National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA

November 2005

www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/news/astrogram/2005/05astrograms.html

NASA Ames leads robotic lunar exploration program

BY JOHN BLUCK

In this Jan. 31, 1971 photo, Apollo 14 astronaut Alan B. Shepard isshown standing with the American flag on the moon.

On Nov. 14, the 36th anniversary ofApollo 12, the second manned lunarlanding, NASA announced that it had

assigned management of its Robotic Lu-nar Exploration Program to NASAAmes.

Returning astronauts to the moonwill start with robotic missions between2008 and 2011 to study, map and learnabout the lunar surface. These early mis-sions will help determine lunar landingsites and whether resources, such asoxygen, hydrogen and metals, are avail-able for use in NASA's long-term lunarexploration objectives. The assignmentmarks a rebirth of robotic space flightwork at NASA Ames, which has a his-tory of spearheading unmanned spacelaunches.

“The Robotic Lunar ExplorationProgram is a critical element of NASA'sVision for Space Exploration,” said Ex-ploration Systems Mission DirectorateAssociate Administrator Dr. ScottHorowitz of NASA Headquarters,Washington, D.C. “Data collected willhelp determine where we go, and whatwe find during our first human mis-sions to the lunar surface.”

"Ames is delighted to be the homeof the new Robotic Lunar ExplorationProgram," said Ames Center Director G.Scott Hubbard. "Our center has a 40-year history of excellent space flight pro-grams and project management: the Pio-neer 6-13 series, the Galileo Probe andLunar Prospector, as well as a lunarmagnetic field instrument for four

Apollo missions starting with Apollo 12in 1969. We will apply all this experienceto make RLEP successful," Hubbard

noted.Launched on

Jan. 6, 1998, fromCape CanaveralAir Station, Fla.,Lunar Prospectorreached the moonin four days. Themission was thelast NASA voyageto our nearestneighbor in space.

The spacecraftorbited the moonand gathered datathat resulted in evi-dence that water

ice exists in shadowed craters near thelunar south and north poles, the firstprecise gravity map of the entire lunarsurface, confirmation of the presence oflocal magnetic fields that create the twosmallest magnetospheres in the solarsystem and the first global maps of themoon's elemental composition.

Returning robots, and then astro-nauts, to the moon provides opportuni-ties to develop and mature technologiesneeded for long-term survival on otherworlds, according to scientists.

"An exploration science programwith a sustained human presence on themoon gives us the opportunity to con-duct fundamental science in lunar geol-ogy, history of the solar system, physicsand the biological response to partial(Earth) gravity," said ChristopherMcKay, lunar exploration program sci-entist at Ames.

"Establishing research stations onthe moon will give us the experienceand capabilities to extend to Mars andbeyond," robotics deputy program man-ager Butler Hine of Ames observed.

For high-resolution images of themoon and historic information, visit:http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/n e w s / r e l e a s e s / 2 0 0 4 / m o o n /moon.html, http://lunar.arc.nasa.gov,http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunarprosp.html, and http://science.nasa.gov/newhome/head-lines/ast31jul99_1.htm

continued on page 9

Scott Horowitz, a former astronautwho has visited Ames numerous timesover the past 20 years, returned to thecenter Nov. 16-17 in a vastly differentrole as NASA's new associate adminis-trator for the Exploration Systems Mis-sion Directorate.

During his two-day visit to Ames,Horowitz visited several key facilitiesand received briefings about the researchand technology that Ames will bring tothe table as NASA implements the Vi-sion for Space Exploration. Horowitzalso addressed Ames employees dur-ing an all-hands meeting held in themain auditorium and broadcastthroughout the center on closed circuittelevision.

Dressed casually in a blue shirt, notie and khaki pants, Horowitz said hehas been on the job at NASA Headquar-ters for about 30 days and has been busyimplementing a variety of major changes

in the Exploration Systems Directorate,including reorganizing it to increase its

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Scott Horowitz, Exploration Systems MissionDirectorate associate administrator, responds toaudience questions during his recent visit andbriefing at Ames.

Horowitz outlines exploration goals

Astrogram November 20052

A microscopic sensor that can moni-tor spaceship water quality and alsodetect biohazards and even diagnosecancer is part of an extensive portfolio of

inventions for which an Ames scientistrecently received an award.

Jun Li, a research scientist with theCenter for Nanotechnology at NASAAmes, was honored by Nanotech Briefsmagazine representatives during a cer-emony in Boston. Nanotechnology isthe creation of materials, devices andsystems through the control of matteron the nanometer scale. A nanometer isone-billionth of a meter.

"We are delighted and proud of thisachievement," said Meyya Meyyappan,director of the Center forNanotechnology.

Li's carbon nanotube biosensor maywell be used to monitor water quality onNASA's next planned spaceship, theCrew Exploration Vehicle that the spaceagency plans to fly to the moon, Marsand beyond. Carbon nanotubes are ex-tremely tiny tubes measured in nanom-eters. Scientists say nanotechnologysomeday could lead to changes in al-most everything from computers andmedicine to automobiles and spacecraft.

Li won his prize in the 'Innovator'category, in Nanotech Briefs magazine'sfirst annual awards. The biosensor is anelectronic chip - about the size of a stamp-- that can detect multiple pathogens,which include various bacteria and vi-ruses. This chip also can diagnose dis-eases in patients. Some of Li's inven-tions may even enable deaf people tohear and blind people to see, accordingto the scientist.

Another invention developed by Liand his colleagues to improve the cool-ing of computer chips resulted in a sec-ond award in the contest's technologycategory. This second award will be pre-sented to Nanoconduction Inc., Sunny-vale, Calif. A licensing arrangement withNASA gave Nanoconduction the rightto use the invention, which is a compos-ite material made of carbon nanotubes

Ames scientist honored for spaceship biosensor, inventionsand copper.

"When you run your personal com-puter, its main computer chip gets veryhot," Li noted. "Normally, in your com-puter you have a heat sink, which is ablock of copper with fins and a fan tocool the chip. The computer chip is at-tached to the heat sink, but the contact isvery poor," Li explained.

"So we invented a hair-like struc-ture for the intersection of the chip andthe heat sink. These tiny, whisker-likehairs made of carbon nanotubes aregrown directly on the heat sink surface,"Li said. In addition, researchers addedcopper between the 'whiskers.' The cop-per fills only the lower portion next tothe copper heat sink's surface. The addi-tional copper layer helps anchor the feetof the carbon nanotubes in place andspreads heat laterally, according to Li.

"The carbon whiskers stick out likea brush, and make better contact withthe computer chip to improve cooling ofthe chip," Li explained. The award alsorecognizes other inventions that he de-veloped with his co-workers at NASAAmes, including a process to 'wire' mul-tiple computer chip layers together us-ing carbon nanotubes instead of copper.

“Using the new process, manufac-turers will be able to add more cake-likelayers of components to silicon chips to

increase computer capability,” Li said.Because copper's resistance to electric-ity flow increases greatly as the metal'sdimensions decrease, there is a limit onhow small copper conductors can be, aswell as how much current they can carry.In contrast, extremely tiny carbonnanotubes can substitute for copper con-ductors in smaller computer chips. Car-bon nanotubes are much more robustthan copper wires and can carry muchmore current.

In addition, Li's developments in-clude implantable electrical-neural de-vices for potential uses in deep brainstimulation. Stimuli from these devicescould help Parkinson's disease patientsas well as those suffering from epilepsy.In the future, such implanted devicespossibly will be able to read neural sig-nals and input them into a computer orvice versa, according to Li. Implantablecomputer chips may help restore pa-tients' impaired functions such as hear-ing and vision, he ventured.

Li has published more than 50 peer-reviewed technical papers and filed morethan eight patents. Further informationabout the awards and NASAnanotechnology can be found on theWorld Wide Web at: http://w w w . n a n o t e c h b r i e f s . c o m /nano50_winners.html

BY JOHN BLUCK

Carbon Nanotubes

Meyya Meyyappan has beenelected president of theNanotechnology Council of the Insti-tute of Electrical and Electronics Engi-neers (IEEE). The IEEE is one of thelargest professional societies in theworld with 365,000 members from 150countries. The membership is dividedamong several divisions along spe-cializations such as electron devices,optoelectronics, magnetics, comput-ers, communications, medical elec-tronics, etc. The NanotechnologyCouncil is sponsored by 20 such divi-sions and as an enabling field, it isopen to the entire IEEE membership.

Meyyappan's term in the officewill be for two years, starting Jan. 1,2006. Meyyappan also is a Fellow ofthe IEEE and distinguished lectureron nanotechnology.

" It is a great honor to be the presi-dent of such a large and prestigiousorganization. It is the role of engi-

Meyyappan elected president ofNano Council of IEEE

neers to convert the nanoscience outthere into beneficial nanotechnologyand that is where the NanotechnologyCouncil will be a critical player," saidMeyyappan.

Meyya Meyyappan

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3Astrogram November 2005

On Nov. 3, Ames hosted the New Business Offfice (NBO) and Technology Partnership Division 2005conference and exposition in the ballroom of Bldg. 3. At the event, attendees learned how the NBOand Technology Partnership Division can help them achieve their business development goals.Presentations began in the morning and covered tips for competitive proposals, benefits ofcollaborative partnerships and an overview of business development services available at Ames.Table-top displays showcased information on a highlighted software release, proposal writing andbudgets, Space Act awards and starting collaborative partnerships.

NASA and the SpaceWorld Foun-dation signed an agreement on Nov. 1that will dramatically enhance the visi-

tor experience at the present Ames-basedNASA Exploration Center while pavingthe way for a future SpaceWorld at Han-gar One.

Under terms of the three-year col-laborative partnership, the SpaceWorldFoundation will develop space-relatedthemes, content and exhibits for theNASA Exploration Center, while Ameswill continue to provide staffing andother in-kind services for the facility.Current plans call for the NASA Explo-ration Center to remain open, as pres-ently configured, for approximately 18months. Then, after a short refurbish-ment period, the facility will re-launchas ‘SpaceWorld at NASA’ in mid 2007with its brand new look and format.

“The NASA Ames/SpaceWorld col-laboration will dramatically enhancewhat is already an outstanding venuefor Bay Area residents and visitors,”said Sally Ride, a member of theSpaceWorld Foundation board andAmerica's first woman in space. “I amconfident that it will inspire young girlsand boys, in particular, and give them achance to experience first-hand fasci-nating, real-world applications in sci-ence, technology, engineering and math-ematics. This is truly exciting.”

“We have been extremely gratifiedby the public's overwhelming supportfor our Exploration Center, which wasopened to coincide with the Jan. 4, 2004landing of the Mars rover Spirit. But it isnow time to take things to the next level,”said NASA Ames Center Director G.Scott Hubbard. “We intend to showcasethe Vision for Space Exploration andensure that everyone has the opportu-nity to be full participants in the journeyto explore our universe,” he said.

NASA and SpaceWorld team to inspire, involve and informIn 2002, NASA and the SpaceWorld

Foundation, then known as the Califor-nia Air and Space Education Founda-

tion, initiatedplans to developa SpaceWorld-type facility in his-toric Hangar Oneon the NASAAmes property.Those plans hadto be put on holdpending theNavy's resolutionof a variety of en-vironmental is-sues in the han-gar. The Navy iscurrently evaluat-ing itsremediation op-tions and is ex-

pected to announce its decision regard-ing the hangar's future very soon.

“The signing of the NASA Ames/SpaceWorld agreement is a tremendousstart toward our future goal of launch-ing 'SpaceWorld at Hangar One,'” saidCliff Jernigan, chairman of the board ofthe SpaceWorld Foundation. “Develop-ing content for, and then operating,SpaceWorld at NASA will provide awealth of experience for our foundationand those organizations that we hopewill join us, while offering a bold, newdestination spot for local residents andvisitors alike.”

The NASA Exploration Center en-compasses approximately 9,300 squarefeet of exhibit space, and currently fea-

tures an SGI immersive theater, the larg-est on the West Coast; an Apollo 16moon rock; NASA Ames-developed ro-botic rover prototypes; and other tech-nology-related displays. The center isopen to the public Tuesday through Fri-day, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., PST andSaturday and Sunday from noon to 4p.m., PST. It is closed on Mondays andfederal holidays. Admission is free. TheNASA Exploration Center hosted nearly150,000 visitors during its first full yearof operation.

The SpaceWorld Foundation wascreated with two primary goals in mind:to develop a state-of-the-art, hands-on,interactive learning center for young andold alike, while protecting and effec-tively re-using the historic Hangar Onefacility at NASA Ames. In addition tooffering an enhanced visitor experience,the foundation plans to develop educa-tional programs in response to academicand professional trends. More and moretechnical professions demand astutemath and science skills, which experi-ence suggests cannot be developed solelyin a classroom setting. One ofSpaceWorld's key missions is to inspirethe youth of today, with an emphasis onprograms that resonate with girls andboys, encourage them to engage in mathand science study, and help preparethem for the professions of tomorrow.

Additional information about theSpaceWorld Foundation is available onthe Internet at: http://www.spaceworldfoundation.org/

BY MICHAEL MEWHINNEY

NBO, Technology Partnership expo held

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Steve Zornetzer, Ames deputy director (acting) at the NASA,SpaceWorld agreement signing event held at Ames with Cliff Jernigan(right), chairman of the board of SpaceWorld Foundation.

Astrogram November 20054

Following the successful RussianFoton-M2 spaceflight (May 31- June 16,2005), researchers from NASA Ames

(Drs. Richard Boyle, Eduardo Almeida)and the Montana State University,Bozeman (Dr. Barry Pyle), met with theirRussian counterparts in Moscow, Oct.26 through Oct. 27 to exchange prelimi-nary science results.

The unmanned Russian researchspaceflight, carrying bacteria, newts,geckos and snails, launched fromBaikonur Cosmodrome and was recov-ered 16 days later in northernKazakhstan. In an interesting footnote,this was the 130th launch from the samepad from which Yuri Gagarin launchedon April 12, 1961.

The invitation to participate in thisongoing spaceflight research activitywas extended by the Institute for Bio-medical Problems (IMBP) in Moscow.

The US scientists representingNASA were invited to participate infour Russian experiments that were al-ready reviewed, selected and funded bythe Russian Academy of Sciences. TheNASA researchers used this opportu-nity to study genetic structures, geneticstability, molecular-biological mecha-nisms of cell proliferation, tissue regen-eration and the effect of microgravity onthe electro-physiology of gravity sens-ing. The underlying goal for NASA is touse simple, easily maintained species, todetermine the biological responses tothe rigors of spaceflight and use theinformation to reduce the risks to hu-

Ames team completes successful researchcollaboration on Russian Foton-M2 spaceflight

man space travelers.The legal basis for this bilateral in-

teraction was a detailed barter agree-ment. Extensive negotiations over sev-eral months led to the Foton-M2 En-abling Agreement (EA) with its eightappendices specifying every aspect ofscientific, operational and managerialinteractions. The EA also detailed theintegration of NASA science into theongoing Russian experiments. The EAwas signed by NASA and IMBP on Dec.28, 2004. IMBP was the primary integra-tor for these experiments and its Bio-medical Ethics Committee carried theresponsibility for ensuring that the careand treatment of the animals conformedto appropriate standards.

The substantive preliminary find-ings from the Russian Foton-M2 space-flight hold out the promise that signifi-cant scientific findings can result fromour joint work. This collaboration dem-onstrates that successful, sound space-flight research can be achieved in a rela-tively short timeframe in a very cost-effective manner. The more than 30 yearsof cooperation between IMBP and NASAAmes strengthens the hope that this suc-cessful activity will be a stepping stoneto future, more robust, spaceflight col-laborations such as Foton-M3 (2007) andBioCosmos-M1 (2010).

The NASA Ames management teamincluded Mike Skidmore, project man-

Foton-M2 Russian spacecraft

‘Regeneration-F2’ investigators Victor I.Mitashov, of the Koltsov Institute ofDevelopmental Biology (IDB), RussianAcademy of Sciences, and Eduardo A.C.Almeida of Ames.

ager; Marilyn Vasques, science man-ager and deputy project manager; GalinaTverskaya, mission support and coordi-nation and and Vera Vizir, logistics andscience implementation. The NASAAmes science team included: RichardBoyle, science lead and principal inves-tigator; Eduardo Almeida, principal in-vestigator and and Barry Pyle, principalinvestigator, Montana State University,Bozeman.

The Ames Astrogram is how thePublic Affairs Division strives to keepcivil service and contractor employ-ees informed about Ames programs,research and technology develop-ment, events (upcoming and recentpast) and issues of relevance to per-sonnel.

The Astrogram provides currentinformation, news and feature stories

Purpose of the Astrogramrelated to Ames and NASA. The paperis distributed around Ames, is postedon the Ames Web site and also is mailedto former employees, other NASA cen-ters and other space-related institu-tions. It showcases noteworthy people,projects and events at the center, aswell as key Ames and NASA mes-sages, with in-depth feature articlesand photographs.

The Astrogram staff encouragesemployees to write stories aboutevents and activities in their respec-tive work areas, which providesAstrogram readers with a fresh per-spective.

To submit a story to theAstrogram, please send it toastrogram@mail.arc.nasa.gov The

Submitting a storyeditorial staff will review your storyfor appropriate placement.

Please note: The editorial staff re-serves the right to review and approveall content and determine its place-ment. The staff also reserves the rightto edit all submitted materials for rel-evance, appropriateness, suitability,grammar, flow and length.

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BY MIKE SKIDMORE

5Astrogram November 2005

McTMA development team receives TGIR award

BY JONAS DINO

On Oct 25, the Multi-center TrafficManagement Advisor (McTMA) devel-opment team at NASA Ames receivedthe Increase Capacity and MobilityAward at NASA's Turning Goals intoReality awards ceremony. The team wasrecognized for its dedication in accom-plishing NASA's aeronautics goals ad-dressing the expected growth of air travelacross the United States.

"McTMA is a significant, technicalachievement, toward NASA's goal ofincreasing capacity, mobility and en-abling more people to travel faster andfarther, with fewer delays," said MichaelLandis, chief of the Airspace SystemsProjects Office at NASA Ames.

The McTMA is a decision-supporttool designed to enhance Traffic Man-agement Advisor (TMA) currently de-ployed to eight air route traffic controlcenters and scheduled for nationwidedeployment by the Federal AviationAdministration (FAA) in fiscal year 2007.McTMA is designed to enable time-based metering of traffic in highly con-gested and complex airspace such as thenortheast corridor of the U.S.

TMA, the precursor to McTMA thatwas also developed by NASA Ames,has demonstrated a 3 percent to 5 per-cent increase in throughput at FAA sitesand has saved airspace users more than$180M in delay reductions to date.McTMA is expected to provide up to a 5percent increase in capacity in the north-east corridor along with large delay re-ductions, and will enable time-basedmetering to replace miles-in-trail restric-tions and ground stops as a delay mecha-nism.

Over the past two years, the McTMAdevelopment team has successfully le-veraged the TMA software to demon-strate new, key capabilities. Two signifi-cant innovations were developed inMcTMA: the new data-sharing architec-ture and the 'distributed scheduler.'

The architecture enables facilitieson the TMA network to share schedulepredictions between them, improvingthe facilities' visibility into their impend-ing traffic flows. The distributed sched-uler enhances the original TMA sched-uler to enable traffic to be scheduledfrom several facilities in a coordinatedmanner, while preserving facility inde-pendence to achieve the flow constraints

according to their own traffic demandsand priorities.

This scheduler also provides theability to schedule to any defined pointin space, thus expanding the originalTMA's capabili-ties beyond that ofonly managing ar-rivals to manag-ing departuresand overflights aswell.

"This awardhas brought out at r e m e n d o u samount of pridefrom all involvedwith the project.The six supportingair traffic controlfacilities in thenortheast, NASA,and our five con-tractors are verypleased that ourhard work and perseverance have trans-lated into an innovative technology thatis being incorporated into the next ver-sion of TMA to be deployed by the FAA.We look forward to making similarthings happen in the future," stated Amesaerospace engineer Ty Hoang.

McTMA was tested in the field overa two-year timeframe, which included28 separate field activities. Each activityfocused on demonstrating additionalcapability, validating new functional-

ity, and training. The last and most suc-cessful of the 28 field activities was atwo-day, live operational demonstra-tion conducted in November 2004 in thehighly complex Northeast corridor.

McTMA was used by TMCs to meterdeparture-release times for flights boundfor Philadelphia International Airportfrom points of origin up to 450 nauticalmiles away.

The demonstration’s successprompted the FAA to announce aplanned deployment of TMA nation-wide and is negotiating with NASA re-garding a further transfer of McTMAtechnologies.

If you are one of the many peoplewho develop communication materi-als to inform others about various ac-tivities or projects you are involvedwith, you should be aware of and fol-low the Communications Material Re-view process (CMR).

The CMR was established earlierthis year to implement unifying ele-ments, such as key messages and de-sign standards, in all NASA-fundedcommunications material. The CMRstandards and processes apply to allproducts (with few exceptions) beingdeveloped for internal and/or exter-

New guidelines available fordeveloping communication materials

nal audiences.�When the CMR was first intro-

duced, an interim style guide was pub-lished to get the process started.

If you used the interim guide, youmay have thought, "Boy, this could beso much better if....". Well, now's yourchance. The CMR team has just pub-lished a new, more complete styleguide - and they are asking for yourinput on how to make it even better.�

To see the new style guide and tofind out how to submit your commentsfor improvement, visit: http://communications.nasa.gov

From left to right: Dr. Julian Earls, director of Glenn Research Center; Dr.Jaiwon Shin, deputy associate administrator; Ty Hoang (NASA); Brian Stein,Methods Corporation; Tony Chambliss, Mitre-CAASD; Dr. Steven Landry(NASA); Larry Lamaine (CSC); Dr. Lisa Porter, Aeronautics Research associateadministrator; and NASA Administrator Dr. Mike Griffen.

NASA photo

Astrogram November 20056

The Ames community recentlyhosted 12 girls from Pala Middle School,located in San Jose. The primary ratio-nale for this endeavor was to exposeLatinas to careers in engineering andscience.

The day began with hands-on scien-tific activities. The girls successfully com-pleted astronaut crew training proce-

dures, relative to the Ames' BiomassProduction System (BPS) experiment.The girls simulated the pollination andharvest of brassica in a weightless envi-ronment.

This was followed by a tour of themicrobial mat and stromatolite researchlabs. NASA scientists Lee Bebout andMary Hogan explained the importanceof microbial ecosystems in astrobiology,citing both early Earth and potentialextraterrestrial implications. The girlsalso toured the greenhouse ecosystemco-laboratory facilities. They asked ex-cellent questions related to the micro-bial mat and live stromatolite samplesthat they observed. Several of the girlsexpressed a desire to set up their ownecosystems at home.

Ames' Latino data engineer MaxAmaya led the girls on a tour of the 12-foot-pressure wind tunnel, which is aclosed-return, variable-density, low-tur-bulence, subsonic wind tunnel. Amayagave a personal, anecdotal account ofhis early challenges with math. He ex-plained that with hard work and dedi-cation, anything is possible. It was evi-dent that his personal experiences servedto inspire the girls.

We also celebrated our cultural heri-tage and diversity by honoring Medal ofFreedom recipient Cesar E. Chavez. Indoing so we were able to transfer hisgreat legacy to the next generation. We

were honored to have Chavez's sisterRita Medina in attendance. Medina ac-companied the girls throughout the day.She stated that she learned so much andwas delighted that we paid tribute toher brother.

The girls participated in a discus-sion of the core values of Chavez, whichare service to others, community and

e m p o w e r m e n t .Chavez had stated"The end of all educa-tion should surely beservice to others.”

The Ames com-munity clearly exem-plified these values.The NASA Astrobiol-ogy Institute pro-vided invaluable sup-port, as did KarenMcyntire, SandyDueck, DamonFlansburg, HoracioChavez, Pinkie Phul,Julia Bulkowski, NickiRayl and Steve Perry.

This projectbrought together aconstituent of Ames

employees. It speaks to the interdepen-dencies among individuals, and howwe are able to rely on each other for

Ames employees honor Hispanic Heritage monthmutual assistance. It is clear that thesetypes of activities serve to provide an

avenue where we can fortify our profes-sional relationships, while engaging inphilanthropic activities that serve tostrengthen our community. Seeing thisproject come to fruition was an honorsince my grandfather, Manuel Leon, andCesar E. Chavez worked on issues re-lated to education. It was important toacknowledge the contributions of thesemen, who left a legacy that still serves toinspire us. This project is proof that “SiSe Puede” yes we can, working together.

Cesar Chavez’s sister Rita Medina (far left) is shown here with PalaMiddle School students and Ames’ Patricia Montes Gregory (front, right).

Pala Middle school students shown during thegreenhouse ecosystem lab tour with Ames’ LeeBebout (center).

BY PATRICIA MONTES GREGORY

Johnson Space Center's Robonaut (foreground) performs a mock weld while Ames ResearchCenter's K10 robot assists two astronauts shown in background inspecting a previously weldedseam. The Peer-to-Peer Human-Robot Interaction (P2P-HRI) project is developing techniques toimprove task coordination and collaboration between human and robot partners. The interactionwill enable robots to collaborate in a competent, non-disruptive (natural) manner with users whohave limited training, experience or knowledge of robots.

Robonaut, K10 robots assist astronauts

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7Astrogram November 2005

Internet users can now take virtual3-D trips to nearly any place on themoon, thanks to a NASA program first

designed to show aerial views of theEarth.

The newly expanded NASA 'WorldWind' computer program can 'transport'Web users to almost any place on themoon, when they zoom in from a globalview to closer pictures of our naturalsatellite taken by the Clementine space-craft in the 1990s. Computer program-mers at NASA originally designed theWorld Wind program to deliver satel-lite images and data of Earth to theInternet. Users can see detailed 3-D pic-tures of the Earth's land surface, includ-ing its elevation and climate.

"We have just digested the best ofthe Clementine images, so we can nowdeliver the moon at 66 feet (20 meters) ofresolution," said Patrick Hogan, man-ager of the World Wind Project Office atAmes. "This is a first. No one has everexplored our moon in the 3-D interac-tive environment that World Wind cre-ates," noted Hogan.

Launched in early 1994, Clementinetook 1.8 million pictures of the lunarsurface during a two-month orbit of themoon. The Ballistic Missile Defense Or-ganization and NASA jointly sponsoredthe Deep Space Program Science Ex-periment that included the Clementinespacecraft. Its principal objective was to'space-qualify' lightweight imaging sen-sors and component technologies forthe next generation of Department ofDefense spacecraft.

"Imagine riding a magic carpetthrough the world and being able tozoom down to any point, or appear

NASA Internet software ‘zooms’ to nearly anywhere on moonmagically at any location. That's whatWorld Wind is like," said Mark Leon,chief of Ames' Education Division. "Not

only has Hogan'steam produced newtechnology withWorld Wind, butthey have done soas open source com-puter code, so it isfree for all whowould downloadit," Leon added.

"NASA WorldWind allows usersto explore their(computer) envi-ronment at will,"Hogan said. "Thisleads to much

greater engagement with, and by, theusers and personalizes it for their owndiscovery." In contrast, movies are notas engaging, or immersive, in that theuser does not control them, Hogan ob-served.

NASA World Wind is deliveringterabytes of global NASA satellite datathat are a result of years of daily obser-vations of precipitation, temperature,barometric pressure and much more.Recently, hurricane Katrina data havebeen added to World Wind's collectionof images. There are an estimated 10,000daily users of World Wind.

In addition to improving WorldWind by adding images of the moon,NASA programmers recently have in-creased the resolution of images of Earthfrom 3,281-foot (one-kilometer) resolu-tion to 1,640-foot (500-meter) resolutionin an upgrade called 'Blue Marble, NextGeneration Earth.' Also, some WorldWind data sets include images of theentire Earth at 49-foot (15-meter) resolu-tion. The United States data in WorldWind is at 3.3-foot (one-meter) resolu-tion with some urban areas at one-foot(0.33-meter) resolution.

World Wind has been enabling hun-dreds of thousands of Internet users tozoom from satellite altitude into anyplace on Earth to see across the Andes,into the Grand Canyon, over the Alps oralong the African Sahara. World Windaccesses public domain United StatesGeological Survey aerial photographyand topographic maps as well as spaceshuttle radar topography mission andLandsat satellite data.

The personal computer (PC)-com-patible World Wind program is avail-able free of charge via Internet 'down-load.' Computer users from more than100 nations have acquired the free WorldWind program, though most users arefrom the United States. To downloadWorld Wind, visit: http://worldwind.arc.nasa.gov/

BY JOHN BLUCK

Moon photo taken by NASA’s Clementine spacecraft, accessible aspart of a virtual tour on the Whirl Wind Web site.

Washington Governor Christine Gregoire addresses students in October at the NASAExplorer School, Key Peninsula Middle School, in Lake Bay, Wash.

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Astrogram November 20058

On Nov. 2, the Ames ContractorCouncil presented its third annual safetyexcellence awards. The awards are pre-sented each year to an individual and to

a contract team that embody and exhibitthe shared NASA goal of safety excel-lence. A team of volunteers evaluatedthe nominations and the Ames Contrac-

Ames Contractor Council presents annual safety awards

BY MICHAEL WEISS

tor Council and Ames center manage-ment presented the winners with theirawards.

The winner of the 2005 individualaward was Sergio Castellanos for his

extensive involvement in safety issuesat the NASA Ames Conference Center.Castellano is the facility manager for thecenter, Building 3 and has demonstrateda proactive approach to safety that isresults oriented.

Sierra Lobo, Inc. won the group con-tractor award for the second consecu-tive year. Sierra Lobo provides engi-neering, operations and maintenancesupport to the arc jets, sensors lab and

ranges for theThermophysicsFacilities Branch.Stephen Kihara,Sierra Lobo'sprogram man-ager, acceptedthe award. SierraLobo has demon-strated that it hasa well-developedsafety programthat not only pro-tects its workers,but also providesexcellent safetysupport for itscivil service co-workers.

Linda McCahon, Ames ContractorCouncil president, and Lewis BraxtonIII, director, Center Operations, who wasthe acting deputy center director at Amesat the time, presented the awards.

Linda McCahon, president, Ames Contractor Council; Stephen Kihara,program manager, Sierra Lobo, Inc; Lewis Braxton III, director, CenterOperations; and Michael Weiss, chairman, Safety Outreach Committee,Ames Contractor Council.Sergio Castellanos, left, facility manager, NASA

Ames Conference Center shown here with LewisBraxton III, director, Center Operations.

Philip B. Russell and Timothy Leeof NASA Ames recently were namedFellows by the American Associationfor the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

Russell, a research scientist in theAtmospheric Chemistry and DynamicsBranch, was honored for his pioneeringwork and scientific leadership in the

measurement of aerosol properties andthe effects of haze on the Earth's energybudget and climate.

AAAS honors Ames’ Russell and Lee as Fellows

BY KELLY GARCIA

“I feel extremely honored to beelected as a fellow of such a prestigiousorganization as AAAS,” Russell said.“Frankly, this is something I didn't ex-pect to achieve in my life. Looking at thelist of previous electees from the atmo-spheric sciences community makes merealize I've been placed in very distin-guished company.”

Lee, acting branch chief of the As-trophysics Branch, was recognized forhis significant research in applying state-of-the-art ab initio theory to help solveimportant problems in spectroscopy andatmospheric chemistry.

“I feel very pleased to have beengiven this honor,” Lee said. “There arenot many AAAS Fellows among NASAscientists, approximately 15 throughoutNASA, so it is rather rare.”

The AAAS is the world's largestgeneral scientific society and publisherof Science journal. Established in 1848,the goal of this non-profit organizationis to “advance science and serve soci-ety” through initiatives in science policy,international programs, science educa-tion and more.

“Awards like this impact the sci-ence community by indicating the sub-fields and activities that AAAS consid-ers worthy of special recognition,”Russell said. “Hopefully, this inspiresothers in the field to continue strivingfor scientific excellence.”

Russell and Lee will be honoredFeb. 18 at the 2006 AAAS annual meet-ing in St. Louis, Mo.

Philip Russell

Timothy Lee

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BY DONALD MENDOZA

Lessons learned in project management, systems engineeringThe following is a Lessons Learned

(LL) describing how one Ames projectused a combination of oversight andinsight to ensure its contractor's qualityassurance (QA) processes were efficientand effective.

The LL were as follows. First, eachvendor needs a tailored degree of over-sight versus insight and sometimes theonly way to determine this balance isempirically. Second, in-plant inspec-tions can be misleading. Third, acontractor's QA system, even as mea-sured by a standard like ISO, cannot be

blindly trusted. Last, the travel budgetconstrains the amount of in-plant con-tractor visibility the project will have.

The recommendations were as fol-lows. First, projects should develop QAplans and processes that can be tailoredto variable amounts of insight/oversightcommensurate with the risk associatedwith the activity in question. However,the project must ensure that a contractor'sQA system is compatible with this scal-ing and meets the minimum require-ments set forth in the project's plan.Second, projects should consult other

projects that have worked with the samevendor to acquire both a historical andcurrent picture of the vendor's capabili-ties. Third, projects should plan to con-duct pre-award audits and at least oneannual unannounced on-site visit towitness vendor QA practices firsthand.Last, when planning its budget, projectsmust include enough travel to ensure aqualified QA professional will be in placefor all high-risk activities.

External Awards call for nominations

continued from front page

Utilizing the External AwardsProgram to recognize exceptional em-ployees and their work is one way ofdemonstrating employee apprecia-tion. Please take the time to reviewthe current awards that are now ac-cepting nominations. To obtain moreinformation about each award andnomination forms, please visit thefollowing Web site: http://nasapeople.nasa.gov/awards/docu-ments/ExtAwdsCalendar2.doc

All nominations require approvalof the sponsoring organizational di-rector. Nominations are due to theAmes Incentive Awards Office by thedeadline provided below which willthen prepare the nomination pack-

age for signature and submit the com-plete package to meet the deadlineof the award. For more information,contact Lynette Forsman at ext 4-5267.

Award categories are:• Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Aerospace Prize Deadline Dec. 16, 2005

• Women In Science and Engineering (WISE) Awards Deadline Dec. 30, 2005

• White House Closing the Circle Awards Deadline Dec. 30, 2005

efficiency.“It's an exciting time,” said

Horowitz, who retired from NASA andthe Air Force in 2004 and joined ATKThiokol Inc. As its director of space trans-portation and exploration, Horowitz ledthe development of a strategy for thecompany to support the Vision for SpaceExploration.

In support of the Vision for SpaceExploration, Horowitz said NASA hasdeveloped new strategic goals, includ-ing completing the International SpaceStation and retiring the space shuttle by2010. As soon as possible after the spaceshuttle is retired -- perhaps as early as2010 -- he said the agency plans to de-velop and fly a new Crew ExplorationVehicle for future missions to the moonand Mars.

Horowitz also said the agency willdevelop “a balanced overall program ofscience, exploration and aeronauticsconsistent with the redirection of thehuman spaceflight program to focus onexploration.” In addition, he said NASAwill “encourage the pursuit of appropri-ate partnerships with the emerging com-mercial space sector.”

Calling the work needed to imple-ment the vision “exciting and challeng-ing,” Horowitz also stressed its impor-tance for the nation. He said the agency'snew strategic goals can only be accom-plished if everyone works together as ateam.

“I plan to work very closely with thepeople here at Ames,” Horowitz prom-ised. “I'm a true believer in teamwork.It's a team effort at every level. As agroup, we'll make it. If we don't worktogether, it won't get done.”

He said Ames has a major role inimplementing the Vision for Space Ex-

ploration, including managing the newRobotic Lunar Exploration Program,helping develop the Crew ExplorationVehicle and the Crew Launch Vehicleand launch/mission systems.

“We need to build beyond our cur-rent capability to ferry astronauts andcargo to low-Earth orbit,” Horowitz said.“Our steps should be evolutionary, in-cremental, and cumulative.

A retired U.S. Air Force colonel who

served as an F-15 fighter pilot, Horowitzwas selected as an astronaut in 1992 andis a veteran of four space shuttle mis-sions, including servicing the HubbleSpace Telescope and two flights to theInternational Space Station. He haslogged more than 1, 138 hours in space.

“Our destiny is to explore,”Horowitz concluded. “I believe this isthe future of our country - and theworld.”

BY MICHAEL MEWHINNEY

Horowitz outlines exploration goals

Astrogram November 200510

NAS division’s chief security officer Dave Tweten remembered

BY JILL DUNBAR

David Tweten

Highly principled. Extremely intel-ligent. Deeply conscientious. Quick-wit-ted and funny. These are just a few of thequalities ascribed to Ames friend andco-worker David L. Tweten, who passed

away unexpectedly on Oct. 7, 2005. Hewas 57.

Tweten's tall frame, wide grin andblue eyes made him an unforgettablepresence at Ames, especially at theNASA Advanced Supercomputing(NAS) facility, where he was one of thefirst civil service employees hired. Aschief computer security officer for theNAS Division, Tweten logged many ex-tra hours to ensure that the agency'sforemost supercomputing center wasprotected against hackers. When a raresecurity compromise did occur in May2004, Tweten guided the effort to keepcritical NASA mission-related compu-tational projects running while securitypatches were completed, for which hewas recognized with a NASA HonorAward.

As a security official, Tweten wasnever heavy-handed in carrying out thestringent regulations he enforced-andhe never exploited the inherent powerin his security role. His strong belief inthe U.S. Constitution and civil libertieswas truly a cornerstone of his life. WhenAmes stepped up its random vehicleinspections after the 9-ll terrorist attack,Tweten chose to walk through the guardgates, upholding his belief in a citizen'sright to privacy.

These strong beliefs were echoed inhis active participation in the Ames Fed-eral Employees Union (AFEU). Twetenfirmly believed in the union movementand the importance of its role at thecenter. He honorably served the union

in many capacities over the years, in-cluding as AFEU treasurer, chairman ofthe constitution committee and unionsteward. He played a critical role inoverseeing AFEU elections. Union asso-ciates recall that Tweten was a wise andpatient mentor, and unfailingly pro-vided a calm voice of reason in anydiscussion.

Tweten grew up in Redding, Calif.,and received a bachelor's degree in en-gineering from the University of Cali-fornia, Berkeley. Tweten's parents, Emiland Myrtle Tweten, still reside inRedding, where he made frequent tripsto visit. Emil recalls that Tweten fre-

quently said he would rather be in aplace where there are more trees thanstop signs. To honor that wish, a privateservice was held in his hometown, andhe rests in a spot where there are lots oftree surrounded by mountains.

The family has suggested that do-nations in Tweten's name be made toBig Brothers Big Sisters of America andHabitat for Humanity. A memorial ser-vice and tree-planting ceremony willtake place at Ames on Dec. 7, 2005.

For a more complete article onTweten, please visit: http://www.nas.nasa.gov/News/2005/11.22.05.

James Aubrey White died at hishome in Pioneer on Oct. 8. He was 97years old. He was a native of Mt.Vernon, Wash.�

White graduated from the Uni-versity of Washington in 1931 as anelectrical engineer and was awardedmembership in Phi Beta Kappa HonorSociety. He supported himself throughcollege by working as a surveyor in alogging camp. In 1931, he was hiredby NACA at Langley Field in Virginiaand assigned to the full-scale windtunnel section.�

He moved to California in 1940 tohelp establish the NACA Ames Labo-ratory at Moffett Field, where he wasappointed head of the electrical branch.In 1962, he earned a master's degree atStanford University. He continued to

Former instrumentation divisionchief passes on

work at NASA as chief of the instru-mentation division until his retirementin 1968. He retired in MendocinoCounty and in 1988 relocated with hiswife to Pioneer.

White's wife, Dorothy, precededhim in death in 1996. He is survivedby two daughters, Janet Schwendig ofPioneer and Shirley Wilkinson of Se-attle, Wash.; four grandchildren; andsix great grandchildren.

Beloved by his family, he was aninspiration to them, his colleagues atthe laboratory and everyone whoknew him. Burial was at AmadorMemorial Cemetary. Memorial con-tributions may be made to Hospice ofAmador, P.O. Box 595 Jackson, 95642or TriCounty Wildlife, 16937 StageRoad, Sutter Creek, 95685.

The CFC team thanks the Amescommunity for its generous outpour-ing of support for the hurricane reliefand the Combined Federal Campaign(CFC). An ambitious goal of $240,000was set for the regular campaign thisyear. The CFC campaign - originallyscheduled to run from Oct. 12 to Nov.1 - was extended to Nov. 30.

2005 CFC - Striving to meet the goalThe progress during the campaign

was shown on the goal thermometerby the main Ames gate and on theCFC Web site http://cfc.arc.nasa.gov/. A final tally of do-nations received in 2005 will be givenin the next issue of the Astrogram.

BY LARRY LASHER, 2005 CFC CHAIRPERSON

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The book ‘Biomimicry’ written by Janine Benyus

BY JUSTINE BURT AND STACY ST. LOUIS

Biomimicry is the science that stud-ies nature's models, and then imitates ortakes inspiration from these designs andprocesses in order to solve human prob-lems. On Sept. 7, NASA Ames’ Environ-

mental Services Office hosted JanineBenyus, author of Biomimicry, whoshared numerous examples of waysnature solves design problems withwhich humans struggle.

Environmental author discusses Biomimicry at AmesBenyus shared the example of

KEVLAR® brand fiber, a Dupont prod-uct that combines high strength withlight weight. Products made withKEVLAR® range from protective ap-parel and sports equipment to automo-tive parts and ropes used on the MarsPathfinder. It is one of the strongest andtoughest high-tech materials availabletoday. But how is KEVLAR® manufac-tured? It is made by pouring petro-leum-derived molecules into a pressur-ized vat of concentrated sulfuric acid,then boiling it at several hundred de-grees Fahrenheit and finally subjectingit to high pressures to force the fibersinto alignment.

Comparably, nature takes a lowerimpact approach when creating one ofits strongest and toughest materials - aspider web. The Golden Orb spiderproduces a waterproof silk that is moreelastic than KEVLAR® and five timesstronger than steel. But the spider manu-factures it with water, at room tempera-ture, and without high heat, petroleum,hazardous chemicals or high pressure.Imagine if the fiber industry employedprocess strategy that used renewableraw materials and negligible energywithout creating waste and generated aproduct superior to the competition! The

380-million-year-old spider silk produc-tion method is one example of the im-mense opportunity there is to learn fromnature.

Benyus suggested other problemswith which humans grapple that naturehas already solved. What can we learnfrom the movements of schools of fish,hives of bees, or swarms of locusts thatcould help air traffic control operationsguide aircraft traffic safety? How canthe noise of a bullet train when it travelsin and out of tunnels be diminished byredesigning the engine's nose based onthe beak of a Kingfisher, a bird thattravels from air to water with almost nonoise? Can humans replicate the snake'sability to shed its skin in the design ofplastic packaging that might last only aslong as it is needed, not decades after theproduct is gone?

As Benyus described, organismshave managed to do many things hu-mans want to do, but in a manner thathas a lower environmental impact andensures the well being of generations farinto the future. Nature presents themost efficient models available. By learn-ing more about nature's eco-effectivedesigns, humans will be able to movetoward a more sustainable society.

Julius Lin, founder and CTO ofIntelligenTek, dreams big. "Someday,we want to be a leading company in the'ubi-comp' (which means ubiiquitious -- 'anywhere anytime anyone') comput-ing industry," he said.

The fledgling one-year-oldIntelligenTek, an industry partner inBldg. 19 at NASA Research Park, is tar-geting the virtual workstation and 3-D

Intelligent Tek employees, left to right: Larry Wang, platform specialist;Julius Lin, founder and CTO; and Norman Lee, technical staff member.

NRP partner IntelligenTek, going for the goldvirtual reality interface markets and ex-pects to have a product in the market by2007.

Their technical breakthrough is aproprietary human-machine 3-D inter-face that can make a regular keyboard

and mouse dis-appear for acomputer user,providing bothportability andweightless com-puting. This ispossible sincethe keyboardand mouse areembedded in atiny computer, adevice poten-tially useful infuture NASA ex-ploration. "Thecomputer mim-ics a user's real

movements and interacts in 3-D, so itseems real," Lin said.

Sony Corp. now has a 2-D computerinterface called ‘I-Toy’ but the 3-D inter-

face market is still wide open, Lin said.Another niche for IntelligenTek is

the keyboard simulator market.IntelligenTek's technology can act as a‘3g’ or ‘3c’ mouse or keyboard device,allowing ubiquitious ‘anywhere, any-time anyone’ computing. IntelligenTek'sgoal in this niche is to turn the chicklet-sized keyboard of a cell phone orBlackBerry into a virtual full-sized key-board.

IntelligenTek's patented techniqueworks via automatic data collection us-ing vision, hearing and real-time objecttracking.

IntelligenTek is currently movingout of the proof-of-concept and proto-type design phase and into product de-velopment mode. "We've three weeksleft in the prototype development stage,"Lin asserted.

The firm recently hired businesswizard Richard Nedinsky as the newvice president of business development,to look for Series A venture capitalfunding to develop a prototype chip.

Nedinsky is doing the research andcontinued on page 14

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Astrogram November 200512

On Oct. 11, the Project Columbiateam was awarded a 2005 GovernmentComputer News (GCN) Agency Awardfor Innovation at the annual GCNawards gala hosted at the WashingtonHilton and Towers in Washington, D.C.Project Columbia lead William Thigpen

was on hand at the prestigious black-tieevent to accept the award on behalf ofthe team.

The Project Columbia team, com-

Project Columbia wins GCN Agency Award for Innovation

BY HOLLY A. AMUNDSON

Left to right: Bill Thigpen (Ames); David Barkai (Intel); Bart Heisey (Intel);and Anthony Robbins (SGI) at the Government Computer News award galaheld on Oct. 11 in Washington, D.C.

prised primarily of computer scientistsand engineers from the NASA AdvancedSupercomputing (NAS) Division, andmajor NASA industry partners SiliconGraphics Inc., and Intel Corp., built anddeployed a 10,240-processor SGI Altixsupercomputer in an unprecedented 120

days. This system,named ‘Colum-bia’ to honor thelate crew of thespace shuttle Co-lumbia, simulta-neously supportsall four NASAmission director-ates and theNASA Engineer-ing and SafetyCenter.

The world-class systemwas procured,integrated andbrought online bythe NAS Division

to meet NASA's pressing demands forgreater high-end computing capabili-ties for solving problems unique to theagency: emergency capabilities such as

those needed to investigate the Febru-ary 2003 space shuttle Columbia acci-dent; returning the space shuttle to ser-vice; feasibility studies for making criti-cal in-flight repairs during future spacemissions; and the president's Vision forSpace Exploration to return to the moonand Mars. Upon installation, Columbiaincreased the agency's computing ca-pacity 10 fold, and almost instantly be-gan meeting science and engineeringchallenges not previously possible.

From a field of 132 nominations, theColumbia project was one of just 10selected by PostNewsweek's editorialteam to receive this coveted honor. Win-ners were selected from a pool of nomi-nees from U.S. federal, state and localgovernment organizations based ontheir excellence in applying informationtechnology, supporting program orpolicy requirements, and improving ser-vice delivery.

In addition to the awards ceremony,which drew approximately 1,000 attend-ees from both industry and government,NASA was recognized in a special Oct.10 edition of Government ComputerNews.

Hurricane Katrina hit on Mondaymorning , Aug. 29, coming ashore on theGulf Coast with a vengeance. Familiesat our NASA sister center, Stennis Space

Flight Center, are still putting their livesback together and many have lost ev-erything and had no flood insurance.

A grassroots volunteer effort atNASA Ames is reaching out to help in

this time of need. Through the efforts ofWendy Dolci of the New Business Of-fice and Yvonne Pendleton of the SpaceScience and Astrobiology Division, con-

nections havebeen made be-tween families atAmes and fami-lies at Stennis, sothat needs can beidentified andprovided for on acase-by-case ba-sis.

Friendshipsare developingthat will be long-term and support-ive throughoutthe months ahead.

The first ship-ment of largeitems to Stennisfamilies will leaveNASA Ames onDec. 2.

If you wouldlike to participate in this effort you cando so in a number of ways. 1) Volunteerto adopt a family or to share in thesupport of the family with one or moreof the current Ames volunteers; 2) do-

Ames employees aid Stennis’ Katrina victim employees

BY YVONNE PENDLETON

nate small household items, warm cloth-ing, tools, games for children, books andor gift cards to the general fund; or 3)make a financial contribution to sup-port the cost of shipping.

If you would like to do any of theabove, contact Wendy Dolci at e-mailwdolci@mail.arc.nasa.gov, ext. 4-6358 orYvonne Pendleton at e-mailypendleton@mail.arc.nasa.gov, ext. 4-4391.

If you would like to read more aboutthis effort or sign up online, please visitthe Internet Web site at: http://spacescience.arc.nasa.gov. A collectionsite has been created at the shippingarea of bldg 255 to make deliveries con-venient.

All employees, whether or not theyhave signed up to adopt a Stennis fam-ily, are invited to make donations. Pleaseplace the items in labeled boxes, andbring them to shipping in building 255by close of business on Dec. 1. Itemsneed not be packaged quite as carefullyas if they were being sent separatelysince they will be placed within a largercontainer. Items intended for specificpeople at Stennis, or just for generaldistribution, are welcome.

NASA employees at Stennis Space Center, along with their families, send aheartfelt thank you to NASA's nine other field centers and Headquarters fortheir help recovering from Hurricane Katrina's devastating effects. The‘thank you’ photo was taken during a NASA ‘family feast’ gathering heldNov. 17 in the Atrium of Stennis' administrative building.

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13Astrogram November 2005

Question:How can we be prepared for a

large-scale disaster?

Answer:The best way to make you safer is

to be prepared.

• Make a plan -- Establish acommunications/reunification planwith family and friends that includesan evacuation plan that coordinateswith your home, work, school andcommunity activities. Practice thisplan.

If you commute to work, planand practice alternate routes and carryappropriate supplies such as a disas-ter supplies kit in your car and/or acompact disaster supplies kit forwhen traveling via public transpor-tation.

Ask the ‘Protective Services Wizard’Preparing for a large-scale disaster

• Prepare and build a disastersupplies kit* -- One that includesenough supplies for each family mem-ber for three days. Remember to checkyour kit every six months.

*There are six basic items youshould stock for your home in the caseof an emergency: Water, food, firstaid supplies, clothing and bedding,tools and emergency supplies andspecial items for medical conditions.Keep all of these items in an easy-to-carry container. See the Red CrossWeb site that follows for tips on foodand water storage.

• Disasters at work -- If the disas-ter occurs when you are at work, knowwhat to do. Study your buildingevacuation plan and know where youare supposed to exit the building andmeet up with your colleagues. Be

aware of hazards in and around youroffice.

Remember that all of these ideasare just mere preparations and thatyou can never be fully prepared forthe unpredictable. Remember to staycalm, don't panic and be preparedfor self-supporting your situation inthe event that a disaster happens.Keep in mind that relief workers maynot be able to respond to you imme-diately.

More disaster preparedness in-formation can be found on theInternet at: www.redcross.org or atwww.fema.gov.

If you have a question for theProtective Services Wizard, thene-mail your question tokwalsh@mail.arc.nasa.gov.

Dr. Richard J. Margason recentlyreceived the American Institute of Aero-nautics and Astronautics F.E. NewboldV/STOL Award for 2005. This award

was presented at the 2005 InternationalPowered Lift Conference, held as part ofthe 2005 SAE AeroTech Conference, onin October in Grapevine, Texas.

The citation for the award reads asfollows: “For over 40 years of continu-ous leadership in the research of pow-

Retired NASA employee receives AIAA FE Newbold awardered-lift V/STOL aircraft aerodynam-ics, performance and stability and con-trol.”

The AIAA F.E. Newbold V/STOLAward is presented to recognize out-standing creative contributions to theadvancement and realization of pow-ered lift flight in one or more of thefollowing areas: initiation, definitionand/or management of key V/STOLprograms; development of enablingtechnologies including critical method-ology; program engineering and design;and/or other relevant related activitiesor combinations thereof which haveadvanced the science of powered liftflight.

Margason began his career at Lan-gley and transferred to Ames in 1987 asthe branch chief of the Fixed Wing Aero-dynamics Branch. He was responsiblefor the continued testing and analysis ofthe E-7 Ejector V/STOL fighter concept.In 1989, he went back to being a researchengineer and broadened his researchactivities to include analysis of methodsfor estimating hot gas ingestion and help-ing others in the development of com-putational fluid dynamics (CFD) meth-ods for estimating jet-induced effects.

In 1993, he was published in theAGARD 72nd Fluid Dynamics Confer-ence on Computational Fluid DynamicsConference on Computational and Ex-

perimental Assessment of Jet inCrossflow with a paper entitled ‘FiftyYears of Jet in Crossflow Research.’ Heis the author or co-author of numerouspapers in the area of a jet in crossflow.

Margason was also a key player inthe testing and analysis of the Joint StrikeFighter (JSF) Large-Scale PoweredModel Program (1993-1996) and as amajor player in the the JSF ProgramOffice Air Vehicle Analysis and Integra-tion Integrated Product Team until hisretirement in 1996. In this capacity hedeveloped an improved method for non-dimensionalizing jet V/STOL forces andmoments for configurations with one ormore supercritical jets.

After having been the research ad-visor for 32 theses at nine universities,he received his Ph.D in 1996 from theNaval Postgraduate School at Monterey.His thesis was titled ‘Investigation ofthe Effect of Two-Dimensional Cavitieson Boundary Layers in an Adverse Pres-sure Gradient.’

In 1996, Margason retired fromNASA but continues to play an active inthe V/STOL area as a consultant to vari-ous industry and government agencies.He is an associate fellow in the AIAA.He currently lives in Williamsburg, Va.,with his wife Jennifer.

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Dr. Richard J. Margason with the recent AIAAF.E. Newbold V/STOL award for 2005.

BY DOUG WARDWELL

Astrogram November 200514

Security/Law Enforcement Activity Fire Protection Activity

A statistical summary of activi-ties of the Protective ServicesDivision's Security/Law Enforce-

Protective Services monthly activity

Events CalendarAmes Amateur Radio Club, third Thursday of each

month, 12 noon, N-T28 (across from N-255). POC:Michael Wright, KG6BFK, at ext. 4-6262.

Ames Ballroom Dance Club. Classes on Tuesdays.Beginning classes meet at 5:15 p.m. Higher-level classmeets at 5:50 p.m. Held in Bldg. 944, the Rec. Center.POC: Helen Hwang at helen.hwang@nasa.gov, ext. 4-1368.

Ames Bowling League, Palo Alto Bowl on Tuesdaynights. Seeking full-time bowlers and substitutes.Questions to sign up: Mike Liu at ext. 4-1132.

Ames Child Care Center Board of Directors Mtg,every other Thursday (check Web site for meeting dates:http://accc.arc.nasa.gov), 12 noon to 1:30 p.m., N-210,Rm. 205. POC: Cheryl Quinn, ext 4-5793.

Ames Contractor Council Mtg, first Wednesday eachmonth, 11 a.m., N-200, Comm. Rm. POC: LindaMcCahon, ext. 4-1891.

Ames Diabetics (AAD), 1st & 3rd Weds, 12 noon to1 p.m., at Ames Mega Bites, Sun room. Support groupdiscusses news affecting diabetics. POC: Bob Mohlenhoff,ext. 4-2523/e-mail at: bmohlenhoff@mail.arc.nasa.gov.

Ames Federal Employees Union (AFEU) Mtg, thirdWednesday of ea. month, 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., Bldg. 221,Rm 104. Guests welcome. Info at: http://www.afeu.org.POC: Marianne Mosher, ext. 4-4055.

Ames Mac Support Group Mtg, third Tuesday of ea.month, 11:30 a.m.to 1 p.m., Bldg. N262, Rm 180. POC:Tony ext. 4-0340.

Ames Model Aircraft Club, flying radio-controlledaircraft at the north end of Parsons Ave. on weekendmornings. POC: Mark Sumich, ext. 4-6193.

Ames Sailing Club Mtg, second Thursday of ea.month (Feb through Nov), from 12:00 p.m. -1:00 p.m. inBldg. N-262, Rm 100. URL: http://sail.arc.nasa.gov/.POC: Becky Hooey, ext. 4-2399.

Environmental Forum, first Thursday of each month,8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Bldg. 221/Rm 155. URL: http://

q.arc.nasa.gov/qe/events/EHSseries/ POC: Stacy St.Louis at ext. 4-6810.

The Hispanic Advisory Committee forExcellence HACE Mtg, first Thurs of month in N255room 101C from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. POC: EricKristich at ext. 4-5137 and Mark Leon at ext. 4-6498.

Jetstream Toastmasters, Mondays, 12 p.m. to 1p.m., N-269/Rm.179. POC: Bob Hilton at ext. 4-2909,bhilton@mail.arc.nasa.gov.

Nat'l Association of Retired Federal Employees,(NARFE). Former and current federal employees. Youronly contact with Congress. Join to protect yourfederal retirement. Chptr #50 will then meet on thefirst Fri. of each month at HomeTown Buffet, 2670 ElCamino (at Kiely), S. Clara, 11 a.m. lunch. POC EarlKeener (408) 241-4459 or NARFE 1-800-627-3394.

Native American Advisory Committee Mtg,fourth Tues each month, 12 noon to 1 p.m., Bldg. 19,Rm 1096. POC: Mike Liu at ext. 4-1132.

NASA Ames' Environmental Ser-vices Directorate is looking for his-toric information about an area ofAmes' property near the wetlands.Specifically, the department is seek-ing facts about a peninsula of fill soilthat exists near building 267, gate 16C,off the North Perimeter Road.

• When was the project done?

Environmental Services needs your help• Where did the soil come from?• Was anything else buried in the fill?If you have any knowledge of

activities related to this site, pleasecontact Don Chuck at ext. 4-0237 orKran Kilpatrick at ext. 4-0230. Yourfeedback is greatly appreciated.

As part of the center’s continuingeffort to keep Ames employees in-formed about changes at the agencyand their implications for Ames, youare invited to tune in to a new editionof KARC, found on-line at http://karc.arc.nasa.gov.

KARC is an important venue forthe Ames family to hear in-depth dis-cussion on issues that affect us all.This latest broadcast features a dis-cussion of the buy-out and where westand as a center in terms of our over-all work force numbers.

New KARC posting

ment and Fire Protection Servicesunits for the month of Oct. 2005 isshown below.

competitive analyses to ascertain whichniche the company targets first.

The time frame is ambitious; thecompany expects to begin manufactur-ing chips for one of these markets inabout one year.

Downstream markets include help-ing NASA accurately track space shuttledebris and working with the Depart-ment of Defense to track missiles, Linsaid.

IntelligenTek currently has four full-time employees and two part-time con-sultants and technical advisors fromStanford University and University ofCalifornia Berkeley.

Lin has degrees from the NationalTaiwan University and Cleveland StateUniversity and served as senior mem-ber of the technical staff at AppliedMaterials Corp. through 1999.

Projecting where IntelligenTek willbe by 2010, Lin said: "I think we couldaim for an IPO."

NRP partner

BY KATHY BURTON

continued from page 11

15Astrogram November 2005

Ames ClassifiedsAds for the next issue should be sent to

astrogram@mail.arc.nasa.gov and must be resubmitted foreach issue. Ads must involve personal needs or items; (nocommercial/third-party ads) and will run on a space-available basis only. First-time ads are given priority. Adsmust include home phone numbers; Ames extensions andemail addresses will be accepted for carpool and lost andfound ads only. Due to the volume of material received,we are unable to verify the accuracy of the statementsmade in the ads. Caveat emptor!

Exchange InformationExchange InformationExchange InformationExchange InformationExchange Information

Beyond GalileoBeyond GalileoBeyond GalileoBeyond GalileoBeyond Galileo N-235 (8 a.m. to 2 p.m.)N-235 (8 a.m. to 2 p.m.)N-235 (8 a.m. to 2 p.m.)N-235 (8 a.m. to 2 p.m.)N-235 (8 a.m. to 2 p.m.)ext. 4-6873ext. 4-6873ext. 4-6873ext. 4-6873ext. 4-6873

Ask about NASA customized gifts for specialoccasions.

Mega Bites Mega Bites Mega Bites Mega Bites Mega Bites N-235 (6 a.m. to 2 p.m.)N-235 (6 a.m. to 2 p.m.)N-235 (6 a.m. to 2 p.m.)N-235 (6 a.m. to 2 p.m.)N-235 (6 a.m. to 2 p.m.)ext. 4-5969ext. 4-5969ext. 4-5969ext. 4-5969ext. 4-5969

Visitor Center Gift ShopVisitor Center Gift ShopVisitor Center Gift ShopVisitor Center Gift ShopVisitor Center Gift Shop N-943 N-943 N-943 N-943 N-943(10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) ext. 4-5412(10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) ext. 4-5412(10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) ext. 4-5412(10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) ext. 4-5412(10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) ext. 4-5412

NASA logo merchandise, souvenirs, toys, gifts andeducational items.

Open 7 days a week, 7:00 a.m. to 10 p.m. Ratesfrom $40 - $50.

Vacation OpportunitiesVacation OpportunitiesVacation OpportunitiesVacation OpportunitiesVacation Opportunities

Check web site for discounts to local attractions,http://exchange.arc.nasa.gov and click on tickets.

Information about products, services andopportunities provided to the employee and contractorcommunity by the Ames Exchange Council. Visit theweb site at: http://exchange.arc.nasa.gov

NASA LodgeNASA LodgeNASA LodgeNASA LodgeNASA Lodge (N-19) 603-7100 (N-19) 603-7100 (N-19) 603-7100 (N-19) 603-7100 (N-19) 603-7100

Tickets, etc...Tickets, etc...Tickets, etc...Tickets, etc...Tickets, etc...(N-235, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.)(N-235, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.)(N-235, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.)(N-235, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.)(N-235, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.)ext. 4-6873ext. 4-6873ext. 4-6873ext. 4-6873ext. 4-6873

See daily menu at: http://exchange.arc.nasa.govHousing

MiscellaneousThe Ames Cat Network needs help finding homes for

cats trapped at Moffett. They range from feral toabandoned/lost pets. Tested, altered and inoculated. CallIris at ext. 4-5824 if you or someone you know areinterested in fostering or adopting a cat.

Pioneer 6-disc CD player with 8 extra changercartridges. Black finish, works perfectly, $35. Call (408)295-2160.

1/2 share in Skylane C182A, $24,000. New paint andrecent annual. Good condition. Basic IFR panel. Can baseat LVK, 4Q5, TCY, possibly elsewhere. Key Dismukes. Call(408) 938-0455.

Cambridge Soundworks and Polk Audio PC soundsystem. Powered subwoofer with volume control and PolkAudio satellites. $30. Call (408) 295-2160. Ames emergency

announcementsTo hear the centerwide status

recording, call (650) 604-9999 forinformation announcements andemergency instructions for Amesemployees. You can also listen to1700 KHz AM radio for the sameinformation.

Lake Tahoe-Squaw Valley Townhse, 3bd/2baequipped, balcony view, horseback riding, hiking, biking,river rafting, tennis, ice skating and more. Summerrates. Call (650) 968-4155 or e-mailDBMcKellar@aol.com

South Lake Tahoe cottage w/wood fireplace, hottub. Rates $50 to $130 per night. Call (650) 967-7659or (650) 704-7732.

Vacation rental, Bass Lake, 4 mls south of Yosemite.3bd/1.5 ba, TV, VCR, MW, frplc, BBQ, priv. boat dock.Sleeps 8. $1,050/wk. Call (559) 642-3600 or (650) 390-9668.

Big Sur vacation rental, secluded 4bd/2ba house incanyon setting. Fully eqpd kitchen. Access to priv.beach. Tub in patio gdn. Halfway between Carmel andBig Sur. $175/night for 2; $225 for 4 and $250 formore, plus $150 cleaning dep. Call (650) 328-4427.

Tahoe Donner vacation home, 2 bd/2ba. trees,deck. Access to pools, spa, golf, horseback riding,$280 wkend, $650 week. Call (408) 739-9134.

Pine Mountain Lake vacation home. Access togolf, tennis, lake, swimming, horseback riding, walk tobeach. Three bedrooms/sleeps 10. $100/night. Call(408) 799-4052 or (831) 623-4054.

Incline Village: Forest Pines, Lake Tahoe condo, 3bd/2ba, sleeps 8. Fireplace, TV/VCR/DVD, MW, W/D,jacuzzi, sauna, pool. Walk to Lake, close to ski areas.Visit Web page for pictures: http://www.ACruiseStore.com. $120/night low season,$155/night high season (holidays higher) plus $156cleaning fee and 12% Nevada room tax. Charlie (650)366-1873.

Disneyland area vacation rental home, 2 bd/1ba.Nearing completion completely remodeled w/newfurniture. Sleeps 6 (queen bed, bunk beds, sleepersofa). Air hockey and football tables. Introductoryrate $600/wk, once completed rate will be $1000/wk.Security deposit and $100 cleaning fee required. Call(925) 846-2781.

New York, 5th Ave. One fully furnished bedroomin 24 hour security bldg. overlooking WashingtonSquare Park, $1,000/wk or $3,000/mo. negotiable.Call (650) 349-0238.

Paris/France: Fully furnished studio, 5th Arr, LatinQuarter, Notre Dame and Ile-St. Louis., $1,400/wk.negotiable. Call (650) 349-0238.

Santa Cruz townhouse, 2 bedrooms plus study, 2baths, decks, totally furnished, 3 blocks from beach,available July, August, September; $1,600 per month.Call (831) 423-5777 (H) or (831) 277-8476 (C).

West Maui vacation at Kahana Falls, across streetfrom beach. Thanksgiving week 19-26 Nov 05, $630/wk. 1bd/2 ba, w/d, fk. For 2 adults, 0 to 2 kids. Call(650) 962-1314 after Aug 7.

San Francisco, Donatello Hotel, small, deluxehotel, one block from Union Square, 5 nights availableto be scheduled either together or individually, $125per night. Call Barry Cunningham (510) 793-4457 ore-mail EZrdrdad@comcast.net

Vacation rental. Ferndale - The Victorian Village.Victorian home on Main Street a short stroll to theVillage which has been designated as a state historicallandmark. Enjoy the many holiday activities whichinclude a Christmas parade and lighting of America'stallest living Christmas tree. Four bedrooms (sleepsapprox. six), two full baths, large kitchen, diningroom, parlor w/fireplace, enclosed desk w/hot tub. Forinfo call (707) 983-9514.

Monterey Bay vacation rental at Pajaro Dunes, 20miles south of Santa Cruz, 3bd/2ba beach house withdistinctive architecture. Beautiful ocean and valleyviews, only 150 ft from the beach, first-class tenniscourts. $500/wkend, $200/addl night, includingcleaning by the maid service when you depart. Call(408) 252-7260.

Lake Tahoe cabin rental in Agate Bay, NorthShore. 4bd/3ba tri-level, AEK, cable TVs, fireplace,BBQ, deck, sleeps 10. Closest skiing is Northstar,Alpine and Squaw. Rates are $375 a weekend, $1,000a week. Call (408) 867-4656.

Ames Swim Center, 25 meter swimming pool openand heated year round. (80-82 degrees) Lap swim: Mon,Weds, Fri, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3-6 Tues to Thurs 10a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Seasonal recreationswim; swim lessons. Locker rooms w/sauna and showerfacility. Open to all civil servants and contractors.Location: Bldg. 109 across the street from the tenniscourts. Fees vary depending on activity. POC: TanaWindhorst, ext. 3-8025; e-mail: tw4lsb@aol.com

Ames Swim CenterAmes Swim CenterAmes Swim CenterAmes Swim CenterAmes Swim Center (N-109) 603-8025 (N-109) 603-8025 (N-109) 603-8025 (N-109) 603-8025 (N-109) 603-8025

Astrogram deadlinesPlease submit articles, calendar

and classified advertisements toastrogram@mail.arc.nasa.gov nolater than the 10th of each month. Ifthis falls on the weekend or holiday,then the following business day be-comes the deadline.

For Astrogram questions, con-tact Astrid Terlep at the aforemen-tioned e-mail address or ext. 4-3347.

Room available for rent in house in mid town PaloAlto, with kitchen, laundry, and pool, $500 plus $50toward utils, for a quiet, neat, stable and conscientiousperson or couple. E-mail jims@eos.arc.nasa.gov; ham callwb6yoy or call ext. 4-5720.

Room in 4 bd/2 ba home, excellent, quiet Mtn. Viewarea close to Ames. W/D, microwave, wired for cablemodem. Tidy person and N/S. Easy access to Ames, H-85,237 and 101. $425 and dep. and share utils. Avail. Dec. 1,possibly sooner. Call (650) 964-1900.

Room for rent, separate entrance it is in a nicecondition. There is a shopping center close by, the laundrymat is located there to do your laundry. It is located in aconvenient location. Rent is $650 per month, with utils.included. No pets and no smoking. Place is located at SanMateo, Shoreview. Prefer only one person living there. It isfurnished. Maria (650) 347-0224.

For rent, spacious 2 story 2 bd/1.5 ba townhome inFremont. Quick Access to 880 and 84/ Dumbarton Bridge.Nice Ardenwood area plus short drive to nearby shopping,dining and entertainment. Nearby parks, creek side trails.Large master bdrm w/mirrored closets. Laundry room w/full size W/D. Large dining area with view of enclosed frontlawn. New paint and carpeting. 1056 sq. ft. Walk outsidefront door to an enclosed spacious front patio w/ lawn andsprinkler system. No unnecessary walking needed. Carportand mailbox right in front of patio gate of property. Alsohas attached storage unit outside. $1,595 per/ mo - w/$1,000 deposit. Email: jaekae@gmail.com or call (510)209-1311.

Room for rent in an apartment in Sunnyvale. Lookingfor mid week renter, Monday-Thursday. The nights arenegotiable. $300 a month. Shared kitchen and bathroom.Will be available in February. 4 miles from Ames. CallPhyllis (408) 732-6712.

'86 Nissan Sentra, engine and manual transmissionare in great condition. Flavio Viajar (408) 923-5138.

Transportation

Astrogram November 200516

National Aeronautics and SpaceAdministration

Ames Research CenterMoffett Field, CA 94035-1000

PLEASE RECYCLEPrinted on recycled and recyclable paper with vegetable-based ink.

FIRST-CLASSU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPERMIT NO. 85

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA

The Ames Astrogram is an official publication ofAmes Research Center, National Aeronautics andSpace Administration.

Editor-in-Chief.............................. Laura Lewis

Managing Editor..........................Ann Sullivan

Editor, Layout and Design...........Astrid Terlep

You can reach the Astrogram Office at:astrogram@mail.arc.nasa.gov or by phone at(650) 604-3347.

The 2005 Ames Contractor Council ExcellenceAwards were presented on Nov. 17 at Ames torecognize the outstanding contributions thatcontractors at Ames make to the center. Shownhere at left are ceremony attendees at a receptionfollowing the presentation of awards.

Ames contractors recognized at awards ceremony

In November, a delegation from Mexico visited Ames in association with theopening of a photographic exhibit in the Mexican consulate in San Francisco onMayan and NASA solar astronomy. The opening was co-hosted by the consulategeneral of Mexico in San Francisco, the Office of Tourism of the Yucatan and theUniversity of California Berkeley Sun-Earth Connection Education Forum. In theexhibit, NASA images were juxtaposed with solar archeo-astronomy of the Maya.The delegation included an archaeologist from Mayan archaeological sites who hasworked with University of California Berkeley in the context of solar traditionsthrough time and cultures, as part of the University of California ancientobservatories project. University of California Berkeley requested the tour as anopportunity to thank Mexico for its partnership in this and other NASA andUniversity of California projects.

Delegation from Mexico tours Ames

NASA photo by Dominic Hart

NASA photo by Tom Trower