020, the Berkeley/SSL

10 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRING 2021 11 (left) XRISM Resolve X-ray calorimeter in test at GSFC. (right) ISPD photographer and LRALPH engineer capture critical closeout imagery of internal components prior to flight blanket installation. CREDIT: NASA/GSFC/DESIREE STOVER

In recent years, a number of small, yet technically discussions began as IPD was already expanding challenging and complex projects have been its responsibilities by assisting the Engineering directed or awarded to Goddard Space Flight Technology Directorate with the development Center (Goddard). Some project locations are of the Europa Propulsion subsystem for Johns easily determined, such as those that align with the Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory and Science Mission Directorate (SMD), corresponding helping Goddard and the Agency with rideshare science disciplines, and Goddard-located program policies, specifically for the Landsat 9 Evolved offices; others, such as those directed from the Space Technology (STMD) or Human Exploration and Operations (HEOMD) Mission Directorates, are more complex. This provided an opportunity for the Flight Projects Directorate (FPD) to assess its ISPD FACTS Divisions and those that align closely with these types of projects. Do you know the difference between an instrument and a Due to its experience managing some of the Agency’s largest and most complex instrument payload? projects, Code 490, previously called the Instrument Projects Division (IPD), entered these A payload is a mission-enabling system discussions almost immediately. Many IPD- that is not an integral part of the carrier managed instruments range in size and scope, vehicle. An instrument is a device that some comprising that of entire missions. Its track measures the present value of a quantity record for delivering in-house instruments and under observation; it is a payload that payloads on time (or early) and under budget collects scientific data to meet mission provides a strong foundation for additional objectives. Goddard’s complex projects, as seen with the deliveries A payload isn’t always an instrument. For of the OSIRIS-REx Visible and near-Infra-Red example, a technology demonstration Spectrometer (OVIRS), Neutron star Interior communication system doesn’t collect Microcosm Composition Explorer (NICER), Global Ecosystem scientific data, but it does transmit the Dynamics Investigation (GEDI), X-Ray Imaging collected data to its intended recipient. Code 490 Reorganizes to and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) Resolve, Assist with Special Projects and Thermal Infrared Sensor-2 (TIRS-2). These ISPD photographer, Barbara Lambert, prepares to capture LCRD integration. CREDIT: NASA/CHRIS GUNN Continued on page 14 12 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRING 2021 13 Instrument and Special Projects Division (ISPD) Continued from page 13

Continued on page 16

14 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRING 2021 15 Continued from page 15 ISPD Captures Expendable Launch Vehicle Secondary Payload is being implemented in phases so that as existing Adapter ring Flight Systems. projects are commissioned and therefore, their codes are deactivated, the full code realignment ISPD is extremely dependent on its photo phases of spaceflight development. The team is kept The Center then decided to formally expand will be complete. documentation team to capture the moments extremely busy given the constant high volume of the Division to include in-house technical and details critical to the development of every ongoing activity within ISPD. demonstration projects and lunar instruments, ISPD continues its responsibility for the in-house instrument and payload. The team has This photo documentation specialty has evolved renamed as the Instrument and Special Projects management, coordination, development, and worked diligently in recent years to capture not only to require intensive storage/retrieval systems and the beautiful and detailed images of spaceflight Division (ISPD). This realignment provides better implementation of an expanded scope of scientific training/certifications for electrostatic discharge, development, but also designed a narrative and support of NASA’s lines of business, including instrument and payload projects in support fall protection, confined spaces, laser safety, and all evidence that is integral to developing hardware. Earth, Heliophysics, Planetary, and Astrophysics, of NASA Headquarters and its Directorates. cleanroom activities. Additionally, these activities The team works closely with Goddard engineers and while also utilizing its established infrastructure Specifically, ISPD provides technical leadership require travel across the nation to support all phases scientists to photograph engineering parts, tests, to meet ISPD commitments with Goddard’s for the full life cycle of instrument and payload of development and delivery. other directorates. The reorganization was development in support of system definition, and the integration of flight components during all strategically implemented, utilizing an innovative analysis, and implementation. The team’s photographs have been used by project personnel for real time analysis, training, and anomaly approach to numbering organizational codes and The ISPD is extremely excited for its future and is resolution. A few examples include: minimizing any impacts to its existing projects. grateful to the entire Division, its projects, and the ISPD implemented four parent organizations that other directorates for their outstanding teamwork, map directly to SMD lines of business. A fifth which has enabled Goddard to adapt in support ATLAS organization focuses on special projects that of new and exciting opportunities. ISPD is critical align to STMD and HEOMD and also serves as a to the Center and its support of these complex catch-all for any other special projects, while the instruments and payloads. This reorganization final parent organization is allocated for rideshare Photos for the Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System enables increased capacity and efficiency for projects. This method also enables each parent (ATLAS) instrument enabled a failure review board to determine project management. organization to support up to nine individual the cause of an inadvertent door actuation that resulted in a design projects, with the remaining parent organizational change to the door mechanism. Rachel Brinson / Code 420 codes eventually unassigned, providing flexibility to Senior Technical Writer expand as needed in the future. The reorganization

ISPD’s Artemis Office is in its initial set-up phase and will provide project management for a portfolio of L’RALPH multiple small efforts for the Artemis program. CREDIT: NASA L’Ralph instrument imagery of the Linear Etalon Imaging Spectral Array (LEISA) Opto-Mechanical engineering test unit was enhanced for evaluation. Like CSI detectives, the photo team used processing software to modify shading and shadows, colors and hues to determine if pre-existing cracks were a factor in the H2RG ceramic multilayer board (CMLB) bond failure. Results definitely showed a small vertical line that was inconsistent with the rest of the part surface.

TIRS-2

A recent evaluation of TIRS-2 harness configuration photos proved inconsistencies with fabrication resulting in significant re-work of many cables and harnesses. This effort required intensive macro photography of each connector and harness configuration. Approximately eleven work orders, each with nearly 400 events, and over 2,000 images required detailed reviews to validate correct association of imagery and metadata accuracy.

16 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRING 2021 17 Flight Projects Directorate FPD COVID-19 Updates Project Support Community Spotlight March marked a one-year anniversary of or common areas, regardless if you are alone or if mandatory teleworking for the Center. Despite you have been fully vaccinated. Violations will be many COVID-19 related obstacles, our Flight handled the same as any other conduct issue. If Projects continue to make a lot of progress and you notice someone without a mask and are not The Project Support Community Karla Kahler have accomplished many key milestones, as comfortable addressing the policy violator real Spotlight seeks to recognize and documented in the monthly FPD Highlight charts. time, you may report the incident to your direct connect members of the project Instrument and Special Projects Division (ISPD) Congratulations to all the teams for working supervisor, the Directorate on-site representative support community across Project Support Manager through COVID-19 related adversities and changing (Rich Burns, [email protected]), or the Code the Flight Projects Directorate. the way we do business to adapt to the situation. 300 Anonymous Safety Concern form: https:// Additionally, resources and As a result, we look forward to the launches of safety1st.gsfc.nasa.gov/form/report-a-covid-19- relevant information will be Karla Kahler, a Project Support Manager for the LCRD this summer and Landsat 9, ESPA Flight safety-concern. highlighted in each Critical Instrument and Special Projects Division (ISPD), has System, Webb, and GOES-T later this year. The Center has now offered two on-site vaccination Path publication. The Critical worked at Goddard Space Flight Center for 18 years. Though the Center is currently still in Stage 3, a events through Safeway. Initially, the Center had Path team looks forward to She has worked in her current role in the Instrument notional date in June has been set for transitioning adopted the Agency’s tier approach to vaccinations connecting with and highlighting and Special Projects Division for seven years. As a to Stage 2 and planning is underway. The timing but moved to a first come, first serve lottery system the project support community. Project Support Manager, Karla manages the space that is utilized for in-house instruments and for the of the transition will depend upon the local for efficiency. The first successful event was held division. In addition to her role in space management, COVID-19 conditions and infection rates, local on April 8 and all slots were filled within 14 minutes. she also coordinates several critical processes within hospitalizations, the availability and percentage The second event will be held May 7 with a pre- How can we support you? the Instrument and Special Projects Division. This of vaccinations, etc. Each GSFC campus may registration priority given to those who need to includes coordinating office moves, acting as a property transition to Stage 2 at different times. However, work onsite three or more days per week. Given the Contact FPD Project Support custodian, providing launch support and training Project Stage 2 will probably not look much different for popularity of these events, which fill up quickly, and website for general information. Support Specialists for the instruments projects. Karla most of us. The current NASA framework for the increased supply of vaccines in the community, also assists the Instrument and Special Projects Division Stage 2 states that employees who must be on- it is recommended that employees who want a Admin Space Station (AdSS) for in event planning and presentation preparation. When site to perform their work may return on-site with vaccine don’t wait to get vaccinated at Goddard, if Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) asked her favorite part about her role in the Goddard approval and that all other employees will continue you can be vaccinated elsewhere. to telework. The Center is operating close to those https://fpdsp13.gsfc.nasa.gov/ community, Karla says, “The people I work with and every And a final reminder, stay home if you are sick guidelines now, though the approval process will sites/100/SitePages/Admin_Portal. day is different, because you never know what may need and/or someone in your household is sick or you aspx probably change. It is still expected that employees to be handled each day.” Outside of her role at Goddard, are waiting for results from a COVID-19 test. To will continue to telework, unless they need to Flight Projects Directorate Project Karla enjoys traveling and helping her family and friends report a COVID-19 case or potential case use perform “hands-on” work. Additionally, by Executive Support decorate their homes. Karla is also an Emergency the email distribution (gsfc-dl-covid-reporting@ Order, federal facilities can only operate at a 25% https://fpd400.gsfc.nasa.gov/ Medical Responder in the volunteer Fire Department, mail.nasa.gov) found on the Center COVID-19 capacity right now. The Greenbelt campus is sites/400/FPD_Internal/SitePages/ Essex, MD. homepage https://nasa.sharepoint.com/sites/ already operating around a 25% capacity. ProjectSupport.aspx GSFC/SitePages/GSFC-COVID-19-Information-and- [email protected] Sarah Harnish / Code 400 If you do need to come on-site, Goddard has a Updates.aspx to notify GSFC medical personnel. (301) 286-6307 mandatory mask policy. Center management is [email protected] taking this policy seriously. All employees must Sharon Straka / Code 400 FPD Associate Director (301) 286-6567 wear a mask (3-ply recommended) in all shared

18 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRING 2021 19 OLI-2

The Million Scenario March to Launch

Integration and Testing

TIRS-2 The Landsat 9 mission is quickly approaching its planned launch in September 2021. To date, the Landsat 9 team has made excellent progress despite technical challenges, situational complexities, and supply chain delays. Completing a mission Sensor-2 (TIRS-2), have been during a global pandemic has provided a number shipped and integrated. of additional, wide-ranging challenges due to the The observatory has also constantly-evolving environment. These range from demonstrated excellent employee bandwidth hurdles, burnout concerns, and performance to date during its observatory health obstacles, to finding new ways to conduct environmental campaign. remote operations for traditionally all-hands on-site Most notably, the team successfully implemented support activities. remote networks to ensure observatory testing was The Landsat 9 team continues to demonstrate completed reliably and safely with the majority of its resilience and strength, having implemented the team 2,000 miles away from these activities. effective solutions month after month for the past Thermal vacuum is traditionally a massive exercise year. Both Landsat 9 instruments, the Operational for a project, providing challenges even in normal times. Adding the requirement for multiple redundant Landsat 9 is a successor mission to the highly successful Landsat Land Imager (OLI-2) and Thermal Infrared series, which have continuously acquired multispectral images of (top) A fully integrated OLI-2 Instrument Assembly before the application of the thermal blankets; the two silver radiator panels the global land surface since the launch of Landsat 1 in 1972. provide cooling for the Focal Plane electronics and detectors. Credit: Ball Aerospace. (right) Technicians attach the Earth shield to TIRS-2 prior to vibration testing. It will help keep the telescope in a stable thermal environment. Credit: Northrop Grumman. (bottom) Engineers work on the TIRS-2 instrument, which will measure surface temperatures Artist rendering of L9 satellite above the Earth. CREDIT: NASA/GSFC on Earth from the Landsat 9 satellite. CREDIT: DESIREE STOVER, NASA/GSFC. Continued on page 22 20 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRING 2021 21 Continued from page 21 networks to address information technology (IT) launch will look like in September—potentially the related work, worried of the challenges has kept the project on its toes. first off-site mission operations launch in NASA burden on the team and morale. history. The team is preparing for a huge range All this aside, team dedication is Team members developed and are in the process of eventualities and for any scenario with voice higher than ever as they progress of implementing innovative methods of remote loops, remote links, and distributions of NASA daily toward a successful launch. participation to ensure the mission reaches laptops around the country to ensure access to Landsat 9 and its team have success. One of many examples has been the Government networks for mission operations proven the value of flexibility project’s mission operations elements. The current personnel. For those that may be required to be and innovation, and its remote operating environment has required several on-site, the team has worked with stakeholders operations and testing will extensive preparations for exponential launch and to complete distancing and capacity analysis, change how NASA works from operations scenarios in addition to the standard as well as plans for plexiglass placement to here on out. While overcoming mission operations processes, all of which require improve safety. These similar exercises are being numerous challenges and a heightened level of execution, rehearsal, and completed at the launch site for protection and disadvantages, and recognizing planning. The team is now preparing for mission safety planning. the value of informal social Landsat-9 Observatory being pushed into the thermal vacuum chamber. CREDIT: simulations and detailed rehearsals with most NORTHROP GRUMMAN hallway interactions, the team personnel at home, with limited presence on Center. Landsat 9’s launch campaign preparations have has also discovered the value also required the same levels of preparation and Landsat 9 mission operations were previously of the many advantages, new flexibility as its road to launch. Normal preparations designed as an integrated ‘holy trinity’ of ways to do business, and include guest estimates and corresponding guest Landsat 9 vs . Landsat 8 collaboration. This trinity provided side-by-side potential cost savings of remote operations processes, which in themselves require communication for vendors (Northrop Grumman operations. Many of the methods intensive planning. Landsat 9 is preparing for a Although Landsat 9 was initiated as a rebuild of Landsat 8, as the spacecraft provider and the Ball Aerospace implemented by the Landsat the project must change with the times by making critical range of guests, anywhere from all virtual to a OLI-2 and Goddard TIRS-2 leads), NASA engineers, 9 team are likely to be used improvements beyond Landsat 8’s capabilities. thousand well-spaced attendees at Vandenberg Air and the flight operations team. The project had for generations to come and Force Base. Landsat 8 provided significant benefits to the user community organized entire control centers for in-person have clearly demonstrated the above and beyond previous Landsat iterations, including collaboration and engagement. The team has The project’s management team is working capacity and flexibility of the improved radiometric performance, additional spectral since reassessed this strategy and continues to diligently to support its workforce and the Agency and its teams. bands, excellent calibration, and 735 scenes acquired per look forward, anticipating scenarios for what the increased amount of COVID- The Landsat series continues day. Landsat 9 inherited these contributions while continuing to lead the world in a number of to deliver substantial improvements, including: continued ways and the Landsat 9 team is support for new applications, 14-bit vs. 12-bit reflective excited to bring the next iteration band data, and thermal stray light corrections to improve The Landsat 9 Mission to fruition in the coming months. atmospheric correction. From Midnight Sky, the recent Given the generational differences from Landsat 8, Landsat Landsat 9 is a successor mission to the highly The establishment of the George Clooney movie, to Kong: 9 also required building to increased specifications in several successful Landsat series, which have continuously SLI program codifies the Skull Island, to nearly every areas to meet the requirements of a new generation of NASA acquired multispectral images of the global land stable continuity that has been the hallmark History Channel or Discovery spacecraft. This evolution of NASA requirements includes surface since the launch of Landsat 1 in 1972. of the Landsat series. Previously, a continued Channel series referencing significant upgrades to spacecraft electronics and software. desire to maintain two Landsat satellites at all the Earth’s surface, Landsat’s Additionally, TIRS-2 has also benefited from full redundancy A partnership with the United States Geological for TIRS-2 in comparison to previous requirements. In some times occasionally resulted in chaotic and time- importance is known worldwide. Survey (USGS), Landsat 9 is the first component in cases, Agency standards have become more substantial. limited developments. As the Landsat 7 satellite Add this to the amazing scientific the Sustainable Land Imaging (SLI) program that This is particularly true of orbital debris protections, which prepares for decommissioning due to limited fuel, discoveries and assessments was established in 2013 as a national commitment were still evolving during Landsat 9 development. All of these Landsat 9’s development has been well planned made daily using Landsat data, to provide another 30+ years of continuous, elements had to be thoroughly addressed, many of which and, despite COVID impacts, it is imperative that and it is easy to see why the consistent, multispectral, global data. The Landsat required extensive assessment of previously unaccounted-for Landsat 9 takes to the sky. Landsat 9 team works hard each program provides routine monitoring of land-cover day, even in the face of a global unintended consequences. characteristics, naturally-occurring and human- The Landsat data archive constitutes the longest pandemic. The Landsat 9 project team has worked diligently to balance induced land-cover change, water resources, and continuous moderate-resolution record of the implementing the rebuild while minimizing changes and risks more. All Landsat data is also fully compatible with global land surface as viewed from space. Rachel Brinson / Code 420 against updating architectures to meet new requirements and the 45-year record of Landsat observations. Senior Technical Writer, Earth improvements. Science Projects Division 22 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRING 2021 23 Earth for two gravity assists Lucy’s Pursuit before it begins its journey out to the Trojan asteroids. On its way to the Trojan asteroids, of Diamonds Lucy will travel through the Main Asteroid Belt and fly by its first in the Sky asteroid in April 2025. It will fly by (52246) Donaldjohanson, an asteroid that the Lucy team named after one of the co- discoverers of the Lucy fossil. Lucy will continue outwards into the leading swarm of Trojan asteroids, the L4 Trojan swarm. This is also known as the “Greek camp” of Trojan asteroids as most of the asteroids in this swarm (other than the Trojan “spy” Hektor) are named after An artist conception of Lucy flying by a target in the L5 Trojan Swarm. CREDIT: NASA One of the principal roles that NASA plays in our its vicinity, but due to the combined gravitational Greek characters from around society is to help us understand how the world in influences of the Sun and Jupiter, these Trojan the time of the Trojan war. Lucy of Earth. When its orbit takes (617) Patroclus and its binary which we live came to be - how a swirling mass of asteroids have been trapped on stable orbits since will fly by four of these “Greek” the spacecraft outwards again, companion Menoetius. The flyby gas and dust, in orbit around the Sun, turned into the era when the planets formed. Trojans: (3548) Eurybates with Jupiter and the Trojan swarms of this binary asteroid pair will be a complex planet like the Earth that can support its satellite Queta in August 2027, will have rotated so that the the grand finale of the mission. The Lucy mission is named after the fossilized life. One thing that we now understand is that the (15094) Polymele in September spacecraft will pass through However, Lucy will be on a stable skeleton of an early hominin found in Ethiopia in Earth did not form in a vacuum (pun intended), 2027, (11351) Leucus in April the trailing L5 swarm of Trojan orbit and can continue flying 1974. That Lucy was named during a celebratory but instead grew as part of a system; where the 2028, and (21900) Orus in asteroids, otherwise known as through the Trojan swarms for evening spent dancing and singing to the Beatles’ young planets pushed each other around, fighting November 2028. the “Trojan camp.” Here, in March many years to come. song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” Just as for resources in order to grow. What is left of of 2033, Lucy will fly past the that Lucy fossil provided unique insights into the The spacecraft’s orbit will then these resources are what we today call asteroids Greek “spies” in the Trojan camp, origin of humanity, the Lucy mission promises take Lucy back towards the orbit and comets. While these so-called small body to revolutionize our knowledge of the origin of populations witnessed, and were shaped by, the ARTIST CONCEPT humanity’s home world. Lucy’s seven planet formation process and the early evolution targets: the binary of our Solar System, they have remained relatively One important clue from the Trojans is that they asteroid Patroclus/ Menoetius, unchanged since then. Thus, they contain vital are physically different from one another. In order Eurybates, Orus, clues to our origins. If we want to understand the to determine what this hint is telling us about the Leucus, Polymele, Earth, we must first understand these little worlds. history of the Solar System, we need to examine and the main belt asteroid Given their enormous value to unraveling our objects that sample this diversity. Enter the Lucy DonaldJohanson. history - asteroids are truly diamonds in the sky. mission. Lucy will study a total of seven Trojan CREDIT: NASA asteroids and one main belt asteroid. No other Lucy, which is lucky number 13 in the Discovery space mission in history has been launched to as program, will be the first space mission to explore many different destinations in independent orbits a population of small bodies known as Trojan around the Sun! asteroids. As the artist conception on the next page shows, the Trojans are outer Solar System Lucy is slated to launch from NASA’s Kennedy asteroids that orbit the Sun “in front of” and Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida on an “behind” the gas giant Jupiter. Jupiter is massive Atlas V 401 rocket during a 21-day launch period enough that normally it scatters away all bodies in starting October 16, 2021. It will first fly by the Continued on page 26

24 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRING 2021 25 Continued from page 25 Lucy is over 14 meters (over 46 feet) from tip to instruments, and the 2-meter (6.5 foot)-high gain tip, but most of that is the huge solar panels (each antenna needed to communicate with Earth, are over 7 meters (almost 24 feet) in diameter) needed located on the much smaller spacecraft body. to power the spacecraft as it flies out beyond the Lucy’s instrument pointing platform, shown on orbit of Jupiter. It will reach 5.7 AU, which is farther the next page, will carry the suite of instruments than any solar powered spacecraft has traveled for remote-sensing science to study the Trojan from the Sun – another record for Lucy. All of the asteroids:

L’RALPH

L’Ralph, built at Goddard, is two instruments in one. The Multi-spectral Visible Imaging Camera (MVIC) will take visible light color images of the (Left) Lucy’s Instrument Pointing Platform. (Right) One of Lucy’s 7.3 m solar arrays. CREDIT: NASA Trojan asteroids. L’Ralph also has an infrared imaging spectrometer, or

Linear Etalon Imaging Spectral Array (LEISA). LEISA will allow us to look The completed Lucy spacecraft with for the absorption lines that serve as the fingerprints for different silicates, the solar arrays in the stowed position. ices, and organics that may be on the surface of the Trojan asteroids. CREDIT: NASA

L’LORRI

L’LORRI, the Long Range Reconnaissance Imager is the high spatial resolution panchromatic visible imager, built at the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). This camera will provide the most detailed images of the surface of the Trojans. It will also be used for navigation. The mission is led by principal investigator (PI) Hal Levison and Deputy PI Cathy Olkin of Southwest Research Institute, and is managed by NASA L’TES Goddard. The spacecraft is being built at Lockheed Martin Space in Littleton, Colorado. Instruments have been L’TES, the Thermal Emission Spectrometer, was built at Arizona State contributed by Goddard, Johns Hopkins University. This far infrared spectrometer will allow the Lucy team to learn University Applied Physics Laboratory more about the properties of the Trojans such as their thermal inertia and in Laurel, Maryland, and Arizona State how well the bodies retain heat. This insight will help us to understand the University in Tempe, Arizona. KinetX composition and structure of material on the surface of the asteroids. in Simi Valley, California, will provide mission navigation. Launch operations will be conducted by NASA’s Kennedy In addition to these instruments, Lucy will use its is scheduled to begin mid-March, putting it one Space Center. As a Discovery Class high gain antenna to determine the masses of step closer to launch and its 12-year journey in mission, Lucy is overseen by the the targets by using the Doppler shift of the radio pursuit of “diamonds” in the sky. Planetary Missions Program Office at signal. Lucy will also use its terminal tracking NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center Hal Levison / Southwest Research Institute camera (T2CAM) to take wide-field images of the in Huntsville, Alabama, for NASA’s Principal Investigator asteroids to better ascertain the asteroids’ shapes. Planetary Science Division. Assembly of the Lucy spacecraft is practically complete. As of this writing, environmental testing

26 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRING 2021 27 well as Hubble’s contributions to a fascinating behind-the-scenes advancing space science. After look at operations in action. being made available on January The book also tackles lesser- 6, 2121, the book’s web page known successes. “One of the had more than 23,338 visitors big arguments I made in this over the course of the month, book is that astronomy is much breaking records for NASA more of a team activity today history ebooks. than it was 30 years ago and Author Chris Gainor refers to the Hubble was a big driving force book as an “early draft of history,” in that,” Gainor says, noting such written to capture a mission in developments as the creation motion. “When we have 30 years of Hubble’s open online archive of operations under our belt of data and publicly released there’s still a lot to talk about,” he digital images. “Hubble had a says, noting that the documents big role in freeing up information Hubble’s Treasure Trove collected and interviews he and happened to come along additional images in December conducted for the book over at a time when the internet was of Less-explored Data 2020 had to be processed by the course of 5 years have been exploding. Some of the first Kober from the raw, black-and- preserved for future researchers. things people were downloading white data to create striking “Hubble is still going strong so it’s were things like the Hubble Deep cosmic vistas. kind of history on the run.” Field. So Hubble was one of the Over Hubble’s 30 years in space, feature. The Caldwell Catalog feel more of a connection to it, early stars of the internet.” the telescope’s images and is a famous skywatcher’s guide and this was a way to connect The objects appearing in The Hubble project worked discoveries have become a featuring astronomical objects Hubble’s images to our audience binoculars or backyard closely with Gainor to provide Gainor hopes the book will science news staple. Its striking in the Northern and Southern in a new way.” telescopes will often be faint, him with contacts, historic help readers understand how cosmic pictures have made hemispheres that can be seen fuzzy patches of light ― but documents, access to facilities, astronomy happens today and The catalog garnered over their way into movies, decorated with telescopes, binoculars, or that’s part of the appeal of the interviews and more. It was how connected it has become. 300,000 views online after the walls of classrooms and even the naked eye. Hubble’s Hubble version of the catalog, important to capture the “People think of Hubble as the additional images of the museums, and been plastered version provides the space says Thomas, an amateur historical record now because a big satellite in space, but 30 objects were released on across phones and computer telescope’s view of each Caldwell astronomer. “You may see some people who originally worked on there’s this huge infrastructure December 11, 2020, and was screens. object along with a description, details in a backyard telescope the project have departed and on the ground, all sorts of shared extensively on social skymap, and instructions on how but when you see Hubble’s information can be lost to time people working at Goddard, But Hubble has also spent media. The images were also to find the object in the night image you just say ‘Wow’ and ― especially since Hubble was astronomers around the world. those decades quietly building featured on dozens of morning sky. The project’s audience was realize how incredible Hubble’s launched in a pre-internet world. You can be sitting here in up a treasure trove of less- and news shows. primarily amateur astronomers, resolution is and what it can do.” The book explores such decisive Victoria (Canada) or Maryland explored data in its archives. but its appeal extended farther. To find the unreleased images, events as the Hubble mirror or Afghanistan or India and you Recent projects, an online Hubble’s unique abilities, and data analyst and image flaw and repair, and dives deep can get time on Hubble, which is feature showcasing unreleased “My main hope is that even the people behind them, are processor Gladys Kober into the telescope’s servicing amazing. Part of the idea behind astronomical images and a if people aren’t amateur the focus of “Not Yet Imagined: delved into the public Barbara missions, probing the decisions the book was to kind of put it new ebook on the history of astronomers and don’t have a A Study of Hubble Space A. Mikulski Archive for Space behind keeping the telescope not in one place, the whole story of Hubble operations, dig into that telescope, this will inspire people Telescope Operations.” Published Telescopes to collect exposures just functioning but on the edge Hubble operations and how it mountain of information. to go outside and look up and try through the NASA Headquarters of Caldwell objects that had been of technological advancement. all happened. I view the book to find these objects themselves,” History Office, the downloadable In celebration of its 30th observed by the telescope. The Hubble has endured both urgent as part of NASA’s institutional says Vanessa Thomas, Hubble ebook explores Hubble history anniversary in 2020, Hubble first iteration of Hubble’s Caldwell repair missions and a cancelled memory.” science writer and one of the from its launch through its first added 50 newly processed Catalog, made available in 2019, mission that was eventually creators of Hubble’s Caldwell 30 years of operation, focusing images of 30 galaxies, nebulae primarily featured images that restored, and the book relays the Tracy Vogel / Code 440 Catalog. “Once you’ve seen the on the decisions that made the and star clusters to its Hubble’s had already been released, but considerations and decisions Astrophysics Projects Division object with your own eyes, you telescope what it is today as Caldwell Catalog website the anniversary celebration’s that undergirded each move in Technical Writer

28 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRING 2021 29 After its experiment phase, farther into space than ever LCRD will transition to mission before. Through the Artemis support, sending and receiving program, NASA plans to create operational data to and from a sustained lunar presence satellites. LCRD’s first in-space and journey on to Mars. When NASA’s Laser user will be the Integrated astronauts are living and Communications LCRD Low-Earth Orbit User working on the Moon, they will Modem and Amplifier Terminal need reliable communications Relay Demonstration (ILLUMA-T) on the International with mission control. LCRD will Space Station. The terminal will pave the way for future optical Launching in 2021 transmit high-resolution science communications missions data from experiments onboard by demonstrating and testing to LCRD, which will then relay the the unique capabilities of this data to ground stations. Optical technology near Earth. terminals are ideal for missions NASA’s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration showcasing the benefits of optical like the space station because Katherine Schauer / Code 450 communications from space. CREDIT: NASA they require less size, weight, Technical Writer, Exploration and and power – a key benefit when Space Communications NASA’s Laser Communications Relay to send back to Earth. The designing mission concepts. Demonstration (LCRD) is blasting off this year! infrared light used for optical The knowledge gained through communications differs from LCRD transferring critical data over laser The mission will showcase the unique capabilities LCRD will help NASA prepare radio waves because it packs beams, leveraging the power of infrared light. of optical communications, which uses infrared for optical terminals going the data into significantly tighter waves, resulting CREDIT: NASA lasers to send and receive data. LCRD will be in more data at once. More data yields more NASA’s first two-way optical communications relay information and increased discovery about space. system, transmitting information between ground stations in Hawaii and California and eventually LCRD will demonstrate data rates of 1.2 gigabits between orbiting missions and Earth. per second - faster than what most Americans experience through high-speed internet links, which Currently, NASA missions primarily rely on radio usually top out at 900 megabits per second. The frequencies for space communications. Radios LCRD mission will demonstrate these capabilities have a proven track record of success, providing Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) 2020 from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Space Test mission-critical services since the advent of space Program Satellite 6. The spacecraft will be located exploration. However, as space missions collect Over 50 years of making a difference in geosynchronous orbit, 22,000 miles from Earth’s more data, the need for enhanced communications surface. capabilities is paramount. Through the mission’s experimenters program, Optical communications will provide significant Thank you to the FPD co-captains, LCRD will spend its first two years testing optical benefits for missions, including data rates 10 to communications capabilities with experiments Susan Wright and Karen Rogers. 100 times higher than comparable radio frequency from NASA, other government agencies, industry, systems. LCRD will prove the capabilities and and academia. These tests will help the aerospace benefits of optical communications while providing community refine optical technologies, increase Code 400s final donation total is $54,823. engineers with an opportunity to experiment with knowledge, and identify future applications. Some optical capabilities in an operational environment. of the experiments include studying atmospheric The center reached its goal and beyond with 167%. Both radio waves and infrared lasers are forms disturbances on laser signals, demonstrating of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths reliable relay service operations, and learning more at different points on the spectrum. Missions about optimetrics, a navigation technique that THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING encode their data onto the electromagnetic signals judges distances over optical links. THE COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN!

30 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRING 2021 31 Instruments Complete Integration Technicians installed the fourth and final instrument, the Cross-track Infrared Sounder, on the JPSS-2 spacecraft in late January. CREDIT: NORTHROP GRUMMAN Building 17 (left) north exterior view; (right): interior under construction. CREDIT: GSFC/FMD On January 28, 2021, three technicians at a instruments are working together, and the entire spacecraft facility in Gilbert, Arizona, finished satellite is running as it would in space. If you have visited Goddard recently during the will feature improved accessibility and increased bolting the fourth and final instrument to the Joint Environmental testing generally consists of three Center’s Stage 3 COVID-19 protocol, you may parking capacity. Polar Satellite System 2 (JPSS-2) spacecraft. The types of tests – an electromagnetic interference have noticed a significant amount of construction instrument was the Cross-track Infrared Sounder, The Code 224 Energy Management Team was (EMI) test, a vibration test, and a thermal vacuum occurring at the South Gate and Building 17. These known as CrIS, and the moment marked the involved to ensure that the new equipment installed test. The EMI test ensures that the instruments are projects are part of an ongoing modernization completion of mechanical integration, a major was Energy Star certified and eligible for rebates. operating within the correct frequencies and not effort, consistent with the Center’s Master Plan, milestone for the JPSS mission. The selection and installation of energy efficient interfering with one another, the JPSS-2 spacecraft, to showcase the Center’s focus on 21st century equipment provides a measurable cost savings to JPSS-2 is the second in a series of four polar- or any other spacecraft in nearby orbit. During this research and development by rerouting incoming the Government by reducing the amount of energy orbiting observational weather satellites developed test, the JPSS-2 satellite will be enclosed in an EMI traffic to ICESAT Road and through the newest consumed by necessary building functions. This by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric chamber to “test the susceptibility of the various part of the Center. Building 17 will serve as the equipment includes packaged heating, ventilation Administration (NOAA) and NASA. Like its parts of the spacecraft by bombarding it with first point of entry to the Center for both staff and and air conditioning (HVAC) units, variable predecessors Suomi-NPP and NOAA-20, JPSS-2 will different electromagnetic frequencies,” Walyus said. visitors. All of the functions currently located in provide critical data used in daily weather forecasts frequency drives (VFDs), and lighting fixtures and The vibe test, also known as a jitter, shock or Building 9, such as the badging office, locksmith and severe weather events, and it will monitor the controls. acoustic test, involves shaking the spacecraft and key shop, and protective services will be environment into the 2030s. on all three axes to simulate the JPSS-2 launch relocated to Building 17. The execution of this project was performed using the Facilities Construction Engineering and While onboard JPSS-2, CrIS will “measure energy environment. The renovation of Building 17 is scheduled to be Technical Services (FaCETS) contract with in- at various heights in the atmosphere within the completed in late 2021, with occupancy occurring The thermal balance and thermal vacuum house Code 224 Architectural and Engineering infrared spectrum,” said Keith Walyus, JPSS Flight in the first two quarters of 2022. When completed, tests begin in October and wrap up the JPSS-2 (A/E) services as a major repair project. This Project Manager. CrIS then “translates this energy in addition to relocating the functions currently environmental testing in early 2022. The thermal approach provided a significant cost savings to into water vapor and temperature readings, which housed in Building 9, the 30,345-square-foot vacuum (TVAC) test cycles the satellite through the NASA, and showcases the abilities of Code 224 are used in weather models to create forecasts.” renovation will also rehouse the Offices of the lowest and highest expected temperatures it will in-house staff to execute a full-scale restoration Inspector General and Office of Human Capital After years of preparation, “we now have a complete encounter in the vacuum of space. project from planning to the completion of satellite,” said Mike Bruckner, JPSS Deputy Management (OHCM), which are being relocated to Finally, a comprehensive performance test will construction. Retaining in-house A/E services Observatory Manager for JPSS-2, 3, and 4. “The Building 17 from Building 1 as part of the Center’s be conducted to make sure the satellite and its ensured that a high level of understanding was satellite is in its final state of build that it will be Greenbelt Rehousing Initiative. instruments are operating properly. Then JPSS-2 will brought to the modernization and improvement when launched,” Bruckner said. be packed up and shipped to Vandenberg Air Force Design enhancements include significant to GSFC access, while maintaining the safety and Starting in early April, the satellite will undergo a Base in California where it will launch in 2022. improvements to controlling and enabling access security to all that pass through the main center rigorous series of performance and environmental to GSFC. The new Badging Area (2,700 square feet) gate. tests. Compatibility tests are conducted to make Brian Frey / Code 470 will be more than 2.5 times the size of the current Bill Glenn / Code 400 sure each individual instrument is functioning, the JPSS Information Security Analyst badging lobby (999 square feet) in Building 9 and Mission Support Manager

32 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRING 2021 33 IN MEMORIAM IN MEMORIAM

a newly defined procurement system. On March 22, 2020, Aurora received a Platinum Award for providing exceptional administrative support to both the Peraton and NASA teams who met the highest level of Atmospheric X-Ray Imaging Experiment (MAXIE), customer satisfaction. On July and the Remote Atmospheric and Ionospheric 23, 2019, she received the Bronze Detection System (RAIDS) instruments. Award for maintaining GRS’ Upon his separation from the USAF in 1989, Greg equipment calibration process joined NASA and continued on as IM for these and for reconciling two databases instruments. He also became the IM for the of test equipment between the Greg Smith Advanced Microwave Sounder Unit–B (AMSU-B) Aurora Martinez White Sands Complex (WSC) December 29, 1954 to April 17, 2021 and his aptitude earned Greg a position in GSFC’s and GRS. On January 1, 2015, 1990 inaugural class of the Project/Program Aurora received the Lightning It is with a heavy heart we share with you that Kristopher L. Copple, Site She served as a Government Management Development Emprise (PMDE). In Award for exceptional service and Greg Smith died on Saturday, April 17, 2021. Manager at the Guam Remote purchase cardholder and 1995, Greg became the deputy project manager commitment. Greg had only recently retired, and this news is Station (GRS) recently paid tribute purchase requisition manager, the of the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite challenging for many of us to process. His last day to the life and service of Mrs. provided essential support Aurora’s generosity touched (ICESat). He served in this position until 2002 of civil service was January 29, 2021, marking the Aurora Martinez. to personnel responsible for everyone at GRS as she made when he was promoted to the role of Chief of the completion of more than 47 years of service to management of maintenance, every effort to boost everyone’s Rapid Spacecraft Development Office (RSDO). Aurora Marie Arriola Martinez NASA and the Federal Government. Greg started vehicle support and cleaning morale by distributing greeting Greg adeptly led the RSDO for more than 18 years, resigned from a prestigious law his Federal service career in 1973 when he entered services, and maintained cards, donating homemade baked personally serving as the Source Evaluation Board firm in Guam as a legal secretary the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA). operating procedure catalogs, treats to the Operations team, and Chair for 19 main contracts and their extensions to join Peraton on June 25, Upon graduation in 1977, he began his active-duty training requirements, record- by hand sewing protective masks and overseeing the procurement of eight mission 2012. Assigned to GRS as an military career as a 2nd Lieutenant, was assigned keeping systems and database during the COVID-19 pandemic. spacecraft. administrative assistant, Mrs. to the USAF Strategic Air Command at Grand Forks administration. She voluntarily Martinez soon proved to be more How does one express the Air Force Base (AFB), North Dakota, and rose in Serving others brought Greg great joy and he assumed mission-critical valuable to NASA by taking on amazing essence and spirit of rank and responsibility over the next 4 years. recently shared with me he felt fortunate he was roles as an alternate logistics the challenging responsibility Mrs. Martinez and her selfless able to do so throughout his career. He was a great specialist responsible for shipping of COMSEC Account Manager. generosity, uncompromising After promotion to Captain in 1981, Greg accepted man with a kind heart and a gentle demeanor. He and receiving, as Alternate Aurora provided 100% belief in all that is good and an assignment to USAF Air Training Command was also generous of his time and was patient Precision Marine Environmental accountability, controlling her unwavering commitment Communication-Electronics Officer School at with me as I learned how to lead the Project Laboratory (PMEL) calibration inventories, audits and physical to family and friends? Aurora Keesler AFB, Mississippi. He served as the class Formulation and Development Office (PFDO) where coordinator, and as the Physical security of all COMSEC material exemplified life, love, laughter leader and achieved the highest ever grade point the RSDO resides. I will miss our conversations Security Manager responsible and equipment, recognized by and was faithful to her God, her average at the school. In 1982, Greg accepted very much. Greg is survived by his wife, Jenny, for maintaining visitor requests, the Central Office of Record as a family and everyone at GRS. We an assignment to the USAF Systems Command who has our deepest sympathies during this security clearance and access leader in the industry. remember her as an amazing Space Division Shuttle Test Group at Vandenberg challenging time. control to the site. person who played a unique and AFB, California. After learning and implementing Aurora served in numerous the communications subsystems for the Aurora received special special role in all of our lives. additional roles extremely Vandenberg Space Shuttle Launch and Landing Scott Schwinger / Code 401 recognition from NASA on four important to the success of GRS, Site, Space Division asked Greg to support the Associate Director, Project Formulation and occasions during her tenure. On Extracted from Women of SENSE including the primary budget NASA Goddard Meteorological Satellites Office in Development Office October 30, 2020, Aurora earned tribute manager, responsible for an 1987. Here, Greg served as an Instrument Manager the Copper Award for ensuring the annual material and contract (IM) for the Energetic Heavy Ion Composition Space Network procured mission- Kristopher L. Copple budget of approximately $375K. GRS Site Manager Experiment (EHIC), the Magnetospheric essential equipment through

34 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRINGSPRING 2021 35 IN MEMORIAM

the toughest challenges marked by kindness and would be able to cure compassion for others, ALS in the spirit of failure and certainly a life worth is not an option. emulating. Dave Parker was special; he will be Christy and Dave’s family missed by the many were touched by the NASA family members outpouring of support whose lives he touched. when presented with a generous contribution for Russ Werneth / Code Dave’s Memorial Fund 480 from the “Team Dave” Maureen Disharoon / supporters to honor Code 443 Dave Scott Parker his memory and valiant Colleen Ponton / Code October 6, 1959 to March 6, 2021 battle against ALS. 440

Dave Parker supported Hubble through several servicing missions. CREDIT: ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHRISTY HANSEN He lived a life of many activities and great accomplishments, a life Remembered for his pioneering Celebration of Dave’s Life on spirit to advance NASA missions, April 10th at Centennial Park in especially Hubble Space Ellicott City, MD. It highlighted An outdoor celebration of Dave’s life was held on April 10. Telescope servicing missions, we Dave’s NASA accomplishments said goodbye to our colleague and adventures, his brave battle and friend, Dave Parker. Dave’s against ALS, his friendship, courageous journey as he fought and his love of family. Dave Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis survived ALS longer than most (ALS), Lou Gehrig’s disease, and amazingly worked and was nothing short of inspiring. contributed to his NASA mission His remarkable engineering up until his last day! Christy contributions to the NASA/ acknowledged her gratitude Goddard community since to the Code 400, Code 500, 1992 and his ability to adapt and Headquarters leaders for to personal challenges while attending. She also appreciated undergoing treatment for ALS the long-term tremendous were featured in the summer support of Dave’s Goddard 2020 publication of The Critical “family” of co-workers in Code Path. Thomas Zurbuchen, 480. The entire NASA family, Associate Administrator Dave and Christy’s family, for NASA’s Science Mission neighbors, and friends have been Directorate, acknowledged Dave’s supporters of Team Dave from passing and the dedication the very beginning of Dave’s of one of his favorite Hubble battle with ALS. combat ALS. She knows first- images – the celestial snow As Dave’s energetic advocate and hand that the focus, technical angel – in his honor. devoted caregiver, Christy said excellence, never-say-no attitude, Dave’s wife, Christy Hansen, that she wished that there was a passion, and creativity which are Code 400, held an outdoor NASA “Tiger Team” assembled to required of Tiger Teams to tackle

36 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRING 2021 37 IN MEMORIAM

led cooperative efforts with the sense of adventure, appreciation Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, European Space Agency, Johnson of travel, and above all else, his Associate Administrator Space Center, and Kennedy Space unwavering love for his family. of NASA’s Science Mission Center. Most significantly, Tom Directorate, stated, “Godspeed Tom was a valued and respected was a proud “Hubble Hugger”. Tom Griffin, longtime Hubble member of his team, always and Roman Space Telescope An avid adventure seeker, Tom making himself available for manager. We embrace his Tom Griffin and Dave went to the corners of the world mentoring and guidance; providing legacy of technical excellence Parker with some of in pursuit of his hobbies. Whether the knowledge and wisdom and personal warmth that their former Hubble it was skiing the Alps, sailing gained from his decades of colleagues. CREDIT: brought teams together for - and winning! - the Caribbean spaceflight experience. Tom was COURTESY OF THE the challenging work of space 1500, flying a plane over the an ardent supporter of outreach GRIFFIN FAMILY exploration”. Great Lakes, or hang gliding activities and STEM. He relished above Grandfather Mountain, volunteering his time whenever he Tom Griffin will always be Thomas J. Griffin adventure was out there and could in ventures like the Conrad remembered - and greatly October 15, 1955 to March 3, 2021 Tom made it his mission in Challenge for student innovation. missed - by his many Goddard life to find it. From European Beyond Tom’s outstanding “family” members and friends. food to American cars and an technical efforts and leadership at Michigan native. University of through its confirmation. Tom started at Goddard for the impeccable taste in bourbon, he NASA, he was special to so many Russell L. Werneth / Code 441 Michigan College of Engineering was the project interface to the Physics of the Cosmos and enjoyed the finer things in life. He as a great friend. Hubble Space Telescope Outreach graduate. Bachelor and European Space Agency and the Cosmic Origins programs. will be remembered for his great Engineer Master of Science degrees in Japanese Aerospace Exploration Tom also worked in many Atmospheric Sciences. Car Agency, responsible for many key engineering and management enthusiast. Amateur pilot. Sailor. international contributions. The positions on the Hubble Space World traveler. STEM (Science, Roman Space Telescope Project Telescope (HST) project for five Technology, Engineering, Manager, Jamie Dunn, stated successful servicing missions. He and Mathematics) advocate. that, “It was a pleasure working was the manager for the Space Scientist. Engineer. Proud father. with Tom over the years on both Shuttle Carriers that were critical Proud grandfather. Hubble and Roman. He always for safely carrying flight hardware did whatever it took to get the Very sadly, Tom passed away on and scientific instruments to and job done, and his enthusiasm for March 3rd from a heart attack. from space. He was responsible NASA’s mission was motivational The combination of his great for the crucial development to everyone he interacted with”. personality and his leadership for and testing of very sensitive many technical and managerial Tom was a team builder, gyroscopes as well as flexible accomplishments are surely always showing his care for and rigid solar arrays as the HST missed by his many co-workers the development of his team Observatory Manager. During the and friends. members and for encouraging preparations for the first servicing young people. During the mission in 1993, he paved Most recently, on the Roman pandemic, he organized a the way for a very successful Space Telescope (RST) project, socially distanced 5K run/walk working relationship between the Tom served as Observatory for charity to bring together his HST and the European Space Manager during the crucial years RST team. Agency teams. He made very of development leading up to meaningful contributions to the Mission Preliminary Design As Deputy Program Manager design improvements. These Review. He was Deputy Project for the Astrophysics Projects were successfully installed by Manager, where he helped Division, Tom was instrumental astronauts to greatly improve the advance the telescope design in getting the program office operation of the telescope. He Tom organized a 5K run with his Roman team last summer.

38 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRING 2021 39 Across the Federal Government, at Goddard The Flight Projects Directorate’s response and in Code 400, employee engagement rate increased from 67% in 2019 to 68% in increased during a time when most were 2020. Although faced with many challenges teleworking. There was also an increase in 2020, Code 400’s numbers increased in in immediate supervisors and agency each of the six dimensions, with all scores And the Results are in... leadership scores, with possible positive links in the high 80s to 90s, leading the center in The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to how agencies responded to the pandemic. positive survey results. One dimension to highlight within the Code 400 directorate is recently released the 2020 Federal Employee Goddard’s participation rates increased in an impressive 95.5% in the My Supervisor/ Viewpoint Survey (EVS) results. The EVS serves 2020 from 63.4% to 63.8 %. Goddard’s overall Team Lead dimension – during a time when as a tool for employees to annually share their average survey scores closely mirrored our work and personal lives were disrupted perceptions in many critical areas including their NASA’s overall average (Goddard 83.2% vs. by the pandemic, this score reflects the work experiences, their agency, and leadership. NASA 83.3%) and Goddard’s overall average overwhelming availability of support from our score increased from 80.3% in 2019 to 83.2% Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, OPM leaders. Congratulations to all and keep up in 2020. delayed the launch of the survey twice, having the good work! civil servants complete it in September instead of May. The survey consists of six key categories, Code 400 Flight Projects Directorate frequently called dimensions, which include: My Average Overall Trends by Directorate Work Experience, My Work Unit, My Agency, My 95% Average Overall Trends by Directorate GSFC Avg (83.2%) Supervisor/Team Leader, Leadership, and My 89% in the My Supervisor/ Code 400 86% Satisfaction. Key changes to the 2020 survey 86% Team Lead dimension 88% consisted of streamlined core content from 73 Code 150 84% questions to 38, including new COVID-19 questions 82% 85% Code 500 83% relating to working conditions. 82% 84% Code 600 80% 81% 82% Code 700 71% 72% 82% 2020 Summary2020 Summary of EVS Dimensions of EVS Dimensions Code 200 80% 76%

Gov't-wide NASA Goddard Code 400 Code 400 Code 400 Code 400 81% Dimensions Difference Code 300 74% 2020 2020 2020 2020 2019 2018 2017 78%

My Work Experience 72.9% 85.1% 85.2% 89.8% 88.1% 1.6% 88.6% 86.3% 79% Code 100 81% 80% My Work Unit 64.8% 77.5% 77.6% 84.6% 75.5% 9.1% 75.7% 73.6% 75% Code 180 75% My Agency 67.3% 86.5% 86.5% 90.0% 89.3% 0.7% 89.3% 86.7% 78% 74% My Supervisor/Team Leader 80.7% 91.7% 91.8% 95.5% 92.1% 3.4% 90.8% 90.2% Code 800 73% 69%

Leadership 61.7% 81.6% 80.8% 87.8% 86.1% 1.7% 84.0% 83.5% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% My Satisfaction 63.1% 80.6% 80.6% 86.2% 81.9% 4.3% 82.7% 81.1% 2020 2019 2018

Overall Average 68.4% 83.8% 83.8% 89.0% 85.5% 3.5% 85.2% 83.6% *Percentages are rounded. *Percentages are rounded.

At A Glance Between 65%- IMPROVED from DECLINED from Below 65% 80% and Above 80% 2019 2019 Thank you to all who responded to the EVS!

40 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRING 2021 41 Walt Faulconer, the FPDP facilitator, arranged impressive and engaging speakers including: WHAT’S UP WITH OUR Flight Projects Development Program? • Bob Cabana, Astronaut and • Pam Melroy, Astronaut Science Mission Directorate, Director, NASA Kennedy and Member of the Biden NASA Space Center Transition Team and former • Doug Cooke, former Deputy Director, Tactical • Charles Elachi, Professor Associate Administrator, Technology Office at emeritus, California Human Exploration Defense Advanced Research Institute of Technology and and Operations Mission Projects Agency (DARPA) FPDP Leadership Training and Development Workshop former Director, NASA Jet Directorate, NASA Propulsion Laboratory • Ellen Stofan, Under Secretary • Wanda Sigur, former Vice for Science and Research, • Dava Newman, Apollo President and General Smithsonian Institution and Professor of Astronautics, Manager, Civil Space former John and Adrienne MIT and former Deputy System, Lockheed Martin Mars Director, National Administrator, NASA Air and Space Museum • Sandra Connelly, Deputy • John Grunsfeld, Astronaut and Member of the Biden Associate Administrator, and former Associate Transition Team and former Science Mission Directorate, Administrator, Science Chief Scientist, NASA NASA Mission Directorate, NASA • Alan Stern, Principal • Dennis Andrucyk, Director, • Phil McAlister, Director for Investigator for the New Goddard Space Flight Center, Commercial Spaceflight, Horizons mission and former NASA NASA Associate Administrator,

The FPDP participants facilitated breakout sessions each of the three days and summarized the sessions to all the workshop attendees on the final day of the workshop.

(top to bottom, left to right) Tom McCarthy, Bob Cabana, Charles Elachi, Dava Newman, John Grunsfeld, Phil McAlister, Pam Melroy, Ellen Stofan, Alan Stern, Doug Cooke, Wanda Sigur, Sandra Connelly, Dennis Andrucyk, Walt Falconer, Donna Swann (FPDP Program Manager). CREDIT: NASA

Goddard’s Flight Projects Development Program project management, as well as an abundance of (FPDP) hosted a virtual Leadership Training and lessons learned. Development Workshop April 6-8, 2021. After a Donna Swann / Code 400 welcome from the Flight Projects Directorate’s new FPD Assistant Director director, Tom McCarthy, subject matter experts FPDP Program Manager (top to bottom, left to right) Corina Koca, Chetan Sayal, Andrea Poulin, Joe Hickman, Kristen Brown, Milton Davis, Freda Kagere from NASA, government, and industry gave the Melanie Crespo-Ramos, Adam Matuszeski. CREDIT: NASA 60 attendees insights into NASA leadership and

Continued on page 44 42 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRING 2021 43 Continued from page 43 FPDP partnered with other Goddard Directorates and NASA Centers to enable three days of learning and networking through large group discussions, presentations from senior leaders, and facilitated breakout sessions. Coming November 1, 2020 through and Goings March 31, 2021

Tony Scaffardi (External) to 428/ Tony Cazeau (492) to 435/Mars Global Precipitation Measurement Sample Return Capture Containment Comings (GPM) & Return System (MSR CCRS) Jonathan Burroughs (383) to 460/ Charles Bacon (484) to 435/MSR Benjamin Anderson (External) to EHPD CCRS 450.2/Technology Enterprise and (581) to 460/EHPD (458) to 457/NSN Mission Pathfinder Office (TEMPO) Ryan Turner Carrie White Cynthia Simmons (500) to 400/ Brandon Bethune (459) to 457/ Mike Seablom (HQ) to 407/Earth Deputy Director for Planning & NSN Science Technology Office (ESTO) Business Management Cathy Barclay (450) to 440/APD Angela Hodge (External) to 450.2/ TEMPO Jim Simpson (499) to 460/EHPD Daniel Motto (External) to 4502/ Betsy Park (456) to 460/EHPD TEMPO Goings Derek Otermat (451) to 457/NSN Matthew Vincent (External) to 457/ Near Space Network (NSN) Ben Reed (480) Resignation Caleb Noblitt (405) to 460/EHPD Philip Francis (273) to 460/ John Vanblarcom (420) to 383 Jill McGuire (482) to 480/ Explorers and Heliophysics Projects Exploration & In-Space Services Joy Henegar-Leon (4902) Division (EHPD) (ExIS) Retirement Risha George (581) to 459/ Tom Gitlin (458) to 4501/CIS Steve Pszcolka (429) Retirement Advanced Communications Tom McCarthy (400/Deputy Capabilities for Exploration and Haydee Maldonado (464) Director) to 400/Director Science Systems (ACCESS) Retirement Cynthia Simmons (400/Deputy Former astronaut, Pam Melroy, shared Nidhin Babu (External) to 451/ Greg Smith (401.1) Retirement Director for Planning & Business her career journey and lessons learned Laser Communications Relay Robin Krause (401) Retirement Management) to 400/Deputy during the workshop. Several days Demonstration (LCRD) Director (400/Director) to after the workshop, President Biden Devin Bitner (External) to 457/NSN David Mitchell code 500/Director Cathy Richardson (420) to 400/ nominated Pam to serve as NASA’s Deputy Director for Planning & deputy administrator! We are honored Mark Lupisella (581) to 450.1/ Commercialization, Innovation and Business Management we had the opportunity to hear her Synergies (CIS) vision! Reassignments/ Glenn Iona (599) to 460/EHPD Realignments Details within Code 400 Karen Rogers / Code 400 Cathy Peddie (300) to 451/ Administrative Officer Integrated LEO LCRD User Modem and Amplifier Terminal (ILLUMA-T) David Larsen (453) to 457/NSN For more information about the FPDP, please look for an [email protected] overview on the FPD hub, or contact Donna Swann at:

44 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRING 2021 45 COMPLEX COMPLICATED Cause and effect Apparent only retrospectively, does not repeat Knowable or predictable KNOWLEDGE The Cynefin Framework – no root cause Evidence Pattern-based – looking for stable patterns to Fact-based MANAGEMENT transition Activities Probes, Safe-to-fail experiments, prototypes, Logic models, implementation plans pilots Insights Knowledge Lived experience Subject matter expertise Disciplines Design, epidemiology, ecosystem science Empirical research using scientific method, engineering

Good Practices KERRY ANN O’CONNOR, CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER, AUSTIN, TX

Complex Exaptive (Innovative) Practices will emerge from experimentation. The table aboove compares the No linear causality. If it appears, it is only in Complex and Complicated domains. retrospect and does not repeat. If causality repeats, Have you ever considered whether recently move to Complicated. There are many levels of The distinction between Best Practice and Good completed work would constitute a best practice, entanglement and enabling constraints resulting Practice is important. Only the safest practices a good practice, or something else? Classifying in emergent practices. This is the Exaptive (or should be moved into Best Practices. During outcomes in this way can be unclear. Innovation) context. times of rapid change, best practices may quickly become irrelevant. There is not always a best The Cynefin sense-making framework can Examples: practice, there can be multiple Good Practices. In help address why a good practice is applicable DAVE SNOWDEN, COGNITIVE EDGE, 2020 • Culture Change the Complicated domain there are multiple ways of in some cases and a best practice in others. doing things, all of which can be legitimate. Cynefin, a decision support tool is focused on the Clear • Chronic Disease Management underlying nature of the problem being addressed. Constraints are rigid and the relationship between • Poverty, Homelessness It helps us decide what method or approach to cause and effect is self-evident and clear. There is Judy Dickinson / Code 400 FPD Knowledge Management Lead adopt for a given situation and when to change a right answer. This is the Best Practice context. Chaotic that approach. Dave Snowden, a researcher in knowledge management developed Cynefin, which Examples: Everything is entangled with everything else. There are no effective constraints with little to no in Welsh means ‘place of multiple belongings.’ • Pilot’s Checklist “How do we make sense of the repetition and high levels of uncertainty. Action world so that we can act in it?” The Cynefin framework consists of five domains • Surgeon’s pre-op ritual must be taken first to stabilize the situation. This is with three system types defined by constraints: the Novel context. – Dave Snowden • Medication Dosing 1. An ordered system has a high level of Examples: constraints thus behavior is predictable. Clear Complicated • Volcanic Eruption and Complicated domains are in the ordered Causal relationships with governing constraints. systems category. Subject matter experts are needed to perform • Pandemic 2. A complex system is one of dynamic and analysis; multiple solutions or approaches are • Terrorist Attack For more information: entangled causal relationships. Cause and feasible. This is the domain of most engineering and A/C - Aporia/Confused is a state of not knowing effect relationships are only known in hindsight. technical problems and is the Good Practice context. what domain your situation should reside in. The Cynefin Framework – Dave Snowden It is difficult to predict actions in advance. Examples: Most engineering and technical problems will be The Cognitive Edge 3. A chaotic system is turbulent, without • Engineering solutions managed in the Complex or Complicated domains. constraints and immediate stabilizing action is Good Practices will result from expert analysis and required. • Writing software code • Technical root cause analysis

46 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRING 2021 47 FPD Mission Updates

Commercialization, ExIS award winners. OSIRIS- Innovation, and OSIRIS-Rex The Extreme Ultraviolet and REx received the Space Technology Award and Synergies X-ray Irradiance Sensors (ExIS) OSIRIS-Rex’s PolyCam MMS received the Earth Science and Applications architecture development camera captured an image Award. Congrats! LaNetra Tate, of Bennu from ~300km, as Commercialization, team completed a Mission the observatory approaches Innovation, and Synergies Design Laboratory study for the Bennu in preparation for a JWST office chief, participated in an Artemis video Dexterous Robotic Extended Assembly Mission. final observational flyby on April 7. This study evaluated the concept of operations The JWST Flight Operations shown to the National Space Council. The video introduced NASA’s new Artemis astronauts. for a potential mission that utilizes the On-orbit Review was conducted on Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (OSAM)-1 TESS April 13-15. spacecraft, an Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle Hubble and Lego Secondary Payload Adapter Grande, and an in- Transiting space assembly demonstration payload. Exoplanet Survey Lego announced its latest Satellite (TESS) Landsat 8 space exploration set that discovers first features HST (reflecting the Near Space Network Sextuply-Eclipsing The Harmonized STS-31 mission) created in Sextuple Star System (TYC 7037-89-1). Landsat partnership with NASA to Near Space Network commercial Sentinel-2 (HLS) mark the 40th anniversary provider KSAT completed dataset is now of the first space shuttle launch. installation and site acceptance SWFO-L1 available from testing of a new antenna in Norway as part of their Ka-band Space Weather Follow On the Land Processes DAAC and imagery is available GOES-T advancement project. Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1) to view in NASA Worldview. The HLS project brings Solar Wind Plasma Sensor 30-meter resolution true color surface reflectance The GOES-T spacecraft (SWiPS) held a successful imagery from the Operational Land Imager completed post-vibe Hubble Preliminary Design Review. instrument aboard the NASA/USGS Landsat 8 solar array and antenna satellite, and the Multi-Spectral Instrument (MSI) deployment, as well as A web release was aboard the European Space Agency Sentinel 2A posted on the effects of TEMPO shock separation testing and Sentinel 2B satellites. This Sentinel 2A and 2B/ and launch vehicle payload adaptor match mate. the pandemic on Hubble MSI image shows the DC and Greenbelt region on operations entitled Hubble Technology Enterprise and October 7, 2020. Adapts to COVID-19-related Mission Pathfinder Office GOES-R Challenges and discusses the changes to the (TEMPO) and Code 595/ operations workflow and how the HST team has Navigation kicked off pre- ACCESS The GOES-R Program, adjusted to ensure there is no effect on science formulation activities for in partnership data collection. the Lunar GNSS Receiver On January 6, Advancing with the JPSS Experiment (LuGRE) Collaboration Connections Program, National pathfinder mission to obtain the first GNSS fix on for Earth System Science Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Optical Communications (ACCESS) supported the the lunar surface. Service (NESDIS), NASA Goddard, and the System Cygnus NG-14 unberth/ Cooperative Institute for Research in the release from the International Space Station (ISS) The telescope relay assembly OSIRIS-REx and MMS Atmosphere (CIRA), debuted a new video with 100% proficiency. The release occurred at series, “This Week in Weather,” which highlights for the Orion Artemis II Optical 1510z with destructive reentry scheduled for The OSIRIS-RExand MMS teams a significant weather event or environmental Communications System was January 26 at 1800z. On January 12, the ACCESS were selected as prestigious 2020 phenomenon. built, tested, and delivered to MIT/ space relay service supported the undocking and American Astronautical Society Lincoln Labs. departure of SpaceX Dragon CRS-21 from the ISS. 48 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRING 2021 49 Behind the Badge GETTING TO KNOW THE FACES of 400

Tara Dulaney Integrated Program Team Lead & Chief Learning Officer, PAAC V Contract

Born Baltimore, MD Education B.S. Industrial Engineering, Penn State University M.B.A. Johns Hopkins University (left): Tara engaging a future astronaut during an outreach event; (center): building houses with Rotary near Guayaquil; (right): making new friends in Ecuador. CREDIT: ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF TARA DULANEY In these roles, Tara serves as the deputy manager for Code 450 work, Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) a decade has been supporting manages efforts at Langley, and helps the growth of individuals on launch. She has also had the advocates of abused and the PAAC contract. opportunity to work outreach neglected children in the foster live in-home and online event. installations. It was a great with underserved communities in care system, to help the kids find Life Before Goddard New Mexico and Alaska. a safe, stable, and loving home. Additionally, they have been experience and she learned a excellent stewards, finding Tara didn’t know what she wanted She first volunteered for Anne lot about agility, business, and One of Tara’s most rewarding efficiencies and applying for to do when she started college at Arundel County Court Appointed management – and also saw experiences at Goddard has new grants to help organizations 17 and didn’t know much more Special Advocates (AACASA) in some incredible concerts which been supporting the FP Diversity during the pandemic. when she graduated – but knew their fundraising. She was asked only increased her passion for & Inclusion (D&I) committee. that she wanted to use her math to join the board in a movement live music! As a safe space to talk about In addition to AACASA, Tara and science strengths to solve to bring young professionals questions and topics, she serves her community as a problems. After college, she took a and leadership team. They were into non-profit leadership and has learned and appreciated Rotarian. Through Rotary, she position in Marketing & Production Life at Goddard willing to spend time when she increase their base of support. perspectives from her peers. has traveled to Ecuador twice. for the Rams Head Group. She In talking with someone from posed questions and worked She served as Board Secretary Tara and her husband had both The first visit was a conference supported the opening of a new Goddard at a happy hour, Tara together to ideate solutions. and is now completing a 2-year experienced a ‘values campaign’ and monitoring trip for a grant venue in Baltimore and was able heard frustrations about how Tara then supported the Division term as Board President. in college and she wanted to between the Annapolis Rotary to focus on supporting new artists things were being managed and with whatever was needed, bring that to the Greenbelt Getting through the pandemic Club and the Organization of and jazz at the Annapolis venue. she would offer ideas from a learning everything she could campus to spur conversations was challenging at work; American States to increase startup perspective. That person about PAAC functional areas around values and diversity. It thankfully we have the literacy in rural schools outside After 3 years, Tara was said you cannot effect change and NASA project management. was a great opportunity to work technology and support systems of Quito. During her second trip, recruited as a project manager from the outside – so when She was recently able to use with the D&I team and have in place to adapt. Small non- the team built six houses in 3 for a software start-up (an thinking about opportunities her experience with remote management support ways to profits like AACASA don’t. days in a very rural area with a alternative to Ticketmaster). As outside of the start-up world, team management and internal prompt open conversations and Tara worked with them on local partner in Guayaquil. an experienced user, she was Tara applied to and was hired on engagement throughout 2020 to to think about how we can all modernizing everything from able to relate to customers and the PAAC contract. help the team. When not working or serving, quickly instruct them on use of respect and appreciate diversity. courthouse activities to working Tara spends her free time visiting the product. The company was Tara has primarily worked within Tara has also had unique Seeing people come together as a remote team, engaging with family out of state, traveling, bought and sold a few times the Exploration and Space experiences in Code 450 working to make a more inclusive donors remotely, and supporting golfing (not well), and hiking. She over her 9 years there and her Communications (ESC) projects with the Communications and community is a very powerful the advocates working directly enjoys time with her husband career progressed to Director division. Her first job was to help STEM Engagement (CaSE) experience! with the children – now remotely. and golden retriever named and then Vice President. Tara the Space Network with reporting team. Working with a very small One of the larger fundraisers Tiberius, named after James oversaw a team of 13 project and risk management. She loved team, they quickly put together Life Outside Goddard had to be canceled, but through Tiberius Kirk! and product managers, primarily both of these areas and learned a touchscreen, educational some hard work they were able Tara’s passion for more than remotely, with over 500 product a lot from the project manager game for the last Tracking and to pivot the annual gala to a

50 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRING 2021 51 Behind the Badge GETTING TO KNOW THE FACES of 400

Milton Davis On-orbit Servicing Assembly and Manufacturing Mission 1 (OSAM-1) (Code 483) Space Vehicle Manager

Born Gary, IN Education B.S. Aerospace Engineering, Purdue University Masters in Project Management, Johns Hopkins University Masters in Robotics, Johns Hopkins University (In work)

Life Before Goddard My guidance counselor thought missions. Upon graduation aerospace engineering was a from Purdue West Lafayette in Milton was born and raised in good path. We talked for a few 2004, Milton served in multiple Gary, Indiana. He is one of three hours about my STEM projects roles in Code 500 including children. Above all, Milton’s and string theory. That day, he avionics deputy lead for the parents instilled in him the called Frank Bauer at NASA Magnetospheric Multi-Scale passion for hard work, treating Goddard Space Flight Center (MMS) mission; the mechanical others like you would want to to set up an over-the-phone lead of the Navigator GPS be treated, and service. Milton interview. So, I decided to remain receiver on MMS and STP-H6; Left: (top): Future Innovative Rising Engineers and Entrepreneurs (FIRE) Ten80 Racing Team wins at the national competition became interested in science, in school. Nine months later I and the mechanical lead for the technology, engineering, and (bottom): All-girls FIRE Team Competition invited to the White House. Right: (top and bottom): VEX Robotics Team competes had my first child (Jordan) and Payload Control Computer on at Baltimore robotics event. CREDIT: ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF MILTON DAVIS math (STEM) at an early age. a co-op internship with NASA. It OSAM-1 (formerly Restore-L). He loved taking apart remote really was a blessing and game Milton has co-patents for the paths. Milton transitioned to an interest and path to STEM control (CR) vehicles to see how Life Outside Goddard changer in my life.” SpaceCube 2 and SpaceCube 3 OSAM-1 in 2019 to serve as the fields. Milton is the executive he could improve their speed Reconfigurable Data Processing Space Infrastructure Dexterous Milton is a proud husband and director of a non-profit, volunteer and performance. When Milton System. Milton has also served Robotics (SPIDER) Payload father with kids ranging from six organization called Future graduated from high school, Life at Goddard as a star tracker and inertial Systems and Phase lead. After to twenty years of age. He very Innovative Rising Engineers he enrolled at Purdue Calumet Milton started at GSFC as a measurement unit lead on serving in this role for a year, much enjoys supporting their & Entrepreneurs (FIRE) which which is an extended campus Pathways Student in 2000 MMS, NICER, GEDI and PACE. Milton was excited to hear about many extracurricular activities offers STEM and financial literacy of the main Purdue location. working with the Navigation He has served as a co-lead, the call for a new FPDP cohort. and looks forward to board and programs to under-represented, Milton pondered leaving college & Mission Design (Code subject matter expert, and Milton started serving as the video games time with them underserved primary and for a while and pursuing full-time 595) and Components and study lead of the Avionics OSAM-1 Space Vehicle lead mid- on Saturdays. He also enjoys secondary education schools. work as he and his wife just had Hardware Systems (Code 596) Packaging Committee for the way through 2020. Milton also serving in his community and their first child. After completing branches. As a coop intern, NASA Engineering and Safety serves as the National Society church. Milton loves to teach his first semester, his guidance “We are what we Milton received a co-patent Center (NESC). Milton served of Black Engineers (NSBE) and has taught an introduction counselor challenged him in for his work on a demise-able as an associate branch head of Greenbelt Space Chapter (GSC) to engineering course at the repeatedly do. regard to his career path. “I knew momentum exchange system the Guidance, Navigation and president. University of Maryland for the Excellence then is not there was a passion inside of (reaction wheel) which has Control (GNC) hardware branch past 7 years. He is passionate me to pursue STEM. I was also flown on the Global Precipitation from 2014 to 2018, focusing on about helping youth obtain an act but a habit.” very interested in theories of Measurement (GPM) and Lunar new business, new technology, Milton Davis everything (TOEs) and space. Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and re-chartering branch career

52 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRING 2021 53 THE LATEST SAR SAVES Updates from the NASA’s Search and Rescue (SAR) office continues its efforts to D&I Committee develop and improve on life-saving distress beacon technologies. As we saw in the message from Center Director Dennis Andrucyk in March, a noticeable increase in violence, hostility and racism toward the Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community – especially the elderly – is occurring across our country. Our AAPI colleagues have shared that their families have Join the Flight Projects Diversity & Inclusion found themselves grappling with senseless committee as they host a listening session in threats or hate crimes linked to the pandemic. partnerships with the Asian Pacific American They have shared that the racism behind these Advisory Committee (APAAC) on May 10, from disturbing attacks is not new and we believe 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. During this session, we that no one should ever have to live in fear due will amplify AAPI voices and find ways to uplift, to their race, ethnicity or national origin. empower and protect our AAPI colleagues, friends and neighbors against racism. Please attend and learn what is happening – and how you can make a difference! Join the Teams meeting here

COSPAS-SARSAT rescues from November 2020 through March 2021 are shown above.

Did you know why May Barry Grofic, husband of Barbara was selected for Asian DID YOU Grofic (Code 440), was interviewed American and Pacific for an article that appeared in the Islander Heritage Month? Washington Post on February 7, 2021. As the administrator of Villa In 1978, a joint Rosa Nursing Home, he has been congressional resolution KNOW . . ? successful at vaccinating a much established Asian/Pacific higher than average percentage, American Heritage Week. We want to be in the know! in comparison to Prince George’s The first ten days of May were chosen to County overall, of staff and residents coincide with two important milestones in against COVID-19. Asian/Pacific American history: the arrival in the If you have something to share, send it United States of the first Japanese immigrants to Matthew Ritsko. Include your name, (May 7, 1843) and contributions of Chinese phone number and send it to: workers to the building of the transcontinental Read the article railroad, completed May 10, 1869. In 1992, [email protected] Congress expanded the observance to a month Code 400 Diversity and Washington Post article long celebration that is now known as Asian Inclusion Committee American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Ext. 6-2515 Barry Grofic proudly displays the Villa Rosa vaccination stats. CREDIT: BARBARA GROFIC

54 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRING 2021 55 Alicia Nunn (Code 448) and husband Michael Wilmoth welcome son, Arlo Roosevelt Wilmoth. Born OUT & December 17, 2020. 10 lbs ABOUT 15.5 oz and 23 inches. LIFE’S HIGHLIGHTS OFF CAMPUS Congratulations to Laura Paschal (Code 443) who became a grandmother for the second time on March 16, 2021 with the birth of Abigail Rose, weighing 9 lbs. 13 oz.

Camille Madison Curtin, born 2/25/2021 at 7:04PM Congrats to Allen Fleishman (Code 480) and his Heidi Wood (Code 470) and 7lbs 4 oz. Camille is the French pronunciation, like wife Marley (Code 690), who welcomed twin her husband Brian are proud to Cam-ee, if that matters, Robert Curtin, (Code 400) girls! Olivia Wren and Ember Rae were born on announce the birth of their first and wife Philippine. December 11, 2020. grandchild, Isla Belle Wood. She was born on January 11, 2021, to parents Beau and Brooke Wood, weighing 6 lbs, 6 oz, and 19” long.

Share your news! Weddings, births, Congratulations to Phillip interesting travel Francis (Code 460) and his experiences…we wife, Jemila. They welcomed want to know! their son, Michael Antonio on March 2, 2021. He weighed 6 lbs, 8oz and was 20.5” long. Please send your inputs to Paula Wood. Include your name, phone number to:

Stephanie (Code 440) and Alan [email protected] Clark and big brother Owen Congratulations to Kendall Taylor Murphy (Code Sarah Harnish (Code 400) married Will Lerch on Code 460 welcomed their new baby, Gavin 450) and Eddie Mauckon, who were married October 31, 2020 in Annapolis, MD. Ext. 6-9125 Vinson Clark on April 26th. October 31, 2020, in the backyard of their new Gavin weighed 8 lbs, 4 oz, and home! measured 20.5 inches.

56 NASA/GSFC THE CRITICAL PATH Volume 29 Number 1 SPRING 2021 57 FLIGHT PROJECTS Launch Schedule 2021

Summer SEPTEMBER OCTOBER december

2021 (TBD) Laser Communications 9/2021 10/2021 12/2021 Landsat 9 Lucy Geostationary Operational Relay Demonstration Environmental Satellite (LCRD) (GOES-T)

10/2021 James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)