GRAA NEWSLETTER

IMPORTANT DATES

COMMENTS FROM RON BROWNING, GRAA PRESIDENT: Dr. David Adamec, Deputy Director of Goddard’s Earth Science Division, briefed attendees at the GRAA Luncheon in March on current NASA Earth-imaging satellite program results and future plans. He noted that a PBS NOVA TV program recently aired a two-hour video viewing Earth from space with results from multiple satellite missions. Before and after images from Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite observations from the coasts of New Jersey and New York showed damage caused by Hurricane Sandy. The future for Earth science over the next decade currently has no new imaging missions slated. Fortunately, Earth observation missions on orbit are still operating long after their expected lifetimes. There is concern on how to meet the mandate of Landsat continuous data acquisition when no organization is identified to pay for it. Focus is on maintaining Earth science data continuity using sub-orbital vehicles such as recycled Department of Defense drones.

Dr. Adamec described phenomena known as Pingos, which are essentially frost heaves that develop around lakes in the Arctic region that can reach heights of 150+ feet and consist of mounds of ice covered by permafrost. Thawing in these Pingos south the North Pole is causing the release of methane formed from organic matter. He showed images of people lighting the methane as it is emitted from holes in the ice on lakes. Other results of polar warming of the Earth indicate that insects are attacking trees, killing some 400,000 board feet, and the Arctic Ocean coast is eroding as well.

On a positive note, Dr. Adamec anticipates no furloughs of Goddard’s federal employees will be required as a result of the recent sequestration [although Rep. Steny Hoyer says contractors may be affected]. The GLORY spacecraft, lost in a launch failure in March 2011, is expected to be replaced. It will measure carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. International Space Station (ISS) operators will visit Goddard in April to determine what Earth science experiments may be added to the ISS. He also mentioned that Goddard’s computational resources are still as good as any in the world. We thank Dr. Adamec for filling in for the Director of the Earth Sciences, Dr. Peter Hildebrand, who was not available to speak at the luncheon due to a family emergency.

RECENT RETIREES: David W. Affens, Robert F. Benson, Robert F. Cahalan, Carolyn A. Casey, Michael J. Hartman, Susan L. Hoge, Darrel J. Poloway, Denise M. White, and John L. Wolfgang, Jr.

FROM THE GODDARD ARCHIVES - IT HAPPENED IN APRIL: On April 3, 1963, a Thor-Delta rocket launched the Atmosphere Explorer-A (aka: S-6 and Explorer 17) from Cape Canaveral, FL, to study the Earth’s upper atmosphere. It was the first satellite of five Atmosphere Explorers and carried four pressure gauges, two mass spectrometers, and two electrostatic probes. Battery power failed on July 10, 1963. Three of the pressure gauges and both electrostatic probes operated normally. One spectrometer malfunctioned, and the other operated intermittently. Orbital decay of the satellite occurred on November 24, 1966.

TREASURER’S REPORT: Bob Wigand received tax-deductible donations from GRAA members James Barrowman, Ronald Britner, Anthony Comberiate, Glenn Harris, Robert Keefe, David Manges, Stephen Maran, Howard Ottenstein, John Pandelides, Joseph Pohl, George Roach, Duane Robertson, Epaminondas Stassinopoulos, Robert and Sharon Stelmaszek, Patricia Stone, Keiji Tasaki, Mary Trainor (in memory of George Ludwig), Thomas Underwood, and an anonymous donor.

GRAA NEWSLETTER MAILINGS: Members wishing to receive the GRAA Newsletter via email instead of snail mail can simply send an email to Strat Laios at stratlaios@verizon.net. Please consider doing so, as you will help save a tree and GRAA’s mailing fees.

REMEMBERING OUR FORMER COLLEAGUES:

•  Walter H. Allison, Jr., of Mount Airy, MD, passed away December 10, 2012. He was an Electrical Engineer at Goddard and, among his varied assignments, worked in the Electronics Systems Branch, Verification and Safety Program Management Office, and the Verification Engineering Office, all within the Engineering Directorate.

•  Ali Arman, of Silver Spring, MD, passed away on February 25^th. He was an Engineer at Goddard who worked for most of his career in the Verification Engineering Office of the Engineering Directorate.

•  Leon L. Fontaine, of Lehigh Acres, FL, passed away at age 92 on February 7^th. He came to Goddard to head up the Machine Fabrication Shop in 1959 and later worked in the Experimental Fabrication and Engineering Division.

•  J. Earle Painter, of Bowie, MD. He was an Electrical Engineer at Goddard who, among his varied assignments, worked on the Orbiting Geophysical Observatory project in the early 1960’s and later was involved with the Earth Resources Technology Satellite-1 (aka: Landsat 1) and Landsat 2. He was Head of the Flight Electrical Systems Section (which later became the Electrical Engineering Branch) of the Applied Engineering Division.

•  James O. Redding, of Columbia, MD, passed away at age 91 on January 2^nd. He was a Financial Manager at Goddard and worked during his career in the Financial Management Division, Procurement Division, Program Support Division, Space Applications and Technology Support Branch, and the METSAT Projects Office of the Flight Projects Directorate.

•  John C. Sullivan, of Columbia, MD, passed away at age 95 on February 16^th. After retiring from the U.S. Navy, he came to Goddard to work in networks-related assignments. During his career at Goddard he worked in the Network Engineering and Operations Division, Stadan Engineering Division, Network Engineering Division, and Networks Operations Division.

•  Robert R. Ziemer, of Leawood, KS, passed away at age 90 on February 24^th. He was a Mechanical Engineer at Goddard who was the first Project Manager for the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory series of satellites based in the Spacecraft Systems and Projects Division. He later became Deputy Director of the Projects Directorate.

•  Richard F. Thompson, of Waldorf, MD, passed away on March 12^th. He was an Electrical Engineer at Goddard who principally worked as a Mathematician in the Space Science Directorate mathematically modeling planetary atmospheres.

FLIGHT SCHEDULED FOR ANTARES ROCKET FROM WALLOPS FLIGHT FACILITY: Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC) has announced it is targeting April 16 to 18 for the first flight of its Antares rocket from the Wallops Flight Facility. The rocket will ultimately be used in transporting supplies to the ISS. The goal of the launch, which includes a simulated payload to be separated from the launch vehicle 158 miles above Earth, is to test the entire launch system. A successful test flight is the final step before OSC conducts a demonstration mission to the ISS. OSC’s agreement with NASA calls for conducting two missions to the ISS this year and 8 cargo resupply missions between late 2013 and 2016.

AIR & SPACE SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE OFFERS SPACE SHUTTLE COLLECTOR’S EDITION : Air & Space Smithsonian Magazine still has copies of its 100+ page Space Shuttle Collector’s Edition published in 2011. Copies are available for $8.99 each (plus $1.00 each for shipping and handling). If interested in obtaining a copy, go to http://www.airspacemag.com/spaceshuttle to order.

GRAA MAILINGS: If you no longer wish to receive the GRAA Newsletter, simply send a note to our Lanham, MD, address or an email to Dave Moulton (davidlmoulton@comcast.net ) and we will regretfully remove your entry from our database.

THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH: Do illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet Soup?