new oasis spring 05...NASA Administrator Michael Griffin (left) takes the oath of office April 14. Celebrating 30 years of Space Shuttle Main Engine testing at Stennis Space Center

John C. Stennis Space Center

www.nasa.gov/centers/stennis SPRING 2005

Inside:

New NASA Administrator

Rolls-Royce to locatetesting facility at SSC

A S I SA S I SO C E A N A I R S P A C E I N D U S T R Y S I T E

Explore.Discover.Understand.

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 4

30 years of Space ShuttleMain Engine testing atStennis Space Center

PAGE 2 OASIS SPRING 2005

Next month, on June 24, Stennis Space Center(SSC) will celebrate the 30th anniversary of SpaceShuttle Main Engine (SSME) “hot fire” testing insouth Mississippi. That initial test signaled thebeginning of an era for propulsion testing amongthe Stennis family. Since that historic day, theStennis family has conducted more than 2,100tests on SSMEs, including the ones that will helppropel Space Shuttle Discovery into orbit when theOrbiter once again returns to flight.

Over the course of the three decades that fol-lowed, many changes have been introduced to therocket propulsion testing here – and to SSC.

In this issue of OASIS, you will find much moreinformation on the history and transformation of theSpace Shuttle Main Engines that roared to life atSSC in 1975.

However, when that first hot fire occurred, ourcenter, known then as the National SpaceTechnology Laboratories (NSTL), was a far cryfrom the federal and commercial city we havetoday. In fact, it was less than a year after thatengine test that a flag-raising ceremony markedthe official move of the Naval OceanographicProgram to NSTL. This move ushered in achange that would eventually make SSC a cen-ter of excellence in naval oceanography and amodel of government efficiency.

There is a culture, character and technical skill setthat flourishes at SSC, and it doesn’t just reside in

one organization – it’s synergy attained by agen-cies working with, and benefiting from, each other.NASA, along with 40 resident agencies and 60technology-based companies, share the commoncosts of owning and operating the facility, making itmore cost effective for each agency to accomplishits independent mission.

With this effective cost-sharing philosophy and ourreputation for state-of-the-art test facilities, highlytrained, professional work force and our commit-ment to safety and customer satisfaction, SSC iswell poised to continue to grow and prosper. Thecommitment by Rolls-Royce and Ionatron to relo-cate to SSC are two prime examples of thisgrowth.

We can learn from the past while looking to thefuture. Just as the SSME has evolved into a safer,more reliable engine, SSC also continues toevolve. I am certain the future for NASA and theStennis family continues to be bright, and I lookforward to another 30 years of rocket propulsiontesting and growth for our city.

As summer time and vacations approach, pleasebe safe in all your activities, here on site and athome. Wear sunscreen when needed, don't drinkand drive, and be extra careful with boats andwatersports. Each one of you is much too preciousto your family, friends, co-workers and SSC to beinjured at work or at play.

From the

irector’s esk

STENNIS SPACECENTER DIRECTOR

Adm. Thomas Q.Donaldson V

USN (Ret.)

On the coverThe cover art depicts an early SpaceShuttle Main Engine test (top photo) atNASA’s Stennis Space Center (SSC), andthe 1 millionth second of Space ShuttleMain Engine testing (bottom photo) atSSC in January 2004. For 30 years, SSChas tested and proven flight-worthy all ofthe Space Shuttle’s Main Engines.

D

Celebrating 30 years of Space Shuttle Main Engine testing at Stennis Space Center

Griffin takes helm as NASA Administrator

Michael Griffin is returning to NASA as the agency’s 11thAdministrator. He reported to work at NASA Headquarters inWashington on April 14, the same day the Expedition 11 crewlaunched to the International Space Station.

“I have great confidence in the team that will carry outour nation’s exciting, outward-focused, destination-orientedprogram,” said Griffin. “I share with the agency a great senseof privilege that we have been given the wonderful opportuni-ty to extend humanity’s reach throughout the solar system.”

Administrator Griffin, who served as NASA’s ChiefEngineer earlier in his career, takes the helm of the agency asit’s charting a new course. The Space Shuttle fleet is poised toReturn to Flight, the first step in fulfilling the Vision for SpaceExploration – a bold plan to return humans to the Moon,journey to Mars and beyond.

In his first address to NASA employees, Griffin said hewould focus immediately on Return to Flight efforts, andnoted that the agency has much on its plate right now. “It’sgoing to be difficult, it’s going to be hectic, but we will do ittogether,” he said.

He also told employees that he saw “nothing but cheers”in the public reaction to the Vision for Space Exploration.“People want a space program that goes somewhere and doessomething,” he said.

Griffin was nominated by President George W. Bush onMarch 14, and confirmed by the United States Senate onApril 13. At his confirmation hearing on April 12, he madeclear that the “strategic vision for the U.S. manned space pro-gram is of exploration beyond low Earth orbit.”

In his statement to the committee, Griffin said, “It is adaring move at any time for a national leader to call for thebold exploration of unknown worlds, a major effort at thevery limit of the technical state of the art,” adding later, “inthe 21st century and beyond, for America to continue to bepreeminent among nations, it is necessary for us also to be thepreeminent spacefaring nation.”

A holder of five master’s degrees and a Ph.D., Griffin alsomade clear that, despite limited resources, “NASA can domore than one thing at a time.”

“My conclusion is that we as a nation can clearly affordwell-executed, vigorous programs in both robotic and humanspace exploration as well as in aeronautics. We know this. Wedid it,” he said, referring back to NASA’s accomplishmentsduring the Apollo era.

He closed his statement with a call for exploration: “Ibelieve that, if money is to be spent on space, there is littledoubt that the huge majority of Americans would prefer tospend it on an exciting, outward-focused, destination-orientedprogram. And that is what the President’s Vision for SpaceExploration is about.”

SPRING 2005 OASIS PAGE 3

NASA Administrator Michael Griffin (left) takes the oath of office April 14.


Experience:Space Department Head, Johns Hopkins

University Applied Physics LaboratoryPresident and CEO, In-Q-Tel, Inc.CEO of Magellan Systems, Inc. Chief engineer and associate administrator for

exploration at NASA Headquarters, also worked atNASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Deputy for Technology, Strategic DefenseInitiative Organization

Education:Bachelor’s degree in physics,

Johns Hopkins UniversityMaster’s degree in aerospace science,

Catholic University of AmericaPh.D. in aerospace engineering,

University of Maryland Master’s degree in electrical engineering,

University of Southern CaliforniaMaster’s degree in applied physics,

Johns Hopkins UniversityMaster’s degree in business administration,

Loyola CollegeMaster’s degree in civil engineering,

The George Washington University

Integrated Powerhead Demonstrator enginesuccessfully tested at SSC

An engine developed to demonstrate advanced rock-et technologies for future launch vehicles was successful-ly ignited April 28 during its test firing at NASA’s StennisSpace Center (SSC).

The initial tests on the engine, known as theIntegrated Powerhead Demonstrator (IPD), were con-ducted at SSC’s E-1 test stand. The purpose of the testseries was to demonstrate the feasibility and benefits ofthe full-flow, staged combustion rocket engine cycle, andto demonstrate advanced engine component technolo-gies.

The demonstrator engine test lasted 4.9 seconds.This was the third of 22 planned static ground tests ofthe engine.

The IPD project is the first of three phases of theDepartment of Defense’s Integrated High Payoff RocketPropulsion Technology Program, aimed at demonstrat-ing technologies that double the capability of state-of-the-art cryogenic booster engines. The project’s goal is todevelop a full-flow, hydrogen-fueled, stage combustionrocket engine.

This phase onedemonstrator engineuses dual preburnersthat provide oxygen-rich and hydrogen-rich staged combus-tion, expected tokeep engine compo-nents cooler duringflight.

While attainingthe desired objectivesfor the IntegratedHigh Payoff RocketPropulsionTechnology Program,the IPD engine testsalso will demonstratecomponent technolo-gies applicable to thegoals of NASA’s

Exploration Systems Mission Directorate.

NASA’s Exploration Systems Mission Directorate inWashington and the Department of Defense’s IntegratedHigh Payoff Rocket Propulsion Technology Program arejointly developing the IPD. The project is being managedby the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory at EdwardsAir Force Base in California in cooperation with NASA’sMarshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Ala.

The demonstrator engine is a research and develop-ment activity intended to deliver advanced propulsiontechnologies. The engine’s unique component technolo-gies have been produced by industry partners, Aerojetand Rocketdyne. The technologies developed will benefitmany Department of Defense space-access programs, aswell as NASA’s goal to power future missions to theMoon and beyond – cornerstones of the Vision forSpace Exploration, which seeks to expand human androbotic exploration of the Solar System.

MSFC is partnering with the Department ofDefense to provide technical and programmatic sup-port for the IPD. SSC is responsible for providingtest services.



A 'plume' of fire lights up the night during the test at Stennis Space Center's E-1 Test Stand as the Integrated PowerheadDemonstrator engine is successfully fired April 28.



Stennis Space Center chosen as locationfor NASA Shared Services Center

NASA announced May 9that Computer SciencesCorporation (CSC) of Falls Church,Va., was selected as the prime contractor forthe NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC), and itwill be located at Stennis Space Center (SSC), in southMississippi.

The total value of the contract, including all options,is approximately $230 million over the 10-year perform-ance period.

The NSSC will bring 450 jobs to SSC with an aver-age salary of $50,000. It will be a consolidation of activi-ties being performed acrossNASA in the areas of humanresources, procurement, financialmanagement and informationtechnology operations. NASAexpects significant annual savingsfrom consolidating services, oncethe NSSC transition is complet-ed. It is due to be operational inOctober 2005.

“We look forward to establishing a world-classorganization to provide the kind of timely, efficient andeffective support so important to NASA operations,”said NSSC Executive Director Richard Arbuthnot. “Welook forward to working with CSC and the Stennis com-munity to get the NSSC up and running.”

Selection was based on a competitive process. TheState of Mississippi passed a bond appropriation totaling$23.7 million to provide the building for the NSSC.

Lockheed Martin supported CSC’s proposal by offeringinterim facilities at SSC while the new building is con-structed.

The State of Louisiana assisted in this effort througha $1 million training supportpackage. More than 27 percentof SSC employees live inLouisiana.

“Naturally, we arepleased that NASA StennisSpace Center was chosen asthe site for NASA’s SharedServices Center,” said NASA

SSC Director Adm. Thomas Q. Donaldson V, USN (Ret.).

“This decision is a reflection of the outstanding con-tractor team of CSC and Lockheed Martin that initiallyselected and proposed Stennis to be the site for theNSSC. The hard work and commitments by the states ofMississippi and Louisiana, as well as by our NASA-con-tractor work force, are evident in this selection.”

For more information about the NSSC on theInternet, visit: http://nssc.nasa.gov/

“The hard work and commitmentsby the states of Mississippi and

Louisiana, as well as by ourNASA-contractor workforce, are

evident in this selection.”

– NASA SSC Director Adm. Thomas Q. Donaldson V, USN (Ret.)

Artist’s rendering of thecompleted NSSC


SSC marks 30 years of Space


Thirty years ago there were no Internet, laptopcomputers or CDs; Gerald Ford was president;“The Mary Tyler Moore Show” was on TV; and“Jaws” was at the movies.

But in south Mississippi, NASA engineers weretesting a new reusable rocket engine, built to powerthe world's first reusable spacecraft – America’sSpace Shuttle.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of testingthe Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSMEs) atNASA’s Stennis Space Center (SSC), which willcommemorate the milestone event on June 24.

Since the first test on May 19, 1975, theNASA-contractor team at SSC has conducted morethan 2,200 tests on SSMEs, including the ones thatwill help propel Space Shuttle Discovery on STS-114, NASA’s Return to Flight mission.

A total of 10 tests were conducted in the firsttwo months to help establish fuel preburner, oxy-gen preburner and main combustion chamber igni-tion. Three years later, test teams at SSC were firingthe Main Propulsion Test Article: the three-enginecluster that helps propel the Space Shuttle intoorbit. On Jan. 21, 2004, SSC celebrated 1 millionseconds of successful SSME engine firings, both intesting and flight operations. This milestone is atestament to the employees and to the engine itself, which

has never experienced a major anomaly.“The unmatched reliability and durability of the

SSME serves as an enormous credit to theNASA-contractor teams that have manufac-tured and tested the engine for threedecades,” said Ronnie Rigney, SSME ProjectManager at SSC. “They’ve done an extraor-dinary job.”

There have been 113 missions since thefirst Space Shuttle took flight fromKennedy Space Center (KSC) on April 12,1981, all powered by SSMEs tested at SSC.

The engines are tested on the A-1 and A-2 Test Stands which were built in the 1960sto test the first and second stages of theApollo Saturn V rocket that safely trans-ported Americans to the Moon. The standswere converted from the Apollo/Saturn Vconfiguration to accommodate SSMEs.

“The SSME is a unique engine, and 30

Onlookers take in an early static test-firing of a Space Shuttle Main Engine at NASA’s Stennis SpaSpace Technology Laboratories.

Members of the NASA-contractor team at NASA’s Stennis Space Center view an early Space ShuttleMain Engine test from the Test Control Center.


e Shuttle Main Engine testing


years of testing the engine atStennis is highly unique,also,” said Dave Geiger, TheBoeing Co.’s site manager atSSC. “We have learned a lotabout how to not onlyimprove the engine, but alsothe test facilities and capabili-ties.”

During testing at SSC, theengines are mounted ver-tically on the 185-foot-tallstands for test-firing.Instruments are added,and then the engines arehot-fire tested for dura-tions as long as 520 sec-onds (about 8-and-a-halfminutes), the amount oftime it takes to lift theSpace Shuttle into space.

Each SSME is 14 feetlong, weighs about 7,000pounds and is 7-and-a-half feet in diameter atthe end of the nozzle.

The engine operates at greater temperature extremesthan any other mechanical system in use today. It isfueled by liquid hydrogen – at -423 degrees Fahrenheit,the second-coldest liquid on Earth.

When it is combusted with liquid hydrogen, the tem-perature in the Main Combustion Chamber of the SSMEis 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit, hotter than the boiling pointof iron. The three SSMEs on a Space Shuttle produce theequivalent of more than 37 million horsepower; if theypumped water instead of fuel, they could drain an average-sized swimming pool in 25 seconds.

The Rocketdyne Propulsion and Power unit of TheBoeing Co. in Canoga Park, Calif., manufactures theSSME. Pratt and Whitney, a United TechnologiesCompany of West Palm Beach, Fla., builds the high-pres-sure turbo pumps. Marshall Space Flight Center inHuntsville, Ala., manages the Space Shuttle Main EngineProject for the Space Shuttle Program.

The engines are assembled at KSC in Florida and

shipped to SSC for testing. After passing flight acceptancetests, they are weighed and subjected to a formal accept-ance review, then shipped back to KSC for installation ona Space Shuttle Orbiter. The result is a safe, strong, reliableengine, thoroughly tested at SSC for the last 30 years, andready to return the Space Shuttle to flight.

“What’s amazing is that 30 years of knowledge hasbeen passed on without a gap in important information,”said Miguel Rodriguez, SSC Propulsion Test Director.“Most processes suffer through a knowledge gap over this

many years. Because this program has been continuouslymaintained, others have had the opportunity to learn frompeople like Pat Mooney or Al Lenz of the SSME testworld, carrying on the 30 years of knowledge developedover the entire period. Indeed, a very unique situation.”

After a Shuttle mission, the engines receive post-flightinspections and maintenance at KSC, and then may beshipped back to SSC for a pre-flight acceptance test priorto use on another mission.

The Space Shuttle’s Return to Flight begins the jour-ney to finish construction of the International SpaceStation, return to the Moon and go on to explore Marsand the solar system. Discoveries from these explorationswill continue to advance scientific knowledge as well aslead to the development of new, everyday technologies.

ace Center, then called the National

An early Space Shuttle Main Engine is hoisted into the A-2 Test Stand at NASA”sStennis Space Center before undergoing a test-firing.

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Inspiringthe nextgeneration . . .

as only NASA can

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SSC hosts studentsfor JASON project

More than 350 fourth- through eighth-graders from Louisiana, Alabama andMississippi participated in the JASON

Project's 2004-05 expedition, ‘DisappearingWetlands’ at SSC. They conducted field lab

experiments and watched live broadcastsfrom JASON Expedition Louisiana research

sites.

Astronaut Fincke visitsSpace Station exhibitNASA Astronaut Mike Fincke visits 'SpaceStation Imagination' with students fromResurrection Catholic School in Pascagoulaon Jan. 25. The students were atStenniSphere, the visitor center at NASA'sStennis Space Center, to hear Fincke talkabout his six-month stay aboard theInternational Space Station last year.

From left, Orange Grove Elementary School studentsAmanda Stone, Mya Hyman and Nailah Bell makesolar clocks while visiting NASA’s Stennis SpaceCenter for Sun-Earth Day. Sun-Earth Day is an annu-al celebration of the Sun and its connection to theEarth. Students participated in hands-on activitiesand learned about the importance of the Sun toancient cultures.

Model T club paysa visit to SSCHervey Purcell of Ocean

Springs (pictured) and fellowmembers of the Magnolia Model

T Ford Club, along with mem-bers of the Model T Ford Club ofAmerica, toured SSC as part of

their recent driving tour of theGulf Coast.

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Students celebrate Sun’simportance at annual event

BeginningMemorial Day weekend,StenniSphere, the visitor center atNASA’s Stennis Space Center, will beopen daily until 5 p.m. Guests can seethe new Return to Flight exhibit, and tourAmerica’s largest rocket test complex.Tours begin at 10 a.m. from the LaunchPad, located at the Hancock County(Miss.) Welcome Center, Interstate 10,Exit 2. Visitors 18 years and older mustpresent a valid photo ID. Admission isfree. For more information, call (800)237-1821 or visit www.nasa.gov/cen-ters/stennis/ home/index.html andclick on the StenniSphere logo.


Rolls Royce bringing jet engine testing facility to SSC

Rolls-Royce announced Feb. 15 that it had selectedNASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center (SSC) for relocationof its large-engines outdoor test facility from the UnitedKingdom.

The facility will be used to test devel-opment and prototype engines for per-formance, noise and other factors.

Rolls-Royce will spend $42 million onconstruction and facility upgrades as wellas use existing infrastructure at the H-1test facility at SSC.

“We are pleased that Rolls-Royce haschosen our region to perform this work,”said Mississippi Sen. Trent Lott. “The peo-ple of Mississippi and Rolls-Royce haveenjoyed a close relationship for some timeand this relocation only enhances thatpartnership.”

Work involving the company’s two lat-est, high-thrust Trent engine programs will

take place at SSC in 2007 when the Trent 900, which pow-ers the Airbus A380, and the Trent 1000, being developedfor the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, both undergo noise meas-urement testing.

Rolls-Royce will spend $42 million on construction and facility upgrades as well asuse existing infrastructure at the H-1 test facility (pictured) at SSC.

At right, SSC employees Allan Forsman ofMississippi Space Services and M.J. Miller of theNaval Research Laboratory worked with Pearl RiverCentral and Picayune Memorial High School stu-dents to fine tune their robot at the FIRST RoboticsLone Star Regional competition. Other SSC mentorsat the event included NASA engineers Bo Clarke,James Cluff, Christine Powell and Scott Olive.

Three Mississippi teams competed in the event. Thecombined team of Pearl River and Picayune made itto the quarterfinals. Gulfport High School won threeteam awards and made it to the semifinal round.Warren Central High School from Vicksburg won twoawards, including the runner-up medal.

Gulfport and Provine High School from Jackson rep-resented Mississippi at national competition.

SSC also helped four teams from Louisiana that com-peted in the FIRST regional in Duluth, Ga.: the NewOrleans Center for Science and Mathematics, MarionAbramson High School, O. Perry Walker High Schooland John F. Kennedy High School. Teams fromAbramson High School and the New Orleans Center forScience and Math were seeded high enough at the endof preliminary rounds to continue to the quarterfinal andsemifinal rounds, respectively.


SSC volunteers help local teams succeed in FIRST Robotics competitions


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AROUNDAROUND

O C E A N A I R S P A C E I N D U S T R Y S I T E

ERC, Incorporated, receives George M. Low AwardNASA presented ERC, Incorporated, the 2004 George M. LowAward in the small business service category. ERC was cited for its“outstanding contribution to the advancement of excellence in ournation’s space program.”

The George M. Low Award demonstrates NASA’scommitment to promote excellence and continualimprovement by challenging the NASA-contractorcommunity to be a global benchmark of qualitymanagement practices.

The George M. Low Awards were presented byActing Administrator Fred Gregory at NASA’s 19thannual Continual Improvement and ReinventionConference in Alexandria, Va., on March 1-2. Theconference is attended by senior managers andengineers from government and industry. It pro-vides a forum for NASA and its contractor partnersto exchange ideas, success stories and lessonslearned, providing the opportunity for participants

to apply quality management practices in their own organizations.The George M. Low trophy (pictured) contains a medallion alloyedwith material flown to the Moon and back on Apollo 11 in 1969, thefirst human lunar landing mission.

ERC, Incorporated, is a privately-held small business providinghigh technology services and products to NASA, the Army and theAir Force. ERC was founded by Dr. Susan Wu in 1988, and hasprovided services to NASA for more than 15 years. In addition tocorporate headquarters in Huntsville, Ala., ERC conducts businessat NASA’s Stennis Space Center (SSC) and other locations acrossthe nation. For more information, visit www.erc-incorporated.com.

Boeing employees receive engineering awardsThe Boeing Co.’s Christina P. Zeringue and David McConnell werehonored with Outstanding Engineering Achievement Merit Awardsat the San Fernando Valley Engineers’ Council’s 50th AnniversaryHonors & Awards Banquet held recently.

Zeringue, a test articleengineer, was recognizedfor her efforts supporting

SQL-RAMS and received the achievement award for her “signifi-cant contributions in bringing the SQL-based paperless planningsystem online at Stennis Space Center.”McConnell, who works in facility controls, was cited for his “out-standing contributions in building the SSC Facility Control Systemand leading the way in meeting future testing requirements.”

Ferrario now directs EnvironmentalChemistry Lab at SSC

Joe Ferrario took over the reignsas the new Director of the U.S. EPA’sEnvironmental Chemistry Laboratory (ECL)at SSC in October 2004. Ferrario, an inter-nationally recognized scientist in the areaof dioxin analytical chemistry, has beenwith the ECL since April 1988. His areas ofspecialization are dioxin analyses, traceorganic analysis, environmental chemistry,

high and low resolution gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy(gc/ms).

Ferrario is responsible for managing and providing analytical sup-port for all dioxin/furan/PCB-related projects, including the EPA'sDioxin Reassessment and Dioxin Exposure Initiative. His workfocuses on the development of analytical methods for the ultra-trace analyses of environmental contaminants at sub part-per-tril-lion levels. The ECL provides analytical support to the Office ofPesticide Programs and is part of EPA’s efforts in support ofHomeland Security, and has provided analytical support to bothOSHA and the Department of the Army at the World Trade Centerand the Pentagon following the disaster of Sept. 11, 2001.

Senator Lott’s staffers see SSC’s diverse capabilities

Jim Sartucci, legislative director for Sen. Trent Lott, and other Lottstaffers, visited SSC on March 30. The group toured sites for thenew Rolls-Royce testing facility and the new Stennis TechnologyPark; participated in an ocean coastal observation strategy meetingwith NASA, Navy, NOAA, and university representatives at SSC;and toured SSC’s B-1 Test Stand, which could support testingpropulsion systems for future space vehicles.

PAGE 11

UR WORLDUR WORLD

O C E A N A I R S P A C E I N D U S T R Y S I T E

Naval Research Laboratory measures record hurricane waveThe largest wave ever recorded in the Gulf of Mexico was meas-ured as Hurricane Ivan passed over a Naval Research Laboratory

(NRL) instrument array.

The 91-foot wave was measured withinstruments placed on the continentalshelf for the Slope to Shelf Energeticsand Exchange Dynamics (SEED) fieldexperiment. The instrument array, con-

sisting of six current profiler mooringswith wave/tide gauges, was deployed at

water depths ranging from 60 to 90 metersjust west of the DeSoto Canyon, about 100 miles

south of Gulfport. Some time between 8 p.m. and midnight onSept. 15, 2004, the eye of Ivan passed through the center of thearray and directly over four of the six instruments.

Bill Teague, a physical oceanographer in NRL’s Ocean SciencesBranch, said that most instruments in the ocean do not even sur-vive near misses of such powerful storms, much less direct hits.

“The moorings provided the best ocean measurements of currentsand waves ever obtained directly under a major hurricane,” saidTeague.

During the approach of Ivan, a moored buoy deployed by theNational Data Buoy Center (NDBC) near the west side of theSEED array, registered a significant wave height of 53 ft. Accordingto NDBC, this height appears to be the largest ever reported byNDBC from a hurricane and comes within a few tenths of a meterof NDBC's all-time record reported in the North Pacific. The buoybroke loose and was set adrift at 5 p.m. Sept. 15, just prior to thearrival of the main force of the hurricane.

At array mooring number 3, located under the most intense winds,the maximum measured wave height of 91 feet (higher than aneight-story building) was part of a group of large waves where sev-eral waves reached heights of about 66 feet.

“These waves recorded by the SEED gauges are by far the largestwaves ever directly measured,” said David Wang, also anoceanographer at NRL.However, Teague said that waves of this magnitude would nevermake it to the shorelines along the Gulf of Mexico. Large waves indeep water tend to break, lose energy, and become smaller as theyenter shallower water approaching the coast, if they even make itthat far.

NAVOCEANO surveyors assist relief effort in HaitiNAVOCEANOrecently par-ticipated in ahumanitarianand civicassistancemission inSouthAmerica andthe Caribbeansponsored bythe U.S.SouthernCommandcalled NewHorizons. Thegroup was tasked to conduct a beach clearance survey in Haiti, fol-lowing many changes resulting from the active 2004 hurricane sea-son, particularly Hurricane Jeanne in September 2004.

The group was interested in identifying hazards to navigation in theGulf of Gonaïves area and ensuring navigation clearance for therelief effort. The channel needed to be surveyed before U.S. Navyrelief ships could proceed to unload 1,200 tons of supplies, equip-ment and 50 Seabees on land.

Securing the safety of navigation was the duty of NAVOCEANO'sIan Fergusson, Skip Derry, Wally Stout and LCDR Chris Sterbis.Within seven days aboard Venturous, a U.S. Coast Guard cutter,the team used sidescan sonar, GPS and a single-beamechosounder to successfully create the field charts they wererequested to provide.

Different from other charts, field charts are produced and distrib-uted for special circumstances. In this case, it was the drasticchanges in the Haitian coastline because of the 2004 hurricanes.The charts identified obstructions in and around the channel andapproaches to Gonaïves.

In early February, due to the expertise of the NAVOCEANO teamand the cooperation of the Venturous crew, the USS SAIPAN suc-cessfully unloaded its supplies, and the SeaBees disembarked tobegin rebuilding schools, drilling wells and providing other muchneeded assistance.

For more information about NAVOCEANO, visithttps://www.navo.navy.mil.

National Aeronautics andSpace Administration

PRESORTED STANDARDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDNEW ORLEANS LAPERMIT NO. 2877

Testing at SSC paved the way for first Space Shuttle flight

Testing of the Shuttle's Main Propulsion Test Article (MPTA) on Stennis Space Center’s B Test Stand was critical before the launchof the first Space Shuttle in 1981. The MPTA consisted of a simulated Orbiter structure, aft propulsion compartment and a cluster ofthree Space Shuttle Main Engines.


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at John C. Stennis Space Center.

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new oasis spring 05...NASA Administrator Michael Griffin (left) takes the oath of office April 14. Celebrating 30 years of Space Shuttle Main Engine testing at Stennis Space Center