G.R.A.A.
Goddard Retirees and Alumni Association
P.O. Box 163, Lanham, MD 20703-0163

IMPORTANT DATES

COMMENTS FROM RON BROWNING, GRAA PRESIDENT: Our speaker at the August luncheon was Bryan Franz, Research Oceanographer assigned to NASA’s Ocean Biology Processing Group. He provided luncheon attendees an excellent overview of the origin (from the SeaWiFs and EOS-MODIS instruments) of ocean color (from organisms and reflections from the water itself) that are critical to the accurate analysis of sea health, growth, or reduction of biological components in the sea and other bodies of water. In addition, Bryan discussed the increasing value of technology and methodological developments to observe and analyze the ocean color that indicates the health and components of the sea water, which is influenced by ocean temperature. He noted that most instruments that observe ocean color are typically limited to a depth of 100 – 300 feet to make accurate observations.

Interesting facts emerged from Bryan’s presentation and follow-on discussions (e.g., ocean biological components absorb or “fix” as much carbon dioxide as do non-oceanic chlorophyll-utilizing plants. Most people do not realize how much the oceans and other large areas of water are involved in the use, and therefore reduction, of carbon dioxide.

Bryan’s presentation was enlightening in a way that really helped better and more easily understand the Earth’s health-related interdependence of the interaction between oceans and their biological components, as well as those of the land masses and atmosphere.

TREASURER'S REPORT : Bob Wigand reports that tax-deductible contributions were received from Renate Bever, Dave Douds, Bob Eaves, Mike Forman (in commemoration of the launch of Nimbus 1 on August 28, 1964), Jim Gavura, Don and Conneta Henry, Jim Morakis, Ed Reid, Don Righter, Ralph and Nancy Ryder (in memory of Margaret “Marie” Stubbs), Pat Stone, and Bill Witt.

RECENT RETIREES: Joanna L. Gavaghan, Terry L. McRoberts, and Marla H. Moore.

SPECIAL COMMEMORATIVE EVENT AT THE NEWSEUM : A special event is planned at the Newseum (555 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC) on September 10^th (9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.) to commemorate the International Sun/Earth Explorer-3/International Cometary Explorer (ISEE-3/ICE) encounter with the Giacobini-Zinner comet on September 11, 1985. GRAA member Bob Farquhar will present a talk, “Teaching an Old Spacecraft New Tricks” to commemorate the 25^th Anniversary of the ISEE-3/ICE. To be able to attend the event and partake of the attendant luncheon in the Newseum’s Knight Studio and Conference Center, please RSVP as soon as possible to LaJuan Thompson at 202-358-0970 or lajuan.m.thompson@nasa.gov.

THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH : Will Rogers had a keen understanding of the human race. He is quoted as saying there are three kinds of men: those who learn by reading; a few who learn by observation; and the remainder who have to pee on an electric fence to find out on their own.

FROM THE GODDARD ARCHIVES - IT HAPPENED IN SEPTEMBER: On September 17, 1986, an Atlas rocket launched NOAA-10 (aka: NOAA-G), a third-generation operational meteorological satellite providing an economical and stable sun-synchronous platform for advanced instruments to measure the Earth’s atmosphere, its surface and cloud cover, and the near-space environment. The NOAA-10 satellite also carried the third Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) instrument designed to study the Earth’s radiation budget and stratospheric aerosol gases.

REMEMBERING OUR FORMER COLLEAGUES:

•  John W. Adolphsen, of Fulton, MD, passed away on July 26^th. John served in many spacecraft-related positions during his Goddard career, among them assignments in the Flight Data Systems Branch of the Spacecraft Technology Division and as Payload Manager of the Cosmic Ray Upset Experiment (CRUX 111) that flew onboard Space Shuttle Challenger as part of the STS-41-G mission that launched on October 5, 1984.

•  Joseph F. Coleburn, of Accomac, VA, passed away on August 11^th. He was an Electronics Technician at the Wallops Flight Facility.

•  James C. Elliott, of Fairfax, VA, passed away on August 19^th. Among other agencies and organizations, he served as a Public Affairs Specialist at Goddard, was a former Virginia newsman, and retired from the Air Force in 1971 after serving as a jet fighter pilot and public affairs officer. While at Goddard, the untold number of space-related missions Jim supported included the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System, Hubble Space Telescope, Solar Max, Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, and numerous Space Shuttle operations. Several medical magazine articles dubbed him “Miracle Man” after his miraculous recovery from three major heart surgeries.

•  Andrew J. (Andy) Mazurick, of Hudson, FL, passed away on July 19^th. He was a dedicated employee of the Plant Operations and Maintenance Division and served in numerous assignments during his Goddard career, including stints as the Emergency Console Operator.

•  Roy E. Mears, Sr., of Parksley, VA, passed away on August 8^th. During his Goddard career at the Wallops Flight Facility, he was an Electrician in the Facilities Management Division of the Management Operations Directorate.

•  John C. New, of Silver Spring, MD, passed away on July 28^th. In 1959, he joined Goddard as a Mechanical Engineer and founded what became known as the Test and Evaluation Division. John and his staff of fellow engineers developed facilities and tests to ensure that early satellites could withstand the intense sunlight, stress and gravity encountered in space.

•  Janice Rychlik, of Laurel, MD, passed away on July 25^th. Still employed at Goddard at the time of her passing, Janice was a Resource Analyst with the Earth Science Data and Information Systems Project in the Flight Projects Directorate.

•  Margaret M. (Marie) Stubbs, of Takoma Park, MD, passed away on July 27^th. Early in her Goddard career, Marie served as a Secretary, including for a Center Director at one point. She was reassigned to be the Center’s International Coordinator responsible for coordinating all foreign national visits and attendant functions.

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