VOLUME 19 ISSUE 1 JANUARY 2017

Employees Gather to Reflect on Center's Namesake

John H. Glenn Memorial

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The NASA Glenn family gathered in the MIC auditorium, 

Dec. 12, to pay tribute to John H. Glenn, Jr., an American 

hero and humble servant for whom the center was renamed 

in 1999. Glenn, who served the people of this nation as a 

military combat and test pilot, astronaut and senator from 

Ohio, died Thursday, Dec. 8, at the age of 95. 

Cleveland VA Medical Center Chaplain George Hankins, Center Director Dr. Janet Kavandi and fellow astronaut Patrick 

G. Forrester participated in the brief ceremony that honored 

Glenn’s awe-inspiring life of service and accomplishments.

Tom Hartline, chief of Glenn’s Facilities and Test Directorate, officiated the ceremony. Hankins offered the invocation 

based on his favorite quote from Glenn: “If there is one thing 

I’ve learned in my years on this planet, it’s that the happiest 

and most fulfilled people I’ve known are those who devoted 

themselves to something bigger and more profound than 

merely their own self-interest.” Continued on page 2

GRC-2016-C-09584 Photo by Marvin Smith

Astronaut Forrester pays tribute to Glenn.

Quantum Communications Technology 

Research Helps Ensure Spacecraft Safety

Secure communications between Earth and space is vital to the safety of humans 

and spacecraft. Toward that goal, NASA Glenn researchers are partnering with 

industry on innovative communication technology that will help maintain safety 

and the agency’s preeminence in space.

Current space command and control communications, secured through asymmetric keys and based on algorithms that are computationally complex, will no longer 

be secure once quantum computers become available. These powerful computers, 

which could be developed in just a few short years, would readily crack many common cryptography methods, enabling hostile entities to take control of spacecraft. 

Until now, secure quantum communication demonstrations have suffered from 

low data rates and required operation in the dark. NASA’s Space Communication 

and Navigation (SCAN) Office and Glenn’s Center Innovation Fund are proactively 

funding research to develop quantum communication techniques, which will be 

unconditionally secure even against a quantum computer attack.

Continued on page 3

The lab team, pictured left to right, is 

Roger Tokars, Bertram Floyd, John Pouch 

and Jeff Wilson observing entangled 

photon source in Glenn’s Quantum 

Optics Laboratory.

GRC-2016-CN-00015 Photo by Marsheba Bond

In This Issue

Director’s Safety Corner 2

New Chief Counsel ........................ 2

New Deputy CIO ........................... 2

Looking Back on Our 75th! ........... 4

Greening the Fleet ........................ 6

Sharing Holiday Cheer ................... 8
Safety Anchors Glenn’s 7 Expected Behaviors

Along with the Glenn Senior Management Team, I recently announced 

our 7 Expected Behaviors, HEROICS, which represents helping others to 

succeed, excellence, respect, openness, integrity, cooperation and safety. 

Like our namesake John Glenn, who called his spacecraft Friendship 7 to 

symbolically take his friends with him on his heroic flight, we are committed 

to all 7 Expected Behaviors. For this month’s Safety Corner, I will focus 

on safety, which expresses “Demonstrating a vigilant commitment 

to a safe work environment through good situational awareness 

and communication.”

Let’s ensure a safe journey to achieve excellence and teamwork throughout the new year. 

 —Janet

John H. Glenn Memorial

Continued from page 1

Kavandi shared significant Glenn biographical highlights and reflected on a training 

exercise with Glenn prior to his STS–95 mission. She commented on how fortunate 

we were to witness, for nearly a century, the man NASA identified and chronicled 

in the book “The Right Stuff.” Kavandi noted how senior management has crafted 

and adopted “Glenn’s 7 Expected Behaviors,” which best reflects the character, 

integrity and type of service our namesake exhibited daily. 

During his remarks, Forrester, 

deputy chief of the Astronaut 

Office at NASA’s Johnson Space 

Center, praised Glenn for representing the best of his country 

through his character, faith, family and service. Hartline closed 

by thanking those who played a 

role in putting the event together so quickly.

Following the ceremony, many 

of the NASA family stayed to 

exchange their own stories and 

reflect on the contributions of 

our most beloved NASA Glenn 

family member. 

By S. Jenise Veris

Editor’s note: The February AeroSpace Frontiers will share highlights of 

John Glenn's life and legacy.

GRC-1999-C-01155 Photo by Hugh Aylward

Glenn and his wife, Annie, rode a float in 

the parade as part of the renaming festivities 

in 1999.

Laura Henry Appointed 

Chief Counsel

Laura A. Henry has 

been appointed 

to the Senior Executive Service 

position of Chief 

Counsel for NASA 

Glenn’s Office of 

the Chief Counsel, 

effective Nov. 27, 

2016. Henry has 

more than 32 years of combined experience with NASA and the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) in Cleveland.

“For the past 17 years, Laura has served 

as Deputy Chief Counsel and member 

of Glenn’s leadership team, establishing a highly regarded legal reputation,” 

said Center Director Janet Kavandi. “She 

is known for her integrity, and for her 

expert legal, technical, managerial and 

client resolution skills.”

Henry began her legal career as a 

captain in the U.S. Army serving as 

Judge Advocate in the Judge Advocate 

General’s Corps. She later worked as 

Attorney-Advisory (General) at the DLA.

Henry

Center Names Moroney 

New Deputy CIO 

Louise Moroney 

has been selected 

as the new Deputy 

Chief Information 

Officer (CIO) for 

NASA Glenn’s Office of the Chief 

Information Officer, effective Nov. 

27, 2016.

Moroney has more than 25 years of progressive leadership experience across 

information technology (IT) strategy, 

operations and cyber defense. Prior to 

joining NASA, Moroney served as the 

deputy for the Chief Strategy Office 

of the Defense Information Systems 

Agency (DISA).

Prior to her civilian role as deputy for 

DISA, Moroney served the organization 

in several roles in a military capacity. 

Throughout her military career in the 

U.S. Army, she held a variety of leadership and staff positions across the IT and 

cyber mission areas in both Army tactical and strategic/installation levels and 

in the Joint Operations environment.

Moroney

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JANUARY 2017

News and Events

Astronaut for a Day 

GRC-2016-C-08940 Photo by Bridget Caswell

Glenn’s Alan Micklewright talks with 

11-year-old Jacob about a T-34 airplane’s 

controls and cockpit during a visit to 

Lewis Field, Nov. 15. Glenn staff helped 

A Special Wish Foundation, Cleveland 

Chapter, fulfill Jacob’s "Astronaut for a 

Day" wish. During his tour, Jacob met 

Center Director Janet Kavandi and did 

hands-on science activities as part of his 

“astronaut training.”

Aspiring Astronauts Take on Challenges

GRC-2016-C-09036 Photo by Rami Daud

NASA astronaut Michael T. Good talks about his experiences in space with a group 

of students from the Archimedes Allies pilot team during the 24th annual Young 

Astronaut Day at NASA Glenn, Nov. 5. More than 200 students from Northeast 

Ohio and Pittsburgh competed in aerospace-themed activities that encouraged 

teamwork and demonstrated that math, science and engineering can be fun.

Dayton Regional Science Festival

Stephanie Brown-Houston, Office 

of Education, guides students in 

an ORION spacecraft activity 

during the Dayton Regional Science Festival, Nov. 18–19. It was 

one of several hands-on STEM 

activities and exhibits where 

NASA staff engaged 800 students 

and their families. The NASA 

Aerobus was also on display, 

featuring videos highlighting 

Glenn’s 75th Anniversary.

Quantum Communications

Continued from page 1

A team of Glenn researchers—Jeffrey

Wilson, John Lekki, Roger Tokars, Bertram Floyd and John Pouch—is working with an entangled photon source to 

make quantum communications faster 

and more robust. This source, which 

was developed by AdvR Inc., through a 

Glenn-managed Small Business Innovation Research contract, is pumped by a 

laser and generates pairs of entangled 

photons (smallest units of light) at a high 

rate. Through the strange properties of 

quantum mechanics, entangled photons 

are connected to each other even when 

separated over long distances, such that 

when one is measured its partner is immediately affected. 

Wilson said that this property enables 

communicators to detect eavesdropping 

as the quantum connection cannot be restored once one of the photons has been 

intercepted. The team is developing 

methods to utilize the entangled photons 

to reduce noise effects for daytime quantum communications operation. These 

methods will be tested in 2017 outside 

between the Instrument Research Laboratory and Communications Laboratory. 

“Our team recently met with Dr. Paul 

Kwiat from the University of Illinois, 

chief scientist for a JPL-led ISS experiment, to demonstrate for the first 

time superdense quantum teleportation 

between Earth and space,” said Lekki. 

“This effort would be the first step in establishing a quantum network that will 

enable unconditionally secure communications between locations on Earth.”

By S. Jenise Veris

Emergency and Inclement 

Weather Lines 

Lewis Field: 216–433–9328 (WEAT) 

Plum Brook Station: 419–621–3333

Connect With Glenn

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GRC-2016-CN-00014 Photo by Zachary Lucas
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A Look Back at Glenn’s 

Diamond Anniversary

“I extend my utmost appreciation to the employees and contractors in Center Operations 

and other directorates whose hard work made NASA Glenn’s 75th anniversary a tremendous success! We hosted numerous high-quality events, including the 75th anniversary 

groundbreaking reenactment in January, the Women-Owned Small Business Industry 

Day in May, the open houses in May and June, and the flagship Evening With the Stars 

program in September. These and the many other events during the past year showcased 

the talents of our dedicated workforce and the incredible research work they do for our 

agency and the nation. Thank you!”

—Robyn Gordon, Director, Center Operations

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JANUARY 2017

 1. Groundbreaking Reenactment & 6. Public Open Houses 

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All-Electric Car Joins Center’s Environmentally Friendly Fleet

GRC-2016-C-09516 Photo by Bridget Caswell

Glenn’s new Ford Focus battery-electric vehicle, right, and Ford Fusion plug-in 

hybrid electric vehicle, left, charge on a level 2 dual-charging station. The station 

was recently installed outside of the MIC building. 

NASA Glenn is committed to reducing emissions in the air—and on the 

ground. The most recent addition to its 

vehicle fleet, an all-electric car, honors 

the center’s commitment to embrace 

new technology and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

The Logistics and Technical Information Division (LTID) staff is currently 

operating and testing this all-electric 

car. It joins the center’s diverse vehicle 

fleet that provides official on- and offsite travel support for civil service employees and on-site contractors. The 

center’s pool of vehicles available to 

employees features hybrids and E85 (85 

percent ethanol fuel) vehicles. 

“More than 75 percent of the center’s 

government-owned vehicles are fuel 

efficient and refuel with a renewable, 

biodegradable fuel,” said Glenn’s Fleet 

Manager Daniel Dessauer, LTID. 

The fleet includes zero-emission neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs). 

These battery-powered vehicles reach a 

top speed of 30 miles per hour (mph) 

and are intended for on-site travel. 

Several plug-in hybrid electric vehicles 

(PHEVs) were added to the fleet at 

Lewis Field and Plum Brook Station this 

year. PHEVs combine the benefits of 

both an electric- and gas-powered vehicle. They have two fuel outlets: one that 

can be connected to an electrical outlet for charging and one that is fueled 

with conventional gasoline. They can 

operate exclusively on electric power 

anywhere between 19 and 53 mph, but 

with the added benefit of an internal 

combustion engine, which greatly extends the vehicle’s range of travel to a 

combined range of 550 miles. 

To support the center’s electric vehicles, the LTID and Facilities Division 

teamed up to install on-site charging 

stations. Both organizations have taken 

a long-term and proactive approach by 

working together to incorporate charging stations with new building construction projects when it is appropriate and feasible. A Level 2 station was 

recently installed at Lewis Field. This 

station charges vehicles in about 2 to 

4 hours, as opposed to current on-site 

Level 1 stations, which charge vehicles 

in 4 to 6 hours. These stations are strictly available only for government-owned 

and Government Services Administration (GSA)-leased center vehicles, and 

not for employees’ personal vehicles. 

Dessauer said many of the hybrid and 

alternative fuel use vehicles are leased 

through the GSA. This includes trucks 

and vans, which are used for operations. The center has recently converted some of its government-owned 

heavy-duty trucks to alternative fuel use 

as well. 

To reserve a vehicle, contact Vehicle 

Dispatch at 3–2200.

Honor Award

Glenn’s Fleet Management and 

Transportation Team received 

a 2016 NASA Honor Award for its 

exceptional service in developing 

and implementing environmentally friendly fleet management and 

transportation initiatives.

New Fleet 

Manager Named

Dessauer

The Logistics and Technical Information Division is pleased to 

welcome Daniel Dessauer as NASA 

Glenn’s new fleet manager. He 

is responsible for managing and 

optimizing the center’s fleet of 

vehicles, trucks and special equipment. Dessauer began his Glenn 

career as a Pathways Student 

Trainee (Administrative) before 

being assigned to the Industrial 

Property Office as a Logistics 

Management Specialist. 

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JANUARY 2017

Retirements

Marivell Báez, Data Systems Branch, Testing Division, retired 

Jan. 3, 2017, with 33 1⁄2 years of service. 

Sandra A. Brickner, Research and Space Operations Branch, 

Procurement Division, retired Dec. 31, 2016, with 29 1⁄2 years 

of service. 

Jerry Carek, Plum Brook Station, retired Jan. 3, 2017, with 

33 1⁄2 years of service. 

Kim Dalgleish-Miller, Technology Transfer Office, Office of Technology Incubation 

and Innovation, retired Jan. 3, 2017, with 36 years of service. 

Debbie Giavasis, Research and Space Operations Branch, Procurement Division, 

retired Jan. 3, 2017, with 36 1⁄2 years of service.

Patrick A. Iler, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, retired Jan. 3, 2017, with 42 years 

of federal service, including 25 with NASA.

Ernest C. Mensurati, Exploration Systems Branch, Procurement Division, retired 

Dec. 30, 2016, with 31 1⁄2 years of federal service, including 28 years with NASA.

Susan Nolan, Human Capital Consultant Division, Office of Human Capital Management, retired Jan. 3, 2017, with 41 years of federal service, including 6 with NASA.

Jerri Vokac, Data Systems Branch, Testing Division, retired Jan. 3, 2017, with 41 1⁄2 

years of service.

Mary Jo Waeltz, Human Capital Consultant Division, Office of Human Capital 

Management, retired Jan. 3, 2017, with 36 years of federal service, including 29 

with NASA.

Báez Dalgleish-Miller Giavasis

Iler Nolan

More Than a Memory

Frank J. Klemencic, 73, a 2005 retiree with 37 years of 

service, died in October 2016. Klemencic began his career 

in the Test Installation Division (TID) after graduating from 

NASA’s Apprentice Program in 1967 as an experimental facilities electrician. He served primarily in the Engine Research 

and Space Power Service Section B modifying a wide range 

of sophisticated components. Klemencic received a 1979 

NASA Group Achievement Award as a member of TID’s Wind 

Turbine Support Team.

Klemencic

Nick Prioletti, 95, a 1978 retiree with 35 years of federal service, died Nov. 10, 

2016. Prioletti was a U.S. Army World War II veteran who, upon discharge in 

1944, joined the NASA workforce as a security guard. Following graduation from 

NASA’s Apprentice Program in 1950, he became the center’s only filament winding 

instrument mechanic. As a member of the Test Installations Division, he worked 

on projects such as the Atlas/Centaur launch vehicles; the Quiet, Clean, Short-Haul, 

Experimental Engines; and on the cyclotron. 

Daniel S. Prok, 82, a 1989 retiree with 34 years of service, 

died Nov. 1, 2016. Prok joined NASA Lewis as an apprentice 

in 1953. He rose through the ranks of management before 

selection as chief of the Logistics Management Division in 

1982. Prok oversaw the studies and planning that led to the 

functions of five different contractors consolidated into one 

5-year contract called the Consolidated Logistics and Support 

Services. NASA Lewis became the benchmark for other NASA 

centers and government agencies who adopted consolidated 

Prok multiyear contract agreements. 

Calendar

FEBRUARY SIREN TESTING:

The Emergency Management Office 

staff will conduct the Lewis Field 

outdoor voice test at Building 6 on 

Wednesday, Feb. 1. An audible siren 

test focusing on the “severe thunderstorm” tone will be held at Lewis 

Field on Saturday, Feb. 4. POC: Allen 

Turner, 3–6826

IFPTE LOCAL 28, LESA MEETING:

LESA will hold its next membership 

meeting, Wednesday, Feb. 8, noon, 

in the Glenn Employee Center’s Small 

Dining Room.

NASA RETIRED WOMEN’S LUNCHEON:

The NASA Retired Women's Luncheon 

is Thursday, Feb. 16, 1 p.m. at Miss 

Hickory's Tea Room, 14217 Mill Hollow Lane (off of Route 82) in Strongsville. Please confirm your place by 

calling Gerry Ziemba at 330–273–4850 

or email gto64gerry@yahoo.com.

In Appreciation

Thank you to my coworkers—many I 

consider great friends—for your support 

during my year-long fight with Acute 

Myeloid Leukemia. Your well-wishes 

helped me achieve full remission in 

August 2016.

 —Jason Labay

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field

21000 Brookpark Road 

Cleveland, Ohio 44135

www.nasa.gov

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 via 

e-mail to the editor: doreen.b.zudell@nasa.gov or 216–433–5317. 

February 2016 Calendar section deadline: Jan. 20

News and feature stories require additional time

Editor: Doreen B. Zudell, ATS

Assistant Editor: S. Jenise Veris, ATS

Managing Editor: Kelly R. DiFrancesco

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

Gathering Spreads Good Cheer

Employees celebrated the season during Glenn’s Centerwide Holiday Gathering in 

the MIC Auditorium, Dec. 13. Center Director Janet Kavandi welcomed employees, 

then presented 16 boxes of employee-donated (Plum Brook Station, Lewis Field, 

OAI, Vantage Partners, and Alphaport) toys to members of the U.S. Marines Corps 

(3/25) for their Toys for Tots drive. Other festivities included a brief 2016 Center 

Accomplishments video; an Ugly Holiday Sweater Contest (1st place: Office of Technology Incubation and Innovation; 2nd place: Facilities, Test and Manufacturing 

Directorate); a Great Recipe Cook-Off (1st place: Angela Surgenor’s Peppermint 

Meltaways; 2nd place: Barb Madej’s Oatmeal with Raisinettes) and holiday music 

sung by Daniel Ricci. The event wrapped up with light refreshments and time to 

mingle with co-workers. Photos by Bridget Caswell

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