Volume 1 Issue 8 www.nasa.gov/centers/stennis August 2006

Constellation Program managers visit SSC

Stennis crucial in return to the moonNASA Stennis Space Center will play acritical role in the agency’s ConstellationProgram, according to managers whovisited the site July 13.

The Constellation Program is NASA’splan of work for the new spacecraft thatwill return humans to the moon andblaze a trail to Mars and beyond, fulfill-ing the Vision for Space Exploration.The centerpiece of the system is a newcrew launch vehicle, Ares I, designed toboost the Crew Exploration Vehicle intoorbit. The CEV will carry four astro-nauts to and from the moon, support upto six crewmembers on future missionsto Mars and deliver crew and supplies tothe International Space Station.

Constellation Program managers touredSSC’s rocket engine test complex andspoke to employees about the crucialrole the center will play in fulfilling America’s Vision forSpace Exploration.

“Our work now is in the predesign stage,” said Jeff Hanley,NASA’s Constellation Program manager. “But we hope tosee the first manned launch as early as 2012.” He said Con-

Space Shuttle Atlantis sits on the hardstand of Kennedy Space Center’sLaunch Pad 39B after its nearly 8-hour rollout from the Vehicle AssemblyBuilding. To the left of the shuttle are the rotating service and fixed serv-ice structures. Atlantis' launch window begins Aug. 27 for an 11-day mis-sion, STS-115, to the International Space Station.

See more mission, crew information, Page 4

Space Shuttle Atlantis on Launch Pad for STS-115 mission

Steve Cook (left),director of the Explo-ration Launch Pro-jects office at Mar-shall Space FlightCenter; Jeff Hanley,Constellation Pro-gram manager; andSkip Hatfield, CrewExploration Vehiclesmanager, conductedan all-hands meetingwith Stennis SpaceCenter employeesJuly 13. The three,along with other Con-stellation Programmanagers, visitedSSC to discuss thecritical role the centerwill play in America’sVision for SpaceExploration.

See CONSTELLATION, Page 11

stellation’s crew exploration vehicle is targeted to be flyingby 2014.

With more than 40 years of experience in rocket propul-sion testing, SSC will continue to serve in its traditional test

Louisiana Congressman looks into SSC’s future

Page 2 LAGNIAPPE August 2006

This month marks the one-year anniversary of the dayHurricane Katrina made landfall along the Louisiana-Mis-sissippi coast. Many of our employees were significantlyimpacted by this storm, yet continued to perform outstand-ing work at Stennis while dealing with their own issues athome. Several events are planned to mark the anniversary.Please watch for announcements in Orbiter and StennisNews on dates and times of these remembrance activities.

In July, the successful mission of STS-121, powered byengines tested and proven flight-worthy at Stennis, was thesecond in NASA’s Return to Flight sequence. The missionwas also unique, being the first ever space shuttle to launchon Independence Day. For me, I will always rememberSTS-121 as my first launch sitting in the Stennis CenterDirector’s seat at the Kennedy Space Center Launch Con-trol Center just four miles from the pad. Now, Space Shut-tle Atlantis is sitting on that same pad as we look forwardto another great mission for STS-115.

Returning the shuttle to flight is a first step in fulfilling theVision for Space Exploration of returning humans to themoon and eventually traveling on to Mars and beyond.Stennis will play a crucial role in this new frontier. Several

managers with the Constellation Program, NASA’s plan ofwork for the new spacecraft to accomplish this journey, vis-ited Stennis on July 13 to discuss the work plan withemployees.

Jeff Hanley, the Constellation Program manager, said thathalf the cost of developing the new Ares I and Ares Vspace vehicles will be in test and certification services. Thesame test stands that were built for testing engines andstages for the Apollo Program, and were converted fortesting space shuttle main engines, will once again play animportant part in this developmental work. Stennis will beresponsible for rocket propulsion testing of the upperstages for the Ares I and Ares V as well as the first stage ofthe Ares V.

The pace of rocket propulsion testing has already begun toincrease in preparation for this very important work. Thearticle on the next page goes into detail about the upcom-ing testing. However, it’s important to note that for the firsttime since the 1990s, on July 31 engineers in the test com-plex conducted two engine tests on the same day, an RS-68and a space shuttle main engine. This is a testament to thecapabilities of the outstanding workforce at our center.

Looking ahead, in October we expect to start modificationsto the A-1 test stand in preparation for J-2X upper stageengine testing for the Constellation Program. I am veryexcited about our future and look forward to the day whenwe’ll see the large stages for Ares I and Ares V roar to lifeon the test stands of NASA Stennis Space Center.

From the desk of

Dr. Richard GilbrechDirector,

Stennis Space Center

U.S. Rep. Bobby Jindal (R-La.) and his chil-dren, 1-year-old Shaan, and 4-year-oldSelia, tour Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne’sRS-68 assembly facility at Stennis SpaceCenter’s Army Ammunition Plant IndustrialComplex during their Aug. 4 visit to SSC.The RS-68 currently powers the BoeingCompany’s Delta IV launch vehicle, and willpower the core stage for NASA’s new cargolaunch vehicle, the Ares V. Testing on theRS-68 rocket engine is under way at SSC’sB-1 Test Stand. In addition to viewing thefuture of rocket engine testing at SSC, theJindal family visited StenniSphere andtoured the test complex, accompanied bySSC Center Director Richard Gilbrech.Twenty-seven percent of SSC’s work forcelives in Louisiana, many of them in Jindal’scongressional district.

August 2006 LAGNIAPPE Page 3

Test schedule helps pave road for Constellation Program work

A hefty testing schedule for the space shuttle main engineprogram will keep engineers, technicians and facilitiesespecially busy at NASA Stennis Space Center for thenext two months.

Don Beckmeyer, space shuttle main engine project man-ager in the Test Projects Office of SSC’s Project Direc-torate, said tests on the calendar through September arepart of a series of 12 on the SSME’s high-pressure oxi-dizer turbopump. In addition, SSC expects to conduct its1,000th SSME test on the A-1 Test Stand sometime inAugust.

The series to be conducted on SSC’s A-1 Test Stand is arun-up to the stand’s temporary decommissioning forupgrades and modifications – necessary for testing thenew J-2X engine. The J-2X will power the second stageof the Ares I, the crew launch vehicle being developedunder NASA’s Constellation Program. Ares I will carrythe shuttle’s successor into space.

In October, crews will begin work on the A-1 stand,emptying fuel tanks, removing the test article and pullingspecial cabling required for the delicate instrumentationthat reads every aspect of an engine’s performance.

“A big part of the refurbishment will be to strip andrepaint parts of the stand,” said Gary Benton, J-2Xengine project manager. “The stands get corroded overtime due to weather and normal wear and tear of engine

testing. We need to make sure we do this right, to makeA-1 safe and efficient for another 15 to 20 years.”

Benton said the big challenge will be to make sure the A-1 crews finish their work on time so testing on the J-2Xpowerpack and pumps can begin. Components will beadded to the test article as time goes on, with a completeengine test set for 2010.

Working around weather and other unforeseen delays,Beckmeyer said it’s critical to meet every deadline alongthe way “for scheduling propellant deliveries, for supportsystems, to have everything coordinated in order to main-tain the test schedule and get the J-2X project up andrunning.”

That means more people working on the test stands. “Andthey’re still personally dealing with the effects of Hurri-cane Katrina at home,” Beckmeyer said. “But they’re step-ping up to do the work and make the schedule.”

A second series of tests to certify another SSME turbo-pump is being conducted on SSC’s A-2 stand throughDecember. SSME tests will be conducted on A-2 throughthe end of the Space Shuttle Program.

America’s Vision for Space Exploration calls for NASAto retire the space shuttle by 2010. The crew explorationvehicle will succeed the shuttle as NASA’s spacecraft forhuman space exploration.

BACK TO BACK TESTS – On Monday, July 31, two engine tests occurredin one day at Stennis Space Center’s rocket engine test complex. After afew weather delays, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne tested its RS-68 engine(above, right) on SSC’s B-1 stand. The test ran for a planned 180 sec-

onds. Several hours later, a space shuttle main engine test was conductedon SSC’s A-1 Test Stand (above, left), part of a series of tests to certify theSSME’s high-pressure oxidizer turbopump. That test ran for a planned 503seconds.

FULFILLING THE VISION FOR SPACE EXPLORATION

Page 4 LAGNIAPPE August 2006

STS-115 to conduct 3 spacewalksUnique challenges mark next shuttle mission

The launch window for NASA’s third return to flight mis-sion, STS-115, opens Aug. 27. Until then, Space ShuttleAtlantis, its external tank and two solid rocket boosters willremain enclosed by the rotating service structure onLaunch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., while thepayload for the mission is loaded into the cargo bay.

Carried by the crawler transporter, Atlantis’ slow, 4.2-milejourney from KSC’s Vehicle Assembly Building to thelaunch pad took place Aug. 2. Its prime payload for theSTS-115 mission is the space station’s port three and four(P3/P4) integrated truss segment, which the crew willinstall during their 11-day mission.

The STS-115 crew consists of Commander Brent W. JettJr., Pilot Christopher J. Ferguson and mission specialistsHeidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper, Joseph R. Tanner,Daniel C. Burbank and Steven G. MacLean, who repre-sents the Canadian Space Agency.

Their main objective is to resume space station construc-tion by installing and activating the segment during threescheduled spacewalks. The trusses are part of the 11-seg-ment structure that will eventually span more than 300 feetwhen the station is completed.

Resembling a cocoon when tucked inside Atlantis forflight, the segment will look more like an extremely largebutterfly when deployed. Its two large solar arrays will pro-vide a quarter of the completed station’s power capability.

“It’s going to provide two primary capabilities, the firstbeing power,” said Robbie Ashley, STS-115’s space stationmission manager. “The power module will provide thecapability to generate, store, distribute and regulate powerfor the space station.”

On Earth, the P3/P4 segment weighs almost 35,000pounds – one of the heaviest station payloads. It will beweightless in orbit, allowing the astronauts to remove thesegment from Atlantis’ payload bay using the shuttle’sremote arm to hand it off to the space station’s remotearm.

The astronauts will then maneuver the segment into placebefore attaching it to the port one integrated segment.

A major spacewalk task will be deployment of the twosolar wings. When extended, each wing measures 115 feetby 38 feet and uses nearly 33,000 solar cells. Together theycan meet the power needs of 30 average homes.

NASA’s STS-115 mission crewmembers are (from left): front row, Pilot Christo-pher J. Ferguson, Commander Brent W. Jett Jr.; back row, mission specialists

Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper, Joseph R. Tanner and Daniel C. Burbank;and Steven G. MacLean, who represents the Canadian Space Agency.

August 2006 LAGNIAPPE Page 5

Tribal construction

company is test bed

for $25,000 incentive A new safety incentive program at NASA StennisSpace Center has contractors coming up with someincentives of their own – like fishing trips and four-wheelers.

The NASA Acquisition Management Office at SSCrecently implemented a new safety incentive programto help companies like IKBI Inc., a tribally-charteredcompany of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians,motivate employees to work safer.

The new program offers 2 percent of the contractprice, up to $25,000, to contractors who meet NASA’sstringent safe-work-practice guidelines. Awarded themoney at the beginning of the contract, the companyfaces deductions from the incentive if NASA discoverssafety violations at its work site.

Jason Edge, NASA’s contracting officer, and KennyVolante of SSC’s Safety and Mission Assurance Office,developed the idea last year, and pitched it to officials,who immediately saw the benefit.

“Safety has always been a top priority for NASA,”Edge said. “The safety incentive is our way of motivat-ing contractors to perform a project without safetyviolations. Twenty-five thousand dollars seems like asmall price to pay for a safe work site. So far, it’s work-ing – IKBI has not had one safety violation yet.”

“Because we’ve been offered this opportunity, we wereable to increase our in-house incentives,” said JoshGamblin, IKBI president, “and, more importantly,improve the overall attention associated with site safe-ty. This is a great effort by NASA to help ensure whatwe’re all after, and that’s making sure everyone goeshome at night safe and sound.”

IKBI’s incentive is a four-wheeler that currently standsatop a dirt mound at the H-1 Test Complex at SSC, thefuture home of Rolls-Royce’s new outdoor jet enginetesting facility. IKBI put the four-wheeler on themound at the site of its latest construction job tomotivate its employees to work safely. Each workerwho goes a week without a safety violation becomeseligible for a drawing at the end of the project in April,

when the four-wheeler will be awarded.

Edge said the incentive creates a winning situation forevery participant. NASA upholds its high safety stan-dards; the contractor reaps a double monetary rewardfrom lower insurance costs in the long term; and theemployees get a safe working environment.

The idea seems to be catching on. The incentive’s sec-ond recipient will be awarded to Can’t Be Beat FenceCo., which has a contract to rebuild the perimeterfence around SSC’s fee area. Can’t Be Beat’s owner willmotivate her employees with a weeklong, all-expense-paid deep sea fishing trip if they can work safelyenough to keep the $25,000 incentive intact.

“We hope to pay every contractor the full incentive,”Edge said.

A new four-wheeled, all-terrain vehicle sits on top of a dirt mound at theentrance to the H-1 Test Complex at NASA Stennis Space Center. IKBI Inc.hopes the four-wheeler will motivate its employees to work safely at its H-1Test Complex construction site. Each worker who goes a week without asafety violation can qualify for a drawing that will award the vehicle at theend of the remodeling project. IKBI is the first participant in a new safetyincentive program initiated by NASA SSC that awards up to $25,000 toconstruction contractors for zero safety violations. IKBI is remodeling thefuture home of Rolls-Royce’s new outdoor jet engine testing facility.

Stennis Space Center Director Richard Gilbrech and NASAAssociate Administrator Rex Geveden presented the annualNASA Honor Awards during a ceremony held at SSC onJuly 20.

Diamondhead, Miss., resident John E. Stealey, chief of theBusiness and Facility Management Office, Project Direc-torate at NASA Stennis Space Center, received NASA’s Out-standing Leadership Medal.

NASA’s Outstanding Leader-ship Medal recognizes an indi-vidual who has exhibitednotably outstanding leadershipthat has had a pronouncedeffect on the technical oradministrative programs ofNASA. Stealey was given theaward for contributing signifi-cantly to the improvement ofsafety, reliability and qualityassurance at SSC during his

tenure in the center’s Safety andMission Assurance Office.Working extended hours tosuccessfully perform his dutieswith a reduced staff, Stealeyearned the respect of his co-workers for his honest, opencommunications and leader-ship style.

Ocean Springs, Miss., residentTerry D. Addlesperger, leadfacilities manager for thepropulsion test complex atNASA Stennis Space Center,received NASA’s ExceptionalService Medal.NASA’s Exceptional ServiceMedal recognizes significant,sustained performance charac-terized by unusual initiative orcreative ability that results inengineering, space flight,administrative or supportendeavors that contribute toNASA’s mission. Addlespergerreceived the award for hisrecent efforts to conserve

gaseous nitrogen in SSC’s rocket engine test complex. Bycontrolling purge flows to each application in the center’s ETest Complex, nitrogen consumption was reduced, resultingin a savings of $216,000 per year. In 2001, Addlesperger alsoinitiated a five-year refurbishment of the barges that trans-port propellant fuels through SSC’s canal system to its teststands.

Diamondhead, Miss., resident Mary C. Whitehead, deputychief financial officer in the Business Management Direc-torate at NASA Stennis Space Center, received NASA’sExceptional Service Medal.

Whitehead received the award for her leadership in reim-bursable funds management and other areas supportingOperation Clean Opinion, striving to maintain the integrityof NASA’s financial statements. She established new busi-ness arrangements and managed ongoing financial opera-tions, contributing to the success of SSC as a federal andcommercial city.

Pearlington, Miss., resident Janet M. Austill, secretary to thedirector at NASA Stennis Space Center, received NASA’sprestigious Exceptional Achievement Medal.

NASA’s Exceptional Achievement Medal recognizes a signifi-cant, specific accomplishment or contribution that improvesoperations, efficiency, savings, science or technology thatcontributes to the mission of NASA. Austill was given theaward for her valuable support to the office of the directorunder several successive management changes. Austill hasaggressively sought to strengthen the role of the SSC Secre-tarial Council, and was noted for her enthusiasm, dedicationand skillful diplomacy.

Austill is a native of Bunker Hill, Ill.

Slidell, La., resident Maury A. Vander, technical assistant forthe operations division of the Engineering and ScienceDirectorate at NASA Stennis Space Center, received NASA’sExceptional Achievement Medal.

Vander was given the award for his role as lead test conduc-tor for the Integrated Powerhead Demonstration (IPD)engine test project, in which he demonstrated abilities to leadand mentor. He created improved operating procedures forSSC’s E-1 Test Facility that saved money and resolved criticalpropellant issues for the IPD project.

SSSSCC eemmppllooyyeeeess rreecceeiivvee NNAAPage 6 LAGNIAPPE August 2006

Terry Addlesperger

John Stealey

Mary Whitehead

Picayune, Miss., resident Mark V. Glorioso, chief of theEngineering and Science Directorate's Science and Technolo-gy Division at NASA Stennis Space Center, also receivedNASA’s Exceptional Achievement Medal. Glorioso was giventhe award for his support of NASA’s Return to Flight effortsas leader of the Test Operations Division, Propulsion TestDirectorate. His division enabled the testing of all spaceshuttle main engines and components to support NASA’sSTS-114 mission, and led three critical test programsrequired to help return the shuttle’s external tank to flight.Glorioso’s hands-on style, optimism and energy were consid-ered key to the success of these efforts.

Poplarville, Miss., resident Gloria J. Jordan, Jacobs Sverdrup’spropellants manager for the NASA Technical OperationsGroup at NASA Stennis Space Center, received NASA’sPublic Service Medal.

NASA’s Public Service Medal is awarded to any individualwho is not a government employee, and is granted for excep-tional contribution to NASA’s mission. Jordan administers thelogistics of more than 3,800 trucks that pass through the siteeach year to deliver approximately $16 million worth of liquidhydrogen, liquid oxygen, nitrogen and helium. In the after-math of Hurricane Katrina, even though she had no directcommunication with SSC, Jordan negotiated liquid nitrogendeliveries to assure critical equipment protection purges couldbe maintained. Jordan has worked at SSC since 1966.

Group Achievement AwardsApplied Sciences

Program Knowledge Management Team:

NASA SSCTroy E. FrisbieFrederick S. PolicelliNASA HQMartin E. FrederickMichael Lucien CoxNASA LaRC (DEVELOP Team)Jonathon L. GleasonBrian E. TisdaleTommy F. HannahNASA GSFCShahid HabibComputer Sciences CorporationLaura S. PairLarry S. BraceySean J. LabatStinger Ghaffarian Technology, Inc.Thomas L. HoodScience Systems & Applications, Inc.Bruce LundeKristen J. RussellShannon L. Ellis

Daniel F. OliveSlawomir BlonskiArthur Brennan Grant

Mississippi Space Act Public Health Team

NASAVaneshette HendersonTimi S. VannRobert A. VeneziaComputer Sciences CorporationColby V. AlbasiniCherie E. BeechLarry S. BraceyJames W. ClossRose M. FletcherAnthony J. LisottaRoxzanna F. MooreLamar B. NicholsonJames Doc SmootTimothy S. StigletsRuby A. StubbsLarry D. WilsonMarcia Wise

Striving to Achieve RealSafety (STARS) Committee

NASAJason R. AdamMichele A. BeislerNicholas A. CenciDiana Lynn HeberlingTheadore J. MasonAndrew J. ValenteKenny E. VolanteMississippi Space ServicesKelly L. AustinCatriona M. LadnerElwin Doug LeeSteve E. McCord, Sr. Debra NicholsAlan M. PhillipsWilliam C. SpanselStacy L. SumrallJulie VieraComputer Sciences CorporationJohn W. BridgesRodney T. PearsonDefense Contract ManagementAgencyJames H. WatsonParagonRobert W. Bowman

Pratt & Whitney RocketdyneHenry Potts

AASSAA HHoonnoorr AAwwaarrddssAugust 2006 LAGNIAPPE Page 7

Janet Austill

Mark Glorioso

Gloria Jordan

Maury Vander

Continued on next page ...

Page 8 LAGNIAPPE August 2006

Group Achievement Award Striving to Achieve Real Safety (STARS) Committee

Group Achievement Award Applied Sciences Program Knowledge Management Team

Group Achievement Award Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD) Transformation Tasks Team

SAI Tech Inc. Omega L. Childs Janne M. LadyScience Systems & Applications, Inc.James R. SeverSverdrupAllen ColomboSteven M. MartinJames R. Mirandy

Space OperationsMission Directorate

NASADavid P. BrannonDavid J. CooteBartt J. HebertMark S. HughesThomas E. JacksCasey K. KirchnerMichael P. NicholsNickey G. RainesRichard T. RauchRichard G. RiderSteven A. TaylorNASA MSFCKendall K. BrownMark NeeleyPratt & Whitney RocketdyneGregory W. ByrdWilliam G. DavisAnthony W. SonesTeresa L. EhrlichMississippi Space ServicesClyde E. AdcoxRoger M. BlakeKenneth A. BroomNASA Test OperationsGroupLorna L. AmmondRick C. EllisDale LarsonWilliam A. McDuffieJames A. SmithJames B. Worden

A-2 Test ControlCenter Modernization TeamNASAReginald B. EllisNSSCLinda Ann SharpePratt & Whitney RocketdyneNathan M. AntoineDavid A. CareyPrentice L. CarteBrian D. ChildersJonathan W. ClemensChristopher A. CooganShawn M. CordrayNathan W. Ficken

Roger D. FlyntKelly A. GerouxLarry T. Giveans Jr.Karen T. HoVictor R. HobsonAndrew B. Jackson Jr.Henry R. JohnsonLynn A. LadnerGary C. MarshallDavid P. McConnellKendra S. MoranRonald W. RobertsBrian R. SprolesStephen S. SteelmanJonathan A. StockstillRandall W. StrongDonnie R. WaltersPhillip R. WatkinsBrian J. Yochim

External TankReturn to Flight Test Team

NASAJason R. AdamGary L. BentonDaniel A. BradyWilliam J. Camus Jr. Nick A. CenciCraig A. ChandlerDavid J. CooteStanley G. GillJared B. GroverPhillip W. HebertWendy T. HolladayThomas E. JacksKerry D. KleinSon K. LeGlen M. LiebigDavid K. LoranceJeffrey W. LottThomas O. MeredithJames H. MorganChristopher A. MulkeyWayne L. North IIDeborah S. NortonRosa E. ObregonVincent R. PachelNickey G. RainesDavid E. RobertsRyan E. RobertsDwayne K. StockstillCharles C. ThurmanPeter V. TranMaury A. VanderStanley C. WarrenJames WashingtonBurnley T. Wigley

Hernandez Engineering, Inc.Charles J. Bopp Jr.

Mississippi SpaceServicesJesse T. Bilbo

August 2006 LAGNIAPPE Page 9

Group Achievement AwardMississippi Space Act Public Health Team

Group Achievement Award A-2 Test Control Center Modernization Team

Group Achievement Award External Tank Return to Flight Test Team

Ethan W. CalderDon N. CaudillBrian P. Corr Sr.Mark S. CorrJonathan C. DickeyKenneth J. FortenberryDale W. GreenMichael L. HaralsonWillie E. JohnsonKevin A. JurichWalter C. KingJerry G. KnightDavid W. LadnerDanny P. LambertHarley E. Lee Jr.Tracey J. LeeRonnie A. LyonsRoy R. MalleyBenjamin A. McGrathRobbie D. Miller Jr.Kermit E. NorthropThomas M. RichBenjamin B. RobertsonRodney E. SampsonDonald G. SeymourRandall R. ShawWallace R. SmithJay W. Sones

NASA Test OperationsGroupFred K. Abell Jr.Alan F. AldermanJohn H. BakkerBryon B. Bordelon IVTerrence D. BurrellDennis M. ButtsCheley F. Carpenter Jr.Rick C. EllisKerry J. GallagherPatrick J. GuidryDavid W. HarrielPetter J. HobgoodTravis D. Kennedy

Chadwick B. LadnerJody D. LadnerRichard O. LadnerRoger D. LadnerClifford LeeSteven M. MartinBruce E. MatthewsWilliam A. McDuffieJames R. MirandyKenneth L. MorganBinh T. NguyenRandy L. OvertonCharles S. PolkAlvin D. RichardMounir Z. SabbaghMichael L. ShawMichael E. SladePaul D. Smith Jr.Terry W. WactorRaymond J. WilliamsTom H. Wolfe

Length of ServiceAwards

25 YearsStephen P. BrettelJudy BruscinoLaurence deQuayMelissa P. FergusonRichard W. HarrisMattie A. KirschenheuterMary C. Whitehead30 YearsMiguel A. Rodriguez35 YearsEddie C. GobertLarrie I. KellyRonald B. KentLinda L. Theobald40 YearsDavid A. ThrockmortonTheodore R. Franklin

Space FlightAwareness

Leadership AwardMichael D. Smiles

Special Recognition Award:J. Harry Guin Outstanding

Leadership AwardShamim A. Rahman

Best way to stop racist, bigoted words: Confront them Many of us choose to ignore racist,biased and bigoted comments,rather than confront them. Perhapswe are made so uncomfortable bythe ignorance that we feel we canonly stand mute in its presence, or perhaps we fear nega-tive repercussions.

Following are some ways you can address bigotry:

�Be Ready. You know another moment will happen, soprepare yourself for it. Think of yourself as the one whowill speak up. Promise yourself not to remain silent. Havesomething to say in mind before an incident happens.Open-ended questions often are a good response. “Whydo you say that?” “How did you develop that belief?”

�� Identify the Behavior. Sometimes, pointing out thebehavior candidly helps someone hear what they’re reallysaying: “Sue, what I hear you saying is that all overweightpeople are lazy” (or whatever the slur happens to be).

�Appeal to Principles. If the speaker is someone youhave a relationship with – sister, friend, co-worker, forexample – call on their higher principles: “John, I’ve

always thought of you as a fair-minded person, so it shocks mewhen I hear you say somethingthat sounds so prejudiced.” Appealto their better instincts. What they

say in one moment is not necessarily an indication ofeverything they think.

� Set Limits. You can’t control another person, but youcan say, “My home is not a place I allow bigoted remarksto be made. Please respect that.” The point is to draw aline, to say, “I don’t want you to use that language whenI’m around.”

�Don’t laugh. Meet a bigoted “joke” with silence andbody language to communicate your distaste. Tell the indi-vidual why the “joke” offends you, that it feels demeaningand prejudicial.

�Address the speaker. A simple comment – “I’m sorry;what’s so funny?” – can jar someone from their rudeness.

Change happens slowly. Keep speaking up. Don’t riskbeing silent. If you don’t speak up, you’re surrenderingpart of yourself and letting bigotry win.

From the

Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity

Page 10 LAGNIAPPE August 2006

SSC technology licensed

for commercial productionA handheld hydrogen flame imager developed by NASA atStennis Space Center has now been exclusively licensed forcommercial development by International ElectronicMachines Corp. of Albany, N.Y.

Calling its product FlameFinder, the company is makingand marketing the instrument that allows firefighters to seethe otherwise-invisible flames of hydrogen or alcohol fires.

The patented NASA spinoff technology was conceived atSSC in the 1990s to keep the center’s own firefighters androcket test complex personnel safe.

Weighing about 5 pounds and used much like a pair ofbinoculars, FlameFinder produces an easily understoodimage that clearly shows the location and size of anyflames or other heat sources.

For information about International Electronic MachinesCorp., visit: http://iem.net/

For information about SSC’s Science and Technology Divi-sion and its technology transfer programs, visit:http://technology.ssc.nasa.gov/

Test complex monitoring system wins awards

John Schmalzel (left), Fernando Figueroa and Harvey Smith on July31 receive NASA TechBrief and NASA Software awards for their newsoftware technology: Framework and Methodologies for IntelligentIntegrated Health Management Systems. The innovation defines anintelligent, integrated health management system that monitors thecondition of every element in a system-of-systems, providing dataand information for controlling and improving operations. Figueroaused SSC’s E Test Complex as a proving ground for the technology.Ray Bryant of NASA’s Science and Technology Division, SSC, pre-sented the awards. Schmalzel and Figueroa work in NASA’s Engi-neering and Science Directorate, Science and Technology Division.Harvey Smith is a scientist with Jacobs Engineering.

NASA welcomes the following to SSC:

John Bakker – Aerospace technologist, electrical systems engi-neer, Engineering & Science DirectorateChristine Grapusa – Program analyst, resources managementdivision, Business Management Directorate Jody Woods – Aerospace technologist, structural mechanic,Engineering & Science Directorate

Hail & Farewell

�� NASA heads global coalition to study hurri-canes: Scientists from NASA, the National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration, universities and international agen-cies will study how winds and dust conditions from Africa influ-ence the birth of hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean. The fieldcampaign, called NASA African Monsoon MultidisciplinaryAnalyses 2006, runs from Aug. 15 to mid-September in theCape Verde Islands off the coast of West Africa.

To study the specific environmental conditions hurricanesrequire, researchers will use NASA’s DC-8 research aircraft asa platform for advanced atmospheric research instruments.Remote and on-site sensing devices will allow scientists to tar-get specific areas in developing storms. Sensors on board theaircraft will measure cloud and particle sizes and shapes, windspeed and direction, rainfall rates, atmospheric temperature,pressure and relative humidity.

The campaign will use data from NASA’s Earth observing satel-lites, including the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission,QuikScat, Aqua, and the recently-launched CloudSat andCloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observa-tions (Calipso).

�� STEREO will take first 3-D measurements ofsun: NASA’s Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory(STEREO) is set to launch aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket onAug. 31 from Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air ForceStation, Fla.

STEREO consists of two spacecraft that comprise the first mis-sion to take measurements of the sun and solar wind in 3-D.This new view will improve our understanding of space weatherand its impact on the Earth.

During the two-year mission, the two nearly identical spacecraftwill explore the origin, evolution and interplanetary conse-quences of coronal mass ejections, the most violent explosionsin our solar system. When directed at Earth, these billion-toneruptions can disrupt satellites, radio communications andpower systems.

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., isresponsible for the project management.

AROUND NASA

August 2006 LAGNIAPPE Page 11

Gary Benton (center), Stennis Space Center’s J-2X engine projectmanager, explains work at the A-1 Test Stand to NASA officials (fromleft) Jeff Hanley, Constellation Program manager; Marsha Ivans,Johnson Space Center; and Mike Kynard, Marshall Space Flight Cen-ter.

CONSTELLATIONContinued from Page 1

role, taking the lead on integration for all propulsion testing.SSC is responsible for rocket propulsion testing for the upperstages of Ares I, and Constellation’s cargo launch vehicle,Ares V, as well as testing the engines for Ares V’s main stage.

“Half the cost of developing these vehicles goes towardthe testing and certification services you already provide tothe country,” Hanley told employees during an all-handsmeeting July 13.

The first rocket engine to be tested will be the J-2X, anengine derived from those tested at the center 40 years agofor Apollo’s Saturn V rockets. In the Constellation Pro-gram, the J-2X will be used to power the upper stages ofthe Ares I and Ares V.

“The J-2X is a critical path” to meeting the Constellation Pro-gram’s goals, said Steve Cook, director of the ExplorationLaunch Projects office at the Marshall Space Flight Center inHuntsville, Ala. “SSC will play a critical role in the program.”

NASA has chosen Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne’s RS-68engine to power the main stage of the Ares V. Testing forBoeing’s commercial applications of the RS-68 engine isunder way on SSC’s B-1 Test Stand.

Cook also said “SSC, Marshall and the Michoud AssemblyFacility have a long, rich history of working together,” anasset that will smooth development and delivery of theAres vehicles. The Michoud facility in New Orleans isresponsible for building and processing elements of thenew launch systems.

More than 400 children attended12 sessions (the normal numberof sessions is seven) of AstroCamp this summer, a record-breaking total for the series ofweeklong day camps held atStennis Space Center.

The theme of this year’s campswas “Moon, Mars and Beyond,”in which children studied phasesof the moon, the life cycle of astar and the Martian environ-ment – all through hands-onactivities like building andlaunching their own rockets. Anew camp for teens, Astro CampPlus, allowed students to learnthe same principles using iPodsand video cameras.

Six Astro Camp Saturday ses-sions have been scheduled forthe fall. The dates are:

For more information, call 800-237-1821, Opt. 4, or visithttp://education.ssc.nasa.gov/astrocamp.asp

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Take Our Childrento Work Day

Astro Camp wraps up summer 2006

Approximately 250 children participatedin Stennis Space Center’s Take OurChildren to Work Day on July 25. Thechildren took a tour of the site, learnedabout different types of work at thecenter and watched demonstrations ofa driverless SUV, cryogenics and areal-time flythrough of the Gulf Coast.The annual day of learning and fun is acooperative effort of NASA and otherSSC resident agencies.

Astro Campers watch a model rocket shoot skyward on thelast day of their weeklong camp. Record enrollments, dualsessions and a new curriculum for teens made 2006 arecord-breaking summer.

� Sept. 23, Astro Camp Goesto the Science Fair (for parentsand children, grades K-6)�Oct. 14 and 21, InternationalSpace Station (ages 7-12)�Nov. 4 and 18, Return toFlight (ages 7-12)�Dec. 9, Astro Camp Plus(ages 13-15)Each Astro Camp Saturdaysession costs $30.