July 8 , 2011 Vol. 51, No. 13 Spaceport News John F. Kennedy Space Center - America’s gateway to the universe Atlantis launches on final shuttle mission Pages 4-5 Find out what the crew thinks about the final launch of the Space Shuttle Program; read what’s going up on Atlantis; follow experiments as they happen on your smart phone; and check out Atlantis’ processing photos. NASA/Tony Gray-Tom Farrar Summer Of Innovation Juno displays arrays ‘Recycled’ Water Test Heritage: STS-78 Inside this issue ... Page 2 Page 3 Page 6 Page 7 Page 2 SPACEPORT NEWS July 8, 2011 Kennedy hosts first forum with NASA center directors By Rebecca Regan what makes working here so much Vehicle, or MPCV. facturers, as well as oil and chemical Spaceport News fun. It’s a team that can take on any Cabana looked to Scheuermann companies. challenge and make it happen.” to talk about how becoming a more “All of the commercial compa- ennedy Space Center Direc- Cabana discussed Kennedy’s capability-centric and cost-effective nies that are looking at Commercial tor Bob Cabana hosted path forward as the Space Shuttle center for other government agencies Crew (Development) have come to his first Center Director’s K Program draws to a close with space and commercial companies is work- JSC and we’re talking about how Forum called “Solving Today’s Chal- ing out for Stennis, which tested its they might be able to use our facili- lenges for Tomorrow’s Future” on shuttle Atlantis’ STS-135 mission. last space shuttle main engine 2009. ties, the control centers and so forth, June 29. Joining him were fellow NASA’s Launch Services Program Scheuermann said when it and the skills that we’ve got, which NASA Center Directors Robert will continue to launch expendable comes to others utilizing Stennis would help us maintain those critical Lightfoot of Marshall Space Flight rockets with groundbreaking science missions on board, Kennedy will facilities, they basically “hand over skills,” Coats said. Center in Huntsville, Ala., Patrick the keys” or become “full partners.” support commercial launches to At Glenn, aeronautics research Scheuermann of Stennis Space Currently, Stennis’ test stands cur- low Earth orbit so the agency can in one of the world’s most capable Center in Mississippi, Ray Lugo of rently are occupied by a Department focus on developing a heavy-lift icing research tunnels is expected to Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, of Defense engine for the Delta IV rocket capable of taking astronauts to solve the problem of ice forming on and Mike Coats of Johnson Space rocket, Pratt Whitney Rocketdyne’s more distant destinations within our the engines of commercial airplanes. Center in Houston. RS-68 engine, the Aerojet AJ26 for Lugo said the research center also Each director talked about chal- solar system, and facility modifica- Orbital Sciences Corp., and the J2X will focus on the U.S.’s energy is- lenges their centers face, how proud tions and upgrades will continue to under development by Marshall for sues. they are of their dedicated and pro- prepare the center for a more robust possible use on a heavy-lift vehicle. “We’ve got the ability to solve fessional work force, and how they future. It’s a business model that Cabana these problems in NASA,” Lugo are working together to transition The center also will play a key and Kennedy’s Center Planning and said. “We’re all trying to focus on toward an affordable and sustainable role in processing payloads and ex- Development Office are working to future for the space agency. periments for the International Space emulate on Florida’s Space Coast. what we bring as value to the table.” “We don’t back away from Station as it becomes a fully func- Coats and Lugo said their Cabana will continue to answer something just because it’s hard. We tioning National Laboratory. Work centers are working to partner with questions about Kennedy’s future on decide what needs to get done and also is expected to commence in the commercial entities as well. Johnson his internal blog at go make it happen and that’s because Operations and Checkout Building already signed Space Act Agree- https://sp.ksc.nasa.gov/sites/ of all of you,” Cabana said. “That’s to build the Multi-Purpose Crew ments with three major car manu- cdblog Summer of Innovation engages students in STEM activities By Linda Herridge that very few people have “The Summer of Innova- Spaceport News had, and the Earth is this tion program is important beautiful blue planet.” because it gets students group of middle and The purpose of SOI, engaged and interested in high school girls, which is managed by Glenn STEM careers at an early participating in the A Research Center, is to im- age,” Colville said. Girls Get IT! all girl surf “It’s a great way to get and science camp in Flagler prove the skills and enhance girls interested in and Beach, Fla., were excited the engagement of American middle school students in excited about STEM careers to get the chance to talk to CLICK ON PHOTO a real astronaut as part of science, technology, engi- where women are usually NASA’s Summer of Innova- neering and mathematics, or the minority,” Zimmerman tion (SOI) program June 21. STEM, education. added. Kennedy Space Center Dougles Beaven is the Kristina Brink, lead for Director Bob Cabana shared director of Girls Get IT!, K-12 projects and Kennedy’s his experiences as an astro- which is a program of the point of contact for the SOI For NASA naut on space shuttle mis- Florida Endowment Founda- program, said that each or- Students from the Girls Get IT! surf and science camp in Flagler Beach, Fla., talk sions, discussed what it takes tion. He said about 50 girls ganization’s educators were to Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana via teleconference from the Digital attended the annual summer given professional develop- Learning Network at Kennedy’s Educator Resource Center on June 21. For more to become an astronaut, and on the Summer of Innovation, click on the photo. answered the girls’ questions camp that featured NASA ment on the curriculum and via teleconference from the curriculum about aeronautics hands-on activities that were focused on Earth and space launch of Atlantis on the Digital Learning Network and rocketry for two days developed by NASA’s aero- science and engineering. STS-135 mission, Ken- (DLN) at the Educator Re- each week. space education specialists. “In each of these catego- nedy also is hosting several source Center. Kennedy Education Spe- Students in grades four ries are several subcategories Summer of Innovation sites, When asked what the best cialists Laura Colville and through six will participate that educators can choose including 100 students with thing about going into space Amy Zimmerman, both from in activities focused on from so that the learning the Idaho Space Grant, 100 was, Cabana said, “I think the University of Central life sciences and physical experience can be tailored to students with Albany State the best part is being able to Florida in Orlando, present- science, while students in the needs of the students,” University in Georgia, and look down on the Earth from ed the SOI curriculum and grades seven through nine Brink said. 15 students with the Fern- 200 miles high. It’s a view activities at the camp. will participate in activities For today’s scheduled bank Science Center. July 8, 2011 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 3 Solar cells ready to light up Jupiter mission By Rebecca Regan to 34 feet each, Gehling Spaceport News said actuators will help bal- ance the spacecraft, a few ASA’s Juno space- degrees at most, to make craft is going to Jupiter powered by sure it spins perfectly. He N described the deployment an electrical source seldom deployed in deep space: so- much like a figure skater lar arrays. Commonly used spinning on the ice, and by satellites orbiting Earth once the wings deploy, the and working in the inner spacecraft will slow to a solar system, solar arrays graceful twirl about three are typically set aside for times slower than when it missions beyond the aster- began. Initially, only two oid belt in favor of genera- of the three inner panels tors powered by radioactive will be needed to generate isotopes. power, but as the spacecraft For Juno, however, three travels farther away from solar array wings, the larg- the sun, the remaining pan- est ever deployed on a plan- els will come alive. etary probe, will play an It will take the spacecraft integral role in stabilizing half a decade to reach its the spacecraft and generat- destination. Then, from a ing electricity. CLICK ON PHOTO NASA/Kim Shiflett Technicians at Astrotech’s payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., watch vigilantly as NASA’s Juno spacecraft is tested very elliptical polar orbit, In order to operate five- for center of gravity, weighing and balancing on the rotation stand June 16. Juno is scheduled to launch aboard a United Juno’s instruments, includ- and-a-half times farther Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Aug. 5.The solar-powered spacecraft will orbit Jupiter’s poles ing a color camera that will away from its power source 33 times to find out more about the gas giant’s origins, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere, and investigate the capture images of the plan- than Earth-observing satel- existence of a solid planetary core. To view an animation of Juno’s solar arrays unfurling, click on the photo.