www.nasa.gov

National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA

April 2006

On the Inside . . .

NASA announced April 10 that a

small, 'secondary payload' spacecraft,

to be developed by a team at NASA

Ames, has been selected for launch in

October 2008 to begin a trip to the moon

to look for precious water ice. Prior to

impacting the moon, the spacecraft will

orbit Earth twice for about 80 days, and

then will strike the lunar south pole in

January 2009.

The smaller secondary payload

spacecraft will begin its trip to the moon

with the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

(LRO) satellite on the same rocket, the

Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle

(EELV), to be launched from Kennedy

Space Center, Florida. The secondary

payload mission spacecraft is called the

Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing

Satellite (LCROSS).

"The LCROSS mission gives the

agency an excellent opportunity to answer the question about water ice on the

moon," said Daniel Andrews of NASA

Ames, whose team proposed the

LCROSS mission. "We think we have

assembled a very creative, highly innovative mission, turning the upper stage

of the rocket that brought us to the moon

into a substantial impactor on the moon."

After launch, the secondary payload LCROSS spacecraft will arrive in

NASA Ames spacecraft to look for ice at lunar south pole

the lunar vicinity independent of the

LRO satellite. On the way to the moon,

the LCROSS spacecraft's two main parts,

the Shepherding Spacecraft (S-S/C) and

the Earth Departure Upper Stage

(EDUS), will remain coupled.

As the spacecraft approaches the

moon's south pole, the upper stage will

separate, and then will impact a crater

in the south pole area. A plume from the

upper stage crash will develop as the

Shepherding Spacecraft heads in toward

the moon. The Shepherding Spacecraft

will fly through the plume, and instruments on the spacecraft will analyze the

cloud to look for signs of water and other

compounds. Additional space and Earthbased instruments also will study the

2.2-million-pound (1000-metric-ton)

plume.

Then, the Shepherding Spacecraft

itself will become an impactor, creating

a second plume visible to lunar-orbiting

continued on page 2

Artist’s concept of the LCROSS upper stage

(appears smaller) followed by the ‘sheparding

satellite,’ before they both impact the moon in

January 2009.

NASA Administrator Michael

Griffin announced on April 21 that

Simon P. "Pete" Worden will be the next

director of NASA's Ames Research Center.

Worden, a retired U.S. Air Force

brigadier general, is a research professor of astronomy at the University of

Arizona, Tucson. Worden is expected

to assume his new duties at Ames in

May.

During his Air Force service,

Worden held director and deputy diWorden named Ames center director

rector level positions with the Air Force

Space Command, where he was responsible for developing new programs, including next generation launch concepts.

He was commander of the 50th Space

Wing, U.S. Air Force Space Command.

He also served as 2nd deputy for technology with the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization, where he received

the NASA Outstanding Leadership

Medal for directing the 1994 Clementine

lunar probe mission.

Worden holds a bachelor's degree in

astronomy from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a doctorate in astronomy from the University of Arizona.

He authored or co-authored more than

150 scientific technical papers in astrophysics, space sciences and strategic

studies and was a co-investigator for

two NASA space science missions.

Simon P. “Pete” Worden was recently

appointed the tenth director of NASA Ames by

NASA’s tenth administrator Michael Griffin.

Photo courtesy US Air Force

BY MICHAEL MEWHINNEY

Page 3 - Christensen delivers all-

 hands talk

Page 5 - Ames’ Mark Leon receives

 prestigious Hispanic award

Page 9 - Upcoming events

Page 10 - NASA scientists study

 health benefits of exercise

 for astronauts

Page 11-Implementation of new

 NASA training form
Astrogram April 2006 2

spacecraft and Earth-based observatories.

"The LCROSS mission will help us

determine if there is water hidden in the

permanently dark craters of the moon's

south pole," said Marvin (Chris)

Christensen, Robotic Lunar Exploration

Program (RLEP) manager, and acting

director of NASA Ames. "If we find

substantial amounts of water ice there, it

could be used by astronauts who later

visit the moon to make rocket fuel,"

Christensen added.

"We'll be able distinguish between

water vapor, water ice and hydrated

minerals like salts or clays that contain

molecularly-bound water," said Tony

Colaprete, LCROSS principal investigator, and a planetary scientist at NASA

Ames. "We'll be able to compare the

moon dirt from the permanently shadowed regions of craters at the lunar south

pole with moon soil samples collected

during the Apollo mission at much lower

latitudes, near the equator. The stuff

inside the dark craters of the south pole

may well be different from what we

found during Apollo," Colaprete observed.

Earlier, NASA had requested proposals internally from its NASA field

centers for existing or reasonably matured concepts for secondary payloads

that would offer cost-effective contributions to RLEP.

To prepare for the return of astronauts to the moon, NASA will conduct

various RLEP robotic missions from 2008

to potentially 2016 to study, to map and

to learn about the lunar surface. These

early missions will help determine lunar landing sites and whether resources,

such as oxygen, hydrogen and metals,

are available for use in NASA's longterm lunar exploration objectives.

"Establishing research stations on

the moon will give us the experience

and capabilities to extend to Mars and

beyond," noted robotics deputy program

manager Butler Hine of Ames.

NASA Ames spacecraft to look for ice at lunar south pole

BY JOHN BLUCK

continued from front page

 NASA photo by Renee Bouchard

During the NASA news conference on April 10, agency officials unveiled the Lunar CRater

Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) which will launch piggyback with the Lunar

Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft in October 2008. On the panel during the conference were (left to

right) Scott Horowitz, associate administrator, Exploration Systems Mission Directorate, NASA HQ;

Daniel Andrews of Ames, the LCROSS-project manager; and Butler Hine of Ames, deputy program

manager, Robotic Lunar Exploration Program (RLEP).

"An exploration science program

with a sustained human presence on the

moon gives us the opportunity to conduct fundamental science in lunar geology, history of the solar system, physics

and the biological response to partial

(Earth) gravity," said Christopher

McKay, lunar exploration program scientist at Ames.

The space agency specified that the

winning proposal must demonstrate an

affordable concept beneficial to RLEP,

according to the document that asked

NASA centers to submit suggestions for

the secondary payload. NASA specified

that the secondary payload mission

should cost no more than $80 million.

NASA also required that the payload

mass not exceed 2,205 pounds (1,000

kilograms).

NASA encouraged its field centers

to team with industry to develop proposals. On Jan. 10, NASA issued a request for information to industry to allow businesses to provide secondary

payload concepts to NASA. Each NASA

center reviewed ideas from industry as

well as secondary payload concepts developed internally. The LCROSS prime

contractor for the spacecraft and the

spacecraft integration is Northrop

Grumman.

NASA asked that the concepts advance the Vision for Space Exploration

to include missions that evolve lunar

science, characterize the lunar environment and support identification sites for

future human missions as well as the

utility of those sites.

The space agency said that it was

looking for missions that demonstrate

technology that could enhance future

exploration, that show operational

schemes to support exploration, that

develop or emplace infrastructure in

support of exploration, that advance

commercial opportunities and those

missions that would collect engineering

data to support the Constellation program. That program is developing

NASA's new spaceship, the Crew Exploration Vehicle.
3 Astrogram April 2006

Christensen upbeat about Ames' future

continued on page 4

Ames' acting director, Marvin "Chris" Christensen, gave a frank but upbeat

talk at a recent ‘all-hands’ meeting.

“The one constant in life is change,”

began Marvin 'Chris' Christensen in his

April 20 all-hands address to a standing-room only crowd in the main Ames

auditorium. In fact, 'change, challenge

and opportunity' were the recurring

themes of his candid, but upbeat, assessment of the status and future of Ames.

“Ames is in a major transition,”

Christensen observed, “and change is

still coming.” While the changes we have

undergone have been challenging and

those remaining are “going to be dramatic,” he noted, “if we embrace them,

they can be positive and improve the

center. We have a great opportunity,”

he concluded.

NASA is more fortunate than most

government agencies, Christensen

pointed out. The president's budget for

NASA is $16.8 billion in FY '07, a 3.2

percent increase over the previous year.

“It's not that there's not support for

NASA,” he said, the issue is “how will

the pie be divvied up?” Ames is facing

its third year of budget challenges, he

noted. In FY '06, Ames' budget is down

$65 million to $657 million, and over 250

civil servants remain without programmatic funding. Ames' budget projection

-- Provides frank assessment; lays out blueprint for success

for FY 07 is $533 million, he said, a

further major reduction.

Exploration is where most of the

funding currently is, and exploration is

“where we're

going to go”

to increase

Ames' budget,

Christensen

added, noting

that Ames must

establish a role in

core NASA programs. Given

all of the changes

in the agency,

Ames' Exploration Technology

directorate

was “unraveling” in 2005,

Christensen said.

But, by finding a

way back into the

“mainstream of

NASA . . . in '06,

this organization

has done a

yeoman's job of

getting back on track.”

Next, Christensen addressed the

budget cuts facing Ames' science programs, the fundamental changes ongoing in aeronautics, and the status of

several key Ames projects, including

Kepler, the Robotic Lunar Exploration

Program (RLEP), and the Stratospheric

Observatory for Infrared Astronomy

(SOFIA).

Funding for SOFIA was zeroed out

for '07 and was reduced by 30 percent

for '06, he said. However, Joel Kearns,

Carol Carroll and their team did an outstanding job during the independent

assessment, he reported. “Reviewers

were impressed with the team,” he said,

and SOFIA has a chance to come back

and be whole. Similarly, Christensen

observed that RLEP passed a December

'05 review of their readiness and preparation to serve as a program office “with

flying colors.”

And the program offices were not

the only groups Christensen singled out

for praise. He also cited the center's mission support organizations, all of which

are pitching in to help the program office save SOFIA and prepare Ames for

future mission management responsibilities. However, there's still a lot of

work to be done, he said. We must ensure that Ames' existing processes are

streamlined to ensure timely completion of mission tasks or “we'll just have

to get other processes,” he observed to

enthusiastic applause. Indeed, at

Christensen's urging, NASA headquarters recently ran a pilot workshop at

Ames designed to perform a joint 'institutional readiness review' of Ames' mission support organizations. The objective is to determine ways to strengthen

Ames' support organizations to enhance

the center's capabilities in project and

mission management.

Christensen laid out a strategy for

Ames' recovery and future strength that

includes developing a 'skunk works' to

build satellites, attracting more work

packages, winning more competitive

proposals, and restoring our reputation

for project management and job completion.

With regard to the skunk works concept, Christensen said Ames will construct a 'satellite center' in building N240

to develop small satellites that cost less

than $250 million. He reported that

NASA Administrator Michael Griffin

not only expressed approval of the skunk

works concept, but also opened the door

to the prospect of Ames taking on even

larger projects.

“But we are going to have to do

things differently, or we'll go out of business,” Christensen declared. “I think

everybody's getting that message.” Center Operations Director Lewis Braxton

and his group have done a great job,

reducing institutional costs by 14 percent, he said. The sale of Camp Parks

provides potentially $6 million to fund

“The future is ours to

shape and to capture.”

NASA photo by Tom Trower
Astrogram April 2006 4 NASA photo by Dominic Hart

Ames' James Strong of Code AOO

shows local television cameramen

where the Protuberance Air Load

(PAL) ramps were located on a 3 percent scale model of the space shuttle

that was tested in the center's Unitary

Wind Tunnel Complex. Reporters

viewed and photographed the model

in the 11-foot-by-11-foot transonic

wind tunnel on March 27.

Wind tunnel tests of the model

completed at NASA Ames will help

the agency decide if the PAL ramps

may be removed from the space

shuttle's external tank before the next

launch, now scheduled for July. At

Ames, wind tunnel tests of the model

were conducted with and without the

PAL ramps. Tests of modified ice frost

ramps on the model also were completed Friday, March 24.

NASA will not draw immediate

conclusions from the Ames PAL ramp

testing on the model. The agency plans

to analyze Ames' wind tunnel data

together with results from tests at

NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland; and data from wind tunnel tests

completed earlier at Arnold Engineering Development Center in Telahoma,

Tenn.

Local media visit 11-foot wind tunnel

BY JOHN BLUCK

continued from page 3

BY JOHN BLUCK AND DAVID MORSE

other facilities, he added. The lease of

the National Full-scale Aerodynamics

Complex (NFAC) to the Department of

Defense will also reduce institutional

costs while maintaining capabilities, he

noted.

Administrator Griffin has repeatedly stated his commitment to NASA

having “ten healthy centers,”

Christensen said. One way that this is

being addressed is through a concept

called 'shared capabilities.' This means

that NASA headquarters will support

facilities that have 'national-level capabilities,' he said, noting that high-end

computing at Ames is already funded

through this mechanism. The Ames arc

jets, 20-G centrifuge, Vertical Motion

Simulator and other facilities are currently under consideration for funding

by Headquarters through this avenue,

he added.

With regards to new work packages

and projects at Ames, Christensen said

that it is not only important to get new

work for the center, it is also vitally

important that we meet our commitments and deliver. “If we get new work

and we don't get the job done, we'll be in

trouble,” he said. Ames is not perceived

as having “very strong project and program management . . . we've got to

change that,” he added.

Christensen noted that the

workforce level is still a major concern

for 2007, with 280 to 300 uncovered

people projected for that year. We're not

going to survive if we don't find productive, funded work for these people,

Christensen said. It is imperative that

“healthy centers . . . re-delegate work to

Glenn, Langley and Ames.” There are

preliminary work packages under discussion that could bring about 150 'newwork' positions to Ames from Kennedy,

Marshall, and Johnson, Christensen

noted. Headquarters is also evaluating a

number of other Ames proposals for

new work, he said.

In addition, Ames' New Business

Council is helping the center to strategize

its marketing efforts with respect to proposals and other areas. This includes

actively seeking out reimbursable opportunities with other agencies that bring

both near-term funding and could result in future contributions to the NASA

mission. Christensen also said that Ames'

new Space Portal activity will create

innovative opportunities in NASA commercialization, and foster relationships

with industry, particularly the entrepreneurial space industry, that will contribute to our small satellite work.

Christensen warned, however, that

the notion of what constitutes a “healthy

center” has never been precisely defined,

observing that, depending upon who

you talk to, “healthy” for Ames might

mean a total complement of as few as

1,200 people. In that case, retraining

would be the best available option, he

said, but we may have to accept the fact

that, no matter what we do, some people

might not fit.

In closing, Christensen observed that

Ames has made a lot of progress. “We

have managed our way through an extremely difficult period. We have a

strong approach to solve our unfunded

problems going into FY '07,” he concluded.

The take-away messages, he said,

are that “we see light at the end of the

tunnel and that we are fundamentally

sound. Institutionally, we will be smaller,

but Ames will be more NASA mainstream. Once we have stabilized, growth

will follow. We will earn our way into

program and project management. We

will become a satellite builder for NASA,

as we did with Pioneer and Lunar Prospector.”

“The future is ours to shape and to

capture,” he concluded, to strong applause.

Christensen upbeat about Ames' future

-- Provides frank assessment; lays out blueprint for success
5 Astrogram April 2006

The editors of Hispanic Engineer &

Information Technology magazine

(www.hispanicengineer.com) recently

released their list of the '100 Most Important Hispanics in Technology and

Business for 2006.' Ames' Mark Leon,

acting chief of the Education Divison,

has been selected as one of the recipients

for this honor.

This year's honorees represent the

nation's highest-achieving Hispanic executives, managers and researchers in

industry, government and academia.

They were chosen for their outstanding

work in the field of technology and demonstrated leadership, both at the workplace and in their communities. The

honorees will be featured in the spring

2006 edition of Hispanic Engineer & IT

magazine. During the year that the list

is publicized, its members are presented

Ames’ Mark Leon receives prestigious Hispanic award

NASA Ames’ Mark Leon, recent recipient of

the ‘100 Most Important Hispanics in

Technology and Business for 2006’ honor.

Ames celebrates STS-1 anniversary

to young people as role models, and the

honorees' accomplishments are upheld

as examples of the important, often unrecognized contributions made on a

daily basis by the thousands of Hispanics in technology-related jobs.

The 100 Most Important Exemplars

will gather this year for a colloquium

and awards dinner where increasing

minority entrepreneurship, executive

development, and educational readiness

for the 'digital economy' will be discussed. The 100 Most Important Hispanics in Technology and Business recognition dinner will be held on Sept. 15,

2006 at the Baltimore Convention Center, highlighting the Minorities in Research Sciences Conference, the premier

career development and employee recognition event for minorities in the arNASA photo by Pamela Sheets

NASA photo by Ann Sullivan

Ames hosted a variety of events

on April 12 for students, media, employees and the public to help celebrate the 25th anniversary of the STS1 mission, the first flight of the space

shuttle and the boldest test flight in

history.

The events included a visit to

Edenvale Elementary School in San

Jose, an address to Ames employees

and a public lecture by former Ames

employee and current astronaut

Stephen Robinson. In his talks,

Robinson shared his experiences during his mission last summer, STS-114

the 'Return to Flight' mission, and deStudents at

Edenvale

Elementary School

took full

advantage of

Robinson’s visit by

asking dozens of

questions

following his talk

describing what it

is like to live and

work in space.

Members of the public lined up for the chance to get

an autograph from Astronaut Stephen Robinson

(seated) following his public lecture on April 12.

NASA photo by Tom Trower

Employees enjoyed the chance to chat with Robinson

(second from right) during the reception that followed

his talk at Ames.

continued on page 8

NASA photo by Tom Trower

scribed some of his work as a scientist at Ames prior to and during the

STS-1 mission.

In addition, news

media toured research

facilities at Ames that

have supported the

space shuttle program

and continue to support development of

the Crew Exploration

Vehicle. Special exhibits and videos were

added to the NASA Exploration Center.
Astrogram April 2006 6

University of California, Santa Cruz

(UCSC), a long-time planning partner

at NASA Research Park (NRP), has recently expanded, moving from Building 555 to Building 19 in the NRP historic district and virtually doubling its

leased space.

After several years in Bldg. 555, the

move provides more space to accommodate the faculty, students and

administrative staff of UC's Technology

and Information Management ('TIM')

program. TIM is a UCSC School of

Engineering program, with classes held

at UC's main campus and the Silicon

Valley Center location. TIM integrates

computer science, engineering, business

and economics and prepares students

for careers in technology and management.

The Silicon Valley Center classes,

which started on April 3, include a mixture of undergraduate and graduate

course work, with more class offerings

and faculty hires planned for fall.

"UC Santa Cruz is excited to be expanding its physical presence in the

NASA Research Park by occupying office and classroom space in Building

19," said UCSC Provost Carl Walsh. "Our

new facilities will provide increased office space for faculty from our Baskin

School of Engineering's Technology and

Information Management program, as

well as for other UCSC faculty who are

interested in developing research and

academic programs in Silicon Valley."

The additional space in Building 19,

according to Walsh, "will allow UCSC to

offer TIM courses at the NRP and we

plan to expand the set of courses offered

at the NRP during the 2006-2007 acaUCSC launches Technology and Information

Management Program at Silicon Valley Campus

BY KATHLEEN BURTON

demic year. The

School of Engineering is looking to expand both its research

and

teaching

activities in

Silicon

Valley,

and they

see the

NRP has an ideal location for

building on UCSC's existing

partnership with NASA and

potential expansion and development in the NRP."

Ames staff who are interested in enrolling in a TIM

class under UCSC's non-degree-granting concurrent enrollment program should visit UCSC's

Web site located on the Internet at

http://www.ucsc-extension.edu/ucsc/

publicViewHome.do?method=load and

On Feb. 13, G. Scott Hubbard,

then Ames center director, and Paul

Davis, the Ames Federal Employee

Union president for safety, approved

the center's annual Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) report. The annual report was submitted to OSHA in

Feb.

This report, which all VPP participants are required to submit, includes

the goals and accomplishments for the

continuous improvement of the safety

and health program, injury and illness

numbers and rates and results of the

safety and health management system

VPP annual report submitted to OSHA

BY SHELLEEN LOMAS

evaluation. It was prepared using

input from each directorate, the chairperson of each centerwide safety committee, the Ames Federal Employee

Union, and the Safety, Health and

Medical Services Division.

The Ames VPP annual report

highlights the center's continuous improvement in all areas of the health

and safety program. It describes many

of the programs that promote employee participation as well as the

program that was developed and

implemented to recognize contractors for exemplary health and safety

performance. It examines the accomplishments of the center-wide safety

committees during the past year. The

Ames Annual Safety and Health Program evaluation report can be viewed

on the VPP Web page at http://

q.arc.nasa.gov/qh/vpp/

activitiesnew.html.

view the fall course offerings catalog

under ‘concurrent enrollment/extension courses.’ To enroll in the TIM degree program, prospective students need

to apply directly to UCSC for admission.

To showcase its new program, UCSC

plans to host a TIM open house in Bldg.

19. The date will be announced in the

Astrogram. Longer term, UCSC and

NRP are plannning for construction of a

BIN (Bio-Info-Nano) lab, with Foothill

De Anza Community College.

The new space in building 19 (pictured above) will allow the

UCSC Silicon Valley Center to offer more classes at the NRP.

NASA photo by Dominic Hart
7 Astrogram April 2006

“I went to Tahiti for adventure,”

reminisces Frank Chang, CEO of

Changene, Inc., a NASA Research Park

partner since 2003.

“I chose a remote atoll and

landed on an 800-yard runway, at

an airport with a bungalow terminal. On this tiny atoll in the

middle of nowhere in the South

Pacific Ocean, I saw, for the first

time, a pearl farm and the Milky

Way galaxy with my naked eyes.”

“Trained in biomedicine, I

realized the oyster must have

molecule(s) able to regulate calcium crystals, like bricks, the way

we build a wall. This mechanism

is similar to bone formation, so I

wondered - could this molecular

process act as a possible countermeasure for bone mass loss in

microgravity?”

In 2002, Changene officials

filed a patent for a proprietary

molecule supposedly responsible for

pearl formation -- in short, a pearl gene.

Bone mass loss is a major challenge

for NASA's planned lunar and Mars

BY DIANE FARRAR AND BOB LOPEZ

Frank Chang, CEO of Changene, presented the Pincta product

rollout at a conference in March 2006.

From the South Pacific Ocean to Space Station

 -- Changene, a ‘pearl’ of a company, NRP partner of the month

exploration. Long-duration flights on

the Russian Mir and the International

Space Station have produced much data

about the impact of prolonged exposure

to microgravity, but no solution exists.

NASA is still seeking effective countermeasures for bone mass loss.

Changene collaborated with the

NASA Advanced Supercomputing division on molecular dynamic simulations. “Biotech research takes

many years,” Chang said. “It is a

great advantage using

supercomputers to speed up the

processes; gratefully, Ames Research Center has the best

supercomputer among NASA

centers.”

“With R&D moving forward,

we have scheduled a clinical trial

on this PinctaÆ product in FY07”,

Chang said. “It could be of great

benefit to astronauts in

microgravity and to 50 percent

of the world's senior population

with osteoporosis.”

For more information,

contact Frank Chang at (650)

641-3181 or e-mail him at

ftchang@changene.com

Changene is located in Bldg. 566,

Room 106B, NASAResearch Park

A construction crew working on an

Army project on Berry Court, just inside

the Ames main gate, has unearthed the

skeletal remains of a prehistoric Native

American.

Prehistoric Native American remains discovered at Ames

The crew discovered the skeletal

remains on April 4 while excavating a

site in an area of military housing. They

were buried approximately 43

inches deep. The

construction

crew immediately stopped

digging and notified Ames Dispatch, which

contacted the

Santa Clara

County Sheriff's

Office. Officers

from Ames' Protective Services

and from the

Sheriff's Office

responded.

Human remains detection

dog teams were

brought in to

verify that the

bones are human. All three dogs, which

have been trained to detect human re- BY ANN SULLIVAN

Nessie, a human remains detection dog, sits, indicating that there is

human scent in the excavation where prehistoric Native American remains

were found by an Army construction crew.

mains even thousands of years old, positively identified the bones as human.

The dogs and their handlers are part of

Ames' Disaster Assistance and Rescue

Team. After examining the remains, a

forensic anthropologist concluded that

the remains are most likely those of a

prehistoric Native American. The remains were respectfully returned to

their burial site, which was secured

until a Native American representative

could be notified.

A few days after the initial discovery, two archeologists, one of whom

works for the Army and the other a

Native American representative, finished excavating the remains and removed them from the site. They estimated the remains to be between 4,000

and 5,000 years old. The Army has submitted a proposal for continuing the

construction. A decision is pending.

“NASA is committed to cooperating fully with Native American leaders

and treating these remains with the utmost respect,” said Bob Dolci, director

of Protective Services at Ames.

NASA photo by Lynne Engelbert
Astrogram April 2006 8

Once again, the NASA Ames Hispanic Advisory Committee for Employees (HACE) supported a commemorative breakfast honoring Cesar Chavez

on March 31, 2006. The Mexican Heritage Corporation and Honorary Council members hosted the ‘Breakfast for

Cesar Chavez’ in honor of recognizing

his life and work. Also, on March 25,

HACE joined the annual Cesar Chavez

March Festival, which was sponsored

by the Chavez Family Vision and held in

downtown San Jose.

Born on March 31, 1927, the second

child of six and oldest son, Chavez became noted by Robert F. Kennedy as

‘one of the heroic figures of our time’ in

1968. Chavez grew up in the Arizona

desert near the

town of Yuma.

At an early age,

Chavez joined

thousands of migrant farmers to

work in the

fields in California. He returned

home from the

military and

settled in the

East Side Barrio

of ‘Sal Si

Puedes,’ (‘Get

out if you can’);

the name of the

neighborhood

was later

changed to ‘Si Se

Puede’ (‘It can be

done’).

 In 1952, a man named Fred Ross

from the Community Service Organization (CSO) asked Chavez to join the

organization to help inform migrant

farm workers of their rights. Chavez

was uneasy about the idea but decided

to join. He picked apricots during the

day and organized workers in the

evening to register to vote.

After working full time at the CSO

for 10 years, Chavez founded the National Farm Workers Association

(NFWA), which later became known as

the United Farm Workers of America

(UFW). Between the years of 1962 and

1993, Chavez organized many boycotts

and strikes against farm owners.

Ames’ HACE group remembers the legacy of Cesar Chavez

In the

spring of 1966,

growers negotiated an agreement with the

NFWA. This

agreement was

the first genuine union contract between a

grower and

farm workers in

U.S. History.

Chavez also

fasted three

separate times

(totaling 86

days between

1968 and 1988) to dedicate his movement of nonviolence, to protest a law

that denied farm workers the right to

strike/boycott and to call attention to

farm workers and their children stricken

by pesticides.

On April 23, 1993, Chavez died

peacefully while sleeping at the home of

a retired San Luis, Ariz. farm worker.

Six days after his death, thousands of

mourners attended and marched behind

his casket during his funeral services in

Delano.

Later in 1993, Chavez's family and

friends established the Cesar E. Chavez

Foundation. Thirteen years after his

passing, Chavez's service to others still

BY ERIC KRISTICH

eas of research science and technology.

Hispanic Engineer and Information

Technology magazine is distributed to

engineering colleges and universities

with high Hispanic enrollments; Hispanic engineering; IT and science professionals; and high-level government

and industry policy makers and executives across the country.

Published by Career Communications Group, Inc. (CCG), a minorityowned media services and career development company, Hispanic Engineer &

Information Technology magazine,

along with CCG's US Black Engineer &

Information Technology magazine, Science Spectrum, and Women of Color

Conference magazine, recognizes significant minority achievement, while

promoting career and educational opportunities for minority professionals

and students in engineering, technology and science.

continued from page 5

Leon receives

prestigious award

The annual Cesar Chavez March Festival parade held on March 25 in San

Jose, in which Ames HACE members took part.

lives. March 31 is now known as Cesar

Chavez Day of Service and Learning

and considered a holiday in seven states

and dozens of cities and counties

throughout the nation.
9 Astrogram April 2006

May is National Bike Month. To

celebrate National Bike Month the

Ames Bicycle Club is hosting a free

Bike Safety Clinic on May 11, from

11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. It will be at the

parking lot of the old Moffett Recreation center on Edquiba road across

from the Navy Exchange Garden Center. Biking to work or just around the

center is a great way to fit an exercise

workout into your schedule, save

money on car maintenance and gas,

and have fun!

This bike safety clinic is for all

levels of cyclists. The clinic will cover

bike fit, rules of the road, how to avoid

typical hazards, correct lane position

and emergency maneuvers. This will

be about a half hour lecture and a half

hour on your bike. If you have a bike,

Ames Bicycle Club to hold bike safety clinic in May

BY JULIE NOTTAGE

Upcoming events . . .

The Silicon Valley Astronomy

Lecture Series presents:

bring it for a safety check, plus helmet,

eye protection and gloves.

The instructor is Herman Wadler,

who is a League of American Bicyclists instructor,

the dean of instructors of the

Almaden Cycle

Touring Club

Academy, board

member of the

Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition,

vice chair of the

Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee

of Santa Clara

Valley Transportation Authority

(VTA) and on the

city of Campbell

Bicycle Advisory

Committee.

Jerri-Ann

Meyer, the chair

of the Mountain View Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee, will be at

the clinic to provide local Mountain

View cycling information, and also to

gather any feedback folks may have

Topic: Gamma-Ray Bursts: Nature's

 Biggest Booms

Speaker: Astronomer Dr. Josh

 Bloom of UC Berkeley will

 give a non-technical, illustrated talk

Date: Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Time: 7 p.m.

Place: Smithwick Theater

 Foothill College

 El Monte Road and

 Freeway 280,

 in Los Altos Hills

Cost: Free and open to the public.

Parking on campus costs $2.

Call the series hot-line at

(650) 949-7888 for more

information and driving directions.

about cycling in Mountain View.

Contact Julie Nottage at e-mail

jnottage@mail.arc.nasa if you plan to

attend so we will have enough handouts, etc. If you do not have a bike,

there will be a few for you to use and

extra helmets.

Join more than 100,000 Californians by riding your bike to work during the

12th annual California Bike to Work Day, May 18. Stop by the Ames

‘energizer station’ (above) in the small picnic area by building 25 located

along McCord Avenue between South Akron and Wascoat Road between

6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. to refuel on food and beverages and pick up local

city bike maps and other bike information.

The NASA Research Park Exploration Lecture Series presents ‘Life Out

There: What Happens If We Find It?’

This is a lecture and panel discussion

featuring a team from the SETI Institute including Dr. Seth Shostak, senior

astronomer, Dr. Cynthia Phillips, principal investigator and Dr. Douglas

Vakoch, director, Interstellar Message

Composition.

Date: May 24, 2006

Time: 7 p.m.-9 p.m.

Place: Bldg. 943/Eagle Room

Cost: Free admission

 Open to the public

The SETI team will discuss the

cultural, societal, technological and

other issues that might arise if life is

found elsewhere in the universe.

The lecture is presented by PlanSeth Shostak

NRP announces May Exploration lecture

ners Collaborative and co-sponsored by the SETI Institute.

For more information about

the event, visit the Internet at

www.researchpark.arc.nasa.gov

SVALS presents
Astrogram April 2006 10

The Oklahoma-based, pop-rock group 'All

American Rejects,' who were recently on tour

in San Jose, visited Ames' Exploration Center

while they were in the Bay Area.

NASA photo by Pauline Navarro

Pop-rock group

visits Ames

NASA has teamed up with two universities to study ways to reduce the

adverse effects of space travel on astronauts' physical heath.

Scientists are conducting a pilot

study at NASA Ames on the 20-G centrifuge, a machine that creates artificial

gravity forces by spinning and that can

simulate up to 20 times the normal forces

of gravity we experience on Earth.

"The 20-G centrifuge is our largest

facility certified for use by humans,"

said Jeff Smith, a manager in the Life

Sciences Division at Ames. "Its capabilities make it a unique NASA resource

and a very versatile research tool that is

ideal for developing health-maintenance

activities for astronauts."

Research conducted using the 20-G

centrifuge helps scientists understand

how astronauts cope with long-term

exposure to the low gravity of space or

other planets and readjust to Earth's

gravity when they return home. Scientists at NASA, the University of Kentucky in Lexington and Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., will study

the effects of exercise and artificial gravity on cardiovascular responses and fluid

shifts within the body.

"At Ames Research Center, the existing facilities we use to learn how space

affects humans have a long history of

productivity that includes work done

from Mercury to space station and space

shuttle programs," said Dr. Yvonne

Cagle, NASA astronaut-scientist liaison,

and project study scientist. "Researchers and collaborating investigators conNASA scientists study health benefits of exercise for astronauts

tinue to produce a wealth of knowledge

concerning astronaut and civilian health

issues," she added.

The research is expected to help

determine what

combinations of

exercise and exposure to increased gravity effectively counter

the changes that

occur during space

travel.

"While in

space, astronauts

experience heart

and blood vessel

changes, decreased bone

strength, loss of muscle mass, and shifts

in fluids within their bodies," said Ames'

exercise physiologist and study scientist, Fritz Moore. "This does not immediately harm the astronauts, but it may

complicate longer space travel and make

the return to Earth difficult."

Scientists will examine the effects of

exercise on the test subjects while spinning on the centrifuge. Helping astronauts counter the changes to their bodies also may further the development of

health benefits for the general public.

"The knowledge we gain here helps

us understand everyday health issues

such as high or low blood pressure."

Moore said. "The changes that astronauts experience are very similar to those

seen in people who are less active or

frequently confined to bed rest, such as

individuals in our rapidly growing senior population. It is very likely that

space medicine and geriatric medicine

will interact and help us understand the

best ways to arrive home from space, as

well as the best ways to grow old."

Additional research is needed to

understand the health effects of

transitioning between different gravitational environments. This type of research benefits current and future astronauts supporting the Vision for Space

Exploration to return to the moon and

continue on to Mars.

For more information about Ames’

centrifuge facilities, visit: http://

cgbr.arc.nasa.gov BY MICHAEL MEWHINNEY

Shown in the 20-G centrifuge control room are

Fritz Moore (sitting) medical monitor and

Jeffrey Smith (standing) operations manager.

Spring finally

arrives at Ames

NASA photo by Tom Trower

NASA photos by Tom Trower

The 20-G centrifuge at NASA Ames is a machine that creates artificial

gravity forces by spinning and that can simulate up to 20 times the

normal forces of gravity we experience on Earth.
11 Astrogram April 2006

The ARC 301 training application

form is being replaced with NASA Form

1735 (NF-1735). In the past, a variety of

forms and procedures has been used to

support the request and approval process for external training. The SATERN

(System for Administration, Training

and Educational Resources for NASA)

learning management system requires

that one standard form and process be

used across the agency. With the implementation of SATERN, NASA Form 1735

will be the standard form that all NASA

employees will use for offsite training

requests.

Implementation of the NF1735 is an

important transformation effort. Because the NF1735 form is an essential

Soon every NASA supervisor will

have the ability to nominate their highperforming employees, check the status

of their award submissions and obtain

reliable awards data -- all online and all

in one system. The new NASA Automated Awards System (NAAS) will

streamline the awards nomination process and provide critical data to NASA

managers regarding the incentive

awards program.

Key features and benefits of NAAS

include the following:

• a standard process across the

agency for nomination, approval and

processing of awards;

• easy, Web-based access for making awards nominations;

• ability to review the status of

award nominations;

• protection of confidential employee data;

• streamlined and standardized

awards processes across the agency; and

• user guide and user training

This new system is scheduled to 'go

live' June 26. Training for supervisors

and the awards contacts within each

directorate will begin in late May.

For more information, contact

project lead Christiana Woodward at

ext. 4-1599 or deputy project lead Lynette

Forsman at ext. 4-5267. Or you can visit

the Web at http://ameshr.arc.nasa.gov/

New NASA training form replaces former version

part of the offsite training process in

SATERN, we must replace the current

form with the new form as soon as possible in order to familiarize employees

with the new form prior to the SATERN

implementation. Employees should begin using the NF1735 for their next training request. After April 28, the NF1735

will be the only training request form

accepted. Employees must use the

NF1735 form and complete it manually

until it is available in June 2006 as an

automated form in the SATERN system

The NF1735 is now available in PDF

and Informed Filler. Both versions can

be found on the Internet at: https://

pollux.hq.nasa.gov/nef/user/

form_details.cfm?chart_id=823 It will

be the PDF document found at: ftp://

ftp.hq.nasa.gov/forms/pdf/nf1735.pdf

For Informed Filler, the location is http:/

/server-mpo.arc.nasa.gov/Services/

AEFS/ARC_DCData/NF1735.IFM

The SATERN Web site and SATERN

Web-based tutorial (WBT) is now available. You can access the Web site and

WBT at https://saterninfo.nasa.gov/.

NASA Automated Awards System to ‘go live’ in June

awards/NAAS.html.

Updates on supervisory and employee training information will be proBY BARBARA CHENIER

BY BARBARA CHENIER

vided for NAAS via Astrogram articles,

human resources and training Web sites

and centerwide announcements.

Bush, Schwarzenegger in Bay Area

NASA photo by Tom Trower

Ames Acting Center Director “Chris” Christensen shakes hands with President George W. Bush

shortly after the president landed April 21 at Moffett Field for a brief visit to Silicon Valley. At far

right, is California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and former Congressman Norm Minetta

(second from right).
Astrogram April 2006 12

Ames Ongoing Monthly Events Calendar

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 11:00 a.m. to12:00 p.m. in Building 245

auditorium. POC: Julie Nottage at

jnottage@mail.arc.nasa.gov or ext. 4-3711. By-laws of

Ames Bicycling Club can be found at: http://

zen.arc.nasa.gov, the link is under the picture.

Ames Bowling League, Palo Alto Bowl on Tuesday

nights. Seeking full-time bowlers and substitutes.

Questions to sign up: Mike Liu at ext. 4-1132.

Ames Child Care Center Board of Directors Mtg,

every other Thursday (check Web site for meeting dates:

http://accc.arc.nasa.gov), 12 noon to 1:30 p.m., N-210,

Rm. 205. POC: Cheryl Quinn, ext 4-5793.

Ames Contractor Council Mtg, first Wednesday

each month, 11 a.m., N-200, Comm. Rm. POC: Linda

McCahon, ext. 4-1891.

Ames Diabetics (AAD), 1st & 3rd Weds, 12

noon to 1 p.m., at Ames Mega Bites, Sun room.

Support group discusses news affecting diabetics.

POC: Bob Mohlenhoff, ext. 4-2523/e-mail at:

bmohlenhoff@mail.arc.nasa.gov.

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 radiocontrolled 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 (Feb 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 of each

month, 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Bldg. 221/Rm 155.

URL: http://q.arc.nasa.gov/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: Bob Hilton at ext. 4-2909,

bhilton@mail.arc.nasa.gov.

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.

NASA photo by Dominic Hart

NASA's DC-8 aircraft took off from Ames on April 17 to fly to the Hawaiian Islands to take part in the Intercontinental Chemical Transport

Experiment (INTEX). Project scientist Dr. Hanwant Singh of the Ames Earth Science Division designed INTEX to study the transport of pollutants

from Asia as they cross the Pacific and impact air quality in North America. The Ames Earth Science Project Office is managing the campaign under

project manager Mike Gaunce. Several Ames Earth scientists also are participating. For more information, visit the Web at http://

www.espo.nasa.gov/intex-b)

NASA’s DC-8 to help study transport of pollutants

Security/Law Enforcement Activity Fire Protection Activity

A statistical summary of activi- ties of the Protective Services

Division's Security/Law EnforceProtective Services monthly activity

ment and Fire Protection Services units

for the month of March 2006 is shown

below.
13 Astrogram April 2006

Ames Classifieds Exchange Information

Beyond Galileo N-235 (8 a.m. to 2 p.m.)

ext. 4-6873

Ask about NASA customized gifts for special

occasions.

Mega Bites Mega Bites N-235 (6 a.m. to 2 p.m.)

ext. 4-5969

Visitor Center Gift Shop N-943

(10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) ext. 4-5412

NASA logo merchandise, souvenirs, toys, gifts and

educational items.

Open 7 days a week, 7:00 a.m. to 10 p.m. Rates

from $40 - $50.

Vacation Opportunities

Check web site for discounts to local attractions,

http://exchange.arc.nasa.gov and click on tickets.

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... Tickets, etc...(N-235, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.)

ext. 4-6873

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

Housing

Miscellaneous

Ames emergency

announcements

To hear the centerwide status

recording, call (650) 604-9999 for information announcements and emergency instructions for Ames employees. You can also listen to 1700 KHz

AM radio for the same information.

Ames Swim Center, 25 meter swimming pool open

and heated year round. (80-82 degrees) Lap swim: Mon,

Weds, Fri, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3-6 Tues to Thurs 10

a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Seasonal recreation

swim; swim lessons. Locker rooms w/sauna and shower

facility. Open to all civil servants and contractors.

Location: Bldg. 109 across the street from the tennis

courts. Fees vary depending on activity. POC: Tana

Windhorst, ext. 3-8025; e-mail: tw4lsb@aol.com

Ames Swim Center 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 the weekend or holiday,

then the following business day becomes the deadline.

For Astrogram questions, contact Astrid Terlep at the aforementioned e-mail address or ext. 4-3347.

Automotive

Lake Tahoe-Squaw Valley Townhouse, 3bd/2ba.

View of slopes, close to lifts. Per night: $250, plus $145

cleaning fee. Two night minimum. Includes linens,

propane fireplace, fully equipped. Call (650) 968-4155,

DBMcKellar@aol.com

South Lake Tahoe cottage w/wood fireplace, hot

tub. Rates $50 to $130 per night. Call (650) 967-7659.

Vacation rental, Bass Lake, 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.

Tahoe Donner vacation home, 2 bd/2ba. trees,

deck. Access to pools, spa, golf, horseback riding, $280

wkend, $650 week. Call (408) 739-9134.

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.

Disneyland area vacation rental home, 2 bd/1ba.

Nearing completion completely remodeled w/new

furniture. Sleeps 6 (queen bed, bunk beds, sleeper

sofa). Air hockey and football tables. Introductory rate

$600/wk, once completed rate will be $1000/wk.

Security deposit and $100 cleaning fee required. Call

(925) 846-2781.

New York, 5th Ave. One fully furnished bedroom in

24 hour security bldg. overlooking Washington Square

Park, $1,000/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).

Vacation rental. Ferndale - The Victorian Village.

Victorian home on Main Street a short stroll to the

Village which has been designated as a state historical

landmark. Enjoy the many holiday activities which

include a Christmas parade and lighting of America's

tallest living Christmas tree. Four bedrooms (sleeps

approx. six), two full baths, large kitchen, dining room,

parlor w/fireplace, enclosed desk w/hot tub. For info call

(707) 983-9514.

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. $500/wkend, $200/addl night, including

cleaning by the maid service when you depart. Call

(408) 252-7260.

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

 West Maui vacation condo at Kahana Falls, across

street from beach. One week, 7/30 - 8/6, for $700. 2

bd/2 ba, W/D, fk. Call (650) 962-1314.

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!

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.

19" Likom color monitor and Canon Bubble Jet color

printer $60 or B/O. Both items in excellent condition. Jon

(408) 448-6118.

Great looking futon, unfolds into queen bed with very

good mattress. Cover and pillows included. Can e-mail

photos. $150. Call (831) 419-6043.

Solid oak coffee table. Very well maintained. Can

email photos. $80. Call (831) 419-6043.

Desk, L-shaped, walnut finish, 5 drawers, 60" L x 30"

deep x 29" H with extension 46" L x 24" deep x 26" H.

Good condition. $100 or B/O. Helen (650) 948-1407.

Wood entertainment center - $10 - make an offer, I

might just give it to you. Barry Cunningham (510) 793-

4457, EZrdrdad@msn.com

Room available for rent in house in mid town Palo Alto,

with kitchen, laundry and pool. $500 plus $50 toward utils,

for a quiet, neat, stable and conscientious person or couple.

E-mail jims@eos.arc.nasa.gov; ham call wb6yoy.

Seeking midweek renter, beautiful room available

Monday-Friday. Perfect for commuter. Near Hwy 880/101/

87 Rent $500/month incl. utilities. If interested contact

Patricia (408) 483-1111.

‘96 Chevy Blazer LT - 4WD, all pwr, very good

condition, 103K miles. Asking $4000 or B/O. Call (408)

448-6118.

‘98 Suzuki GSXR 750cc SRAD Very Clean, Garage

Kept, Runs Strong, Red/Black, Yoshimura Slip-on, Factory

manual, LOW Miles 19,500 Miles, $4800 OBO Call or

email Damon Flansburg 831-630-0716.

‘97 FORD MUSTANG SVT Cobra, LOW miles 56K, air

bag, abs, ac, lthr, p/seats, p/windows, tint, Bose am/fm/

CD stereo, p/mirrors, $9,500 OBO Call or email Damon

Flansburg 831-630-0716.

‘92 Harley Davidson Softail Custom - $8500, OBO -

Barry Cunningham (510) 793-4457, EZrdrdad@msn.com

1/2 share in Skylane C182A, $24,000. New paint and

recent annual. New fuel bladders. Good condition. Basic

IFR panel. Can base at LVK, 4Q5, TCY, possibly elsewhere.

Key Dismukes. Call (408) 938-0455.
Astrogram April 2006 14

National Aeronautics and Space

Administration

Ames Research Center

Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000

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.

Editor-in-Chief.............................. Laura Lewis

Managing Editor..........................Ann Sullivan

Editor, Layout and Design...........Astrid Terlep

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/news/astrogram/

2006/06astrograms.html

Three Ames employees recently received the prestigious Silver Snoopy

award for their professionalism, dedication and outstanding support that

greatly enhanced space flight safety and

mission success.

James Reuther, an aerospace engi- neer in code TSA and Dinesh

Prabhu, a senior research scientist with Eloret Corporation, were

honored for their outstanding

work in NASA's Return to Flight

efforts. Terry Sandke, a system

safety and mission assurance/

safety engineer with Hernandez

Engineering, was honored for his

work on the Space Station Biological Research Project (SSBRP). “We are very pleased that these three outstanding employees have been recognized by

NASA with the Silver Snoopy

award,” said Marvin (Chris)

Christensen, acting center director. “This distinguished award

is only presented to a few employees and is given in recognition of

their exemplary work. Congratulations

to each of the three recipients for their

well-deserved honor.”

Reuther, the technical lead for computational modeling in the inter-center

aerothermodynamics Return to Flight

team, was cited as the “driving force in

developing methodologies, processes

and standard for applying modern computational fluid dynamic methods to

characterize nominal and damaged orbiter heating environments. He established the vision and challenged the

community to develop a 24-hour proAmes employees receive prestigious Silver Snoopy Award

cess for delivering high-fidelity simulation of damaged orbiter re-entry heating environments.” Prabhu was honored for his outstanding support of NASA's space programs and for his “extraordinary commitment to the Return to Flight effort as

a member off the inter-center aerothermodynamics team performing analysis

and developing methodologies to characterize the heating environment of

nominal and damaged tile. Sandke was recognized for his com- mitment and contributions to safety, particularly during flight safety reviews of

the SSBRP payloads. Sandke was honored for his “dedication to safety, attention to detail and perseverance that led

to the discovery and resolution of this

previously unidentified risk, resulting

in a safer ISS.”

The Silver Snoopy award is only

rarely presented; less than 1 percent of

NASA employees have received it. Astronaut Megan McArthur presented the

Silver Snoopy award April 17 to the

three Ames employees. The award, also known as the ‘astronauts’ personal award for profes- sional excellence,’ is awarded to

individuals for outstanding efforts that contribute to the success of human space flight missions. This recognition focuses

on efforts that enhance the probability of mission success, such

as improvements in design, administration, technology, production techniques, business systems, flight and/or system safety,

or error identification, correction

or prevention. All job classifications and task assignments are

eligible for this honor. This coveted award is a sterling silver pin, which has flown

aboard the space shuttle, in the

form of Snoopy wearing a space helmet and space suit. Recipients are

also given a certificate and a letter of

commendation, personally signed by an

astronaut, citing the astronauts' appreciation of their outstanding performance. To meet the criteria for this award,

the individual's work must relate to flight

safety or mission success. Job performance must be outstanding to distinguish the individual in his or her particular area of responsibility and it must

make a meaningful contribution to flight

safety or mission success. NASA photo by Dominic Hart

Left to right: Astronaut Megan McArthur after presenting Dinesh

Prabhu and James Reuther with their Silver Snoopy awards. Not

shown is Terry Sandke, who also received a Silver Snoopy award.

BY KELLY GARCIA