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

IMPORTANT DATES

COMMENTS FROM TONY COMBERIATE, GRAA VICE PRESIDENT: With President Ron Browning lucky to be basking in the sunny climes of FL, Vice President Tony Comberiate offered up this month’s comments on the presentation by the February luncheon speaker, Dr. Gregory Good, Director for the History of Physics at the American Institute of Physics (AIP) in College Park, MD. Greg described how the impact of space weather has had an increased effect on our world as a function of developing technology. He traced that impact from our first manifestation of the cosmic environment (namely the Northern Lights) to the current day, where space weather can impact our everyday life by affecting things like worldwide communications systems, power grids, air travel, etc. The TELSTAR 401 satellite was lost due to a solar storm in 1994. The effect on communications was first realized in the 1830’s, when disruptions to telegraph lines delayed stock market results. During the early 20^th century, the newly invented radios and power systems were sometimes disrupted by space weather events. But it wasn’t until the late 20^th century that the understanding of the Sun as the cause of these electromagnetic storms started to emerge. As our technology continues to evolve, the effects of disruptions like the Sun’s coronal mass ejections and the overall radiation environment in space will likely have even a bigger impact. Dr. Good noted that the Center for the History of Physics was established in 1962 to preserve and document the history of modern physics. As part of their efforts, they collect and archive oral histories of scientists, including those at Goddard. However, its endeavors are limited by the availability of funding, which is derived from AIP publications, donors, and benefactors.

TREASURER’S REPORT: Treasurer Jackie Gasch received tax-deductible contributions from the following: Mary Adkins, Robert Groves, Michael Mahoney, John Moore, Thomas Page, and Thomas Underwood.

FROM THE GODDARD ARCHIVES – IT HAPPENED IN MARCH: On March 22, 1982, Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-3) lifted off from Kennedy Space Center, FL, carrying a payload designated the Office of Space Science-1 (OSS-1). The STS-3 mission was the third in a series of four Shuttle missions that constituted the Orbital Flight Test (OFT) program, the primary objective of which was to assess the performance of the Orbiter and its flight systems. The objectives of the nine OSS-1 experiments in the payload were to: (a) conduct observations of the Orbiter’s environment that have applicability to plasma physics and astronomical payloads; (b) conduct scientific observations that demonstrate the Shuttle’s research capabilities; and (c) evaluate technology that may have application in future experiments in space.

UPCOMING NASA MISSION ON THE HORIZON: The Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission is currently targeted for launch on March 12th from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL, on an Atlas V421 rocket. The MMS will study the mystery of how magnetic fields around the Earth connect and disconnect, explosively releasing energy via a process known as magnetic reconnection. The MMS will establish knowledge, methods and technology applicable to future space weather missions and the future growth and development of space weather.

53^rd ROBERT H. GODDARD MEMORIAL SYMPOSIUM: The 53^rd Robert H. Goddard Memorial Symposium, hosted by the American Astronautical Society (AAS) will be held March 10^th – 12^th at the Greenbelt Marriott. [Note: Ye Ed points out that the reception on the evening of March 10^th serves as a “meet and greet” mixer]. This year’s theme is “On the Cusp: What’s Next?” Attendance is open to GRAA members (over 65 and no longer working full-time) for only $75, which includes the receptions on all three evenings. If interested in attending the lunches on March 11^th and 12^th, they can be purchased for $50 on Wednesday and $40 on Thursday. An online reservation form, program agenda, and additional information/instructions can be easily accessed at the top of the AAS homepage at http://www.astronautical.org. If you decide on attending, simply fill out the online reservation form and forward it as soon as possible (as time is of the essence) with your credit card information .

SATELLITES SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED: As mentioned in last month’s newsletter, the Soil Moisture Active & Passive (SMAP) satellite and the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) satellite were successfully launched on January 31^st and February 11^th, respectively.

THOUGHT FOR MARCH: A penny saved is a government oversight.

REMEMBERING OUR FORMER COLLEAGUES:

• Zeb B. Barfield, Sr., of Hallwood, VA, passed away on August 19, 2014. He retired from the Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) as the Section Head of the Electrical Contracting Section.
• Valorie A. Burr, of Odenton, MD, passed away on January 21^st. Her many and varied procurement-related responsibilities in the Management Operations Directorate included assignments in the Institutional Procurement Division; Procurement Manager of the Space Sciences Directorate in the Program Procurement Division; Associate Chief of the Program Procurement Division; Associate Chief of the Procurement Operations Division; Chief of the Procurement Operations Division; and Associate Director for Acquisition.
• Charles Falkenhan, of Sun City, AZ, passed away on November 10, 2014. He was an Engineering Technician at Goddard who was assigned to the Instrumentation Section of the Special Payloads Division.
• Theodore A. Ferraro, of Berlin, MD, passed away on January 25^th. Overtime during his Goddard career he was assigned to the Network Engineering & Operations Division of the Office of Tracking & Data Systems; the Project Operations & Support Division of the Tracking & Data Systems Directorate; the Network Procedures & Evaluation Division of the Networks Directorate; Head of the Documentation Section of the Networks Division, Networks Directorate; and Head of the Technical Information Section of the Networks Division, Mission Operations & Data Systems Directorate.
• Russell B Hoffman, of Berkeley Springs, WV, passed away on February 10^th. During his career at Goddard he was a Communication Management Specialist and worked as a Communications Manager and Communications Director in support of NASA’s scientific, Deep Space, and Manned Space Flight projects.
• Linda M. Letellier, of Cantonment, FL, passed away on January 31^st. At Goddard she was a Personnel Management Specialist and Administrative Analyst in the Office of Human Resources. Later she was Administrative Officer of the Business Planning & Resources Management Office in the Office of Human Capital Management (OHCM) and later served in the Talent Acquisition Office of OHCM.
• George M. Marechek, Jr., of Locust Grove, VA, passed away on February 5^th. He was an Aerospace Engineer at Goddard who worked principally in orbit determinations and pre-launch operational activities for satellites launched as unmanned space missions.
• William B. Poland, Jr., of Towson, MD, passed away on January 25^th. In the ’60s he was Head of the Data Instrumentation Branch, Space Data Acquisition Division (later known as the Data Systems Division) of the Office of Tracking & Data Systems; and Head of the Processor Development Branch, Information Processing Division of the Tracking & Data Systems Directorate. In the ’70s and until he retired he was Head of the Standards Office of the Advanced Data Systems Division of the Mission & Data Operations Directorate; Head of the Aerospace Data Standards Office, Applied Engineering Division, Engineering Directorate; and later Head of the same office in the Electrical Engineering Division of the Engineering Directorate.
• Dean S. Smith, of New Carrollton, MD, passed away on January 30^th. In the early ’60s he worked in the Instrumentation Branch of the Aeronomy & Meteorology Division, Office of Space Science & Satellite Applications. He was later Head of the Experiment Engineering Branch, Laboratory for Atmospheric & Biological Science of the Space Sciences Directorate; Head of the Earth Observations Branch of the Laboratory for Meteorology & Earth Sciences in the Space & Earth Sciences Directorate; and Head of the Experiment Engineering Branch of the Instrument Systems Division in the Applications Directorate.

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS (AIAA) SEEKS VOLUNTEERS: The National Capital Section of AIAA is seeking scientists and engineers to volunteer their time and talents as science fair judges, providing career briefs, and helping present pre-packaged lessons in support of its Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) efforts in schools located in the metropolitan DC area. If you are willing to help in this endeavor, send AAIA an email to stemeddc@gmail.com and tell them of your interest. An AIAA representative will add you to its STEM volunteer email list and you can see what opportunities are available, pick and choose what may work for you, and delete the rest. If you have specific questions, you may contact Major Tucker “Cinco” Hamilton, STEM Education Founder, on his cell phone at 443-537-3906.

PLEASE KEEP GRAA IN THE LOOP WHEN YOU MOVE: Members are encouraged to notify GRAA when you move permanently to a new address, as it makes it easier to keep our membership database up-to-date . For example, in December we had 30+ newsletters returned by the USPS because members had moved without letting us know - far too many for our volunteers to easily handle in an efficient, effective and timely manner. 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.