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

December 2008

www.nasa.gov

Page 2 - NASA unveils third-fastest 

 supercomputer in the world

Page 2 - Google Lunar X PRIZE announce 

 ‘Mystery Team’ at Ames

Page 3 - Airborne observatory visit, lunar

 image restoration highlight 2008

Page 8 - Ames ongoing monthly events

On the Inside . . .

As we look back on 2008, the year 

NASA marked its 50th anniversary 

with celebrations across the agency, 

we all can feel proud of our many accomplishments here at Ames. Building 

on our achievements in 2007, we continued to make major contributions in 

several crucial areas, including lunar 

science, exploration, environment, 

partnerships and key collaborations.

 We launched 2008 with a rare visit 

by SOFIA, the world’s largest airborne 

observatory, in January. An estimated 

3,500 people, including Ames employees and their families, local community leaders and news media who 

came to see and tour the Stratospheric 

Observatory for Infrared Astronomy. 

by S. Pete Worden Lunar science played a starring 

role in 2008. In April, we opened the 

NASA Lunar Science Institute, ensuring that Ames will play a major role in 

the agency’s future lunar exploration. 

In July, we hosted a three-day Lunar 

Science Conference attended by some 

500 scientists from all over the country. 

 The moon is big news these days 

and the public can’t get enough of it. 

Hundreds of local residents turned 

out for a week-long ‘Moon Week’ featuring a festive public event celebrating the 39th anniversary of the Apollo 

11 landing on the moon on July 20, 

1969. In September, thousands of 

space enthusiasts of all ages attended 

the second annual ‘Return to the 

Moon’ family night.

 Lunar science also made news 

in November, when we unveiled a 

42-year-old iconic image of Earth 

taken by the Lunar Orbiter 1 spacecraft 

in 1966. The new Lunar Image Recovery Project, located here at the center, 

restored the image, using refurbished 

machinery and modern digital technology. This data may help the next 

generation of explorers as NASA 

prepares to return to the moon. Also 

in November, we celebrated Moffett 

Field’s 75th anniversary and the return 

continued on page 5

Season’s greetings from the Ames center director

Happy Holidays!

NASA Ames’ Administration Building is shown in this several-minute exposure. NASA photo by Dominic Hart
2 Astrogram December 2008

On Dec. 11, 2008, NASA Ames held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Pleiades, the 

world’s third-fastest supercomputer. The ceremony was held in the NASA Advanced 

Supercomputing (NAS) facility at NASA Ames. Featured during the ceremony were 

brief remarks by , left to right, Bo Ewald, chief executive officer of SGI, Sunnyvale, 

Calif.; S. Pete Worden, Ames Center Director; William Thigpen, chief of the Engineering Branch, NASA Advanced Supercomputing Facility at Ames (in back); Walter 

Hussey, director of the Strategic Capabilities Assets Program at NASA Headquarters; 

Pat Gelsinger, senior vice president, Intel Corp., Santa Clara, Calif.; and Rupak Biswas, 

chief, NASA Advanced Supercomputing Division at Ames.

NASA unveils third-fastest supercomputer in the world

The X PRIZE Foundation revealed the identity of a “Mystery Team,” (Next Giant Leap) 

competing for the $30 million Google Lunar 

X PRIZE during a media briefing hosted at 

NASA’s Ames Dec. 17, 2008. The Google 

Lunar X PRIZE is an international competition among privately funded teams to land a 

robotic craft on the moon. The craft must be 

capable of completing several mission objectives, 

including roaming the lunar surface for at least 

500 meters and sending video, images and data 

back to Earth. Speakers included, left to right, 

Gary Martin, director of the New Ventures and 

Communications Directorate at NASA Ames; 

William Pomerantz, senior director X PRIZE 

Foundation; Mike Joyce, Next Giant Leap 

founder; Jeff Hoffmann, professor of practice at 

Massachusettes Institute of Technology (MIT) 

and a former astronaut; Sean Murphy, Draper 

Laboraties; and John Roth, president of MicroSat 

Systems, Inc. For information about the Google 

Lunar X PRIZE, visit:www.googlelunarxprize.

org. 

Google Lunar X PRIZE ‘Mystery Team’ revealed at Ames NASA photo by Eric James

NASA photo by Dominic Hart
3 Astrogram December 2008

by Michael Mewhinney 

High profile visits by the world’s 

largest airborne observatory and the 

California governor, opening the 

new NASA Lunar Science Institute 

at Ames, restoration of an 

iconic image of the moon 

taken during the Apollo era, 

and the return of airships to 

Moffett Field, were among the 

top stories for NASA Ames 

Research Center in 2008.

Airborne Observatory visit:

An estimated 3,500 people 

toured the Stratospheric 

Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), the largest 

airborne astronomical observatory in the world, during a 

rare visit to Ames on Jan. 14, 

2008. The observatory consists of a Boeing 747SP aircraft 

modified to carry a 2.5-meter 

(98-inch) diameter telescope 

mounted in a chamber behind 

a retractable door on the left 

side of the aircraft. Science 

operations are scheduled to 

begin in 2009.

 To view and download 

images and for additional 

information, visit: http://

www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/news/

releases/2008/08_02AR.html

NASA Lunar Science Institute opens:

NASA’s new Lunar Science Institute opened on April 11, 2008. Having 

the NASA Lunar Science Institute 

based at Ames ensures that the center 

will play a key role in future exploration as NASA returns to the moon and 

later travels to Mars. As evidence of 

the significant interest in the moon by 

the American public, a ‘Return to the 

Moon Family Night’ held at NASA 

Ames drew thousands of local residents.

 For additional information, visit: 

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/

news/releases/2008/08_25AR.html

Yuri’s Night Bay Area

On April 12, 2008 approximately 

7,000 people attended the 2008 Yuri’s 

Night Bay Area event, making it the 

largest of 178 Yuri’s Night celebrations 

held around the world. Young-minded 

Airborne observatory visit, lunar image restoration highlight 2008

people celebrated space exploration 

with music, dance, technology and art. 

The celebration commemorated the 

anniversary of the first human space 

launch by Yuri Gagarin, the first space 

shuttle mission and NASA’s golden 

anniversary. 

 To view and download images 

and for additional information, visit: 

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/

news/releases/2008/08_31AR.html

California Governor visit:

California Governor Arnold 

Schwarzenegger visited Ames on July 

14, 2008 to see first-hand how NASA 

helped firefighters battle widespread 

wildfires that raged throughout the 

state. During his visit, Schwarzenegger toured a flight simulator used to 

display visible light and fire imagery 

and saw a demonstration of the hyperwall-2, a high-resolution visualization 

system displaying images from the 

wildfires. 

 To view and download images 

and for additional information, visit: 

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/

news/releases/2008/08_63AR.html 

 

 

Airship Ventures Arrival at Moffett 

Field/75th Anniversary

In October, the Airship Ventures 

Zeppelin arrived at Moffett Field 

where it is now based. On Nov. 21, 

2008, Ames celebrated Moffett Field’s 

75th Anniversary and naming of the 

new Airship Ventures Zeppelin airship. 

To view and download images 

and for additional information, visit: 

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/

news/releases/2008/08_90AR.html

 For more information and images, 

visit: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/

ames/news/releases/2008/08_102.

html

Lunar Image Restoration Project: 

NASA announced in November 

that the new Lunar Orbiter Image 

Recovery Project at Ames has restored 

a 42-year-old image of Earth taken 

by the Lunar Orbiter 1 spacecraft in 

1966. Using refurbished machinery 

and modern digital technology. NASA 

produced the image at much higher 

resolution than was possible when it 

was originally taken. The data may 

continued on page 7

The world’s largest airborne observatory the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) (top photo) 

briefly visited NASA Ames on Jan. 14, 2008. The public and news media were invited for a tour. A huge crowd, 

estimated at more than 3,500 persons, lined up to see and tour SOFIA (photo bottom left). Visitors admire the telescope 

assembly inside SOFIA (photo bottom right.)

NASA photo by Dominic Hart

NASA photo by J.P. Weins

NASA photo by J.P. Weins
4 Astrogram December 2008

Employees and family members enjoy holiday festival at Ames

Ames Research Center initiated its first, new-look holiday festival at the center on Dec. 6, 2008. Attendees were treated to holiday-themed food items, the singing 

of Frances Busby and the Mountain View Madrigals (bottom left photo), the stylings of the Viajero Mariachi Band, and dance performances by the Grito De La 

Lectura to Folklorico Nacional Juvenil (top left photo) and the Peninsula Ballet Theatre (top middle photo). Younger attendees enjoyed a puppet show, magician 

(bottom middle photo) , face painter, story teller, balloon man and visiting with Santa (right photo). The Ames Exchange sponsored the event.

Children enjoyed the festivities at the Cops Care Cancer Foundation Christmas Fantasy Flight held 

at Ames Dec. 13, 2008.

NASA photo by Eric James

NASA photos by Dominic Hart

NASA's Hangar N211 was once 

again transformed into the 'North 

Pole' for the annual Cops Care Cancer 

Foundation Christmas Fantasy Flight 

for children with cancer and other 

life-threatening illnesses. The event 

was held on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2008 

in the San Jose Police Department Air 

Support Unit hangar, N211, at NASA 

Ames. 

Children from San Francisco Bay 

Area hospitals, including Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford, 

Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center and Children’s Hospital 

and Research Center Oakland, were 

treated to a day of fun with their families complete with fun activities, food, 

drinks and music. 

Highlighting the event was the 

arrival of Santa in a police helicopter, 

bearing gifts for each child and their 

siblings. Other activities included a 

'bubble zone', jumper houses, face 

painting, carnival games and special 

access to police and fire department 

vehicles.

Police officers and firefighters 

from the San Jose Police Department 

and Sunnyvale Department of Public 

Safety greeted the children at Yahoo! 

Inc.'s Sunnyvale campus before 

NASA hosts holiday Cops Care event for sick children by Jonas Dino

boarding buses to NASA Ames. Upon 

their arrival, special guests, including 

California Assembly member Alberto 

Torrico, local police officers, cartoon 

characters and more than 100 foundation volunteers, greeted the children 

and made each one feel like a VIP.

In addition, Yahoo! Inc., Sunnyvale, Calif., provided check-in gifts for 

the children and the Cops Care Cancer 

Foundation gave each family gift cards 

to help purchase Christmas dinner 

and presents.

For more information, visit the 

foundation Web site at www.CopsCareCancerFoundation.org
5 Astrogram December 2008

NASA Ames scientists, 

researchers and educators presented approximately 140 posters, 

conference sessions and media 

panel briefings on various Earth 

and space science topics during 

the Fall 2008 American Geophysical Union meeting, held Dec. 15 

through 19 at the Moscone Center 

in San Francisco. News briefings 

held during the meeting featured 

the latest results from NASA missions studying Mars, the moons 

of the solar system's outer planets, 

Earth's protective magnetic field 

and the changing face of the Arctic. 

Ames scientists, researchers present at 2008 AGU meeting

NASA photos by Eric James

Friedemann Freund, a scientist at NASA Ames Research Center, gathers crowds as he 

discusses his poster about electric currents that go through rocks when they are stressed.

Photo above: Fall 2008 American Geophysical 

Union meeting participants hustle and bustle 

through more than 180 Exhibits at the Moscone 

Center in San Francisco.

by Rachel Prucey

of airships to the field with Airship 

Ventures Zeppelin. 

 This year, we celebrated the announcement that our Pleiades supercomputer was ranked the third fastest 

continued from front page supercomputer in the world – a significant achievement. We also welcomed 

visits by top government officials, 

including California Governor Arnold 

Schwarzenegger and Department of 

Homeland Security Secretary Michael 

Chertoff, who visited Ames to see 

first-hand how we helped firefighters 

battle fierce wildfires raging throughout the state.

 As we look ahead to 2009, we 

expect to continue to make major 

achievements and significant contributions to the agency. Next year, 

we’re launching a really cool mission 

called the Lunar CRater Observation 

and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) that 

will slam into the moon near one of 

its poles. The data obtained from this 

mission will provide scientists with a 

wealth of information that will tell us 

a great deal about the lunar surface 

and help prepare NASA to put boots 

on the moon by the end of the next 

decade. 

Season’s greetings from the Ames center director

 We’re looking forward to seeing 

the Kepler mission begin its search for 

habitable planets in 2009 and SOFIA 

begin conducting airborne astronomy. 

We’re continuing to forge key partnerships with some of the best and brightest companies on the planet. Needless 

to say, it’s an exciting time to be here 

at NASA Ames.

 So as we say goodbye to 2008, 

I want to express my sincere appreciation to each and every one of 

you for all your hard work and your 

numerous contributions that have 

helped make Ames NASA’s premier 

research center. With all of us working together, I am confident that we 

can make 2009 even better. I want to 

take this opportunity to wish you and 

your families happy holidays and best 

wishes for the new year.

NASA composite photo by Dominic Hart

The annual holiday star is a familiar sight atop 

Hangar One at Moffett Field in celebration 

of the holiday season. 
6 Astrogram December 2008

The Prognostics Industry Day was 

recently held at Ames and was

co-sponsored by the Intelligent 

Systems Division (Code TI) and 

the Entrepreneurial Initiatives 

Division (Code VP). There were 

more than 70 registered attendees. 

Prognostics Center of Excellence at 

Ames showcased technologies with 

various presentations and demonstrations. For more information, 

visit the Web at http://ti.arc.nasa.

gov/event/industry-day/ 

NASA photo by John Schultz

Dr. Jaiwon Shin, associate administrator for Aeronautics, came to Ames for a quarterly center 

visit on Dec. 3. He gave an all-hands address to the Ames employees in the morning. In his 

address, he discussed Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate programs and projects and 

plans for the coming year. 

AA for Aero discusses past and future

Prognostics Day showcases technologies at Ames

Employees were invited Dec. 17 to hear 

Bimal Aponso, chief for Aerospace Simulation 

Operations Branch (SimLabs/Code AFJ), discuss 

“Rotorcraft Research at the NASA Vertical Motion Simulator (VMS).” After nearly 30 years of 

operation, the VMS has significantly advanced 

rotorcraft research and increased the knowledge 

base about rotorcraft performance, handling 

qualities, flight control, guidance and displays. 

VMS rotorcraft 

research explained

NASA photo by Eric James

NASA photo by Eric James
7 Astrogram December 2008

help the next generation of explorers 

as NASA prepares to return to the 

moon. 

 To view and download images 

and for additional information, visit: 

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/

news/releases/2008/08_99AR.html 

and also http://www.nasa.gov/

topics/moonmars/features/LOIRP/

index.html

NASA Team Receives Celebrated 

Collier Trophy

NASA was part of a team that 

received one of the most prestigious 

awards in aviation in June. Judges for 

the Robert J. Collier Trophy, awarded 

by the National Aeronautic Association, chose the Automatic Dependent 

Surveillance-Broadcast, or ADS-B, 

team of public and private groups to 

receive the 2007 honor. According to 

the selection committee, “ADS-B is a 

ground-breaking effort for next-generation airborne surveillance and cockpit 

avionics. Its implementation will have 

a broad impact on the safety, capacity 

and efficiency of the national airspace 

system.” Researchers at NASA’s 

Ames and NASA’s Langley Research 

Center in Hampton, Va., were part of 

the extensive team that developed and 

Airborne observatory visit, lunar image restoration highlight 2008

tested ADS-B.

 For more information, see http://

www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/

jun/HQ_08148_Collier_Trophy.html

Collaborations: 

NASA Ames continues to forge 

key partnerships with some of the best 

and brightest companies on the planet, 

including its Silicon Valley neighbors, Google and Microsoft. Under an 

agreement with Google, NASA Ames 

is helping make NASA’s vast archives 

of images and planetary data more 

continued from page 3

accessible to the public. NASA Ames 

also continues to collaborate with 

Microsoft to make images of NASA 

available to anyone with a computer. 

Exploration: 

NASA Ames continues to play a 

major role to support the space shuttle 

program with its work in thermal protection systems and the heat shields 

that protect the space shuttle during 

its fiery re-entry to the Earth’s atmosphere. Public viewing opportunities 

of live broadcasts of space shuttle 

launches routinely attract standingroom only crowds at Ames and are 

expected to continue in 2009. 

The Year Ahead:

Next year promises to be even 

more exciting for NASA Ames. In 

2009, the Kepler mission will begin its 

search for habitable planets. Kepler 

is NASA’s first mission capable of 

finding Earth-size and smaller planets. 

Also in 2009, the Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) 

mission will begin its mission to the 

moon in search of water ice at one of 

the lunar poles. The data will provide 

scientists with a wealth of data that 

will tell us a great deal about the lunar 

surface and help prepare NASA to 

put boots on the moon by the end of 

the next decade. Also in 2009, NASA’s 

airborne observatory, SOFIA, will begin conducting science flights in 2009. 

Next summer, NASA Ames will host 

the International Space University’s 

Space Studies Program. 

NASA photo by Eric James

Steve Hipskind, Earth Sciences director at NASA Ames, shows a fixed-base flight simulator to Califonia 

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and explained how sensors aboard NASA’s Ikhana remotely piloted unmanned aircraft are used to monitor California wildfires. Schwarzenegger visited Ames July 14, 2008, for 

a behind-the-scenes tour and briefings about NASA’s support to firefighters battling California wildfires. 

Ames scientists collaborate with colleagues at Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif., to send 

NASA’s remotely piloted Ikhana aircraft on reconnaissance flights using sophisticated visual and thermal 

sensors to provide up-to-the-minute information to firefighters in the field.

NASA’s Lunar Science Institute opened at Moffett in Building 17 on April 11. The institute features 

teams of scientists across the U.S. collaborating in lunar science research and future lunar exploration.

NASA photo by Kyle Cavallaro
8 Astrogram December 2008

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 November 2008 is shown below.

Protective Services monthly activity

 Safety Data NASA-Ames Occupational

 Illness-Injury Data for 

 Calendar Year-to-Date 2008

 Jan. 1, 2008 - Nov. 30, 2008

 Civil Contractors

 Servants

 

 First aid cases 21 17

 Lost Workday cases 1 2

 Recordable cases 3 5

 Restricted duty days 0 3

 Above data are as of Nov. 30, 2008. 

 May be subject to slight adjustment in

 the event of a new case or new informa- 

 tion regarding an existing case.

African American Advisory Group (AAAG) 

Mtg., every fourth Wednesday of each month, 

12 - 1 p.m., Bldg. N255 Rm 101C. POC: Chair - 

Jim Busby, ext. 4-2792. 

Ames Amateur Radio Club, third Thurs., 

of ea. 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 third Wednesday 

of each month, 12 noon - 1 p.m., Bldg. N-245 

Auditorium. POC: Julie Nottage at jnottage@

mail.arc.nasa.gov, ext. 4-3711. 

Ames Bowling League, Homestead Lanes 

Thursdays at 6:20 p.m. Need substitute bowlers. Sign up questions: Mike Liu at ext. 4-1132. 

Ames Child Care Center Board of Directors 

Mtg., every other Monday, 1 - 2:30 p.m., Bldg. 

N-262/Rm 180. POC: Sally Miller, ext. 4-5411.

Ames Contractor Council Mtg., first Weds. of 

ea. month, 11 a.m., Bldg. N-200, Committee 

Room. POC: Kathleen Starmer, ext. 4-6959

Environmental Forum, first Thursday every 

other month, 9 a.m. - 10 a.m., T20-G conference 

Rm. 129. URL: http://q/qe/events/EHSseries/ POC: Stacy St. Louis, ext. 4-6810.

Ames Federal Employees Union (AFEU) Mtg, 

third Wednesday ea. month, noon. Bldg. N-247, 

Rm. 109.. Guests welcome. Info at: http://

www.afeu.org. POC: Paul K. Davis, ext. 4-5916. 

The Hispanic Advisory Committee for 

Excellence (HACE) Mtg., first Thursday of each 

month, 11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m., Bldg. N-255, Rm. 

101C. POC: Eric Kristich, ext. 4-5137 and Mark 

Leon, ext. 4-6498.

Jetstream Toastmasters, Mondays, 12 p.m. 

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

Hayashi, ext. 4-1397, mhayashi@mail.arc.nasa.

gov. Web: http://jetstream.freetoasthost.com

Ames Mac Support Group Mtg., third Tuesday 

of each month, 11:30 a.m.to 1 p.m., Bldg. N-262, 

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.

Moffett Aikido Club, Monday and Wednesday evenings, 6:30 p.m., Bldg. 944, across from 

former McDonalds. Aikido is a non-competitive, defensive martial art known as the 

“Way of Harmony.” POC: Diane Pereda (650) 

575-9070 or Robert Dean (650) 787-1007, email: 

mfaikido@aol.com

Native American Advisory Committee Mtg., 

fourth Tuesday each month, 12 noon - 1 p.m., 

Bldg. 19, Rm 1096. POC: Mike Liu, ext. 4-1132.

Ames Nimble Knitters Club, every Tuesday 

at 11:30 a.m., Bldg. N-241/Rm 237. POC: 

Rosalyn Jung, knitfan2@yahoo.com or Diane 

Alexander at ext. 4-3140. URL: http://knit.arc.

nasa.gov

Ames Safety Committee, third Thursday of 

each month, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m., Bldg. N-237, 

Rm. 201. POC: John Livacich, jlivacich@mail.

arc.nasa.gov, ext. 4-3243 or Terry Reichert, 

treichert@mail.arc.nasa.gov, ext.-4-0375.

Ames Sailing Club Mtg., second Thursday of 

each month (March through November), from 

12 p.m. - 1 p.m., Bldg. N-260, Rm. 113. URL: 

http://sail.arc.nasa.gov/. POC: Clif Horne, 

ext. 4-4571.
9 Astrogram December 2008

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.

Ames Cat Network

Private room for rent (12-foot-by-12-foot) w/

bath in north San Jose. Close to highways 880 

and 101. $750 a month. Call (650) 255-1977.

PM Challenge Exhibit 

Opportunities 

PM Challenge invites internal NASA

organizations to exhibit this year. 

Space is still available. Check out 

the PM Challenge Website http://

pmchallenge.gsfc.nasa.gov For 

more information, please contact 

JoAnn.M.Carter@nasa.gov 

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 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. 

Ongoing 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

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.

Lake Tahoe-Squaw Valley Townhse, 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.

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 

apt. in 24 hour security fbldg. overlooking

Washington Square Park, $1,000/week or

3,000/month, negotiable. Call (650) 430-6977.

Paris/France: Fully furnished studio. 5th arr, Latin 

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

week, negotiable. Call (650) 430-6977.

Santa Cruz twnhouse, 2 bd/2 ba plus study, decks, 

totally furnished, 3 blocks from beach, avail. 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

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.

Princeville, Kauai condo; 2bd/2ba, 2,000 sq ft.; 

Ocean front, Bali Hai view, new kitchen, wifi; on 

line @ www.princevillevacations.com ,Puu Poa 

condos, Unit 211; Ron (650) 969-9614 for NASA 

discount.

Housing

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. 
10 Astrogram December 2008

Engineers are getting ready to 

pack NASA’s Kepler spacecraft into a 

container and ship it off to its launch 

site at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. 

The mission, scheduled to launch 

on March 5, 2009, will seek to answer 

an age-old question -- are there other 

Earths in space?

“Kepler is ready to begin its 

journey to its launch site, and ultimately to space, where it will answer 

a question that has been pondered by 

humankind at least as long ago as the 

ancient Greeks,” said James Fanson, 

the project manager for the mission 

at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 

Pasadena, Calif.

Kepler will monitor more than 

100,000 stars for signatures of planets 

of various sizes and orbital distances. 

It has the ability to locate rocky planets like Earth, including those that lie 

in a star’s “habitable zone,” a region 

where liquid water, and perhaps life, 

could exist. If these Earth-size worlds 

do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find 

them, and the first to measure their 

frequency.

“Kepler’s mission is to determine 

whether Earth-size planets in the habitable zone of other stars are frequent 

or rare; whether life in our Milky Way 

galaxy is likely to be frequent or rare,” 

said William Borucki, the Kepler science principal investigator at Ames.

NASA’s Kepler spacecraft ready to ship to Florida

Kepler is currently at Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. in Boulder, Colo. It passed all its environmental tests, ensuring that it is prepared 

for the harsh trip to space. It also 

passed what’s called the “pre-ship 

review,” meaning that it is ready to be 

shipped via convoy to Florida in early 

January. Its first stop will be Astrotech 

in Titusville, Fla., where the spacecraft 

will be processed before being carried 

to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral. 

Kepler will launch atop a Delta II 

rocket.

“An outstanding team of engineers 

overcame some difficult hurdles to 

achieve this considerable milestone,” 

said Ball Aerospace Program Manager 

John Troeltzsch. “The culmination of 

this effort will put a spectacular mission in orbit designed to increase our 

understanding of the cosmos.”

Kepler is a NASA Discovery mission. In addition to being the home 

organization of the science principal 

investigator, NASA Ames Research 

Center is responsible for the ground 

system development, mission operations and science data analysis. Kepler 

mission development is managed by 

the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Ball 

Aerospace & Technologies Corp. is 

responsible for developing the Kepler 

flight system and supporting mission 

operations.

For more information about the 

Kepler mission, visit: http://www.

nasa.gov/kepler

The Kepler spacecraft shown at Ball Aerospace 

preparing to be shipped to Florida. 

by Michael Mewhinney

NASA/JPL/Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.

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/

ames/astrogram.

Intrinsyx Technologies Corporation recently received the NASA Ames 

Research Center 2008 Small Business 

Industry Award (SBIA) Small Business 

Subcontractor of the Year. This award 

was presented in Washington, DC by 

NASA Deputy Administrator Shana 

Dale, to Arshad Mian, president and 

chief executive officer of Intrinsyx 

Technologies Corporation.

Intrinsyx Technologies Corporation is involved in all aspects of 

Constellation Data Systems Projects 

at NASA Ames, including: systems 

engineering, requirements management, enterprise architecture, IT security, semantic modeling and software 

development for a large number of 

enterprise applications. Intrinsyx is 

Intrinsyx receives 2008 Small Business Industry award by Christopher Leidich

From left to right, NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale; 

Intrinsyx Technologies Corporation President Arshad Mian; 

and NASA Assistant Administrator - Office of Small Business 

Programs, Glenn Delgado. Dale recenty presented Mian with 

the NASA Ames Research Center 2008 Small Business Industry 

Award for Small Business Subcontractor of the Year.

NASA photo

also solely responsible for 

developing the Security 

Operations Center (SOC) Incident Management System 

implementation. In September 2008, two Intrinsyx 

personnel received an Ames 

Honor Award for their work 

with the Security Operations Center. Intrinsyx also 

is developing collaboration 

tools and data warehousing solutions for the Ames 

Aeronautics Division.

For more information 

on Intrinsyx Technologies 

Corporation visit: www.intrinsyx.com or contact Mike 

Schultz at (650) 210-9220.