AUGUST 2004                                               http://graa.gsfc.nasa.gov                         20^th Year of Publication

IMPORTANT DATES:
Aug 10                  GRAA Regular Luncheon at 11:30 am. Reservations are required, so please call                               301-937-7762 in advance.
Sep 14                  GRAA Regular Luncheon at 11:30 am. Reservations are required, so please call 301-937-7762 in                              advance.
Sep 30 – Oct 4     Branson, MO, Theatre Tour – Air to St. Louis and Bus to Branson. A 4-night motel stay, 5 theatre events,                              showboat luncheon, breakfasts and dinners are included. If interested, please call GRAA Travel at                              301-937-7762.We must have 40 reservations.
Oct 12                  GRAA Regular Luncheon at 11:30 am. Reservations are required, so please call 301-937-7762 in                              advance.
Oct 26                  NIMBUS 40^th Reunion at the Bea and Barney Recreation Center from 5 to 9 pm. Ralph Shapiro is                              organizing an afternoon event with guest speakers at the Visitor Center to commemorate 40 years of                              NIMBUS. You can check www.nimbus-sat.org  for more details and indicate your interest in attending the                              event by sending an e-mail to Michael.L.Forman@nasa.gov.
Nov 4                   GRAA and Orbital Club Dinner Theatre at the Bea and Barney Recreation Center. The entertainment is a                              musical entitled City of Angels, with the cost yet to be determined. Now is the time to talk with your                              friends and plan to make reservations for a table (or two). Reservations may be made by calling                              301-937-7762.
Nov 9                   GRAA Regular Luncheon at 11:30 am. This event will include the Echo Project Reunion. The Echo Project                              was launched 40 years ago last January. Plan to attend and see old friends and remember that very visible                              satellite.  Vintage video taken from the launch vehicle will be shown. Ron Muller and John Thole are                              orchestrating this special reunion activity. Reservations are required, so please call 301-937-7762 in                              advance.
Dec 9                   Shopping, theatre (Christmas show at the American Music Theatre), and dinner. Bus to Lancaster, PA,                             with shopping at Rockvale (over 150 discount stores). All taxes and tips are included at the low cost of $80                             per person.  Please call 301-937-7762 for reservations.
Apr 21, 2005       Eastern Caribbean 10-day cruise on Holland America from Norfolk, VA, to the Bahamas, St, Thomas,                             Virgin Islands, Antigua, St. Maarten, and Puerto Rico. Cruise fares vary from $1,275 inside up to $1,750                             outside with veranda. The fares include fixed fees of $238 covering port taxes and other miscellaneous                             charges. This same cruise is available on February 17, 2005, by joining a group from Ocean City. For                             reservations and/or additional information, please call GRAA Travel at 301-937-7762.

COMMENTS FROM RON BROWNING, GRAA PRESIDENT: We were once again delighted to have the current crop of NASA Academy interns and staff at our July 14^th luncheon. Nineteen interns (eighteen representing 15 different states and one from France) described their academic pursuits and the projects they are working on this summer. Many have multiple science and/or engineering majors and are focusing principally on Aerospace as a post-graduate career. The aerospace industry and NASA should be in good hands if these bright young people are representative of what the future holds. Rick Obenschain, Director of Applied Engineering and Technology, was our featured speaker and prefaced his remarks by acknowledging that he would love to be able to hire all of the NASA Academy interns. Rick’s main point, in part, was that Goddard is an organization that emphasizes competency, especially in Science and Engineering disciplines. He added that the emphasis is not new, and will not change. Rick stated that what has changed since the 1960’s is the environment in which the Center operates. In NASA’s early years, engineers, scientists and technologists sought out NASA, and especially Goddard, for employment. In recent years, resources to hire students of excellence and attract worthwhile projects/programs/studies have been and continue to be in short supply. NASA centers are obviously in competition for personnel and programs with each other, industry, and universities. Goddard faces technical challenges such as large aperture systems, distributed systems, integrated databases, the analysis and manipulation of huge and diverse databases, etc., for projects and programs such as the LISA Project and the James Webb Space Telescope. To face such challenges, Rick stated that Goddard has established implementation-planning methods such as the Technology Federation, wherein personnel of all required technical skills share their expertise as they work toward their ultimate goals. In addition, NASA centers and organizations have been developing partnerships with other centers, universities, and commercial enterprises to leverage available funding and talent. Rick’s personal goal is to have 50 percent of his Directorate personnel resources working on in-house technology, instruments, spacecraft and ground systems, with the other 50 percent working on external projects and missions. Rick’s bottom line was that NASA must do what only it can (and should) do. He considers that to be the Number #1 challenge for NASA’s engineers, scientists, and administrators.

 Our most sincere appreciation is extended to Elaine Montgomery for her many years of dedicated service in compiling input, editing, and coordinating the production of the GRAA Newsletter. She has been the Editor since the Newsletter’s inception and is being duly rewarded with a well-deserved reprieve from the monthly drudgery to spend more time with her family, on traveling, and on other interests. We hear she has been counting her blessings lately that she was able to talk Dave Moulton, former GSFC Security Director, into “volunteering” for the editorial position (she must have caught him during a weak moment). Whatever the case, Elaine’s talents and dedication will be sorely missed, although we expect her presence at our envelope stuffing parties, regular luncheons, and other events.

Our most sincere appreciation is also extended to Bob Wilson for his expertise over many years in developing and maintaining our membership database, as well as overseeing the periodic compilation and publication of the membership directory. He has decided to move back to Kansas and has turned over that unforgiving task to another committed volunteer, Strat Laios, who we suspect didn’t realize what he was getting himself into.

We experienced a technical glitch with the printing and stuffing of the July issue of the Newsletter, which caused us to send everyone both the June and July issues. However, we certainly appreciate the dedication exhibited by the printing and mail room staff members who resolved the problem literally in a matter of minutes (which didn’t allow the stuffing crew even enough time to take a short nap). 

FROM THE GODDARD ARCHIVES – IT HAPPENED IN AUGUST:
August 12, 1960: Thor-Agena launched Echo-1, which was the 1^st passive communications satellite (with a 100-ft. sphere).
August 28, 1964: Thor-Agena launched Nimbis-1, which was the 1^st in a series of weather research satellites.
August 12, 1978: Delta launched ICEE-C, a cometary research satellite renamed ICE.

TREASURER’S REPORT: Donations were received from Evelyn Baumann, Norm Peterson, Dora Lee Carle, Rick Obenschain, Charlie Tulip, Dave Harris, Ron Britner, and H. K. Lee.

LETTERS, WE GET LETTERS!!! (AND WE’D EVEN LIKE TO RECEIVE MORE):
Sharon Beckwith wrote, “it was a difficult decision to sell our waterfront home near Annapolis and we miss our friends. We built the home of our dreams in Florida that is on a lake and 3 golf courses in the middle of horse country. There are five cars at a stoplight in rush hour. I really enjoy the GRAA Newsletter, too.” Friends can reach Sharon at 1927 N. Eagle Chase Drive, Hernando, FL 34442-6157.
Edward Dalkiewicz sent in a change of address and wrote, “thanks for a job well done. Your efforts are indeed appreciated.”
Dora Lee Carle wrote, “I enjoy receiving and reading the new about old friends.  Thanks to all for the hard work.”
David Harris wrote, “I guess it’s time to own up to the fact that I’ve been receiving the monthly mailing without contributing. So to make amends, please accept the enclosed check. My 28 years at GSFC (1959-87) and 10 at NASA Headquarters (1987-97) were a rewarding part of my life and usually great fun. Keep up the good work.”
Jim Zerega sent in a change of address and wrote, “I don’t want to miss any of the GRAA bulletins. I really look forward to seeing what’s going on and who’s doing what. Thank you for all the great work at GRAA.” Friends can now reach Jim at 421 Grand Oak Way, Moore, SC  29369. 

REMEMBERING OUR FORMER COLLEAGUES:
MOYER, Xopher (Bill) of Ft. Myers, FL, passed away on March 18, 2004. He was a Project Engineer in the Mechanical Systems Branch.
CANNON, Joe and Anna Mae passed away in Maine on April 16 and March 24, 2004, respectively. Apologies are extended to their family and friends for identifying their last name as Connors in the June issue. Joe worked in Procurement and Anna Mae worked in the bank in Building 17. Anyone wishing to view their death announcements and/or write a tribute to them may do so by accessing www.mem.com and typing in their names in the search function.
BANDEEN, William R. of Brinklow, MD, passed away on July 2, 2004. He conducted studies in successive meteorological satellite programs and rose to the position of Associate Director of Space and Earth Science.

ENVELOPE STUFFERS FOR JULY:
Marge Gustafson, Frank Wrigley, Barbara Hamilton, Bob Wigand, Agnes Smith, Elaine Montgomery, and Dave Moulton.

GEWA EXCHANGE:
The GEWA Exchange still has discount tickets for area theme parks available for purchase. If you don’t take advantage of them soon, the summer will be over and the parks will be closed.

CHANGES TO E-MAIL ADDRESSES:
William Campbell’s new address is kcbillc@aeitv.net
Dave Harris’ new address is dorsharris@verizon.net
Sharon Beckwith’s new address is sbeckwith@tampabay.rr.com