May 7, 2004 Vol. 43, No. 10 Spaceport News America’s gateway to the universe. Leading the world in preparing and launching missions to Earth and beyond. http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/snews/snewstoc.htm John F. Kennedy Space Center Space explorers soar into Astronaut Hall of Fame By Anna Heiney Staff Writer collection of U.S. astronauts representing Amore than four decades of space exploration gathered May 1 to see five former Space Shuttle colleagues inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame. The five inductees were members of the eighth class of NASA astronauts, selected by the Agency in January 1978. They are: Frederick D. Gregory, Norman E. Thagard, the late Francis R. “Dick” Scobee, Kathryn D. Sullivan, and Richard O. Covey. “Believe me, the selection was not an easy task,” remarked host Jim Lovell, commander of the dramatic Apollo 13 mission and chairman of the Astronaut FIVE SPACE PROGRAM HEROES were inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame on May 1. From left, they are: Scholarship Foundation, which Frederick D. Gregory, the first African-American to command a space mission and the current NASA Deputy supervises inductions. “So many Administrator; Richard O. Covey, commander of the Hubble Space Telescope repair mission; June Scobee, on behalf exceptional people have flown of her late husband Francis R. "Dick" Scobee, commander of the ill-fated 1986 Challenger mission; Kathryn D. on the Shuttle.” Sullivan, the first American woman to walk in space; and Norman E. Thagard, the first American to occupy Russia's Mir space station. See more coverage on pages 4-5. Legendary space author Andrew Chaikin served as the Currently serving as NASA’s mander of STS-33 in 1989, he Gregory directs and manages event’s Master of Ceremonies. Deputy Administrator, Frederick became the first African-Ameri- many of the Agency’s programs Astronauts’ family members, Gregory is an accomplished Air can to lead a U.S. space mission. as well as daily operations and friends and other VIPs joined Force pilot and veteran of three He went on to command STS-44 activities. hundreds of space enthusiasts at Space Shuttle flights. He served in 1991. As he accepted his induction, the ceremony, which took place as a pilot during his first flight, In his current position as at the Apollo/Saturn V Center. STS-51B, in 1985. As com- NASA’s second in command, (See HALL, Page 4) All Hands meeting addresses safety culture, reorganization By Jennifer Wolfinger zation and the work of Behav- Staff Writer ioral Science Technology, Inc. (BST) to develop and administer ennedy Space Center KSC’s plan for safety and Director Jim Kennedy cultural changes. He stressed the Kexpressed his faith in importance of office structure KSC’s strengths and praised its flexibility and encouraged ongoing improvements during an workers to continue open and All Hands meeting April 22 at honest dialogue. the Training Auditorium. “Nobody [should] ever, ever Primarily, Kennedy focused hesitate to say what they truly PANEL MEMBERS at the All Hands included (seated from left) Jim Kennedy, on the Return to Flight reorgani- Larry Crawford, Dr. Phillip Meade, Oscar Toledo, Jenny Lyons, and (standing (See ALL HANDS, Page 5) by interpretor) Shannon Bartell. Visit http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/nasa-only/ rtfreorg/index.htm for updates on reorganization and Return to Flight news. Page 2 SPACEPORT NEWS May 7, 2004 cations team of Josie Burnett and If you didn’t make it, you Michele Foster (XA); the move missed a great event. Most team of Sheryl Marshall and sessions were standing room Marion Page; the business team only, so I appreciate those who The of Joe Gordon and Larry Tucci; took the time to attend. If you did the workforce planning team of go, I’m sure you found the Ron Kent and Darcy Miller; and presentations as enlightening as I Awards Kennedy finally, the integration team of did. I can hardly wait for next Dr. Woodrow Whitlow, Rick year’s Space Congress, and by Arbuthnot, Jenny Lyons, Hugo then I believe NASA will be Update Delgado, Nancy Bray, Maynette highlighting the successful Jim Kennedy Smith and Dave Alonso. return to flight of Space Shuttle Center Director I fully realize that these teams Discovery. couldn’t have been as successful Building on the culture reetings, everyone! nization. I explained the details without the help of dozens of survey results presentation at the Sunday is Mother’s Day, during the April 22 All Hands other people. In fact, when you last All Hands meeting, I wanted Gone of my most favorite meeting and I know each director count up the names of the people to invite everyone to attend or days of the year. Fortunately, is passing along specific details who touched this process in one tune in to Monday’s All Hands I’ve been blessed with the best affecting their organization. way or another, more than 100 (May 10) at 1 p.m., as the mother a son could ask for and I While I won’t recap the people contributed to ensuring Behavioral Science Technology appreciate all the sacrifices she specifics here, I would be remiss made for me during my life. if I didn’t pass along my thanks "When you count up the names of the people who I’m sure you feel the same to the key people who worked touched this process in one way or another, more about yours. If you’re a mom, or hard on this effort. They dedi- grandmother, enjoy your day on cated a great deal of time during than 100 people contributed to ensuring KSC Sunday because it’s meant to the last three to six months on remains a world-class organization." honor you. this task and the Center will be a I can hardly believe it’s May better place for it. KSC remains a world-class (BST) team that administered the as the year is flying by. I believe While the reorganization organization. survey will be here to explain the the reason is we are all working review officially started in I want to congratulate Dan results. hard and hopefully having some January, we began preliminary LeBlanc from Delaware North They will also present ideas fun at the same time. I feel work immediately after the and Lisa Malone, our External on ways to maintain the areas in fortunate to come to work with a Columbia Accident Investigation Relations director, co-chairs of which we are doing very well great group of people every day Board report was released in this year’s 41st Space Congress, and improve those areas identi- at such an important place in the August 2003. for hosting a first-class event fied as weak spots for our eyes of our nation. My thanks to Organization April 27-30 in Cape Canaveral. organization. I welcome this I know I have said it before Implementation Team members The speakers giving presenta- team with open arms as an but I must say it again: I’m very Oscar Toledo, Hector Delgado, tions were a who’s who of space opportunity to address the proud of the people and accom- Bert Garrido, Maria Tobin, Laura pioneers and authorities. It was culture issues needing work as plishments of this Center. Mosher, Jim Heald, Warren an extremely impressive group outlined in the CAIB report. One of the biggest accom- Wylie, Lisa Malone and Shannon which included Gene Cernan, the Hope to see you there. plishments the Center achieved Roberts. most recent man to walk on the Have a great week, everyone! was the Return to Flight Reorga- Hats off also to the communi- moon. 2004 Environmental and Energy Awareness Week exhibits tour Center KSC EMPLOYEES stop at display tables set up in a tent near the Operations and Checkout Building for KSC's annual Environmental and Energy Awareness Week, held April 20-22. The slogan for this yearís event was "Today's Conservation Defines Tomorrow's Future." Presentations included Cost-Effective Solar Applications, Energy Efficient Lighting Systems, and Historical Changes in KSC's Ecosystems. Administrators, Behavioral Science Technology to present survey results oin NASA administrators and representatives from Behavioral JScience Technology, an independent consulting firm, on May 10 as they discuss results from a workforce culture survey taken earlier this year. NASA TV will broadcast the live event from the Training Auditorium beginning at 1 p.m. Behavioral Science Technology will assist the Agency in implementing a three-year plan to improve its safety climate and culture. Briefings are taking place at all NASA centers. May 7, 2004 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 3 NASA engineerís childhood dream led to Discovery ver since the third grade, tive for Shuttle processing Stephanie Stilson knew she operations. She is NASA’s chief Ewould one day work for point of contact on periodic NASA. Little did Stilson imagine maintenance, upgrades, modifi- she would be responsible for a cations and full systems testing Space Shuttle. to ensure Discovery is safe for “My father took me to visit flight. the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) “There is so much pride in Florida when I was nine,” associated with NASA, and I am Stilson said. “I told him then that thrilled to be a part of such a when I grew up, I was going to well-respected government work for NASA. My father loves organization,” Stilson said. “We to tell that story.” are all contributing to our Stilson is the Space Shuttle country’s history and to our Discovery vehicle manager at continued exploration of space.” KSC, NASA’s primary space Stilson began her career with launch facility.