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

IMPORTANT DATES

COMMENTS FROM TONY COMBERIATE, GRAA PRESIDENT: Our April speaker was Dr. Nickolay Krotkov, Research Scientist in Goddard’s Earth Sciences Division of the Sciences and Exploration Directorate. His presentation, entitled “Air Pollution Trend Monitoring from Space,” described a major advancement in air pollution monitoring developed by Goddard scientists and partners. This satellite-based “top down” method has the uniform global monitoring as contrasted with conventional “bottom up” ground-based from sensors located near industrial sources in many, but not all, countries. UV/Visible satellite instruments, like the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on the Aura satellite, are capable of measuring near ground-level pollutants, including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, formaldehyde, and aerosols. This development is an extension of volcanic sulfur dioxide measurements started with the six-wavelength band Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) on Nimbus-7. Use of new 2-D CCD detectors in OMI captures the full spectrum of light for much higher sensitivity. Better ground resolution results in detection of smaller point sources. This development offers unbiased global information on air pollution sources. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide are reactive, short-lived gases, which endanger both people and plants. The major sources of nitrogen dioxide are the burning of fossil and organic fuels, soil emission, and lightning. Sulfur dioxide is emitted from volcanoes, but much more is now produced from burning sulfur-rich coal. The infamous London fog and Los Angeles smog were results of uncontrolled industrial emissions. Ozone is produced by the release of volatile organic compounds from petroleum products. With over 13 years of OMI data, an assessment of worldwide changes in air pollution can be made. Dr. Krotkov presented satellite data that showed that nitrogen dioxide levels over the United States fell 40% over the last decade, primarily due to the Clean Air Act amendments and regulations. During that same time period, sulfur dioxide levels decreased dramatically due to scrubbers and increased use of low sulfur natural gas. Similarly, OMI data show Chinese pollution has declined since 2011 due to new controls. However, data over India shows increased pollution levels as new coal-fired power plants, without scrubbers, were built. About 500 large individual sources of sulfur dioxide around the world have now been measured in the OMI data. Forty of these sources were missing or unreported in the “bottom up” inventories. In closing, Dr. Krotkov mentioned that other countries in the world are becoming very concerned about pollution and the next generation of international instruments will be able to better measure ozone and detect pollution from more point sources, and will encourage more global power plants to switch from coal to natural gas.

TREASURER’S REPORT: Treasurer Jackie Gasch received tax-deductible donations from the following members: Kent Cockerham, Arlin Krueger, William Mack, Waltrud McCaslin (in memory of Sherman McCaslin), and Thomas Underwood.

FROM THE GODDARD ARCHIVES – IT HAPPENED IN MAY: On May 24, 1967, fifty years ago this month, a Delta-E1 rocket launched the Interplanetary Monitoring Platform (IMP-F)) from Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA. This spacecraft was placed into a high-inclination, highly eccentric Earth orbit. IMP-F (aka: Explorer 34) was essentially a compact, unmanned physics laboratory weighing about 163 pounds, spin-stabilized, and similar in design to the previous spacecraft launched in the IMP series. It was instrumented to study interplanetary magnetic fields, energetic particles, and plasma. The spacecraft optical aspect system failed on March 4, 1969. Otherwise, IMP-F acquired useful data until just before spacecraft reentry, which occurred on May 3, 1969.

55^thROBERT H. GODDARD MEMORIAL SYMPOSIUM HIGHLIGHTS: Member Mike Calabrese provided a summary of this year’s symposium, hosted in early March by the American Astronautical Society and supported by Goddard personnel. While Ye Ed had to edit out some of Mike’s comments due to space constraints, we have included here what are considered many of the highlights. The opening speaker was Dr. Matt Mountain, President, Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, referred to Hubble as the “most productive science machine in human history.” He indicated that the public has a “tremendous interest in what NASA does,” and that NASA needs to continue to “inspire.” Center Director Chris Scolese recognized the recent passing of Phil Sabelhaus , Marty Davis, Neil Gehrels and Piers Sellers who “did incredible things for NASA and the nation” by showing a video tribute. As keynote speaker, Acting NASA Administrator Robert Lightfoot referred to the symposium title, “Future Space: Trends, Technologies and Missions,” as “right on target for where we are and what we are trying to do,” and then characterized a NASA at “the intersection of commercial, government, and international partnerships.” His view of the NASA Authorization message was to “Keep going and keep moving.” Luncheon speaker Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Member of the Space, Science, and Competiveness Subcommittee, cited the importance of our investment in science and technology and indicated that a “robust commitment to exploration and discovery is critical to our future as a nation,” and that “we will go boldly, always seeking the next frontier for the benefit of all of humanity.” Recorded in 2016 with Piers Sellers and Leonardo DiCaprio, “A Spotlight on Space-based Environmental Intelligence” was presented as a video conversation highlighting the value of the environmental data on the Earth’s changing climate, the importance of humanity, and the urgency of recognition and policy action. A longer summary will soon be included in a soon-to-be-released issue of Goddard View, which will be able to be accessed at https://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard-view-magazine.

REMEMBERING OUR FORMER COLLEAGUES:

• Ralph L. Adams, of Catonsville, MD, passed away on March 19^th. In the early ’60s he was assigned to the Field Facilities Branch of the Network Engineering Division in the Office of Tracking & Data Systems, which was responsible for designing and building tracking stations around the world. In the ’70s he worked in the Network Operations Division of the Networks Directorate and later still in the Facilities Engineering Division of the Management Operations Directorate prior to retiring in the ’80s.
• Paul B. Davenport, of Vienna, MD, passed away on March 30^th. He was a Mathematician and later an Aerospace Technologist at Goddard. In the early ’60s he worked in the Data Systems Division of the Office of Tracking & Data Systems and later in the Computation Division of the same directorate. In the early ’70s he started working in the Mission Operations Division of the Mission & Data Operations Directorate prior to retiring in the ’80s.
• Elise R. Fisher, of Washington, DC, passed away on March 22^nd. She was a Mathematician at the Naval Ordnance Laboratory in White Oak, MD, who transferred to Goddard as one of its initial employees at its founding on May 1, 1959. At that time she was assigned to the Mathematics & Computing Branch of the Theoretical Division in the Office of Space Science & Satellite Applications. Later in the ’60s she worked in the same branch of the Laboratory for Theoretical Studies of the Space Science Directorate. In the ’70s she worked in the Theoretical Studies Branch of the Laboratory for Space Physics in the Space & Earth Sciences Directorate and later in the Special Payloads Division of the Engineering Directorate but in support of the Delta Project in the Flight Projects Directorate.
• George H. Honeycutt, of Annapolis, MD, passed away on December 4, 2016. He was a Structural Analyst at Goddard who in the early ’60s was assigned to the Test & Evaluation Division of the Office of Technical Services and later to the same division in the Systems Reliability Directorate. In the late ’70s and early ’80s he was assigned to the Systems Division and later the Instruments Division of the Engineering Directorate. Later in the ’80s he was assigned to the Flight Projects Directorate where he worked on satellite projects (e.g., Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite). Goddard colleagues and friends are invited to attend the George Honeycutt Memorial Service at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 6^th, at the Prince of Peace Presbyterian Church located at 1657 Crofton Parkway, Crofton, MD 21114.
• Nancy Kupperian, of Silver Spring, MD, passed away on March 28^th. She was a Data Technician at Goddard. Unfortunately, details of her career assignments could not be ascertained via available resources.
• Leslie M. Salter, of Beltsville, MD, passed away on February 24^th. In the early ’70s he was assigned to the Network Computing Division of the Networks Directorate. In the ’80s and ’90s he was assigned to the Information Analysis & Display Office of the Laboratory of Extraterrestrial Physics in the Sciences Directorate.
• Charles A. (Chuck) Scaffidi, of North Redington Beach, FL, passed away on March 13^th. In the ’60s he was assigned to the Network Engineering & Operations Division of the Office of Tracking & Data Systems and later to the Project Operations Support Division in the Tracking & Data Systems Directorate. In the ’70s and ’80s he was assigned to the Mission Operations Division of the Mission & Data Operations Directorate.

THOUGHT FOR MAY: Remember: You don’t stop laughing because you grow old. Rather, you grow old because you stop laughing.