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

IMPORTANT DATES

COMMENTS FROM RON BROWNING, GRAA PRESIDENT: Our February speaker, Dr. Michelle Thaller, Deputy Director of Science for Communication at NASA Headquarters and recent transfer from Goddard’s Science and Exploration Directorate, provided luncheon attendees an historical description of dark matter and dark energy and Goddard’s role in detecting them. Photos from the Hubble Space Telescope showed thousands of galaxies and clusters formed by larger galaxies drawing in smaller ones. She showed a graduated scale of galaxy size compared to our Sun which is no more than a speck in relation to the largest stars. She also showed COBE differential temperature measurements that demonstrate the universe is expanding. Only 4% of the universe is understood. The remaining 96% is 23% dark matter and 73% dark energy and the two are unrelated. Multiple space missions have focused on potential sources of dark matter and dark energy and by process of elimination have found gravitational waves to provide the best solution. Measurements have confirmed Dr. Edwin Hubble’s law that the recessional velocity of a galaxy is proportional to its distance from us. One role for the JWST is to find out why. New missions like the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) and the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) are in development to observe light-bending gravitational lenses or arcs which warp light believed caused by dark matter and dark energy. Dr. Thaller wowed attendees not only with new knowledge, but also in a manner that demonstrated why she is a most successful host of TV and radio shows which educate the public on complex subjects in all of NASA’s science themes.

TREASURER’S REPORT: Treasurer Jackie Gasch received tax-deductible contributions from the following: Russ Beard, Carol Boquist, John Bosworth, Sandra Brown (in memory of Paul Villone), Michael Calabrese, Joyce Cephas (in memory of Arnold Cephas), Wentworth Denoon, David Fromme, Frederick Gross (in memory of Thomas Heslin), David Manges, Jan Owings, Arlene Peterson, Fred Robinson, Thomas Underwood, and Robert Wilson.

RECENT NEW RETIREES: Steve M. Benner, Winston C. Chao, Edward J. Macie, Thomas E. Wallace, and Paul H. Williams.

54^th ROBERT H. GODDARD MEMORIAL SYMPOSIUM:

The 54^th Robert H. Goddard Memorial Symposium, hosted by the American Astronautical Society (AAS) will be held March 8^th – 10^th at the Greenbelt Marriott. [Note: Ye Ed points out that the reception on the evening of March 8^th serves as a “meet and greet” mixer]. This year‘s theme is “Leadership for Space: Opportunities and Challenges.” 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 luncheons on March 9^th and 10^th, they can be purchased for $50 on Wednesday and $40 on Thursday. The registration form, program agenda, and additional information/instructions can be easily accessed at the top of the AAS website at http://www.astronautical.org. Simply fill out the form and forward it as soon as possible (as time is of the essence) with your credit card information.

THOUGHT FOR MARCH: At our advanced age, “getting lucky” means walking into a room and remembering why we went in there.

REMEMBERING OUR FORMER COLLEAGUES:

• Richard J. Broderick, of Gainesville, VA, passed away on January 26^th. He was an Electrical Engineer at Goddard who worked in the Electrical Engineering Division of the Engineering Directorate (which later became the Electrical Engineering Division of the Applied Engineering and Technology Directorate) and retired in 2013.
• Tin-Chee Chan, of Silver Spring, MD, passed away on January 27^th. He was an Electrical Engineer at Goddard who worked in the Design & Construction Branch of the Facilities Engineering Division in the Management Operations Directorate, which later became the Engineering Branch of the Facilities Management Division in the Management Operations Directorate.
• Michael J. Coyle, Jr., of Odenton, MD, passed away on February 8^th. He was an Aeronautical Engineer at Goddard who in the '60s was assigned to the Spacecraft Technology Division in the Office of Space Sciences & Satellite Applications. In the early '70s he worked in the Sounding Rocket Division of the Space Applications & Technology Directorate and in the early '80s was assigned to the Applied Engineering Division of the Engineering Directorate.
• Eugene “Gene” Ferrick, Jr., of Rockville, MD, passed away on January 21^st. In the late '60s he was assigned to the Manned Flight Operations Division of the Manned Flight Support Directorate. In the '70s he was a Branch Head in the Network Procedures & Evaluation Division of the Networks Directorate. In about 1980 he transferred to NASA Headquarters on the Tracking & Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) before becoming Director of the TDRSS Division until retiring in 1995. He later headed a TDRSS review team in 1999 and supported reviews for the project until 2013.
• Gilbert M. Fleisher, of Rockville, MD, passed away on January 30^th. He was an Attitude Control Systems Engineer at Goddard assigned to the Spacecraft Systems & Projects Division in the Office of Space Sciences & Satellite Applications and later worked in the Systems Division of the Technology Directorate. In the '70s he worked in the Earth Observation Systems & Systems Engineering Division of the Space Applications & Technology Directorate. In the '80s and '90s he was assigned to the Space Technology Division of the Engineering Directorate.
• Elton R. Scott, of Chincoteague, VA, passed away on February 5^th. He was a Procurement Analyst at Goddard’s Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) assigned to the Industry Assistance & Procurement Analysis Office in the Procurement Division of the Management Operations Directorate. He later became Head of the Industry Assistance Office in the WFF Procurement Branch of the Institutional Procurement Division in the Management Operations Directorate.

FROM THE GODDARD ARCHIVES – IT HAPPENED IN MARCH: The Orbiting Solar Observatory (OSO 1) was launched from Cape Canaveral, FL, by a Thor Delta rocket on March 7, 1962. The objectives of the OSO satellite series were to perform solar physics experiments above the atmosphere during a complete solar cycle and to map the celestial sphere for direction and intensity of ultraviolet light, X-rays, and gamma radiation. GRAA appreciates and pays tribute to Dr. John Lindsay, who conceived and initially directed the OSO Project, and to Dr. Werner Neupert, who was involved with several satellites in the OSO series, for their dedication and innumerable hours of effort.

PLEASE NOTIFY GRAA WHEN YOU CHANGE YOUR HOME OR EMAIL ADDRESS: Since we are in the process of updating and preparing the next iteration of the GRAA Membership Directory for distribution in the spring, please ensure we have your current home and email addresses. We often experience newsletters (those sent both via snail mail or email) that bounce back to us from the US Postal Service or from Internet Service Providers and it is frequently difficult to track down members, what with many using cell phones in this day and age. Please send address changes to our Greenbelt, MD, post office box or via email to stratlaios@verizon.net