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

IMPORTANT DATES

COMMENTS FROM RON BROWNING, GRAA PRESIDENT: Our March speaker was Pam Sullivan, Project Manager for the next generation Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) R-series Flight Project. She presented an outstanding overview of a totally new observatory, suite of instruments, and ground system that will provide meteorological data for the next 20+ years. GOES-R, the first of four planned missions, is starting environmental tests and is presently on schedule to be launched in March 2016 on an Atlas-V rocket. The six new instruments (two Earth and four space viewing) are upgrades in resolution and scan speed to image the Earth and provide enhanced space weather coverage. It will be able to scan the entire Earth at 2 kilometer resolution in five minutes and transmit data at 70 megabits per second. Six months of data from GOES-R will equal all prior GOES missions. A totally new ground system is being developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to provide data products similar to the Earth Observing System. A lightning detector has been added to give advance warning of tornadoes. There is also an eight-meter boom carrying a magnetometer for magnetic field measurements from geostationary orbit. Overall costs for the four spacecraft series, associated launch services, and new ground system is $11 billion ($6 billion of which is for spacecraft and launch services). GOES-R opens a new era in weather data gathering and processing. We hope to have Ms. Sullivan return in the future to share the results of this spectacular program.

TREASURER’S REPORT: Treasurer Jackie Gasch received tax-deductible contributions from the following: William Mack and Thomas Underwood.

FROM THE GODDARD ARCHIVES – IT HAPPENED IN MAY: On May 17, 1974, a Delta rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral, FL, and successfully deployed the Synchronous Meteorological Satellite-1 (SMS-1). The satellite was the first operational spacecraft to sense meteorological conditions from a fixed location. SMS-1 was a cylinder 75 inches in diameter, 103 inches high and weighed 630 pounds. The sides of the cylinder were covered by 15,000 solar cells which, along with Ni-Cad batteries, provided the power for the satellite. A single triangular magnetometer was located on the top of the craft which extended 33 inches. The spacecraft was spin-stabilized and rotated at 100 revolutions per minute. NASA deactivated SMS-1 on January 21, 1981. SMS-2 was launched on a Delta rocket from Cape Canaveral on February 5, 1975, and deactivated on August 5, 1982. Following SMS-1 and -2, which were operational prototypes, the series was, ironically, renamed GOES (as they were essentially identical spacecraft) and were launched as GOES-1, -2, and -3 on October 16, 1975, June 16, 1977, and June 16, 1978, respectively. They all carried instrumentation for visible and international remote imaging, collection of data from automated remote platforms, relay of weather products, and measurement of a number of characteristics of the near space environment.

CHANGE TO NASA’S LEADERSHIP TEAM: Dennis Andrucyk, Goddard’s Director of the Applied Engineering and Technology Directorate (AETD) since 2010, was appointed Deputy Associate Administrator for the Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters, effective April 5^th. In his new position, Dennis will manage day-to-day operations of the directorate and will help plot the strategic direction of NASA’s space technology program. Based on Andrucyk’s new responsibilities at NASA Headquarters, Center Director Christopher Scolese has appointed Felicia Jones-Selden, AETD Deputy Director since 2010, to the role of AETD Director.

REMEMBERING OUR FORMER COLLEAGUES:

• Alfred J. Babecki, of Oxon Hill, MD, passed away on January 17^th. He was a Metallurgist at Goddard from the early 1960’s until his retirement in 1984. In 1963 he was assigned to the Spacecraft Systems Branch, Spacecraft Systems and Projects Division of the Office of Space Sciences and Satellite Applications. In 1967 he moved to the Materials Research & Development Branch, Systems Division of the Technology Directorate. He again moved in 1972 to be Head of the Engineering Metallurgy Section, Materials Engineering Branch, and Engineering Physics Division of the Space Applications & Technology Directorate. Before retiring, he was assigned to the Assurance Management & Test Policy Office in the Office of Flight Assurance.
• Louise E. Bozman, of Pocomoke City, MD, passed away on March 31^st. She was a Contract Specialist for 25 years in the Contract Section or Program Contract Section of the Wallops Procurement Branch, Institutional Procurement Division of the Management Operations Directorate.
• Joe J. Lopez, of Rio Rancho, NM, passed away on April 10^th. He was stationed in the Pacific Theater during the latter part of World War II; left the US Army in 1945; received his US citizenship; and graduated from Texas Tech University. He then became a Safety Officer directing the Ground Explosives Program at Reese Air Force Base (then located in Lubbock, TX). He later moved to Goddard to become Safety Manager for the Apollo missions in the Health & Safety Engineering Office of the Administration Management Directorate.
• Graham W. Moore, of Columbia, MD, passed away on December 30, 2014. In the early 1960’s he was assigned to the Mechanical Systems Branch, Spacecraft Integration & Sounding Rocket Division of the Office of Space Science & Satellite Applications. In the latter 1960’s he was assigned to the same branch and division in the Technology Directorate and then moved to the Electro Mechanical Integration Section of the Mechanical Integration & Design Branch, Mechanical Division of the Space Applications & Technology Directorate.
• Andrew J. Rolinski, of Silver Spring, MD, passed away on March 15^th. Starting in 1959, he was an Electrical Engineer at Goddard who served as Head of the Servo Techniques Section, Antenna Systems Branch, and Tracking Systems Division in the Office of Tracking & Data Systems, where he was engaged in the design, development and analysis of steerable satellite tracking antenna systems. In 1972 he worked in the Network Engineering Division of the Networks Directorate and a decade later was assigned to the TDRSS Systems Management Office of the Networks Directorate.
• George F. Stitt, of Lewistown, PA, passed away on January 23^rd. He was an Aerospace Engineering Technician at Goddard and served in the Space Simulation Test Engineering Section, Environmental Test Engineering Branch (name later changed to the Environmental Test Engineering and Integration Branch), and Engineering Services Division of the Engineering Directorate.

GRAA MEMBER CHARLIE BOYLE TOES THE LINE & BREAKS ANOTHER WORLD RECORD: Charlie Boyle, 91 years young and a former member of GRAA’s Board of Directors, helped three pals set yet another world track and field record in the 4X200 relay in their 90+ age group at the USA Track and Field Masters Indoor Championships during the weekend of March 21-22 in Winston-Salem. NC. The same team, along with another 98-year-old, broke several records at the USA Track and Field Masters Outdoor Championships last July in Wake Forest, NC, with Charlie giving his buddies a slight edge by running with a broken foot. For the races in Winston-Salem, he quipped that he “wrapped up my foot severely and gobbled a lot of Tylenol.” Charlie also suffers from myelodysplasia 5Q, a syndrome that requires blood transfusions every six weeks. Congrats on your new world record and keep on movin’ on, Charlie.

THOUGHT FOR MAY: If you think there is good in everybody, you haven’t met everybody.