G.R.A.A.

Goddard Retirees and Alumni Association

P.O. Box 163, Seabrook, MD 20703-0163

OCTOBER 2005 http://graa.gsfc.nasa.gov 21^st Year of Publication

IMPORTANT DATES:

October 11	Mark your calendar for the GRAA Luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Jerry Longanecker will speak on the topic: “Awareness, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Prostate Cancer.” Reservations are required, so please call Alberta Moran at 301-937-7762 no later than noon on Friday, October 7.
October 25	GEWA’s 15^th Annual Fall Crafts Fair. Call the GEWA Exchange Store at 301-286-8498 for details.
November 8	Mark your calendar for the GRAA Luncheon at 11:30 a.m.
November 10	Mark your calendar to attend GRAA’s evening at the Music and Drama (MAD) Club’s production of State Fair at the Barney and Bea Recreation Center. Tickets are $26.50 per person. Contact Alberta Moran to make your reservation.
December 14	Holiday shopping trip and music theater event (front row seats) in Lancaster, PA, at the cost of $90. Contact Alberta Moran for details.
August 2006	Something to look forward to! GRAA Travel (Alberta Moran) is planning a cruise and land tour in Alaska. Details will be published in future issues.

COMMENTS FROM RON BROWNING, GRAA PRESIDENT: The devastation and human misery from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have dominated the media and our attention over the past few weeks. As a result, you may have missed several newsworthy space science and exploration-related activities. Two recent releases are especially interesting and thought provoking. As part of the centennial celebration of Einstein’s publication of his Theory of Relativity, Goddard has produced and released an animated video titled “Beyond Einstein – From the Big Bang to Black Holes.” The video illustrates that: the universe expansion from the big bang is accelerated; light is emitted when black holes absorb matter; and several proposed new space missions will observe these phenomena. In addition, NASA recently released the hardware concept that will use low earth orbit rendezvous techniques to assemble human lunar exploration missions, with the first landing projected for 2018. Over the next several months, we plan to have luncheon speakers address the topics summarized above as well as others. We also plan to show the animated video, so stay tuned.

FROM THE GODDARD ARCHIVES - IT HAPPENED IN OCTOBER:

- Oct 14, 1965: Thor-Agena OGO-II, the first polar geophysical observatory.

- Oct 25, 1973: Delta launched Explorer 50/IMP 10, the last Interplanetary Monitoring Platform.

- Oct 16, 1975: Delta launched SMS-C/GOES-A, the first operational geostationary weather satellite.

TIMELY LUNCHEON RESERVATIONS A MUST: It is important to make timely reservations to attend the GRAA Luncheons for both food preparation and security purposes. We’re doing our part by distributing the newsletter earlier than in the past. We ask that you do your part by contacting Alberta Moran by noon on the Friday prior to the luncheon (usually the second Tuesday of each month except December).

ENVELOPE STUFFERS FOR SEPTEMBER: Marj Gallagher, Marge Gustafson, Barbara Hamilton, Rose McChesney, Elaine Montgomery, Dave Moulton, Ewald Schmidt, Agnes Smith, Eloise Tarter, Bob Wigand, and Frank Wrigley.

TREASURER’S REPORT: Treasurer Bob Wigand reports that donations were received from the following retirees: Richard Allenby, Carl Bayne, Tony Grandi, and Andy Mazurick.

RECENT RETIREES: Leonard M. Brown, Judith M. Jones, and William H. Schaefer.

E-MAIL ADDRESS UPDATES: William Barnes (wlbarnes9@qvtc.com); Norman and Virginia Bread (ginnyrussb@chesapeake.net); Vivian Britton (vivianbread@bellsouth.net); Frank Connors (pta00010@mailwvnet.edu); William Johnson (wjohnson@ezy.net); Paul Kushmeider (pjkushmeider@juno.com); Daniel Muhonen (danmuhonen@newmex.com, a correction from the September issue); and Barbara Yates (bayatessis@cablespeed.com).

HELP NASA VICTIMS OF HURRICANE KATRINA (AND POTENTIALLY HURRICANE RITA): As you can well imagine, hundreds of employees at both the Stennis Space Center and Michoud Assembly Facility unfortunately lost their homes and possessions during Hurricane Katrina. As this issue goes to press, it is also likely that the homes of Johnson Space Center employees could also suffer substantial damage from Hurricane Rita. The NASA Family Assistance Fund (NFAF), which is administered by the Federal Employee Education & Assistance Fund (FEEA), has been authorized to expend its limited resources for NASA employee disaster relief. If you would like to make a donation directly to members of the NASA family, there are three ways to make it happen: 1) send a check or money order to FEEA NASA Fund, 8441 W. Bowles Avenue, Suite 200, Littleton, CO 80123-9501; 2) call 800-338-0755 (or 303-933-7580) with your credit card and ask that your donation be made to the NFAF; or 3) visit the FEEA web site at http://www.feea.org/nasa.shtml, click on the red “Give Online” button at the top of the screen, and follow the directions. Be sure to use the pull-down menu and select NSAF before you continue processing the donation with your credit card.

REMEMBERING OUR FORMER COLLEAGUES:

- Arthur Lake of Upper Marlboro, MD, passed away on July 15. Following service in the Navy during WWII, he started his civilian career at the Naval Gun Factory, and then moved on to the Naval Research Laboratory, Vanguard, and GSFC. At GSFC, he worked on tracking station integration, SATAN, lightening protection and the acquisition of laser transmitter vans for geodetic survey measurements of the earth’s plates. After retirement, Art worked as a volunteer for the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center and encouraged Goddard engineers to develop smaller lightweight transmitters attached to birds for tracking purposes.

- George O. Stewart of Virginia Beach, VA, passed away from acute coronary insufficiencies on August 27. An Electronics Engineer, he was a member of the Skylab team and helped extend man’s knowledge and capabilities in space. He was also a member of the team responsible for Apollo’s successful achievement of man’s first landing on the moon, contributed to the first manned orbital flight of the Space Shuttle (STS-1), and also participated in the TDRS, Spacelab 1, and STS-9 missions.

GRAA NEWSLETTER MAILINGS: If you no longer wish to receive GRAA mailings, please forward a note to our Seabrook address or an e-mail to Dave Moulton at davidlmoulton@comcast.net. If you have moved or want to correct the mailing address we have for you, please write to our Seabrook address or send an e-mail to Strat Laios at stratlaios@comcast.net.

If your telephone number and/or e-mail address is incorrect or not listed in the GRAA Membership Directory and you want either or both items included when the next iteration is published, please send the information via e-mail to Strat Laios at stratlaios@comcast.net or drop him a note at our Seabrook address.

LETTERS, WE GET LETTERS:

- Richard Allenby wrote, “It’s always a pleasure to receive the newsletter. Enclosed is a slight donation for the kitty.”

- Carl Bayne wrote, “Like many other Goddard retirees, my wife and I recently moved to the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Thanks for the newsletter each month. Great job!”

- Tony Grandi wrote, “I want to thank all of you for your hard work and dedication. I still miss the old gang. It’s hard to believe it’s been 13 years since I retired.”

- Anne Thompson wrote, “I took an early retirement to a new job that is as stimulating and demanding as GSFC – Penn State Meteorology Professor. Still, I miss GSFC and appreciate the newsletter. I still collaborate with NASA. Thanks for a great job!”

GEWA EXCHANGE STORE: GEWA is gearing up for its 15^th Annual Fall Crafts Fair, to be held on Tuesday, October 25. Although details were not available at press time, call the GEWA Exchange Store at 301-286-8498 for information if you’re interested in exhibiting your crafts for sale or just wish to attend.

Just in from the “clothes line” comes a new order of shorts in jersey or fleece, tank tops, “Lofteez” t-shirts with buttons but no collar, and polo shirts. Both styles of shorts are available in ash or navy. The tank tops, for those of you who like to show off your muscles, also come in ash or black. For those who like the “Lofteez” style of t-shirt, they’re available in navy blue, red, forest green, and ash. If you’re looking for a polo shirt, they’re available in navy or royal blue, red, and dark green. All of these items are available in small through x-large sizes.

Now that the students are back in school, so are the fish. They’re actually back at the farm – Pepperidge Farm that is. GEWA has recently received a new Pepperidge Farm order that has not only the Gold Fish, but also some of their famous cookies. For a limited time only, the Chessmen cookies are available in a butter pecan version of the same great cookies that picture various chess pieces. In their Big Chunk line, the bakers “down on the farm” have even added a new Caramel Chocolate Chunk cookie. For those who like the “pop in your mouth” size cookie, there’s the Mini Sausalito (which has the same milk chocolate chunks and Macadamia nuts just like the big version) along with the Mini Bordeaux. These are only a few of the cookies that GEWA currently has in stock, which also includes the larger version of the Sausalito, Big Chunky Oatmeal Raisin, Milano, and regular chessmen, just to name a few. With so many from which to choose, it will be difficult to choose a favorite. However, just stop in and pick up a bag (or two, or three) of these great Pepperidge Farm treats.

For you ladies, you’re probably ready to switch handbags now that summer is over. Remember, it’s not cool to carry a white handbag after Labor Day! So if you want to be stylish, GEWA just received an order of true leather handbags, shoulder bags, backpacks, and a couple of expandable briefcases, all handcrafted in the United States. All of the items are made of soft leather and available in a variety of styles and colors. They come in either wide or narrow shoulder straps, buckle or zipper closures, and are available in brown, black, brandy or burgundy. The briefcases come in either a crocodile or basket weave design and are available in brown.

How would you like to go “Singing in the Rain,” complete with umbrella? Well, now you can. Although we haven’t had much rain for a while, perhaps you can “sing in the shower” instead. Just take a new Totes umbrella out (or in) with you. GEWA has recently received a new order that includes all sizes, from the briefcase size (that folds up (or down) to about eight inches) all the way up to the giant golf size umbrella that is large enough for two people to stand under without any worry about getting wet. They’re available, of course, in plenty of different solid colors or designs. They’re even available with a “Cozy Cats” or “Playful Pups” design, so you’ll always be able to quickly identify yours when you’re out in the rain (or the shower) with friends.

Not only did GEWA receive the umbrellas in the Totes order, but also the slippers customers have been asking about. Now available for ladies are Isotoner “Pillow Step” slip-ons in pink or light blue. For the man of the house, there’s the Terry Clog slipper that just slips on, or the Terry Spa slipper that has a wrap-around top that fastens with Velcro. With this style, if your feet feel extra tired after working all day at the office or around the house, you can adjust the width of the slipper to make your feet feel more comfortable.

Please keep the hurricane victims in your thoughts and prayers, and contribute to relief efforts at your most comfortable level.