July 2007

www.nasa.gov

On the Inside . . .

Page 2- Liquid mirror telescope on moon

 might see deeper back in time 

Page 3 - Nanotechnology space sensor test

 proves successful in orbit

Page 9 - New e-mail system is here!

Page 12 - Ames Ongoing Events

Page 13 - Ames Classifieds

NASA finds hydrocarbons on Saturn’s moon Hyperion

NASA’s Cassini spacecraft has revealed for the first time surface details 

of Saturn’s moon Hyperion, including 

cup-like craters filled with hydrocarbons that may indicate more widespread presence in our solar system of 

basic chemicals necessary for life.

Hyperion yielded some of its 

secrets to the battery of instruments 

aboard Cassini as the spacecraft flew 

close by in September 2005. Water 

and carbon dioxide ices were found, 

as well as dark material that fits the 

spectral profile of hydrocarbons. 

A paper published in the July 5, 

2007, issue of Nature reports details of 

Hyperion’s surface craters and composition observed during this flyby, 

including keys to understanding the 

moon’s origin and evolution over 

4.5 billion years. This is the first time 

scientists were able to map the surface 

material on Hyperion.

“Of special interest is the presence 

on Hyperion of hydrocarbons - combinations of carbon and hydrogen atoms 

that are found in comets, meteorites 

and the dust in our galaxy,” said Dale 

Cruikshank, a planetary scientist at 

Ames and the paper’s lead author. 

“These molecules, when embedded 

in ice and exposed to ultraviolet light, 

form new molecules of biological 

significance. This doesn’t mean that 

we have found life, but it is a further 

indication that the basic chemistry 

needed for life is widespread in the 

universe.”

Cassini’s ultraviolet imaging 

spectrograph and visual and infrared 

mapping spectrometer captured compositional variations in Hyperion’s 

surface. These instruments, capable 

of mapping mineral and chemical 

features of the moon, sent back data 

confirming the presence of frozen 

water found by earlier ground-based 

observations, but also discovered solid 

carbon dioxide (dry ice) mixed in unexpected ways with the ordinary ice.

Images of the brightest regions of 

Hyperion’s surface show frozen water 

that is crystalline in form, like that 

found on Earth.

“Most of Hyperion’s surface ice 

is a mix of frozen water and organic 

dust, but carbon dioxide ice is also 

prominent. The carbon dioxide is not 

pure, but is somehow chemically attached to other molecules,” explained 

Cruikshank.

Prior spacecraft data from other 

moons of Saturn, as well as Jupiter’s 

moons Ganymede and Callisto, suggest that the carbon dioxide molecule 

is “complexed,” or attached with 

other surface material in multiple 

ways. “We think that ordinary carbon 

dioxide will evaporate from Saturn’s 

continued on page 2

NASA’s Cassini spacecraft’s recent photograph 

of Saturn’s moon Hyperion shows its spongelike appearance with craters that are filled with 

hydrocarbons.

NASA photo

Bill Nye, ‘the Science Guy,’ 

spoke recently at the Participatory 

Exploration Summit held in June at 

Ames. The event gathered technology 

experts, communications and thought 

leaders and NASA personnel to discuss how to use new technologies to 

make NASA’s work more accessible 

through ‘participatory exploration.’ 

Participatory exploration is the way in 

which the public can actively engage 

in, and potentially contribute to, the 

exciting activities that NASA conducts.

Bill Nye speaks at Ames summit

Bill Nye, ‘the Science Guy,’ spoke at Ames during the Participatory Exploration Summit held 

recently at the center.
 Astrogram July 2007

Someday, astronauts on the moon 

may pour liquid onto a disc-shaped 

mesh to make a huge mirror for a 

powerful telescope, according to a recently public technical article.

The liquid would include 

a silver-coated surface, and 

would be part of an optical-infrared telescope with a 

66-foot (20-meter) to 328-foot 

(100 meter) aperture capable of 

observing objects 100 to 1,000 

times fainter than the James 

Webb Space Telescope, the authors say. The technical paper 

appeared in the June 21, 2007, 

issue of the journal, Nature.

“In this case, we have 

shown how the moon is ideal 

(for) using liquid mirror technology to build a telescope 

much larger than we can affordably build in space,” said 

Ames Center Director S. Pete 

Worden and a co-author of the 

technical paper. The lead author is Ermanno Borra, Laval 

University, Quebec, Canada. 

“Such telescopes, perhaps 100 

meters in diameter, can see back to the 

early phases of the universe after the 

Big Bang,” Worden added.

The authors envision making 

lunar, infrared telescopes to study 

normal and dwarf galaxies.

“The lunar, liquid-mirror project 

was supported by the NASA Institute 

for Advanced Concepts. It enabled a 

team of scientists including myself to 

show how the moon - our first target 

in the Vision for Space Exploration 

(VSE) - might support astronomy,” 

Worden explained. “ We hope that this 

or similar possibilities will excite the 

scientific community about the opportunities contained within the VSE,” 

Worden observed.

According to the article, an uncoated mirror would be carried to the 

moon in a drum that astronauts would 

empty into a rotating mesh, robotically 

unfolded like an umbrella. 

“Surface tension would prevent 

the liquid from falling through the 

small holes of the mesh,” the authors 

said.

Liquid-mirror telescope on moon might see deeper back in time

The major advantages of liquid 

telescope mirrors include ease of shipping, assembling and maintenance, 

“which are far easier than for a solid 

mirror,” the authors note.

In laboratory experiments, the re- by John Bluck Photo by Guy Plante (Laval

A 3.7 meter-diameter liquid mirror, such as this one at Laval University, 

someday might be used to create a huge mirror for a large telescope on the 

moon. Mercury is used in the liquid mirror. There are no detectable mercury vapors in the air because a thin transparent layer of oxide covers the 

mirror’s surface. Shown from left to right are an unidentified undergraduate student; Remi Cabanac, a graduate student who did his Ph.D. thesis on 

liquid mirrors; Dr. Ermanno Borra (lead author of a technical paper entitled 

‘Deposition of metal films on an ionic liquid as a basis for a lunar telescope’

published in the June 21, 2007 issue of the journal, Nature); and Gregoire 

Tremblay, who also wrote his Ph.D. thesis on the liquid mirror.)

by Ruth Dasso Marlai

moons over long periods of time,” 

said Cruikshank, “but it appears to be 

much more stable when it is attached 

to other molecules.”

“The Hyperion flyby was a fine 

example of Cassini’s multi-wavelength 

capabilities. In this first-ever ultraviolet observation of Hyperion, the detection of water ice tells us about compositional differences of this bizarre 

body,” said Amanda Hendrix, Cassini 

scientist on the ultraviolet imaging 

spectrograph at NASA’s Jet Propulsion 

Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 

Hyperion, Saturn’s eighth largest 

moon, has a chaotic spin and orbits 

Saturn every 21 days. The July 5 issue 

of Nature also includes new findings 

from the imaging team about Hyperion’s strange, spongy-looking appearance. Details are online at: http://ciclops.org/view.php?id=3303 

The Cassini-Huygens mission is 

a cooperative project of NASA, the 

European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion 

Laboratory, a division of the California 

Institute of Technology in Pasadena, 

manages the Cassini-Huygens mission 

for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, Washington.

More information on the Cassini 

mission is available at: http://www.

nasa.gov/cassini

Hydrocarbons on Saturn’s moon Hyperion

continued from front page

searchers used a liquid made of ‘ionic 

salts’ that remains fluid at very low 

temperatures. The scientists deposited 

a fine layer of chromium particles on 

the liquid and then added a 

layer of silver particles. The 

researchers say that the reflectiveness of the liquid mirror 

is not yet adequate, but “it is 

now only a matter of technological improvement.”

The authors say they will 

continue to experiment to 

develop more ways to make 

liquid mirrors. The researchers predict that the first lunar, 

liquid-mirror telescope will be 

built no earlier than 2020.

Borra received a grant from 

the Canadian Space Agency to 

conduct his studies. The other 

authors include: Omar Seddiki 

of Laval University, Quebec, 

Canada; Roger Angel and Daniel Eisenstein, both from the 

University of Arizona, Tucson; 

Paul Hickson, University of 

British Columbia, Vancouver, 

Canada; and Kenneth Seddon, 

The Queen’s University of Belfast, 

U.K.
 Astrogram July 2007

Nanotechnology space sensor test proves successful in orbit

NASA Ames recently designed 

and built the first nanotechnologybased electronic device that was 

successfully tested in space. The 

Ames-developed, Nano-ChemSensor 

Unit (NCSU) hitched a ride to orbit on 

the U.S. Naval Academy’s MidSTAR-1 

satellite on March 9, 2007, as one of the 

experiments in a secondary payload. 

Because the experiments were turned 

on one-by-one, the sensor test was the 

last one powered on May 24. 

The data received from the unit 

showed that the nano-sensor could 

monitor trace gases in low-Earth orbit. 

“The nano-sensor worked successfully 

in space,” said Dr. Jing Li, the Ames’ 

principal investigator for the test. 

“We demonstrated that nano-sensors 

can survive in space conditions and 

the extreme vibrations and gravity 

change during launch,” she added. 

The goal of the experiment was to 

prove that nano-sensors made of tiny 

carbon nano-tubes coated with sensing materials could survive the space 

environment to detect trace chemicals 

in space.

The opportunity for this space 

flight test for the Nano-ChemSensor 

Unit was provided by Dan Powell, 

nanotechnologist, from the Goddard 

Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., 

with whom Ames has had a long collaborative relationship. Powell, who 

has a passion for demonstrating the 

capabilities of nanotechnology, took 

advantage of Goddard’s relationship 

with the Naval Academy to offer to 

Ames the opportunity for a technology demonstration flight. Li proposed 

her sensor for that flight because of 

the maturity of its development. Julie 

Schonfeld, deputy director for the 

Ames’ Center for Nano-Techonology 

at the inception of the project, was 

familiar with the capabilities of the Engineering Systems 

Division, having 

started her career 

there as an electrical engineer. She 

assisted in completing the project 

team by introducing Li to engineers 

Jim Hanratty and 

Mark Mallinson. 

This collaborative effort between 

the researchers and 

engineers at Ames 

was key to the 

success of this test. 

A close working 

relationship developed among the team. Researchers Li 

and Yijiang Lu built the nano-sensor 

chip that included 32 nano-sensors 

while electrical engineer Jim Hanratty, 

mechanical engineer 

Mark Mallinson 

and safety engineer 

Ken Zander worked 

directly with Li and 

Lu over the course 

of a year to design, 

prototype, build and 

space flight qualify 

three units, known 

as the NCSU. Hanratty also served as 

the project manager while Mallinson 

served as the systems engineer. Ames’ 

in-house shop’s Sam Caires supported 

fabrication and the test lab’s Jerry 

Wang supported qualification testing. 

The Ames team also demonstrated 

a successful collaboration between 

Ames, Goddard and the US Naval 

Academy (USNA) in manifesting the 

NCSU on MidSTAR-1.

The unit is essentially a tiny laboratory, which can be held in one hand 

and carries a canister with nitrogen 

dioxide (NO2), the sample gas, control 

valves, a custom hermetically sealed 

by the CSU Team and Jo

nano-chip chamber, temperature and 

pressure sensors, custom electronics, 

software controls and communications. After waiting on the shelf for 

over a year to fly and three months on 

orbit to be powered, the unit automatically injected the on-board gas 

containing 20 parts per million NO2 in 

nitrogen over the nano-sensors during 

four experiments each day with three 

NO2 exposures in each experiment. 

The unit then recorded the data in 

on-board memory and downloaded it 

to the Navy’s MidSTAR-1 communications system, which finally sent it to 

the USNA ground station. The unit 

will be powered for approximately 45 

days. The first set of data was recently 

received by the team and after analysis, the NCSU is working properly, 

following the pre-programmed experiment. After Li’s initial analysis, she 

found that some sensors did respond 

to 20ppm NO2 in N2 with three response curves from the data set. They 

look as expected. “I call it a success!” 

says Li.

The small team met weekly to 

discuss design requirements, issues, 

design trade-offs, schedule and budget 

to ensure the test would be successful. 

It is close working relationships such 

as these among the Ames community, 

specifically between scientists and engineers, that make fast-paced, low-cost 

missions successful. The smash hit 

of the Nano ChemSensor Unit is yet 

another ‘small’ step towards getting 

Ames back in the space business.

The Nano ChemSensor Unit is a laboratory in a box. This view shows the N2 gas canister on the left, 

injection valves for the gas to flow over the nano-sensor and electronics board. The actual sensor is not 

shown in this view.

The Nano ChemSensor developed at Ames houses 32 sensors and is about the size of a quarter.

NASA photos
 Astrogram July 2007

During the same week, Ames’ 

Meyya Meyyappan learned two professional organizations honored him 

Meyya Meyyappan wins two honors in one week

for his nanotechnology work. Meyyappan is the chief scientist for exploration technology at Ames’ Center for 

Nanotechnology.

Nanotechnology is the creation 

of materials, devices and systems 

through the control of matter on the 

nanometer scale. A nanometer is 

one-billionth of a meter. Scientists say 

nanotechnology could lead to changes 

in almost everything from computers and medicine, to automobiles and 

spacecraft.

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc., (IEEE), granted 

Meyyappan the 2008 Judith A. Resnick 

Award, and the American Vacuum 

Society elected him as a fellow for, 

“outstanding and sustained contributions to processing and applications of 

carbon nanotubes, and plasma modeling and simulation.”

“Meyya has put together a tremendous nanotechnology program for 

Ames,” said Charles A. Smith, chief of 

Ames’ Space Technology Division. “It 

doesn’t surprise me that he is being 

recognized for his exceptional nanotechnology work by his colleagues 

across the world,” Smith added.

The Resnick award includes the 

citation, “For the development of 

nanoscience and technology in aerospace applications and his leadership 

in nanotechnology.”

The IEEE Board of Directors established the Resnick Award in 1986 to 

recognize outstanding contributions 

to space engineering, according to an 

IEEE publication. The award honors 

IEEE member Resnik, who perished 

when the space shuttle Challenger, 

exploded in January 1986. The award 

includes a bronze medal, certificate 

and honorarium.

by John Bluc

Dr. Stephanie Langhoff, chief scientist at NASA Ames, beamed while 

introducing Dr. David Morrison to 

NASA Ames employees who were 

gathered in the Space Sciences auditorium in early July to hear his colloquium, ‘Impacts and Evolution.’ During 

his presentation, Morrison highlighted 

numerous accomplishments and honors, such as having an asteroid, 2410 

Morrison, named after him. Morrison, 

hands balanced akimbo on the lapel of 

his blazer, smiled at the great turn-out, 

and apologized to those unable to attend, due to lack of seating. 

Citing the Alvarez Hypothesis, 

which claims an impact killed the 

dinosaurs, as an example of one of the 

many mass extinctions that punctuate life on Earth, Morrison 

went on to explain how 

vast and sudden impacts 

affect the understanding of 

evolution. As opposed to 

Darwinism, where competition and gradual changes 

determine survival, he 

redefines evolution as an 

interplay between static 

survival and the ability to 

survive a catastrophe. 

Morrison impressed 

attendees with the fact 

that Near Earth Asteroids 

(NEAs) frequently enter the Earth’s 

atmosphere with a force equal to 

“Hiroshima” and that detection is key 

to preventing a cataclysmic impact. 

According to Morrison, NASA’s 

Space Guard Discovery Program has 

reduced the probability of the Earth 

being hit by an undetected asteroid 

by 75 percent. Impact disasters have 

Ames’ David Morrison discusses diverting mass extinction

by Rachel Pruce

Dr. David Morrison (above) speaking during 

the recent ‘Impacts and Evolution’ colloquium 

he presented to a full house of attendees (right 

photo) at the center.

NASA photos by Dominic Hart

Meyya Meyyappan, is the winner of the Institute of Electrical 

and Electronics Engineers, Inc., 2008 Judith A. Resnick 

Award and also an American Vacuum Society fellowship 

award for his nanotechnology work at Ames.

NASA photo

the greatest severity of all natural 

disasters, Morrison said, but because 

they are also the most predictable, an 

impact is avoidable by changing the 

NEA’s orbit. 

Because humans are not immune 

to the inevitable threat of a major 

impact, Morrison ended his presentation by asking who should assume or 

be trusted with the responsibility of 

protecting the “stability of civilization 

itself” and how to affect planetary 

defense to reinforce that, without 

discovering and accounting for an 

NEA ahead of time, the only warning 

would be two seconds: a flash of light 

before the Earth shakes.
 Astrogram July 2007

by Key Dismuk

Three Ames scientists have recently published a book that sheds new 

light on the causes of airline accidents 

and points to ways to reduce accident rates. ‘The Limits of Expertise: 

Rethinking Pilot Error and the Causes 

of Airline Accidents,’ (Ashgate, 2007), 

by Key Dismukes, Ben Berman and 

Loukia Loukopoulos, is the product of 

a five-year study in which the authors 

analyzed 19 recent major U.S. airline 

accidents in which accident investigators found crew error to be causal. 

Most aviation accidents are attributed to pilot error, but this is often 

misinterpreted as evidence of lack 

of skill or discipline by the accident 

pilots -- “they lacked the right stuff.” 

This misinterpretation has been an impediment to improving aviation safety. 

The authors show that errors made by 

experts, such as airline pilots, are best 

understood as the result of the ways in 

which task demands, events, human 

cognitive processes and organizational 

factors interact. 

The cockpit crews in these accidents appear to have been representative of the population of non-accident 

pilots in experience, training, and skill, 

and were generally well-regarded by 

their peers. Thus, the approach of this 

book was to ask why might any highly 

experienced crew involved in a similar 

situation as the accident crew, knowing only what the accident crew knew 

at each moment, been vulnerable to 

performing in much the same way as 

the accident crew.

Each accident is examined in a 

separate chapter that describes the 

sequence of events and actions stepby-step and analyzes the cognitive 

processes and organizational forces 

likely to have influenced the accident 

sequence. The last chapter identifies 

themes that cut across the set of accidents, discusses the role of chance, 

criticizes simplistic concepts of causality of accidents, and suggests ways to 

reduce vulnerability to these catastrophes. The book begins with a foreword by Carl Vogt, former chair of the 

National Transportation Safety Board. 

Although focusing on pilot performance and airline accidents, the principles developed in the book apply to 

any area of skilled performance, such 

as medicine or nuclear power plant 

operation. The analysis of organizational factors is relevant to any organization, including NASA, that must 

Ames scientists’ book sheds light on airline accidents

A ‘Launch into Technology’ media day recently was held at Ames as part of a week-long science 

program focused on robotics and aeronautics activities for 50 high-school-aged Girl Scouts. During 

the program, the scouts interacted with Ames experts and participated in hand-on activities, ranging from wind tunnel experiments and demonstrations of flight simulators, to instruction in robot 

design and a robotics competition. KGO-TV, the San Jose Mercury News and the Palo Alto Daily 

News covered the event.

The recently published book ‘The Limits of Expertise: Rethinking Pilot Error and the Causes 

of Airline Accidents,’ was written by three 

Ames scientists, Key Dismukes, Ben Berman 

and Loukia Loukopoulos. The book discusses 

the causes of airline accidents and how to reduce 

them.

Girl Scouts ‘Launch into Technology’ day held at Ames

conduct missions safely in the face of 

diverse and not always predictable 

threats. 

NASA photos by Dominic Hart
 Astrogram July 2007

Friends celebrate anniversary of the passing of Paul Callahan

This year is the second anniversary 

of the passing of Dr. Paul X. Callahan, 

the former NASA Ames Life Sciences 

Data Archive project manager and 

Science Directorate computer security officer, who passed away on July 

14, 2005 at the age of 71. His family, 

friends and many NASA colleagues 

gathered soon after, at the Duggan 

Funeral home, for a memorial service 

that fittingly had the spirit of an Irish 

wake - a mix of faith, tears, stories and 

above all, humor. In tribute of his 39 

years of service to NASA, Callahan’s 

colleagues would like to share some of 

his life achievements. 

Callahan was born in Kearny, N.J. 

and grew up in a close, traditional, 

Irish family. In 1959, he received a 

Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Louisville. He began his career 

at Ames in 1966, following research 

fellowships at the University of California at San Francisco and Stanford 

University. At Ames, he served as a 

research scientist, animal colony director, student space biology research 

program director, life sciences facility 

safety manager, life sciences payload 

project manager for Spacelab Mission3 (SL-3), chief of the Science Operations Branch and Life Sciences Data 

Archive (LSDA) project manager. 

These many roles suited him well, 

as evidenced by his becoming an 

Eagle Scout during his youth. Callahan always had unlimited curiosity 

and the desire to pursue and underby Barbara N

stand new things.His reputation for 

this became known across Ames and 

he was invited to be on a large number 

of flight payload review teams and 

contractor competition reviews - a task 

not relished by many people, because 

of the long hours and extensive study 

of documents required. Callahan and 

NASA were truly a good combination. 

During his career, Callahan published more than 60 papers and abstracts in the areas of chemistry, physiology, enzymology, hardware design 

and project management. He was a 

member of numerous professional and 

honor societies and received several 

awards, including the NASA special 

achievement, performance, and group 

achievement awards, and the Federal Employee Distinguished Service 

Award. 

His significant accomplishments 

included successfully managing the 

design, development and implementation of the first major Ames shuttle 

payload (SL-3); supporting design 

and development of prototypes for 

the Research Animal Holding Facility 

and the General Purpose Workstation; 

and for over a decade, managing the 

development of the Ames repository 

of life sciences data and reusable preserved biosamples. 

Callahan recognized early on the 

need to capture and make available 

the expanding NASA-sponsored space 

life sciences research information 

and later worked with NASA Headquarters to develop the LSDA. Visit 

http://lsda.jsc.nasa.gov for information about the archive. He became 

the Ames Life Science Data Archive 

project manager and led the collection 

effort over the next 10 years until his 

passing. For information about the 

Ames Life Science Data Archive, visit 

http://alsda.arc.nasa.gov. Through 

Callahan’s dedicated efforts, the LSDA 

is now a mature archive and source for 

NASA flight and ground life science 

experiment information.

In addition to Callahan’s many 

technical contributions, he also was a 

mentor and friend to many aspiring 

students. He was a tireless volunteer 

in numerous worthy causes, including 

judging youth science fairs, the Hertz 

Foundation Fellowship awards, troop 

leader for the Boy Scouts of America, 

a Pacific Junior Rifles instructor to several Olympic-level aspirants at Pacific 

Rod and Gun Club, task force member 

to preserve Lake Merced and a supervisor-teacher-counselor to many 

interns at Ames. 

In tribute to Callahan, the Ames 

community extends their heartfelt 

thanks to Callahan’s family, his wife 

Pat of 46 years; children Paul and Paulette; grandchildren Megan and Paul; 

sister Lynn Williams and niece, Jennifer Williams. He is greatly missed by 

his NASA Ames colleagues.

Dr. Paul X. Callahan

NASA photo

Edgar ‘Don’ Madden, an employee of NASA Ames for 20 years, 

passed away Feb. 16, 2007, after 

complications from a debilitating 

stroke in July of 2003. 

Madden was a 21-year Navy 

veteran and a Pearl Harbor survivor 

and who also served in the South 

Pacific and the Korean war. He also 

participated in atomic bomb testing, 

along with tours of duty in the Philippines and China. Later, Madden 

was stationed at the Pearl Harbor 

In Memory of . . .

Edgar ‘Don’ Madden

submarine base. 

He was employed at NASA 

Ames from 1957 through 1977 as an 

electronic technician in the electronic instrumentation shop. Madden 

enjoyed his years there and was 

proud to be a part of the many different and interesting projects that 

he particiapted in. He is survived 

by his wife of 63 years, Jo Madden, 

and his sons, Ed and Dwain, and 

Dwain’s friend, Ginger. 
 Astrogram July 2007

More than 30 friends and colleagues from across Ames gathered at 

Michaels at Shoreline on June 13 for 

a farewell luncheon to honor Danny 

Sallas, an information technology systems administrator for Perot Systems, 

who retired June 15 after 40 years of 

service. 

Bill Preston, senior Airspace Operations specialist for Perot Systems, 

presented Sallas with a congratulatory 

letter from President and Mrs. George 

Bush. “As you celebrate this milestone, I hope you will take pride in 

your accomplishments and dedicated 

service,” the letter reads. “Laura and I 

send our best wishes for an enjoyable 

retirement.” 

Sallas also received a congratulatory letter from Representative Zoe 

Lofgren (D-San Jose) and an American 

flag. The flag was flown for Sallas over 

the U.S. Capitol Building on May 24 in 

recognition of his retirement after 40 

years of service to NASA Ames. An 

inscribed Movado desk clock was also 

given to him as a special gift from his 

friends and colleagues.

Michael Swiger, program manager 

for Perot Systems, presented Sallas 

with a letter of appreciation from 

Ross Perot, chairman Emeritus of the 

board of Perot Systems Corporation. 

“I want to thank you personally for 

your service to our country and to 

NASA,” the letter reads. “Forty years 

of dedication to the noble goals of the 

foremost space exploration organization in the world is an impressive 

legacy. If memory serves, you would 

have started when NASA itself was 

only nine years old, and your service 

spanned the entire Apollo program, 

through the space shuttles, myriad 

unmanned exploration programs and 

the International Space Station.”

Aeronautics Projects Office Branch 

Chief Lynda Haines presented Sallas 

with a NASA plaque in recognition of 

40 years of service to Ames. Haines 

praised Sallas for “his years of dedication and countless nights and weekends” and called him one of the “most 

talented people I know.” 

Mike Landis, project manager for 

the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NGATS) Air Traffic 

Management (ATM) Airspace Project, presented a NASA Certificate of 

Appreciation signed by Ames Center 

Director S. Pete Worden and thanked 

Sallas for his “superb work” supporting NASA research activities. 

The 58-year-old Sallas first began 

working at Ames in 1966 as a 17-yearold intern with the Neighborhood 

Youth Corp work study program 

while still attending Cupertino High 

School. Sallas subsequently joined 

Computer Usage Corporation as 

a full-time employee at Ames on 

June 2, 1967, immediately following 

graduation. Over the years, he has also 

worked for Programming Methods, 

Informatics, Sterling Software, Raytheon, QSS Group and Perot Systems. 

Sallas said he is excited about his 

retirement and is “so looking forward 

to starting the next phase of my life.” 

“The dance at Ames was fantastic. I 

now look forward to new adventures 

in the future.”

An avid gardener, chef, baker, 

and do-it-yourselfer, Sallas plans to 

remodel parts of his San Jose home 

and is already enrolled in classes this 

fall to learn more about his passion in 

interior and landscape design. He also 

hopes to achieve his re-certification 

with Apple Computer. With homes in 

Maricopa, Ariz., San Jose and Hemet, 

Calif., future plans include more frequent travel, including to his father’s 

homeland in Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico 

and to his mother’s birthplace in Kaui, 

Hawaii. He also plans to spend more 

time with his brothers, John, Jim and 

Joe and sister, Mary, as well as with 

friends, his son Johnny, daughter-inlaw Dina and three grandchildren. 

“Life has been, and is good, and by 

nature I only look forward not back,” 

he said. “The future looks amazing 

indeed.” 

by Patricia Car

IT systems administrator retires after four decades at Ames

photo by Nicola Windmueller

Danny Sallas, an information technology systems 

administrator for Perot Systems at Ames, retired 

recently after 40 years of service at the center.

NASA photo by Paul Langston

The African American Advisory Group (AAAG) barbecue was held at Chase Park on June 28. The menu consisted of ribs, chicken, 

baked beans, green salad, garlic bread and an variety of desserts. As a very special welcome to all the Ames students, the Office of the 

Director and the Ames Exchange sponsored students at the center to attend the BBQ. Door prizes were also available for students. A 

great time was had by all who attended and enjoyed the great music and delicious food.

Popular annual AAAG BBQ held
 Astrogram July 2007

Recently, Ames recognized 29 

employees for their outstanding accomplishments in improving health 

and safety. 

ASAP II was established to recognize employee actions, behavior 

and/or job performance that result in 

improved health and safety conditions 

at the center.

There are four levels of awards, 

tier four being the highest level of 

achievement. The ASAP II board 

evaluates each nomination and selects 

the tier level that most represents the 

actions and accomplishments of that 

nomination.

Three different teams received a 

Tier Level 3 award, the highest team 

award for this semester. 

The Nanomaterials Safety Committee nomination, which consists of 

four employees, was recognized for 

their collaborative research with safety 

and health professionals to develop 

guidance for safe handling of new 

materials.

The Tessada/SCSC Safety and 

Occupational Health Committee is a 

five-member team, from three different contracts. The committees 

commitment and on-going efforts in 

employee safety and health have culminated in the Tessada/SCSC contract 

operating a full year without incurring 

any reportable/recordable injuries or 

vehicles mishaps. This is a particularly 

outstanding achievement when you 

review the “hands-on” types of jobs, 

requiring daily physical exertion, this 

includes: mail services, shipping and 

receiving, moving services, transportation management and janitorial 

services.

The Emergency Disaster Support 

team consists of three employees who 

were recognized for their efforts in the 

preparation and creation of pre-assembled emergency preparedness kits, 

which could be readily available for 

quick deployment with emergency 

responder personnel. This included 

the receipt of 89 pallets of materials, 

inventory, sorting, assembly, storage 

preparation and storage of materials.

Tier Level 3 - Individual awards

Tony Baca

John Thomas

Al Vitali

Tier Level 3 - Team awards

Nanomaterials Safety Committee

Tomoko Ishihara

Alan Cassell

Jessica Koehne

David Loftus

Tessada/SCSC Safety & Occupational 

Health Committee

Greg Bennett

Terry Reichert

Jon Talbot

Steve Perry

Shawn Puma

Emergency Disaster Support Team

Gregory Descoteau

Claudio Martinez

Stephen Burns

Tier Level 2 - Individual awards

Steve Frankel

Nicola Windmueller

Tier Level 2 - Team awards

Systems Administration Team

Costandi Wahhab

Oleg Mitine

Nick Bartos

Lester Barrows

Samir Khouri

Sam Kim

Carson Little

Ryan Nelson

BEAP Update Team

Merle Simbe

John Segreto

Tier Level 1 - Individual awards

Vytas SunSpiral

Bob Lopez

Tier Level 1 - Team awards

None

Each of these employees and teams 

was nominated by their colleagues for 

their outstanding actions and accomplishments in improving health and 

safety conditions at Ames. 

Ames Safety Awards Program (ASAP) II awards presented

Recently, Dr. Christopher Potter, a senior research scientist in the Earth Science Division, recently presented a Director’s Colloquium entitled ‘Studying Global Warming’s Impacts and the Uncertain Future 

of the Biosphere.’ This was the third in a series of 10 colloquia in the Director’s Colloquium Summer 

Series. Potter summarized the scientific evidence for past, present and future changes in Earth’s biosphere related to global warming. He also discussed applications of satellite data analysis and computer 

simulation modeling at NASA Ames to climate impact studies.

Potter discusses global warmingNASA photo by Dominic Hart
 Astrogram July 2007

“My commute is just about perfect. 

It takes only nine minutes by CalTrain 

express to Mountain View. Then, I 

just bike down Moffett Boulevard 

with an old bike I bought on the Web 

on Craigslist for $100. It is definitely 

quicker and cheaper to leave the car 

at home and I get a little exercise too,” 

said Mark McKelvey of Code S. 

In support of biking commuters 

and Ames’ numerous biking enthusiasts, NASA Ames management, organizations and the Ames Bicycling Club 

(ABC) have spent considerable effort 

to make the Moffett Research Park and 

Ames friendlier to bicylists.

Ames improves bicycling safety at the center

The past few months have seen 

significant safety improvements, 

thanks to the efforts of Steve Frankel, 

Plant Engineering branch chief (Code 

RCM); John Panella, Occupational 

Safety Team Lead (Code QH) and the 

Ames Safety Committee, which 

arranged replacements of several 

dangerous storm grates on Moffett 

Research Park roads.

“The old grates were a considerable hazard to bikers and anyone 

who rode into one of these was 

in danger of flipping instantly. It 

is great to be rid of them and we 

owe a huge thanks to the Facilities 

Group for this considerable safety 

improvement,” said Pat Grant of 

the ABC. 

A covered bike area now serves 

Santa Clara VTA light rail commuters just inside the Ellis gate, 

thanks to Steve Eisele, of Facilities Group, AMTI/CSC (Code TN). 

Eisele arranged for the donation of 

the shed from Sunnyvale Toy’s-R-Us 

and volunteers from Ames and the 

ABC disassembled and reassembled 

it and added rain shields on the sides. 

In agreement with Dirk Meier of the 

Ames Security Office, any Moffettbound commuter may store his or her 

bike there. Meier said that “all bike 

bags and panniers must be removed. 

Only wire racks and baskets that can 

be seen through are allowed to stay on 

bikes” for security concerns.

 For those needing bike routes, the 

ABC maintains bike route information in the library. To provide education on safe biking, the ABC provided 

Code Q with a copy of ‘Street Smarts,’ 

a bike safety video that is used as 

part of safety orientation for summer 

students, interns and new employees. For further information about 

the ABC, visit http://www/geocities.

com/abc_bike_club/amesbicycleclub.

html.

The newly installed bike shelter at Ames 

located just inside the Ellis gate.

The replaced bike grate at the center improves safety for 

bike riders at Ames.

photo by Pat Grant 

by Ted Roush and Patrick 

NASA Ames employees have 

started the migration to the NOMAD 

(NASA Operational Messaging and 

Directory) system. Code JT volunteered to migrate first and is now on 

the new e-mail system. The NOMAD 

migration process will be implemented in a phased approach by organization.

• Phase I (June 2007 through

 October 2007):

Client installation (Outlook/Entourage) is accomplished, e-mail continues to be obtained locally and optional 

Eudora e-mail migration will be at 

user’s discretion and cost.

• Phase II (July 2007 through

 November 2007):

E-mail accounts are migrated to 

agency NOMAD servers and e-mail is 

obtained from an agency data center.

New e-mail system is here!

• Phase III (September 2007):

 Individuals migrate Oracle

 Calendar data to Microsoft

 Calendar

• November 2007: Project completed! 

Everyone at the center is on NOMAD, 

Oracle Calendar is decommissioned 

and the Eudora client is no longer supported.

There are numerous benefits of the 

NOMAD system across the agency 

including unified messaging and calendaring, instant messaging, file-sharing capabilities and an agency-wide 

global address list. In addition, the 

new system will provide single password sign-on for calendar, e-mail and 

file sharing capabilities.

• Start getting prepared:

 • Non-ODIN systems - check that 

your system meets desktop configuration standards http://desktop-standards.nasa.gov by Vonnie Simon

 • Review X.500 information and 

make any necessary corrections at ARCAPPS https://arcapps.arc.nasa.gov.

 • Start using your OneNASA (First.

M.Last@nasa.gov) e-mail address for 

business cards and e-mail.

 • Obtain a Satern account to access 

Web based training https://satern.

nasa.gov.

 • Review additional training materials posted on ARC NOMAD Web site 

http://nomad.arc.nasa.gov.

Employees will continue to receive 

communications regarding the NOMAD system including scheduling 

specifics for your migration. For more 

information or to submit questions, 

please refer to the Ames NOMAD Web 

site at http://nomad.arc.nasa.gov. 

There will also be events to offer demonstrations of features and assistance 

to all users. Stay tuned for your code 

migration schedule!
10 Astrogram July 2007

Ames Child Care Center (ACCC) is 

holding it’s 11th Charity Golf Tournament on Aug. 17 at the Moffett Field 

Golf Course. The ACCC is a National 

Association for the Education of Young 

Children (NAEYC) accredited child care 

and preschool serving the NASA Ames 

and surrounding communities. 

Registration fee for the golf tournament is $75 per person, with registrations 

due Aug. 10. The fee includes a round 

of golf, lunch before the tournament and 

one raffle ticket per player. Registration forms can be downloaded from the 

ACCC Web site: http://accc.arc.nasa.gov. 

Corporate sponsorship information is 

also available on the Web site. 

Tournament format will be a fourperson scramble (best shot from each 

team used for each stroke.) Prizes will 

ACCC to host Charity Golf Tournament

be awarded to the teams with the lowest 

three net scores and the lowest gross 

score.

• 12:00 p.m. - Registration 

• 1:00 p.m. - Shotgun start 

• 5:00 p.m. - Hors d’Oeuvres and

 Post-Tournament Raffle 

The proceeds from this tournament 

will be used towards playground construction and improvements at the ACCC 

facility. 

Visit the ACCC Web site at http://

accc.arc.nasa.gov or e-mail saverma@

mail.arc.nasa.gov for more information 

about the tournament, or send an email to mhdavis@arc.nasa.gov for more 

information about the ACCC. 

With recent temperatures soaring into the triple digits, you may be 

wondering what you can do to get 

relief. Before heading into the nearest 

air-conditioned building, consider the 

answer at your fingertips: reducing 

your car use.

Each year, cars contribute significantly to heat-trapping pollution. An 

average household with two mediumsized sedans emits more than 20,000 

pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) 

annually; pollution that can stay in the 

atmosphere for decades. Visit the site 

FightGlobalWarming.org at http://

www.fightglobalwarming.com/page.

cfm?tagID=263

How much does your commute 

cost and much does your commute 

affect the environment? Use this commute cost and emissions calculator to 

do the math: http://rideshare.511.

org/calculator/default.asp? 

Want to reduce your car use and 

save money? Local counties and state 

agencies have teamed up to help you 

find convenient ways to commute.

 

Spare the air and ride for free!

To promote transit use this sum- mer, the Air District and MTC are 

partnering with 29 transit operators to 

offer four free commute days. Between 

now and Oct. 12, on the first four 

Spare the Air, non-holiday weekdays, 

ride free on BART, CalTrain, ACE 

Train and all Bay Area ferries until 1:00 

p.m., and on Bay Area bus systems all 

day! For details, visit 511.org.

 

Carpool and earn $$ toward gas 

Cut your monthly commute costs and time in half. Carpooling is a flex- ible and convenient way to get where 

you need to go, and if you commute 

over Bay Area bridges, you can cross 

toll-free. Carpool as many days as 

you want, one-way or roundtrip. All 

you need is one or two other people 

to make it work. Carpool with neighbors, co-workers, family, friends from 

the gym, or sign up free with the 511 

RideMatch Service to instantly locate 

people who live and work nearby to 

share commutes. 

Occasionally, counties offer special 

promotions providing money-saving 

gas cards to carpoolers who carpool 

three or more days to work each week. 

See the Web site 511.org for information.

 

Take advantage of auto insurance 

discounts

Often insurance companies give 

discounts to drivers who drive below 

the average number of miles per year. 

You may be eligible for a discount, if 

you:• Carpool

• Use public transportation

• Drive an economy car or offset

 some of your car use by biking

 

Consult your insurer for eligibility and 

savings.

 

Save with new FasTrak-only lanes 

and free tolls

This month, more cash lanes 

convert to FasTrak-only lanes on stateowned bridges in the Bay Area (AnHere’s how to spare the air -- and your wallet

by April Nei

tioch, Benicia-Martinez, Carquinez, 

Dumbarton, Richmond-San Rafael, 

San Francisco-Oakland Bay and San 

Mateo-Hayward Bridges). Open a new FasTrak account before Aug. 31 and receive $5 in free 

tolls. Pick up your toll tag at select 

Safeway or Costco stores and receive 

even more free tolls offered by American Express for customers who opt 

to use an American Express® Card to 

replenish their new FasTrak account. 

Visit 511.org.

To learn more about Ames environmental sustainability initiatives, go 

to http://q.arc.nasa.gov/qe/

From the Web site ‘511.org’ you can check out the ‘Commute Cost and Emissions Calculator’ at http://rideshare.511.org/calculator/
11 Astrogram July 2007

On May 11, the Ames Protective Services Office, at the request of Center Director Pete Worden, 

held a center-wide disaster drill known as the Great 

Worden Quake, a simulated 7.3 earthquake. Ames 

photographers Eric James, Dominic Hart, Cesar 

Acosta, John Schultz and Paul Langston captured 

the action throughout the day. The feedback and 

‘lessons learned’ from that day are being reviewed 

and will be presented to staff in the next few weeks, 

as preparations get underway for the Great Worden 

Quake of 2008.

Employees enjoy an outdoor lunch sponsored by the Ames Exchange following the Great Worden Quake exercise.

Ames remembers the ‘Great Worden Quake’ of 2007

A supervisor accounts for employees on her 

building emergency action plan roster.

An injured earthquake ‘victim’ 

shows her ‘injuries.’

DART members undergo 

decontamination following a 

simulated toxic 

chemical spill at 

Moffett in the 

aftermath of the 

‘Great Worden 

Quake.’

Emergency Operations Center Director Phil Snyder 

talks to members of the Ames Executive Council 

about conditions at Ames after the ‘earthquake.’

Employees evacuate their building and walk toward the 

Hangar 211 tarmac after the simulated earthquake.

Members of DART remove an ‘injured’ 

person following the simulated 7.3 earthquake on May 11.

Sporting black clothing and a 

‘skull and crossbones’ tie, signifying that he was deceased, Ames 

Center Director S. Pete Worden 

observes the crowd on the tarmac.

Employees on 

the Hangar 211 

tarmac await 

additional details 

of the earthquake 

from Acting Center Director Steve 

Zornetzer.

Moffett Field 

firefighters assist 

acrew member of 

the C-130 aircraft 

‘damaged’ in an 

emergency landing at Moffett 

Field following 

the ‘Great Worden 

Quake.’

NASA photo by Dominic Hart

NASA photo by Dominic Hart

NASA photo by Dominic Hart NASA photo by Dominic Hart

NASA photo by Dominic Hart

NASA photo by Paul Langston

NASA photo by Paul Langston

NASA photo by John Schultz

NASA photo by Eric James

NASA photo by Cesar Acosta
12 Astrogram July 200

Ames emergency 

announcements

To hear the centerwide status record- ing, call (650) 604-9999 for informa- tion announcements and emergency 

instructions for Ames employees. You 

can also listen to 1700 KHz AM radio 

for the same information.

Ames Ongoing Monthly Events Calendar

Security/Law Enforcement Activity

Fire Protection Activity

A statistical summary of activities of the Protective Services Division’s 

Security/Law Enforcement and Fire Protection Services units for the month 

of June 2007 is shown below.

Protective Services monthly activity

Ames Amateur Radio Club, third Thursday 

of each month, 12 noon, N-T28 (across from 

N-255). POC: Michael Wright, KG6BFK, at ext. 

4-6262. 

Ames Ballroom Dance Club, Classes on 

Tuesdays. Beginning classes meet at 5:15 p.m. 

Higher-level class meets at 5:50 p.m. Held in 

Bldg. 944, the Rec. Center. POC: Helen Hwang 

at helen.hwang@nasa.gov, ext. 4-1368.

Ames Bicycling Club, Every 3rd Wednesday 

of the month. The meeting location is Building 

N-245 Auditorium, 12 noon - 1 p.m. Contact 

Julie Nottage at jnottage@mail.arc.nasa.gov, ext. 

4-3711. By-laws of Ames Bicycling Club can 

be found at http://zen.arc.nasa.gov; the link is 

right under the picture.

Ames Bowling League, Homestead Lanes on 

Thursday nights at 6:20 p.m. Seeking substitute 

bowlers. Questions to sign up: Mike Liu at ext. 

4-1132. 

Ames Child Care Center Board of Directors Mtg, every other Monday in N-262/Rm 

180 from 1- 2:30 p.m. POC: Sally Miller, ext. 

4-5411.

Ames Contractor Council Mtg, first Wednesday each month, 11 a.m., N-200, Committee 

Room. POC: Chris Johnson, ext. (650) 938-

8017.

Ames Federal Employees Union (AFEU) Mtg, 

third Wednesday of ea. month, 12 p.m. to 1 

p.m., Bldg. 221, Rm 104. Guests welcome. 

Info at: http://www.afeu.org. POC: Marianne 

Mosher, ext. 4-4055.

Ames Mac Support Group Mtg, third Tuesday 

of ea. month, 11:30 a.m.to 1 p.m., Bldg. N262, 

Rm 180. POC: Tony ext. 4-0340.

Ames Model Aircraft Club, flying radio-controlled aircraft at the north end of Parsons Ave. 

on weekend mornings. POC: Mark Sumich, 

ext. 4-6193.

Ames Sailing Club Mtg, second Thursday of 

ea. month (March through Nov), from 12:00 

p.m. -1:00 p.m. in Bldg. N-262, Rm 100. URL: 

http://sail.arc.nasa.gov/. POC: Becky Hooey, 

ext. 4-2399.

Environmental Forum, first Thursday every 

other month, 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., Bldg. 

218/2nd floor training room. URL: http://q/

qe/events/EHSseries/ POC: Stacy St. Louis 

at ext. 4-6810.

The Hispanic Advisory Committee for Excellence (HACE) Mtg, first Thurs of month in 

N255 room 101C from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. 

POC: Eric Kristich at ext. 4-5137 and Mark 

Leon at ext. 4-6498.

Jetstream Toastmasters, Mondays, 12 p.m. to 

1 p.m., N-269/Rm.179. POC: Miwa Hayashi at 

ext. 4-1397, mhayashi@mail.arc.nasa.gov, Web: 

http://jetstream.freetoasthost.com

Native American Advisory Committee Mtg, 

fourth Tues each month, 12 noon to 1 p.m., 

Bldg. 19, Rm 1096. POC: Mike Liu at ext. 

4-1132.

 Safety Data 

 NASA-Ames Occupational

 Illness-Injury Data for 

 Calendar Year-to-Date 2007

 Jan. 1, 2007 – June 30, 2007

 Civil Contractors

 Servants

 

 First aid cases 5 10

 Lost Workday cases 0 1

 Recordable cases 0 1

 Restricted duty days 0 0

 Above data are as of June 30, 2007. 

 May be subject to slight adjustment in

 the event of a new case or new informa- 

 tion regarding an existing case.
13 Astrogram July 200

Ames Classifieds Exchange Information

Beyond Galileo Gift Shop N-235 in 

the cafeteria , 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., ext. 4-6873

Don’t forget to purchase your baby shower, birthday, holiday gifts at Ames’ two gift shops!

Mega Bites Cafeteria N-235, 6 a.m. to 

2 p.m., ext. 4-5969/Catering ext. 4-2161

Visitor Center Gift Shop N-943 

M-F, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., ext. 4-5412

NASA logo merchandise, souvenirs, toys, gifts and 

educational items. 

Vacation Opportunities

Information about products, services and opportunities provided to the employee and contractor 

community by the Ames Exchange Council. Visit 

the web site at: http://exchange.arc.nasa.gov

NASA Lodge (N-19) 603-7100

Tickets, etc... N-943 outside the main gate, 

10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., ext. 4-5412 and Beyond 

Galileo, 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. ext. 4-6873

See daily menu at: http://exchange.arc.nasa.gov

The pool is heated year round! The pool is currently available for lap swim, pool parties and 

special events. POC -Chana Langley, Pool Manager 

(650) 603-8025. Memberships: single memberships: $40/yr. Family memberships: $60/yr. After 

purchasing a membership, there is an entrance fee: 

daily entrance fee - $3/day or lap pass fee - $40 for 

20 uses. Platinum membership - $360/yr. (no daily 

fee). Special events: include military training, swim 

team events, kayak role practice, etc. The cost for 

special events is $50/hr.

Ames Swim Center (N-109) 603-8025

Astrogram deadlines

Please submit articles, calendar and 

classified advertisements to astrogram@mail.arc.nasa.gov no later than 

the 10th of each month. If this falls on 

a weekend or holiday, then the following business day becomes the deadline. For Astrogram questions, contact 

Astrid Olson at the aforementioned 

e-mail address or ext. 4-3347. 

Ads for the next issue should be sent to astrogram@

mail.arc.nasa.gov and must be resubmitted for each 

issue. Ads must involve personal needs or items; (no 

commercial/third-party ads) and will run on a spaceavailable basis only. First-time ads are given priority. 

Ads must include home phone numbers; Ames extensions and email addresses will be accepted for carpool 

and lost and found ads only. Due to the volume of 

material received, we are unable to verify the accuracy 

of the statements made in the ads. Caveat emptor! 

RV Lots Available Call to reserve a 

space at (650) 603-7100/01.

 Civilian/Contractors, $50/mo; military $25/mo

Where to stay when you’re too tired to drive home? 

What about the lodge?! Two types of rooms: Bldg. 

19 (43 rooms), rate: $55/night ($5 ea add’l adult); 

Bldg. 583 (150 rooms), rate: $45/night ($5 ea. add’l 

adult) 

Moffett Field Golf Club with ‘Tee minus 

1’ Grill and Sports Bar. Call (650) 603-8026.

Miscellaneous

The Ames Cat Network needs help finding 

homes for cats trapped at Moffett. They range 

from feral to abandoned/lost pets. Tested, 

altered and inoculated. Call Iris at ext. 4-5824 

if you or someone you know are interested in 

fostering or adopting a cat.

Plastic dog crate with gate. Med. size. $10. Optional wooden dog house enclosure for outside 

living. Nancy (510) 657-7543.

1933 Philco console radio, model 18L. Good 

condition. $400 or B/O. E-mail acsullivan@

comcast.net

Nordic Track Classic Pro. The classic cross country skier. New condition. Photos available. $300 

or B/O ($600 new). Sony Trinitron TV. Great 

condition. 20”. Call for details. $150 or B/O. 

Call (831)419-6043.

Lake Tahoe-Squaw Valley Townhse, 3bd/2baequipped, Balcony view, hiking, biking, golf, river 

rafting, tennis, ice skating, and more. Summer 

rates. Call (650) 968-4155, DBMcKellar@aol.com

Bass Lake vacation rental, 4 mls south of Yosemite. 

3bd/1.5 ba, TV, VCR, MW, frplc, BBQ, priv. boat 

dock. Sleeps 8. $1,050/wk. Call (559) 642-3600 or 

(650) 390-9668.

Big Sur vacation rental, secluded 4bd/2ba house 

in canyon setting. Fully eqpd kitchen. Access to 

priv. beach. Tub in patio gdn. Halfway between 

Carmel and Big Sur. $175/night for 2; $225 for 4 

and $250 for more, plus $150 cleaning dep. Call 

(650) 328-4427.

Pine Mountain Lake vacation home. Access to golf, 

tennis, lake, swimming, horseback riding, walk 

to beach. Three bedrooms/sleeps 10. $100/night. 

Call (408) 799-4052 or (831) 623-4054.

Incline Village, Forest Pines, Lake Tahoe condo, 3 

bdrms/2 ba, sleeps 8, fireplace, TVs/VCR/DVD, 

stereo w/CD player, microwv, W/D, jacuzzi, sauna, 

outdoor pool. Walk to lake. Close to ski areas. Visit 

web site for pictures: http://www.ACruiseStore.com 

$135/night spring and fall, $173/night summer and 

winter (holidays higher) plus $125 cleaning fee and 

12 percent Nevada room tax. Charlie (650) 743-8990.

New York, 5th Ave. One fully furnished bedroom 

in 24 hour security bldg. overlooking Washington 

Square Park, $2,000/wk or $3,000/mo. negotiable. 

Call (650) 349-0238.

Paris/France: Fully furnished studio, 5th Arr, Latin 

Quarter, Notre Dame and Lie-St. Louis., $1,400/wk. 

negotiable. Call (650) 349-0238.

Santa Cruz townhouse, 2 bedrooms plus study, 2 

baths, decks, totally furnished, 3 blocks from beach, 

available July, August, September; $1,600 per month. 

Call (831) 423-5777 (H) or (831) 277-8476 (C).

Lake Tahoe cabin rental in Agate Bay, North Shore. 

4bd/3ba tri-level, AEK, cable TVs, fireplace, BBQ, 

deck, sleeps 10. Closest skiing is Northstar, Alpine 

and Squaw. Rates are $375 a weekend, $1,000 a week. 

Call (408) 867-4656.

Florida west coast vacation in St. Petersburg, beautiful 2bd/2ba condo, fully equipped kitchen and furnished, sunset views, 1/4 mile from St. Pete Beach, 

monthly or 2 week minimum rentals only. Call (703) 

299-8889 or e-mail: jdgoehler@aol.com

Maui luxury oceanfront resort one-bedroom condo 

available one week. Rents for $345/night now, 

$495/night in the summer. We will rent to an Ames 

family for $1,750 for the week. See the condo at 

http://www.starwoodvo.com/resorts/villafeatures.

jsp?resortID=12 Call (650) 572-8877 for availabilty 

and questions.

Monterey Bay vacation rental at Pajaro Dunes, 20 

miles south of Santa Cruz, 3bd/2ba beach house 

with distinctive architecture. Beautiful ocean and 

valley views, only 150 ft from the beach, first-class 

tennis courts. $700/wkend, $2,100/wk including 

cleaning by the maid service when you depart. Call 

(408) 252-7260.

South Lake Tahoe large cabin surrounded by 

protected forest, 8 miles from Stateline Sleeps 12 

comfortably, 4 bd/3ba. Hot tub/pool table/65” TV 

Matt (408) 482-5286

South Lake Tahoe cozy home backs up to large open 

meadow, 1 mile from Heavenly Valley. Sleeps 11, 

3 bd/2.5 ba. Large deck with hot tub. Matt (408) 

482-5286.

To and from San Francisco, near SF State, to 

Moffett Field, to start by October 2007. Looking to pay gas but not drive (night blindness). 

Please contact: Diane K. Martin at dmartin@

mail.arc.nasa.gov, ext. 4-0162 or (415)337-7408.

Carpool

2000 Cadillac DeVille, burgundy 4 door with 

76,000 miles for $11,500. Exc. condition w/4 new 

tires and 75K dealer service. Exceptionally clean. 

Gets 25 mls/gal highway at speed limit, Northstar V-8, all accessories, air bags, A/C, power 

seats, windows, door locks (remote ) and steering, leather, CD, tape, etc. Call (925) 933-8706.

Transportation
14 Astrogram July 200

National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration

PLEASE RECYCLE

Printed on recycled and recyclable paper with vegetable-based ink.

FIRST-CLASS

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

PERMIT NO. 85

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA

The Ames Astrogram is an official publication of 

Ames Research Center, National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration.

Managing Editor.......................Michael Mewhinney

Editor, Layout and Design...................Astrid Olson

You can reach the Astrogram Office at: astrogram@

mail.arc.nasa.gov or by phone at (650) 604-3347. 

Astrogram Web site: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/astrogram/2007/07astrograms.html

Ames Research Center

Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000

On Aug. 13, 2007, the agency will 

roll out the Human Capital Information Environment (HCIE) Workforce 

Services Portal to all employees.

What is HCIE? It is an internet 

portal that provides comprehensive 

human resource information for employees. All the human capital information, systems and tools previously 

found on various Web sites, can now 

be accessed with the HCIE Workforce 

Services portal using a single point of 

entry, thanks to the password manager.

 Once employees have set up their 

password manager, they will be able 

to:

Manage Personal Career with:

• SATERN - System for Administra-

 tion, Training and Educational 

 Resources at NASA

• CMS - Competency Management

 System

• NASA STARS - NASA Automated

 Staffing and Recruitment System

• NASA Jobs and USAJobs

Manage Personal Benefits with:

• Employee Express - which now

Human Capital Information Environment (HCIE) coming to Ames

 includes:

 - Federal Employees

 Benefit System (FEBS)

 - Emergency Contact 

 Information (ECI)

View Personal Career and Benefits 

Profiles with:

• FEBS - Federal Employees

 Benefit Statement

• NEPS - NASA Employee Profile

 System

by Sharon Math

Ames will be holding town-hall 

meetings for supervisors and employees Aug. 1 and Aug. 2 in the Bldg. 

N-201 auditorium. Watch for a centerwide e-mail for more details. Drop-in 

clinics for help in accessing the portal 

will be available in August. Effective 

Aug. 13, employees can access the new 

site at: https://hcie.nasa.gov