Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Fwd: [nasa-jsc-retirees-list] FW: NASA News and JSC Today - Wednesday, May 6, 2015



Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Moon, Larry J. (JSC-EA411)" <larry.j.moon@nasa.gov>
Date: May 6, 2015 at 8:18:40 AM CDT
To: "Moon, Larry J. (JSC-EA411)" <larry.j.moon@nasa.gov>
Subject: [nasa-jsc-retirees-list] FW: NASA News and  JSC Today - Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Reply-To: larry.j.moon@nasa.gov

JSC Today - Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Hope you can join us tomorrow at Hibachi Grill @11:30 ,,,followed by the Jim Oberg NAL talk at the Gilruth at 2:30   ending with the KOTM event at the Gilruth Pavillion.  

It was a cool   Pad abort test this morning  by SpaceX for the Commercial Crew Program.   Worked like a charm.

LEADING THE NEWS

• Bolden: NASA Has Feasible, Affordable Plan To Reach Mars.

NASA NEWS

• Tu Named The Next Director Of Ames.

• FINDER Rescues Four People Trapped In Nepal.

• Fifty-Fourth Anniversary Of American Entry Into Space Noted.

HUMAN EXPLORATION AND OPERATIONS

• Today's Launch Pad Abort Test Will Be Very Quick.

• Kelly's "Space Taco" Said To Not Look Too Appealing.

• Space News: Japan And Europe Should Follow Canada And Extend ISS To 2024.

• ISS Astronauts Spot "Red Sprite."

• Dark Matter Observatory To Be Centerpiece Of New Equipment Aboard Kibo Module.

• Progress Spacecraft Expected To Return To Earth On May 8.

Bolden: NASA Has Feasible, Affordable Plan To Reach Mars.

The Hill (5/5, Hattem, 533K) reports that at the Humans to Mars conference in Washington, DC, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said, "It is my firm belief that we are closer to getting [to Mars] today than we have ever been before in the history of human civilization. ... We are just a few years away from being inside 20 years to the realistic feasibility of putting humans on Mars." Bolden said that the government's plan to put people on Mars in the 2030s is "clear...sustainable and...affordable." According to the article, NASA has reached "a number of milestones" toward this goal in the past few months alone.

        According to ComputerWorld (5/5, Gaudin, 112K), Bolden was not the only NASA official stressing how realistic its Mars plans were. Bolden also told the convention, "Stay the course and make course corrections as you get there. If we go back and try to start all over now, we are toast... Have faith. We're going to get there." William Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for human exploration and operations, also said that while there has been "huge progress" with Orion and the Space Launch System, NASA will accept help from outside the agency because "that big budget increase is not coming. ... This won't happen from any one of us but from all of us working together. We can't lock onto one approach... If we do that, we'll be on Mars."

       

        Meanwhile, WVEC-TV Hampton Roads, VA (5/5, 4:39 p.m. EDT, 30K) broadcast a report on the summit with no mention of Bolden'ts speech.

        Asteroid Mission May Help Others Save The Earth One Day. The Hill (5/5, Hattem, 533K) reports that Bolden also told the conference that its Asteroid Redirect Mission, which is "a stepping-stone" to Mars, could one day lead to the techniques that could prevent an asteroid from hitting the Earth. Bolden said that if NASA can place an asteroid "into stable lunar orbit, we will have done something that is dramatically informative to humanity and may lead to the development of sustainable technologies that will then be able to save the planet." However, he "cautioned" the audience, "We are not going to save the planet, please understand me. ... But we are going to inform those who follow us, after we demonstrate through the asteroid redirect mission that you can, in fact, do something that many people did not think was possible, and you can in fact move something that is God-made and headed around the sun, and you can deflect that ever so slightly." According to the article, Bolden did respond to some critics of the project when he said, "People want to go back to 'Okay, if it doesn't get you to Mars, then don't do it.' ... Well, I've got other things I'm trying to do...like help people save the planet."

        Mars Society Of Australia Member Thinks Mars One Could Set Spaceflight Back. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (5/5, Martin, 39K) "World Today" website reports that the Mars Society of Australia thinks that Mars One's proposed one-way trips to Mars could dramatically set back space efforts. Graham Mann, a member of the society, said that the public could blame "space agencies, anybody interested in space research and the media in general" if it had to watch Mars One participants "slowly suffocate to death or to somehow die very unpleasantly." However, Mars One candidate Josh Richards is not discouraged by the risk, saying that "the conservatism that's involved in large government organisations," such as NASA, means that there has been little progress on any manned mission. Meanwhile, Mann said that the project is being "irresponsible" with the lack of details so far.

        Tumlinson: Space Settlement Is The Only Needed Goal. In an op-ed for Space News (5/5, Subscription Publication, 481), Rick Tumlinson, co-founder of the Space Frontier Foundation, writes that the major reason NASA has not gone farther into space and sent people to Mars by now is the lack of "a clear, top-level goal based on a shared vision." Tumlinson thinks that if people settle on the "overarching, all-inclusive, destiny-level inspirational goal" of settling space, then no one will need to wait for another President Kennedy to inspire the US forward.

        Blog Coverage. Joel Achenbach at the Washington Post (5/5, 5.03M) "Achenblog" blog writes that author Andy Weir may have "saved the space program" with his book, "The Martian." Achenbach argues that the success of the book gave NASA "an enormous PR boost." With NASA tasked "to do too many things with too little money," as well as "some things that seem a bit pointless," Weir makes a Mars mission seem "plausible at the nuts-and-bolts, airlocks-and-solar-panels level." The Examiner (5/5, Whittington, 1.2M) blog summarizes the Washington Post piece.

        Meanwhile, Eric Mack at CNET News (5/6, 917K) writes that Weir was "surprisingly less optimistic" than NASA about when astronauts will reach Mars in his talk at the Humans to Mars conference because of the technology needed and the high costs. Mack notes that in another talk at the conference, Scott Hubbard, former director of NASA's Mars Exploration Program, said past estimates of a $500 billion Marss mission were "close to bogus."

        On a separate topic, Devin Coldewey at the NBC News (5/5, 2.54M) writes that NASA has asked the public to devise "elements that support the logistics and capabilities required for a sustainable permanent human presence beyond Earth's vicinity," with plans to award at most three proposals $5,000. NASA said these proposals have to be "technically achievable" and "economically sustainable." However, Coldewey notes that all NASA is looking for is "a detailed written description of the system" that could make "lives on Mars more livable or efficient."

        Joseph Stromberg at Vox (5/5, 839K) writes about another public contest. NASA will award up to $29,000 if someone comes up with a "novel design" for radiation shielding. According to Stromberg, cosmic radiation is "one of the biggest obstacles NASA has to address" for any manned Mars mission.

Tu Named The Next Director Of Ames.

ExecutiveGov (5/5, Clemens, 548) reported that Eugene Tu has been named the new director of the Ames Research Center. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said, "I am delighted to have a leader of Dr. Tu's caliber to engage the Ames workforce and harness the center's innovation for cutting edge science and the technology development to support our journey to Mars and the next generation of aviation." The article notes that Tu, who was the director of exploration technology at Ames, is also an American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics associate fellow.

FINDER Rescues Four People Trapped In Nepal.

The Homeland Security Today (5/6) reports that the Finding Individuals for Disaster and Emergency Response (FINDER), developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate, was instrumental in rescuing "four men trapped under as much as 10 feet of bricks, mud and other debris." The men were trapped because of the earthquake that struck Nepal. DHS Under Secretary for Science and Technology Reginald Brothers said, "The true test of any technology is how well it works in a real-life operational setting. ... Of course, no one wants disasters to occur, but tools like this are designed to help when our worst nightmares do happen. I am proud that we were able to provide the tools to help rescue these four men." NASA Chief Technologist David Miller added, "NASA technology plays many roles: driving exploration, protecting the lives of our astronauts and improving--even saving--the lives of people on Earth. ... FINDER exemplifies how technology designed for space exploration has profound impacts to life on Earth."

        The Federal Computer Week (5/5, Rockwell, 263K) notes that along with FINDER, NASA and the USAID are using satellite data to help the rescue efforts through the SERVIR program. The article highlights that the Marshall Space Flight Center, Goddard Space Flight Center, and Jet Propulsion Laboratory are all collaborating together in order to help.

        Spaceflight Insider (5/6, Rhian) also covers the story.

Fifty-Fourth Anniversary Of American Entry Into Space Noted.

Alabama Live (5/5, Roop, 416K) reports that Tuesday was the fifty-fourth anniversary of Alan Shepard's flight into space. The local Alabama outlet notes that Shepard was propelled into space on a Redstone rocket originally developed in the state.

Today's Launch Pad Abort Test Will Be Very Quick.

The CBS News (5/5, Harwood, 8.2M) website continues coverage of today's SpaceX launch pad abort test. Astronaut Garrett Reisman, SpaceX director of crew operations, said that this test will be "amazing," but quick, so "don't blink." Reisman also discussed the work being done to modify shuttle launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, which he said should be operational "later this year." Because of the work on the pad and the various tests planned, Reisman said that 2015 should be "a very aggressive and exciting year" for SpaceX.

        According to the Christian Science Monitor (5/5, Spotts, 539K), the test is a "milestone" in NASA's efforts to allow commercial companies to take over launching crew to the ISS. Jon Cowart, NASA's commercial-crew liaison with SpaceX, said, "We're doing something historic here. ... If you believe in the future where two, three, four generations from now our kids, grandkids, great-grandkids go to a spaceport the way you and I go to an airport and they get on a rocket ... the DNA of that private-sector capability will be in what we are doing with the commercial-crew program." Cowart stressed the test "doesn't have to be flawless. The point is to gather data. We can live with less than perfect."

        Florida Today (5/6, Dean, 168K) reports that an unknown reason, SpaceX delayed the test by two hours. The article notes that if "gusty winds" scrub the test, weather conditions for another attempt should be better on Thursday.

        Another Florida Today (5/5, Dean, 168K) article posted to the USA Today website, notes that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk tweeted that SpaceX did conduct a practice engine firing for the test on Tuesday.

        The Guardian (UK) (5/6, Yuhas, 2.93M) reports that Cowart said, "We've been planning this for a very, very long time. A lot of folks [put] a lot of effort into this. It is rocketry. You've done all the really nerdy things you get to go do. And now there's going to be some smoke and fire."

        collectSPACE (5/5, Pearlman), in its coverage of the upcoming test, details the history of launch abort tests at NASA, starting with the Mercury program.

        Also covering the story are AFP (5/6), BBC News (5/6, Amos, 1.79M), CNN Money (5/5, Isidore, 2.11M), Popular Science (5/6, Grush, 6.78M), International Business Times (5/5, Poladian, 774K), Headlines & Global News (5/5, Aquilina), WRAL-TV Raleigh, NC (5/5, Rice, 117K) website, SPACE (5/5, Wall, 241K), Spaceflight Now (5/5, Clark, 3K), NASA Space Flight (5/5, Bergin, 305), Aviation Week (5/5, Morring, 2K), Sen (5/5, Klotz), Spaceflight Insider (5/5, Johnson), AmericaSpace (5/5, Killian), Space Policy Online (5/5, Smith), and the Daily Mail (UK) (5/5, O'Callaghan, 5.37M).

Kelly's "Space Taco" Said To Not Look Too Appealing.

The Houston Chronicle (5/6, Hlavaty, 2.29M), in an article titled "Scott Kelly's 'Space Taco' Is The Saddest Cinco De Mayo Meal Ever," reports that ISS astronaut Scott Kelly tweeted an image of what he ate for Cinco de Mayo on Tuesday. The article notes that the "space taco," consisting of "rehydrated eggs, sausage, and hot sauce all on a tortilla," may not be the type of meal that astronauts "deserve."

        TIME (5/5, Grossman, 19.57M) and Mashable (5/5, Kramer, 2.3M) also cover the story. Both note that the taco does not look appetizing, but astronauts are restricted in what they can cook.

        "Earthly Grace Notes" Interspersed Among Astronaut's Scientific Activities. In an article for TIME (5/5, 19.57M), Jeffrey Kluger writes that images of Kelly's taco, and recent news that the ISS astronauts watched "Star Wars" for Star Wars Day Monday, are "Earthly grace notes" in the astronaut's regular activities. "As with every week," the astronauts are conducting "good science" in a number of areas, such as biological studies and preparations for "the next round of Robot Refueling Mission-2 (RRM-2) exercises," as well as maintenance tasks. Kluger comments that these activities may seem "routine" and "arcane," until they become "critical" or revolutionary.

        Kelly's Daughter Has Mixed Emotions About Her Dad's Mission. As part of the "Year In Space" series of content for TIME (5/5, 19.57M), Charlotte Kelly, Scott Kelly's 11-year-old daughter, writes about the last time she saw her father before he launched to the ISS. Before the launch, Charlotte Kelly thought the idea of what was about to take place was "terrifying." However, afterwards, Charlotte comments that she was "happy and excited" for her father's mission, yet "sad" because oh how long he will be gone.

Space News: Japan And Europe Should Follow Canada And Extend ISS To 2024.

Space News (5/5, Subscription Publication, 481) editorializes that it hopes Europe and Japan will now follow Canada in supporting the extension of the ISS to 2024. Canada's decision is "a welcome development" because it was one of the first countries to originally join the project. The editors believe it would be a "pity" if both JAXA and the ESA decide for budgetary reasons to leave the project in 2020.

        MDA Warns That Canada Is Losing Its Robotics Edge. Space News (5/5, de Selding, Subscription Publication, 481) reports that MDA Corp., in a conference call with investors, warned that Canada is "losing its space-robotics edge" in space because the nation has decided not to join any new international project over the past year and a half. MDA Chief Executive Daniel E. Friedmann said that recent developments like Canada's extension of the ISS was "good news," but it was insufficient to spur new developments, which is why the company is looking at US business. For instance, MDA is a partner in Lockheed Martin's Cargo Resupply Services (CRS)-2 contract bid, which Friedman said was "based on MDA robotics."

ISS Astronauts Spot "Red Sprite."

AOL (5/5, 6.2M) reports that ISS astronauts have spotted a "red sprite" in Earth's atmosphere, which is caused "when a short electric burst occurs above a highly active thunderstorm." The article notes that red sprites are very hard to see from the ground, making this "just another treat" for those in space.

Dark Matter Observatory To Be Centerpiece Of New Equipment Aboard Kibo Module.

The Washington Post (5/6, 5.03M) reports that a dark matter observation experiment will be "the centrepiece" of new scientific equipment sent to JAXA's Kibo module at the ISS. According to the article, "councils and other entities related to the nation's space development" criticized that the Japanese module is not producing enough results compared to how much was spent developing it. The country also hopes the new equipment will "promote the appeal of its space technology worldwide."

Progress Spacecraft Expected To Return To Earth On May 8.

Sputnik News (5/6) reports that according to a source in Roscosmos, the Progress spacecraft which failed to reach the ISS will "perish" on May 8. The Russian space agency will also give more details on where on Earth the spacecraft will impact "24 hours in advance."

        Russia's ITAR-TASS News Agency (5/6, 5K) also covers the story.

        Cosmonauts Adjusting Toilet Use Because Of Progress' Loss. The Moscow (RUS) Times (5/6, 107K) reports that the recent loss of the Progress cargo spacecraft may affect the cosmonauts' toilet use because of the loss of "new waste storage bags." An unnamed space industry source said that instead of disposing bags after every use, cosmonauts will now "use them longer."

        Progress Spacecraft Adjusts ISS' Orbit. Russia's ITAR-TASS News Agency (5/6, 5K) reports that the Progress M-26M cargo spaceship at the ISS adjusted the station's altitude "to ensure the conditions for landing of the Soyuz TMA-15M spacecraft" on May 14. The article notes that previously, reports stated that there was a chance this maneuver would be "cancelled or postponed" because of the recent failed Progress mission.

Researchers Find The Farthest Galaxy Ever Discovered.

The AP (5/6, Borenstein) reports that researchers from Yale and the UC Santa Cruz used data from the Hubble Space Telescope, Spitzer space telescope, and Keck Observatory to detect and confirm the existence of a galaxy 13.1 billion light-years away. This is "the most distant galaxy" ever detected, placing it "among the universe's first generation of galaxies." The article notes that research said confirming the find was "difficult."

        The New York Times (5/6, Overbye, Subscription Publication, 12.24M) notes that the galaxy is also "one of the most massive and brightest in the early universe." According to the article, it will take the "coming generation of instruments like the James Webb Space Telescope and the Thirty Meter Telescope" to discover how galaxies like this one initially formed.

        The Los Angeles Times (5/5, Khan, 4.03M) reports that Garth Illingworth of UC Santa Cruz, who was part of the study, said that there likely will be a new record holder soon, which is "good" for scientists wanting to learn more about the early universe.

        Also covering the story are the Washington Post (5/5, Feltman, 5.03M) "Speaking of Science" blog, Baltimore Sun (5/5, Dance, 802K), CBS News (5/5, Casey, 8.2M) website, Popular Science (5/5, Grush, 6.78M), Xinhua (CHN) (5/6, 12K), SPACE (5/5, Cofield, 241K), NBC News (5/5, Coldewey, 2.54M) website, and the Daily Mail (UK) (5/5, O'Callaghan, 5.37M).

LRO Moved Closer To Lunar Surface.

The Tech Times (5/5, Burks, 153K) reports that NASA has moved the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) to an altitude of 12 miles above the lunar surface, placing it "closer than ever" it has been before. John Keller, LRO project scientist at the Goddard Space Flight Center said, "The lunar poles are still places of mystery where the inside of some craters never see direct sunlight and the coldest temperatures in the solar system have been recorded. ... By lowering the orbit over the South Pole, we are essentially magnifying the sensitivity of the LRO instruments which will help us understand the mechanisms by which water or other volatiles might be trapped there." According to the article, the maneuver was successful, which was not surprising because of how routine these operations are for NASA.

        Video Shows How Moon Will "Wobble" In 2015. Quartz (5/5, Wener-Fligner, 438K) reports that NASA has taken LRO data to produce a five-minute video that shows how the moon will "wobble...for all of 2015." The article notes that NASA has also released a version with music "for psychedelic lunar-worship parties."

California Drought Has Killed 12 Million Trees.

The Los Angeles Times (5/5, Rocha, 4.03M) reports that scientists estimate that California's drought has killed 12 million trees, with more deaths expected. William Patzert of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory stated that the drought, with its "dwindling snowpack and warmer temperatures," has raised the risk of forest fires, saying, "The national forest is stressed out. ... The absence of snowpack has endangered the national forest."

NASA Explains Origin Of Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower.

The Washington Post (5/5, Samenow, 5.03M) "Capital Weather Gang" blog reports that the Eta Aquarid meteor shower peaks Wednesday morning, noting that NASA provided a primer on how the shower is made up of "debris from Halley's Comet."

Risk Of Collisions At Mars Small, But Consequences Are "Catastrophic."

Network World (5/5, Cooney, 35K) continues coverage of how Jet Propulsion Laboratory researchers have established "formal collision-avoidance technology" to protect the various orbiters at Mars. JPL scientists wrote that while the chance of a collision is very small, "the consequences of collision are catastrophically high: millions to billions of dollars/euros/yen/etc. in lost tax revenue investment, irreparable loss of science data, and the creation of a debris environment in otherwise pristine orbital environments are three obvious consequences. The international repercussions of spacecraft from two different nations/agencies colliding would also very likely be undesirable. Given world economy, spacecraft collisions and the resultant waste of tax revenue can potentially lead to reduced popular support for the world's space agencies, the many benefits of space exploration notwithstanding." The article notes that it is much easier to prevent a collision at Mars than in Earth's orbit, where there currently is "more than 1,000 active orbiters plus additional pieces of inactive hardware."

        Blog Coverage. Ria Misra at io9 (5/5, 837K) posts a map NASA created showing the orbits of the various spacecraft at Mars. Misra, explaining what NASA does to avoid collisions, comments that it appears "pretty crowded up there."

NASA Hosting "I C Ceres" Festival To Celebrate Dawn Mission.

The Glendale (CA) News Press (5/5, 43K) reports that to celebrate the Dawn mission's arrival at the dwarf planet Ceres, NASA is hosting the "I C Ceres" space festival. The article notes that events will be held around the world, including at Caltech this Saturday.

Sun Releases X-Class Flare On Tuesday.

The KPIX-TV San Francisco (5/5, 130K) website reports that on Tuesday, the sun released an X-class flare, the strongest class of flares. The article also notes that the Earth should experience "a minor solar storm" this week as a result of another flare that was released on May 2.

        Meanwhile, Fox Business' Lou Dobbs Tonight (5/5, 11:25 p.m. EDT, 44K), PBS' NewsHour (5/5, 7:54 p.m. EDT, 997K) and WPSD-TV Paducah, KY (5/5, 5:26 p.m. CDT, 43K) broadcast on a video of a solar filament taken by NASA's Solar Synamic Observatory.

        Blog Coverage. Joe Kunches, at the Washington Post (5/5, 5.03M) "Capital Weather Gang" blog, writes that Kazunari Shibata of Kyoto University told the Space Weather Workshop, sponsored by NASA, NOAA, and the National Science Foundation, that a "superflare," or a flare with 1,000 times more energy than flares "observed in modern times," should take place once every 10,000 years, which is less frequent than previous estimates. Kunches notes that astronomers are able to make these calculations in part thanks to the Kepler telescope, which has observed such flares from sun-like stars. Kunches also wonders what would happen on Earth when a superflare is "more powerful than the Carrington event."

Ground Experiment Proves Why Molecular Oxygen Is Rarely Found In Space.

Science Magazine (5/6, Croswell, 398K) reports that scientists have determined using "a ground-based experiment" the reason why there is so little molecular oxygen in space, an explanation which should bring "insight" into how stars and planets from. The experiment, led by Jiao He of Syracuse University, proved a recent theory that oxygen binds "tightly to the dust particles that pepper space clouds." These particles, instead of forming molecular oxygen, typically go on to form water molecules. Paul Goldsmith of the Jet Propulsion laboratory, who spent over 25 years searching for interstellar molecular oxygen, said, "I may have been misguided in spending so many years searching for it, but in a way, with this laboratory data and all the Herschel data, we can really say well, we do understand it now."

Images Show Man-Made Structures From Space.

The Daily Mail (UK) (5/5, Paton, 5.37M) asks readers to identify what is being seen in images taken from space. These images, including one NASA released of seaweed farming off the coast of South Korea, illustrate "some of the weird and wonderful man-made and natural structures," as well as "the unintended consequences of man's effect on the plane."

Mosaic Shows "Spirit Of St. Louis" Crater On Mars.

SPACE (5/5, Wall, 241K) reports NASA recently release a mosaic of "a shallow Mars crater called Spirit of St. Louis" created by images taken by the Opportunity rover. NASA wrote in a description, "The rocky feature toward the far end of the crater is about 7 to 10 feet (2 to 3 meters) tall, rising higher than the crater's rim." The article notes that even though the rover has been on the planet for years, it is "still going strong."

NASA Super Pressure Balloon Found In Remote Queensland.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (5/6, Arthur, 39K) reports that cattle ranchers "in remote south-west Queensland" have found "parts of a NASA super pressure balloon," whose flight was terminated after 32 days in the air after it sprung a leak. Marianne McCarthy, from Bulloo Downs station, who was part of the group who went looking for the balloon, said that she expects NASA will try to recover the parts, adding that it will be "exciting" to see how they reclaim it from "the middle of sand hills in the middle of nowhere."

Mergers May Be The Cause For The Brightest Active Galaxies.

New Scientist (5/5, Zastrow, 15K) reports that Jueun Hong and Myungshin Im of Seoul National University used observations from several ground telescopes to show that the debris from collisions may be responsible for triggering the black holes at the center of some galaxies, making them brighten and become what is known as active galaxies. Although the researchers said that this was not the only way to create an active galaxy, mergers were thought to be "the main cause for the brightest ones."

        Scientists Find Indirect Evidence For Black Hole's Event Horizon. The Sky & Telescope (5/6, 2K) reports that a team used three radio telescopes to capture "indirect evidence" of the event horizon of a black hole at the center of the M87 galaxy. The article noted that while there is a "convincing" amount of evidence that black holes do exist, the data is not yet "100% conclusive." The new study may be "one more thread to the long spool of evidence," but even the team of researchers acknowledge that the study's finding is not "the final nail in the coffin."

Acrylic Windows Will Lower Orion Capsule's Mass And Costs.

David Darling at Spaceflight Insider (5/5) writes that by using acrylic plastic, Orion capsule engineers have been able to develop windows that are "not only stronger" than glass, "but also lighter and less expensive." Lynda Estes, Orion window subsystem manager at the Johnson Space Center, noted, "The insidious thing about glass is that it's a poor structural material. If you put loads on it, it will lose strength over time, and if you get a ding on it, the strength is dramatically decreased. The spaceflight environment is one that unfortunately exploits these vulnerabilities. ... The use of acrylic pressure panes reduced the weight of the window subsystem by more than 200 pounds." Darling notes that engineers will now test to see how well the acrylic stands up to pressure over time. If these tests go well, then there will be additional "savings to both the mass of the spacecraft and the cost of building the vehicle."

Discover Supercomputer To Be Upgraded.

Jamie Lendino at ExtremeTech (5/5, 135K) writes that NASA's Center for Climate Simulation (NCCS) is upgrading its Discover supercomputer to "3.361 trillion floating-point operations per second," which will result in climate models being "a lot more detailed." Lendino comments that while an upgrade is not so unusual, NASA has provided a "nice...window into the process." Lendino adds that it remains to be seen just where the Discover system will be ranked among the world's supercomputers when the upgrade is completed.

NASA's "Lukewarm" Response To EM Drive Said To Generate Debate.

Graham Templeton at ExtremeTech (5/5, 135K) writes about the ongoing debate over whether the EM Drive, tested by NASA Eagleworks, is actually a working engine or will be "debunked" by the scientific community. Templeton comments that part of the controversy surrounding the EM Drive is due to "NASA's lukewarm approach to its own results." Still, just being "a scientific controversy" has bolstered supporters, who have wanted the drive to undergo "serious testing by serious researchers."

Op-ed: Skylab 4 Mission A Case Study In Poor Management.

In a piece run by Daily Kos (5/5, 369K), Lenny Flank recounts the strike action taken by the crew of Skylab 4 on December 28, 1972 over an overly burdensome and meticulously managed work schedule set by mission control. With over six thousand work hours spread out over three crew members' 84-day mission and repeated refusal to relent when astronauts insisted on a lighter schedule, Flank calls the actions by NASA "an example of unrealistic expectations by management, along with unnecessary micromanaging and over-control."

 

 

 

 

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  1. Zero-G Space Cup

Have you heard about the new Space Cup on the International Space Station? Many of the aspects of our fluid physics research in microgravity are present in this simple cup demonstration, such as the effects of wetting, the effects of geometry and the effects of fluid properties—especially surface tension. The results could provide information useful to engineers designing fuel tanks for future spacecraft, for example. Check it out here.

Liz Warren x35548

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  1. June 2015 Pride Month – Nomination Call-out

We would like to highlight one ally employee and one Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender (LGBT) employee whose achievements, challenges, character and commitment have helped shape them into the people they are today—whose stories serve as an inspiration to others.

Please submit your nomination, or self-nomination, for consideration to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity by Wednesday, May 13. Please include the nominee's name, organization, job title, and why you nominate the individual or yourself in 300 words or less. If selected, the stories will be highlighted in JSC Features.

JSC Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity x30607 http://www.nasa.gov/offices/oeod/

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  1. Annual IT Security Training

Don't wait until it's too late!

The deadline is approaching for the Fiscal Year 2015 Annual Information Technology (IT) Security and Privacy Awareness Training requirement for all NASA civil servants and contractors, available through SATERN. This training is also required if you apply for a remote-access token and to remotely access Integrated Enterprise Management Program applications such as eTravel and WebTADS. If you are unable to access SATERN or need assistance with IT Security Training, contact the NASA Shared Services Center. We recommend Mac users use Safari to access SATERN. If you require a SATERN user name and password, follow the instructions listed on the SATERN website. For further assistance, contact the SATERN Help Desk at 1-877-NSSC-123 (1-877-677-2123).

JSC-IRD-Outreach x37682 http://ird.jsc.nasa.gov/ITSecurity/default.aspx

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   Organizations/Social

  1. Ron Garan Book Signing in Building 3 TODAY!

TODAY is the day astronaut Ron Garan will be on-site in the Building 3 café to sign his new book, "The Orbital Perspective." Come by Building 3 between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to meet Garan and have him sign your pre-ordered copy.

Haven't pre-ordered yet? It's not too late! Come to the Buildings 3 or 11 gift shops to purchase your copy—then bring your receipt to Building 3 to pick up your book and have Garan sign it.

Don't miss out on this unique opportunity for a signed first-edition astronaut biography!

Event Date: Wednesday, May 6, 2015   Event Start Time:11:00 AM   Event End Time:1:00 PM
Event Location: B3 Cafeteria

Add to Calendar

Ansley Browns x37467 https://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/en/programs/special-events/book-signings

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  1. HTC South Tech Champs Event This Thursday

This is a reminder of your free admission and a request for you to please attend our next Houston Technology Center (HTC) South Tech Champs event tomorrow, May 7, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in the Gilruth Center Alamo Ballroom.

Hear the latest on advanced maritime technologies from Captain Bill Diehl, USCG (Ret.), P.E., president of the Greater Houston Port Bureau, and get updates from exciting technology startups working with the HTC's Business Acceleration Program. We will also feature what's new from the JSC Tech Transfer Office and highlight a JSC technology.

Enjoy refreshments with networking after the meeting. Please register using the green link button.

Use the code TechChamps15 when asked for payment.

Event Date: Thursday, May 7, 2015   Event Start Time:4:00 PM   Event End Time:5:30 PM
Event Location: Alamo Ballroom, Gilruth Center

Add to Calendar

Jane Lea Hicks, Acceleration Director x48276 http://houstontech.org/jsc-campus/

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  1. Johnson Space Center Astronomy Society Meeting

Astronaut Stan Love will give us a bird's-eye view of the STS-122 mission that delivered the Columbus module to the International Space Station. Love is a talented and engaging speaker, and this will be a meeting you won't want to miss.

Are you new to astronomy and want to learn what to see in the nighttime sky? We've got your answer! Our talks include the always-intriguing "Astro Oddities," the novice Q&A session for YOUR questions, our upcoming star parties (including a club favorite at the end of this month) and the informative Member's Minutes.

Membership to JSC Astronomy Society is FREE! We're living proof you can get something of great value for FREE! There are no dues, no bylaws—just come to our meeting. After joining us, you can try out our loaner telescope program or borrow from our educational DVD library with hundreds of choices.

Event Date: Friday, May 8, 2015   Event Start Time:7:30 PM   Event End Time:9:30 PM
Event Location: USRA auditorium, 3600 Bay Area Blvd

Add to Calendar

Jim Wessel x41128 http://www.jscas.net/

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  1. Space Camp & Aviation Challenge Alumni Round Up

Are you an alum of one of the many programs offered through the U.S. Space and Rocket Center (USSRC)? Have you attended space camps, aviation challenges, robotics camps, family camps, educator camps, corporate camps or other group programs? If so, then please join us for a "Space Camp/Aviation Challenge Round Up!" We are reaching out to all camp alumni to share news and information from the USSRC in Huntsville, Alabama. Local members of the Space Camp Hall of Fall will be in attendance to share news from the USSRC and information on the upcoming alumni weekend in Huntsville from July 23 to 26.

Please join us tomorrow in the Building 30 Auditorium (Room 1093) from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to connect, or reconnect, with space camp and aviation challenge alumni!

Event Date: Thursday, May 7, 2015   Event Start Time:11:30 AM   Event End Time:12:30 PM
Event Location: B30 Auditorium (R1093)

Add to Calendar

Andrea Hanson x48693

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  1. JSC Credit Union in Building 3 Café Today

The JSC Federal Credit Union will be in the Building 3 café today from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Stop by and visit with a representative to discuss your financial need options.

Cyndi Kibby x35352

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  1. Sam's Club Rep in Building 3 Café This Thursday

Sam's Club representatives will be in the Building 3 café tomorrow, May 7, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. to assist you with a new membership or annual renewal. Stop by the Sam's Club table this Thursday to see their current offers. New memberships or renewals may receive up to a $25 gift card for use at Sam's Club or Wal-Mart stores. Check or cash payments only.

Cyndi Kibby x35352

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  1. Starport: Women's Self Defense Workshop on May 9

Join us for a Women's Self-Defense Workshop, where you will learn simple and effective self-defense techniques and strategies to combat all aspects of an assault.

Learn:

    • Triangle of victimization
    • Four phases of an assault
    • Two types of sexual predators
    • Three steps of verbal self-defense
    • The false surrender
    • Essential break-away techniques

The workshop begins: Saturday, May 9

Six-week session: $110

Ages: 16 and up

Times: 7:30 to 9 a.m.

Register online or at the Gilruth Center information desk.

Shericka Phillips x35563 https://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/en/programs/recreation-programs/womens-sel...

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  1. Parent's Night Out at Starport – May 15

Enjoy a night out on the town while your kids enjoy a night with Starport. We will entertain your children with a night of games, crafts, a bounce house, pizza, a movie, dessert and loads of fun!

When: Friday, May 15, from 6 to 10 p.m.

Where: Gilruth Center

Ages: 5 to 12

Cost: $20/first child and $10/each additional sibling if registered by the Wednesday prior to event. If registered after Wednesday, the fee is $25/first child and $15/additional sibling.

Shericka Phillips x35563 https://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/en/programs/familyyouth-programs/parents-n...

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  1. Starport Summer Camp Register Now

Starport is offering summer camp for youth at the Gilruth Center all summer long. We have tons of fun planned, and we expect each session to fill up, so get your registrations in early! Weekly themes are listed on our website, as well as information regarding registration.

Ages: 6 to 12

Times: 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Dates: June 8 to Aug. 21 in one-week sessions

Fee per session: $140 per child | $125 per sibling

Register for all sessions and receive a discount! Register online or at the Gilruth Center information desk.

Like us on Facebook to receive daily information about camps.

Shericka Phillips x35563 https://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/en/programs/familyyouth-programs/youth-day...

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  1. Starport's Father-Daughter Dance 2015

Make Father's Day weekend a date your daughter will never forget! Enjoy a night of music, dancing, refreshments, finger foods, dessert, photos and more. Plan to get all dressed up and spend a special evening with the special little lady in your life. The dance is open to girls of all ages, and attire is business casual to semi-formal. A photographer will be on hand to capture this special moment with picture packages for you to purchase. One free 5x7 will be provided.

    • June 19 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Gilruth Center Alamo Ballroom
    • Cost is $45 per couple ($10 per additional child)

Register online or at the Gilruth Center information desk. You must register by June 11, and there will be no tickets sold at the door.

Shericka Phillips x35563 https://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/en/programs/special-events/father-daughter...

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  1. Few Spots Left for Grocery Store Tour This Friday

We still have a few spots available for Starport's one-hour grocery store tour this Friday. Sign up before they're gone!

This Friday, Starport's new Registered Dietician Marla Murphy will go grocery shopping with you! Learn baseline meal planning and grocery-list guidelines, and get educated on what foods to choose—and which ones to avoid. Learn to read nutrition labels, access label claims (and shop economically while you're at it).

Event Date: Friday, May 8, 2015   Event Start Time:10:00 AM   Event End Time:11:00 AM
Event Location: Kroger (1950 El Dorado Blvd., Houston, TX, 77062

Add to Calendar

Evan Thoman x42769 https://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/en/wellness/grocery-store-tours

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  1. How to Make Hunger Your Greatest Ally

Join the ABWA Energy Express Network for our meeting on Wednesday, May 13.

The $30 meeting fee includes a light-fare meal and speaker.

What would you do if you knew what people were really hungry for? How would it change the way you manage employees or interact with customers? Carole Little knows hunger. She meets people every day who are hungry for food, for human connection—and hungry to make a difference. Little serves as the president and CEO of Northwest Assistance Ministries in Houston, helping thousands of people with basic needs and the tools to build a brighter tomorrow.

With almost two decades of executive leadership, speaking and, most importantly, real-life in-the-trenches business experience, her view is radically different. Little appreciates and shares with listeners that running a successful business or organization is a moment-to-moment choice and not about title, tenure or position.

Event Date: Wednesday, May 13, 2015   Event Start Time:5:30 PM   Event End Time:7:30 PM
Event Location: Hyatt Regency Downtown, 1200 Louisiana St

Add to Calendar

Kirsten Beyer 281-235-2271 http://www.abwaenergyexpress.org/

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   Jobs and Training

  1. JSC Risk Management Overview - May 28

JSC Risk Management Overview (JSC-NA-SAIC-RISK) is a two-and-a-half-hour class that includes risk-management concepts, topics regarding the application of risk management at JSC and a demonstration of the risk database. Class participants include personnel interested in understanding the basics of risk management.

Event Date: Thursday, May 28, 2015   Event Start Time:9:00 AM   Event End Time:11:30 AM
Event Location: Building 12/Room 144

Add to Calendar

Paula Gothreaux 281-335-2441

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  1. Basics of Structural Dynamics

Speaker: Dr. Andrew Brown
Dates: May 18, 19, 26-29, from 8 a.m. to noon every day except May 19 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

Location: LIVE via webcast

This course is an introduction to Vibrations and Structural Dynamics. The course will provide working-level engineers who may not have received a thorough background in this important subject with the understanding necessary to work with dynamics experts, as well as tools enabling them to make basic calculations on their own. These goals will be achieved by focusing on the characterization of the dynamic characteristics of structures and the prediction of response of structures to dynamic environments.  Subjects examined will be free and forced vibration of single and multi-degree-of-freedom systems, fourier decomposition of excitation forces, modal testing, component loads analysis and random vibration analysis. To learn more about this course, click here.

To attend class online, please RSVP at this link.

Curt Larsen x38401

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  1. APPEL - Strategic Thinking for Project Success

This course introduces concepts and methods for using strategic thinking as a logical foundation upon which to shape project definition and management, and is designed for experienced project and program managers, chief engineers, lead and senior systems engineers and business group leaders.

This course is open for self-registration in SATERN until Thursday, May 14, and is open to civil servants and contractors.

Dates: Tuesday through Thursday, June 16 to 18

Location: Building 12, Room 152

Zeeaa Quadri x39723 https://satern.nasa.gov/learning/user/deeplink_redirect.jsp?linkId=SCHED...

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   Community

  1. Tomorrow: Final Cosmic Explorations Presentation

The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) invites all inquisitive adults to attend "Movie Science: Who Cares if it's Wrong?," a presentation by Dr. Seth Shostak of the SETI Institute. This free public presentation tomorrow, May 7, is the final presentation in LPI's 2014-2015 Cosmic Explorations Speaker Series, "Science" on the Silver Screen.

The presentation begins at 7:30 p.m. and will be followed by a light reception. Registration is required, as seating is limited to 250.

LPI is located in the USRA building at 3600 Bay Area Boulevard in Clear Lake; the entrance is on Middlebrook Drive. For more information, please click here.

Andrew Shaner 281-486-2163

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  1. Family Space Day: Saturday, May 16

The Expedition Center at the George Observatory is holding a Family Space Day on Saturday, March 14, from about 3 to 8 p.m.

For purchase are tickets to complete a 45-minute Expedition Center mission to the moon! Expedition Center mission tickets may be purchased for $10 a person online.

After enjoying a trip to space, stay for the evening and look at the night sky through our telescopes. Telescope tickets can be purchased at the observatory gift shop.

George Observatory is located in the heart of Brazos Bend State Park. Admission to the park is $7 for adults; kids under 12 are free.

Megan Hashier 281-226-4179 http://www.hmns.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=404&Ite...

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JSC Today is compiled periodically as a service to JSC employees on an as-submitted basis. Any JSC organization or employee may submit articles.

Disclaimer: Accuracy and content of these notes are the responsibility of the submitters.

 

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