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NASA: 181330main Jun29color
NASA: 181330main Jun29color
13
Spaceport News
John F. Kennedy Space Center - America’s gateway to the universe
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/snews/spnews_toc.html
T
he Space Shuttle Atlantis
and its crew are home after
completing a 14-day
journey of more than 5.8 million
miles in space. Atlantis’ STS-117
mission successfully increased the
power capability of the Interna-
tional Space Station, preparing for
the future delivery of European
and Japanese laboratories.
Commander Rick Sturckow,
Pilot Lee Archambault and
Mission Specialists Jim Reilly,
Patrick Forrester, Steven Swanson,
John “Danny” Olivas and Sunita
Williams landed at Edwards Air
Force Base, Calif., on June 22 at
3:49 p.m. EDT.
Weather concerns forced
mission managers to shift the
landing from the Kennedy Space
Center to Edwards after rain clouds
were too close to the Shuttle
Landing Facility. Atlantis was RETURNING FROM mission STS-117, Space Shuttle Atlantis approaches touchdown on the runway at NASA’s
Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base in California. This was the 51st landing for the Space
(See STS-117, Page 4) Shuttle Program at Edwards.
AT ASTROTECH,
NASA’s Dawn mission ready for employees check
the attachments of
early July launch from Cape the Dawn
spacecraft that
By Linda Herridge for processing the spacecraft and connect the upper-
Staff Writer integrating it with the launch stage booster.
vehicle for its mission to the Dawn’s goal is to
A
fter four years of planning asteroid belt between Mars and study the conditions
and processes of
and preparing, NASA’s Jupiter. The processing team
the solar system’s
Launch Services Program includes NASA, United Launch
earliest epoch by
at Kennedy Space Center sees the Alliance, Analex and AI Solutions investigating in
light at the end of the tunnel as it employees and the Orbital detail the largest
prepares for the launch of the Sciences Corp. and Jet Propulsion protoplanets that
Dawn spacecraft aboard a Delta II Lab team. have remained
heavy launch vehicle in early July. Armando Piloto is the NASA intact since their
Since the arrival of Dawn at the KSC Dawn mission manager. He formations: asteroid
Astrotech facility in Titusville on said spacecraft processing work Vesta and the dwarf
planet Ceres.
April 10, the Launch Services included integrating the solar
Program team has been responsible (See DAWN, Page 2)
Page 2 SPACEPORT NEWS June 29, 2007
A
s Kennedy Space Center’s culture of openness. Consistent that NASA scientists may share contact KSC’s News Center, or
high-profile achievements with NASA’s policy on the release their conclusions with the media, David Mould at NASA Headquar-
continue to capture the of information to the media, but requires that they draw a ters in Washington at 202-358-
attention of the world, NASA’s available at www.nasa.gov/ distinction between professional 1898 or at
launch operations center receives communication_policy, employees conclusions and personal views david.r.mould@nasa.gov.
thousands of public information may speak to the press and the
requests from the media each year. public about their work. The
These range from simple
requests such as interviewing an
policy explains many ways to offer
the best communication in sharing
NASA’s Phoenix processing
engineer or taking up-close photos
of a space shuttle, to more inten-
NASA’s message with the public.
NASA employees who receive
continues for August launch
sive requests like gaining escorted a request from a media representa-
access to a high-security area. tive should coordinate with KSC’s
It’s important that employees News Center at 321-867-2468 so
understand that NASA desires a that our public affairs officers can
S
howing a complete commit- site in Florida and only the eighth
ment to employee safety, the in the nation to be recognized as
Kennedy Space Center is StormReady. It is also the first
now a certified “StormReady” NASA field center to earn this
facility. Working together with the certification.
National Weather Service, KSC has The StormReady program is
developed a proactive hazardous designed to reduce the number of
weather action plan. injuries and property damage from
As part of the severe weather severe storms through prepared-
notification process, there are ness and education.
multiple methods to provide Also participating in the
warnings to the work force and presentation were Mike Benik,
visitors of KSC in the event of director of Kennedy Center
approaching hazardous weather. Operations; Steven Cooper, acting
“Being certified as director of the National Weather
StormReady shows we are proac- Service southern region; Bob
tive as hazardous weather ap- Allen, Florida state representative;
proaches our operations,” Center Scott Rayder, chief of staff for the
Director Bill Parsons said at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
RECOGNIZING KSC as a “StormReady” community were, from left,
June 22 recognition presentation. Administration; and Bart
Steven Cooper, director of the National Weather Service southern region;
“I would also like to recognize the Hagemeyer, meteorologist-in- Scott Rayder, chief of staff for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
partnerships we have with the 45th charge of the National Weather Administration; Bob Allen, Florida state representative; Bart Hagemeyer,
Space Wing Weather Squadron Service Forecast Office in chief meteorologist-in-charge of the National Weather Service Forecast
and the National Weather Service. Melbourne. Office in Melbourne; and Bill Parsons, KSC director.
W
ith colorful, creative at KARS Park 1 on June 22
for students, guests and
desserts, stacks of ribs
workers. The barbecue is a
and chicken and an chance to promote
enthusiastic crowd, the sixth- fellowship among
annual BEST Barbecue on June 23 employees, as well as
at KARS Park 1 was a success. welcome interns to the
Emcee Sonya Plummer center.
welcomed guests and the hazy
smoke seemed to attract more
people until the tables were filled
to capacity. The barbecue is hosted
annually by the Black Employee
Strategy Team to promote fellow-
ship among employees, as well as
welcome interns to life at Kennedy
Space Center. Gateway Support security. MEMBERS OF
The cooks for this year’s the Black
Although the weather kept
Employee
Atlantis from landing, it did not barbecue were Tom Cooper, Bruce
Strategy Team
dampen the spirits of the guests or Lockley, Al Jenkins, Javan Banks, (right), or BEST,
hosts as they enjoyed the food and Sena Jones, Brian Turner and serve attendees
lively music. Guests had their Joylene Hall. at the 2007
choice of ribs, chicken or a combo “We added the discounted BEST Barbecue.
platter with potato salad, baked student tickets and combo plates
beans and bread. this year and because of this, we
As in the past, the desserts were sold 75 more tickets than last
among the most popular features. year,” said Stacie Smith, one of the
The winner of the dessert contest event’s organizers. More than 300
was Selina Gaymon of Space people attended this year’s event.
Page 4 SPACEPORT NEWS June 29, 2007
O
n June 27, 1982, NASA of Defense payload and the first parachute separation nuts at water
launched mission STS-4, commercial payload, the Continu- impact were fluid-dampened.
the fourth and final ous Flow Electrophoresis System. “This being the shuttle’s first
research and development flight of The first Getaway Specials and two summer launch, warmer air
the Space Transportation System. Shuttle Student Involvement temperatures lowered the fluid’s
Commander Thomas Mattingly Program experiments also flew. viscosity, making the switches
and Pilot Henry Hartsfield Jr. made Following launch, the separa- more sensitive to the shock of the
up the two-man crew aboard Space tion nuts which release half the ordnance ring blast which sepa-
Shuttle Columbia. risers on the two solid rocket rates the frustum and deploys the
A hailstorm with pellets “the booster main parachutes prema- main parachutes.
size of golf balls” the previous turely fired, causing the parachutes “Inserting a timer into the
night almost delayed the launch. A to stream instead of inflate. The circuitry to block the switch’s
hardener was applied to strengthen booster casings were severely signal until well after frustum
the water-soaked tiles, and liftoff damaged from the high-speed separation solved the problem.”
took place as planned. water impact; they sank and were The July 4 landing at Edwards EMPLOYEES INSTALL the
Once on orbit, the affected area unrecoverable. Air Force Base of the successful Getaway Special aboard Space
was turned toward the sun to dry Bruce Rutledge, former test flight was attended by Presi- Shuttle Columbia for the STS-4
out the tiles and prevent ice manager of KSC’s Parachute dent Ronald Reagan. mission launched June 27, 1982.
June 29, 2007 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 5
NASA Distinguished
Service Medal Group Achievement Awards
Douglas Hendriksen
Roslyn McKinney Clifton School House
Restoration Team
NASA Distinguished Public John Stiner, Cheryl Paige, Mario
Service Medal Busacca, Barbara Naylor,
James Banke, Camille Chidester, Roz Foster
Jarl Gustafson, Harvey Mizell,
James Orr, Lynda Weatherman Engineering Directorate
FAMILY, FRIENDS and co-workers applaud recipients of the 2007 KSC
Organizational Development Team Honor Awards in the IMAX Theater at the Visitor Complex on June 26.
2006 Presidential Rank Awards Robert Cannon, Shannon Bartell,
Meritorious Executive Barry Braden, Nancy Bray, Wegerif, Mary Whitten, Michael Giles, Daniel Johnson, Edwin New,
Michael Benik, NASA director of Benjamin Bryant, Patrick Hanan, Ynclan, Paul Atkins, Mark Berg, Francisco Valdes, Timothy
Center Operations Dicksy Hansen, Roselle Hanson, John Blue, Kristina Brink, David Widrick, Michael Woltman
John “Tip” Talone, NASA Ruth Harrison, Robert Hubbard, Cornell, Jeffrey Crisafulli, James
associate program manager of the Retha Hart, George Hurt, Scott Fesmire, Michael Hartnett, Andrew Node-2 ACBM Closeout Team
Constellation Program Kerr, Jennifer Lyons, Phillip Knutson, Jared Sass, Stephen Van Terri Holbert, David Cook, Ronald
Meade, Thomas Pentrack, June Genderen, Kevin Cummings, Walls, Ryan Alexander, Tiffaney
NASA Outstanding Perez, Pepper Phillips, Stacie Philip D’Andreamatteo, John Alexander, James Alter, Julie
Leadership Medal Phillips, Patrick Simpkins, Gates, Walter Hatfield, Arthur Anderson, William Bahr, Robert
Richard Cota, Roberta Gnan, Ruth Maynette Smith, Steven Sullivan, Hendren, Patricia Lowery, Douglas Bickley, Thomas Bonifacio, Albert
Harrison, Stephanie Stilson, James Thompson, Oscar Toledo, Rewinkel, David Ross, Mark Branson, Clifton Burkett, Richard
Steven Sullivan Warren Wiley, Carolyn Yowell, Velasco, Gary Wall Chamberlain, Ronald Constantino,
John Zuber Christopher Cox, Beenal Desai,
NASA Exceptional KSC NASA/ODIN Migration Calvin Dunn, Clayton Everhart,
Achievement Medal Flight Termination System Nomad System Thomas Grant, David Griner,
Robert Ashley, Scott Colloredo, Interference Team Carol Valdes, Kimmarie Barrett, Martin Hall, Eric Hanson, Sandra
Michael Dalton, James Draus, James Bjornbak, David Hendricks, Dean Bent, Deborah Bledsoe, Harrington, David Haysbrook,
Kenneth Hale, Dicksy Hansen, John Isella, Thomas Woodard, Susan Cargile, Peter Clements, Mark Henry, William Hutchinson,
Vu Le, Alan Littlefield, Jack Sarah Quach Jeffrey Lane, Clifford Smith, Kevin Jackson, Lance Kinney,
Massey, Phillip Meade, Stacie Randall Thurman, Vickie Hall, Patrick Layton, Michael
Phillips, Timothy Pugh, Jorge KSC Environmental Point of James Winn Lombardo, William McDaniel,
Rivera, Janice Robertson, Compliance Team Timothy McMichael, Gary Meier,
Douglas Younger John Shaffer, Laura Hall, Lisa Mars Science Laboratory Launch Charlene Ormsby, Lucy Orozco,
Marie Ruffe, Mario Busacca, Service Task Order Team Michael Panopoulos, Raymond
NASA Exceptional Bravery Medal Denise Thaller Tammy Harrington, Theodore Reynolds. David Ricouard,
Donald Snyder Adams, Robert Athman, David Jennifer Sachs, Brian Scofield,
KSC GH2 Vent Line Ice Barber, Warren Bayliss, Stuart Mitchell Sestile, Gregory Smilek,
NASA Exceptional Service Medal Suppression Shroud Team Bryant, Thomas Clark, Phillip George Smith, Craig Stanton,
William Bartley, Perry Becker, Kenneth Fore, Fred Lockhart, C. Davidson, Armand Gosselin, Donald Stieler, Dennis Testa, Vajid
Kathy Bryant, Manuel Cabrera, Arkin, Charles Baker, Christopher Harlan Hannah, Roy Heinl, Fred Vayda, Michael Waugh, James
Lisa Colloredo, Ruth Gardner, Collette, Harold Crain, Wayne Hernandez, Gary Hopkins, David Windhausen, Robert Beary, Kevin
Randall Greeson, Roger Hall, Crawford, Daniel Davis, David King, Phillip Kocol, Michael Gill, Melanie Gurnavage, Stephen
Marlo Krisberg, Jim Medina, Luis Earley, Jeffrey Garrison, Carl Levitt, Jerad Merbitz, Barry Miner, Wilson, Jeffery Beyer, Juan Calero,
Moctezuma, Marjorie Nelson, Hallberg, Kenneth Heckle, Brian Kenneth Page, Robert Smithson, Glenn Chin, Gary Craig, Joseph
Cheri Wynn Hunter, Darrell March, William Stephen Spath, Gabor Tanacs, Delai, Stephen Ernest, Polly
McCartney, Martin McLellan, Thomas Trovillion, Jeffrey Tuttle, Gardiner, Randall Gordon, David
NASA Exceptional Public Mark Minich, Michael Minter, Ellen Underwood, Frank Walker, Guibeau, Joseph Hyppolite,
Service Medal Martin Moneysmith, Guy Naylor, Ralph Webber, Gary Wozniak, Joanna Johnson, Rachel
Robert Castlen, Katherine Gay, Thomas Naylor, Roy Nungesser, James Colvin, Louis D’Amario, Kamenetzky, Douglas Kverek,
Terry Greenfield, Mark Laposky, Michael Patrick, Andrew Pysz, Lutha Shaw, David Woerner, Harry Carlos Marin, Kenneth Mathews,
Edward Ruth, Stephen Shannon, Geoffrey Rowe, Arthur Shutt, Batey, Jon Bauschlicher, Brian Donald McMahon, Ronald Morris,
Kerry Stinson, Ronald Ten Haken, Stephen Sojourner, Stephen Stout, Beaver, James Behling, Jeanne Lisa Pantano, Robert Parks,
Randall Thurman Mark Stratton, Sammie Talluto, Burkhart, Lorenzo Chance, Harold Antonio Pego, Gerardo Rivera,
Ronald Vangilder, Daniel Coleman, Robert Freeman, John Robert Ruiz, Michael Shoup,
(See AWARDS, Page 6)
Page 6 SPACEPORT NEWS June 29, 2007
N
ASA recently awarded Tim This discovery prompted QASAR Award
from Charles
Bianchi with the Quality additional checks on the remain-
Scales, NASA
and Safety Achievement ing mast canisters. If left unad- associate
Recognition, or QASAR Award, for dressed, this finding could have deputy
his exceptional dedication. prevented mast canister deploy- administrator
The award, which was pre- ment and resulted in functional and Shana
sented May 10 at NASA Headquar- loss of a solar array wing assembly Dale, NASA
ters in Washington, is the agency’s on orbit. deputy
highest honor for quality and “His leadership in identifying administrator,
safety. Selection is based on a and correcting a significant flight for his actions
with the Safety
person’s contribution to the hardware problem benefited our
and Mission
quality and safety of products, ISS counterparts at Johnson Space Assurance
services, processes, or management Center. Because of his efforts, the directorate.
programs and activities. Bianchi ISS Program is assured a quality
received a monetary award and a product throughout the life of the and meetings between NASA and winners chosen from 29 nominees.
plaque during the NASA Honor ISS Program,” said Shannon the Air Force. Bianchi also audits Prior to his selection, Bianchi was
Awards ceremony. Bartell, Safety and Mission work breakdown structures. unaware of the award, but quickly
He was selected for a discovery Assurance director. There are four QASAR award recognized its significance and his
he made during processing of the Bianchi is now a program categories, and his award was in teammates’ contribution.
International Space Station, or ISS, specialist within the Cape the “NASA employee within “This is a tremendous honor to
while serving as the Safety and Canaveral Spaceport Management Safety and Mission Assurance” receive an award of this stature,
Mission Assurance directorate’s Office, a joint NASA and U.S. Air category. Nominees were initially and to be sent to D.C. to retrieve it
mission lead for quality assurance Force office responsible for nominated by their center director, is humbling,” said Bianchi, who
on STS-117 payload processing. managing the JBOSC contract. He and the nominations were evalu- joined NASA in 2004. “I credit my
During flight closeouts for the S3/ serves as the integrated product ated and scored by each center’s excellent bosses, co-workers and
S4 truss segment’s aft bulkhead team lead for quality and safety, Safety and Mission Assurance processing team support for this
canister area, he discovered three managing performance evaluations director. He was one of four award.”
Page 8 SPACEPORT NEWS June 29, 2007
F
our U.S. military cadets are methods to make rapid and
spending their summer complex decisions, to determining
helping Kennedy Space the origin of problems associated
Center engineers use computers to with communication, processing,
simulate the actions of humans in and personnel job requirements
order to transform training and and limitations.
evaluations. Lefler, a senior from Kentucky,
The Army Research Lab sent is studying electrical engineering
the cadets from the U.S. Military with a track in robotics and
Academy at West Point in New electronics. Born in Pennsylvania,
York to support NASA’s Simula- Millen is a senior on the Army
tion and Analysis of Launch football team with a major in
Teams effort, known as SALT. management and a minor in
SALT began in 2005 to address environmental engineering.
the need to simulate humans for Also a senior, Kleinsorget of
analysis, training and evaluation Kansas is a systems engineering
for NASA’s current and future major and a member of Sandhurst, SEATED FROM left, West Point cadets Theodore Kleinsorget, Tad Lefler
and Sarah Phillips, and NASA co-op student Richard Hoblitzell test a
launch operations, and to meet a team that competes in military
project for the Simulation and Analysis of Launch Teams project. Team
other KSC needs. According to skills competitions with the Royal member Luis Bares of ASRC (standing left) and the project’s principal
Cary Peaden, the cadet’s mentor Military Academy. Phillips is a investigator, Cary Peaden of NASA, overlook the group’s work.
and SALT principal investigator, junior from California majoring in
the research is essential for life science. application for the group. technical team performs critical
improving future NASA training Richard Hoblitzell, a KSC “The cadets participate in real operations and about governmen-
and analysis. co-op student from the University government engineering on a tal and multi-organizational
Cadets Tad Lefler, Sarah of Louisville in Kentucky, is also small research project,” said cooperation.
Phillips, and Theodore Kleinsorget contributing to the team. Serving Peaden, an Engineering Director- “They also learn how valuable
will be at KSC until July 7, while in his third semester with the SALT ate employee who added that the a West Point education is, and the
Marcus Millen completed his tasks project, Hoblitzell is one of the partnership also strengthens KSC’s interesting things you can do with
June 15. Their work includes prime software developers of the relationship with the academy and an academy degree and leadership
gathering data and analysis, and SALT proof-of-concept training lab. “They learn how one large experience.”
N
ASA employees at ment for United Way, 81 percent of connect with the community. of reaching out and helping the
Kennedy Space Center NASA employees participated in “Often, the demands on our community. I believe it’s rooted in
recently were recognized the monthlong campaign that runs time preclude us from actively the values of our employees to do
by the United Way of Brevard for annually in October. Workers gave engaging with our community to the right thing.”
their increased generosity and $417,800 to 49 United Way help our fellow man in times of The Combined Federal Cam-
support through the agency’s 2006 programs and services. need,” Lugo said. “Last year, KSC paign for 2007 will kick off in
Combined Federal Campaign. The Ray Lugo, deputy director of employees continued the tradition early October.
civil servants were honored for NASA’s Launch Services Program
achieving a new level of at KSC, was the campaign chair-
participation. man for 2006. He said the cam- John F. Kennedy Space Center
According to Susan McGrath, paign, also known as the CFC, is a
vice president of resource develop- good way for KSC employees to Spaceport News
JANET PETRO (left),
Kennedy Space
Spaceport News is an official publication of the Kennedy Space Center and
Center deputy
is published on alternate Fridays by External Relations in the interest of KSC
director, accepts the civil service and contractor employees.
United Way Award of Contributions are welcome and should be submitted two weeks before
Distinction from publication to the Media Services Branch, IDI-011. E-mail submissions can be
Susan McGrath, vice sent to Jeffery.Stuckey-1@ksc.nasa.gov.
president of
Managing editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amber Philman
resources
Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jeff Stuckey
development for
Copy editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Corey Schubert
United Way of
Brevard. Editorial support provided by InDyne, Inc. Writers Group.
NASA at KSC is located on the Internet at http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy
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