Girls Who Code Learn the JPL Language Computer Literacy Program Brings High Schoolers to Lab for Talks on Topics from Admissions to Skycranes

AUGUST Jet Propulsion 2017 Laboratory VOLUME 47

NUMBER 8 Girls Who Code learn the JPL language Computer literacy program brings high schoolers to Lab for talks on topics from admissions to skycranes

By Mark Whalen

Summer school was in session for a group of precocious teenage girls who visited JPL in late July. They’ve been studying computer science. But now they also have a feel for what real technology and science jobs are like. About 25 high-schoolers participating in Girls Who Code, a nationwide STEM program aimed at encouraging girls to pursue careers in technology, toured sev- eral areas on Lab and met many JPLers. “The girls wanted to know if the pro- Software systems engineer Maddalena Jackson talks to Girls Who Code visitors. gramming language they’re learning this summer was used at JPL, and found out up at JPL. and visited with Cassini engineers at the that indeed we do use Python along with On the subject of coding, her favorite Space Flight Operations Facility. other languages,” said Vandi Verma, a question was “about how I, an adult with Mars Exploration Rover Project Man- robotics technologist in the Robot Op- a software job, find the answers if I get ager John Callas joined Verma, Jackson erations Group. “We discussed how in stuck. I was really excited to talk about and other JPLers who spoke to the visi- the long run it’s not learning specific syn- that because I remember being new to tors during a lunch break. tax—but understanding the fundamental coding and how intimidating it was—and “I told them what I tell many young peo- principles of programming—that makes it sometimes still is—to have a question but ple,” said Callas. “Follow your passion. easy to pick up a new language and enjoy it seems like everyone else already knows You will be at your best when you enjoy creating elegant software.” all the answers, especially when you look what you do. If you love what you do, “I was expecting questions about cod- around and don’t see a lot of people like you’ll never work another day in your life.” ing, and working as a programmer, but you.” Callas urged the girls to tackle the hard they wanted to know much more,” said “So it was fun to pull back the cur- problems. “Those will be the ones worth Maddalena Jackson, a software systems tain a little and talk about how effective solving,” he said. “Anyone can do the engineer in the Mission Control Systems Googling is a necessary skill for develop- easy ones. Anyone can write the next so- Engineering and Software Architecture ers,” she added. cial networking app. But, how do you land Group. The group toured the Ops Lab in Build- a rover on Mars with a skycrane?” Jackson and the girls discussed Europa ing 301, witnessed a demonstration of The networking lunch included a brief- Clipper—one of her projects—as well as RoboSimian, a JPL-developed apelike ro- ing on internships. “Many of the girls ex- college admissions and how she ended bot that can map its environment in 3-D, Continued on page 3 tively deorbit more than a handful at that fifth day. We hadnoidea howtoeffec versity gotrighttoit. been sleeping. scratch, mostlywhentheyshouldhave to writenewprograms and toolsfrom solve thewholeproblem. Theydecided their existingtrajectorysoftware couldnot got alive#GTOC9leaderboard?!” field, Whoneedsfootball,whenyou’ve inghua breaking away, asJPLenters the (with #GTOC9)from theother teams:“Ts day. JPLwas off toanexpensivestart. cost oflaunchingamissionwentupevery odds ofcatastrophe. debris canberemoved, thelower of impactstospacecraft.Thefasterthe Earth orbitcouldcauseachainreaction almost 40 years ago that debris in low- fast solutionshadadecidedadvantage. around Earth. (“deorbit”) 123piecesofdebrisinspace Teams hadtofigure outhowtocleanup mediately. on thepublicleaderboard almostim disbelief asotherteamspostedsolutions derstand theproblem, whilewatchingin of themonth-longcontesttryingtoun tion, the JPL group spent a good week to solveacomplexnavigationchallenge. Optimization Competition,anannualrace far ahead in the ninth Global Trajectory It’s JPL’s fourthvictoryinnineyearstheGlobalTrajectory OptimizationCompetition Lab teamwinsinternationalmissiondesignchallenge By Carl Marziali “They deorbitedall123objects onthe The Chineseteamfrom Tsinghua Uni The JPLershadrealized early onthat Also unnervingwastheTwitter chatter To accountfortheKesslereffect, the NASA scientistDonaldKesslershowed The cheapestsolutionwouldwin.And The problem wasgarbage,literally. One ofnearly70teamsinthecompeti JPL startedwaybehindandwoundup ------the computerneverfound. “They were able to craft solutions which team wasreally important,”saidArora. creativity ofthepeoplearound JPLonour had theLab’s best. training teamsforGTOC,theAmericans tional competitionheldforthepurposeof most powerfulsupercomputer, andana Concepts DevelopmentGroup (312A). Nitin Arora, asystemsengineerinMission point. Thatgaveusasmallpanic,”said petition. cheaper than the runner-up inthecom month earlier. million more expensivethanifsubmitteda separate clean-upmissions, in total$100 we wonwassubmittedonthelastday.” matter. Becausethesolutionwithwhich tion thatwassubstantiallybetter, itdoesn’t the starttoenddate,ifyoufindasolu ference inlaunchcostswas 10millionfrom (3920), DavidGarza(392D), Zahi Tarzi (392J), EugeneBonfiglio(3445), Mark Wallace (392D) Pavlak (392D), NicholasBradley(392J). Notpictured: DrewJones (392A), Tim McElrath(3920), RalphRoncoli (392K), JonSims(392M), JavierRoa(392R-Caltech), Austin Nicholas(312E), DamonLandau(312A), Thomas Frank Laipert(392C). Back row, fromleft: Anastassios Petropoulos (392M), DanielGrebow(392M), JeffreyStuart Front row, fromleft: JuanSenent(Group392P), Nitin Arora (312A), Try Lam(392M), Lantoine(392M), Gregory “Having theingenuityatJPLand But whiletheChinesehadworld’s But itwasstillmore than$50million The team’s bestsolutionproposed 10 “We were confident that even if the dif - - - - optimization problems. techniques to solve large global trajectory aims atadvancingnewalgorithms and Agency in2005,theGTOC competition trajectories forfuture JPLmissions. GTOC problem couldbeused inplanning ging rights.Tools developed tosolvethe conference awards ceremony. and thepermanentGTOC9trophy atthe on JPL’s winningtrajectoryinGTOC1) GTOC trophy (anartistic design based Japan, andacceptedboththetraveling on SpaceflightDynamicsinMatsuyama, Symposium June atthe2017International work attheGTOC9Workshop heldin and DanielGrebow presented theteam’s ognized asthewinners. after twohoursofuncertainty, were rec unknown. Theteamfiledbyemail,and competition serverwentdownforreasons p.m. uploaddeadlineonMay1.Then,the best solution15minutesbefore the3 Established bytheEuropean Space The contestbringsmore thanbrag Team leadsAnastassiosPetropoulos The JPLteamfinishedcheckingits . Continued onpage3

- -

Universe 2 GIRLS WHOCODE Solar poweraddstoLab’s renewable-energyuse systems engineer intheMobility&Robotics SystemsSection). and Science Data Systems Section), Cristina Sorice (robotics entific applicationssoftware engineerintheInstrument Software assistant intheGuidanceand Control Section), LanDang(sci are urged tocontact theorganizers: Rhiannon Conrado(staff Segundo–based GirlsWhoCodesummerimmersionprogram. during theirvisittotheLaboratory. Thegroup represented anEl “So Itryandmaketimeforit.” can sparkalifelongpassionfortheworkwedohere,” shesaid. Verma said. pressed interest orfuture inaninternship employmentatJPL,” JPL’s largest solarpowerstructure yet, ing structure (Building349).Thatwillbe to buildsolarpanelsontopofthepark manager, saysJPLnowhasthefunding 4541304b772b71513d. ergy.com/Dashboard/2a56697350644748 can beseenhere: 10 timesthepowerof302. is alarger 300kilowattsystem,generating panels onBuilding301,installedlastyear, smaller, 30-kilowattsystem.Thesolar meant tobeatestcase,andthusis stalled first,in2007.Thatsystemwas increase theiruseofrenewable energy. standards forfederally-ownedfacilitiesto a larger effort for JPL to meet mandated building’s use.Thesolarpanelsare partof solar panelsthatgeneratepowerforeach and theMicrodevices Lab(302)have more solarpanelstotheLabsoon. two buildings,andthere are planstoadd By Leslie Mullen Employees interested inparticipatingnextsummer’s event The girlswere joinedby their teachersandAT&T sponsors “I thinkit’s importantforustoreach outtostudents,sinceit Steve Rigdon,theLab’s facilitiesenergy Building 301’s solar power generation Building 302’s solarpanelswere in The Project Formulationbuilding(301) JPL’s solarpanelsgenerate powerfor https://minisite.alsoen Continued from page1 - - - solar panels. gov/Watch=x9uqgv a yeartocomplete. within thenextyear, andcouldtakeupto parking structure solar panels will begin grid. Rigdonexpectsconstructiononthe generates willfeedtheLab’s electrical a 1megawattsystem,andthepowerit The amount of power generated by the Visit JPLTube [ - https://jpltube.jpl.nasa. ] foravideoaboutthe between disparate partsoftheLab. the multidisciplinary teamwork involved and building connections frey Stuart,ZahiTarzi andMarkWallace. Pavlak, Javier Roa, Ralph Roncoli, Juan Senent, Jon Sims, Jef Gregory Lantoine,TimothyMcElrath,AustinNicholas, Thomas Garza, Drew Jones, Frank Laipert, Try Lam, Damon Landau, Grebow, Nitin Arora, EugeneBonfiglio,NicholasBradley, David three times. run/leaderboard teams ontheleaderboard ( DESIGN CHALLENGE The teamincludedindividuals from three divisions,highlighting The JPLteamcomprisedAnastassiosPetropoulos, Daniel JPL hascompetedintheGTOCsixtimesandhosted it This wasJPL’s fourthvictoryinnineyears.Thenextfour ) are allfrom China. time. of the solar panels will drop during that the power output California, in Southern the Sunwillbeobscured upto62percent 21, from about9a.m.tonoon.Because ing partialsolareclipseonMonday, Aug. stance, they’llbeaffected bytheupcom on cloudcoverandotherfactors.Forin solar panelswaxesandwanesdepending Continued from page2 https://kelvins.esa.int/gtoc9-kessler- - - -

Universe 3 tion’s fallmeetingDec.13inNewOrleans. to seniorscientist. es—from from sciencetojournalism, earlycareer from variedbackgrounds andprofessional stag its announcementonJuly20. community andgeneralpublic,”theAGUsaidin and inspiringto audiences across thescientific made Earthandspacescienceaccessible,relevant pave thewaytonewresearch directions, andhave have helpedtoexpandscientificunderstanding, Earth andspacescienceforthebenefitofsociety. embodies AGU’s missionofpromoting discoveryin AGU HonorsProgram, whichrecognizes workthat Falkenberg Award. Systems EngineeringGroup, withtheCharlesS. Hua, a data scientist in the Architecture and way withtheAthelstanSpilhausAward, andHook tenna andPropagation SymposiuminSanDiego. among thousands ofpapers.Theaward was presented July 12attheAn IEEE Transaction onAntennasand Propagation duringtheprevious year, tors atKa-band. ent radiofrequency innovationsenablingtheuseofdeployable meshreflec orbit, high-data-ratecommunication systems.Thepaperhighlightsthediffer patented andwaslicensedbyacommercial companyforuse inlow-Earth tenna DevelopmentforEarthScience Missions.”Thetechnologyhasbeen Rahmat-Samii authored “CubeSatDeployableKa-BandMeshReflectorAn and Propagation Society’s Sergei PaperAward. A.Schelkunoff BestJournal nology fortheRaincubecubesatmissionhavewon2017IEEE Antenna Raincube technologypaperauthorshonored AGU honorsJPLresearchers Bonnie Buratti N given year. tions. Only one in a thousand AGUmembersare recognized as Fellowsany and space sciences, andforremarkable and often groundbreaking contribu Ronald Kwok,ascientistintheRadarScienceandEngineeringGroup. & SatellitesGroup; ErikIvins,ascientistintheSeaLevelandIceGroup; and Buratti, aseniorresearch scientistandsupervisoroftheAsteroids, Comets exceptional contributionsandservicetothescientificcommunity. The AGUhonorees willbefetedattheorganiza Recipients intheAGUHonorsProgram come “Their passion,vision,creativity andleadership They were among29award recipients inthe The AGUalsohonored JPLhistorianErikCon The award ispresented totheauthorsofbestpaperpublishedin Nacer Chahat,Richard Hodges,JonathanSauder, EvaPeralandYahya Five JPL researchers who co-authored paper on an enabling tech a journal In itscitation,theAGUrecognized theFellowsforeminenceinEarth Among the61membersof2017classFellowswere JPL’s Bonnie The AmericanGeophysicalUnionlastmonthrecognized fiveJPLersfor ews B rie Erik Ivins f s - - - Hook Hua Erik Conway Ron Kwok ------L P Laura; ninegrandchildren andagreat-grandson. retired in1989. served asanassistanttoJPLDeputy Director AlvinLuedecke. Neiswanger and returned to contribute to projects such as Voyager and Galileo. He also 26 years.Sheiscurrently president oftheSLASoCalChapter. June. Tompson wasone of 12librariansnationwidetoberecognized. and theothernewFellowswithhonoratSLAconference inPhoenix recently inductedasaFellowintheSpecialLibrariesAssociation. Tompson isFellowhonoree leagues forcoveringmycontractswhileIwasawayinTennessee. to theAcquisitionDivisionforbeautifulplant,cards, andtoseveralcol many supportivefriendstohelpmegetthrough thisdifficult time.Thanksalso on there to myhome. reaching his100thbirthday. ThankyoualsotoJPLforthebeautifulplantsent 6 months shortof life andwasjust He livedafull 2017. July 1, Atkins, on colleagues fortheirthoughtsandprayersatthepassingofmyfather, Ralph of theindustry. JPL mechanicaldesignprinciplesandflightproject practicesattheforefront voltage engineering,andultra-lineartravelingwavetubeamplifiers. technologies, includingmicrowave sources, advancedplasmasources, high Dawn andPsyche,servingasaJPLexpertinotheremerging mission troubleshooting electricpropulsion technologyforNASAmissions,suchas thinker inprograms advancingglobalclimatechangeawareness. systems engineering,andforservingasaprincipalinvestigatorleading exoplanets. velocity measurements, advancing NASA’s capabilities to identify Earth-like for leadershipinthedevelopmentofnewinstrumentationprecision radial ates, andasubgroup oftheExecutiveCouncil. included current JPLFellows,managementrepresentatives from thedirector systems engineering. engineering, electric propulsion, tunable laser spectrometers, and mechanical period oftime. traordinary technicalandinstitutionalcontributionstoJPLoveranextended individual contributorcareer ladder, recognizing thosewhohavemadeex Five namedJPLFellows isotope ratiosindiverseenvironments. of atechnologythathasrevolutionized thereal-time detectionofgasesand trometers inflightandrobotic missions,leadingtothecommercial transfer Neiswanger issurvived byhiswife,Marj,andchildren Kathy, John,Annand Neiswanger joinedJPLintheearly 1950s,lefttheLabforaboutadecade, Gordon Neiswanger, 90,aretired businessadministrator, diedJuly3. Marty Scarbrough I wouldliketothankmycolleaguesfortheircondolencesandkindthoughts Linda Scott On behalfofmyfamilyandmyself,IwanttothankJPLfriends Tompson hasbeenatJPL forfouryearsandhasbeenanSLAmember SLA President Dee Magnoni of the Los Alamos Library presented Tompson Sara Tompson, manager of theLibrary, Archives &Records Section,was Donald Sevilla: For leadership in mechanical systems engineering, keeping Dan Goebel:Forseminalworkinconceptualizing,implementingand Riley Duren: Forextraordinary leadershipintheemerging fieldofscience Charles Beichman:Forpioneeringcontributionstoinfrared astronomy and The honorees: The fiveselectionsare theconsensusoutcomeofarigorous process that The honorees comprise experts in infrared astronomy, science systems Five JPLershavebeenappointedJPLFellows,thetopofLaboratory’s Chris Webster: Forpioneeringthedevelopmentoftunablelaserspec etters assings cent passingofmyMotheratage96.Itwasreassuring tohaveso - - - -

Universe 4 Pasadena, CA91109. 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Education Directorate ofthe the Communicationsand Universe ispublishedby Mark Whalen Editor universe@jpl.nasa.gov E-MAIL USAT

reason I am selling it is that I have a poor be goodforanother100,000miles;only ing, withthenewmotorcarwilleasily new battery;the108,000milesismislead conditioning equipment,aradiatorand a newmotorwasinstalled,recently newair of bymyfamilysince 2004; five years ago fine autothathasbeencarefully takencare ’04 SUBARUImpreza Wagon WRX,avery $3,000/obo. Call/text951-454-9916. craigslist.org/lac/mcy/6244462594.html; July 2018;pictures: https://losangeles. and safetygear;cleantitle,reg. goodtill muting, alsohavemen’s mediumriding miles, wasusedmainlyforschoolcom cial Edition,~1,500miles,garagekept,low ’10 KAWASAKI Ninja250Red/BlackSpe 3976. tion, barely used,$150/obo.Text 724-288- (sides only)inblack,darktint,great condi JEEP Wrangler windows,MOPAR softtop, 818-439-3094 [email protected]. runs well,140Kmiles,$2,500/obo.Text ‘02 ACURATL,black(somepaintissue), / Accessories Vehicles $499. 909-953-5027. tion, softbeige,notusedmuch,seats6, LEATHER SECTIONAL,excellent condi 626-216-2160, Wayne. sible row of4seatsforcertaingames. seats 4-5;allgamesatL.A.Coliseum,pos 2 seats,visitorside,Section25L,Row79, ans, Nov. 12,1:05p.m.,$175;priceisfor Sept. 17,1:25p.m.,$200;RamsvsTex Aug. 26,5p.m.,$130;Ramsvs.Redskins, FOOTBALL TICKETS:Ramsvs.Chargers, For Sale Ads submittedJuly29–Aug.4. C global.net, 626-584-9034. $7,500. Gordon Hazlitt:painter220@sbc left kneeandconstantclutchingispainful; lassifieds ------tenant payswater, trash,electric,gas;see parks &trails;ownerpaysforgardener, winning Valley ViewElementaryschool, garage; closetoFoothillGoldLine,award- refrigerator included,large backyard, 2-car lights &newkitchensink,microwave and with newquartzcountertops&recessed place thatopenstoaspaciouskitchen, mal living/diningarea, familyroom w/fire floor planoffers 3bedrooms/2 baths,for 1,555 sq.ft.single-levelfamilyhome,open hood, nestledunderSanGabrielfoothills; DUARTE, NorthFishCanyonneighbor For Rent Marc Rayman. @alumni.princeton.edu, 818-790-8523, com/watch?v=S7PvjGp7mCU). mrayman personal use (see http://www.youtube. U.S. &othercountries,pastpresent, for SPACE INFORMATION/memorabilia from Wanted pets. http://Courchevel6.com. net, 2-cargarage,Jacuzzis,grill,pool;no TV, DVD,Blu-Ray, wireless hi-speedInter evel 6features fullkitchen,cable/Internet loft, shortwalktoCanyonLodge;Courch MAMMOTH, remodeled 2 bed/2 bath + 952-2696 [email protected]. andwasher/dryer,Internet nopets.818- pliances, TVs,DVDplayers, free wireless great locationbypond/meadow, newap ed condo,2bd.,ba.+loft(sleeps6-8), MAMMOTH, Snowcreek, beautiful updat 840-3749 [email protected]. discount, nopets.626-798-9222,626- fishponds, closetoMammothCreek, JPL balcony w/mtn.vw., Jacz.,sauna,streams, microwave, D/W, cableTV, VCR,phone, loft, sleeps6-8,fullyequip’dkitchenincl. MAMMOTH, Snowcreek, 2bd.,ba.+ Vacation Rentals 8654. clean; $900+deposit.818-960- lease available;mustlikedogsandbevery public transportation;short-orlong-term laundry privileges;2milestoJPL,close big closet,shared bathroom, kitchenand bath house, big backyard, hardwood floor, PASADENA, room furn. inalovely4-bd./2- P1R58vK9ncGd/3329ShadylawnDrive . http://matrix.crmls.org/matrix/shared/ ------

Universe 5