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Home , Anatoly Solovyev, Jacob Matijevic, Lewis (satellite), Pavel Vinogradov, Spaceport

MissionUpdate Vol. 36, No. 17 August 29, 1997 Shuttle- Spaceport News America's gateway to the universe. Leading the world in preparing and launching missions to Earth and beyond. John F.

Internal EVA conducted: Mir 24 cosmonauts and and U.S. continue the process of verifying restoration of electrical power to the Russian Busy week at Mir after an intravehicular activity Aug. 22. Troubleshooting of the oxygen- generating system also was under America’s way, and an was tentatively set for the first week of September to conduct an spaceport inspection of leak sites on the damaged module.

STS-86

ONE Shuttle rolled out to the Aug. 18 and another returned to KSC the following day. The Atlantis (above) is now at Pad 39A, undergoing final preparations for launch Sept. 25 on the seventh Shuttle-Mir docking mission, STS-86. The Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test is scheduled for Sept. 9- Atlantis (20th flight OV-104) 10. At about 7:08 a.m., Aug. 19, Discovery (right) 87th Shuttle flight touched down on Runway 33 of KSC's Shuttle Landing Pad 39A Facility, bringing Mission STS-85 to a successful 7th Mir Docking conclusion. Researchers were delighted with the Launch: Sept. 25, 10:34 p.m. performance of the primary scientific instruments flown Crew: Wetherbee; Bloomfield; on the 86th Shuttle flight, the Cryogenic Infrared Parazynski; Titov; Chretien Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere (France); Lawrence; Wolf. (CRISTA)-SPAS and the Middle Atmosphere High Commander Wetherbee flew on Resolution Spectrograph Investigation (MAHRSI), both of STS-63, the Shuttle flight that which performed flawlessly. rendezvoused with Mir in 1995 to set the stage for the first docking. Russian Vladimir Titov also was on SRB retrieval ships to begin towing external tank board that flight. The two ships which have well as the streamlining been retrieving spent solid measures Shuttle prime STS-87 boosters (SRBs) for the contractor United Space since Alliance (USA) is tasked with its inception in 1981 now have implementing. In the past, the an additional job: Delivering task of towing the external the Shuttle external tank that tank by barge to KSC was is manufactured in Michoud, carried out under a subcon- La., to KSC. tract overseen by Marshall While the first tow is still a Space Flight Center. USA is Columbia (24th flight OV-102) ways away — around the now managing that subcon- 88th Shuttle flight April/May 1998 timeframe — tract, which will be phased out Pad 39B the hardware needed to do the once the SRB ships take over. Launch date: Nov. 19, 2:18 p.m. USMP-4; Spartan 201-04 job is already on deck at The ships' primary task will Crew: Kregel; Lindsey; Scott; NASA's Hangar AF on Cape continue to be the retrieval of Chawla; Doi (Japan); Kadenyuk Canaveral Air Station, home the spent SRBs following a (Ukraine) port for the two ships. Shuttle launch, said Anker Spartan 201 is a physics LIBERTY STAR Capt. Joe Chaput . This fourth flight in a The initiative fits in well Rasmussen, USA chief techni- examines one of two massive Texas bars series is being coordinated with the with both NASA Administrator cal manager for postflight on dock at Hangar AF. The bar weighs ongoing Solar and Heliospheric Daniel Goldin's “better, about 6,800 pounds and will be secured Observatory (SOHO) mission. cheaper, faster” philosophy as to the stern of the retrieval ship for towing (See SHIPS, Page 8) the Shuttle external tank. Page 2 SPACEPORT NEWS August 29, 1997

Volunteers needed for beach cleanup Employees of the month The 10th annual coastal a.m. Volunteers may register cleanup, sponsored by the at any one of 10 sites along Center for Marine Conserva- Brevard's east coast. tion and Keep Brevard Call Keep Brevard Beauti- Beautiful, will be held Satur- ful, 639-0666, for more day, Sept. 20, from 9 – 11 information. Science fiction writer awards to be held at KSC Visitor Complex

Science fiction fans will writers of science fiction and have the chance to meet fantasy. current and future star writers In the past 13 years, some of the genre at the 13th 200 novels and more than HONORED in August were (from left): Fran Carter, Engineering Development; annual L. Ron Hubbard 1,500 short stories have Pauline Shook, Installation Operations; Nicole Fromberg, Chief Financial Achievement Awards, being been sold by contest winners Officer's Office; Bridgett Mack, Safety and Mission Assurance; Kathleen Ellis, held this year at KSC's Visitor in the field of speculative Administration Office; Shawn Quinn, Checkout and Launch Control System; Barbara McCoy, Center Director's Office; Kim Boatwright, Space Station Complex on Saturday, Sept. fiction and other genres. Hardware Integration Office; and Sybil Largent, Procurement Office. Not shown 27. Contact Bev Widder, are James Joyner, Payload Processing; Art Maples, Biomedical Operations; The Writers of the Future Dateline Communications, in Marty Pontecorvo, Logistics Operations; and Arnold Postell, Shuttle Processing. Contest was established in Venice, Calif., for more 1983 by L. Ron Hubbard to information, tel. 310 581- discover and assist beginning 2680. CFC slogan contest Brevard symphony plans KSC concert winners announced The Brevard Symphony p.m. after a reception and And the winners are . . . Ceremony, Orchestra begins its 1997-98 features musical director and Frances Walsh (Electronic Oct. 1, in season with a space-themed principal conductor Christo- Engineering) and three guests the pops concert, Liftoff '97, at pher Confessore. Guest will attend a Marlins spring Training the Apollo/ V Center, soloist Andy Taylor makes an training game as winner of the Auditorium by keynote Saturday, Sept. 20. Buses encore appearance. Combined Federal Campaign speaker Ken Lehner. will depart beginning at 6 Ticket prices are $50 per slogan contest. The slogan for Formerly with the New York p.m. from the KSC Visitor person, which includes a light this year’s campaign: Com- Yankees baseball organization, Complex. buffet. Call the BSO, 242- bined for Caring. Lehner is General Manager of The concert begins at 8 2024, for more information. Felix Soto Toro (Engineer- the Manatees and director of ing Development), winner of Brevard Operations for the the CFC drawing, will be Marlins. Unsuspecting prey taking three guests to the He was awarded a presiden- Manatees game on Aug. 30, tial honor in 1992 for work in “United Way Night” at Space the inner cities with under- Coast Stadium in Viera. privileged children by giving Both winners will be recog- them an to play nized at the 1997 CFC Kickoff youth baseball. Cancer screening begins in September

Screening for be available on the colorectal cancer will following schedule: be offered free to all Industrial Area, KSC employees in Occupational Health the month of Septem- Facility, 7 a.m. – 5 ber. p.m., Mon.-Fri.; The screening is Launch Complex 39 done using the hemoccult area, Launch Area Clinic, 24 (guaiac) slide process. Kits hours a day, seven days a containing the hemoccult week; slides, special directions for Cape Canaveral Air Station, TWO Great White Herons seem unware of the threat posed by an alligator lurking correct use, a questionnaire Cape Area Clinic, 7:30 a.m. – 4 nearby. Bionetics photographer George Shelton saw at least 17 alligators prowling the waters of Banana Creek when he took this photo Aug.12. and general information will p.m., Mon.-Fri. August 29, 1997 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 3 Examples of good deeds are plentiful at KSC Editor's Note: The following three stories — brought to the attention of Spaceport News by cowork- LOCKSMITH Bill ers — involve employees from across the spectrum of the KSC work force and show that heroism, old- Nichols wields a pick similar to fashioned ingenuity and simple courtesy are displayed freqently here at the space center. the one he used at the pad to Man's life saved in a remove a piece of Teflon from miracle-filled day flight hardware.

United Space Alliance employees Jerry Bowman and Daryl Elder will tell you that EG&G FLORIDA security personnel (left) they didn’t think twice about went out of their way to help a lost elderly man get back home. From left are Lt. Steve the chances they took to save Bufford, Sgt. Thomas O'Connor, and Officers NASA Quality employee Brian Kanipe and Jerry Deese, the four James Swanson’s life the day security officials most closely involved with the of April 16, but in retrospect incident. their bravery is breathtaking. The two men were on their way home after working out in the KSC gym, when they were horrified to see the car in front of them plunge off the road into a canal off the NASA Causeway heading west. Inside, they could see a few feet away,” Elder said. A USA employees Daryl Elder man moving around on the security guard arrived on the (standing left in photo at right) and Jerry Bowman placed their driver's side. Realizing the scene and stood between the own lives at risk to save a driver was unable to help two rescuers and the gator, stranger from drowning. himself, Elder and Bowman and medical help arrived to rushed over to the vehicle, care for the driver. suggestion was made to have Security shows its already waistdeep in water. Asked what motivated them the KSC locksmith try to There was no phone nearby, to work so hard despite the remove the debris and Nichols softer side and they soon discovered that danger to save a stranger's was contacted. After a re- Dealing with the unusual is all the windows and doors on life, and Bowman and Elder's hearsal using a mockup of something the EG&G Florida the car were locked. response is simple: “You don't thepyro can, he went to work. security force must be pre- Attempts to kick in a really think about it, you just It was not an easy job. pared for at all times, and the window were to no avail. As do it,” Bowman said. Wielding his locksmith pick, events of May 29 illustrate Elder and Bowman continued Nichols had to extract a piece why. Officers Jerry Deese and their rescue attempt, a driver Locksmith’s skills of Teflon a mere eighth of an Brian Kanipe, Sgt. Thomas pulled up and used her cellu- saves processing time inch in diameter and less than O'Connor and Lt. Steve lar phone to call for additional half an inch in length, lodged Bufford went beyond the call help. Then, in a day where one For KSC locksmith Bill inside a tube of about the of duty to help a lost elderly miracle seemed to follow Nichols of EG&G, unusual same width and three to four man find his way home. another, another passerby assignments go with the inches in length. The gentleman arrived at pulled over who just happened territory, but the job he was It took a good 30 minutes of Gate 4 midafternoon, miles to have a three-pound sledge- called on to do at Launch Pad perseverance and patience, but from his destination — a hammer in his vehicle. 39A recently ranks as one of Nichols got the Teflon out. His dentist's office in Fort Lauder- With a window now busted the most unusual. skill saved nine and a half dale. Security personnel had to open, Bowman and Elder tried It seemed that during shifts to remove and reinstall make numerous phone calls to to extricate the stricken driver closeout of the pyrotechnic the pyro can plus another two try and locate next-of-kin, from the car. “We later learned cans on the STS-94 Shuttle shifts that would have been contacting everyone from the he was in diabetic shock,” stack, a piece of Teflon had needed to erect an enclosure to dentist's office to the condo- Elder said. “He was clutching become lodged in the liquid accomplish the task. minium complex where the the steering wheel and it was hydrogen pyro can helium vent In a letter of commendation elderly man lived alone. almost impossible to get him tube. The Teflon is used to thanking Nichols for his It was not until after to let go.” prevent closeout material from resourcefulness and skill, midnight that a relative finally The car slipped farther, the entering the purge tube cavity. Process Integration Director arrived to take the man home. driver's head now barely above During removal, the end of the Larry Ellis observed, “Your In the meantime, he was taken the rising water. “We finally Teflon had broken off and was efforts prove that it truly takes to Security Patrol Headquar- got him out and pulled him up stuck. everyone at Kennedy Space ters, fed a warm meal and on the bank, only to realize After repeated efforts to Center to process and launch a watched over by solicitous there was an alligator just a remove the Teflon failed, a Space Shuttle.” personnel. Page 4 SPACEPORT NEWS August 29, 1997 pathfinder concludes primary science mission NASA’s spacecraft — a novel mission to send an inexpensive THE rover's right front camera and roving prospector to the took this image of the Pathfinder surface of Mars — has concluded its lander. The large rock at right, primary mission, fulfilling all of its nicknamed “Squash,“ exhibits a objectives and returning a wealth of new diversity of textures. It looks very similar to conglomerate, a type of information about the red planet. rock found on Earth that forms The robotic lander, which continues to from sedimentary processes. explore an ancient outflow channel in Mars’ northern hemisphere, completed its milestone 30-day mission Aug. 3, capturing far more data on the atmo- sphere, weather and Brian Muirhead, Mars Pathfinder project set revealed temperature fluctuations of than scientists expected. In all, Path- manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion 30-40 degrees Fahrenheit in a matter of finder returned 1.2 gigabits (1.2 billion Laboratory. “We’ve validated NASA’s minutes. bits) of data and 9,669 tantalizing commitment to low-cost planetary In addition, sweeping, color panora- pictures of the landscape. exploration, shown the usefulness of mas of the Martian landscape, created by sending microrovers to explore Mars, and the Imager for Mars Pathfinder (IMP) Commitment to low-cost planetary obtained significant science data to help team and Principal Investigator Peter exploration pays off understand the structure and meteorol- Smith, are revealing clear evidence that ogy of the Martian atmosphere and to the surface of Mars has been altered by “The data returned by the Sagan understand the composition of the winds and flowing water. Memorial Station and has Martian rocks and soil.” been nothing short of spectacular, and it Rover surpasses all expectations will help provide a scientific basis for New portrait of Mars emerges future Mars missions, including a sample The rover’s performance has easily return, for years to come,” said Dr. A new portrait of the Martian environ- surpassed its designers’ minimum Wesley Huntress, NASA associate ment has begun to emerge in the 30 days expectations. Engineers designed the administrator for space science. “The since Pathfinder and its small, 23-pound roving vehicle’s electronics, battery Pathfinder team’s ‘can do’ attitude not rover began to record weather patterns, power and hazard avoidance features to only was critical to overcoming several atmospheric opacity and the chemical see it through at least a week of safe complex technical challenges during composition of rocks washed down into roving, not knowing beforehand what development and cruise, but has carried the Ares Vallis flood plain. The rover’s conditions it might encounter on Mars. through the uncharted territory of alpha X-ray spectrometer, led by After 30 days, the rover is still healthy operating a solar-powered lander and Principal Investigator Dr. Rudolph and has clocked 171 feet in travel dis- mobile rover on the surface of a planet Rieder, was responsible for making the tance, circumnavigated the lander and millions of miles from Earth.” first in-situ measurements of rocks near taken 384 spectacular views of rocks and “This mission demonstrated a reliable the landing site. the lander. and low-cost system for placing science “We are seeing much more differentia- “Sojourner’s capabilities to detect payloads on the surface of Mars,” said tion of volcanics than we expected to hazards and then act on its own to see,” said Dr. Matthew Golombek, Mars overcome those hazards has been re- Pathfinder project scientist at JPL. “The markable,” said Dr. Jacob Matijevic, high silica content of one of the rocks Sojourner project manager. “The technol- we’ve measured suggests that there was ogy experiments we have been able to more crustal activity — heating and perform with the rover’s wheels have recycling of materials — early in Mars’ given us more information about the history than we thought.” composition of the , as well Similarly, atmospheric-surface interac- as rocks around the landing site. tions, measured by a meteorology pack- Sojourner’s durability in this frigid, age onboard the lander, are confirming hostile environment is also showing us some conditions observed by the Viking that we are on the right track to building landers 21 years ago, while raising smarter, even more durable rovers for questions about other aspects of the future missions.” planet’s global system of transporting Pathfinder’s primary objective was to volatiles such as water vapor, clouds and demonstrate a low-cost way of delivering dust, said Science Team Leader Dr. an instrumented lander and free-ranging Timothy Schofield. rover to the surface of the red planet. The meteorology mast on the lander Landers and rovers of the future will IN this image, the Sojourner rover is perched atop the has observed a rapid drop-off in tempera- share the heritage of spacecraft designs Mermaid Dune, a dark material distinct from the surrounding bright surface. Dark red tracks extend from tures just a few feet above the surface, and technologies tested in this “pathfind- the foreground to the base of the rover's wheels. and one detailed 24-hour measurement ing” mission. August 29, 1997 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 5 EG&G snares Marshall BOC

EG&G Alabama, Inc., a nance, renovations, modifica- division of EG&G, Inc., of tions, construction and envi- Cocoa, Fla., has been awarded ronmental support services at a contract by Marshall Space the center. Flight Center, Huntsville, to The fixed-price, perfor- provide center operations mance-based contract will be support services divided into a for a period of one-year base up to five years, period and four beginning Sept. one-year options 1, 1997. If all that may be options are exercised at exercised, the NASA’s discre- contract could be worth tion. The services to be SOJOURNER rover's hazard avoidance system is comprised of five laser stripes that approximately $77.8 million. provided essentially are a project out to the ground. One laser is located in the center of the rover body and This amount does not include continuation of the effort points straight ahead. Two of the beams are pointed outward at a modest angle from work that could be called for currently being performed the center beam, while two more project much farther outward, like peripheral vision, beyond the rover's body. The rover is shown here undergoing preflight processing at under a provision that may be under the base maintenance KSC. The lasers are located on the opposite side of the vehicle. used to procure additional mission services contract by services on an indefinite- BAMSI of Titusville. Ex- Sojourner rover is a “thinking” robot delivery, indefinite-quantity cluded, however, are a few basis. specific types of services which The Mars Pathfinder front of the rover.” To comple- Services to be provided have been absorbed under Sojourner, a lightweight ment its laser eyes, the rover include operations, mainte- other contracts. machine on wheels, is accom- has three levels of autonomy plishing a revolutionary feat to use in choosing its path on the surface of Mars. across the Martian sand, with NASA selects ISO 9001 registrar For the first time, a “think- the highest risk level allowing ing” robot, equipped with the rover to climb over rocks NASA has selected a third- gests 20 basic elements as the sophisticated laser eyes and almost as big as the wheels. party registrar, Det Norske essential building blocks for an automated programming, is Sojourner’s intelligence is Veritas Certification, Inc. (DNV, effective management system. It “thinking” and reacting to based on a mathematical Inc.), Houston, to provide also offers great flexibility in unplanned events on the model that emulates animal detailed compliance audits of applying the 20 elements, surface of another planet. behavior. The ability for KSC and other NASA centers. thereby promoting streamlined, “After a few days on the animals to avoid or flee dan- This selection is a milestone in effective and innovative man- , when we left ger, such as predators, is a low moving closer toward NASA’s agement processes. The the rock named Yogi, we level reflex, Wilcox explained, goal of having the agency ISO system uses a third-party turned on Sojourner’s hazard but it gets the job done. 9001-certified by September certification process to ensure avoidance system and asked it Previous spacecraft have 1999. NASA is the first federal that NASA meets international to start making some of its operated solely using se- agency to commit to accreditation standards. own decisions,” said Brian quences of instructions created ISO 9001 certification. “Once KSC’s long- Wilcox, supervisor of the by human operators on the “What’s important to term business system is robotic vehicles group at JPL. ground, along with remember about this approved and imple- “This hazard avoidance system preprogrammed “safing” step in moving toward mented, audits will sets the rover apart from all sequences which protect the ISO compliance is that become a way of life for other machines that have spacecraft from harm and re- the registrar will be us,” Gosper adds, “but it explored space. Sojourner had establish contact with Earth if looking at one overall should be viewed as a to make that trip to the next some failure should occur. KSC system, not one in each positive experience. Auditors rock without the benefit of Sojourner has both of these directorate,” says Laura Gosper, may ask employees about their detailed information to warn it capabilities, but also has chief of the Business Innovation work processes, the records of obstacles along the way.” reflexes to avoid hazards and Group (BIG). “Nonconformities they have, and the training Sojourner’s hazard avoid- respond to unplanned events. should be welcomed as an they’ve been given. During an ance system is comprised of “Whereas Sojourner can opportunity to identify the root audit, employees will have the five laser stripes that project only plan 20 centimeters cause and implement improved opportunity to demonstrate our out to the ground. ahead, our next rover will be practices. It will only make KSC business system’s performance “These lasers cut across able to plan 10 meters or more stronger and therefore more in an objective manner.” anything in the rover’s path,” ahead. And while Sojourner efficient.” All NASA centers, except Wilcox said. “By looking at the has no concept of what rocks ISO 9001 is an international Johnson Space Center and shape of the stripe with the look like 20 meters away, her standard for quality manage- Marshall Space Flight Center, rovers cameras, we can detect successor will be able to ment systems that has been are within the scope of the rocks and build contour maps recognize rocks that far away accepted by more than 100 contract that will be managed by of the terrain immediately in very easily,” Wilcox said. countries. The standard sug- Lewis Research Center. Page 6 SPACEPORT NEWS August 29, 1997 Summer students delight in learning more about U.S. space program ore than 120 students who participated in KSC-sponsored Msummer educational programs this year were able to gain a real-world work experience while providing valuable support for the space center. Some also got a chance to learn about Russian space life sciences programs directly from scientists from that country while working on KSC research in that field. “I knew that working at KSC would be a different learning experience that you can’t get anyplace else,” said Florida A&M University sophomore Victor Laird. “I have gotten a lot out of this experience that will help me in the future.” Laird was among 35 students from six universities who completed a 10-week internship at KSC through the NASA Scholars program that is sponsored by the SLSTP students pose for a group photo in Hangar L with two visiting Russian scientists, Alexander Mashinsky (fifth KSC Equal Opportunity Program Office. from left) and Galena Netchitailo (center). These students were in the gravitational biology emphasis group and Each student is assigned to a NASA were part of a group of 41 students who participated in the SLSTP program, held at KSC each summer. The Russian scientists talked about Russian life sciences research. Behind the group is a high-fidelity mockup of the SVET mentor. The objective of the program is to greenhouse, the real one currently housed on the Mir space station where it is being used for plant research. provide trained employees for the workforce in the United States. the scenes in a court case.” center mentors and Russian scientists Nineteen other Summer Aid students together this summer in Hangar L at Cape helped out in several other NASA director- Canaveral Air Station. hile all of the work the stu- ates during their eight-week program this dents performed in helping summer, said program coordinator Theresa mong many other projects, the Wtheir mentors collect data, Page. This program provides high school 41 SLSTP students were there to conduct experiments and develop new and college students with professional Aassist their NASA/KSC Space hardware and procedures was beneficial work experience. Life Sciences program mentors with for the space program, some received experiments that are manifested to fly on special recognition for their efforts. his year, Page and Tracy Young the Space Shuttle in the near future. Justice Harvey, a Boston University of the KSC Public Affairs Educa- These investigations include the Closed junior who is participating in the KSC T tion Services Branch coordinated Equilibrated Biology Aquatic System Summer Aid program, was presented with the Summer High School Apprenticeship (CEBAS) and the Microgravity Plant a NASA Certificate of Recognition by the Research Program (SHARP). Twenty Nutrient Experiment. KSC Office of the Chief Counsel “for outstanding junior and senior high school The purpose of the SLSTP program is to outstanding legal research, documentation students from five Central Florida counties attract students who are interested in and community outreach support.” were selected based on their interest and research applicable to NASA efforts as “I am really glad to be able to help out aptitude in science and engineering. advanced life support, space biology, flight while I am here at KSC,” Harvey said. “I This summer, they performed a wide and life science technology, and ecological really want to go into law and it has been variety of tasks with their mentors, includ- programs. helpful to learn just what goes on behind ing helping develop a simulation to test While at KSC, the students in the six- space flight hardware, collecting and week program are involved in the analyzing field samples for environmental conceptualization, design and development studies and conducting basic research on of experiments dedicated to the human the growth of plants for the Advanced Life exploration of space and improving the Support and Space Biology (ALSSB) quality of life on Earth through the applica- program. tion of space-based technology. Each student, who is classified as an The students’ insights into the Russian engineering technician, must complete a space program in the life sciences field technical or research project and present came when they attended presentations by their results during the eight-week pro- visiting scientists Alexander Mashinsky and gram. The NASA-wide SHARP program Galena Netchitailo. has been in operation at KSC since 1980. The pair, who were here to conduct research with KSC Life Sciences person- BOSTON University Junior Justice Harvey receives a nother long-standing educational nel, filled the students in on the kind of life plaque from Acting Chief Counsel Doug Hendriksen, for effort at KSC, the Space Life “outstanding legal research, documentation and sciences research that has been con- community outreach support.” Henry said his KSC A Sciences Training Program ducted on the Mir space station, as well as experience has led to interest in pursuing a law career. (SLSTP), brought college students, space on and Salyut spacecraft. August 29, 1997 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 7 NASA/industry team scores big with dual-use technology A partnership between Kennedy Space Center, the State of Florida and manu- NASA Engineer facturer L-3 Communications Curtis Ihlefeld & Instrumentation delivered a new installs a circuit system that enhances Shuttle launch board in the preparations and promises commercial Automated Data Acquisition System applications as well. On Aug. 22 at the at the Launch KSC Visitor Complex, L-3 Communica- Equipment Test UCF student Patricia Jones, who participated in the tions presented the finished product to Facility. Three NASA Scholars Program, said the experience made her KSC Director Roy Bridges and other organizations, feel she had a part in shaping the nation's future in space. including KSC, managers. teamed up to tudents from Pittsburg State The new Automated Data Acquisition develop ADAS. University in Kansas earned high System (ADAS) will save up to 20,000 S marks for their help in upgrading man-hours per year while monitoring a thermal vacuum chamber in the NASA temperature, pressure and vibration breakthrough. I-NET, KSC’s Engineering Materials Science Physical Testing Labora- measurements at KSC’s Shuttle launch Support Contractor, produced the tory. The students, Mike Martinie, Jarret pads. system’s key component — the Universal Hudson, Paul Wright and Adam Crowder, Before ADAS, when test engineers Signal Conditioning Amplifier (USCA). worked alongside Randy Buchanan, an needed to reset Shuttle sensors they also USCA has a continuous calibration assistant professor from Pittsburg State had to manually re-adjust hundreds of feature that allows it to recognize and who was participating in the NASA Faculty transducers. The new system reduces automatically match itself to any type of Summer Fellowship and the lead for the that effort from hours to seconds. transducer. project. “Sharing NASA expertise while Two Melbourne, Fla., companies and a “This chamber was completely inoper- improving Shuttle safety is directly St. Augustine firm hold L-3 contracts to able before the Pittsburg State group inline with KSC’s goal to build produc- fabricate ADAS hardware, and L-3 is began working on it,” said Materials tive partnerships with industry,” said Dr. currently marketing the system to Science engineer Bill Dearing. “The Gale Allen, chief of KSC’s Technology potential aerospace, industrial and chamber is a critical test item for use on Programs and Commercialization Office. automotive customers. space flight hardware and having it down Funded by NASA, the State of “Our number one goal is creating and could have impacted launch schedules. Florida’s Technological Research and preserving jobs for Floridians,” said Not only did the Pittsburg State team get Development Authority (TRDA) and L-3, Frank Kinney, TRDA executive director. the chamber back on line, but they im- a development team comprised of NASA, “We want to prove that you can transfer proved its operation by devising, installing I-NET and L-3 engineers pooled their cutting-edge technology to other indus- and activating a more modern and sophisti- expertise to achieve this technological tries and grow more jobs in the process.” cated controller system. They also saved NASA a considerable amount of money.”

lthough the benefits of the summer student programs to AKSC are obvious in terms of research conducted and money saved, the I-NET employee Johnny Kerce installs a long-term rewards for the students and to Universal Signal Conditioning Amplifier NASA are harder to determine. However, (USCA) in the field at the Launch Equipment Test Facility. The USCA is a key component past KSC surveys have shown that 87 of the new ADAS monitoring system that percent of SHARP students have gone on measures temperature, pressure and to the study of higher levels of math and vibration at KSC's launch pads. The science in college, and feedback from breakthrough technology is expected to reduce sensor setup and configuration times students indicates that the programs are from hours to seconds. effective in stimulating the pursuit of a career in the sciences and with the space program. “It’s very important to become involved with the next goals for this country — to go to Mars and the and beyond,” said Patricia Jones, a University of Central Florida chemistry major who spent the summer conducting plant growth research. “It will really be fun to be a part of it.” Page 8 SPACEPORT NEWS August 29, 1997

panying the current ET Ships. . . towing contractor on trips (Continued from Page 1) from the Michoud plant operations. Formerly with the located on the Mississippi Navy, Rasmussen's entire River Gulf Outlet, a 65-mile- space program career has long channel, becoming famil- focused around the ships, iar with the route and the Hangar AF and SRB retrieval towing operation. activities. He's delighted to “We have to complete at find a new use for the veteran least four roundtrips to meet vessels, which between the two the pilot license requirements of them have returned 168 to tow the barge,” said Chaput. spent SRB casings to port. Rasmussen said the Permanent structural changes and new hardware changes already have been will pay for themselves after made by Dentyen's Shipyard, about 14 to 15 ET deliveries. Charleston, S.C. These include The ships have a top cruis- strengthening of the stern at ing speed of about 17 miles (15 critical points, new bulwark knots) per hour, and a range of fairings, and the installation 6,900 miles. They were built at of a new H-bitt through which Atlantic Marine Shipyard near cabling will be threaded to Jacksonville in 1980-81. The keep it centered during towing same firm which designed operations. them, Rodney E. Lay & Associ- Still to be installed is a new ates, assisted with the design double winch, referred to as a work for the modifications to THE Texas bar undergoes a fit check on the stern of one of the 176-foot-long retrieval double-drum waterfall winch, allow ET towing. ships in June. Cabling originating on a new double-drum waterfall winch will over said Joe Chaput, captain of the H-bitt in the center of the photo and then over the Texas bar to the tank-carrying the Liberty Star retrieval ship. barge. The Texas bar provides maneuvering capability, allowing movement of the cable across the bar when the ship is rounding a bend or making a turn. One drum will support booster retrievals while the other will be devoted to ET towing. It will be within the line of sight Message of the aft bridge of the ship, from where booster retrieval in a operations are controlled, thus offering better control capabil- bottle ity than the current system. IN THE Payload Other equipment will be Hazardous Servicing taken on and off the ships Facility, Cassini Science depending on which job they and Mission Design are performing, including the Manager (left) Charley Kohlhase and Cassini Texas bar that provides Program Manager Richard maneuvering capability. Spehalski hold the Digital Chaput and Freedom Star FREEDOM STAR Capt. Dave Fraine Video Disk bearing Capt. Dave Fraine are accom- 616,403 digitized secures a buoy to the new H-bitt. signatures of citizens of the United States and 80 other countries.The disk, stored in a specially John F. Kennedy Space Center designed package, was later mounted to the side Spaceport News of the two-story spacecraft (behind the two men) beneath a pallet carrying The Spaceport News is an official publication of the Kennedy Space cameras and other Center and is published on alternate Fridays by the Public Affairs Office science instruments. in the interest of KSC civil service and contractor employees. Contributions are welcome and should be submitted two weeks be- fore publication to the Media Services Branch, PA-MSB or sent via e-mail to the following SMTP: [email protected]..gov DESIGNED by Kohlhase, the disk cover (left) Managing editor...... Bruce Buckingham shows the flags from 28 of the 81 nations Editor...... Paula Shawa represented on the disk. Saturn, its moon Editorial support provided by Sherikon Space Systems Inc. Writers Group. and Earth also are featured as is Cassini and Photographic support provided primarily by The Bionetics Corp. and the probe. Also featured are feathers Photographer George Shelton, also of Bionetics. symbolizing the Golden Eagle; these were used as writng quills to spread . USGPO: 532-112/20054