AUGUST 2004

ALTERNATIVE FUELS ................... 7Center vehicles run on cleanerburning fuels

CHIEF ENGINEER CHOSEN ........ 8Jose Vega will promoteengineering excellence

SOLAR SAILS TECHNOLOGY .... 9Technology could replaceconventional propulsion systems

Volume 6 Issue 8 August 2004

NASA Update live broadcast

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Apollo 11 anniversary remindsAgency to stay diligent.

BY DOREEN B. ZUDELL

Above: O'Keefeand Earls duringthe live Update.

Right: TheGlenn audienceapplaudsArmstrong onthe 35thanniversary ofApollo 11.

Photos by Doreen Zudell

n the 35th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission,Glenn welcomed back Neil Armstrong, who began hisNASA career at Glenn as a test pilot and later becamethe first human to set foot on the Moon. Armstrongsat among an audience of Center employees duringa NASA Update, broadcast live from the ElectricPropulsion Laboratory (EPL) on July 20.

Reflecting on the anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission,Administrator Sean O'Keefe called today's explorationobjectives "similar to Apollo but in a much moreadvanced way." He affirmed and Center DirectorDr. Julian Earls reiterated, that in this transitionaltime for the Agency, it is important to stay positiveand remain "diligent" and "persistent" in living out theNASA Values.

Amidst a backdrop of environment simulation cham-bers, O'Keefe praised Glenn employees for theirlong history of technological achievements. "Peopledon't realize the basic technology research objectiveswe have to achieve before reaching our goals," O'Keefe said. "Work beingperformed right here in the EPL is on the cutting edge of what is needed for NASA'sexploration agenda."

During a video outlining NASA's Exploration: Earth, Moon, Mars, and Beyond,Armstrong talked about NASA's new vision for exploration and stressed that theinitiative is "not a race but a journey." During the question and answer session,Armstrong added that he believes "there are no barriers we can't overcome to sustainextended periods of time on the Moon."

O'Keefe and Earls addressed a variety of questions from the Glenn audience andacross the Agency. ◆

Neil Armstrong marks Apollo anniversary at Glenn

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Silver Snoopy AwardsThis award is the Astronauts' personaltribute to the single efforts of individuals.

A stronauts Joan Higginbotham andDonald Pettit recently presented SilverSnoopy Awards to 11 Glenn or Glenn-associated civil servant and supportservice contract employees.

The award is the astronauts' personaltribute to individuals whose single effortor long-term outstanding performancehas contributed to flight safety andmission success—the main priorities forhuman space flight. The recognitionfocuses on efforts that enhance theprobability of mission success, suchas improvements in design; administra-tion; technology; production techniques;business systems; flight and/or systemsafety; or error identification, correction,or prevention.

The following employees were acknowl-edged for outstanding support of NASA'sspace program.

Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid, ColoradoSchool of Mines, as principal co-investigator of the Mist experimentthat flew as part of CombustionModule–2 (CM–2) on STS–107.

Dr. Juan Agui, Microgravity Division, asthe project scientist for Investigating theStructure of Paramagnetic Aggregatesfrom Colloidal Emulsions (InSPACE)experiment that was conducted on theInternational Space Station (ISS) in aMicrogravity Science Glovebox.

Dr. Kelly Carney, Structures and Acous-tics Division, for his efforts on theAgencywide Ballistic Impact AnalysisTeam, which led to successful predic-tions of orbiter wing leading edgedamage caused by impacts of externaltank foam.

Michael Doherty, Microgravity Division,as the project manager of the Physicsof Colloids in Space (PCS) experimentseries, which was critical to the develop-ment and operation of the Express PCSexperiment on ISS.

Daryl Edwards, Engineering De-velopment Division, for providingGovernment oversight of the largecontracted engineering develop-ment effort for the ISS FluidsCombustion Facility.

James Fincannon, Power andPropulsion Office, as part of theISS System Power Analysis forCapability Evaluation (SPACE) teamthat developed the Glenn SPACEcode, which was used to verify theability of the ISSpower system tosupply efficientpower for missionand vehicle needs.

Karen Hughes, Systems Engineering Divi-sion, for work as the configurationmanagement specialist for the CM–2, whichflew on STS–107 in the Space Hab Module.

Dr. Nathan Jacobson, Materials Division,in providing high-temperature chemistryexpertise to the investigation of rein-forced carbon-carbon (RCC) leadingedge material issues for the Agency'sReturn to Flight efforts.

Thomas Kerslake, Power and PropulsionOffice, as a member of the team that

developed the Glenn SPACE code, whichwas used to verify the ability of the ISSpower system to supply efficient powerfor mission and vehicle needs.

Duane Revilock, Structures and Acous-tics Division, in the development of aunique ballistic test capability to charac-terize the complex mechanisms associ-ated with the external tank foam impacton RCC orbiter leading edges in theAgency's Return to Flight efforts.

Photo by David Frate

Two Silver Snoopy winners received their awardsduring the Strategic Research to Enable NASA'sExploration Missions conference and workshop inCleveland. Pictured, left to right, are AstronautPettit, Steve Simons (6700), Yuan, Abbud-Madrid,and Ann Over (6729).

Continued on next page

Photo by Michelle Murphy

Pictured, back row, left to right, Williams, Kerslake, Revilock, Doherty,Carney, and Fincannon; front row, Agui, Jacobson, Hughes, AstronautHiggenbotham, Zaretsky, and Edwards.

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dministrator Sean O'Keefe re-cently appointed a number of peopleto key positions at Headquarters andacross the Agency:

Retired Marine Brigadier GeneralMichael Wholley has been namedNASA general counsel to succeed PaulPastorek who returned to private lawpractice with a firm in New Orleans.Pastorek was a key member of theNASA senior management team anda trusted advisor to AdministratorO'Keefe for the past 2 1/2 years.Wholley joins NASA after a distin-guished career of public service in theMarine Corps, including a tour of dutyas a naval aviator flying combat mis-sions in Vietnam. After law school,Wholley held a series of military legalpositions that lead to an assignmentas staff judge advocate to the Com-mandant of the Marine Corps/Director, Judge Advocate Division.

John (Jack) Mannix, former associategeneral counsel for general law, hasbeen named deputy general counsel.Keith Sefton, chief of staff to the gen-eral counsel, has been named deputygeneral counsel for Management and Administration.

Alphonso Diaz, former center director of NASA Goddard, has been named associateadministrator of NASA's new Science Mission Directorate. Edward Weiler becomesGoddard's new center director.

Orlando Figueroa, former deputy chief engineer for Systems Engineering, has beennamed deputy associate administrator for Programs for the Science Mission Director-ate. Alison McNally, former associate director of Goddard, has been named deputyassociate administrator for Management in the new directorate.

Clint Herbert, former special projects manager in the Office of Security, has beennamed deputy assistant administrator of the Office of Security and Safeguards.

Dr. Neal Burns, former director of the Center for Brand Research at the University ofTexas at Austin, has been named special assistant to the Administrator and acting chiefof Strategic Communications.

NASA Dryden Director Kevin Petersen named Steven Schmidt, former special assistantto Administrator O'Keefe, deputy director of Dryden. Schmidt previously served asexecutive director for the President's Space Commission. Schmidt began his career atDryden in November 1994 where he was involved in various programs including theX–33, X–38, X–43A, F–15 ACTIVE, and SR–71.

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NASA Langley Director Roy Bridges, Jr.,named Lesa Roe his deputy Director.Roe, who formerly served as Langley'sassociate director for Business Manage-ment, brings to the position a blend ofeducational, technical, and leadershipqualifications, as well as a broad per-spective gained from working atmultiple NASA centers. ◆

Glenn L. Williams, Engineering De-velopment Division, for leadership andtechnical expertise resulting in thedesign and development of themajor avionics packages for the twolargest, most complex space flightexperiments (CM–1 and CM–2) everflown in the Spacelab and SPACE-HAB modules.

Dr. Zeng-Guang Yuan, MicrogravityDivision, as the deputy project scien-tist for Laminar Soot Processes (LSP) 1and LSP 2 that flew on Columbia in1997 and again on STS–107 in 2003.

Edwin Zaretsky, Structures and Acous-tics Division, for expertise in tribologyof mechanical systems that have beeninstrumental in identifying potentialshuttle rudder and speed brake actua-tors failure modes. ◆

Silver SnoopyawardsContinued from page 2

dministrator Sean O'Keefe recentlyintroduced a new Web page to engageNASA employees in an onlineAgencywide dialogue regarding NASA'sTransformation.

To access the site, visit http://www.insidenasa.nasa.gov and go to thecenter box titled NASA Transformation.Once there, users can read the latestnews regarding the Agency and postreactions to updated topics. ◆

Web dialogue onTransformationA

Diaz

Pastorek

Schmidt

Roe

Weiler

Figueroa

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Heart walk

Journey thank-you

Star gazing

Nearly 500 guests attended a thank-you luncheon on July 1 torecognize the contributions of employees, sponsors, and commu-nity members who helped make Journey to Tomorrow—Glenn'srecent open house and technology showcase—a success. The eventwas hosted at the Picnic Grounds by Center Director Dr. JulianEarls and External Program Director John Hairston, and facilitatedby Journey to Tomorrow Project Manager David DeFelice. Inaddition to a personalized certificate, each guest received a waterbottle carrier as a token of appreciation. Pictured is Greg Fedor(6700/ZIN) receiving a certificate from Director of Programs andProjects Dr. Arun Sehra.

Photo by Doreen B. Zudell

Glenn's Visitor Center (VC), in collaboration withSchuele Planetarium of the Lake Erie Nature & ScienceCenter and the Cuyahoga Astronomical Association,presented "Star Gazing" on June 19 from 10 a.m. to 11p.m. that evening. Guest speaker Jay Reynolds, SchuelePlanetarium director, hosted presentations thatappealed to all ages. Telescopes were set up outsidethe VC. About 850 visitors attended the daylong event.

Twenty team members from Team NASA participated inthe Cleveland American Heart Walk, held downtown atVoinovich Park on June 13. Team NASA raised $6,085.29,third best for the Team category. This 1- to 3-mile walkbenefit raised a total of $353,145, which will go towardsresearch and education for heart disease and stroke, thenumber 1 and number 3 killers in the Nation.

Photo courtesy of Jay Reynolds

Nearly 400 attendees from academia, industry, and governmentparticipated in the conference and workshop Strategic Researchto Enable NASA's Exploration Missions, held in Cleveland June 22and 23. The event, hosted by Glenn and the National Center forMicrogravity Research on Fluids and Combustion, focused on atransformation underway in NASA's Biological and PhysicalResearch Enterprise to support the "Vision for Space Exploration"and other future missions. Details of the event can be found athttp://www.ncmr.org/events/fluids2004/.

Spaceexploration

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Q: When will the Center be running the DualCareer Ladder process? We keep hearing thatit is "coming soon" but it never seems to arrive.

LESA MEETING: LESA/IFPTE, Local 28,will hold its next monthly membershipmeeting on Wednesday, August 11, atnoon in the Employee Center, room 101.

WILKINS' RETIREMENT PARTY: Aretirement luncheon will be held onFriday, August 27 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.at the Picnic Grounds. A luncheon ofvegetable and beef lasagna, bakedchicken, meatballs, antipasto salad, des-sert, and beverage will be served at noon.The cost of the luncheon is $19, whichincludes a donation for a gift. Ticketdeadline for the luncheon is close ofbusiness, August 16. For information,contact Mary Moore, 216–433–3039or Betsy Smith, 216–433–8793.

A. 6/15/04 The Dual Career Ladder (DCL) process provides a path to high-levelresponsibility based on the personal creativity and scientific contributions of ourscientists and engineers. The process is therefore of very high value to the Center, andit is important that it be conducted fairly and efficiently. I have received much inputregarding the fairness of the process and the amount of time and effort required of alllevels of the staff to implement the process. I have already decided to eliminate theChief Scientist's Candidate Evaluation Panel from the process. The chief scientist'sprimary role will now be to insure consistent implementation of DCL across thedirectorates. I have also asked our Chief Scientist Tony Strazisar to review the DCLprocess and to implement improvements to the process. Tony has just completed awhite paper I requested addressing the strengths and weaknesses of the currentprocess and recommending changes to the process. This white paper was developedwith input from the Directors Of for the former 2000, 5000, 6000, and 7000

directorates, from division chiefs andsome branch chiefs within the 5000 di-rectorate, and from Tony's personal ex-perience in all levels of the DCL processsince its institution. I will be meeting withTony before the end of June to review hisrecommendations. Tony will also meetwith the Directors Of to discuss sug-gested changes. He will then work withthe Office of Human Resources andWorkforce Planning to update the Cen-ter Level Procedure for the DCL processand will issue the call letter to begin theprocess. I anticipate that you can expectto see the call letter issued in July.*

*Some of the dates in the response to thisQ&A have been revised. As a result, em-ployees can expect to see the call letterissued in August. The above question waschosen by the Director as a sampling fromthe Ask the Director Web site. The entirecolumn from the Ask the Director Web sitecan be viewed under Corporate Focus onGlenn's internal homepage (WING).

AFGE MEETING: AFGE Local 2182 willhold its next monthly membershipmeeting on Wednesday, September 1,at 5 p.m. at Denny's Restaurant, 25912Lorain Road, North Olmsted. All membersare encouraged to attend.

SATURDAY VISITOR CENTER EVENT:Glenn's Visitor Center will present aNASA spinoffs event on Saturday, August21. The "Why on Earth Do We Spend TaxDollars in Space?" theme will showcaseNASA technologies and how the "NASAVision: to improve life here, to extend lifeto there, and to find life beyond"benefits everyday life here on Earth.Visitors will learn how Glenn has beenbehind some of the exciting successes

NASA's Associate Administrator forAeronautics Dr. J. Victor Lebacqz will be

the keynote speaker at the 2004 NASA HonorAwards Ceremony. The event will be held

on September 1 at 10:30 a.m. in the DEB Auditorium.

Honor Awards

in the scientific world and has wonnumerous R&D 100 awards. The VC isopen from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visitors canregister for the 11 a.m. or 1 p.m. pre-sentations by calling 216–433–9653.

SUMMER FIESTA: Back by populardemand, Glenn's Summer Fiesta 2004is scheduled for Friday, September 10, at5 p.m. at the Picnic Grounds. The eventwill feature Spanish cuisine, dancecontests, door prizes, and raffles. Thecost is $12 for adults and $6 for childrenages 4 to 11. For tickets, contact AnnaFalcon, 216–433–8993 or DannyRodriquez, 216–433–2778.

It's time for the Exchange Store'sAnnual Back to School Sale. Patronscan save 20 percent off all clothingfrom Monday, August 16 to Friday,August 20. NASA shirts and hatsmake great back to school apparel.

Exchange Corner

Continued on page 11

Well wishes for formerCenter DirectorC olleagues from NASA, industry, and academiagathered at OAI on June 18 to celebrate DonaldCampbell's 10 years of dedicated service to NASA.Campbell, who served as Glenn's Center Directorfrom 1994 to 2003, most recently headed NASA'sSpecial Projects Office for Nuclear Power Systems.He retired from NASA on April 4, 2004. Familyand friends were among the guests to presentspecial mementos and wish Campbell well.Pictures include (1) left to right, former ActingDeputy Director Gerald Barna, Associate DirectorRobert Fails (background), Campbell, and (wife)Helen Campbell, in a light moment. (2) Campbellwith NASA retirement plaque. (3) Center DirectorDr. Julian Earls (standing, right) adds hiscongratulatory comments as the guests applaud.

Photos by Marvin Smith

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"Of Ashes and Atoms" debut is a great success

Above, far right, Polaczynski is congratulated by, left, Arrighi, Dennis Brown(IDI) LTID, videographer; and Mike Blotzer, chief, Environmental ManagementOffice. Right, the audience at Sandusky State Theatre.

Jack Crooks, one of the reactor facility retir-ees interviewed for the 90-minute documen-tary, showered praise on the production crew."Very few times does one get to relive his orher youth. Many of us can do that throughthe video," Crooks said.

The documentary enabled both NASA em-ployees and Sandusky residents who had noinvolvement with the reactor to gain a senseof kinship as they learned about the experi-ences of the talented people who built andoperated it. "I had the privilege of workingwith a number of (Plum Brook employees)earlier in my career," explained SteveWiersma, Engineering Development Division."Although most of them did not work in thereactor area, they certainly shared the same"esprit de corps" as those who did. All spokefondly of their years there and itcertainly showed through lastnight. Thanks to the NASA his-tory folks the Plum Brook legacyhas been preserved."

Steve Garber, NASA Head-quarters History Office, ex-pressed similar sentiments

after attending the reactor retiree receptionand viewing the video. He extended con-gratulations for "'the first of its kind' feature-length, documentary film professionallyproduced under the auspices of the NASAHistory Program. The team did a tremen-dous job. I look forward to working with Jimand Kevin (Coleman, Glenn's HistoryOfficer) to release this video in our NASAHistory Series."

Editor's Note: a viewing of the documentary isplanned at Glenn with date to be determined.A pictorial history of the reactor by Dr. MarkBowles of History Enterprises, Inc., and BobArrighi, Glenn archivist, will be released soon.

wo years in the making, but well worththe wait! That was the consensus expressedin the applause of nearly 700 Erie Countyresidents and guests who viewed Of Ashesand Atoms: A Documentary on the NASAPlum Brook Station Reactor Facility. The videopremiered at the Sandusky State Theatre onJuly 14.

Producer and director Jim Polaczynski (IDI),Imaging Technology Center, and supportingstaff used fire as a unifying theme to connectthe past to the present at the facility's location—the Firelands. Footage dating back to 1941,including a farming community, TNT plant, andpersonal interviews, enabled the audience toexperience the unique history of this facility.

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Photos by Marvin Smith

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AUGUST 2004

Alternative fuels propelcleaner running vehicles

BY DOREEN B. ZUDELL

Alternative fuel is used in all diesel-poweredvehicles and other equipment such asgenerators.

G lenn has a strong reputation for itsresearch in reducing harmful emissionsin the Nation's aircraft engines. But righthere on Lab, the Center is committedto reducing emissions on its own fleetof vehicles.

Spurred by energy acts in the early 1990sand the Executive Order 13148, Green-ing of Government Through Leadershipand Environmental Management, in 1996that called for the government to set thepace and standards for using alternativefuels, Glenn began its efforts toward meet-ing these directives in fiscal year 1997.

"The Center entered into a partnershipwith East Ohio Gas, which included in-stalling a natural gas fueling station andconverting and acquiring vehicles thatcould run on natural gas," explainedVehicles Operations Officer Tim Debth,Logistics and Technical InformationDivision (LTID).

While natural gas usage in vehiclesincreased on Lab, the Center was alsoinvestigating other alternative fuel oppor-tunities. In January 2003, B20 Biodiesel(20 percent soy methyl and 80 percentlow-sulfur diesel fuel) was chosen for ve-hicle and facility use. Biodiesel is a cleanerburning fuel for diesel engines that isproduced from renewable resources suchas soybean oil. Glenn's 40-foot-longAeroSpace Environmental Traveling ExhibitBus, for example, operates on this fuel.

"Some of our delivery truck drivers,as well as other employees who workby our loading docks, complained aboutnauseating fumes from diesel engines,"said Fuel Specialist Todd Strawser, (IDI)LTID. "We tested various percentagesof soy fuel in a delivery truck and discov-ered that it worked as efficiently as

petroleum diesel fuel butwith a substantial decreasein emissions."

"With B20, no conversionof vehicles is necessary,"Strawser explained. "We now use it inall diesel-powered vehicles and facilityequipment such as electrical generators.While the recent cost of petroleum dieselfuel has been increasing, the cost of bio-diesel has been decreasing because ofincreased production."

LTID established a third alternative fuelprogram in September 2003 by convert-ing an unleaded gasoline storage tankand installing a fuel dispenser for newE85 fuel. E85 is a mixture of 85 per-cent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.Ethanol is a domestic, high-octane,renewable fuel produced by fermenta-tion of plant sugars.

The Center now has four onsite fuel dis-pensers, which dispense compressed natu-ral gas, unleaded gasoline, E85, and B20.

Glenn is taking yet another step towardeconomic use of alternative fuels. A leas-ing agreement with the General ServicesAdministration (GSA) will enable the Cen-ter to upgrade its current vehicle fleet andmeet mandated alternative fuel vehicleacquisition requirements. Currently, 75percent of all new vehicle acquisitionsmust be an alternative fuel vehicle.

When the lease agreement with GSA iscomplete, about half of the Center's fleetof 160 vehicles, ranging from sedans andtrucks to golf carts and snow plows, willrun on alternative fuels.

"In the beginning it was hard to imaginemeeting the government's requirements,partly because the fuels were not readilyavailable," Debth said. "But thanks to

n August 8, NASA will transition to theDepartment of the Interior's FederalPersonnel/Payroll System (FPPS) as a partof the ePayroll project. All civil serviceemployees will be affected by the change.To prepare for this transition, the ePayrollteam presented several employee brief-ings, published a series of articles inToday@Glenn, and created a brochure toexplain the upcoming changes. To ac-cess these documents at the IFMP Website at http://cfo.grc.nasa.gov/ifm/,select the ePayroll menu option. Articlesand other information can be found un-der the Documents option.

Additionally, an ePayroll Open Housewill be held on August 31, for employeesto discuss questions or issues regardingthe first leave and earnings statementfrom the FPPS. Time and location will beposted on the IFMP Web site. ◆

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Photo by Doreen B. Zudell

New payrollsystem online

Pictured are Todd Strawser, left, and TimDebth by the onsite fuel dispensers.

determination and creativity, along withthe support of our employees who haveaccepted the changes, we're exceedingour goals."

To continue setting the pace for usage ofalternative fuels, Glenn is looking at othersources, even hydrogen, which Strawsersays is "abundant, efficient, clean, andnatural." Electric-powered vehicles arealso being investigated. ◆

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Summer learning

he recent ColumbiaAccident InvestigationBoard's report hasspurred a renewedcommitment to ensure

the soundest approach for sustaining a high level of engineering and safety excellenceacross the Agency. At Glenn, Center Director Dr. Julian Earls has appointed Jose Vegato lead this effort as the new chief engineer.

Vega began his career in industry, where he served as district engineer for thePuerto Rico Power Authority. Since coming to the Center 21 years ago, he has helda variety of management positions in the Engineering and Technical ServicesDirectorate and the Office of Safety and Engineering Management. Prior to hisselection as chief engineer in January, Vega was deputy director of the Engineeringand Technical Services Directorate.

While Vega considers himself a "hands-on" manager who works alongside his staffin the field, he realizes that his new position requires more time spent in high-levelstrategic planning. "My wife and I have always told our three sons to stretch beyondyour comfort zone to broaden your intellect and expertise," Vega said. "I took myown advice when I accepted this new position."

Some of Vega's issues of interest and new tasks include the following:

• Defining how Glenn will implement the Agency's Independent Technical AuthorityInitiative, which will allow for an independent, objective process to help resolveconflicts that may arise between engineering and project management, (i.e., technicalversus programmatic).

• Defining a more engineering-friendly dual-career ladder process. The processcurrently in place is designed primarily to recognize scientists. Very few engineershave had similar career opportunities, unless their work seeped into research areas.Vega hopes to work with Chief Scientist Anthony Strazisar on developing this area.

• Defining core competencies relative to engineering disciplines and applications.

As chief engineer, Vega is committed to elevating technical excellence while expand-ing opportunities for Glenn's engineering community. ◆

Chief engineer will promoteengineering excellenceBY S. JENISE VERIS

Vega draws oninspiration provided bysouvenirs, photos, andart (in background)created by his three sonsto remind him to stretchhis own talents.

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ASA offers students and educatorsunique and unparalleled opportunitiesfor research and educational growth.This summer, Glenn's EducationalPrograms Office and Office ofUniversity Programs provide highschool and college students as well aseducators opportunities to experienceNASA's technology firsthand. Hereare some impressive numbers for the2004 season:

Office of Educational ProgramsLewis' Educational and ResearchCollaborative Internship Program(LERCIP)❑ College level: 176 college studentsand 2 high school teachers❑ SHARP (Summer High SchoolApprentice Research Program):39 students❑ NASA Plus: 25 students❑ NASA Engineering TechnologyProgram: 11 students❑ NASA Explorer School Workshops:30 teachers

Some of the areas of interest in whichthe students are pursuing on Labinclude business administration,computer science, chemistry, mechan-ical engineering, ceramics, andmaterials and structures.

Office of University ProgramsNASA Faculty Fellowship Program(NFFP)❑ 27 faculty❑ 3 students❑ 15 institutions represented

Undergraduate Student ResearchProgram (USRP)❑ 26 participants❑ 21 institutions represented

Some areas of research on Lab for theNFFP and USRP include metal bondingto carbon/carbon composites, lifeprediction of turbine components;nonmaterial, nanolubricants for tri-bology, fuel reforming for solidoxide fuel; silicon-carbide sensors;and parametric analysis of gasturbine cycles. ◆

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Photo by S. Jenise Veris

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Solar sails could ride inteplanetary winds

and deployed longitudinally (horizontally)to form a big "X". Once the booms getcold, they become rigid and no longerrequire inflation gas.

• A dynamics test with sail deployed toevaluate the thin, reflective structure thatis propelled through space by sunlight,just as the wind pushes sailboats onEarth. The sails are made of very thin(2-micron-thick) Mylar material, withspecial coatings to maximize heat rejec-tion to space. Mylar is commonly used inthe electronics industry and consequentlyis readily available and affordable.

• A strength test to determine whetherthe booms will maintain their form in thehostile environment of space was per-formed. Tension cables were attached toeach boom to apply push and pull stresses,simulating the load that is expected afterdeployment and exposure to the forcesof the Sun (solar flux).

Earlier this year, a prototype 1-meter-sizedsolar sail developed by a team offeringan alternative design, represented by

SRS Technologies (Huntsville, AL), com-pleted solar thermal vacuum testing inVacuum Facility 6 at Lewis Field. WayneWong, research engineer in the Ther-mal Energy Conversion Branch, led theeffort that provided characterization dataon space-qualified sail material exposedto spacelike conditions, including expo-sure to solar energy levels 4 timeshigher than that at low Earth orbit.

ISP is managed by NASA's Office ofSpace Science at Headquarters andimplemented by NASA Marshall. Theprogram is also supported by NASA'sAmes, Glenn, Jet Propulsion Laboratory,Johnson, and Langley field centers.

"I am enthusiastic that Glenn's supportto the ISP Program continues to grow,which now includes several Glenntechnologies and facilities, as well as ouranalysis and engineering capabilities,"said Sandy Reehorst, chief of the Sci-ence Projects Office at Glenn. ◆

Solar sail technology, which needs no propellant,is a possible alternative to conventional propulsionsystems for interplanetary flight.

BY S. JENISE VERIS

Pictured above is a 1-meter SRS solar sailmodel deployed andtested in the Tank 6Vacuum Chamber atLewis Field. Left, is thelarger 10-meterL'Garde solar sailmodel that was testedin the Space PowerFacility at Glenn'sPlum Brook Station.

t was smooth sailing for the solar sailsystem design that recently endured amonth-long series of tests in Glenn'sSpace Power Facility (SPF) at Plum BrookStation to validate structural performance.Solar sail technology, which needs nopropellant, is a possible alternative toconventional propulsion systems for in-terplanetary flight.

A model by L'Garde, Inc. (Tustin, CA) isone of two solar sail technology designscurrently funded under NASA's In-SpacePropulsion (ISP) Program. The goal of theISP program is to develop advanced pro-pulsion technologies for use beyond Earthorbit that reduce trip times, spacecraftmass, and costs associated with NASAscience missions to the outer planets, andother solar system destinations.

"Test hardware buildup began approxi-mately 3 months prior to testing the 10-meter subscale model of L'Garde's striped-net sail and inflatable boom solar sailsystem," explained Jerry Carek, SPF man-ager. "Special gravity offloading structuresand a custom-designed liquid nitrogensystem were used to support the boomsduring deployment and chill them tospacelike temperatures. A 20-metermodel will come in for testing next spring."

A team of engineers from L'Garde, Glenn,and NASA Langley conducted the seriesof tests on strength, stiffness, shape, anddynamic behavior of the solar sail systemto advance the technology readiness level(TRL) toward a 6. Achieving TRL 6 re-quires testing in a "relevant environment"like the SPF, the world's largest spaceenvironment simulation chamber.

The series consisted of three tests:

• A solar sail boom deployment test,where the vacuum level was rampeddown to simulate space. When the solarsail is unfolded, four booms are inflated

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Photo by Jerry Carek

Photo by Wayne Wong

The Northeast Ohio Technology Coalition (NorTech), in conjunction with JumpStart,Inc., and their sponsors presented a 2004 NorTech Innovation Award to Glenn for thedevelopment of a technology that brings works of art back to life. Originally developedto simulate the low-Earth orbital space environment, this technology has made itpossible to etch as well as alter the surface chemistry and texture of many materials withatomic oxygen, a low-energy beam of oxygen atoms. Bruce Banks, chief, Electro-Physics Branch, and Sharon Miller, senior research engineer in the Electro-PhysicsBranch, codeveloped a technique that applies this technology to success-fully restore fire-damaged and defaced paintings that were previously consideredbeyond repair.

The Glenn chapter of the Business and Professional Women's (BPW) organizationawarded its 2004 scholarships to the following Center employees who are currently

AeroSpace Frontiers is an official publication ofGlenn Research Center, National Aeronauticsand Space Administration. It is published thefirst Friday of each month by the Communityand Media Relations Office in the interest ofthe Glenn workforce, retirees, Governmentofficials, business leaders, and the generalpublic. Its circulation is approximately 6700.

Editor..................................Doreen B. Zudell InDyne, Inc.

Assistant Editor.......................S. Jenise Veris InDyne, Inc.

Managing Editor......................Lori J. Rachul

DEADLINES: News items and briefannouncements for publication in theSeptember issue must be received by noon,August 13. The deadline for the Octoberissue is noon, September 9. Submitcontr ibut ions to the editor via e-mail,

doreen.zudell@grc.nasa.gov, fax216–433–8143, phone 216–433–5317 or 216–433–2888,or MS 3–11. Ideas for newsstories are welcome but willbe published as space allows.View us online at http://A e r o S p a c e F r o n t i e r s .grc.nasa.gov.

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Promotions

Brooks Conley

Dr. Zeller

Franks

Miller

Banks Dr. Dutta

Dr. Damodar Ambur was selected chief of the Structure and Acoustics Division. Amburjoins the rank of Senior Executive Service as a strong collaborator in the strategicdevelopment of both people and organizations across technology areas and programs.Ambur previously served at Langley for 17 years, where he progressed through theranks developing a solid technical and management background. These qualificationswill help him effectively execute research and technology development activitiessupporting Glenn's Aeronautics and Space Directorates, as well as the projectsmanaged by program offices at other NASA centers and Headquarters.

Dr. Mary Zeller has been selected chief of the Instrumentation and Controls Division,through the Competitive Placement Process. Zeller formerly served as programmanager for the Glennan Microsystems Initiative and associate project manager forNanotechnology Projects. Since joining Glenn in 1988, she has demonstrated solidtechnical, management, and leadership skills applied to developing and mentoringa culturally and technically diverse workforce. She also has vast experience workingwith academic, industrial, and government partners.

Awards & Honors

enrolled in an accredited program orcourse of study: Josephine Franks, sec-retary with the Aeropropulsion ResearchProgram Office, received $400 towardsa degree in business management fromthe Cuyahoga Community College;Chrystal Brooks, an InDyne word pro-cessor II supporting the Project Man-agement and Quality Assurance Branch,received $400 towards a businessdegree from Lorain County Commu-nity College; and Michelle Conley, aheavy truck driver supporting ware-housing of hold storage, Plum BrookOperations Support Group, received$200 towards a degree in industrialelectronics at Terra Community Col-lege in Fremont. To learn more aboutBPW, visit http:/www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/Clubs/NASA BPW/.

Dr. Sunil Dutta, Office of the Director,was one of three Northeast Ohioanshonored with a "Keeping the DreamAlive" award presented by the OhioCivil Rights Commission. Dutta wasrecognized for his efforts on behalfof Cleveland's Asian Indian communityand as program manager of Glenn'sHistorically Black Colleges and OtherMinority Universities Research Programas well as for Small and DisadvantagedBusinesses. ◆

Franks

11

JULY 2004

lenn's AeroSpace Frontiers newsletter has earned an Award for Publication Excellence(APEX) for a third year in a row. Editor Doreen Zudell and Assistant Editor S. Jenise

Veris, (IDI) Community and Media RelationsOffice, with graphic artist Jim Lucic, (IDI)Logistics and Technical InformationDivision, earned a 2004 APEX. The winningfour-page spread , titled "Powering Flight,Powering Dreams," looked back on Glenn'ssuccessful year-long commitment torecognizing the 100th anniversary ofpowered flight.

The editors of Writing That Works, TheBusiness Communications Report, sponsorthe contest. APEX awards are based onexcellence in graphic design, editorialcontent, and the ability to achieve overallcommunications excellence in print andelectronic media. ◆

AeroSpace Frontiers earnsaward of excellenceG

a closer look at our colleaguesDavid Cotton

Job Assignment: Mechanical engineer technician and preapprentice traininginstructor in the Prototype Development Branchof the Engineering Development Division.

Time at NASA: I've worked here for 16 years.

Favorite quote: Matthew 6:33 "Keep on, then,seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness,and all these (other) things will be added to you."

Dream job: To own a parts and repair autoservice center and to get paid to play golf.

Philosophy to live by: Become the best at whatyou like and you will be rewarded for it.

Vacation fantasy: Australia for the wonderfulpeople, great food, and shopping.

Stress buster: Activities are good stress relievers: golf, bowling, bike riding,walking, swimming—anything that shifts your mind's focus.

Favorite Web site: CottonGolf.com is a Web site I started to promote and marketa patent invention of mine. My products are golf ball and club head washers,which can be carried anywhere on the golf course or practice range by meansof a golf towel. I am currently working on other golf-related items and apparel.

Savings Bond DriveThe Annual Savings Bond Drive Kickoffwill be held on August 13 at 1:30 p.m. inthe Ad Building Auditorium. Join hostDennis Pehotsky in welcoming a celebrityguest speaker and a chance to win 1 of50 door prizes.

:

HISPANIC HERITAGE OBSERVANCE:The Hispanic Advisory Council will hostthe Center's Hispanic Heritage MonthObservance Celebration 2004 with thetheme "Hispanic Americans: Making aDifference in our Communities and ourNations." The event will be heldWednesday, September 22, from 9:30to 11:30 a.m. The location to bedetermined. Jose C. Feliciano, aprosecutor in the City of Cleveland, willbe the keynote speaker.

Thank you to our many friends who sup-ported us with kind words at the recentpassing of Gary's mother.

—Gary and Pat Halford

Warren Moore, 68, who retired in 1993after 31 years of Federal service, recentlydied. Moore served as a mechanicalengineering technician in the TestInstallation Division.

Continued from page 5

Leonard Cobbs,Educational Prog-rams Office, retiredon July 31, 2004,with 25 years ofNASA service.

George Neiner,Aeropropuls ionProjects Office,retired on July 2, 2004, with 40 years ofNASA service.

Cobbs

12

Volume 6 Issue 8 August 2004

AeroSpace Frontiersis recyclable!

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

John H. Glenn Research CenterLewis Field21000 Brookpark RoadCleveland, Ohio 44135

lear objectives and goals, strong lead-ership, competent teams, and respectfulcommunication among all the organiza-tions involved topped the list of elementsthat make for a successful program,according to a panel of distinguishedCenter alumni who gathered at Glennon June 10.

The panelists, who possess significantexperience in managing large programsand organizations, were participating in aworkshop sponsored by Glenn's Officeof Strategic Management. The event waspart of an effort by the Office ofExploration Systems (Code T) to capturesignificant lessons learned from NASAspace flight activity.

Panelists Ronald Thomas, former programmanager, Space Station Work PackageFour; Richard Gedney, former projectmanager, Advanced CommunicationsTechnology Satellite; John Gibb, formerproject manager, Expendable LaunchVehicles; and Edwin Muckley, formerhead, Mission Integration Office, ad-dressed a series of questions relating to

Retirees share “lessonslearned”on programs

the lessons learned ef-fort. Vern Weyers,former director, SpaceFlight Systems at Glennand director, Flight Pro-jects at NASA Goddard,provided written re-sponses to the questions.

Office of Strategic Management Direc-tor Randall Furnas, facilitated theworkshop, which included a series ofquestions such as "What did you findmost successful in past programs?""What one thing would you do differ-ently if you could do it over again?""How can NASA improve its cost andschedule estimates for large programs?"

"We were fortunate to have these fourretirees, who have a wealth of knowl-edge about setting up and runningmajor projects and programs, partici-pate in this activity," Furnas said. "Weas an Agency have not established aconsistent method for preserving suchknowledge. Historically, we wouldlikely assign junior people to work with

senior people and hope that some of theknowledge rubs off before the seniorpeople retire. This workshop was an at-tempt at a more systematic collecting ofsome of that valuable knowledge so thatit can be shared with many leaders-to-beacross the Agency."

Editor's note: The June 10 workshop wascut short by an electrical power failurehalfway through the session. A continua-tion of the workshop was held on July 21.Both events were videotaped and areavailable by contacting Dr. Dan Gloverat 216–433–2847. ◆

BY DOREEN B. ZUDELL

C

Pictured, left to right, are panelists Muckley,Gibb, Thomas, and Gedney, who candidlyshared their experiences as program andproject managers.

Photo by Marvin Smith C-2004-811

What makes a successful program?Center alumni share their insight.