GRAA NEWSLETTER
P.O. Box 1184, Greenbelt, MD 20768-1184

IMPORTANT DATES

COMMENTS FROM RON BROWNING, GRAA PRESIDENT: Our March speaker was Dr. Paul Newman, Goodard’s Chief Scientist for Atmospheric Sciences, who explained what brought about the Montreal Protocol (MP), which banned chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). NASA Goddard’s Solar Background Ultraviolet/Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (SBUV/TOMS) instrument starting with Nimbus-4 in 1974 has been measuring ozone above the stratosphere. The TOMS measurements have monitored global ozone, including verifying deteriorating ozone over Antarctica, since then. These and other data brought about an international agreement to ban all substances that deplete ozone. A major source was CFCs which were banned worldwide in 1981, which resulted in no more Freon in air conditioners and refrigeration as well as a ban on aerosol sprays. He showed charts of global ozone over the last 34 years since the MP was implemented. There continues to be the hole over Antarctica, but there has been a positive ozone increase. Nimbus-4 and -7 have made dramatic impacts on public and science perception of the ozone hole. If the MP had not been signed, it is projected that two-thirds of ozone would have been depleted by 2065 and lack of ultraviolet protection that it provides could result in the Earth becoming unlivable. Since 2000 there has been a positive increase in ozone, but recovery is slow and the hole over Antarctica still exists.

TREASURER’S REPORT: Treasurer Jackie Gasch received tax-deductible contributions from the following: Paul Karpiscak, David R. Manges, Charles M. MacKenzie, Raymond W. Melcher, Edward Radovich, and Robert C. Wigand.

FROM THE GODDARD ARCHIVES – IT HAPPENED IN APRIL: On April 24, 1990, Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-31) lifted off from Kennedy Space Center and successfully deployed the Hubble Space Telescope. This month marks the 25^th Anniversary of this most incredible and awe-inspiring spacecraft. Congratulations to the NASA Goddard family for a truly outstanding adventure through the heavens.

UPDATE ON THE MAGNETOSPHERIC MULTISCALE (MMS) MISSION: The MMS mission successfully launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base, FL, on March 12^th on an Atlas V421 rocket. The MMS spacecraft are positioned in Earth’s orbit to begin the first space mission dedicated to the study of a phenomenon known as magnetic reconnection. This process is thought to be the catalyst for some of the most powerful explosions in our solar system. The four spacecraft of the constellation were positioned one on top of the other and, after reaching orbit, each was deployed from the rocket’s upper stage sequentially in five-minute intervals. Craig Tooley, MMS Project Manager, said on behalf of the entire MMS team that “we’re thrilled to see all four of our spacecraft have deployed and data indicates we have a healthy fleet.” Over the next several weeks NASA scientists and engineers will deploy booms and antennas on the spacecraft and test all instruments. The observatories will later be placed into a pyramid formation in preparation for science observations which are expected to begin in early September. Goddard built, integrated and tested the four MMS spacecraft and is responsible for overall mission management and operations.

53^rd ROBERT H. GODDARD MEMORIAL SYMPOSIUM: The 53^rd Robert H. Goddard Memorial Symposium, hosted by the American Astronautical Society (AAS) was held March 10^th – 12^th at the Greenbelt Marriott. This year’s theme, “On the Cusp: What’s Next,” resulted in discussions that were more upbeat and positive than in recent years. Results from recent science missions, ongoing new missions and real hardware test results from the James Webb Space Telescope mirror and instruments, the new Orion exploration spacecraft and Space Launch System, and the successful launch of the MMS four-satellite constellation were definitely reasons for optimism. In addition, there are many exciting projects in commercial space ventures on the horizon. To view the entire symposium’s presentations and videos, check out the AAS website at http://www.astronautical.org.

A BIT OF SPACE HISTORY ABOUT OUR COMPETITOR: 50 years ago, on March 18, 1965, Soviet/Russian Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov became the first human to conduct extra-vehicular activity, exiting the capsule during the Voskhod 2 mission for a 12-minute spacewalk. In 1959, the then 25-year-old and now retired Major General Leonov was selected as one of the first 20 cosmonauts.

THOUGHT FOR APRIL: People who get too big for their britches undoubtedly become totally exposed in the end.

REMEMBERING OUR FORMER COLLEAGUES:

• Joseph E. Baden, of Melbourne, FL, passed away on March 12^th. He had a storied career at Goddard in resources and financial management organizations. Beginning in the early 1960s he was assigned to the Reports & Statistics Branch of the Financial Management Division of the Office for Administration and a year later moved to the Industrial Cost Analysis Office of the Procurement Division. Three years later he was assigned to the Program Support Division of the Administration & Management Directorate. In 1972 he was Assistant Chief of the Financial Management Division and in later years was Deputy Program Manager for Resources for several missions, including Nimbus, Landsat and GRO.
• Rudolf A. Hanel , of Ann Arbor, MI, passed away on March 7^th. He was a Physicist/Research Scientist at Goddard’s beginning in 1959 in the Aeronomy & Meteorology Division of the Office of Space Sciences & Satellite Applications. He later worked in the Laboratory for Atmospheric & Biological Sciences in the Space Sciences Directorate; the Laboratory for Planetary Atmospheres in the Space & Earth Sciences Directorate; and in the Laboratory for Extraterrestrial Physics of the Space Sciences Directorate from about 1983 until he retired in 1990.
• James F. Lynch , of Rockville, MD, passed away on March 21^st. After serving in the US Navy for three years, he accepted a public relations position with the then Martin-Marietta Corporation at Cape Canaveral, FL. His true passion, however, was when he joined Goddard as Deputy Director of Public Relations and handled the Apollo programs. Before retiring, he worked as Director of Public Affairs at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms in Washington, DC.
• Seaton B. Norman, of Laurel, MD, passed away on March 19^th. He first retired at the highest enlisted grade in 1965 after serving thirty years in the US Air Force, with his last assignment being Superintendent of the President’s Air and Ground Communications Station at Andrews Air Force Base. He then came to Goddard and worked for Bendix Field Engineering Corporation for two to three years before becoming a Communications Specialist for NASA Communications and later a Telecommunications Manager for the Information Technology and Communications Directorate. He retired in 2010 with over 70 years of dedicated government service.
• Robert C. Prince, of Annapolis, MD, passed away on March 6^th. He was an Engineer at Goddard In the early 1960s when he was assigned to the Fabrication Division in the Office of Technical Services. He later worked in the Fabrication Scheduling & Support Branch of the Experimental Fabrication & Engineering Division of the Administration & Management Directorate and later in the Inspection Section, Parts Branch, of the Quality Assurance Division, Systems Reliability Directorate.
• Walter H. Raskin , of Santa Barbara, CA, passed away on December 15, 2014. He was a Physicist at Goddard after being recruited in 1960 to help manage and build a series of highly successful satellite instruments. In the early 1960s he was Head of the Component Development Section of the Stabilization & Control Branch in the Spacecraft Systems & Projects Division of the Office of Space Sciences & Satellite Applications and later in the same position in the Systems Division of the Technology Directorate. In the early 1970s he was Head of the Operational Sensors Section of the Earth Sensors Branch, Earth Observation Systems & Systems Engineering Division in the Space Applications & Technology Directorate. In 1977 he moved to Santa Barbara to represent NASA at Hughes Aircraft’s Santa Barbara Research Center, continuing to work there after retiring from NASA in 1981.
• Herbert L. Richard , of Crownsville, MD, passed away on February 9^th. He was an Electrical Engineer at Goddard in the field of laser optics, including a stint as an Instrument Engineer Manager on a Nimbus team managing the Coastal Zone Color Scanner.

CHANGES TO GODDARD’S LEADERSHIP TEAM: With the retirement of Deputy Center Director Arthur (Rick) Obenschain at the end of March after his dedicated service of 50+ years, George Morrow (current Director of the Flight Projects Directorate) assumed the Deputy Center Director position. At the same time, Dr. Colleen Hartman became Director of the Sciences and Exploration Directorate and David Mitchell became Director of the Flight Projects Directorate. We say a fond farewell to Rick and welcome Colleen and Dave to their new leadership roles.

PLEASE KEEP GRAA IN THE LOOP WHEN YOU MOVE: In the March issue, members were encouraged to kindly notify GRAA when you move permanently to a new address. Not only does it make it easier to keep our membership database up-to-date, but it also saves GRAA money, as every time newsletters bounce back from the postal service as being undeliverable, GRAA is charged more than three times as much as it costs to initially send them out. In December we had 30+ newsletters returned by the postal service because members moved without letting us know. Your local post office can provide you with change of address forms and GRAA will be much better off for you sending one to us.