G.R.A.A.

Goddard Retirees and Alumni Association

P.O. Box 163, Seabrook, MD 20703-0163

SEPTEMBER 2005 http://graa.gsfc.nasa.gov 21^st Year of Publication

IMPORTANT DATES:

September 13	GRAA Luncheon cancelled due to a scheduling conflict.
September 27	Mark your calendar for the GRAA Crab Feast at the Barney and Bea Recreation Center starting at 4:30 p.m. We will have #1 steamed crabs, salads, hamburgers, hot dogs, corn-on-the-cob, and dessert. The cost is $25 for all you can eat and drink. Bring your spouse and make it a typical Maryland summertime treat. Reservations are required, so please call Alberta Moran at 301-937-7762 no later than noon on Friday, September 23.
September 29 – October 3	Trip to the Country Music Capital of Branson, MO, for $875 per person. This is your last opportunity to contact Alberta Moran to make your reservation or obtain details about the trip.
October 11	Mark your calendar for the GRAA Luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Jerry Longanecker will speak on the topic: “Awareness, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Prostate Cancer.”
November 8	Mark your calendar for the GRAA Luncheon at 11:30 a.m.
November 10	Mark your calendar to attend GRAA’s evening at the Music and Drama (MAD) Club’s production of State Fair at the Barney and Bea Recreation Center. Tickets are $26.50 per person. Contact Alberta Moran to make your reservation.
December 14	Holiday shopping trip and music theater event (front row seats) in Lancaster, PA, at the cost of $90. Contact Alberta Moran for details.
August 2006	Something to look forward to! GRAA Travel (Alberta Moran) is planning a cruise and land tour in Alaska. Details will be published in future issues.

COMMENTS FROM RON BROWNING, GRAA PRESIDENT: Our guests for the August luncheon were the NASA Academy interns, a group of 19 undergraduate and graduate Aerospace Engineering and/or Science students who are spending 10 weeks at Goddard. Dave Rosage, NASA Academy Program Manager, provided a description of the program and some of the research accomplishments. All of the interns, from 18 states and France, described their work over the summer and the name of their school.

Dr. Jerry Soffen developed the NASA Academy intern program 17 years ago to provide a summer work environment at Goddard for students selected nationally through a highly competitive process. The students are paired with Goddard engineering or science mentors to conduct research projects. In addition, they work together on a single project, which this year their project was a Scout proposal for three balloons to study methane abundance on Mars.

It is always a joy to meet and listen to these bright, enthusiastic students and discuss with them our NASA experiences that are related to their individual pursuits.

GRAA MARYLAND CRAB FEAST: Due in part to the cancellation of our regular luncheon, we are offering a special Maryland Crab Feast on September 27. Please see the second notice under IMPORTANT DATES above for details and contact Alberta Moran with your reservation today.

FROM THE GODDARD ARCHIVES - IT HAPPENED IN SEPTEMBER:

- Sep 18, 1959: Vanguard SLV-7 launched Vanguard III to study magnetic fields, radiation belts, and micrometeorites.

- Sep 29, 1971: Delta launched Orbiting Solar Observatory (OSO)-H (also known as OSO-7) to study solar phenomena.

- Sep 9, 1994: Shuttle Discovery carried Spartan 1 aloft to conduct solar wind and corona research.

TIMELY LUNCHEON RESERVATIONS A MUST: It is important to make timely reservations to attend the GRAA Luncheons for both food preparation and security purposes. We’re doing our part by distributing the newsletter earlier than in the past. We ask that you do your part by contacting Alberta Moran by noon on the Friday prior to the luncheon (usually the second Tuesday of each month except December).

ENVELOPE STUFFERS FOR AUGUST: Marj Gallagher, Marge Gustafson, Barbara Hamilton, Elaine Montgomery, Hugh O’Donnell, Bill Shields, Agnes Smith, and Bob Wigand.

TREASURER’S REPORT: Treasurer Bob Wigand reports that donations were received from the following retirees: Bill Bryant, Dave Kayman, Ralph Mollerick, and Bob Wright.

RECENT RETIREES: Elizabeth Austin, William Daney, Denise Duignan, James Head, Ernest Hilsenrath, Carolyn Krebs, and Bernard Tomardy.

E-MAIL ADDRESS UPDATES: Ernest Hilsenrath (ernest_hilsenrath@comcast.net); Jerry Linnekin (captainpin@msn.com); Daniel Muhonen (danmuhonen@newmwx.com); Ronald Seiss (seiss@frontier.net); and William Wildes (billwildes@mindspring.com.

REMEMBERING OUR FORMER COLLEAGUES:

- Walter J. Carrion of Halethorpe, MD, passed away from congestive heart failure on June 12. He was an aeronautical engineer who developed precision optical tracking instruments and worked on the 1969 lunar landing. He also worked on the Gemini and Apollo programs, as well as satellite tracking systems at Wallops Island, VA, and White Sands, NM. He was named chief of the Engineering Services Division in 1978 and helped develop Goddard’s technician apprentice program before retiring in 1980.

- Thomas H. Ratliff, Jr. of Salisbury, MD, died on July 19 as a result of the crash on the maiden voyage of his single-seat homemade aircraft. After coming to work at Goddard in 1961, he worked on the Orbiting Solar Observatory, Atmospheric Explorer, Tiros, and Landsat projects. He served as a senior engineer and technical officer on projects such as the development of space-borne magnetic tape recorders, two to which are still in orbit on NOAA satellites. He was a former president of the Goddard Toastmasters Club.

- John B. Webb of Annapolis, MD, passed away after a lengthy illness on August 15. He was a mechanical systems engineer who was involved with the development and launch of numerous scientific satellites in the Explorer series, fostering many innovative processes. He retired in 1993.

- Sheng Y. Lee of Leisure World in Silver Spring, MD, passed away from a heart attack on July 20. He was a polymer chemist who moved in 1979 from the Harry Diamond Laboratories in Adelphi, MD, to Goddard, where he helped develop materials for the Space Shuttle heat shield. He retired in 1991.

- Although we have few details, we also note the passing of Eugene Bischoff (April 13), Dana S. Cope, Kenneth F. Jacobs, Don McClenon, and Smith E. Tiller.

GRAA NEWSLETTER MAILINGS: If you no longer wish to receive GRAA mailings, please forward a note to our Seabrook address or an e-mail to Dave Moulton at davidlmoulton@comcast.net. If you have moved or want to correct the mailing address we have for you, please write to our Seabrook address or send an e-mail to Strat Laios at stratlaios@comcast.net.

If your telephone number and/or e-mail address is incorrect or not listed in the GRAA Membership Directory and you want either or both items included when the next iteration is published, please send the information via e-mail to Strat Laios at stratlaios@comcast.net or drop him a note at our Seabrook address.

LETTERS, WE GET LETTERS:

- Bill Bryant wrote, “Thanks for all the hard work and a job well done. I have enjoyed receiving the newsletter over the years and look forward to future issues. Enclosed is a check to help with costs.”

- Dave Kayman wrote, “I want to express my appreciation to all who do such a great job in keeping us old timers in touch with events at Goddard. Enclosed is my token donation to say thanks. Please say ‘hi’ to Frank Wrigley, as I remember him well. My wife, Jean, and I have moved to a ‘life care’ facility in Delray Beach, FL, which is a big change after living in a condo complex (also in Delray Beach) for the past 22 years. We left the Washington area after my retirement from Goddard in 1981.”

- Ralph Mollerick wrote, “It is always a pleasure to receive news of Goddard activities and its alumni. It amazes me to know that the monthly publication is in its 21^st year. In my eight years of retirement, it has not missed a beat on the home front news and what is important to the alumni world. My thanks go to the volunteers who keep the newsletter coming. My contribution is enclosed.”

- Robert Wright wrote, “I still enjoy reading the newsletter and the Goddard News.”

GEWA EXCHANGE STORE: Do you ever get the feeling, perhaps even after your afternoon nap, that you need an extra dose of caffeine to keep you going? Well, don’t worry, as GEWA has recently received a colony of “Penguins.” What are “Penguins,” you ask, other than flightless birds? They are caffeinated mints in a tin that are sugar free and come in three different flavors: Chocolate, Peppermint, and Cinnamon. Just three Penguin mints have the caffeine equivalent of one soda. So, whenever you need an extra boost of caffeine, just grab a few Penguin mints.

Are you a sports fan and need a new wallet? Then why not drop by the Exchange Store and check out the new selection of Velcro wallets. GEWA has just received wallets printed with the Orioles, Ravens, Nationals, Cowboys, or even the University of Maryland logos. These wallets are made of tough nylon that is long lasting, even after the seasons are over.

For you ladies, are you always looking for something to write with in your purse, but have a difficult time finding it? GEWA has a selection of stylish lead pencils by Cross. These pencils are available in gold, gray or black, and come with a leather pocket because they don’t have clips like the men’s styles. This way, if it falls to the bottom of your purse, just look for the leather pocket. All Cross pencils for ladies are 25 percent off the marked price, with the discount taken at the register.

GEWA has just received an assortment of plants from Micky’s Minis, the same company from which they have received mini-roses and other flowers. However, instead of flowers, this time they have an assortment of cacti and bamboo! Each cactus comes in a plastic pot and costs $4.50, and there is a variety from which to choose. Some have a lot of needles, while others have fewer needles and are spread out for easier handling. There are two different bamboo plants, both of which are in ceramic pots. One variety is straight bamboo ($6.95), while the other has a curly bamboo plant along with a couple of straight bamboo plants ($8.95). Bamboo takes very little care, so just keep the plant in about an inch of water and give it a little light. Keep the sponge that comes in the pot for plant support and rooting.

If you don’t want to be late for a game, come by and check out the wide variety of sports watches by Game Time. For those of you who like pocket watches and are football fans, GEWA has them with Official NFL logos for the Redskins, Ravens, and Cowboys. Not only do they come with a chain, but also a hangar with a brushed silver base. They can be used as a pocket watch or a desk clock. If you like to be “different” and wear a clip-on watch on your belt loop, GEWA also has those available for Orioles, Ravens, Nationals, and Redskins fans. GEWA also has the Player Series of wristwatches, with logos for Orioles, Ravens, Redskins, Nationals, and Wizards fans. The clip-on and Player Series styles come in a brushed silver tin with foam padding for protection.