GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER

ANNUAL REPORT

THIS IS SCIENCE

www.nasa.gov
The Goddard Project Life cycle

We Start

 With Science...

...and End

 With Science

CONCEIVE DESIGN

TEST

BUILD

LAUNCH

OPERATE

SHARE ANALYZE
1

TABLE OF 

CONTENTS

One World-Class Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 

Goddard at a Glance  .

Our Legacy 

Center Director’s Message 

Innovation at Goddard 

The Science of SmallSats .

Strategic Partnerships  

Our Focus Areas .

2016 in Figures . 

Delivering Your Data from Space . .

Our Organization . 

16 Highlights of 2016 . 

Engaging the Community – Visitor Center  .

Our Lines of Business . 

Earth Science . 

Astrophysics .

Heliophysics .

Planetary Science .

Space Communications and Navigation .

Suborbital Programs and Range Service .

Our Life @ Goddard .

Institutional Support .

IT and Communications . 

Public Communication .

Education .

Our People – State of the Workforce .

Budget .

Economic Impact .

Environmental Impact  .

Our Loyalty – Building a Diverse and Inclusive Workplace . 

Connections . 

In Memoriam  .
2

EDUCATING

ENGAGING

ROBERT H. GODDARD

THE FATHER OF MODERN ROCKETRY

(1882–1945) The American engineer, 

professor, physicist, and inventor credited 

with creating and building the world's first 

liquid-fueled rocket.

INSPIRING

ONE WORLD-CLASS ORGANIZATION:

FIVE UNIQUE SITES Over 10,000 People

Plus many other locations worldwide

FAIRMONT

WEST VIRGINIA

INDEPENDENT

VERIFICATION

& VALIDATION

FACILITY

WALLOPS ISLAND

VIRGINIA

WALLOPS FLIGHT

FACILITY

NEW YORK

NEW YORK CITY

GODDARD

INSTITUTE FOR

SPACE STUDIES

1 Million+

Facebook Followers

1,500

 Maryland STEM Festival

 +7,000 Remotely

Students

Engaged

Pre-K Through 8

Students 8,200

 IV&V Rocket Competition

1.6 Million+

Instagram Followers

202,925,674

Flickr Views

122,197,225 

YouTube Views

 (the most total plays

 of any official NASA

 YouTube account) 

GODDARD

GREENBELT CAMPUS

MARYLAND

LAS CRUCES

WHITE SANDS

COMPLEX

NEW MEXICO

Est.1961

Est.1959

Est.1978* Est.1945

Est.2000^

*Goddard-managed ground communications stations

^Goddard assumed management

research satellites than any other institution in the world.

Goddard has built and operated more Earth science

DID YOU KNOW?

Global 

provider of 

scientific 

research, 

technology, 

and missions 

that 

transform our 

knowledge 

of Earth and 

space

Expert in the study of our world, 

the solar system and beyond, 

NASA Goddard Space Flight 

Center (GSFC) has been working 

since 1959 to increase scientific 

understanding, answer humanity’s big questions and benefit 

the society and communities we 

serve. The center’s work in science, engineering, technology 

and communications strengthens 

our ability to envision the origins 

of life, preserve our way of living and define our place in the 

universe. We identify requirements and innovations; design, 

build and launch spacecraft; 

and manage and support entire 

space missions. Our fundamental 

communications infrastructure 

enables NASA and others to 

retrieve knowledge from space, 

share it with diverse customers 

and apply it to society in countless ways.
3

On October 5, 1964,

the U.S. Post Office

issued an 8 cent

postage stamp

commemorating

Robert H. Goddard

Technology Transfer 

Program’s Spinoff,

NASA’s premier

publication

2,ooo

TECHNOLOGY

SPINOFFS

PROFILED

SINCE 1976

AT A GLANCE

LAUNCHED FROM WALLOPS

SUBORBITAL &

OBITAL MISSIONS

16,000+

Orbiting Astronomical

Observatory was one of

the first attempts to

pursue visual and ultraviolet astronomy from

a satellite platform

GODDARD’S

“

FIRSTS”

The first Interplanetary

Monitoring Platform

spacecraft measured

cosmic radiation,

magnetic fields and

solar wind

The world’s

largest ISO 7

cleanroom with

1.3 million cubic

feet of space

High Bay

Cleanroom:

OAO Mission (1965)

Explorer XVIII

WHITE SANDS COMPLEXhas supported every

U.S. human space flight

from Apollo to

the Shuttle Program

and the International

Space Station

IV&V Managed 9 robotics

competitions, with

16 tournaments

hosted by 12 unique

partners across

West Virginia.

More than 250 K-16 level teams

are participating

in over 30 West

Virginia counties.

4oth

ANNIVERSARY of the

Greenbelt Visitor Center

www.nasa.gov/goddard
4

THIS IS WHO WE ARE

OUR LEGACY
5

A Place for 

Science

We advance NASA’s mission by 

leading scientific research and by 

building, launching and operating 

scientific instruments, spacecraft 

and information systems. As a science center, Goddard seeks to understand the Earth and to explore 

the universe through a robust program of scientific research in Earth 

science, astrophysics, heliophysics 

and planetary science. As a spaceflight center, Goddard utilizes its 

core technical and programmatic 

expertise and facility capabilities to 

execute a broad range of flight missions and field campaigns. We are 

committed to enabling innovation 

and developing new technologies 

that expand the agency’s technical capabilities in support of its 

overarching mission. Goddard then 

applies its breakthroughs to society: stimulating economic growth, 

fostering the education of the next 

generation and inspiring the nation 

and the world. 

NASA Vision

We reach for new heights and reveal the unknown for the benefit

of humankind.

NASA Mission

Drive advances in science, technology, aeronautics, and space

exploration to enhance knowledge, education, innovation, economic 

vitality, and stewardship of Earth.

NASA’s Strategic Goals

1. Expand the frontiers of knowledge, capability and

opportunity in space.

2. Advance understanding of Earth and develop technologies

to improve the quality of life on our home planet.

3. Serve the American public and accomplish our mission by

effectively managing our people, technical capabilities and 

infrastructure.
6

Dating back to its beginnings 

in 1959 as the agency’s first 

spaceflight center, NASA’s 

Goddard Space Flight Center 

has addressed many of humanity’s greatest questions regarding the nature of the universe 

and the systems of life here on 

Earth. Through the decades, 

we have built an exhaustive 

portfolio of research and missions spanning the disciplines 

of astrophysics, Earth science, 

heliophysics, planetary science 

and engineering and technology—establishing ourselves 

as a definitive resource for the 

global scientific community. 

Several of our accomplishments 

over the past year have generated 

excitement around the world as 

we continue to shed light on some 

of astronomy’s biggest mysteries. 

The first mission of its kind, OSIRISREx embarked on a journey to 

return an asteroid sample to 

Earth by 2023. Months earlier, 

the Juno spacecraft entered the 

orbit of Jupiter nearly five years 

after its launch, ready to study 

the composition and physical 

features of the gas giant. MAVEN, 

which entered the orbit of Mars in 

2014 to monitor its atmosphere, 

discovered that the Red Planet 

may have once had enough liquid 

water to support life.

Looking beyond our solar system, 

the Hubble Space Telescope 

continues to explore new frontiers 

more than a quarter-century 

into its existence. Meanwhile, 

Goddard’s engineers equipped 

Hubble’s successor—the James 

Webb Space Telescope—with 

gold-coated mirror segments 

befitting the observatory’s epic 

million-mile journey into space, 

slated for 2018. 

Back on our home planet, 

Goddard and NASA launched 

the Earth Expeditions campaign, 

a series of scientific voyages on 

Earth that complements the data 

collected by our constellation 

of Earth-observing satellites. In 

New Zealand, a scientific research 

balloon launched by the Goddardmanaged Wallops Flight Facility in 

Virginia set a flight duration record 

for a super pressure balloon flown 

at midlatitudes. 

Goddard’s scientists, engineers 

and managers have collaborated 

with our colleagues at NOAA, 

USGS and other agencies to improve our predictive capabilities 

for Earth’s weather and climate, 

agriculture and severe storms. 

The center uses capabilities like 

GMAO and missions like Landsat, 

as well as manages satellites and 

ground systems for NOAA to 

implement the GOES and JPSS 

missions.

As we reflect on fiscal year 2016, 

we do so with enthusiasm for 

what lies ahead. We will build the 

WFIRST observatory, PACE ocean 

monitoring mission and Restore-L 

robotic servicing spacecraft here 

on center. Several more launches 

are on the horizon, including 

those for the Joint Polar Satellite 

System, NICER neutron star explorer and the first of the GOES-R 

environmental satellites. And after 

several years repairing its launch 

pad at Wallops, Virginia Space, 

Orbital ATK, the FAA, and Wallops are ready for our first resupply mission to the International 

Space Station since 2014. 

This report explores our notable 

achievements from the past fiscal 

year and outlines our plans for 

the future. The talented people 

behind our success are highly 

dedicated to Goddard’s mission, 

collectively aspiring to make new 

discoveries and advance scientific 

understanding for the benefit of 

society. In moving forward with 

promising new endeavors, we 

are reminded of the famous 

words spoken by our namesake 

physicist Robert H. Goddard: “It is 

difficult to say what is impossible, 

for the dream of yesterday is the 

hope of today and the reality of 

tomorrow.” This guiding philosophy reminds us of our continued 

responsibility to inspire current 

and future generations of space 

explorers around the limitless possibilities that exist in the universe. 

Chris Scolese

Center Director

CENTER DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
7

From tiny satellites that fit in the 

palm of your hand to high-profile 

flagship missions, Goddard 

employees are developing a full 

spectrum of creative and cuttingedge solutions to the challenges 

that face NASA. 

NASA has been invested in 

the development of advanced 

technology since the agency’s 

i n c e p t i o n . A t G o d d a rd , 

innovation fuels all missions 

and goals in each of the 

center’s science disciplines— 

astrophysics, heliophysics, 

planetary and Earth science. 

In 2016, Goddard launched an 

initiative to advance the creative 

spirit further with Innovatathon. 

the around-the-clock event, 

Innovation at Goddard

held August 8-9, encouraged 

employees to break from their 

daily responsibilities and commit to developing their ideas. 

Six teams participated in the 

inaugural event. The Innovatathon 

provided a glimpse of the agencywide Innovation Day happening in 

November 2016. 

Throughout the year, Goddard’s 

Internal Research and Development (IRAD) program, managed 

by the Office of the Chief Technologist, continues to promote 

the development of advanced 

technology. IRAD funds riskreduction activities for mission 

and instrument opportunities, 

advanced concept development 

• • • • • INNOVATION • • • • •

and long-range, high-impact 

technologies. The annual IRAD 

poster session allows the Goddard community to share IRAD 

successes and recognize the 

center’s top innovator. Typically, 

many IRAD projects result in new 

intellectual property, patents and 

collaborations with external partners and awards that bring more 

work and funding to Goddard.

At Goddard, innovation is not 

a new concept, but it remains 

a core goal of the center and 

across the agency. By enabling 

the cross-fertilization of ideas 

internally and with outside partners, Goddard employees are 

able to explore emerging technologies and find new and improved ways to solve problems.
8

The Science of Small Sats

At Goddard, good things come 

in small packages.

Smaller satellites are gaining 

popularity among Goddard researchers, thanks to their growing capabilities and relatively 

inexpensive costs.

Once the domain of academics,

SmallSats—including nanosatellites or CubeSats—are now playing a larger role in NASA exploration, technology demonstration, 

and scientific research. Some of 

these satellites are small enough 

to fit in the palm of a hand, but 

their increasing capabilities are 

dramatically changing the way 

Goddard scientists can observe 

Earth and explore other planets.

CubeSats are especially intriguing

to scientists because they provide 

a low-cost space platform for 

testing new instrument concepts 

and engineering techniques, and 

achieving scientific goals. Work at 

Goddard begins and ends with 

science, so a fundamental objective of SmallSat technology missions is to develop capabilities, 

systems and processes that would 

allow researchers to acquire scientific data reliably.

Goddard has extensive experience with SmallSats, notably 

with the Small Explorers about 

two decades ago. But as the 

center focused on developing 

larger satellites, universities and 

academia began demonstrating 

the feasibility of achieving science 

and technology objectives with 

even smaller satellites: CubeSats. 

Realizing the potential for these 

small platforms to achieve “big” 

science, Goddard is building 

upon the work of academia and 

industry to incorporate this new 

capability into our spectrum of 

science missions. 

In 2013, Goddard launched its

first CubeSat, Firefly. Weighing 

about 4 kilograms, Firefly has explored the relationship between 

lightning and terrestrial gammaray flashes—sudden bursts of 

radiation in the upper reaches of 

the atmosphere.

SmallSats in development at 

Goddard include IceCube, designed to study clouds, and 

CeRES, which will study radiation deposited in Earth’s atmosphere. CeRES was Goddard’s 

first competitively selected heliophysics CubeSat. 

Goddard is also developing Dellingr, a 6U CubeSat that’s about 

the size of a shoebox. Dellingr 

will carry two heliophysics instruments and demonstrate the 

value of a CubeSat as a small, 

cost-efficient option for accomplishing certain types of NASA 

research. Once Goddard has 

demonstrated Dellingr’s capabilities successfully, the center plans 

to make its design available to 

interested U.S. organizations.

Goddard is focused on leveraging

and advancing SmallSat capabilities, using these platforms in innovative ways to enable a future 

where they play a pivotal role in 

making critical new science measurements from space.

8
9

Strategic Partnerships

During the spring of 2016, the 

NASA Goddard Strategic Partnerships Office (SPO) was established to enhance Goddard’s approach to fostering collaborations 

that align with Goddard program 

mission needs and create ways to 

share NASA Goddard capabilities through collaborations with 

the public and private sectors. 

To meet this charter SPO is comprised of three program elements 

—Global Partnerships, Technology Transfer, and the Small Business Innovation Research/Small 

Business Innovation Technology 

Transfer Programs (SBIR/STTR). 

Each of these program elements 

have prescribed approaches to 

stimulate technology innovation, application, and utilization 

through collaborations. 

Within Global Partnerships, SPO 

created 17 new partnerships with 

industry, academia, and other 

government agencies. One of 

the highlights of the year was the 

signing of a Space Act Agreement (SAA) between NASA and 

the Dominion Virginia Power 

Company to install innovative 

magnetometer stations developed at NASA Goddard near 

high-voltage power transmission 

grids to characterize the effects 

of space weather on the grids. 

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) 

from our Sun create giant clouds 

of hot plasma that travel outward into space at high speeds 

that, at times, reach Earth. When 

these massive clouds of charged 

particles are directed at Earth 

and its magnetic field, we experience “space weather.” In 

certain circumstances, this solar 

activity can interfere with satellites and disrupt power grids. 

Through the collaboration with 

Dominion Virginia Power a new, 

more cost-effective, and reliable 

methodology to measure and 

better understand the mechanisms behind CMEs interaction 

with widely distributed power 

grid systems is being developed.

SPO was responsible for collecting 200 new technologies 

disclosed in 2016. This resulted 

in 32 patent applications filed 

by Goddard; 19 are targets for 

commercialization. In addition, 

there were eight patent licenses 

signed. Of particular significance 

is a license to the Human Health 

Organization to apply a suite of 

Goddard technologies to smart 

phone connected devices for 

dispensing of medications. 

A combined 62 SBIR/STTR 

Phase I and Phase II contracts 

were awarded on behalf of 

Goddard SPO to allow small 

high-tech companies to support 

NASA research and development 

needs. Working with the Goddard 

SPO SBIR/STTR team, technical 

contract officers, and potential 

end-users of the technologies 

provides companies increased 

insight to the work Goddard is 

responsible for carrying out, while 

developing new innovative technologies that have both NASA 

and commercial applications.

“As a center focused on science, there are many unique 

capabilities, challenges, and 

opportunities for technology 

partnerships. Our strategy is to 

identify the nexus of internal and 

external needs and prioritize our 

prospects for partnering,” said 

Nona Cheeks, SPO chief. She 

went on to stress that “there is 

a commitment of the SPO team 

to ensure we are working our 

programs and collaborations to 

accelerate or advance technology 

innovations for NASA Goddard 

and external alliances through 

Global Partnerships/Technology 

Transfer/SBIR-STTR agreements, 

contracts, and making all aware 

by the many outreach activities 

and tools we manage.”
10

Observes and studies the Earth 

system to further scientific understanding of our home planet 

and to improve predictions of its 

evolving state due to human and 

natural changes.

Researches the sun and the constantly changing magnetic system 

that surrounds it—which affects 

Earth, the planets and the space 

environment extending far out into 

the solar system.

Investigates the universe 

through astronomy, astrophysics 

and fundamental physics, on 

issues such as dark matter and 

energy, life-harboring planets 

and black holes.

Our FOCUS AREAS

Earth SCIENCE ASTROPHYSICS HELIOPHYSICS

Sensor Systems &

Instrument Platforms

Goddard develops and builds 

missions and instruments, from 

subsystems (detectors and optical elements) to complete instruments and instrument suites.

CROSS-CUTTING TECHNOLOGIES

Large-Scale Scientific

Information Systems, Data

Processing, & Dissemination

Goddard designs and implements custom, large-scale data 

systems and supercomputing applications for high-performance 

computing and archiving of a 

wide range of science data.

In-Space Satellite

Servicing

Goddard services enable extended mission operations, 

reconfiguration and recovery, 

including on-orbit spacecraft 

refueling and repair, assembling 

large structures in orbit and 

modular designs.
11

Investigates the planets, moons, 

and small objects in the solar 

system and beyond, including 

their evolution, inner structures 

and forces that alter them.

Develops systems, technologies, and services in support of 

science, exploration and space

operations missions that are nearEarth and in deep space.

PLANETARY

SCIENCE

SPACE

COMMUNICATIONS

& NAVIGATION

Manages programs and services 

for sounding rockets, balloons, 

aircraft and commercial space 

including NASA’s only launch 

facility, Wallops Launch Range.

SUBORBITAL 

PLATFORMS & 

RANGE SERVICES

OTHER ENABLING CAPABILITIES

Program & Project 

Management

Goddard conducts effective, 

tailored management and cost 

estimation, maintains schedules, 

develops technology, manages 

risk and assures outcomes for 

missions and their supporting 

elements and services.

End-to-End Mission 

Systems Architecture & 

Engineering

Goddard addresses the full life 

cycle of science missions, spacecraft, in situ and remote-sensing 

instruments and payloads from 

advanced concepts through 

implementation. 

Safety & Mission 

Assurance

Goddard is a recognized leader 

in safety and mission assurance, 

with a lengthy history of implementing effective, innovative 

and cost-effective approaches 

to reduce risk and enable mission success. 
12

2016 in Figures

10th

Anniversary

of our

oresence

on YouTube

122,197,225 views

TO DATE

PUBLICATIONS435

EARTH SCIENCE

350

ASTROPHYSICS

300

HELIOPHYSICS

300

PLANETARY

SCIENCE

Tec

T

Part

Devel

In

P

450INTERNS

Direct GSFC BUDGET:$3.6B

BUDGET: $5.3B

Reimbursable GSFC Budget:$1.7B

45 STATES

ONE GODDARD

38%FEMALE

(Civil Servants)

MALE 62%(Civil Servants)

6,000+

ONSITE CONTRACTORS

1,000s OF OTHERS*

3,000+

CIVIL SERVANTS

God

Visi

Cen

40t

ann

IV&

MORE THAN 10,000 PEOPLE

(plus two territories and

one foreign country!)

*including off-site contractors,

 interns, and Emeritus

Japan Aerospace

Exploration Agency

7AGENCIES

Joint Agency Satellites

(FROM OTHER GOVERNMENT AND NON-GOVERNMENT ENTITIES)

IN THE UNITED STATES

THROUGH GODDARDENABLED SEARCH

& RESCUE

LIVES SAVED

321 

Best PLACES

TO WORK IN THE FEDERAL

GOVERNMENT RANKING

#1 NASA RANKED OUT OF 18 LARGE

AGENCIES (FIFTH YEAR IN A ROW)

#10 GODDARD RANKED OUT OF 305 AGENCY

SUBCOMPONENT ORGANIZATIONS
13

APPYLING

TECHNOLOGIES

Technology Transfer 74 Software Usage Agreements

13 Patents Issued by U.S. PTO

200 New Technology Reports

Partnership Development 17 Strategic Partnerships

Invention

Portfolio 32 Patent Applications Filed

ERNS

3,000+ 

ACTIVE

PROCUREMENT

INSTRUMENTS

1,000,000 guests since doors opened

to the public on May 18, 1976

Over 40,000 people visit each year

4

Please visit

SCIENCE

INSTRUMENTS

5

LAYER

SUNSHIELD

18 NUMBER OF

PRIMARY

MIRROR

SEGMENTS

JAMES

WEBB

SPACE

TELESCOPE

5

WALLOPS FLIGHT FACILITY

SCIENTIFIC BALLOON CAMPAIGNS 

ON THREE CONTINENTS

1,549.5

AIRCRAFT 

HOURS

16

AIRBORNE SCIENCE 

PROJECTS SUPPORTED

13

SOUNDING ROCKET 

LAUNCHES

Goddard’s

Visitor

Center

40th

anniversary

NASA MISSIONS 15 SUPPORTED

SEVERITY ONE 28ISSUES IDENTIFIED

IV&V FACILITY

MISSION NETWORK

Capability: 3.8 Gbps

Total Launches

Supported:

ISS Docking,

Undocking, and

EVAs Supported:

tes

Figures are for FY 2016

unless noted otherwise.

TATES

ARD

H

ED

21 12

13

ENCY

Fifty years ago in April 1966, NASA's Goddard Institute 

for Space Studies moved into its current location at 

Armstrong Hall on the edge of the Columbia University 

campus in New York. GISS, established in May 1961, is 

a leading center of atmospheric modeling, climate 

research and the search for exoplanets.

GISS CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY 

AT COLUMBIA FACILITY 

http://jwst.nasa.gov/recentaccomplish.html#2016
14

Delivering Your Data from Space 

Since 1959, Goddard’s communications networks have served NASA, the nation and the 

world as the backbone for products and services derived from satellite data.

MANY ASPECTS OF

SOCIETY ARE IMPROVED

BY SATELLITE DATA

The SN ground segment at the White Sands Complex features 

ground terminals that provide the hardware and software necessary to guarantee a constant communication link among the customer spacecraft, TDRS and the NASCOM interface to the customer control center. 

WHITE SANDS COMPLEX (WSC)

One of the NASA-

vide high-quality, l

Global Monitor a

passes allowing fo

other sites, includ

at Kennedy Space 

ties to the Space L

WALLOPS FLIGH

HUBBLE

Space Science

TDRS

Captures and

sends data to

WSC ground

stations

Captures and

sends data

to TDRS

p

and 

Grou

pr

and 

Captures and

sends data to polar

ground station

AQUA

Earth Science

ISS

Human

Spaceflight

SN 

NEN 

SCIENTIFIC

DISCOVERY

Weather

Forecastin

HEALTH

AND MEDICAL 

Transportation EDUCATION FINANCIAL 

JUST THREE

 EXAMPLES OF

THE MANY WAYS

WE ARE BRINGING

SCIENCE HOME!

HOW WE DO IT

KEY FACILITIES

Hubble Space 

Telescope observes the 

most distant stars and 

galaxies in the universe 

as well as the planets in 

our solar system. The 

International Space 

Station (ISS) collects 

data on global climate, 

environmental change 

and natural hazards 

using crew-operated 

and automated Earth 

observation payloads. 

Aqua is a multi-national 

Earth-observing 

research satellite 

studying the 

precipitation, 

evaporation and

cycling of water.

Space Network (SN)

A constellation of nine Earth-orbiting Tracking Data Relay 

Satellites (TDRS) and four ground terminal locations that provide a continuous global link between satellites and the ground.

Near Earth Network (NEN)

A series of fifteen globally-located NASA-owned and contracted commercial ground terminals that provide comprehensive 

communications services to satellites in near-Earth orbit.

NASA Communications Network (NASCOM)

The central nervous system connected to all of NASA’s communications circuits, NASCOM transports and delivers the data to 

control centers or data centers which process and disseminate 

for the science community, other agencies and the public.

Deep Space Network (DSN)

NASCOM also provides connectivity to the ground stations of 

NASA’s third communications network, DSN, which is managed 

by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

DID YOU KNOW?

• 98% of all NASA data comes through Goddard 

via SN and NEN.

• SN and NEN collectively transmit 29.5 TB of 

data per day. 

• NEN supports about 40 NASA and other 

agency satellites.

NEN

SN

DSN
15

-owned tracking stations, WFF hosts five NEN antennas that pro

ow-cost communications services to supported flight missions. Its 

nd Control Center (GMaCC) provides continual monitoring of 

or remotely-controlled, locally unattended station operations at 

ing the nearly completed Launch Communications Stations (LCS) 

e Center. LCS will provide critical launch communications capabili

Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft.

HT FACILITY (WFF)

In addition to overall management of SN and NEN, Greenbelt manages the 

NASCOM which handles all data from SN, NEN and DSN. Its global system of communications transmission, switching, and terminal facilities provides Internet Protocol 

(IP) routed data, high-rate data and video services. Other capabilities include mission 

voice communications services and high volume data transfer among NASA supercomputers including the NASA Center for Climate Simulation at Goddard.

GODDARD GREENBELT CAMPUS (GC)

WSC

rocesses

d transmits

und station

rocesses

 transmits

GC

GC

NASCOM

(Data transport)

DATA

CENTERS

END

USERS

• NASA

• Government

• Commercial/

 Industry

• International

 Partners

• Academia

CUSTOMERS

• GSFC

 Homepage

• Astronomy

 Picture of the Day

• Earth Observatory

• Ozone Hole

• Direct Readout

PRODUCTS

LONG-TERM IMPACT

g

Climate

Monitoring Agriculture

WATER

TV AND

TECHNOLOGY CELLULAR

Search and

Rescue

Defense

FIRES GPS Communications

NASCOM

(Data transport)
16

OUR

ORGANIZATION

OUR ORGANIZATION

DIRECTOR

Equal DIRECTOR

Opportunity

Programs

Communications Chief Counsel

NASA Office

of Inspector

General

NASA Independ.

Verification

& Validation

Office

HUMAN

CAPITAL

MANAGEMENT

CHIEF

FINANCIAL

OFFICER

MANAGEMENT

OPERATIONS EDUCATION

SAFETY AND

MISSION

ASSURANCE

APPLIED

ENGINEERING

AND

TECHNOLOGY

Sciences AND

Exploration

Suborbital

AND Special

Orbital

Projects

FLIGHT

PROJECTS

Information

Technology

AND

Communications
17

16

HIGHLIGHTS

OF

FISCAL YEAR 

2016

SOLAR SYSTEM SOLAR SYSTEM

2

MAVEN

Results Show Evidence of 

Stripped Atmosphere on Mars 

NASA’s Mars Atmospheric and 

Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission identified the process that 

appears to have played a key role 

in the transition of the Martian climate from a warm, wet environment that may have supported 

life early on to the cold, arid 

planet seen today. In November 

2015, NASA announced that 

MAVEN data enabled researchers to determine the current 

rate at which the solar wind is 

stripping gas from the Martian 

atmosphere. Scientists found 

that Mars may have had a thick 

atmosphere warm enough to 

retain liquid water. 

1

OSIRIS-REX

NASA Launches First Asteroid 

Sample Return Mission

In September, NASA launched its 

first U.S. mission to rendezvous 

with, study and return a sample 

from an asteroid to Earth for 

study. OSIRIS-REx will bring the 

back the largest sample returned 

from space since the Apollo era. 

Scientists suspect that asteroids 

may have been a source of the 

water and organic molecules for 

the early Earth and other planetary bodies. Goddard provides 

overall mission management 

and built the spacecraft’s OVIRS 

instrument that will look at the 

Bennu asteroid to detect organics 

and other minerals.
18

SOLAR SYSTEM UNIVERSE UNIVERSE

4

WEBB

Space Telescope’s Gold

Mirrors Unveiled

In April, Goddard engineers 

removed the covers for the 

James Webb Space Telescope’s 

hexagonal primary mirror segments, unveiling a shiny, golden 

surface. The Webb Telescope, 

the scientific successor to the 

Hubble Space Telescope, will be 

the most powerful telescope ever 

built. Set to launch from French 

Guiana in 2018, Webb will study 

many phases in the history of the 

universe, including the formation 

of solar systems capable of supporting life on planets similar to 

Earth and the evolution of our 

own solar system.

5

HUBBLE

Hubble Continues Delivering 

Compelling Views of Our 

Universe

For 26 years, the Hubble Space 

Telescope has reshaped our 

perception of the cosmos—and 

this year was no different. In 2016, 

Hubble captured vivid aurorae in 

Jupiter’s atmosphere, revealed 

a new view of Mars (taken when 

the red planet was 50 million 

miles from Earth) and confirmed 

a new dark spot on Neptune. In 

September, astronomers using 

Hubble spotted apparent water 

plumes erupting off Europa. Other 

findings included a stunning shot 

of the Alpha Centauri star system 

and a view of a universe cluttered 

with galaxies near and far.

3

NEW HORIZONS

Results Show Pluto’s

Widespread Water Ices

In January, NASA announced that 

data from New Horizons pointed 

to more widespread water ice on 

Pluto’s surface than previously 

thought. A false-colored image, 

derived from observations in 

infrared light by the spacecraft’s 

LEISA instrument, shows where 

the spectral features are abundant on Pluto’s surface. While the 

new data shows exposed water 

ice is considerably more prevalent on Pluto than once known, 

the icy bedrock in other regions 

is well hidden under a blanket 

of other ices such as methane, 

nitrogen and carbon monoxide.
19

UNIVERSE Earth EARTH

6

WFIRST

Introducing a New, Wider Set of 

Eyes on the Universe

After years of preparation, NASA 

formally approved the WideField Infrared Survey Telescope 

WFIRST) mission, with a field of 

view that is 100 times larger than 

Hubble. WFIRST will aid researchers in unraveling the secrets of 

dark energy, a mysterious force 

that is accelerating the expansion of the universe. The mission 

will also search for and study 

exoplanets. WFIRST will carry a 

wide-field instrument for surveys 

and a coronagraph to mask the 

glare of individual stars and reveal 

the faint light of planets orbiting 

around them.

7

EARTH EXPEDITIONS

Observing Our Planet From 

Land, Sea, and Air

Earth science field experiments 

are not new for NASA, but 

2016 was an especially active 

year for them. Eight major 

field campaigns took scientists 

around the world on a range of 

science investigations. NASA 

sent scientists from the edge of 

the Greenland ice sheet to the 

coral reefs of the South Pacific to 

delve into challenging questions 

about how our planet is changing 

and what impacts humans are 

having on the Earth. 

 8

PACE

Uncovering Information About 

the Health of Our Planets 

NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, 

Clouds and ocean Ecosystem 

mission was approved to move 

forward out of its preliminary 

stage planning on July 16 at 

its Key Decision Point A event. 

Scheduled to launch in 2022, 

PACE is a first-of-its-kind project 

that aims to answer key questions 

about the consequences of 

climate change on the health of 

our oceans and their relationship 

with aerosols (tiny airborne 

particles) and clouds. Goddard, 

which is managing the mission, 

is also building the Ocean Color 

Instrument to provide scientists 

with this information.
20

EARTH SUN SUN

11

MMS

Capturing Magnetic

Reconnection in Action

Magnetic reconnection happens 

when magnetic fields pinch together and explosively realign. 

Understanding magnetic reconnection is crucial for protecting 

satellites and preparing for a 

journey to Mars. In October 

2015, NASA sent its first mission 

directly through a magnetic reconnection event. The four Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) 

spacecraft were flown through 

an event at the boundary where 

Earth’s magnetic fields intersect 

the sun’s magnetic fields. They 

collected hundreds of observations of the movements of these 

magnetic fields and particles.

9

ICEBRIDGE

Operation Icebridge Flights 

Target Melting Sea Ice

NASA’s Operation IceBridge 

mission deployed researchers to 

Greenland twice this year following a record-warm winter in the 

Arctic. In early May and at the end 

of August, the team used a fleet 

of research aircraft to observe 

changes in ice elevation between 

the spring and late summer. They 

mapped the extent, frequency 

and depth of melt ponds—the 

pools of melt water that form on 

sea ice during spring and summer. The flights were part of a 

larger, six-year mission to collect 

data on changing polar land and 

sea ice and to maintain continuity of measurements between 

ICESat missions.

10

SOHO

Celebrating 20 Years

of SOHO

Goddard celebrated the 20th anniversary of ESA and NASA’s Solar and Heliospheric Observatory 

in December 2015. Launched on 

December 2, 1995, SOHO was 

designed to study the internal 

structure of the sun, its extensive 

outer atmosphere and the origin 

of the solar wind. SOHO revolutionized the field of heliophysics 

by helping scientists understand 

the sun’s dynamic behaviors. 

SOHO also has served in an 

unexpected role as the greatest 

comet hunter of all time, reaching 

3,000 comet discoveries September 2015.
21

SUBORBITAL TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY

 12

SUPER BALLOON

Super Pressure Balloon’s

Globe-Trotting Journey

NASA’s Balloon Program, managed out of Wallops, successfully 

completed the second test flight 

of its super pressure balloon on 

July 2. The balloon was launched 

from Wanaka, New Zealand, 

in May and ran for 46 days, 20 

hours and 19 minutes. The balloon carried the Compton Spectrometer and Imager gamma-ray 

telescope, which was designed 

to probe the mysterious origins 

of galactic positrons, study the 

creation of new elements in the 

galaxy and perform pioneering 

studies of gamma-ray bursts and 

black holes.

13

RESTORE-L

Restore-L Mission Plans

Move Forward 

NASA is developing a new capability while creating a paradigm 

shift: robotic satellite servicing. 

In May, NASA officially moved 

forward with plans to execute 

the ambitious, technology-rich 

Restore-L mission, an endeavor 

to launch a robotic spacecraft 

in 2020 to refuel a live satellite. The mission—the first of 

its kind in low-Earth orbit—will 

demonstrate that a carefully curated suite of satellite-servicing 

technologies is fully operational. 

Goddard’s Satellite Servicing 

Capabilities Office first conceived 

the Restore-L concept and developed its technology portfolio.

14

SPINOFF

40 Years and

2,000 Spinoffs

NASA technology developed for 

space exploration often benefits 

everyday life on Earth. NASA 

highlights these commercially viable products and services in an 

annual publication called Spinoff, 

produced at Goddard. With the 

release of its 2016 issue, Spinoff 

celebrated its 40th anniversary. 

Since 1976, it has featured about 

2,000 offshoot technologies 

for health, medicine, consumer 

goods, energy, environment, 

industrial productivity, information technology, public safety 

and transportation. 
22

TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY

15

SPACE COMM

Infrastructure Investments

to Support Today’s and

Tomorrow’s Missions

The Space Communication and 

Navigation team continued implementing new hardware to 

provide the best communication 

services for NASA’s missions. 

They installed new radomes at 

the Space Network’s Guam Remote Ground Terminal to cover 

and protect their antennas. The 

Near Earth Network marched 

closer to bringing the new Orion 

and SLS Launch Communications 

System ground stations online, 

with the installation of antennas 

at Kennedy and Ponce De Leon. 

They pushed laser communications forward by installing optical 

ground station hardware.

16

ANTARES

Hot Fire Test Conducted

at Wallops

Orbital ATK conducted a fullpowered test of the upgraded 

first stage propulsion system of 

its Antares medium-class rocket 

using new RD-181 main engines 

May 31 at Wallops. The primary 

goal of the test was to verify the 

functionality of the integrated 

first stage, including new engines, modified Stage 1 core, 

avionics, thrust vector control 

and pad fueling systems in an 

operational environment. The 

confirmation of a successful test 

cleared the way for Orbital ATK 

to resume resupply services to 

the International Space Station 

from Wallops, scheduled for 

October.
23

2016

Engaging the Community

Goddard’s Visitor Center 40th Anniversary

and display of weather photos, a 

model of an Orbiting Astronomical 

Observatory satellite from an early 

series of astrophysics mission and a 

demonstration of Goddard’s communication networks that connect 

spacecraft to the ground. 

Today, the Visitor Center continues 

to serve as a first impression of 

Goddard for many guests, whether 

local school children and space 

enthusiasts or U.S. policymakers and international heads of 

state. Almost 40,000 people pass 

through the Visitor Center each 

year to view exhibits of the innovative work being done at Goddard, 

take tours of the center, participate 

in numerous activities and attend 

launch viewings.

For four decades, Goddard’s 

Visitor Center has spotlighted 

the center’s biggest missions and 

science achievements. The Visitor 

Center, which celebrated its 40th 

anniversary in May, has hosted 

more than 1 million guests since it 

first opened its doors to the public 

in May 18, 1976. 

The Visitor Center building originally served as a radio station for 

the National Institute of Standards 

and Technology. The station was 

moved when Goddard discovered 

the radio waves interfered with 

testing Apollo mission instruments. The building then served 

as a storage facility until Goddard’s 

then-director of public affairs, Bill 

O’Leary, advocated to create the 

Visitor Center. 

First displays included a model of 

the solar system, a weather station 

1976

1976 1993
24

Our Lines of Business

THIS IS WHAT WE DO
25

A Place for 

SUCCESS

At Goddard, we launch science. 

We help answer crucial science 

questions through complex 

missions that depend on dedicated, innovative teams to develop pioneering technologies. 

Goddard is one of the few organizations worldwide to manage 

a mission from concept through 

operations, which utilize internal, partner and industry expertise and resources and cover 

suborbital to planetary missions.

The depth and expertise of 

our scientists, engineers, technologists, project managers, 

support personnel and facilities form the foundation of our 

unique strength. With our leadership in scientific research as 

well as instruments and spacecraft development, the center 

has a notable capability to conceive and manage advanced 

science, technology and space 

systems through the entire mission life cycle.
26

ARY

CE 

EARTH SCIENCE SPACE

COMMUNICATIONS

& NAVIGATION

SUBORBITAL

PROGRAMS &

RANGE SERVICES

INSTITUTI

SUPPOR

ING

ITIES 

OUR PEOPLE IT AND

COMMUNICATIONS BUDGET ECONOM

IMPAC

DS 

CONNECTIONS

While the previous year saw 

multiple Earth science missions 

launched to space, FY 2016 was 

busy for Goddard Earth science 

researchers in the field. These 

field campaigns studied regional 

processes that play significant 

roles in the Earth system and made 

measurements to validate, improve and complement the global 

observations made by NASA’s 

Earth-observing satellite fleet.

The OLYMPEX and RADEX field 

campaigns in Washington state 

collected detailed atmospheric 

measurements to evaluate how 

well GPM and other satellites 

measure rainfall and snowfall. Researchers and instrument teams 

made atmospheric chemistry, 

aerosol and cloud measurements 

around the world and off the 

coast of Namibia in support of 

ATom and ORACLES, while Goddard scientists also helped kick 

off ecosystem-focused campaigns 

in Africa (AfriSAR) and the Arctic 

(ABoVE). Finally, the Goddardled Operation IceBridge not only 

continued its critical survey flights 

over the ice sheets of Greenland 

and Antarctica, but for the first 

time ever gathered data over 

Arctic sea ice during the summer 

melt season. In Greenbelt, flagship missions ICESat-2, PACE and 

Landsat-9 passed key milestones 

toward launch, as GEDI and TSIS1 progressed toward their future 

home onboard the International 

Space Station. Meanwhile, back in 

space, CATS, DSCOVR and SMAP 

all marked their first year in orbit.

PORTFOLIO

ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION

HYDROSPHERIC PROCESSES

CARBON CYCLE & ECOSYSTEMS

CLIMATE & WEATHER

EARTH SURFACE & INTERIOR

Combined Budget

Combined GSFC

Budget Percentage 47%

$2.5B

Non-Reimbursable

Reimbursable 30%

17%

53% 1,267

3

STAFF

Civil Service, Contract, Other

GSFC

FACILITIES

Greenbelt WFF GISS

Remaining GSFC

13LABORATORIES/OFFICES

• EPOCH East Pacific Origins and 

Characteristics of Hurricanes

• GEDI (Global Ecosystem Dynamics 

Investigation)

• GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite – R Series)*

• ICESat-2 (Ice, Cloud, and land 

Elevation Satellite-2)

• JPSS (Joint Polar Satellite System)*

• PACE (Pre-Aerosol, Clouds, and 

Ocean Ecosystem)

• Landsat 9*

*Joint Agency Satellite

• Aqua

• Aquarius

• Aura

• EO-1 (Earth Observing-1)

• CATS (Cloud-Aerosol Transport System)

• DSCOVR (Deep Space Climate Observatory)*

• GOES-13*, GOES-14*, GOES-15*

• GPM (Global Precipitation Measurement)*

• Landsat 7*, Landsat 8*

• Suomi-NPP (Suomi-National Polar-orbiting 

Partnership)*

• SMAP (Soil Moisture Active-Passive)

• SORCE (Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment)

• Terra

MISSIONS IN DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONAL MISSIONS

Combined Budget

Combined GSFC

Budget Percentage 47%

$2.5B

Non-Reimbursable

Reimbursable 30%

17%

53% 1,267

3

STAFF

Civil Service, Contract, Other

GSFC

FACILITIES

Greenbelt WFF GISS

Remaining GSFC

13LABORATORIES/OFFICES

• EPOCH East Pacific Origins and 

Characteristics of Hurricanes

• GEDI (Global Ecosystem Dynamics 

Investigation)

• GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite – R Series)*

• ICESat-2 (Ice, Cloud, and land 

Elevation Satellite-2)

• JPSS (Joint Polar Satellite System)*

• PACE (Pre-Aerosol, Clouds, and 

Ocean Ecosystem)

• Landsat 9*

*Joint Agency Satellite

• Aqua

• Aquarius

• Aura

• EO-1 (Earth Observing-1)

• CATS (Cloud-Aerosol Transport System)

• DSCOVR (Deep Space Climate Observatory)*

• GOES-13*, GOES-14*, GOES-15*

• GPM (Global Precipitation Measurement)*

• Landsat 7*, Landsat 8*

• Suomi-NPP (Suomi-National Polar-orbiting 

Partnership)*

• SMAP (Soil Moisture Active-Passive)

• SORCE (Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment)

• Terra

MISSIONS IN DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONAL MISSIONS

NASA Strategic Objective 2.2: Advance knowledge of Earth as a 

system to meet the challenges of environmental change and to 

improve life on our planet.
27

MAKING HEADLINES

UNDERSTANDING 

OUR DYNAMIC 

Proposals PLANET

(to NASA Research

Announcements)

 Total – 282

 PI – 90

 Co-I – 192

 Win Rate – 32.8%

TBD – 215

Publications

(peer reviewed)

Refereed (total) – 435

First Author – 199

Total – 31

Internal – 17

External – 14

HIGHLIGHTS

AWARDS

• The NASA/JAXA TRMM 

team received the William T. 

Pecora Award for outstanding 

contributions to understanding the 

Earth by means of remote sensing

• Winners of AMS’s Vernor E. Suomi 

and Hydrological Sciences Medal

• 10 Agency Honor Award winners

• 1 appointee to National

 Academy of Science

AWARDS

Aura Mission Tracks Global 

Pollutant Trends

— Dec 15, 2015, BBC

2015 Was Hottest Year 

in Historical Record, 

Scientists Say

— Jan 20, 2016, The New York Times

Eastern Mediterranean 

Drought Worst in 900 Years, 

NASA Says

— March 3, 2016, The Weather Channel

Canada’s Tundra is Turning 

Green—and Its Boreal 

Forest Brown—NASA 

Study Finds

— June 7, 2016, National Post

The First Half of 2016 Was 

the Warmest Such Period 

By Far in a Record Dating 

Back 137 Years

— July 19, 2016, Discover

Watch NASA’s Time Lapse 

of One Year on Earth Taken 

From Space

— July 21, 2016, Newsweek

Vanishing Bottom-First: 

Map Reveals Thawing 

Areas Under Greenland

— Aug 5, 2016, Nature World News

NASA’s IceBridge Mission 

Checks Summer Melt at 

Greenland Ice Sheet

— Sept 15, 2016, Live Science
28

Astrophysics’ LISA Pathfinder 

mission exceeded expectations, 

d e m o n s t r a t i n g d r a g - f r e e 

performance on two test masses 

with a residual acceleration that 

meet the LISA mission requirements. 

The Swift satellite marked 11 years 

of game-changing astrophysics 

and remains the only satellite 

capable of precisely locating 

the universe’s most powerful 

explosions and monitoring them 

before they fade from view. It 

was highest ranked in the 2016 

Senior Review. 

Hubble Space Telescope’s return 

on investment has been priceless, 

with over a quarter century of 

extraordinary imagery and data, 

helping us better understand the 

universe. 

Looking ahead, the current Decadal 

Survey strategic astrophysics 

mission—the James Webb Space 

Telescope—now has an integrated 

mirror and instruments. The JWST 

program remains on schedule and 

within budget. 

WFIRST—the next Decadal Survey 

strategic astrophysics mission—

passed its KDP-A review and 

entered Phase A in February 2016. 

Members for its science teams 

have also been selected. 

The TESS mission, which will 

search the sky for planets outside 

our solar system, continues to 

make good technical progress. 

The X-ray timing instrument 

NICER has been shipped to Cape 

Canaveral Air Force Base in Florida 

and has made progress toward a 

2017 launch to the International 

Space Station.

PORTFOLIO

PHYSICS OF THE COSMOS

COSMIC ORIGINS

EXOPLANET EXPLORATION

Budget

GSFC Budget

Percentage 18%

$975.2M

Astrophysics 18%

82% 377

2

STAFF

GSFC

FACILITIES

Greenbelt WFF

Remaining GSFC

5LABORATORIES/OFFICES

• BETTII (Balloon Experimental Twin Telescope 

for Infrared Interferometry)

• ComPair (Compton Pair production payload) 

• CREAM (Cosmic Ray Energetics and Mass) (ISS)

• HIRMES (High Resolution Mid-InfrarEd 

Spectrometer; for SOFIA)

• JWST (James Webb Space Telescope)

• Micro-X 

• NICER (Neutron star Interior Composition 

ExploreR)

• PIPER (Primordial Inflation Polarization 

Explorer)

• PRAXyS (Polarimeter for Relativistic 

Astrophysical X-ray Sources)

• TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite)

• WFIRST (Wide-Field Infrared Survey

Telescope) 

• XQC (X-ray Quantum Calorimeter)

• ACE (Advanced 

Composition Explorer)

• CALET (CALorimetric 

Electron Telescope)

• DXL (Diffuse X-rays from 

the Local galaxy)

• Fermi Gamma-ray Space

Telescope

• HAWC+ (High-resolution 

Airborne Wideband 

Camera) on SOFIA 

• HEASARC (High Energy 

Astrophysics Science 

Archive Research Center)

• Hitomi (Mission End 

March 2016)

• HST (Hubble Space 

Telescope)

• LISA Pathfinder 

(ESA-led)

• NuSTAR (Nuclear 

Spectroscopic 

Telescope Array)

• STEREO (Solar 

Terrestrial 

Relations 

Observatory)

• Swift

• XXM-Newton 

(X-ray 

Multi-Mirror) 

(with ESA)

• X-Calibur 

(Balloon)

• 110 civil servant scientists and engineers

• 94 contractors (administrative and engineers)

• 100 cooperative agreement scientists

• 42 postdoctoral fellows

• 31 graduate students

MISSIONS IN DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONAL MISSIONS

Budget

GSFC Budget

Percentage 18%

$975.2M

Astrophysics 18%

82% 377

2

STAFF

GSFC

FACILITIES

Greenbelt WFF

Remaining GSFC

5LABORATORIES/OFFICES

• BETTII (Balloon Experimental Twin Telescope 

for Infrared Interferometry)

• ComPair (Compton Pair production payload) 

• CREAM (Cosmic Ray Energetics and Mass) (ISS)

• HIRMES (High Resolution Mid-InfrarEd 

Spectrometer; for SOFIA)

• JWST (James Webb Space Telescope)

• Micro-X 

• NICER (Neutron star Interior Composition 

ExploreR)

• PIPER (Primordial Inflation Polarization 

Explorer)

• PRAXyS (Polarimeter for Relativistic 

Astrophysical X-ray Sources)

• TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite)

• WFIRST (Wide-Field Infrared Survey

Telescope) 

• XQC (X-ray Quantum Calorimeter)

• ACE (Advanced 

Composition Explorer)

• CALET (CALorimetric 

Electron Telescope)

• DXL (Diffuse X-rays from 

the Local galaxy)

• Fermi Gamma-ray Space

Telescope

• HAWC+ (High-resolution 

Airborne Wideband 

Camera) on SOFIA 

• HEASARC (High Energy 

Astrophysics Science 

Archive Research Center)

• Hitomi (Mission End 

March 2016)

• HST (Hubble Space 

Telescope)

• LISA Pathfinder 

(ESA-led)

• NuSTAR (Nuclear 

Spectroscopic 

Telescope Array)

• STEREO (Solar 

Terrestrial 

Relations 

Observatory)

• Swift

• XXM-Newton 

(X-ray 

Multi-Mirror) 

(with ESA)

• X-Calibur 

(Balloon)

• 110 civil servant scientists and engineers

• 94 contractors (administrative and engineers)

• 100 cooperative agreement scientists

• 42 postdoctoral fellows

• 31 graduate students

MISSIONS IN DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONAL MISSIONS

NASA Strategic Objective 1.6: Discover how the universe works, 

explore how it began and evolved and search for life on planets 

around other stars.

How does the universe work? Probe the origin and 

destiny of our universe, including the nature of 

black holes, dark energy, dark matter and gravity.

Are we alone? Discover and study planets around 

other stars and explore whether they could 

harbor life.

How did we get here? Explore the origin and 

evolution of the galaxies, stars and planets that 

make up our universe.

HELIOPHYSICS PLANETARY

SCIENCE ASTROPHYSICS EARTH SC

PUBLIC

COMMUNICATION

INVOLVING

COMMUNITIES EDUCATION 

IT AN

COMMUNICA

IN MEMORIAM AWARDS ENVIRONMENTAL

IMPACT CONNECT
29

MAKING HEADLINES

SEEING THE 

COSMOS IN A 

NEW LIGHT Proposals

• 86 ROSES proposals

• 17 selected, 39 pending 

selection decisions

• 36% win rate

• NASA Distinguished Service Medal

• Caltech Distinguished Alumni Award

• Milner Breakthrough Prize in 

Fundamental Physics

• Honorary Fellow, Royal Astronomical 

Society

• 1 Agency Group Achievement Medal

• Physical Sciences Award of Washington 

Academy of Science

• John C. Lindsay Award

• 2 Agency Exceptional Scientific 

Achievement Medals

350+ refereed scientific

papers annually

29 press releases

Publications

AWARDS

HIGHLIGHTS

Snowed in at NASA, 

Keeping Watch Over a 

Space Colossus

— Feb 1, 2016, The Atlantic

Ripple effect: Scientists 

Await Word on 

Gravitational Waves

— Feb 11, 2016, Reuters

WFIRST: Next Decade’s 

Space Telescope

— Feb 22, 2016, Sky & Telescope

Trippy NASA Study: Black 

Holes are Dark Matter and 

They’re Everywhere

— June 1, 2016, Seattle PostIntelligencer

NASA’s Next Telescope 

Seeks Planets in Our Own 

Backyard

— July 28, 2016, Popular Mechanics

NASA’s Hubble Space 

Telescope Detects ‘Water 

Plumes’ Erupting on 

Jupiter’s Moon Europa

— Sept 26, 2016, The Independent
30

In FY 2016, the Goddard heliophysics team reaped the first rewards 

from its new mission, the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission, 

which was built at Goddard and 

launched in March 2015. Within 

months of the start of science observations, the mission had flown 

directly through a magnetic reconnection event. Magnetic reconnection is one of the prime drivers of 

space radiation, and it is a key factor in the quest to learn more about 

the space environment and to 

protect spacecraft and astronauts. 

Two heliophysics workhorses saw 

a milestone in 2016. The Solar 

Terrestrial Relations Observatory, 

or STEREO, mission reached 10 

years of watching the sun. In December 2016, the Thermosphere 

Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) mission 

reached 15 years of observations 

of Earth’s upper atmosphere and 

how it responds to incoming space 

weather from the sun. 

Goddard publications also 

captured the cross-divisional nature 

of heliophysics, a field that can 

provide information about the 

safety of astronauts as well as 

planet formation and even the 

origins of life. Science papers in 

2016 helped show what causes 

aurora, how the power of solar 

explosions on the early sun might 

have helped seed life on Earth, 

and how an “electric wind” in the 

space environment around Venus 

may have stripped the planet of its 

atmospheric water.

PORTFOLIO

SOLAR PHYSICS

HELIOSPHERIC PHYSICS

GEOSPACE PHYSICS

SPACE WEATHER 

Budget

GSFC Budget

Percentage 5%

$249M

Heliophysics

95%

5%

300

3

STAFF

Civil Service, Contract, Other

GSFC

FACILITIES

Greenbelt WFF GISS

Remaining GSFC

4 LABORATORIES/OFFICES

• Solar Orbiter • ACE (Advanced 

Composition Explorer)

• AIM (Aeronomy of Ice in 

the Mesosphere)

• DSCOVR (Deep Space 

Climate Observatory)*

• Geotail

• Hinode (formerly Solar-B) 

(with JAXA)

• IBEX (Interstellar Boundary 

Explorer)

• IRIS (Interface Region 

Imaging Spectrograph)

• MMS (Magnetospheric 

Multiscale)

• RHESSI (Reuven Ramaty 

High Energy Solar 

Spectroscopic Imager)

• SDO (Solar Dynamics 

Observatory)

• SOHO (Solar and 

Heliospheric Observatory)

*Joint Agency Satellite

• STEREO (Solar 

Terrestrial Relations 

Observatory)

• THEMIS/ARTEMIS 

(Time History of 

Events and 

Macroscale 

Interactions during 

Substorms)

• TIMED 

(Thermosphere 

Ionosphere 

Mesosphere 

Energetics and 

Dynamics)

• TWINS (Two WideAngle Imaging 

Neutral-Atom 

Spectrometers)

• Van Allen Probes 

(formerly RBSPRadiation Belt 

Storm Probes)

MISSIONS IN DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONAL MISSIONS

Budget

GSFC Budget

Percentage 5%

$249M

Heliophysics

95%

5%

300

3

STAFF

Civil Service, Contract, Other

GSFC

FACILITIES

Greenbelt WFF GISS

Remaining GSFC

4 LABORATORIES/OFFICES

• Solar Orbiter • ACE (Advanced 

Composition Explorer)

• AIM (Aeronomy of Ice in 

the Mesosphere)

• DSCOVR (Deep Space 

Climate Observatory)*

• Geotail

• Hinode (formerly Solar-B) 

(with JAXA)

• IBEX (Interstellar Boundary 

Explorer)

• IRIS (Interface Region 

Imaging Spectrograph)

• MMS (Magnetospheric 

Multiscale)

• RHESSI (Reuven Ramaty 

High Energy Solar 

Spectroscopic Imager)

• SDO (Solar Dynamics 

Observatory)

• SOHO (Solar and 

Heliospheric Observatory)

*Joint Agency Satellite

• STEREO (Solar 

Terrestrial Relations 

Observatory)

• THEMIS/ARTEMIS 

(Time History of 

Events and 

Macroscale 

Interactions during 

Substorms)

• TIMED 

(Thermosphere 

Ionosphere 

Mesosphere 

Energetics and 

Dynamics)

• TWINS (Two WideAngle Imaging 

Neutral-Atom 

Spectrometers)

• Van Allen Probes 

(formerly RBSPRadiation Belt 

Storm Probes)

MISSIONS IN DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONAL MISSIONS

NASA Strategic Objective 1.4: Understand the sun and its interactions with Earth and the solar system, including space weather.

HELIOPHYSICS PLANETARY

SCIENCE 

YSICS EARTH SCIENCE SPAC

COMMUNICA

& NAVIGA

PUBLIC

COMMUNICATION

INVOLVING

COMMUNITIES 

TION OUR PEO

IT AND

COMMUNICATIONS 

RIAM AWARDS ENVIRONMENTAL

IMPACT CONNECTIONS
31

MAKING HEADLINES

OBSERVING AND 

LIVING WITH 

OUR STAR Publications

HIGHLIGHTS

AWARDS

• AGU Fellowship Election

• 6 NASA Agency Honor Awards

• Women in Aerospace’s 

Aerospace Awareness Award 

• Sunanda and Santimay Basu 

United States Early Career 

Award in Sun-Earth Systems 

Science

Accomplishments

• Goddard managed the largest and 

most capable plasma instrumentation 

in history, with data contributing to

 69 research articles within its first half 

year in space

• Won numerous heliophysics research 

proposals

• Contact continues with Firefly 

(Goddard’s first CubeSat) after

three years. Its design life was

only three months.

~300 publications in 

scientific journals

More than 110 primary news

articles and interviews, including 

The NYTimes, Washington

Post, LA Times, Huffington

Post, Christian Science

Monitor, NBC and

BBC news

NASA: Scientific Balloon 

Soars to Study the Sun

— Jan 20, 2016, Science World Report

Mercury’s Colorful Path 

Across the Sun

— May 10, 2016, The New York Times

Did Massive Solar Flares 

Create the Right Conditions 

for Life on Earth? 

— May 24, 2016, The Christian Science 

Monitor

‘Amazing’: Scientists 

Crack Mystery of Venus’s 

Vanished Water

— June 21, 2016, Washington Post

NASA and Navy Set World 

Record for Most Engines in 

One Rocket Flight

— Aug 19, 2016, Space.com

The Photon Sieve Could 

Revolutionize Optics 

the Photon Sieve Could 

Revolutionize Optics

— July 27, 2016, Universe Today

NASA Re-establishes 

Contact With Lost Craft 

After Two Years

— Aug 23, 2016, Popular Science
32

In FY 2016, the Goddard Planetary 

Division contributed its leadership 

to the OSIRIS-REx launch and the 

first science results from MAVEN. 

OSIRIS-REx, NASA’s first asteroid 

sampling mission, launched into 

space on Sept. 8, beginning a 

journey that could revolutionize 

our understanding of the early 

solar system. MAVEN data have 

enabled researchers to determine 

the rate at which the solar wind currently strips gas from the Martian 

atmosphere into space. 

LRO continues to reveal surprises 

about the moon. The SAM suite 

continued to sniff the Martian 

atmosphere, measuring methane 

variability and gases released from 

drilled rocks in search of more 

complex organic matter. At Pluto, 

infrared light observations by the 

LEISA instrument showed that 

water ice is more abundant on the 

surface than previously thought. 

NASA selected two science investigations from the division for 

refinement. DAVINCI will study the 

chemical composition of Venus’s 

atmosphere during a 63-minute 

descent. Lucy would perform the 

first reconnaissance of the Jupiter 

Trojan asteroids, objects that may 

hold vital clues to deciphering the 

history of the solar system. Work 

continues on the mass spectrometer for the MOMA instrument on 

the Exo-Mars mission, magnetometers for Solar Probe Plus, DREAM2 

Center for Space Environments and 

the Goddard Astrobiology Analytical Laboratory.

PORTFOLIO

MAGNETOMETRY

The Influence of Planets

INFRARED SPECTROMETRY

Remote Sensing 

MASS SPECTROMETRY

Sampling on the Spot

LASER AND LIDAR

Precision Measurements

ASTROBIOLOGY

Origins of Life

SPACE GEODESY

Next-Generation Mapping

Budget

GSFC Budget

Percentage 6%

$293.1M

Planetary Science 6%

1 GSFC

FACILITY Greenbelt

Remaining GSFC

8LABORATORIES/OFFICES

INSTRUMENTS IN DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONAL MISSIONS

OPERATIONAL INSTRUMENTS

• LVIS (Land, Vegetation, and Ice 

Sensor) conversion to NASA 

facility instrument

• Magnetometers for Solar Probe 

Plus 

• Mass Spectrometer for MOMA 

(Mars Organic Molecule 

Analyzer) on ExoMars 

• NASA Space Geodesy Network

• TIRS (Thermal Infrared Sensor) 

for Landsat 9

• LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter)

• MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN)

• OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, 

Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer)

• Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) for Cassini

• LEISA (Linear Etalon 

Imaging Spectral Array) for 

New Horizons’ Ralph 

Camera

• LOLA (Lunar Orbiter Laser 

Altimeter) for LRO

• Magnetometer for DSCOVR 

(Deep Space Climate 

Observatory)*

• Magnetometers for Juno, 

MAVEN, Van Allen Probes, 

and Voyager

• NGIMS (Neutral Gas and Ion 

Mass Spectrometer) for 

MAVEN

*Joint Agency Satellite

• OVIRS (OSIRIS-REx 

Visible and Infrared 

Spectrometer)

• Precision Orbit 

Determination for 

GRACE (Gravity 

Recovery and Climate 

Experiment)

• SAM (Sample Analysis 

at Mars) Instrument 

Suite on Curiosity Rover

• Satellite Laser Ranging

• TIRS (Thermal Infrared 

Sensor) for Landsat 8

• Very Long Baseline 

Interferometry

395 STAFF

Civil Service, Contract, Other

94%

Budget

GSFC Budget

Percentage 6%

$293.1M

Planetary Science 6%

1 GSFC

FACILITY Greenbelt

Remaining GSFC

8LABORATORIES/OFFICES

INSTRUMENTS IN DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONAL MISSIONS

OPERATIONAL INSTRUMENTS

• LVIS (Land, Vegetation, and Ice 

Sensor) conversion to NASA 

facility instrument

• Magnetometers for Solar Probe 

Plus 

• Mass Spectrometer for MOMA 

(Mars Organic Molecule 

Analyzer) on ExoMars 

• NASA Space Geodesy Network

• TIRS (Thermal Infrared Sensor) 

for Landsat 9

• LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter)

• MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN)

• OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, 

Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer)

• Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) for Cassini

• LEISA (Linear Etalon 

Imaging Spectral Array) for 

New Horizons’ Ralph 

Camera

• LOLA (Lunar Orbiter Laser 

Altimeter) for LRO

• Magnetometer for DSCOVR 

(Deep Space Climate 

Observatory)*

• Magnetometers for Juno, 

MAVEN, Van Allen Probes, 

and Voyager

• NGIMS (Neutral Gas and Ion 

Mass Spectrometer) for 

MAVEN

*Joint Agency Satellite

• OVIRS (OSIRIS-REx 

Visible and Infrared 

Spectrometer)

• Precision Orbit 

Determination for 

GRACE (Gravity 

Recovery and Climate 

Experiment)

• SAM (Sample Analysis 

at Mars) Instrument 

Suite on Curiosity Rover

• Satellite Laser Ranging

• TIRS (Thermal Infrared 

Sensor) for Landsat 8

• Very Long Baseline 

Interferometry

395 STAFF

Civil Service, Contract, Other

94%

NASA Strategic Objective 1.5: Ascertain the content, origin and 

evolution of the solar system and the potential for life elsewhere.

YSICS PLANETARY

SCIENCE 

EARTH SCIENCE SPACE

COMMUNICATIONS

& NAVIGATION

SUBORBI

PROGRAM

RANGE SER

IC

CATION

INVOLVING

COMMUNITIES 

OUR PEOPLE IT AND

COMMUNICATIONS BUDGE

AWARDS 

ENTAL

T CONNECTIONS
33

MAKING HEADLINES

EXPLORING 

OTHER

WORLDS

Leadership

DID YOU KNOW?

HIGHLIGHTS

FAST FACT

Launched on September 

8, 2016, NASA’s OSIRISREx mission will return 

the largest sample 

of material from 

space since the 

Apollo era. With nearly 33,000

orbits around Earth’s moon 

completed, the Lunar 

Reconnaissance Orbiter holds 

the record for the longestlived lunar-orbiting spacecraft 

—and it’s still going!

Our scientists hold leadership

roles in the:

• Goddard Center for Astrobiology*

• DREAM2 Center for Space Environments** 

• NExSS (Nexus for Exoplanet Systems 

Science)

• Remote In Situ and Synchrotron Studies

for Science and Exploration**

• Solar System Exploration Data

Services Office

• In addition, we published 300

papers and won 31 research

grants in FY 2016

 *A node of the NASA Astrobiology Institute

**Part of NASA’s Solar System Exploration

Research Virtual Institute

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Blasts 

Off On Ambitious Mission 

To Visit Asteroid, Bring a 

Piece Home

— Sept 8, 2016, Washington Post

NASA Spots ‘Cryovolcano’ 

on Texas-Sized Dwarf 

Planet

— Sept 2, 2016, Voice of America

Return to Jupiter: The Juno 

Mission’s Brand New Look 

at an Old World

— July 3, 2016, Mashable

This NASA Gravity Map 

Gives a Unique View of 

Mars

— March 23, 2016, CBS News

Gigantic Ice Cloud Spotted 

on Saturn Moon Titan

— Nov 20, 2015, Scientific American

Grooves On Mars’ Moon 

Are Signs That It’s Slowly 

Shattering, NASA Says

— Nov 11, 2015, NPR

Mystery of Mars’ Lost 

Atmosphere Solved at Last, 

Thanks to NASA’s MAVEN 

Mission

— Nov 5, 2015, Forbes

Why Did Apollo Lunar 

Samples Have Amino Acids 

In Them?

— Oct 29, 2015, Popular Science
34

NASA’s Communications Networks 

provide reliable and secure voice, 

video and data services to support 

development, launch and spacecraft 

operations. Critical applications 

include telemetry, commands, acquisition, tracking and raw science 

data. Goddard continued its strong 

performance, coordinating critical 

communications support coverage 

for 19 missions launches in FY 2016. 

While the SN finished installing new 

radomes at Guam, we continued 

developing multiple projects designed to enhance our communications capability and infrastructure 

to meet increasing demands. This 

year, the SN performed at 99.97 

percent proficiency, and NEN operated at 99.1 percent proficiency. 

The NEN strengthened its partnerships with Kennedy, Johnson and 

the Air Force with the installation 

of the new Launch Communication 

System antennae. New hardware is 

being assembled and tested for the 

Laser Communications Relay Demonstration mission, including the 

optical modules, ground and flight 

modems, controller electronics and 

a switching unit to operate between 

the two sides of the payload. We also 

conducted major studies to map the 

future of space relay satellites. The 

Search and Rescue project produced 

four prototypes of a low-mass, 

low-volume, enhanced-capability 

personnel recovery system for use 

in human spaceflight to be embedded in the next-generation astronaut 

suits. A vendor was also selected to 

build 30 additional beacons over the 

next 18 months.

PORTFOLIO

SATELLITE TELECOMMUNICATIONS

LASER COMMUNICATIONS

SATELLITE LASER RANGING

SPECTRUM MANAGEMENT

NAVIGATION

SEARCH AND RESCUE

Budget

GSFC Budget

Percentage 6%

$297.7M

Space Communications

and Navigation

94%

6%

3 GSFC

FACILITIES

Greenbelt WFF WSC

Remaining GSFC

3 LABORATORIES/OFFICES

• LCRD (Laser Communications 

Relay Demonstration)

• TDRS-M (Tracking and Data Relay 

Satellite)

• TDRS-C-L (Tracking Data Relay Satellite) 

MISSIONS IN DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONAL MISSIONS

Budget

GSFC Budget

Percentage 6%

$297.7M

Space Communications

and Navigation

94%

6%

3 GSFC

FACILITIES

Greenbelt WFF WSC

Remaining GSFC

3 LABORATORIES/OFFICES

• LCRD (Laser Communications 

Relay Demonstration)

• TDRS-M (Tracking and Data Relay 

Satellite)

• TDRS-C-L (Tracking Data Relay Satellite) 

MISSIONS IN DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONAL MISSIONS

NASA Strategic Objective 1.1: Expand human presence into the solar system and to the surface of Mars to advance exploration, 

science, innovation, benefits to humanity and International collaboration.

NASA Strategic Objective 1.2: Conduct research on the 

International Space Station (ISS) to enable future space 

exploration, facilitate a commercial space economy and

advance the fundamental biological and physical sciences

for the benefit of humanity.

NASA Strategic Objective 3.2: Ensure the availability and 

continued advancement of strategic, technical and programmatic 

capabilities to sustain NASA’s mission.

CIENCE SPACE

COMMUNICATIONS

& NAVIGATION

SUBORBITAL

PROGRAMS &

RANGE SERVICES

INSTITUTIONAL

SUPPORT

OUR PEOPLE 

ND

ATIONS BUDGET ECONOMIC

IMPACT

TIONS

SN: Four ground terminals to support 9 TDRS 

spacecraft. NEN: 15 ground terminal locations with 

50% of services by commercial providers.

Engineering lead and operations coordinator for 

three optical stations.

Architecture and engineering support for 93 

International GEO/LEO/MEO Local User Terminals.

SLR: Operations and maintenance for 8 stations 

worldwide. ILRS: Global network of 40+ ground 

stations.

Identification of mission parameters and frequencies 

within radio spectrum allocations for communications 

or data transfer.

Life cycle trajectory designs, orbit, estimation and 

associated space/ground system development. 
35

MAKING HEADLINES

BRINGING 

KNOWLEDGE 

BACK TO Earth

HIGHLIGHTS

HIGHLIGHTS

OUR INTERNS

48 interns concentrated on increasing 

network capabilities, implementing 

process efficiencies and infusing 

technologies into network systems. 

Undergraduates through Ph.D. students, 

from 25 schools and 19 states built

high-efficiency radios for CubeSats, 

explored as-yet theoretical 

communications methods

and assisted with the

division’s financial 

management.

• 300 Mbps increase to ISS data

 return

• SLR Operations team awarded a 2016 

NASA Agency Honor Award for Group 

Achievement for steadily increasing data 

yield despite constrained resources 

• Installed new radomes for Guam antennas

• NEN and SN consistently above 99.1%

• Provided communications services for 

19 launches by NASA, other Federal 

government agencies, commercial 

providers and other countries

NASA Moves Forward with 

Satellite Refueling Mission 

— Jun 24, 2016, Colorado Space News

NASA Picks Atlas V for 

Next TDRS Launch from 

Cape 

— Oct 30, 2015, Florida Today

Invisible NASA Network 

Transports Satellite Secrets 

to Earth

— Apr 12, 2016, phys.org

Goddard Space Center 

Mission-Critical for ISS 

Astronauts

— Sept 22, 2016, Space Daily

HIGHLIGHTS

• 321 lives saved in the 

United States in FY 2016

• NEN celebrates 25 years of 

partnership with the Alaska 

Satellite Facility 

• 48 interns focused on 

Space Communications 

and Navigation
36

E

ATIONS

ATION

SUBORBITAL

PROGRAMS &

RANGE SERVICES

INSTITUTIONAL

SUPPORT

OPLE 

BUDGET ECONOMIC

IMPACT

In FY 2016, Wallops personnel 

were engaged in missions on 

every continent. The Sounding 

Rocket Program Office conducted 

13 launches and has planned 21 

launches for FY 2017. The Balloon Program Office conducted a 

successful Super Pressure Balloon 

campaign launching from New 

Zealand. The balloon program 

conducted seven other missions in 

the fiscal year from launch sites in 

the United States and Antarctica. 

Wallops’s globe-trotting Airborne 

Science Team supported investigations from Canada with the North 

Atlantic Aerosols and Marine 

Ecosystems Study (NAAMES), in 

Namibia with the ObseRvations of 

Aerosols above CLouds and their 

intEractionS (ORACLES) mission 

and in the United States with the 

Atmospheric Carbon and Transport-America (ACT-America) mission. The program also supported 

the Korea United States Air Quality 

(KORUS-AQ) study, seeking to assess air quality across urban, rural 

and coastal South Korea. In 2016, 

Wallops aircraft flew more than 

1,500 hours of science research 

missions for NASA, and the Wallops Range worked more than 55 

projects. Notably, the range team 

deployed to French Guiana to 

support the Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) 

launch. Furthermore, the range 

worked with Virginia Space and 

Orbital ATK to conduct a successful 

hot-fire test of the upgraded Antares rocket in preparation for the 

scheduled return-to-flight mission. 

PORTFOLIO

SOUNDING ROCKETS

RESEARCH AIRCRAFT

SCIENTIFIC BALLOONS

LAUNCH RANGE/MISSION

MANAGEMENT

NEAR-EARTH NETWORK

SMALL SATELLITES

EARTH SCIENCE FIELD

SUPPORT OFFICE

WFF WSC CSBF (Note: the Columbia Scientific Balloon

Facility is now part of Goddard)

Budget

GSFC Budget

Percentage 2%

$126.1M

Suborbital Programs

and Range Services

98%

2%

1,100+

3

STAFF

Civil Service, Contract, Other

GSFC

FACILITIES

Remaining GSFC

6NASA AIRCRAFT

MISSIONS IN DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONAL MISSIONS

• ASPIRE (Advanced Supersonic 

Parachute Inflation Research and 

Experiments) 

• Dellingr, TROPICS, HaloSat, and 

IceCube Small Satellite Missions

• International Space Station Commercial Resupply 

Services 

• NAAMES (North Atlantic Aerosols and Marine 

Ecosystems Study)

• ORACLES (ObseRvations of Aerosols above 

CLouds and their intEractionS)

• CREAM (Cosmic-Ray Energetics and Mass) (ISS)

• Operation IceBridge

WFF WSC CSBF (Note: the Columbia Scientific Balloon

Facility is now part of Goddard)

Budget

GSFC Budget

Percentage 2%

$126.1M

Suborbital Programs

and Range Services

98%

2%

1,100+

3

STAFF

Civil Service, Contract, Other

GSFC

FACILITIES

Remaining GSFC

6NASA AIRCRAFT

MISSIONS IN DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONAL MISSIONS

• ASPIRE (Advanced Supersonic 

Parachute Inflation Research and 

Experiments) 

• Dellingr, TROPICS, HaloSat, and 

IceCube Small Satellite Missions

• International Space Station Commercial Resupply 

Services 

• NAAMES (North Atlantic Aerosols and Marine 

Ecosystems Study)

• ORACLES (ObseRvations of Aerosols above 

CLouds and their intEractionS)

• CREAM (Cosmic-Ray Energetics and Mass) (ISS)

• Operation IceBridge

NASA Strategic Objective 1.1: Expand human presence into the solar 

system and to the surface of Mars to advance exploration, science, 

innovation, benefits to humanity and international collaboration. 

NASA Strategic Objective 1.7: Transform NASA missions and 

advance the nation’s capabilities by maturing cross-cutting and 

innovative space technologies.

NASA Strategic Objective 2.1: Enable a revolutionary transformation 

for safe and sustainable U.S. and global aviation by advancing 

aeronautics research.

NASA Strategic Objective 3.4: Ensure effective management

of NASA programs and operations to complete the mission

safely and successfully.
37

MAKING HEADLINES

ENABLING 

SCIENCE AND 

EXPLORATION

Developments

SUBORBITAL 

Missions

HIGHLIGHTS

FAST FACTS

13 sounding rocket launches

1,549.5 aircraft hours

16 airborne science projects 

supported

5 scientific balloon campaigns

on three continents

Near-Earth Network supported

54,000 passes collecting 

42,000 hours of data 

• Flight services for student 

payloads

• Norway flight campaign

• Global Hawk UAS 

operations

• Wallops broke ground on a new Mission 

Launch Command Center, hub for interfacing with and controlling rockets, their 

payloads and associated launch pad

support systems; other construction

highlights include runway repair and 

construction for a new Wallops Island

Fire Station 

• Wallops mission partner Virginia Space 

broke ground on a Unmanned Aerial 

Systems runway on North Wallops Island 

• Antares ISS resupply missions are

slated to continue from Wallops

through 2024

Titanic Balloon Reaches 

Milestone 

— July 3, 2016, Science

NASA Flights to Track 

Greenhouse Gases Across 

Eastern U.S. 

— July 7, 2016, phys.org

Antares Static Fire Test Sets 

Stage for Return to Flight 

— June 1, 2016, SpaceNews.com

Barbara Mikulski at 

Wallops: May the Force

Be With Us. 

— May 3, 2016, Delmarva Daily Times

NASA’s Massive Super 

Pressure Balloon Just Broke 

a Flight Duration Record 

— July 3, 2016, Fortune.com

New Antares Rocket Rolls 

Out for Testing at NASA 

Wallops 

— May 13, 2016, WTKR.com

NASA’s Sounding Rocket 

Program Sets Record Firing

44 Rocket Engines in One 

Flight 

— Sept 1, 2016, Guinnessworld-

 records.com
38

THIS IS WHY IT MATTERS

Our Life @ Goddard
39

A Place for 

SERVICE

Our talented people, driven by 

passion toward a common and 

worthy purpose, have made 

possible countless improvements 

to our knowledge and way of 

life. We safeguard the longterm public trust by cultivating 

our workforce, ensuring a safe 

and sustainable workplace, effectively meeting our mission 

commitments and applying our 

scientific breakthroughs to stimulate economic growth, foster 

education, inspire the nation and 

impact the world. All of this is 

accomplished through a broad 

spectrum of institutional support 

efforts, including:

• Legal

• Procurement

• Information technology

• Financial management

• Human capital management

• Equal opportunity programs

• Diversity and inclusion

• Conflict management (alternative dispute resolution, 

anti-harassment)

• Protective services

• Environmental and medical 

management

• Facilities management and 

transportation

• Logistics

• Knowledge and information 

management

• Government and community 

relations

• Proposal development

• Education and public outreach

• Public communication

It is difficult to say what is 

impossible, for the dream of 

yesterday is the hope of today 

and the reality of tomorrow.

– Robert H. Goddard
40

Paving the road to 

mission success

Goddard is committed to providing comprehensive center support services for its workforce 

and missions of today, as well as 

transforming and preparing the 

center for the missions of tomorrow. Overall institutional support 

includes procurement operations, 

facilities management protective 

services, medical and environmental management and information 

and logistics management. 

Throughout FY 2016, Goddard 

provided a safe and reliable workplace for its community and enhanced the quality of work-life for 

all employees, such as repurposing the library with information 

exchange and collaboration space 

and upgrading to the Visitor Centers, employee welfare exchanges, 

and Educator Resource Center at 

Wallops.

TAL

MS &

RVICES

INSTITUTIONAL

SUPPORT

ET ECONOMIC

IMPACT

NASA Strategic Objective 3.1 Attract and advance a highly 

skilled, competent and diverse workforce, cultivate an innovative 

work environment and provide the facilities, tools and services 

needed to conduct NASA’s missions.

2016 HIGHLIGHTS OF CENTER SUPPORT FOR GODDARD’S MISSION:

1 With over 3,000 active procurement instruments, Goddard 

continues to maintain one of the agency’s largest and most 

diverse acquisition portfolios and leads the agency in number 

of procurement transactions. To ensure that the center meets its 

mission needs and agency commitments, Goddard completed 

12 major contract awards. In addition, Goddard exceeded its 

small business obligations in FY 2016 achieving 26.6 percent 

against a goal of 22.2 percent.

3 Consistent with the center’s focus on Earth science, Goddard’s 

Site Sustainability Plan will have helped reduce Goddard’s 

energy consumption by 25 percent from 2015 through 2025. 

Goddard also leads the agency on coastal resilience initiatives, including current planning to begin the second phase 

to replenish the Wallops shoreline.

5 Goddard provided comprehensive institutional support including facility readiness, security and logistics for the return 

to flight of Antares for International Space Station resupply 

missions from the Wallops Flight Facility.

4 Electrical, electronic and electromechanical parts acquisitions 

for Goddard missions topped $29 million. Goddard also 

planned and provided mission-critical spacecraft shipping 

operations for JWST, LCRD, ICESat-2, GEDI, SSCO, TIRS-2, 

ATLAS/ICESat-2 and GOES R.

2 Goddard planned and executed more than $128 million in 

construction to meet the current demands for center facilities. Major projects: a new instrument development facility, 

significantly refurbished the integration and testing complex, 

a new program and project management facility, a new mission launch command center and utility system upgrades to 

enhance center facility readiness and reliability.
41

FY 2016 featured a number of 

Information Technology (IT) accomplishments that furthered Goddard’s ability to achieve its science 

and technology mission. Most 

significant was a reorganization of 

the Information Technology and 

Communications Directorate, with 

the goals of providing a solutions 

orientation towards Goddard customers and a greater alignment 

with NASA enterprise goals and capabilities balanced with the unique 

needs of Goddard.

NASA’s Business Services Assessment for IT established a more 

efficient IT operating model that 

maintains a minimum set of capabilities to meet current and future 

mission needs. The Four Certs on 

a Card project updated Goddard 

employees’ smartcard badges to 

improve cybersecurity. Goddard 

formulated a unified computing 

architecture to support cloud-based 

data center services, incorporate 

existing Goddard Data Center capabilities and optimize strategic IT 

sourcing. The Dynamic Host Control 

Protocol project allowed Goddard 

to make progress in more efficiently 

and effectively manage its internet 

protocol addressing space, ensuring greater compatibility with the 

agency’s network management 

and security approach. Goddard 

awarded the Next Generation 

Land Mobile Radio (LMR) contract to install and maintain LMR 

systems to support the Protective 

Services Division, the Facilities 

Management Division, and other 

first responders in their day-to-day 

Communicating, Connecting,

and Advancing NASA’s

Work Through IT

operations. Combined with last 

year’s Next Generation Voice and 

Wireless Upgrade projects, the 

LMR project has addressed the last 

major element of Goddard’s aging 

infrastructure, providing a robust 

foundation to support the future 

needs of its technology workforce. 

Wallops continued Phase II of the 

Mission Launch Command Center, 

completing the facility to support 

range and launch activities on the 

south end of the Island. 

ONGOING PROJECTS:

• Mission Network: Goddard IT 

led the deployment of the next 

generation of NASA mission 

networks by implementing the 

Mission Next-Generation Architecture in February and finalized 

the Mission Backbone Transition 

in 2016. These initiatives improved and expanded our ability 

PORTFOLIO

to support spaceflight and other 

missions at Johnson, Marshall and 

Goddard, while improving security, accelerating service delivery 

and reducing recurring backbone 

circuit costs. 

• Web Services: IT has been working with center web site owners 

to move to the secure HTTPS 

web protocol, and IPv6, an internet protocol that provides more 

layers of security and faster web 

browsing. 

• Cybersecurity: Goddard IT continued to focus on security, working 

proactively with customers to 

improve the center’s security 

posture, increasing our alignment 

with the agency’s security protocols and transitioning to the use 

of government-wide Continuous 

Diagnostics and Mitigation tools 

and techniques.

NASA Strategic Objective 3.3: Provide secure, effective and 

affordable information technology and services that enable 

NASA’s mission.

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS

INFORMATION SECURITY

COMMUNICATIONS

END USER SERVICES

APPLICATIONS

DATA CENTER

OLVING

UNITIES 

OUR PEOPLE IT AND

COMMUNICATIONS BUDGET ECON

IMP

WARDS 

CONNECTIONS
42

The work undertaken at Goddard 

has led to countless discoveries 

and technological advancements, 

all for the benefit of society. The 

center’s commitment to outreach 

and communications ensures that 

the public—our primary stakeholder—is continuously engaged in our 

numerous missions and projects.

Along with our outlets in social 

media and multimedia production—www.nasa.gov/goddard—

serves as a central resource for the 

center’s latest news, images, videos 

and releases.

Sharing 

NASA with 

the World

PUBLIC

COMMUNICATION

INVOLVING

COMMUNITIES 

TION OUR PEO

IT AND

COMMUNICATIONS 

RIAM AWARDS ENVIRONMENTAL

IMPACT CONNECTIONS

The Stories We Tell

Multimedia and Television Production

Visitor Center and Tours

Media Resources

Social Media

the Gateway to Goddard

Outreach Events

In FY 2016, Goddard posted 810 articles to nasa.gov, the majority of 

which span the center’s core focus areas of astrophysics, Earth science, 

heliophysics, planetary science and engineering and technology. Here 

are the top 10.

Social media outlets link the center’s websites, news, activities and 

outreach efforts, providing quick and direct lines of communication to 

stakeholders and the broader online community.

The Goddard Visitor Center provides inspiring and captivating 

educational experiences for all ages.

Goddard’s robust media portfolio provide external organizations direct 

access to Goddard’s products, activities and subject matter experts, 

allowing us to further communicate our work to the public.

Outreach events, led by both the center and the agency, are 

held year-round to engage the public with NASA’s missions and 

accomplishments. 

This year, 143 multimedia videos were published to the Goddard 

flagship YouTube account in FY 2016. The account topped 122 million 

total plays—the most for any official NASA YouTube account dating 

back to its inception in September 2006. Here are the top 14 for 2016.

• Total atten

• Total of 18

and progr

• Conducte

• Visit from 

• Take Your 

• Mission Ju

• Conducted 

• Held the 1

National A

• Presented 

• Celebrated 

in Washing

NASA Strategic Objective 3.1: Attract and advance a highly skilled, competent, 

and diverse workforce, cultivate an innovative work environment, and provide 

the facilities, tools, and services needed to conduct NASA’s missions.

Date 

9/30/15 

9/28/16 

Growth 

16 Live Sh

 • NASA See

 • MAVEN R

 • Carbon C

 • SOHO 20

 • Hubble Se

 • Warmest 

Top 10 Art

1 NASA Stu

2 NASA See

3 Rare Full 

4 NASA Pro

5 NSF’s LIGO 

Top 14 Vid

1 Ther

2 Mas

3 Jupi

4 One 

5 SDO

6 Hub

7 Sola
43

201 6 Public Communication Highlights

ndance for FY 2016 was 38,267

8,150 people attended tailored meetings, events 

rams

d 332 group tours for 9,023 participants

 President Park Geun-hye of South Korea

 Child To Work Day event had 569 visitors

uno: Unlocking the Secrets of Jupiter

d 149 VIP facility tours throughout the year, totaling 1,713 participants.

17th Annual Goddard Fall Reception and Lecture, presented by the Maryland Space Business Roundtable and Goddard, at the Smithsonian 

Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 21, 2016. 

 NASA’s missions and technology at Maryland Day 2016, an event organized by the University of Maryland, College Park.

d the 46th Earth Day. Goddard contributed hyperwall presentations, demonstrations, and hands-on activities to the festivities at Union Station 

gton, D.C.

FANS/FOLLOWERS/SUBSCRIBERS TOTAL VIEWS

Facebook Instagram Twitter Twitter (photo) YouTube YouTube Flickr

5 864,034 1,093,143 269,695 244,963 275,415 92,069,964 172,499,270

6 1,076,233 1,664,636 341,333 291,731 364,355 122,197,225 202,925,674

h 25% 52% 27% 19% 32% 33% 18%

hot Campaigns 410 Interviews

es Hurricane Joaquin

Results

Cycle Campaign

0th Anniversary

ees a Cosmic “Lightsaber”

 Year on Record

 • Tracking El Niño From Space

 • Total Solar Eclipse in Southeast Asia

 • Sea Ice Maximum and Operation IceBridge

 • Mercury Transit

 • Hubble’s New Image of Mars

• Temperature Update

• Hubble Star Trek

• Wildfires

• Sea Ice Minimum

• OSIRIS-REx Launch

• 364 Satellite Interviews

• 17 In-person Interviews

• 6 Print Interviews

• 23 Radio Interviews

Top 10 Articles Views

6 Possible Link Between Primordial Black Holes and Dark Matter 128,885

7 Satellites to See Mercury Enter Spotlight on May 101,579

8 Decades of Discovery: NASA’s Exploration of Jupiter 79,754

9 Mars’ Moon Phobos is Slowly Falling Apart 76,513

10 Fort McMurray Wildfire in Alberta Canada Deemed Extreme 73,829

ticles Views

dy: Mass Gains of Antarctic Ice Sheet Greater Than Losses 722,256

es Post-Patricia Moisture, Winds Stalking the Mid-Atlantic 215,688

Moon on Christmas Day 145,626

vides a Look at Post-Blizzard Snowfall and Winds 137,539

O Has Detected Gravitational Waves 134,546

deos of 2016 Plays

rmonuclear Art – The Sun In Ultra-HD (4K) 5,248,927

ssive Black Hole Shreds Passing Star 4,251,108

iter in 4k Ultra HD 2,407,869

e Year on Earth – Seen From 1 Million Miles 2,080,979

O: Year 6 Ultra-HD 1,149,619

bble Directly Images Possible Plumes on Europa 772,878

ar Wind Strips Martian Atmosphere 751,608

Top 14 Videos of 2016 Plays

8 NASA’s 4K View of April 17 Solar Flare 675,153

9 NASA’s SDO Captures Mercury Transit Time-lapse 495,935

10 EPIC Observations Pouring In 346,852

11 Hubble’s New View of Mars and Planets 307,017

12 SDO Witnesses a Double Eclipse 204,782

13 X-ray Echoes Map a Black Hole’s Disk 299,929

14 Understanding the Magnetic Sun 173.638

• Optimus Prime Rocket Launch contest

• Several Facebook Live events

• Visit from the NIH Children’s Inn

• OSIRIS-REx Launch Party

• Comedy Night

• Started development of a new Earth science exhibit as well as a Goddard Introduction and History exhibit, exhibits are expected to be installed in Spring 2017
44

PUBLIC

COMMUNICATION

INVOLVING

COMMUNITIES EDUCATION 

IT AN

COMMUNIC

IN MEMORIAM AWARDS ENVIRONMENTAL

IMPACT CONNECT

Inspire, Engage, Educate 

and Employ the Future

NASA Strategic Objective 2.4: Advance the nation’s STEM 

education and workforce pipeline by working collaboratively 

with other agencies to engage students, teachers and faculty in 

NASA’s missions and unique assets.

NASA’s education vision, “To advance high-quality Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics 

(STEM) education using NASA’s 

unique capabilities,” continues to 

captivate each new generation of 

educators and learners across our 

11-state service region and nationwide. Communities actively engage 

with interdisciplinary research and 

technology resources provided by 

NASA’s programs, missions and 

centers. A few notable highlights 

from 2016 are represented below.

NASA Internships, Fellowships 

and Scholarships (NIFS) leverage NASA’s unique missions and 

programs to enhance and increase 

the capability, diversity and size of 

the future STEM workforce. NASA 

continues to invest in the nation’s 

STEM learners by providing opportunities that will launch a new 

era of learning, innovation and 

achievement.

• Over 450 high school through 

doctoral-level interns and fellows worked alongside scientists, 

engineers and technologists 

at Greenbelt, GISS, IV&V and 

Wallops. They represented one 

foreign country, 45 states and 

two U.S. territories, including 

Puerto Rico. 

• Fifteen Goddard undergraduate

and graduate student interns 

were honored as 2016 Mather 

Nobel Scholars, established 

in 2008 by the John and Jane 

Mather Foundation for Science 

and the Arts.

• Four teams of graduate, undergraduate, and high school interns 

and high school STEM educators 

were paired with GISS scientist 

to pilot the Climate Change Research Initiative, a first-ever yearlong research program focusing 

on atmospheric and climate 

changes in the 21st century. 

Educator Professional Development (EPD) uses NASA’s missions, 

education resources and unique 

facilities to provide high-quality 

STEM content and hands-on learning experiences to in-service, preservice, and informal educators. 

EPD provides educators with the 

knowledge, skills and ability to 

deliver one-of-a-kind STEM content 

to learners to strengthen the economic growth and competitiveness 

of our nation.

• In partnership with the Eastern 

Shore of Maryland Educational 

Consortium and the Maryland Department of Education, Goddard’s 

STEM Education and Accountability Projects (SEAP) worked with 9 

rural education districts and 30 

educators at the Eastern Shore 

of Maryland via distance learning 

and face-to-face trainings. 

• Over 60 informal educators

participated in Earth to Sky climate science and communication 

courses sponsored by NASA’s 

Arctic-Boreal Vulnerability Experiment and the NPS Climate 

Change Response Program who 

are estimated to have reached 

over 20 thousand visitors with 

course content. 

• The Educator Resource Center at 

NASA’s Independent Verification 

and Validation Facility trained 

over 400 formal, informal and 

pre-service educators on NASA 

unique resources; shared 50 classroom kits with classrooms; and 

reached over 10,000 students. 

• Nineteen high school educators

representing Maryland, Virginia, 

New Jersey, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C. 

successfully the Wallops Rocket 

Academy for Teachers where 

they built, tested and launched 

model rockets. 

• GISS scientists trained over 265

educators in New York, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin and 

Texas using EdGCM, the Education Global Climate Model. 

• 57 Marymount University pre-service teachers participated in ongoing professional development 

partnership with Goddard using 

on-line communities and workshops as part of the university’s 

math and science curriculum.

Institutional Engagement (IE) 

builds the capacity of formal and 

informal education institutions to 

participate in NASA’s mission. IE 

improves their capabilities to gain 

support from external sources; 

fosters interactions between NASA 

Centers, academic institutions and 

industry; and expands the diversity 

and geographic representation of 

institutions nationwide. 

• Over 400 middle and high school

students from the Baltimore area 

visited Goddard as part of the 

“My Brother’s Keeper National 

Lab Week,” a nationwide initiative organized by the White 

House Office of Science and 

Technology Policy meeting with 

NASA Administrator Charles 

Bolden, exploring STEM careers, 

engaging with NASA scientist 
45

and engineers, and participating 

in hands-on STEM learning.

• Goddard’s Minority University 

Research and Education (MUREP) 

American Indian/Alaska Native 

STEM Engagement (MAIANSE) 

reached over 175 students and 

faculty from approximately 15 

tribal colleges and K-12 schools.

STEM Engagement (SE) activities 

provide participatory and experiential learning activities that connect 

learners to NASA one-of-a-kind 

resources. STEM engagement activities are based on best practices 

in motivating, engaging and learning in formal and informal settings 

such as public education activities, 

experiential learning opportunities 

and STEM challenges.

• In support of the Maryland STEM 

Festival, Goddard engaged over 

8,500 participants directly and 

remotely during a week of collaborative, interactive and dynamic 

events and activities throughout 

the state.

• GISS and Johnson Space Center

provided ISS downlink event for 

over 60 students from East Middle School in New York City at the 

Time Life Building at the Rockefeller Center and approximately 

two-million students through the 

Time Life Kids education network. It was also broadcasted on 

NASA TV.

• The Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office provided virtual and 

in person tours of the Robotics 

Operations Center for over 60 

university students and 350 

elementary, middle, and high 

school students.

• Nearly 8,200 K-8 grade students

in West Virginia designed, constructed, tested and launched 

scientific payloads in the Student 

Rocket Competition for research 

based exploration at IV&V.

• Wallops Flight Facility and the 

Cubes in SpaceTM program partnered with idoodlelearning inc. 

and the Colorado Space Grant 

Consortium to facilitate 80 small 

cube experiments by K-12 students from 49 states, which were 

launched on the RockOn TerrierOrion sounding rocket. 

• Engineers and scientists from the 

Applied Engineering Technology 

Directorate and the Earth Science 

Division spoke with 500 local high 

school girls participating in a 

Women in Engineering program 

at the University of Maryland. 

They discussed the importance 

of STEM education, applied engineering and potential NASA 

internships. 

• The Heliophysics Education Consortium designed a new STEM 

Innovation Lab for use at museums, libraries and makerspaces 

to demonstrate advanced education technologies, including 

virtual reality and 3-D printing.

• Over 2,650 viewers in the United 

States, Hong Kong, Japan, Argentina, France, Bulgaria and 

Venezuela watched the “STEM@ 

NASA Goddard: Women’s History Month” videoconference 

series highlighting women’s 

STEM achievements broadcast 

via UStream by the Goddard 

Distance Learning team.
46

GODDARD CIVIL SERVANTS by Age Group

GODDARD CIVIL SERVANTS by Disability

GODDARD CIVIL SERVANTS by Gender

29 & Under

30-39

40-49

50-59

60-69

70 & Over

18.0%

22.2%

13.8%

582

2.3%

2% 5%

6.8%

37.0%

GODDARD CIVIL SERVANTS by Skill Mix

3% Clerical

11% AST Scientists

5% Non-AST

Engineers/Scientists

30% Professional

Administrative

51% AST Engineers

GODDARD CIVIL SERVANTS by Ethnicity

0.12% Hawaiian Pacific Islander

5.72% Hispanic

0.86% Multi-Racial

0.37% Native American

8.13% Asian

68.11% Non-Minority

16.22% African American

38% Female 62% Male

74

219

720

1,196

445

Targeted

Disability

Non-Targeted

Disability

GODDARD CIVIL SERVANTS by Duty Location

100%

TOTAL

3236

0.2%

WSC

7

0.9%

GISS

28

1.5%

IV&V

47

8.7%

WFF

281

88.2%

Greenbelt

2855

65 164 Other • 18 = 0.6%

Current state of the workforce 2016

OUR PEOPLE 

D

ATIONS BUDGET ECONOMIC

IMPACT

TIONS

BEST PLACES 

TO WORK in 

the Federal 

Government

Scores By Category 2016 Rank 2016 2011 2005

Overall 10 of 305 81.2 77.1 73.9

Teamwork 10 of 304 81.7 77 79.6

Innovation 3 of 304 82 78.3 N/A

Effective Leadership 3 of 303 74.6 69.8 64.6

Support for Diversity 2 of 304 77.8 76.4 76.5

Training and Development 11 of 304 78.1 74.7 72.5

Employee Skills-Mission Match 4 of 304 86.1 84.9 80.5

Work-Life Balance 35 of 304 72 66.1 67.8

Performance-Based Rewards & Advancement 2 of 303 68 62.5 60.9 http://bestplacestowork.org
47

BUDGET: $5.3B

DIRECT GSFC BUDGET: $3.6B

Reimbursable GSFC Budget: $1.7B

GSFC Program Year 2016 BUDGET Categorized by Lines of Business

(as of 9/30/16)

Reimbursable (Earth Science) •

$1,586.2 • 30%

Communications &

Navigation • $297.7 • 6%

Human Exploration &

Operations • $26.6 • 0%

Suborbital Platforms & Range

Services • $126.1 • 2%

Reimbursable (Other) •

$123.2 • 2%

Management & Operations •

$512.6 • 10%

Earth Science •

$900.3 • 17%

Astrophysics • $975.2 • 18%

Cross-Cutting

Technologies &

Capabilities • $193.9 • 4%

Chart is in $Ms

Heliophysics • $249.0 • 5%

Planetary & Lunar Science •

$293.1 • 6%

PEOPLE 

BUDGET ECONOMIC

IMPACT
48

Goddard’s success in enabling 

NASA missions and applying these 

scientific achievements to society 

is evident. Each of Goddard’s five 

locations supports the center’s 

ability to stimulate and strengthen 

economic activity by:

• Expending goods and services 

to perform its mission.

• Generating technology transfer 

Goddard’s Top Contractors

Annapolis

GODDARD

SPACE FLIGHT

CENTER

Greenbelt,

Maryland

WALLOPS

FLIGHT 

FACILITY

Wallops Island,

Virginia

Goddard invests over 80 cents of every

dollar it receives in American businesses,

academia and nonprofit organizations. 

1. LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION $484.5 M

2. NORTHROP GRUMMAN SPACE AND

MISSION SYSTEMS CORPORATION

$415.1 M

3. HARRIS CORPORATION $347.3 M

4. RAYTHEON COMPANY $339.9 M

5. BALL AEROSPACE AND TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION $205.8 M

6. SGT, INC. $199.9 M

7. ASSOC UNIV RESEARCH ASTRONOMY $141.8 M

8. ORBITAL SCIENCES CORPORATION $131.8 M

9. GENERAL DYNAMICS C4 SYSTEMS, INC. $128.4 M

10. AS AND D, INC. $126.1 M

11. HONEYWELL TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS INC. $100.4 M

12. ATA AEROSPACE, LLC $80.3 M

13. TRAX INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION $73.9 M

14. INUTEQ, LLC $72.9 M

15. SIERRA LOBO, INC. $67.1 M

All numbers are based on NPDV and FPDS obligation data for FY 2016 as of 11/3/2016.

Not based total contract value.

Obligations by 

Maryland County

Anne Arundel $2,891,083

Baltimore $3,336,551

Baltimore City $142,069,320

Calvert $28,900

Carroll $235,799

Frederick $35,000

Harford $34,358

Howard $1,367,308

Montgomery $4,494,617

Prince Georges $1,397,993,410

Wicomico $11,886

Worcester $8,608

Washington $7,515

Total $1,552,514,354

 Goddard Budget 

Direct: ..................................................................$3.6 B

Reimbursable: ......................................................$1.7 B

Total: ....................................................................$5.3 B

Budget received in FY 2016 against unexpired funds

FPDS-NG data excludes all Interagency Acquisitions and transactions

under the micro purchase threshold ($3,500) such as bankcards,

purchase orders and outside procurement transactions.

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS FY16 OBLIGATIONS

Maryland

MD-1: Harris $259,997

MD-2: Ruppersberger $1,418,961

MD-3: Sarbanes $1,475,813

MD-4: Edwards $40,243,655

MD-5: Hoyer $1,359,185,953

MD-6: Delaney $1,923,178

MD-7: Cummings $145,508,043

MD-8: Van Hollen $2,498,754

Virginia

VA-2: Rigell $154,046,111

ALL DISTRICTS $1,552,514,354

and spinoff activities.

• Broadening small business opportunities through its robust 

contracting program.

T ECONOMIC

IMPACT
49

Green Goddard: With its 

unique perspective as a global 

leader in Earth Science, Goddard 

is committed to identifying and 

implementing strategies that ensure 

continued human progress, productivity, and prosperity while sustaining natural species and systems.

In FY 2016, the center continued to 

implement its 2015 Sustainability 

Plan that addresses the objectives 

in White House Executive Order 

13693: Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade. 

• CARbon Atmospheric Flux Experiment (CARAFE) 

- This airborne mission flown out

Wallops has helped scientists 

quantify sources and sinks of 

greenhouse gases to determine how various land uses 

and ecosystems contribute to 

or mitigate climate change.

• Goddard’s Living Laboratory for 

Coastal Resilience 

- NASA’s largest shoreline protection program has added 

sand to Wallops beach to 

ensure ongoing protection 

of the agency’s only launch 

range. Climate adaptation science investigation teams and 

the Goddard-led Mid-Atlantic 

Coastal Resilience Institute are 

providing scientific analysis 

and tools to understand and 

mitigate future storm and sealevel rise impacts on Wallops 

Island and the greater MidAtlantic region.

Goddard is now implementing the 2015 Sustainability Plan’s strategies at all 

levels of management and operations, through five objectives:

1 Reduce energy consumption, associated air emissions and 

other environmental impacts. 

• 26 percent reduction in Goddard’s energy consumption intensity from 2003 to 2015.

• 65 percent of site electricity to be produced by solar array at Wallops, if ongoing feasibility assessment continues to be favorable.

2 Manage water impacts including consumption, pollution and 

climate change impacts.

• Installed an engineered floating wetland system at Greenbelt 

in 2016 to prevent eutrophication and associated variations in 

the pH of water that ultimately drains to the Chesapeake Bay.

• Storm water, sediment, and erosion best management practices 

are in place to protect the habitat surrounding Wallops from 

polluted runoff.

3 Reduce waste through life cycle materials management from 

source reduction and green purchasing to reuse and recycling.

• 4,200 pounds of used gold- and silver-plating bath fluid reclaimed prior to disposal.

• Field testing new anti-corrosion coatings for launch platforms and 

aircraft that have less harmful fumes than traditional coatings.

4 Promote transportation alternatives to reduce environmental 

impacts and promote universal access to the center.

• Scheduled to replace a diesel bus with a propane-powered 

bus. This will significantly reduce busing emissions at the 

Greenbelt facility.

• Continued bike share program for employees at Greenbelt.

5 Sustain local ecosystems by caring for the lands that support 

NASA operations.

• Native Landscaping: In 2016, Goddard replaced 40,000 sq. ft. of 

maintenance-intensive exotic landscaping at the Greenbelt facility with a low-maintenance, pollinator-friendly native meadow 

restoration. This project will help with assessing the feasibility 

of using native plants as an ecologically friendly alternative to 

conventional landscaping species.

• Forest Management: Goddard developed a forest management 

plan for the 450 acres of forest at the Greenbelt facility. The plans 

will support native plants and animals and improve water quality.

• Habitat Creation from Shoreline Protection Program: The shoreline protection program on Wallops Island created over 150 acres 

of new beach habitat, which was quickly populated with native 

sea turtles and shorebirds.

MORIAM AWARDS ENVIRONMENTAL

IMPACT CONNECTIONS
50

BUILDING

DIVERISTY NOW

OUR LOYALTY From our home planet to the 

solar system and beyond, Goddard’s missions span the gamut. 

Our vast record of achievement 

involves a common denominator: a workforce dedicated to 

making this success possible. 

Goddard Space Flight Center’s 

people are our greatest asset. Goddard employs more 

than 3,000 civil servants, over 

6,000 onsite contractors and 

thousands of others (including 

off-site contractors, interns 

and Emeritus) in various technical and professional administrative positions. Scientists, 

engineers, project managers, 

safety and mission assurance 

personnel, technicians and 

other specialists directly support the sciences as well as 

design and deliver spacecraft, 

instruments and data. Institutional support staff bolster 

mission activities and serve a 

vital role in accomplishing the 

center’s goals.

At our core, we embrace diversity and inclusion to open 

a broader view and to inspire 

creativity, collaboration and innovation. We seek diversity of 

thought, backgrounds, talents 

and perspectives. We honor 

individuality, equality, and human dignity. We are committed 

to creating an environment that 

empowers us to be ourselves, 

to contribute through or own 

experiences, to thrive and to 

do our best work.

The people leading the effort 

to achieve its missions embody 

NASA’s core values—safety, 

teamwork, integrity, and excellence. Our record of success 

critically depends on our continued development of a positive 

environment where everyone 

can contribute fully and equally.

Building an equitable Diverse and 

Inclusive Workplace
51

Together, we are creating 

opportunities, deriving new 

knowledge, strengthening the 

national education landscape, 

equipping today’s educators 

and engaging tomorrow’s scientists, engineers, innovators, 

and leaders.

Women in STEM

At Goddard, we are committed 

to making sure all segments of 

the workforce have a strong 

role in the community and can 

see themselves reflected in the 

NASA mission. 

Science and innovation have 

become increasingly important 

as we face the demands of a 

knowledge-based economy. 

In 2016, we narrowed in on 

the challenge of making STEM 

careers more representative 

of our diverse society. Women 

especially face cultural and institutional barriers to pursuing 

and advancing in such careers. 

Only 26 percent of STEM workers are female. Of 100 female 

bachelor students, 12 graduate with a STEM major, but 

only three continue to work 

in STEM fields 10 years after 

graduation. We aim to change 

that outcome.

In March, NASA and Lockheed 

Martin Corporation held Connecting STEM Trailblazers: 

Sustaining Women in STEM. 

Held in Arlington, Virginia, this 

roundtable event convened 

leaders from government, industry and academia to discuss 

strategies for effectively recruiting and retaining women 

in STEM careers. Participants 

offered multiple solutions, including engaging students in 

hands-on, immersive learning 

as early as kindergarten and 

encouraging women in STEM 

positions to serve as mentors 

in their community. They also 

recommended that companies explore better work-life 

balance policies and provide 

subconscious bias training 

to recruiters, managers, and 

employers.

Goddard also hosted a NASA 

Women in Action event honoring Women’s History Month. 

High school students from 

the District of Columbia, Baltimore, Montgomery County, 

and Prince George’s County 

were invited to Goddard for 

a day of activities, including 

a panel discussion with senior 

NASA leaders.

Achieving gender equality in 

STEM will require much more 

work, but Goddard has made 

this initiative a priority. 
52

DS 

CONNECTIONS

ACROSS THE 

UNIVERSE
53

As we celebrate our collective 

achievements, we also honor all 

of those who have contributed 

to Goddard that are no longer 

with us.

Your dedication and talent will 

never be forgotten.

*Active civil servants who passed 

in 2016 include:

BRADFORD W. GREELEY 

RICHARD G. LYON 

KEVIN P. MCCARTHY

DANNIELLA M. MUHEIM 

PATRICK NEAL PURCELL 

‡Contractors, former civil servants 

and others whose passing occurred or was reported during 

Sep. 2015 – Dec. 2016 include:

MIKE COYLE

HARRY FARTHING

DOUG GROVE

DEBORAH HARRISON

KEITH RICE

*NOTE: NASA does not have access to this information for former NASA civil servants. The 

report authors have been informally notified of such individuals who have been added to the 

list under contractors and others.

‡NASA does not have access to this data for contractors and others affiliated with Goddard. 

An earnest attempt was made to manually collect this information. However, the nature of the 

process could result in the list being incomplete.

Please email omissions to Amy Grigg (amy.grigg@nasa.gov) and Peter Hughes (peter.m.hughes@nasa.gov). 

The electronic version of this report will be updated accordingly. Updated 12/15/2016.

IN MEMORIAM AWARDS ENVIRONMENTAL

IMPACT CONNE
For more information, please visit our web site:

www.nasa.gov/goddard

NP-2016-10-504-GSFC

Set goals, challenge yourself, and 

achieve them. Live a healthy life...

and make every moment count. Rise 

above the obstacles, and focus on 

the positive.

– Robert H. Goddard