FEBRUARY 2003

E

CENTENNIAL OF FLIGHT ............ 7Glenn's Centennial of FlightCommittee unveils plans

AHAC SPOTLIGHT ....................... 9Committee shares new agenda

O'KEEFE: A CLOSER LOOK ......... 11Administrator participates inBehind the Badge column

ATC serves as safety and mission assurance resourceBY DOREEN ZUDELL

7000 Directorate realigns

Volume 5 Issue 2 February 2003

Continued on page 6

stablished in May 2002, the NASAAssurance Technology Center (ATC) isworking to provide an integratedresource that aids the Agency in creating,documenting, and fostering a uniformapproach to developing and maintain-ing safety and mission assurance(SMA) expertise.

"We have many experts working in SMAdisciplines throughout the NASA centers,but they don't always have time to sharetheir knowledge with one another,"explained ATC Deputy Program Man-ager Kerry Remp. "Our goal at the ATCis to establish ongoing relationships withthese experts, document their knowledge,

and serve as a central clearinghouse ofinformation for the Agency."

The ATC assists the Office of Safety andMission Assurance (OSMA) in themanagement of NASA SMA activities infour broad areas: education and careermanagement, data collection and infor-mation management (including SMAdatabases), mishap investigation, andresearch and development.

Training and education is a major focusfor ATC at this time. "When someonecomes to us looking for a specific type oftraining in our disciplines, we search acrossthe Agency to see if it is available," Rempsaid. "Our customers can obtain informa-tion by contacting us face to face, by

telephone, or by referring to ourWeb site, http://atc.nasa.gov, whichhas information concerning trainingcourses and symposiums being offeredthroughout the year."

With OAI (Ohio Aerospace Institute)as its prime contractor and OAI'sfacility as the principal operating loca-tion, the ATC currently has a staffof seven employees from four othercompanies who assist in carrying outthe ATC mission.

Employees to receivehigh honor

Continued on page 10

eputy Director Dr. Julian Earls hasbeen selected to receive the 2002Black Engineer of the Year award inthe category of Career Achievementin Government.

D

BY DOREEN ZUDELL

Photo by Marvin Smith

ike any successful business, Glenn'sEngineering and Technical ServicesDirectorate (E&TSD)/7000 knows the

importance of meeting its customers'needs. The recent realignment is testi-mony of the Directorate's commitmentto quality services.

"Our realignment is notthe goal; it's a stop alongthe way," explainedE&TSD Director RandallFurnas. "We are pursu-ing the ultimate organi-zation, and changing the

Pictured, left to right,Robert Thomas and DebraDeAngelo, BusinessSystems Office, discussE&TSD's new structure withDirector Randall Furnas.

L

Continued on page 3

C-2003-119

NASA instrument captures early Antarctic ice shelf melting

An international research team using data from NASA's SeaWinds instrument aboardthe Quick Scatterometer spacecraft has detected the earliest yet recorded pre-summermelting event in a section of Antarctica's Larsen Ice Shelf. Since 1995, this huge, nearly200-meter (656-foot)-thick plate of glacier-fed floating ice has shrunk by nearly 10percent, losing more than 2 trillion tons of ice. Using QuikScat images the scientistshave determined the melting was triggered by a mid-latitude cyclone that deliveredwarm air to the region. Scatterometers operate by transmitting high-frequency micro-wave pulses to Earth's surface and measuring the "backscattered," or echoed, radarpulses bounced back to the satellite. They can effectively and quickly detect thedifference between melting and dry surfaces, which may prove to be an important newtool in our capability to monitor climate change impacts on the Antarctic ice cover ona daily basis.

Mulville retires ssociate DeputyAdministrator Dr.Daniel R. Mulvilleleaves after morethan 16 years ofservice as one of themost senior advisorsto AdministratorSean O'Keefe.

Mulville was responsible for planning,directing, and managing the dailyoperations and transformation activitiesof the Agency.

Prior to his assignment as associate deputyadministrator, Mulville served as NASA'schief engineer from 1995 to 1999.As Deputy Director of the Materialsand Structures Division from 1986 to1990, he managed the AdvancedComposite Technology Program, theSpace Exploration Initiative, and HighSpeed Civil Transport. He also directedthe Agency's participation in the jointNASA/FAA Aging Aircraft Program. �

Dr. Mulville

NASA tests environmentally friendly rocket fuel

Two years of collaboration betweenStanford University and Ames have ledto the development of a nontoxic, easilyhandled fuel made from a substancesimilar to what is used in common candles.The new paraffin-based fuel could even-tually be used in space shuttle boosterrockets. It is less expensive, nontoxic,and nonhazardous. The byproducts ofcombustion of the new fuel are carbondioxide and water, unlike conventionalrocket fuel that produces aluminum ox-

ide and acidic gases such as hydrogen chloride. The main goal of this NASA testprogram is to determine if the promising results of earlier bench-top experimentsconducted at Stanford will scale up to the combustion chamber conditions required forspace launch operational systems. Images and more information are available on theInternet at http://amesnews.arc.nasa.gov/releases/2003/03images/paraffin.

Milky Way monster stars in cosmic reality show

The longest x-ray look yet at the supermassive black hole at the Milky Way's center hasgiven astronomers unprecedented access to its life and times. New data from NASA'sChandra X-ray Observatory reveals that our galaxy's central black hole, Sagittarius A*or Sgr A*, is a frequent bad actor, prone to numerous outbursts and occasional largeexplosions. Scientists theorize that massive black holes such as Sgr A* are found at thecenter of active galaxies. Considered power-houses of incredible sources of energy andradiation—especially x-rays—they drive theexplosive activity of the galaxy. Observationsrecently conducted over a 2-week period—164hours—revealed that Sgr A* flared up in x-rayintensity several times, which suggests it hadan even more boisterous past. These discover-ies will help unlock the secrets of how Sgr A*grows and interacts with its environment.The Marshall Center manages the Chandraprogram. Images and additional informationare available at http://chandra.harvard.edu andhttp://chandra.nasa.gov. �

Photo courtesy of NASA Ames

A

Photo courtesy of NASA/CXC/MIT/F.K.Baganoff

NASA/SCE–TVoffers unique series

ASA and South Carolina EducationalTelevision (SCE–TV) are joining forces tovideostream three educational televisionseries to classrooms in South Carolinaand across the country.

Developed by NASA's Langley Officeof Education, the shows "NASA ScienceFiles" and "NASA Connect" enhanceand enrich the learning of mathematics,science, and technology for studentsfrom grades 3 through 12. Approximately18,000 South Carolina educators,representing about one-half millionstudents, are registered users of theprograms.

A third show, "NASA's DestinationTomorrow," is designed for educators,parents, and lifelong learners. Previouslyunavailable on the Internet, theaward-winning programs will now beaccessible Nationwide via SCE–TV'sK–12 educational portal. �

N

2

FEBRUARY 2003

n January 16, STS–107/Columbia began a research mis-sion that included seven Glenn science experiments. Theexperiments ranged from determining how fire changes inmicrogravity to understanding the mechanisms of sootformation during combustion, to measuring the viscousbehavior of xenon (a heavy inert gas used in flash lamps andion rocket engines) to measurement of vibrations 1 milliontimes weaker than Earth's gravity.

The international crew of seven, including the first Israeliastronaut, worked 24 hours a day in two alternating shiftsto conduct outstanding peer-reviewed and commercial research to advanceknowledge in medicine, fundamental biology, fluid physics, materials research,and combustion.

Glenn was responsible for Combustion Module-2 (CM–2), which housed experimentsthat examine health and safety issues that affect life on Earth and in space byinvestigating three main areas: pollution control, fuel efficiency, and fire suppression.CM–2 comprised three individual experiments that address these areas: Laminar SootProcesses, Structure of Flame Balls at Low Lewis-number, and the Water Mist Fire-Suppression Experiment, respectively.

Glenn also managed Critical Viscosity of Xenon-2 (CVX–2), which studied thefundamental properties of xenon at its critical point, and an array of accelerationmeasurement instruments used to accurately report any disturbances to the spaceshuttle environment, which is close to no acceleration (or zero-g).

This mission carried the first flight of the SPACEHAB Research Double Module,which houses the lab space where the flight crew worked. This mission served as aprelude to long-duration investigations planned for the International Space Station.

More information about Glenn's involvement in STS–107 is available online athttp://microgravity.grc.nasa.gov/sts-107. �

Local microgravity research on STS–107

A small group at NASA Headquartersserves as an Agency steering committeeand guides the activity of the ATC. ActingDeputy Associate Administrator of theOffice of Safety and Mission AssuranceJim Lloyd currently serves as the steeringcommittee's chairman.

Lloyd relates, "SMA staffs around theAgency are facing everyday challengesin fulfilling their assurance roles. Webelieve that the ATC can help our SMAstaffs successfully meet these challenges.The ATC has been formed to assist eachSMA constituent to more effectivelyaddress Agency needs in the most rigorousbut resource-efficient manner possible."

In addition to the initial efforts to identifythe various sources of SMA training,ATC is consolidating the Agency's largecollection of SMA policies. From thiscollection they will establish a degree ofcommonality that should lead to moreefficient and focused SMA processes.Pursuing this work under a concept of'one NASA' will better enable the SMAcommunity's role of assuring missionsafety and success activity. �

Continued from page 1

ATC aids safety and mission

O

Hickman

Hickman takesHQ assignment

K aren Hickman,former liaison of-ficer, Office of theDirector at Glenn,joins the Headquar-ters staff as execu-tive officer to JamesJennings, deputyassociate adminis-trator for Institutions

and Asset Management. She will beresponsible for helping plan andintegrate activities related to personneland institutional management.

Hickman leaves Glenn after 8 years ofservice where she was principally respon-sible for communicating complex techni-cal information to House and Senatecongressional offices as well as local andstate legislators. She also helped to fosterlocal, state, and regional partnerships.Some of her more notable leadershipresponsibilities included programmanager for the Centennial of FlightCommittee, implementation of the Cleve-land Federal Community Leadership Insti-tute, and key coordinator for Glenn'sRenaming and 60th Anniversary events. �

he January 11 launch of NASA's Cos-mic Hot Interstellar Plasma Spectrometer(CHIPS) will enable a new study on thegases and dust in space, which are be-lieved to be the basic building blocks ofstars and planets. The mission will focuson a region in space called the LocalBubble, which is about 300 light-years indiameter. The 131-pound, suitcase-sizedsatellite will orbit the Earth at about 350miles (590 kilometers) altitude and isexpected to operate for 1 year. CHIPS isthe first NASA University-Class Explorer(UNEX) mission geared to train youngscientists and engineers on a real flightmission. For more information aboutCHIPS, visit http://chips.ssl.berkeley.edu,http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/topstory/2002/1217chips.html, and http://icesat.gsfc.nasa.gov/intro.html. �

CHIPS ready towork on the BubbleT

3

4

Cleveland's East Tech High School Scarabian Knights got anextra boost of inspiration at the FIRST (For the Inspirationand Recognition of Science and Technology) roboticscompetition 2003 kickoff event on January 4. The 1999East Tech team (pictured below) was inducted into theFIRST Hall of Fame, which is reserved for those teams thathave won FIRST's most coveted prize, the NationalChairman's Award. This award recognizes a team's suc-cessful partnerships with corporate sponsors, professional-ism, outreach into the school and community, and sports-manship. This year, East Tech will be one of 10 local highschools competing in a field of 59 teams at the FIRSTBuckeye Regional cosponsored by Glenn on March 6 to 8at Cleveland State University's Convocation Center. Volun-teers are needed for this event. Contact Debi Daugherty(OAI), 440–962–3006, if you are able to volunteer. Youcan also support the schools by coming down to thecompetition to cheer them on. Bring the family. Admissionis free!

Glenn's Office of Equal Opportunity (EO) ProgramsChief Robert Romero (center), joined by membersof the EO staff, graciously accepted the NationalTechnical Association (NTA) Silver Corporate Techni-cal Image award on behalf of the Center's EO Officeduring the January 6 Director's Leadership Teammeeting. NTA's national president, Frank Robinson(0510), and Dr. Dexter Johnson (5930), treasurer,presented the award in recognition of Glenn's highlevel of support for the NTA mission and programsas well as sponsorship of the 74th National Conference.The award was originally announced at the 74th NTANational Conference held last fall in Las Vegas.Pictured, left to right, are David Namkoong, DionneHampton, Dexter Johnson, Robert Romero, ReneeBatts, Deborah Cotleur, and Frank Robinson.

FIRST Hall of Fame

NTA honors EO

We're onlineSpread the word—AeroSpace Frontiersnewsletter is online! You can view ourmonthly publications via the Internet athttp://AeroSpaceFrontiers.grc.nasa.gov.Special thanks to the Logistics andTechnical Information Division, especiallyKelly Shankland (IDI), who designedthe site, and the Systems InformationDivision for their assistance in thisendeavor. We hope you enjoy readingabout Glenn online.

MLK recognition breakfastGlenn's Office of Equal Oppor-tunity (EO) Programs hosted itsannual Martin Luther King, Jr.,Equality Recognition ceremonyon January 16. The event recog-nized the EO advisory groupmembers and employees whohave supported Glenn's EO out-reach over the past year. Rev.Valentino Lassiter, assistantprofessor in the Department ofReligious Studies at John CarrollUniversity, was the keynotespeaker. Lassiter reflected on

Dr. King's mission and his dream of equal opportunity for everyone. The ceremonywas augmented by displays and a video of Glenn managers sharing their views ofKing's impact on strides made towards equal opportunity and diversity in theworkplace. Center Director Donald Campbell, left, is pictured thanking Lassiter forhis words of inspiration.

Photo by Marvin Smith

Photo by Marvin Smith

C-2003-120

C-2003-100

Photo by S. Jenise Veris

FEBRUARY 2003

Sparking future engineers

T

5

LESA MEETING: LESA/IFPTE, Local 28,will hold its next monthly membershipmeeting on Wednesday, February 12, atnoon in the Employee Center, rm. 101.

WOMEN RETIREES LUNCHEON: Thenext luncheon for Glenn (Lewis)female retirees is Thursday, February 13,noon, at the Olive Garden (on BagleyRoad, near Engle) in MiddleburgHeights. For further information, contactMalvina Hay, 440–331–1737.

SOVIE RETIREMENT RECEPTION:R. Joseph (Joe) Sovie retired January 3,2003. A retirement reception in Joe'shonor will be held Wednesday, February26, from 4 to 7 p.m. in Glenn's VisitorCenter. Tickets are $14 per person.Reservations are due by February 19.Contact Barbara Coles, 216–433–6147.

AFGE MEETING: AFGE Local 2182 willhold its monthly membership meeting at4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 5, atthe Clifton American Legion Post onBrookpark Rd. and W. 220th St. Allmembers are encouraged to attend.

WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH: Glennwill welcome Mayor Jane Campbell as

the guest speaker for the Women's His-tory Month program on Thursday, March6, 1 to 3 p.m. in the Ad. Bldg. Auditorium.The theme is "Women Pioneering theFuture." Living vignettes of Amelia Earhart(1897–1937), aviatrix, and EdmoniaLewis (1843–?), the first successful Afri-can-American sculptor, will be performedby the Women's History Troupe. TheGlenn Federal Women's Program awardswill also be presented. Refreshments willbe available.

DISTINGUISHED PUBLICATION:Nominations for the 2002 Glenn Distin-guished Publication Award may besubmitted through division offices byMarch 12. Directorates will collectthe packages and submit them (as onepackage) to the Chief Scientist MarvinGoldstein by 4:30 p.m., Friday, April 25.A Today@Glenn bulletin will beposted outlining the selection process.For further information, contactShirley.D.Frye@nasa.gov.

BPW SCHOLARSHIP: The NASA GlennBusiness and Professional Women's(BPW) organization will again offer ascholarship to civil servant or contractorwomen to continue career advancement

hroughout history, engineers have played a major role in shaping the way we live andwork, and this month serves to highlight their contributions and the importanceof maintaining a tradition of excellence in the field. National Engineers Week (N.E.W.),celebrated February 16 to 22, is intended to increase student interest in technology,science, and mathematics by sharing exciting and realistic engineering-relatedactivities that highlight those subjects in classroom presentations across the country.

Our Center's Office of Educational Programs (OEP) has worked diligently to provideGlenn engineers and local area engineers with the training and resources they needto go into classrooms with the goal of exciting and inspiring young minds. They havebeen especially effective in targeting students from kindergarten through 12th grade.The annual N.E.W. Speaker Workshop provides age-appropriate, hands-on activitiesto enhance their school presentations. Veteran Glenn speakers volunteer to share

their experiences and offer key pointsfor school presentations.

Glenn also teams with the Cleveland AreaN.E.W. Committee in sharing resourcesand enthusiasm. A highlight of thecollaboration is the annual N.E.W.banquet, which encourages Glenn staffand engineers to join peers in the localcommunity to honor technical talentthrough various awards. Supporting thisyear's theme, Turning Ideas Into Reality,Glenn's Wright Brothers' performers willshare some of their stories leading upto this Nation's first flight.

Through the commitment of ourengineers, our Center has touched over40,000 students throughout the past5 years. I encourage employees tocontinue their involvement in thisworthy initiative. By involving students inour work and creating opportunities forthem to learn, we are inspiring a newgeneration of engineers. �

studies. In addition, there are many otherBPW state and national scholarshipsavailable with deadlines beginningApril 1. For more information, contactJudy Budd, 216–433–5580.

NASA COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP: TheNASA College Scholarship Fund, Inc.,was established to award scholarships toqualified dependents of NASA and formerNASA employees Agencywide. Sixscholarships will be awarded in theamount of $2,000 each for the 2003–2004 school year. The renewable schol-arship is for a maximum of $8,000 over6 calendar years. Applicants must bepursuing a course of study in the scienceor engineering field that will lead toa recognized undergraduate degree atan accredited college or university inthe United States. For additional inform-ation, application, and deadlines, visith t t p : / / j s c p e o p l e . j s c . n a s a . g o v /nasascholarship.htm, or contactMarie Borowski, 216–433–5582.

Harvest ForHunger

March 1 to 31

Continued on page 10

6

E&TSD works to meet its customers' needsContinued from page 1

way we're structured will get us to thenext level."

This recent realignment results fromrecommendations from a diverse, cross-functional team known as the Goal StateTeam (1999 to 2000). While many of thoserecommendations were directly adopted,others required changes in the organiza-tional structure before implementation.

"Directorate management was workingwith an organization pulled togetherfrom two separate directorates in themid 1990s—the Engineering Directorateand the Technical Services Directorate,"Furnas said. "The result wasn't idealand the customers' needs weren'talways being met in an efficient andeffective manner."

To better meet customers needs, theDirectorate senior managementreassessed the E&TSD structure, prac-tices, and processes based on thefollowing key drivers:

� Flexibility and agility to respond to rapidly changing requirements� Best deployment of limited civil servants� Optimal customer satisfaction� Strengthening employee career opportunities� Significant progress toward the model workplace� Best position for full-cost environment

This resulted in the creation of fivedivisions—Information Systems, Facilities,Research Testing, Engineering Develop-ment, and Systems Engineering—whichwere constructed around the corefunctions of the Directorate. Threedivision-level offices—Business Systems,Plum Brook Management, and AircraftOperations—were also formed.

E&TSD instituted the Business SystemsOffice (BSO) to ensure a directorate-wide approach to business management,and consistent division goals and prac-tices. Ensuring a flexible structure to meet

the ever-changing needs of E&TSD's cus-tomers was also key in creating the BSO.

In addition, the E&TSD management teamagreed that creating a more unified, "one-stop shopping" environment for itsresearch customers would best supportthe Center's R&D mission. This led to thecreation of the Research Testing Divisionfrom the previous Test Installations andFacilities and Test Engineering divisions.

"I am proud of E&TSD's employees,both civil servant and support service

7000/Engineering and Technical Services Directorate: Assure safe, cost-effective and reliable engineering, testing, and information technologysystems to accomplish Glenn's R&D mission—Director Randall Furnas, DeputyDirector Jose Vega

7010/Business Systems Office: Envision, design, and implement processesand tools to deliver optimized management and programmatic support toE&TSD management and staff—Chief Robert Thomas

7030/Plum Brook Management Office: Assure safe, cost-effective, respon-sive, and reliable performance of research testing at Plum Brook Station—Chief Robert Kozar

7040/Aircraft Operations Office: Assure safe, cost-effective, responsive, andreliable performance of research flight activities—Chief William Rieke

7100/Information Systems Division: Assure innovative, cost-effective Infor-mation Technology (IT) hardware and software systems, tools, technologiesand solutions supporting research, engineering, and administrative informa-tion requirements—Chief Sasi Pillay

7300/Facilities Division: Assure safe, cost-effective, and reliable perfor-mance and utilization of the Glenn facilities and physical assets—ChiefDallas Lauderdale

7600/Research Testing Division: Assure safe, cost-effective, responsive andreliable performance, and utilization of research laboratories and researchtesting—Chief Jeffrey Haas

7700/Engineering Development Division: Assure advanced and maturingengineering, technologies, and prototyping capabilities—Chief John Taylor

7800/Systems Engineering Division: Assure mature and integrated systemsengineering and analysis services, practices, and procedures—Acting ChiefRandall Furnas

contractors, and our excellent manage-ment team," Furnas affirmed. "We workedhard and accomplished the realignmentfrom concept to completion in just 1year's time. Our dedication in makingimportant decisions that were best forthe directorate is very inspiring to me—and to our customers."

For more information about E&TSD, visittheir Web site at http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/ETSD/index.htm. �

E&TSD Structure and Mission

FEBRUARY 2003

lenn's Centennial of Flight Committee unveiled its plans for the year-long celebra-tion to a packed audience of employees in the Administration Building Auditoriumon January 15. Committee members shared key activities and areas of responsibilitypertaining to 100th anniversary of flight celebrations throughout the country.At the event, committee members also introduced support team leads and encouraged

employee involvement for coordinationand staffing.

The Centennial of Flight Commission isoverseeing and coordinating the nationalcelebrations, which are collectively entitled"Centennial of Flight: Born of Dreams–Inspired by Freedom." Glenn will celebratethe Centennial of Flight by showcasingthe Center's contributions to poweredflight from the past, in the present, andinto the future.

"Glenn's role in this Agency initiative is anespecially strong one given our Center'sgeographic location and Ohio's role in thehistory of flight," said Program ManagerKaren Hickman, Office of the Director."Over the past 2 years, we've assembled adiverse team of employees throughoutthe Center to assist the Agency in puttingon an outstanding show of events."

7

Centennial kickoffG

Glenn's Community Exhibits ManagementTeam has developed plans and conceptualdesigns for NASA exhibits to support theAgency's presence at national shows.The exhibits incorporate artifacts, modelsand demonstrations, multimedia components,video programming, and publications.Employee participation in staffing exhibitsand conducting demonstrations at the eventsis vital. Contact David DeFelice.

Exhibits

Key Events

http://centennial.grc.nasa.gov

A Web-based timeline database, http://timeline.grc.nasa.gov, highlights Glenn's contributions to air andspace flight by recreating the Center's history. Thetimeline allows visitors to explore the Center's historyand learn about accomplishments in the areas ofresearch and technology, including powered flight.Contact Susan Hennie and Bonnie Smith.

Timeline and WebGlenn will take the lead role in the Centennial ofFlight event, "Inventing Flight—The CentennialCelebration," July 3 to 20 in Dayton, OH. Thisexciting event will be held at Deeds Point, an acrepark overlooking the City of Dayton's downtownlandscape at the Great Miami River. The event willrequire the participation of many employees.Contact Theresa Benyo.

Inventing Flight

http://wright.nasa.gov

Glenn will participate in many educational events andactivities in recognition of the centennial celebration. Activitieswill not only highlight the Wright Brothers but also the useof their invention process by NASA scientists in currentresearch programs. An informative and interactive activity-packed Web site, http://wright.nasa.gov, entitled "Re-LivingThe Wright Way" awaits students and adults alike.Contact Carol Galica.

Education

Glenn is taking part in several majorevents throughout the centennial year.From galas to airshows, each event offersa history lesson as well as a good time.

Inventing FlightJuly 3 to 20

WPAFB Air Power 2003May 10 to 11

Festival of FlightMay 16 to 26

AIAA/ICAS International Air & SpaceSymposium and ExpositionJuly 14 to 17

Dayton Air ShowJuly 17 to 20

Rockefeller Centennial of Flight ExpoJuly 28 to August 17

EAA's Airventure 2003July 29 to August 4

Cleveland National Air ShowAugust 30 to September 1

L.A. County Fair and Shore FestSeptember 6 to October 6

First Flight CentennialDecember 13 to 17

Photo by Marvin SmithC-2003-123

BY S. JENISE VERIS

Sharing the pursuit of excellence

8

A s one of the most active members ofGlenn's Speakers Bureau, BryanPalaszewski, Combustion Branch, isadept in communicating NASA's missionand vision and relating the "wided-eye"wonders of technological development.However, at a recent speaking engage-ment he gained insight himself into theIsmaili Muslim community and theircommon pursuit of educational excel-lence as a means to effect change.

Palaszewski spoke on the topic "TheFuture is Yours" for the ExcellenceAwards ceremony in Chicago sponsoredby the Aga Khan Development Net-work (AKDN). The network promoteseducational excellence and careerguidance for a multitude of Muslim-American students.

"It was exhilarating to witness the doz-ens of awards presented to students forimprovement, not just for the highestgrade or achievement," Palaszewskisaid. "I observed some interestingaspects of their training but more impor-tantly their commitment to providingmentors to students literally from aprenatal state until they graduate."

By request, Palaszewski's presentationincluded the representation of womenand ethnic minorities at NASA, futuristicendeavors, and the importance of sacri-fice and teamwork to achieve seeminglyimpossible goals. It included materialon Mae Jemison, the first African-Ameri-can female astronaut and entrepreneur,and other women in NASA; Glenn R&Tprojects; future projects such as "Cradlesof Humanity (or space colonies forhuman preservation in case of planetarydisasters)," Europa exploration missions,and the Hubble Space Telescope; andexamples of how teams are critical tomaking complex projects a reality.

Patricia Statwick of NASA's IllinoisCommercialization Center (a regionalaffiliate of Cleveland's Great Lakes In-dustrial Technology Center) was amongthe 500 attendees at the ceremony.Statwick referred Palaszewski for theevent after having served as a presenter

at a business summit attended by AKDNmembers earlier in the year.

"The awards ceremony was almost like apep rally with cheers of affirmation givento the speakers and award winners—frompreschoolers to business leaders—throughout the 3-hour event," Statwicksaid. "Bryan's delivery of his presentationmatched the level of enthusiasm andfulfilled their desire to have 'a rocketscientist' who could inspire and encour-age the students to reach for the stars." �

Bryan Palaszewski, right, and Hussien Din,the AKDN speaker coordinator.

Glenn aids calibration researchBY S. JENISE VERIS

Photos Jim Scheiman

Drs. David Snyder, left, and James Woodyardseal the weather balloon with duct tape.

A more affordable option for year-round calibration of solar cells looms on the hori-zon thanks to the ingenuity of Wayne State University (Michigan) professor Dr. JamesWoodyard and a Glenn grant. Initiated in 1999, the grant has enabled Woodyard todesign, develop, and construct a low-cost calibration system using a weather balloon.

The balloon system, dubbed Suntracker, includes a 6-by 8-foot latex balloon, hardware,and electronics that will accommodate a 5-pound payload. To date, it has reachedheights up to nearly 100,000 feet and distances as far as 186 miles, tracked via a globalpositioning satellite (GPS) receiver and radio transmitter. Data from the transmitter isretrieved by Glenn engineers using the amateur radio band.

"How accurate we can be is yet to be determined," explained Dr. David Snyder,Photovoltaic and Space Environment Effects Branch, who is technical monitor for thegrant. "So far, the system clearly shows a relationship between sunlight intensity andatmospheric conditions. But we're working towards higher resolution."

Woodyard, with a team of students and Glenn engineers including Snyder and PhilJenkins and David Scheiman (OAI) from Photovoltaic and Space Environment EffectsBranch, have conducted flight demonstrations at a farm near Findley, OH. Four out ofsix flights have flown successfully.

Although there is risk in package loss or the transmitters malfunctioning, the advantagesloom larger. In addition to the low cost of construction, the system has the advantage

of year-round flight compared to thelarger Mylar balloon program at the JetPropulsion Lab and flies nearly twice ashigh as Glenn's Lear Jet—above the ozonelayer.

"With a funding increase of 50k overlast year's grant, we have high expecta-tions for the project," Snyder said. "Italso provides a unique learning opportu-nity for interested parties to recordthe data via the open amateur radioband at 144.34 Megahertz using aham packet radio." �

FEBRUARY 2003

9

Black Heritage Month Spotlight

BY S. JENISE VERIS

he start of the new year marks a time of renewal and rejuvenation for many,including Glenn's African Heritage Advisory Committee (AHAC). Co-chairs ShantonBland, Information Services Division, and Carl Brown, Safety Office, are committedto sharing the AHAC mission of involvement, empowerment, and cooperation thatwill help extend educational and employment opportunities to Glenn employeesof African descent.

Bland states, “We need to assure Glenn's African-American employees that AHAC isavailable to address issues of common concern. One of the items on AHAC's2003 agenda is to host a series of social events to not only reacquaint them with ourmission, but also introduce them to various Lab personnel who can assist with theirprofessional goals.

"AHAC also plans to review data on the decline in African-American managersat Glenn and encourage mentorship from current managers and supervisors to theirstaff and interns that will ensure a pipeline of talent that is capable of replacing them,"Bland added.

Bland and Brown complement each other well in their administrative responsibilities.Although they exhibit a decided contrast in demeanor, they share similar employmentbackgrounds and views on the importance of advocacy and mentorship.

"I bring to the organization a sort of 'bulldoggish' tenacity to do the right thing, but ammindful of processes that can make things happen," said Brown, who served as aprocess consultant in the Office of Diversity 2 years ago. "I want to enhance ratherthan deter opportunities for those who follow behind me, just as role models here atGlenn have done for me."

Brown came to the Lab 18 years ago as a co-op in electrical engineering through the2+2 Program at Cuyahoga Community College. He learned the importance of

T

mentorship through Leroy McCreary, arecently retired manager in Human Re-sources. McCreary encouraged Brownto consider retooling as a mechanicaltechnician, which enabled Brown to earna job as a model maker immediately aftergraduation. When away from Glenn,Brown uses high school sporting eventsas a forum for outreach to encouragestudents to excel and investigate Glenn'seducational programs.

Bland also benefited from mentorship,first as an LERCIP intern and then as aco-op in his current division (previouslythe Computer Science Division), wherehe has excelled for the past 16 years. Hisdemonstrated leadership as president(now president-emeritus) of theCleveland Chapter of the NationalTechnical Association was the reasonone of his mentors, Deputy DirectorDr. Julian Earls, encouraged Bland tojoin AHAC 2 years ago.

Brown and Bland look forward to theBlack Heritage Month observance onFebruary 27, the first of several opportu-nities for Glenn's African-American em-ployees to socialize. This year's nationaltheme, "The Souls of Black Folk: Centen-nial Reflections," was inspired by W.E.B.DuBois' book, The Souls of Black Folk.Historians believe this book inspiredmuch of the Black consciousness move-ment of the 1960s. Bland and Brownhope AHAC's sponsorship of this eventand others this year will help sparka spirit of activism in Glenn's African-American population to encourage andremind them how mentorship helpseveryone achieve. �

EO Advisor toAHAC ReneeBatts (left), withAHAC chairsCarl Brown andShanton Bland

A call for mentorship

Photo by S. Jenise Veris

Claiborne HaughtonFormer Acting Deputy Assistant

Secretary of Defense forEqual Opportunity

featured speaker forGlenn's Black Heritage

Month ProgramThursday, February 27

9 to 11 a.m.Ad. Bldg. Auditorium

10

AeroSpace Frontiers is an official publicationof Glenn Research Center, NationalAeronautics and Space Administration. It ispublished the first Friday of each month bythe Community and Media Relations Officein the interest of the Glenn workforce,retirees, government officials, businessleaders, and the general public. Its circulationis 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 the Marchissue must be received by noon, Friday,February 14. The deadline for the April issueis noon, Friday, March 14. Submitcontributions to the editor via e-mail,

doreen.zudell@grc.nasa.gov,fax 216–433–8143,phone 216–433–5317 or216–433–2888, or MS 3–11. Ideas for news storiesare welcome but will bepublished as space allows.View us online athttp://AeroSpaceFrontiers.grc.nasa.gov.

Employees acrossthe Center are feel-ing the loss ofDaniel Kramer, Jr.,38, who died unex-pectedly on De-cember 21, 2002.A member of theCenter's securityforce for 12 years,Kramer, SETK/0550, built a solid reputation as adedicated and skilled officer.

"Dan was one of the best I've ever workedwith," said Charlotte Hamilton, SETK/0550, who served as his supervisor. "Noone can fill his shoes."

In addition to his professional presence,Kramer was appreciated by many at theCenter for his positive, caring, and gra-cious attitude. He often shared his lovefor softball and jazz with his fellowemployees but the light of his life was hiswife and four children, ages 8 through 16.

Glenn's Security Management Officehas received an outpouring of condo-lences and is accepting donations for theKramer family. Stop by the Main Gateor Headquarters location, or call216–433–2204/5617, if you wish tocontribute. A Kramer Children Memorial

Center loses dedicated officerFund, c/o First Federal Savings of Lorain,2233 East 42nd Street, Lorain, OH44055, has been established as well.

John Beleny, 84, who retired with 34years of Government service including15 years at Glenn, recently died. Belenyworked as a shipping foreman beforeretiring in 1976. Hecontinued working atthe Center as acontractor for severalyears. His wife,Geraldine (Jerry), wasemployed in theConstruction Branchfor 15 years beforeretiring in 1979.

Alice Coates, 92, who retired from Glennin 1979, recently died. She worked as asupply clerk.

Virginia Indovina (Hucovsky), 66, whoretired in 1999 with 13 years of service,recently died. She worked in the Officeof the Chief Scientist.

Louis Reiman, 87, who retired from Glennwith 32 years of service in 1974, recentlydied. He worked as a supervisorymechanical engineer.

Kramer, Jr.

My family and I wish to thank the manyfriends at Glenn for the sympathy cardsand caring that was shown to us at thepassing of my wife, Joy.

—David L. Wright

The award is given by Career Communi-cations Group, Inc., which sponsors theannual Black Engineer of the Year Tech-nology Awards conference. LockheedMartin, US Black Engineer & InformationTechnology magazine, and the Councilof Engineering Deans of the HistoricallyBlack Colleges and Universities will hostthis year's event, February 13 to 15, inBaltimore, MD.

Daryl Robinson, Satellite Networkingand Architecture Branch, will also berecognized at the event as a Modern-dayTechnology Leader. He will receive a certif-icate of recognition and be featured in theBlack Engineer of the Year Awards confer-ence magazine and souvenir journal. �

Dr. Earls Robinson

FACILITY PORTAL: Glenn's new researchfacility portal is now online at http://facilities.grc. nasa.gov. It features Glenn'smajor facilities supporting research inaeronautics, aerospace, and space pro-gram areas.

NACA REUNION: The NACA RetireeReunion X is October 10 to 12 in Cleve-land. If you have not received an invita-tion, please send your name and addressto NACA Reunion X Committee, c/oNASA Glenn, MS 500–311, 21000Brookpark Rd., Cleveland, OH 44135, orcall 216–433–5358.

Continued from page 5

CORRECTIONS: AeroSpace Frontiers'December 2002, p. 5—Jesse Barnes' titleis Tuskegee University's safety officer;and January 2003, p. 2—Dr. ArnauldNicogossian joins George MadisonUniversity's School of Public Policy.

Continued from page 1

Beleny

11

a closer look at our colleagues

Sean O'Keefe

Job assignment: AdministratorTime at NASA: One year as of January.Hometown: I was born in New Orleans and currentlylive in Ashburn, VA.Describe your family: The O'Keefe family consists ofLaura, my best friend and partner of 25 years; twoteenagers, Lindsey and Jonathan, as well as an 11-year-old want-to-be teenager, Kevin. Rounding out theO'Keefe family is a reasonably well-behaved golden

retriever and two cats who tolerate him.Favorite food: CajunFavorite music: ClassicalFavorite movie: The NaturalPerson you most admire: Vice President Dick CheneyWhat do you see as an area of expertise at NASA: Our entrepreneurial spirit,can-do attitude, and enthusiasm for exploration

Job assignment: My title is branch secretary in the ProjectManagement Branch but I am currently on detail to theOffice of the Director as a process consultant to the SpaceDirectorate.Time at Glenn: Eighteen yearsHometown: I was born, raised, and have remained inCleveland.Describe your family: I have an 18-year-old son, Clifford,three older sisters, and a very large extended family. We

are a very close family who suffer through battles and tragedies; we are joyfulwhen we make up and are triumphant.Career alternative: My career alternative is to be a process consultant (whichis exactly what I am doing). There are many of us who judge people based onpreconceived prejudice instilled in us from birth, not from personal contact.Learning about various cultures can help us understand people's uniqueness.Hopefully, we can respect the fact that we all share one thing—the right to bean individual. We can all work together.Favorite food: My favorite food is soul food.Favorite music: Jazz is my favorite form of music.Person you most admire: I admire Linda S. Mayes, a member of the SpaceFlight Project Branch. She has the unique ability to talk to anyone—such as theperson next to her in a grocery store line—and in no time they are calling eachother by first name. She has had some rough times in her life, but does not dwellon the past. Rather, she trusts in God to answer her prayers. If you haven't mether yet, you will.Activities when away from Glenn: I enjoy playing cards, specifically Bid Whist.It's similar to Spades, but much more complicated.

Monetta Moffitt

Three Glenn Pro-curement person-nel have beenawarded the presti-gious Agency Pro-curement Person ofthe Year awards forFY03. The awardsprovide high-levelrecognition of par-ticularly outstanding achievements inprocurement activity.

Paivi Tripp was awarded the Procure-ment Supervisor of the Year for herleadership in preparing Procurement per-sonnel and Center requisitioners forthe Integrated Financial Management's(IFM's) Core Financial implementation.Ernest Mensurati was awarded theMidRange/Commercial Person ofthe Year for his skills and initiative inapplying the streamlined MidRangeprocedures to a wide variety of con-tracts. Heidi Shaw was awarded theGrants Specialist of the Year for her ex-ceptional performance, timeliness,and customer service in supporting manyvaried and challenging programs. �

Tripp Mensurati

Shaw

� Valentine's Day is Friday, February14. The Exchange Store has greatgift ideas for this special holiday.

� In honor of Black History Month,the Main and DEB cafeterias willoffer a lunch special on Thursday,February 20 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Exchange Corner

Procurement honors

12

Volume 5 Issue 2 February 2003

AeroSpace Frontiersis recyclable!

National Aeronautics andSpace Administration

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

G

Test prepares Rolls Royce nozzle design

Joint Strike Fighter lift-fan nozzlemounted in PLR.

lenn's facility readiness and profession-alism ensured the successful outcome of3 months of nonstop performance test-ing in the Aero-Acoustic Propulsion Lab(AAPL). Despite a 2-month delay inreactivating the Powered Lift Rig (PLR)from a 2-year standby and substantialadditions to the original evaluationplan, Glenn engineers completed testingfor 120 different configurations of theRolls Royce Corporation's lift-fan nozzledesign for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).

Considered the future of flight technol-ogy, the JSF has become the Departmentof Defense's choice to replace theHarrier with vertical takeoff andlanding capabilities. The PLR was ori-ginally constructed to support NASA'sefforts in Advanced Short Take-Off andVertical Landing (ASTOVL) aircraftresearch, but was placed on stand bywhen program funding terminated inthe mid-1980s.

"Unfortunately, our datadelivery date never changed,despite the delay and addi-tions to the original testsplan," explained Luis Beltran,Research Testing Division."The only way to make uptime was to extend test shiftsby 3 hours and test daily whiletrying to minimize the impactto schedules of three otheractive acoustic test rigs inthe AAPL."

"A great deal of thanks goesto the team headed by Ray Loew (QSS)with Al Johns providing research exper-tise, the Akima technical staff supportingfacilitity operations and the other person-nel who worked so hard to meet thecustomers schedule," Beltran added.

This activity supported the System Designand Development Phase of JSF testing

in preparation of planned aircraft flighttesting in FY05. The test activity wassponsored by the Advanced Aircraftproject within the Propulsion andPower Program. �