Building NASA’s 

Future Gateway 

Pages 2–3

VOLUME 20 • ISSUE 11 • NOVEMBER 2018

SPECIAL

EDITION

Glenn Celebrates 

NASA Honor and 

Center Awards

Pages 4–9

New Administrator 

Visits Glenn

Page 10

Software of the Year 

Runner-Up

Page 12
2

Dialogue on Risk

It is well known that human spaceflight 

is a risky business, and this is a sentiment often shared by our experienced 

shuttle executives and managers. As we 

plan the Gateway vehicle, exploration 

missions, nonconventional aeronautical 

systems and challenging institutional 

projects, it is critical that we pause to remind ourselves of those lessons learned 

and how mission success depends on 

our ability to accurately identify, communicate and accept the residual risks 

as an informed decision process. Glenn’s 

senior leaders recently engaged in a 

discussion on risk management at 

a retreat, and we ask for your engagement to effectively incorporate risk 

management into the planning and 

development of our missions. 

Our success relies on the integrity 

of a robust risk 

management process. 

AeroSpace Frontiers

is an official publication of Glenn Research 

Center, National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration. It is published the second 

Friday of each month by the Office of 

Communications & External Relations 

in the interest of the Glenn workforce, 

retirees, government officials, business 

leaders and the general public. 

Submit short articles and calendar items 

to the editor at doreen.b.zudell@nasa.gov. 

Editor: Doreen B. Zudell, ATS, 

 216–433–5317

Assistant Editor: S. Jenise Veris, ATS

Design: Jami Drost, ATS

Managing Editor: Kelly R. DiFrancesco

Circulation: Angela Williams, ATS, 

 216–433–8921

Bridenstine and Dr. Kavandi pose by the NASA insignia at the Cleveland Rocks exhibit 

outside the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. 

GRC-2018-C-07028 Photo by Rami Daud

Dr. Kavandi addresses the guests amid the dazzling Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. 

GRC-2018-C-07220 Photo by Bridget Caswell

On the Cover: 

During Glenn’s Evening With 

the Stars event, Administrator 

Jim Bridenstine shared his 

excitement in NASA returning 

to the Moon as a proving 

ground to Mars.

GRC-2018-C-07237

Photo by Marvin Smith
Evening With the Stars: 

Building the Gateway to NASA’s Future

For the fifth year in a row, the Ohio Aerospace Institute (OAI) coordinated 

sponsorship for the event that attracted sponsors and guests from more than 25 

companies, universities and organizations. Dr. Dennis Irwin, OAI Board of Trustees, 

opened the program by acknowledging Glenn as a research asset to the 

community and the nation. 

Center Director Dr. Janet Kavandi thanked OAI and the sponsors for their support 

with EWTS, which raises the center’s visibility throughout Northeast Ohio. In light 

of NASA’s 60th anniversary year, Kavandi reflected on the accomplishments of the 

past and goals for the future. She talked about the agency’s mission to return to 

the Moon and then onto Mars, and affirmed Glenn’s role in the journey. 

“Our highly technical staff and world-class facilities will draw upon decades of 

space systems development and testing experience to ensure mission success,” 

she said. 

In Cleveland for his first official visit as NASA Administrator, Jim Bridenstine 

expressed his excitement for all he had seen thus far on his visit. He echoed 

Kavandi’s comments on NASA’s mission to return to the Moon and talked about 

the importance of the Lunar Gateway.

“The Moon is our proving ground to get to Mars, and NASA Glenn and Plum Brook 

Station are critical to accomplish this objective,” he said.

Kavandi then introduced three of Glenn’s rising stars—Dr. Erin Reed, Carl Sandifer 

and Ashlie Flegel. These presenters captivated the audience with details on the 

topics of Plum Brook Station, radioisotope power systems and icing research.

By Doreen B. Zudell

Dr. Erin Reed, Thermal Vacuum Test 

engineer. Reed walked the audience 

through our world-class facilities at Glenn’s 

Plum Brook Station. She illustrated the 

importance of full-scale testing and how 

we support a variety of NASA and industry 

programs in the fields of aeronautics and 

space through simulation of high altitude 

and in-space environments.

Carl Sandifer II, Radioisotope Power 

Systems Nuclear Fuels and Fundamental 

Research manager. Sandifer outlined how 

Glenn is advancing a broad portfolio of 

cutting-edge solar and radioisotope power 

generation systems. He explained how 

these systems work together to ensure 

that our future exploration missions have 

the plentiful, reliable power required to be 

successful. 

Ashlie Flegel, Engine Icing technical lead 

in the Advanced Air Transport Technology 

Project. Flegel explained how we “Freeze 

to Please” at NASA Glenn. She explained 

how the icing team’s work is advancing 

our understanding of aircraft engine and 

airframe icing, which will improve how we 

model, detect and prevent icing on aircraft.

NASA Glenn’s “An Evening With the Stars (EWTS)” program, held at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 

in Cleveland on Sept. 18, was a hit! The event featured presentations by Glenn researchers and 

a networking reception in a venue that, like NASA, seeks to engage, teach and inspire.

3

NOVEMBER 2018

Dr. Reed presents on Plum Brook Station.

GRC-2018-C-07260

Sandifer presents on radioisotope 

power generation systems.

GRC-2018-C-07280 

Flegel presents on icing research.

GRC-2018-C-07308 Photos by Marvin Smith
OUTSTANDING 

LEADERSHIP MEDAL

Luis R. Beltran 

Robert M. Button

Seth A. Harbaugh

Thomas A. Spicer 

John E. Zuzek*

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT 

OPPORTUNITY MEDAL

Diana I. Centeno-Gómez

EXCEPTIONAL 

SERVICE MEDAL

Phillip B. Abel*

Wade T. Arida

Vicki L. Hagerman

Gerald M. Hill

Michael J. Kinkelaar

Mark D. Klem

Craig I. Mehl

Donald T. Palac

Joseph G. Ponyik

Osvaldo Rivera

James W. Roeder*

Darlene S. Walker

Janet L. Watkins

HONOR AWARDS

2018 NASA Agency Honor 

and Center Awards

WE HAVE PLACES TO GO. 4

Beltran Button Harbaugh Spicer

Centeno-Gómez Arida Hagerman Hill

Ponyik Rivera Walker Watkins

Kinkelaar Klem Mehl Palac

*Not in attendance
More than 100 Glenn staff members earned awards for their exemplary accomplishments in 

science, engineering, technology, leadership and administrative services during the 2018 

NASA Honor and Center Awards Ceremony, Sept. 24. David D. McBride, director of NASA’s 

Armstrong Flight Research Center, assisted in awarding the medals and certificates.

EXCEPTIONAL PUBLIC 

SERVICE MEDAL

Douglas O. Doza

Christopher E. Fulton*

James J. Hritz

Joseph A. Ogonek 

Tracy A. Sprouse

Dean A. Szabo

EXCEPTIONAL 

ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL

David J. Arend

Ralph H. Jansen

Kimberly A. Johnson

Richard S. Kurak*

Lynn N. Smith

Laurel J. Stauber

Joyce S. Wanhainen

James R. Yuko

EXCEPTIONAL PUBLIC 

ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL

Michael D. Dyke

EXCEPTIONAL ENGINEERING 

ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL

Rodger W. Dyson 

Richard K. Evans

David W. Plachta

EXCEPTIONAL SCIENTIFIC 

ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL

Dean M. Tigelaar

NOVEMBER 2018

5

Doza Hritz Ogonek Sprouse

Szabo Arend Jansen Johnson

Smith Stauber Wanhainen Yuko

Dyke Dyson Evans Plachta

Tigelaar

*Not in attendance

McBride with Center Director Dr. Janet Kavandi.

GRC-2018-C-07592 
6 NASA AGENCY HONOR AND CENTER AWARDS

EXCEPTIONAL TECHNOLOGY 

ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL 

Isaiah M. Blankson 

David L. Ellis 

Michael C. Halbig

Richard C. Reinhart*

EXCEPTIONAL 

ADMINISTRATIVE 

ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL 

Debra K. Clevenger

EARLY CAREER 

ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL

Azlin Biaggi-Labiosa

John O. Bobanga*

Richard F. Bozak

Douglas A. Cooper

Ashlie B. Flegel

Eric T. Hartman

Logan J. Larson

Taylor N. Lewis

José A. Lombay-González

Leah M. Nakley

Haley A. Proszek

Francisco Solá-López

EARLY CAREER PUBLIC 

ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL

Erin P. Hubbard

Laura-Cheri E. King-Steen

Monica N. Willbond

SILVER ACHIEVEMENT 

MEDAL (INDIVIDUAL)

Gregory T. Buchar

David T. Chelmins

Vanessa F. Easterling

Michael A. Evans*

Dale A. Hopkins

Dongwon Lee

Adabelle Narvaez-Legeza

Blankson Ellis Halbig Clevenger

Biaggi-Labiosa Bozak Cooper Flegel

Hartman Larson Lewis Lombay-González

Nakley Proszek Solá-López Hubbard

King-Steen Willbond Buchar Chelmins

Easterling Hopkins Lee Narvaez-Legeza

*Not in attendance
NASA AGENCY HONOR AND CENTER AWARDS

NOVEMBER 2018

7

Quintile Rakic

Roche Bynum

Forman Harpster

Palac Rivera

Thomas Micham

Suzanne M. Quintile

Desa Rakic

Joseph M. Roche

SILVER ACHIEVEMENT 

MEDAL—GROUP

Full-Scale Exercise Design 

and Planning Team

Glenn Engineering and 

Research Support (GEARS) 

Source Evaluation 

Board (SEB)

Glenn Hologram Team

Graphics and Visualization 

Outreach Team

Magnetic Materials 

Development Team

Orion Launch Abort System 

(LAS) Ogive Hatch Test Team

Space Communications 

and Navigation (SCaN) 

Testbed Experiments and 

Operations Team

Solar Electric Propulsion 

(SEP) Testbed Team

Turbulent Heat Flux (THX) 

Test and Analysis Team

GROUP ACHIEVEMENT 

AWARD

Autonomous 

Power Control Team 

Combustion Science Team 

DGEN380 Aeropropulsion 

Research Turbofan Team 

Exercise 

Countermeasures Team 

Glenn Scientific and Technical 

Information (STI) Team 

Glenn Website Improvement 

Project Team

Kilopower Project Team

Lead Assessment 

Program

Multi-User Droplet 

Combustion Apparatus 

(MDCA) Operations Team

NASA Electric Aircraft 

Testbed (NEAT) Team

NASA’s Executive Safety 

Leadership Program Team 

Quiet SuperSonic 

Technology (QueSST) Team

Revolutionary Vertical Lift 

Technology Team

Total Eclipse Events Team 

FORTY-YEAR 

SERVICE AWARD

Carmela Bynum 

Cynthia D. Forman

Gary E. Gorecki*

George R. Harpster

Heriberto M. Medina*

Donald T. Palac

Osvaldo Rivera 

Denise L. Ryant*

Robin H. Strohacker*

Queito P. Thomas

Nicholas C. Varaljay*

FORTY-FIVE-YEAR 

SERVICE AWARD

Michael A. Micham 

FIFTY-YEAR 

SERVICE AWARD

Mack G. Thomas*

FIFTY-FIVE-YEAR 

SERVICE AWARD

Albert J. Juhasz*

Peter M. Sockol*

*Not in attendance

Citations are reproduced from the 2018 Honor Awards 

Program. Photos by Marvin Smith.
8 NASA AGENCY HONOR AND CENTER AWARDS

ABE SILVERSTEIN MEDAL

Othmane Benafan 

STEVEN V. SZABO 

ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARD

Orion Fairing Pyrotechnic Bolt Preload Loss 

Investigation and Redesign Team

CRAFTSMANSHIP AWARD

Assembly and Build-Up Technologies

Hollow Cathode Fabrication and 

Assembly Team 

Kevin A. McCormick

Michael R. Pastel

Assembly and Build-Up Technologies

Low-Speed Axial Compressor Build-Up Team

Thomas A. Bollinger

Joseph J. Hujo

Michael Perez

Manufacturing Technologies

Multi-Probe Traversing System (MPTS) Team

Brian A. Brandenburg

David Cotton

Derick L. Espenschied

Joseph F. Kerka

Robert S. Tomsic

2017 DISTINGUISHED PUBLICATION AWARD

Advanced Noise Abatement Procedures 

for a Supersonic Business Jet

Jeffrey J. Berton

Scott M. Jones

Jonathan A. Seidel

Dennis L. Huff

Christopher Dellacorte

Thomas W. Goodnight

Samuel A. Howard

Kevin E. Konno

Richard A. Manco

Daniel Rakes

Linda H. Yoon

CENTER AWARDS

*Not in attendance

Craftsmanship Award—Assembly and Build-Up Technologies

Craftsmanship Award—Assembly and Build-Up Technologies

Steven V. Szabo Engineering Excellence Award
NASA AGENCY HONOR AND CENTER AWARDS 9

NOVEMBER 2018

*Not in attendance

Safety Award—ACF

Benafan Lacy Havenhill

Turner Flowers Wiener

DIVERSITY LEADERSHIP AWARD

Dovie E. Lacy

SAFETY AWARD (CIVIL SERVANT)

Maria Theresa A. Havenhill

SAFETY AWARD

Emergency Management Specialists Team

Brian Laney*

Allen R. Turner

Aerospace Communications Facility (ACF) 

Hazards Analysis Team

SUPERVISOR AWARD

Gwendolyn D. Flowers

SUPPORT ASSISTANT/CLERICAL AWARD

Leslie A. Wiener

GRC SMALL BUSINESS 

PRIME CONTRACTOR 

OF THE YEAR

Peerless Technologies Corporation

Jeffrey A. Chambers

James M. Downey

Michael D. Dyke

Timothy J. Fiorilli

Gregory P. Frederick

James J. Hritz

Joyce A. Jordan

Evan J. Katz

Kevin M. Lambert

Elizabeth A. McQuaid

Félix A. Miranda

Christopher J. Mong

Ryan J. Munro

Jennifer M. Nappier

Marie T. Piasecki

Jeffrey T. Reilly

Robert R. Romanofsky

Mordecai Scheckter

Kevin J. Stiles

Sarah A. Tedder

Larry Verdier

Colman M. Zsiros

To view the 2018 Honor and Center Awards 

Ceremony booklet with award citations 

and team members, visit

https://events.grc.nasa.gov/honorawards/

2017 Distinguished Publication Award

Photos by Marvin Smith
10

During his first official visit to Northeast Ohio and NASA Glenn, Administrator Jim Bridenstine emphasized 

sustainability when he described the United States’ effort to return to the Moon. “This time we’re not going to 

leave flags and footprints,” he said. “We’re going to build an architecture to go back and forth, 

and every piece of the architecture needs to be reusable.”

During his Town Hall meeting with Glenn employees on Sept. 19, Bridenstine 

said his priority is implementing the president’s new vision for the space 

agency. That vision includes space policy directives, with the first directive 

targeting the Moon followed by missions to Mars. 

The proposed architecture, known as the lunar gateway, is an orbiting outpost 

that will serve as the staging area for the agency’s next phase of exploration. 

Powered by the propulsion and power element developed at NASA Glenn, the 

gateway will open up human and robotic exploration and breakthrough science 

on the Moon and in deep space. The gateway will be developed, serviced and 

utilized in collaboration with commercial and international partners.

During the Town Hall, he also touched briefly on Space Policy Directives 2 

and 3. Space Policy Directive 2 covers streamlining regulations on commercial 

use of space and Space Policy Directive 3 centers on national space traffic 

management. He concluded with several questions from the audience and 

through an internet-based question tool. 

Bridenstine called his 2-day visit to the Cleveland area “a fantastic experience.” 

He toured test facilities at Plum Brook Station and Lewis Field, met with local 

leaders at the Great Lakes Science Center and toured the Visitor Center there. 

He also attended Glenn’s Evening With the Stars reception at the Rock & Roll 

Hall of Fame and Museum (see article on page 3).

“There’s a bright future for NASA Glenn,” Bridenstine said, during a news 

conference with local media in the Electric Propulsion Laboratory at Lewis 

Field. “NASA Glenn is advancing some of the president’s most critical policies.”

To view more photos of Administrator Bridenstine’s visit, go to Glenn’s Flickr 

page at https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasaglenn/.

By Doreen B. Zudell

The Moon is a Proving Ground for Mars

New Administrator Visits, Focuses 

on Vision for the Space Agency

Brittany Wilkewitz briefs Bridenstine on the capabilities 

of the thermal vacuum chamber within the Space 

Environments Complex at Plum Brook Station.

Lance Foster, front left, describes to Bridenstine and 

others on tour how researchers mount models into 

the 10- by 10-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel.

During his Town Hall with 

Glenn employees, Administrator 

Bridenstine shared his enthusiasm 

for establishing an orbiting 

outpost on the Moon. 

GRC-2018-C-06928 

Photo by Rami Daud

GRC-2018-C-06917

Photo by Rami Daud

GRC-2018-C-06942

Photo by Bridget Caswell
NOVEMBER 2018

11

Glenn’s 2018 Holiday Gathering

Tuesday, Dec. 4, from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

MIC Auditorium 

Watch Today@Glenn for details! 

Deadline for next calendar section 

is Nov. 19, noon. News and feature 

stories require additional time.

NASA RETIRED WOMEN’S LUNCHEON

The next luncheon is Thursday, Nov. 

15, at 1 p.m., at Square 22 Restaurant, 

13485 Pearl Road, Strongsville, Ohio. 

Please reserve your place by calling 

Gerry Ziemba, 330–273–4850 or email 

gto64gerry@yahoo.com

OPEN SEASON HEALTH FAIR

The National Active and Retired Federal 

Employees (NARFE) Chapter 470 is 

sponsoring an Open Season Health 

Fair on Friday, Nov. 16. It will be held at 

the Fairview Park Gemini Center, Oak 

Room, 21225 Lorain Road, Fairview 

Park, from 1 to 3 p.m. All current and 

retired federal employees are invited 

to attend. 

The Emergency Management Office 

staff will conduct an audible siren test 

on the “emergency condition” tone on 

Saturday, Dec. 1, at Lewis Field. An 

outdoor mass notification “voice” test 

will be conducted at buildings 100 and 

302 on Wednesday, Dec. 5. 

POC: Allen Turner, 3–6826 

OUTDOOR SIREN TESTING

IFPTE LOCAL 28, LESA MEETING

LESA will hold its next membership 

meeting, Wednesday, Dec. 12, noon, 

in the Glenn Employee Center’s Small 

Dining Room.

GSEL MOBILE LIBRARIAN

The Glenn Science and Engineering 

Library (GSEL) Mobile Librarian will be 

visiting building 110 from Nov. 27 to 

Dec. 6; and building 162 from Dec. 11 

to 20. A Glenn reference librarian will 

be ready to assist employees with subject searches, finding specific books 

and articles and other information 

needs on the spot. 

POC: Robin Pertz, 3–5776

CORRECTION: Richard “Dick” Woollett, highlighted in the September issue of 

AeroSpace Frontiers, served several terms as president of the Lewis Engineers and 

Scientists Association (LESA) prior to retiring in 1992. He continued his support to 

Glenn as a contractor through the LESA union for 20 years.

MORE THAN A MEMORY

Ralph Nussle, 85, a 1994 retiree with 33 years of NASA 

service, died Sept. 9. As the Zero-G project manager, 

Nussle oversaw flight testing of combustion research 

experiments using NASA’s Learjet in preparation for future 

shuttle research on the effects of weightlessness on 

flammability of various gases. He later redirected his efforts 

with the Advanced Gas Turbine Project team, funded by 

the Department of Energy, developing fuel-efficient hightemperature turbine alternative engines for automobiles. 

Nussle Nussle was a U.S. Navy veteran.

Jack B. Esgar, 97, a 1980 retiree with over 35 years of 

NASA service, died Sept. 11. A former Director of Engineering 

Services, Esgar earned the agency’s Exceptional Service 

Medal for his technical skill and major contributions to the 

technology of gas turbine engines, particularly in the areas 

of turbine cooling, full-scale engine behavior, low-emission 

combustors, global atmosphere air sampling, plug nozzles 

and advanced instrumentation. He held several patents. 

His wife, Genevieve, also a NASA retiree, survives him. 

Esgar

Gerald “Jerry” M. LaPlant, 80, a 1994 retiree with 32 years 

of NASA service, died Sept. 19. LaPlant served 3 years in 

the U.S. Navy as an aircraft mechanic prior to joining the 

NASA workforce. He thrived in his career working in the Test 

Installations Division where he served on various projects/

programs as a machinist, model maker and research 

laboratory mechanic. He earned a 1991 Group Achievement 

award as a member of the Lewis Advanced Concentrator 

R&D Lab Team.

LaPlant

RETIREMENTS

Meredith

Sin-Chung Chang, Inlets and Nozzles Branch, Propulsion 

Division, retired Sept. 30, 2018, with 39 years of service. 

Antoinette M. Cosari, Human Capital Management and 

Consulting Division, Office of Human Capital Management, 

retired Sept. 29, 2018, with 31 years of service. 

Roger D. Meredith, Smart Sensing and Electronics 

Systems Branch, Communications and Intelligent Systems 

Division, retired Aug. 3, 2018, with 35 years of service. 
National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration

John H. Glenn Research Center 

Lewis Field

21000 Brookpark Road 

Cleveland, Ohio 44135

Plum Brook Station

3597 E. Scheid Road

Sandusky, Ohio 44870

www.nasa.gov

Read AeroSpace Frontiers online at http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/news/AF/index.html.

Emergency and Inclement Weather Lines 

Lewis Field: 216–433–9328 (WEAT) 

Plum Brook Station: 419–621–3333

Connect With Glenn

Air vehicle icing is a dangerous meteorological phenomenon in which ice can accrete 

on the airframe or inside the engine of an aircraft. This ice buildup can lead to loss 

of performance, control and/or power of the aircraft, posing a serious safety threat.

The runner-up in NASA’s 2018 Software of the Year (SOY) Award competition, 

LEWICE3D, is a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) post-processor developed at 

NASA Glenn that can integrate with a wide variety of commercial or in-house CFD 

software. It simulates where and how water drops and ice crystals of varying sizes 

will impact external aircraft surfaces or navigate into the engine core. 

In addition, the software simulates how the liquid water will run back and freeze 

on the vehicle surfaces, resulting in predictions of the ice shape itself. One of the 

key strengths of LEWICE3D is that it is one of the most publicly validated, iceaccretion prediction tools available. Most U.S. airframe manufacturers and many 

original equipment manufacturers have requested LEWICE3D for use in design 

and certification.

This software was developed by Colin Bidwell (deceased). Special thanks is given to 

Christopher Porter, the current point of contact for LEWICE3D, for representing the 

software during the SOY Award application process on behalf of Colin Bidwell.

LEWICE3D is available for request online via the NASA Software Catalog: 

https://software.nasa.gov.

Glenn Icing Technology

2018 Software of the Year Runner-Up

2018 Combined Federal Campaign Now Through Jan. 11, 2019

Agency Fair, Nov. 14, Cafeteria Upper Level—games, vendors and more!

To donate, visit ohiocfc.org.