National Aeronautics and Space Administration Roundup LYNDON B. JOHNSON SPACE CENTER Winter | 2014 JSC 2.0.13: A LOOK BACK JSC Director In this edition… I’D LIKE TO START OFF 2014 by relating a couple of JSC 2.0 stories. The 3 ISS Science Corner first one involves the External Relations Office taking a fresh look at how 4 Orion sets the stage in 2013 they communicate about the International Space Station on NASA TV. They for Exploration Flight Test-1 determined they could more effectively and efficiently communicate by morphing the daily one-hour show called “Space Station Live” into a daily half- 6 Milestones hour show, primarily aimed at media representatives who follow NASA closely 8 2013 Social Media Spotlight and are interested in details, plus a weekly two-minute video called “Space to 10 NASA’s ‘what’s next’ team Ground” designed for the general public. The snappy “Space to Ground” has the advantage that it can be easily used in a variety of venues, including the 12 NASA hails success of NASA home page, outreach events, airport kiosks, museums/science centers, commercial space program, traveling exhibits and various social media. The changes allow us to reach plans readied for astronauts more people, produce products better suited to two different audiences and overall make better use of our resources. We’re getting good feedback on the PHOTO changes, but one of the first responses came in an email from a woman who NASA/ said her 79-year-old mother, who is a big NASA fan and avid watcher of NASA TV, was very disappointed that her 60-minute show had been cut in half! While I don’t like disappointing anyone (and I’ve sent a signed photo to the mom in a gesture of goodwill), it’s actually a nice reminder that there are people everywhere who are inspired by what we do and really want to hear all about it. The second story comes from the Chief Financial Office/LA, which held a JSC 2.0-themed holiday door- decorating contest. One of the doors featured elves representing each team member—each one of them standing on their “letter to Santa.” The letters were actually brief descriptions of an innovation that the team member had personally done. I really appreciated that this group understands that for JSC 2.0 to be successful, every person needs to take action. It was powerful to see a collection of actions, illustrating that there are many different ways to contribute—and that one idea can be a catalyst for others. I’m passionate about JSC 2.0 because I’m passionate about its purpose: to advance human spaceflight by being lean, agile, responsive and adaptive to change. Only by doing that will we be able to make future exploration missions, leading to a mission to Mars, possible—and possible not just because we solve the many exciting technical and operational challenges, but because we've figured out how to do it in a way that fits a budget that both the administration and Congress are willing to provide, makes the best use of every person we have, leads to smart decisions about roles for commercial and international partners and engages the public. Photo of the quarter: On the cover: This image of the Transantarctic In this edition of , we Roundup Mountains was taken from the look back at the major milestones NASA P-3 airborne laboratory involving human spaceflight and on Nov. 27, 2013, near the end Johnson Space Center in 2013. of the 2013 IceBridge Antarctic campaign. NASA’s Operation IceBridge images Earth’s polar ice in unprecedented detail to better understand processes that connect the polar regions with the global climate system. NASA/MICHAEL STUDINGER 2 | Roundup LYNDON B. JOHNSON SPACE CENTER ISS Science Corner The top 10 International Space Station research results Lead Internationally • Expand Relevance to Life on Earth IF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION was a guest on the “Late Show and plans to develop an app that anyone can use to obtain real-time water with David Letterman,” it might provide a countdown of its top 10 research quality information. discoveries to celebrate its 15 years in orbit this past November. Luckily, Number seven on the top 10 list is colloid self-assembly using magnetic International Space Station Chief Scientist Julie Robinson, Ph.D., recently fields for development of nanomaterials. Colloids are tiny particles created this top 10 research results list for the space station research blog, suspended in a solution, which are critical in products such as lotions, “A Lab Aloft.” This list highlights significant outcomes from the various medications and detergents, as well as in industrial processes. Microgravity science disciplines studied in orbit that have benefitted people all over the study aboard the space station slows movement of these colloidal mixtures, world and contributed to the existing body of scientific knowledge. helping researchers understand how they interact. This may one day Number 10 on the list is the prevention of the loss of bone mass in lead to better control of mixtures on the ground and development of new space through diet and exercise. In the early days of the space station, nanomaterials for use on Earth. astronauts were losing about 1.5 percent of their total bone mass density Number six is the development of a new process of cool flame per month. Researchers discovered that high-intensity resistive exercise, combustion. The Flame Extinguishing Experiment investigations revealed “cool flames” that burned at a relatively low temperature (around 1,112 degrees Fahrenheit) for at least a minute after being extinguished. Observations of the temperature and shape of flames from burning gases in microgravity may help improve fuel efficiency and reduce pollutant emissions in practical combustion on Earth. Number five is the pathway for bacterial pathogens to become virulent. Researchers identified the genetic pathway activating in Salmonella bacteria, allowing an increased likelihood to spread in microgravity. This led to new studies of microbial vaccine development on the space station. Number four is the reach of space station educational activities to inspire more than 43 million students across the globe. The many inquiry- based projects allow students to be involved in human space exploration, with the goal of stimulating their studies of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Number three acknowledges that dark matter is still out in space, and station is looking for it. The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-02 (AMS-02) NASA/PHOTO aboard the space station measures galactic cosmic rays using the most European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano and cutting-edge technology in existence. The data collected by AMS-02 helps scientists understand the nature of dark matter and dark energy, both of NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy enjoy fresh fruit during which are ongoing mysteries of the universe. Expedition 36. Fruit is part of a healthy diet, which helps Number two is the robotic assist for brain surgery. The development astronauts maintain healthy bone mass during long- and use of robotic arms for missions on the space shuttle and space station duration spaceflight. has led to the development of neuroArm, the world’s first robot capable of performing surgery inside MRI machines. NeuroArm enhances the dietary supplementation for vitamin D and specific caloric intake can senses of vision, touch and hearing for surgeons, and has been used to remedy this problem. This research is important for continuous astronaut successfully treat dozens of patients. and cosmonaut residency aboard the space station and for deep-space Finally, number one on Robinson’s top 10 space station research exploration in the future. results list is the new targeted method of chemotherapy drug delivery with Number nine is the study of mice in orbit to help understand breast cancer trials now in development. A process investigated aboard mechanisms of osteoporosis. This research led to availability of a the space station, known as microencapsulation, allows for the formation pharmaceutical on Earth called Prolia to treat people with osteoporosis, of tiny, liquid-filled, biodegradable microballoons that contain various a direct benefit of pharmaceutical companies using the spaceflight pharmaceuticals. The microballoons can streamline anti-tumor drug environment to improve health on Earth. delivery right to the tumor site. This space station discovery has important Number eight is the use of hyperspectral imaging for water quality lifesaving potential. in coastal bays with the Hyperspectral Imager for Coastal Ocean (HICO) With continued operations until at least 2020 and likely beyond, there aboard station. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency used HICO to are many more benefits to look forward to from space station research. develop a proof of concept to help monitor and protect water supplies, Read more about the top 10 results: http://go.usa.gov/ZYXw LYNDON B. JOHNSON SPACE CENTER Roundup | 3 Orion sets the stage in 2013 Lead Human Exploration • Expand Relevance to Life on Earth for Exploration Flight Test-1 THE BEST MAY BE YET TO COME, but there’s no denying that 2013 Orion a new look as well, updating the two formerly round solar arrays to was a standout year for the Orion Program. four rectangular panels similar to ESA’s Automated Transfer Vehicle. NASA’s newest spacecraft rang 2013 with an appearance in the Simultaneous with the design work toward Exploration Mission-1, presidential inaugural parade, and closed out the year with the the EFT-1 spacecraft moved steadily toward completion. More than delivery of the world’s largest heat shield to Kennedy Space Center 66,000 parts have arrived at KSC so far, including, in December, the (KSC). Add in a series of successful development tests, steady progress spacecraft’s heat shield.