National Aeronautics and Space Administration Wallops Range Annual Report 2020 Wallops Flight Facility Range Report Dedication Table of Contents Dedication Barbara Justis Barbara Justis retired from NASA in 2020, after 41 dedicated years of military and government service. Barbara’s final assignment was as a project 4 INTRODUCTION manager for the Wallops Range and Mission Management Office (RMMO). of Contents Table Her last customers were the Navy Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP) and the Small Sat customers that utilize the Wallops UHF Ground Station for tracking, which she managed since 2013. Barbara’s career began in 1979 when she enlisted in the United States Army 6 MISSIONS ACCOMPLISHMENTS as an electronic technician, where she gained the rank of Sargent. She 8 NG-13 served in the mobile command unit and communications command center, performing depot level maintenance on the fixed station cryptographic 10 NG-14 equipment. After serving her country in an active duty role, she transitioned 12 Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP) to government service in Washington D.C., where she worked as a depot level maintenance electronic technician. 14 FireScout In 1986, she made the move to Wallops to support the Test and Evaluation 16 Minotaur Facility/Lab in N-159 prior to her move to F-10. She worked as a test primary 18 Range Meteorology Support operator for spin balance, MOI, component vibration, and thermal vacuum testing for the Sounding Rocket Program Office (SRPO). 20 Mobile Deployments The Shuttle Small Payloads Project Office (SSPPO), Code 870, was the next group to utilize Barbara’s project management talents. She served as the In 2016, Barbara’s experience led to her taking over as the Lead Project technical liaison between NASA and the Get-Away-Special (GAS) users. Manager for SHOUT. She also managed special aircraft missions for In 1999, she transitioned into the NASA Technical Manager (NTM) position the ER-2 and Proteus, as well as managing the C-23 Sherpa Carbon in 24 EDUCATION AND PUBLIC OUTREACH managing GAS payloads through review and approval to fly on Shuttle Arctic Reservoirs Vulnerability Experiment (CARVE), Carbon Airborne Flux 26 RCC Tours Missions. In 2002, Barbara was promoted to the GAS Mission Manager, Experiment (CARAFE), and Student Airborne Research Program (SARP) serving in a great capacity to manage the overall GAS program. She also missions. Missions were conducted in Alaska, Canada, California, Wyoming, participated in the new student project SEM to select and manage K-12 and the Eastern Seaboard. CARVE was the second largest single airborne student experiments that integrated into a GAS can to fly on the shuttle. In campaign supported by Wallops with 1627 flight hours completed over a 2002, she led the planning to host a 20th Anniversary for the GAS program. four-year period. 28 RANGE CAPABILITY ADVANCEMENTS After the Columbia accident in 2003, the SSPPO was redefined as the Barbara left Code 830 once her matrixed position ended, returned to the 30 Range System Development Education Flight Projects Office (EFPO), which competed opportunities RMMO, and was assigned as the NASA Project Manager for the UHF for K-12 students to fly experiments on different platforms, including the Ground Station CubeSat program. She facilitated the development and International Space Station as well as sounding rockets, weather balloons, implementation of the weekly tracking schedule for a small fleet of NASA on- UAS, and aircraft. Barbara continued in the project management role until orbit small satellites (i.e. CubeSats) utilizing the NASA Wallops Flight Facility EFPO was dissolved in 2004. Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Ground Station, transmitting science data from 32 UPCOMING MISSIONS & HIGHLIGHTS space to the ground. Managing the CubeSat communications included de- In 2005, Barbara was reassigned from Code 870 to the RMMO (Code 840). conflicting priorities, responding to maintenance issues or urgent customer Her first project was to dispose of the shuttle small payloads hardware, 34 ELV Campaigns requests, weather events, and managing the contract task order. Managing estimated at 10,000 plus pieces. She was also assigned as the Deputy the Ground Station 24/7 operations included coordinating new CubeSat, 36 Sounding Rocket Campaigns Project Manager for the Aerosonde UAS program and managed several other implementing the Service Level Agreements, communications plans, pre- small reimbursable projects. She was the Principal Investigator (PI) for the launch testing, coordinating the commissioning schedule, and inserting the NASA Student Involvement Program (NSIP) Sounding Rocket mission which new spacecraft into the Wallops-tracked fleet. Under her management, the bore her name – Justis. tracking schedule grew from five on October 2018 to twelve in September 2011 saw an uptick in UAS missions, and Barbara was assigned the 2020, with an estimated 10,000 passes tracked. Viking 300 UAS project. This led to a matrixed assignment to the Aircraft Over her career, Barbara has worked tirelessly to form strong professional Office (Code 830). In the upcoming years until 2018, she spent half of her partnerships with her customers, along with providing them with the most time as the Commercial Aircraft Services (CAS) project manager along flexibility, cost savings, and technical success. Barbara has worked diligently with her normal projects supported. Barbara managed the Gulf Stream to truly understand her customer, what their overall objectives are, and how Water Ingestion Project, Deputy Project Manager for the Global Hawk they must operate to meet these objectives. She masterfully managed the HS3 missions, then NOAA’s Sensing Hazards with Operational Unmanned facilities and infrastructure at Wallops Flight Facility to further enhance their Technology (SHOUT) mission in 2015. ability to perform to their highest level. Through her sustained customer service she has been able to understand even the smallest nuance that could detrimentally affect her customer. 2 3 Introduction LIGH F T S F P A O C Introduction L I Introduction L L I Ever Forward A T Y W As I reflect upon this past year for the at the height of NASA Stage 4 restrictions. G A Wallops’ Range and Mission Management To round out the year, the NG-14 Antares/ S S F A Office (RMMO), two words immediately come Cygnus mission also launched to the C to mind— appreciation and perseverance. International Space Station during Stage 3 N This year every one of us have experienced restrictions. These safe and successful ELV unquestionable and unprecedented challenges launches under COVID-19 restrictions are a as we navigate obstacles with the COVID-19 testament to Wallops’ capabilities and strategic pandemic in our midst, yet these two words importance to Goddard Space Flight Center, rise above. Appreciation is what I think of NASA, and the nation. when I reflect this year on all the RMMO supporters across our nation, within NASA, Wallops continues to support the launch Department of Defense (DoD), commercial, community by ushering in low-cost access and other partnering organizations. You, our to Low Earth Orbit for small payloads. With supporters, have believed in us and what we do the newly added launch capability of Launch at Wallops— provide unrivaled response, safe, Complex 2 (LC-2), Wallops is preparing to low-cost range operations, and unparalleled deliver as many as 12 Rocket Lab missions per partnering. So, for you, our supporters, I extend year. In preparation for the first launch expected my utmost appreciation that in this climate in FY2021, the Range completed a Rocket Lab you have allowed us a means to continue Electron Rollout and Fueling test on Sept. 16 to do what drives us in a safe, healthy, and to fully check out LC-2 and evaluate launch restrictions began to ensure the health and responsible manner. Perseverance is what vehicle systems. Goddard Space Flight Center safety of the Navy personnel prior to boarding I think of in regards to the RMMO team and personnel are hard at work completing the the carriers at sea. In other aircraft support Patrick J. Hendrickson | Highcamera.com what they have risen above and accomplished development, verification, validation, and safety activities, the Wallops Range hosted the against this year. This professional and certification of the NASA Autonomous Flight Ocean City Airshow by positioning the USAF driven team has allowed safe and successful Termination Unit (NAFTU) that will enable future Thunderbirds, F22 Raptors, F-35 Lightning II, operations to continue throughout 2020 despite Rocket Lab missions, as well as a new tide of A-10 Warthogs demo-teams, and C-17 out of The Advanced Command Destruct System decision-support system that will include state- of the Range and the entire Wallops community. a fairly drastic shift in the way we operate. The commercial venture-class launch providers. Wallops from Aug. 12 through Aug. 19. This (ACDS) project is the Range’s highest priority of-the-art data fusion capability. In addition, This year’s challenges have been met with an members of the Range Team conducted Restart Additionally, Wallops has completed new “flat event is always a lot of fun for the community development, and will replace the legacy Flight the acquisition of a COTS Electro-Optical/ equal amount of hope and enthusiasm for the reviews, analyzing every logistical aspect of the pads” at Wallops Island, Pads 1A and 1B, for and Wallops personnel, and although this year Termination Command-Destruct systems Infra-Red (EO/IR) surveillance camera system future, and the innovation and dedication mission to ensure that all involved were safe to use by other small-launch-vehicle providers. we could not support our local tail gate party (CDS) at Wallops and for our mobile and will complement the Range’s air surveillance to the missions we support rings true. conduct our essential and critical operations. Bermuda down-range systems.