December 2006

www.nasa.gov

Page 2 - NASA unveils its Global 

 Exploration Strategy and lunar

 architecture plans

Page 3 - NASA study finds new kind of

 organics in Stardust mission

Page 5 - NASA ice images aid study of 

 Pacific walrus arctic habitats 

Page 12 - Ames Ongoing Events

Page 13 - Classifieds

On the Inside . . .

NASA images suggest water still flows in brief spurts on Mars

NASA photographs have revealed 

bright new deposits seen in two gullies on Mars that suggest water carried sediment through them sometime 

during the past seven years.

“These observations give the 

strongest evidence to date that water 

still flows occasionally on the surface 

of Mars,” said Michael Meyer, lead 

scientist for NASA’s Mars Exploration 

Program, Washington.

Liquid water, as opposed to the 

water ice and water vapor known to 

exist at Mars, is considered necessary 

for life. The new findings heighten intrigue about the potential for microbial 

life on Mars. The Mars Orbiter Camera 

on NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor provided the new evidence of the deposits 

It’s hard to believe that 2006 is coming to an end....I guess that’s what they 

mean by “time flies when you’re having 

fun!” It seems only appropriate at this 

time of year for each of us to take stock 

of what we have, and one thing I know 

I have is a great job with even better 

people. After seven months here, I’m 

more convinced than ever that Ames is 

the coolest place to be in NASA. The 

dedication, innovation and opportunity 

at this center are truly outstanding, and 

I know that our accomplishments in 

2006 have really set the stage for what 

we will do in 2007!

I wish you all a happy new year and 

holiday season spent with family and 

friends!

In the spirit of the holiday season, NASA Ames 

recently mounted a star on top of Hangar One. 

The star is made of aluminum with LED lights 

and is operated by remote control.

NASA Ames Research Center and 

Google recently signed a Space Act 

continued on page 4

NASA and Google to bring space exploration down to Earth

Agreement that formally establishes a 

relationship to work together on a variety of challenging technical problems 

ranging from large-scale data management and massively distributed computing, to human-computer interfaces.

As the first in a series of joint collaborations, Google and Ames will 

focus on making the most useful of 

NASA’s information available on the 

Internet. Real-time weather visualization and forecasting, high-resolution 

3-D maps of the moon and Mars, 

real-time tracking of the International 

Space Station and the space shuttle 

will be explored in the future. 

“This agreement between NASA 

Season’s Greetings 

from the Director

s. Pete Worden

NASA photo by Tom Trower

continued on page 5

NASA photo by Tom Trower

Ames signed a Space Act Agreement 

with Google that initiated a joint venture between the two entities in making NASA’s most useful information 

available on the Internet. From left to 

right: Director of Business Development at Ames, Chris C. Kemp; Ames 

Center Director S. Pete Worden; 

Tiffany Montague, director of new 

business development, Google; and 

Dan Clancy, engineering director, 

Google, address the audience during 

the Space Act Agreement signing 

event in the Ames Exploration Center. 
 Astrogram December 2006

NASA unveils its Global Exploration Strategy and lunar architecture plans

In early December, NASA unveiled 

the initial elements of the Global Exploration Strategy and a proposed U.S. 

lunar architecture, two critical tools for 

achieving the nation’s vision of returning humans to the moon.

NASA Deputy Administrator Shana 

Dale, who is guiding the long-term 

strategy development effort among 

14 of the world’s space agencies, said, 

“This strategy will enable interested 

nations to leverage their capabilities and 

financial and technical contributions, 

making optimum use of globally available knowledge and resources to help 

energize a coordinated effort that will 

propel us into this new age of discovery 

and exploration.”

The Global Exploration Strategy 

focuses on two overarching issues: Why 

we are returning to the moon and what 

we plan to do when we get there. The 

strategy includes a comprehensive set of 

the reasons for embarking upon human 

and robotic exploration of the moon. 

NASA’s proposed lunar architecture 

focuses on a third issue: How humans 

might accomplish the mission of exploring the moon.

In April 2006, NASA initiated 

development of the Global Exploration 

Strategy in order to meet a congressional 

mandate, as well as to accomplish goals 

outlined in the agency’s strategic plan 

and the Vision for Space Exploration. 

The strategy is evolving from a lengthy 

dialogue among more than 1,000 individuals, including experts from NASA 

and 13 other space agencies, as well as 

non-governmental organizations and 

commercial interests. Experts from the 

Australian, Canadian, Chinese, European, French, German, British, Indian, 

Italian, Japanese, Russian, South Korean 

and Ukrainian space agencies participated.

NASA planners used the international group’s deliberations as well as 

input from academia, private sector and 

private citizens as the basis for sketching 

a U.S. blueprint for a return to the moon. 

NASA’s Lunar Architecture Team, 

chartered in May 2006, concluded that 

the most advantageous approach is to 

develop a solar-powered lunar base and 

to locate it near one of the poles of the 

moon. With such an outpost, NASA can 

learn to use the moon’s natural resources 

to live off the land, make preparations 

for a journey to Mars, conduct a wide 

range of scientific investigations and 

encourage international participation.

“The architecture work has resulted 

in an understanding of what is required 

to implement and enable critical exploration objectives,” Dale said. “This is all 

important as we continue the process 

we have begun and better define the 

architecture and our various exploration 

roles in what is a very exciting future for 

the United States and the world.”

As currently envisioned, an incremental buildup would begin with fourperson crews making several seven-day 

visits to the moon until their power 

supplies, rovers and living quarters are 

operational. The first mission would begin by 2020. These would be followed by 

180-day missions to prepare for journeys 

to Mars.

The proposed lunar architecture calls 

for robotic precursor missions designed 

to support the human mission. These 

precursors include landing site reconnaissance, natural resource assays and 

technology risk reduction for the human 

lander.

To kick off the quest for lunar 

water ice, NASA announced April 10, 

2006, that a small, ‘secondary payload’ 

spacecraft, to be developed by a team 

at NASA Ames Research Center, would 

begin a trip to the moon in October 2008 

to look for precious water.

The water-seeking spacecraft is 

called the Lunar CRater Observation 

and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS). It is 

known as a ‘secondary payload spacecraft’ because it will begin its trip to the 

moon on the same rocket as the Lunar 

Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), which is 

on a different mission to the moon. The 

rocket, the Evolved Expendable Launch 

Vehicle (EELV), will launch from Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

Moving into 2007, NASA will 

continue to refine its lunar architecture, 

maintaining the open dialogue initiated 

in 2006, to enhance further the Global 

Exploration Strategy. NASA’s goal is to 

enable a sustainable space exploration 

effort in which participating organizations can achieve individual goals with 

mutually beneficial results.

NASA Ames r also is supporting the 

Orion and the Ares launch vehicles that 

NASA is developing for future space 

exploration directly with the several efforts including development of Thermal 

Protection System technology, computational modeling and wind tunnel testing, 

Integrated System Health Management 

(ISHM) expertise, crew cockpit design 

expertise, software validation and 

verification expertise and Simulation Assisted Risk Assessment (SARA) expertise. Many of these activities use unique 

national assets at NASA Ames such as 

the Arc Jet, the Unitary Wind Tunnel and 

the Columbia supercomputer.

For more on NASA’s exploration 

plans, visit the Internet at: http://www.

nasa.gov/exploration

NASA Ames Education Division, in partnership with the 

San Jose Rotary Club and the Ames Hispanic Advisory 

Committee, hosted more than 100 predominately Hispanic 

students for a day of excitement and adventure on Dec. 

14. The students toured the Unitary Wind Tunnel, the 

Ames Exploration Encounter (AEE) and the MicroRover 

Lab. Students are seen here getting a lesson in orbital 

mechanics at the Ames Exploration Encounter, where they 

try to toss bean bags as they spin on the AAE’s orbital 

mechanics demonstrator.

Artist’s concept of future lunar base.

Students visit Ames for science adventure NASA photo by Tom Trower
 Astrogram December 2006

A team of scientists found a new 

class of organics in comet dust captured from Comet Wild 2 in 2004 by 

NASA’s Stardust spacecraft.

The discovery is described in the 

Dec. 15, 2006, issue of Science Express, 

the on-line edition of the journal Science, in a technical paper, “Organics 

Captured from Comet Wild 2 by the 

Stardust Spacecraft.” The lead author 

is Scott Sandford of Ames’ Astrophysics Branch.

In January 2004, the Stardust 

spacecraft flew through comet dust 

and captured specks of it in a very 

light, low-density substance called 

aerogel. Stardust’s return capsule 

parachuted to the Utah desert on Jan. 

15 after a seven-year mission. The science canister with the Comet Wild 2 

and interstellar dust particles samples 

arrived at JSC on Jan. 17. From there, 

the cometary samples have been 

processed and distributed to about 150 

scientists worldwide who are using a 

variety of techniques to determine the 

properties of the cometary grains.

“A portion of the organic material in the samples is unlike anything 

seen before in extraterrestrial materials,” Sandford said. “Capturing the 

particles in aerogel was a little bit like 

NASA study finds new kind of organics in Stardust mission

by John Bluc

collecting BBs by shooting them into 

Styrofoam.”

The comet organics collect by the 

Stardust spacecraft are more ‘primitive’ than those seen in meteorites 

and may have formed by processes in 

nebulae, either in space clouds between the stars, or in the disk-shaped 

cloud of gas and dust from which 

our solar system formed, the study’s 

authors found.

“Comets are a major source of the 

water and carbon on the moon,” said 

S. Pete Worden, Ames center director. 

“Therefore, understanding comets 

will help scientists learn what natural 

resources to search for on our nearest 

neighbor in space -- resources that will 

aid astronauts in exploration beyond 

Earth,” Worden explained.

The study’s scientists used many 

highly sophisticated, state-of-the-art 

techniques to analyze the Stardust 

samples.

Several of the analyses indicated 

that the samples contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 

scientists said. PAHs are molecules 

made of carbon and hydrogen that are 

common in interstellar space - and in 

barbeque grill soot.

Certain PAHs chemical varieties 

also contain oxygen and nitrogen. 

Some scientists believe that these 

PAHs variants exist in interstellar 

space as well. They are of interest to 

astrobiologists because these kinds of 

compounds play important roles in 

terrestrial biochemistry, according to 

Sandford.

“Our studies of the comet dust 

show that the organics are very rich in 

oxygen and nitrogen,” Sandford said. 

“The data are not incompatible with 

some of it being in the PAHs, but we 

still have a lot to learn in this area.”

Although some of the other organics captured by the Stardust spacecraft 

look somewhat similar to the fairly 

stable organics found in meteorites, 

Sandford noted that many of the 

organic compounds appear to be very 

volatile. One sample even showed 

an abundance of material containing 

alcohols.

Many scientists believe that comets are largely made of the original 

material from which our solar system 

formed and could contain pre-solar 

system, interstellar grains. According to scientists, continued analysis of 

these celestial specks may well yield 

important insights into the evolution 

of the sun, its planets and possibly, 

even the origin of life.

“I anticipate that people will be 

asking for and working on these 

samples for decades to come,” said 

Sandford. “What we report in the papers that appear this week is just the 

beginning of what we will learn from 

these samples. One of the advantages 

of returned samples is that they are 

available to study into the future, a 

gift that keeps on giving.”

The organics paper is one of seven 

in the journal Science reporting the 

findings of the preliminary examination team that made the initial study 

of the cometary samples.

For more information about 

Stardust studies and other mission 

information, visit: http://www.nasa.

gov/centers/ames/research/2006/

stardust_feature.html

A piece of Stardust aerogel collector material in a 

special container that is designed to protect and 

secure it during cutting and sample preparation.

A team of scientists have found a new class of 

organics in the comet dusk captured from Comet 

Wild 2 in 2004 by NASA’s Stardust spacecraft. 

Here a researcher is examing a Stardust aerogel 

tile under a stereo microscope.
 Astrogram December 2006

in images taken in 2004 and 2005.

“The shapes of these deposits 

are what you would expect to see if 

the material were carried by flowing 

water,” said Michael Malin of Malin 

Space Science Systems, San Diego. 

“They have finger-like branches at 

the downhill end and easily diverted 

around small obstacles.” Malin is principal investigator for the camera and 

lead author of a report about the findings published in the journal Science.

The atmosphere of Mars is so thin 

and the temperature so cold that 

liquid water cannot 

persist at the surface. It would rapidly evaporate or 

freeze. Researchers 

propose that water 

could remain liquid 

long enough, after 

breaking out from 

an underground 

source, to carry 

debris downslope 

before totally freezing. The two fresh 

deposits are each 

several hundred 

meters or yards 

long.

The light tone of the deposits could 

be from surface frost continuously 

replenished by ice within the body of 

the deposit. Another possibility is a 

salty crust, which would be a sign of 

water’s effects in concentrating the 

salts. If the deposits had resulted from 

dry dust slipping down the slope, they 

would likely be dark, based on the 

dark tones of dust freshly disturbed 

by rover tracks, dust devils and fresh 

craters on Mars.

NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance 

Orbiter (MRO) will utilize its HiRise 

camera and CRISM near-infrared spectrometer to follow up on this exciting 

discovery. Ames scientists Ted Roush, 

Virginia Gulick and David Des Marais 

are participating scientists with MRO. 

The ultra-high resolution observations 

by HiRise and high resolution infrared 

mapping by CRISM promise additional discoveries and insights into the 

origins of these active gullies.

Ames researchers also will help 

NASA to “follow the water” down 

on the martian surface and search 

for environments that might have 

supported life. David Blake is the 

principal investigator of the CheMin 

X-ray diffraction/fluorescence spectrometer that will accompany the 2009 

Mars Science Laboratory rover. By 

far the most powerful instrument for 

mineral identification ever flown in 

space, CheMin will support a rigorous investigation of the chemical and 

environmental legacy of liquid water 

in the martian crust. Ames members of 

the CheMin team include Des Marais 

and Tori Hoehler.

Ames staff is also actively participating in Mars program planning for 

the next decade, which will feature 

orbiters, landers and preparations for 

returning samples to Earth.

Mars Global Surveyor has discovered tens of thousands of gullies 

on slopes inside craters and other 

depressions on Mars. Most gullies are 

at latitudes of 30 degrees or higher. 

Malin and his team first reported the 

discovery of the gullies in 2000. To 

look for changes that might indicate 

present-day flow of water, his camera 

team repeatedly imaged hundreds of 

the sites. One pair of images showed 

a gully that appeared after mid-2002. 

That site was on a sand dune, and the 

gully-cutting process was interpreted 

as a dry flow of sand.

The Dec. 4, 2006 announcement 

is the first to reveal newly deposited 

material apparently carried by fluids 

after earlier imaging of the same gullies. The two sites are inside craters in 

the Terra Sirenum and the Centauri 

Montes regions of southern Mars.

“These fresh deposits suggest that 

at some places and times on presentday Mars, liquid water is emerging 

from beneath the ground and briefly 

flowing down the slopes. This possibility raises questions about how 

the water would stay melted below 

ground, how widespread it might be, 

and whether there’s a below-ground 

wet habitat conducive to life. Future 

missions may provide the answers,” 

said Malin.

Besides looking 

for changes in gullies, the orbiter’s 

camera team assessed the rate at 

which new impact 

craters appear. 

The camera photographed approximately 98 percent 

of Mars in 1999 

and approximately 

30 percent of the 

planet was photographed again in 

2006. The newer 

images show 20 

fresh impact craters, ranging in diameter from 7 feet (2 meters) to 486 feet 

(148 meters) that were not present approximately seven years earlier. These 

results have important implications 

for determining the ages of features on 

the surface of Mars. These results also 

approximately match predictions and 

imply that martian terrain with few 

craters is truly young.

Mars Global Surveyor began 

orbiting Mars in 1997. The spacecraft 

is responsible for many important 

discoveries. NASA has not heard from 

the spacecraft since early November. 

Attempts to contact it continue. Its 

unprecedented longevity has allowed 

monitoring Mars for several years 

past its projected lifetime. NASA’s 

Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, 

manages the Mars Global Surveyor 

mission for the NASA Science Mission 

Directorate, Washington.

NASA images suggest water still flows in brief spurts on Mars

continued from front page

Before and after views, taken by NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor, of a second site where a gully flowed. 

On the left, the site as it appeared in 2001. On the right, the same site in 2005. This is in the Terra 

Sirenum crater on Mars.
 Astrogram December 2006

and Google will soon allow every 

American to experience a virtual 

flight over the surface of the moon or 

through the canyons of Mars,” said 

NASA Administrator Michael Griffin 

at Headquarters in Washington. “This 

innovative combination of information technology and space science will 

make NASA’s space exploration work 

accessible to everyone,” added Griffin. 

“Partnering with NASA made 

perfect sense for Google, as it has a 

wealth of technical expertise and data 

that will be of great use to Google as 

we look to tackle many computing 

issues on behalf of our users,” said 

Eric Schmidt, chief executive officer 

of Google. “We’re pleased to move 

forward to collaborate on a variety of 

technical challenges through the signing of the Space Act Agreement.” 

Recently, teams from NASA and 

Google met to discuss the many challenging computer science problems 

facing both organizations and possible 

joint collaborations that could help 

address them.

NASA and Google intend to collaborate in a variety of areas, including incorporating agency data sets in 

Google Earth, focusing on user studies 

and cognitive modeling for human 

computer interaction, and science data 

search utilizing a variety of Google 

features and products.

“Our collaboration with Google 

will demonstrate that the private and 

public sectors can accomplish great 

things together,” said S. Pete Worden, 

Ames Center Director. “I want NASA 

Ames to establish partnerships with 

the private sector that will encourage innovation, while advancing the 

Vision for Space Exploration and commercial interests,” Worden added.

“NASA has collected and processed more information about our 

planet and universe than any other 

entity in the history of humanity,” said 

Chris C. Kemp, director of strategic 

business development at Ames. “Even 

though this information was collected 

for the benefit of everyone, and much 

is in the public domain, the vast majority of this information is scattered 

and difficult for non-experts to access 

and to understand. 

“We’ve worked hard over the past 

year to implement an agreement that 

enables NASA and Google to work 

closely together on a wide range of innovative collaborations,” said Kemp. 

“We are bringing together some of 

the best research scientists and engineers to form teams to make more of 

NASA and Google to bring space exploration down to Earth

continued from front page

NASA’s vast information accessible.”

NASA and Google also are finalizing details for additional collaborations that include joint research, products, facilities, education and missions. 

Google’s innovative search technologies connect millions of people 

around the world with information 

every day. Google is headquartered 

in Silicon Valley close to Ames with 

offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. by Michael Mewhinne

The Arctic ice pack is home to thousands of Pacific walrus. Their preferred 

habitat is an ice floe that has enough 

density and surface area to support 

a herd of 12-foot-long, 3,000 pound 

mammals. In the spring, walrus ‘haul 

out’ on this floating ice to rest, mate 

and rear their young. Recently, NASA 

collaborated with the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service in Alaska to determine 

the usefulness of satellite imagery for 

studying the effect of climate change 

on the Pacific walrus ice habitat in the 

Bering and Chukchi seas.

Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus 

divergens) is the only subspecies of 

walrus that inhabits U.S. waters. Native Alaskans rely on a bountiful walrus population for their food, clothing 

and shelter, and as a spiritual totem, 

making it an important part of Alaska’s 

economy and cultural subsistence. Because the walrus is vital to these native 

NASA ice images aid study of 

Pacific walrus arctic habitats

Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) is the only subspecies of walrus that inhabits 

U.S. waters. Native Alaskans rely on a bountiful walrus population for their food, clothing 

and shelter, and as a spiritual totem, making it an important part of Alaska’s economy and 

cultural subsistence. Because the walrus is vital to these native people, a stable walrus population is crucial to their survival and way of life. NASA recently collaborated with the U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife Serice in Alaska to determine the usefulness of satellite imagery for studying climate change effects on the Pacific walrus ice habitat in the Bering and Chukchi seas.

Photo courtesy of NOAA

continued on page 9
 Astrogram December 2006

A team of researchers from NASA 

Ames, Carnegie Mellon University, 

Google and the National Geographic 

Society has been honored by the Tech 

Museum of Innovation in San Jose for 

its innovative uses of technology that 

helps rescue organizations respond 

more rapidly to global disasters.

As part of the Global Connection 

Project, Ames partnered with education and private industry to develop 

software that uses aerial and satellite 

imaging for a more rapid response to 

global disasters. The software combines spatial image processing and a 

3-D browser that provide geographically located, high-resolution images 

to relief and government agencies for 

time-critical decision making.

“We believe that technology can 

be used to connect, inspire and inform 

global communities, as well as encourage understanding and appreciation of 

the Earth worldwide,” said Dr. Terry 

Fong, leader of the Intelligent Robotics 

Group at Ames. “By meeting with and 

learning about our global neighbors, 

we become better equipped to solve 

issues that transcend national boundaries, such as resource shortages, pollution and climate change.”

The Global Connection Project 

seeks to spread understanding of the 

world’s people, cultures and environments. It started in May 2005, 

and initially focused on embedding 

NASA Ames and partners honored for supporting disaster response

high-resolution aerial imagery from 

conservationist Mike Fay’s “Africa 

MegaFlyover” project, National Geographic stories, and panoramic images 

into Google Earth. The ‘geospatial’ 

results allow the public to experience 

and better understand remote parts of 

the world.

Last fall, the Global Connection 

team adapted its software tools to 

support disaster 

response. In the aftermath of Hurricane 

Katrina, for example, 

the team processed 

and geo-located 

7,900 post-disaster 

fly-over images 

taken by the National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration. These 

images enabled 

relief workers to 

better assess damage 

and make critical 

decisions during 

response efforts.

Global Connection also provided 

similar aerial and satellite imagery 

that supported the disaster response 

after Hurricane Rita and the October 

2005 earthquake in Pakistan.

“The Global Connection Project 

team is making a significant impact on 

how citizens of the Earth learn about 

and interact with their global neighbors. Our software tools invite active 

participation; provide accurate, rich 

and engaging information; and allow 

for easily updated and increasingly 

real-time information,” said Fong. “By 

making information about our planet 

and its inhabitants more accessible, 

we are making it easier for human 

beings to interact with each other and 

nature.”

The prestigious Tech Museum 

award is part of the Tech Museum 

Awards Program, which celebrates the 

development of technology to benefit 

humanity. The international award 

was presented at the Tech Museum 

awards gala, hosted by Steve Young, 

former National Football League legend and member of the Tech Museum 

of Innovation’s board of directors; 

leaders from Silicon Valley; and delegates from the United Nations. Global 

Connection received its award in the 

economic development category.

Global Connection team members 

include co-principal investigators Illah 

Nourbakhsh, associate professor of 

robotics at Carnegie Mellon’s Robotics 

Institute and Randy Sargent, a project 

scientist at the university’s West Coast 

Campus, along with Anne Wright, 

QSS Group, Inc.; Leila Hasan, Carnegie Mellon University; A. J. Antony 

Chettupuzha, Carnegie Mellon 

University; and Dr. Larry Barone, Bay 

Area Economic Group. Google participants included Brian McClendon, 

director of engineering, and Michael 

Jones, chief technology officer for 

Google Earth.

For more information about the 

Global Connection Project, visit the 

Web at http://www.cs.cmu.edu/

~globalconn/

by Ruth Marlair

Former San Francisco 49r quarterback Steve 

Young spoke at the recent Tech Museum 

Awards 2006 ceremony, where a team of 

reseachers from NASA Ames, Carnegie 

Mellon University and Google was honored.

The Global Connection Project team of researchers, consisting of NASA 

Ames, Carnegie Mellon Unversity, Google and the National Geographic 

Society, was recently honored by the Tech Museum of Innovation in San 

Jose for its innovative uses of technology that helps rescue organizations 

respond more rapidly to global disasters.
 Astrogram December 2006

NASA’s Vision for Space Exploration calls for robots and humans to 

return to the moon, Mars and beyond. 

And NASA Ames’ innovative partnerships with industry and academia will 

ensure cost-effective development of 

the breakthrough technologies needed. 

Responding to a call from the 

NASA Headquarters’ Innovative Partnerships Program (IPP), Ames and its 

collaborators recently submitted eight 

proposals for seed fund consideration. 

On the basis of technical merit, feasibility and leveraging of internal and 

external resources, Ames’ proposals 

were selected for award in four technically diverse areas encompassing the 

Science, Exploration Systems, Space 

Operations and Aeronautics mission 

directorates. 

“It is a tribute to our researchers 

that four of our eight proposals were 

selected for funding,” said Ames 

Center Director S. Pete Worden. “The 

quality of the proposals was uniformly 

high and reflected extremely well 

upon the entire Ames scientific and 

research community. At Ames, we are 

charting new strategic directions and 

ensuring that we will be a critical player as NASA implements its Vision.”

In response to the IPP seed fund 

call, the Ames Technology Partnerships Office received 32 proposals. 

These were narrowed to eight based 

on the headquarters-established criteria that proposals had to be directly 

relevant to mission directorate technology priorities and had to demonstrate a substantial leveraging of 

external resources. The winning Ames 

proposals will provide critical support 

to multiple missions in a highly costeffective manner. 

One such proposal studies the 

development of an innovative multimission telescope that uses large, 

lightweight silicon carbide mirrors in 

space. The proposed telescope would 

lower mission costs by using low-cost 

silicon carbide mirrors, and their light 

weight would reduce the spacecraft’s 

cargo weight. Its field of vision can 

be wide or narrow, and is capable 

of detection, observation and characterization of various phenomena. 

Several innovative partnerships will 

be leveraged to develop this technology -- General Dynamics Advanced 

Information Systems, the Air Force 

Research Laboratory and Subaru.

For the astronauts to exist on the 

moon, they will use lunar resources to 

Ames wins funding for innovative technology partnerships

possibly make oxygen and water, create radiation shielding and building 

materials. Ames proposed equipping 

small rovers (25 to 50 kg in mass) with 

sensors for surface prospecting. These 

small robots identify and map key 

resources such as water ice and minerals for oxygen production. This project 

leverages the Ball Aerospace Inc. and 

the University of Tennessee for their 

sensor development experience. 

Specifically, the University of Tennessee will provide a compact neutron 

spectrometer for the detection of nearsurface water (liquid and ice), and Ball 

Aerospace will provide a volatile water extraction and purification system 

from regolith analog samples.

Sorties to the moon would hone 

astronaut skills and appraise equipment. For the success of this experiment, ground control would need the 

skill to support outposts on the moon. 

The third proposal characterizes the 

technical parameters for lunar communications between the Earth and 

the moon, focusing on the Internet 

protocol (IP) network, laser communications and small satellites. Three 

recommendations from NASA’s 2006 

Space Communications Architecture 

Working Group will be studied: 1. 

schedule and planning; 2. network 

services, and protocol selection and 

governance; and 3. lunar communications. 

The key benefit to NASA is the 

development of a network solution for 

lunar communications and navigation 

that supports future missions with 

low-cost connectivity, while leveraging 

the best solutions from the telecommunications industry. Partners include 

Ball Aerospace, which will provide 

access to its internal spacecraft hardware development activities; and 

Cisco, which will provide networking 

protocols and support integration of 

the IP network functions into existing 

spacecraft communications.

The last proposal improves the Integrated Systems Health Management 

techniques and processes for avionics systems, which promises to boost 

in-flight performance, reduce maintenance costs, and improve aircraft 

reliability. Its application is relevant to 

multiple Exploration Systems Mission 

Directorate vehicles, including Orion, 

Ares, and future vehicles such as 

LSAM. The partner is Impact Technologies, which will provide its experience with prognostics for electronics.

by Ruth Dasso Marlai

Ames employees were invited to learn about the International Space University in early December. 

NASA has had a long and special relationship with ISU since its founding in 1985. Representatives 

from ISU (shown above) were on hand to discuss the past, present and future of this unique international 

organization. One of ISU’s signature programs is the 9-week Summer Session Program (SSP). Each 

year, universities from around the world compete to host the SSP for 120 - 150 students from around the 

world. Ames is vying to be the first NASA center to host a summer session program (for 2009). Ames 

submitted a compelling proposal in September under the leadership of the Strategic Communications 

and Development Directorate and the New Business Office. The visiting ISU leadership, Gary Martin, 

SSP director, and Mathieu Gruber, SSP logistics manager, visited Ames in conjunction with Ames’ bid. 

ISU will make its site selection announcement in late January 2007. To learn more about ISU and its 

programs, visit their Web site: www.isunet.edu For additional information about Ames’ proposal to host 

ISU SSP 2009, contact the Ames project manager, Donald James, at ext. 4-4967.

NASA photo by Tom Trower

ISU discusses past, present and future
 Astrogram December 2006

Each year, the president recognizes 

and celebrates a small group of career 

senior executives and senior technical 

employees with the Presidential Rank 

Award for exceptional long-term accomplishments. Winners of this pres- tigious award are strong leaders, proAmes employees honored with Presidential Rank Awards

Over three decades, Bonnie 

Dalton, deputy director of Science, 

has handled progressively greater 

challenges in leading the space 

life science organizations at Ames. 

Since coming to the center, Dalton’s 

career has become synonymous with 

NASA science missions on a variety 

of platforms. 

As an exobiology researcher, 

she studied extremophiles in preparation for the first Mars landing 

Viking. As a project manager, branch 

chief and deputy division chief, she 

was responsible for life sciences 

payloads on more than 20 shuttle 

missions, eight Spacelab missions 

and five Mir missions representing 

approximately 400 scientific experiments for life sciences in microgravity. 

Former Ames Center Director G. 

Scott Hubbard has been at the forefront of the Ames transition from 

its historic aeronautical roots to its 

current position of strength in Silicon 

Valley, pursuing strategic research 

and advanced technology to support 

NASA’s missions. 

Hubbard is one of the founders of 

the internationally recognized field 

of astrobiology, the study of life in 

the universe. His record in innovation extends from early research in 

novel radiation detector development 

to the airbag approach for landing 

spacecraft on Mars, to current efforts 

in the emerging entrepreneurial space 

industry. 

Hubbard honed his leadership 

skills as the founder of a small, 

high tech company in the 1980s and 

brought all those skills to bear in his 

20-year career at NASA. He became 

the manager of NASA’s return to the 

moon after an absence of 25 years 

G. Scott Hubbard (Senior Executive Service) 

with the successful Lunar Prospector 

mission. Soon after, he restructured 

the entire NASA Mars Program. His 

success earned him the nickname of 

‘Mars Czar’ and is measured by the 

fact that his mission queue remains 

essentially intact and successful 

to this day. In early 2006, a highly 

respected European institution, the 

46,000 student Universidad Polytechnic of Madrid, honored him with a 

Doctor Honoris Causa, an acknowledgement of the highest caliber. 

As NASA’s sole representative on 

the Columbia accident investigation 

board, his leadership initiated the 

impact test program that established 

the definitive physical cause of the 

accident. Hubbard has earned seven 

NASA medals in addition to numerous other awards in recognition of 

his service and dedication as a NASA 

leader. Under Hubbard’s leadership, 

Ames has transitioned from emphasis on wind tunnels and traditional 

NASA photo by Tom Trower

Former NASA Ames Center Director G. Scott 

Hubbard, recent recipient of a Senior Executive 

Service Presidential Rank Award.

fessionals and scientists who achieve 

results and consistently demonstrate 

strength, integrity, industry and a 

relentless commitment to excellence in 

public service.

The three Ames outstanding indi- viduals listed here, G. Scott Hubbard, 

Bonnie Dalton and Louis Allamandola, were awarded the Meritorious 

Presidential Rank Award for 2006. 

They were recognized by Associate Administrator Rex Geveden at 

an agency Rank Award luncheon in 

Washington, D.C.

Bonnie P. Dalton (Senior Executive Service)

With NASA’s future and the 

Exploration Initiative at the forefront, 

Dalton has worked actively toward 

the development of leaders to carry 

forward NASA’s goals. She has mentored and developed members of the 

Ames Strategic Leadership Bootcamp 

and supported the Inland Northwest 

Space Alliance (which was a non-profit) to further rural engineering and science students’ ability to fly scholastic 

projects with NASA, the military and 

private industry and was instrumental 

in implementing a ‘small sat’ utilization for the Ames GeneSat. 

Her successes have led to further 

collaborations with the external community for flight support in testing 

technology development focused toward the Vision for Space Exploration.

computational fluid dynamics to its 

current stature as a cutting-edge research and technology institution. 

Bonnie Dalton, deputy director of Science 

at NASA Ames, recent recipient of a Senior 

Executive Service Presidential Rank Award.

NASA photo by Dominic Hart
 Astrogram December 2006

Louis Allamandola, senior scientist in the Space Science Division, 

is among the pioneers of laboratory 

astrophysics. He is the founder and 

director of the Ames Astrochemistry 

Laboratory, a laboratory in which 

the cold, deep vacuum and harsh 

radiation conditions of deep space 

are realistically duplicated. 

Work from this group has 

revolutionized our understanding 

of chemistry in space, showing it to 

be far richer and far more complex 

than people thought possible. 

Within the first year of his becoming a civil servant, he won the 

H. Julian Allen Award, the center’s 

highest award for a scientific publi- cation. 

To his credit, Allamandola is 

among the most highly cited au- thors in space science, has over 200 

peer-reviewed papers and presented 

over 140 invited seminars at universities and symposia around the 

world. 

He has been interviewed by and has contributed to articles for 

national magazines and newspa- pers including Newsweek, Popular 

Mechanics and Discover. 

Allamandola has sat on NASA 

advisory councils, many NASA space 

mission development teams and 

scientific organizing committees. He has been a chair or co-chair 

for 13 international conferences or 

symposia. His awards and recog- nition - winning contributions to 

fundamental and theoretical science 

have focused the spotlight on Ames 

as the world’s premier research cen- ter in laboratory astrochemistry and 

astrobiology.

Louis Allamandola (Senior Scientific and Technical)

Louis Allamandola, senior scientist in the Space 

Science Divsion at Ames, and recent recipient of 

the Senior Scientific and Technical Presidential 

Rank Award.

people, a stable walrus population is 

crucial to their survival and way of life.

To study the population dynamics 

and supporting habitats of the Pacific walrus, students from the NASA 

Develop program worked with the 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) 

in Alaska to determine the relationship between polar sea ice formations 

and the preferred habitat of the Pacific 

walrus. For the first time, radar sensors 

were used to study the walrus in the 

Alaskan Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta.

Walrus live on sea ice where winddriven rills and flats vary in thickness 

and landscape. The dynamic nature 

of sea ice and its uniform appearance 

pose unique challenges to remote-sensing studies. In the past, researchers 

were literally in the dark when searching for walrus.

“Last spring, the largest census 

ever performed on the walrus population was undertaken,” said Jay Skiles, 

senior research scientist in biosphere 

science at Ames. “The count took 

almost two months, required the use 

of ships and smaller craft, airplanes 

and helicopters with thermal sensors. 

Russia provided valuable support by 

supplying an ice-breaker for the study,” 

said Skiles.

Skiles co-manages the Develop program with Cynthia Schmidt at Ames. 

The Develop program, supported by 

the NASA Science Mission Directorate 

Applied Sciences Program, encourages student teams to investigate the 

use of NASA science research results 

and observations relevant to societal 

concerns and perform advanced, analytical experiments demonstrating their 

contribution to national policy and 

decision-making.

Researchers say there are big 

advantages to knowing where to find 

the walrus. When conducting surveys, 

researchers know where to go to make 

the count and fewer resources are used, 

which make the studies more cost-effective.

During the USFWS survey, a lowflying aircraft with a thermal sensor onboard scanned for thermal signatures 

or walrus. Since walrus are warmer 

than the ice surrounding them, each 

point on the flight path, or scanline, 

represented the presence of walrus. 

Satellite imagery is used to supplement 

the airborne thermal data to classify ice 

types, which is difficult to do because 

of its contiguous nature.

Once the two sets of data were collected, flight-path imagery was overlaid on satellite imagery of the same 

region and similar time period. Understanding certain sea ice features such as 

density and proximity to open water is 

key to identifying areas where the walrus can be found. Results from analysis 

of the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) 

data suggest that walrus seem to prefer 

regions composed almost entirely of 

medium thickness approximately 2 - 4 

ft. (70 -120 cm.) first-year ice.

“This study is by no means exhaustive. Our data suggest the possibility 

that sea ice features may be critical 

factors for the walrus when choosing 

a habitat. Using techniques developed 

during this project, the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service may be able to determine, over time, if climate change is 

affecting Pacific walrus populations,” 

said Skiles.

For related images and more information, please visit on the Web: http://

www.nasa.gov/

For more information about the 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the 

Web, visit: http://alaska.fws.gov/fisheries/mmm/index.htm

For more information about the use 

of SAR on the Web, visit: http://www.

sandia.gov/RADAR/whatis.html

NASA ice images aid study of Pacific walrus arctic habitats

by Ruth Dasso Marlai

continued from page 5 NASA photo by Dominic Haet

Ames employees honored with Presidential Rank Awards
10 Astrogram December 2006

The Ames Protective Services Office (Code JP) recently hosted a Safety Day 

presentation at the Ames Child Care Center. With their parents consent, the kids 

were fingerprinted and digitally photographed by Code JP personnel. These items 

were then returned to the parents for their family records. ‘McGruff’ the crime 

dog also came to visit the kids to help teach them how to be safe.

Astronomer Bruce Margon, vice 

chancellor of research at the University of California, Santa Cruz, 

will give a non-technical, illustrated 

talk on: ‘Glimpsing the Edge of the 

Universe: Results from the Hubble 

Space Telescope.’ Margon arrived 

at the university in the fall of 2006 

after working at the Space Telescope 

Science Institute. He was a key 

member of the team that built one of 

the Hubble’s instruments, and also 

Do you know about the Desktop 

Outsourced Services provided at 

Ames Research Center? Please join 

Lockheed Martin and some of Ames’ 

vendors, for a Desktop Showcase on 

Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2007 in the NASA 

Ames Conference Center located in 

Bldg. 3 in the main ballroom. This 

event will run from 10:00 a.m. to 

2:00 p.m.

Come spend some time with our 

ODIN team, as we will have repreProtective Services Office hosts safety day for kids

Upcoming Events . . .

Desktop Showcase scheduled for Jan. 23.

sentatives from engineering, desktop 

support and asset management to 

meet with you and clarify questions 

you may have.

There will be representatives 

from Apple Computer, HP and 

Verizon (among others) on hand to 

demonstrate their new equipment 

and answer questions that you may 

have -- a tradeshow for NASA Ames.

We also will have representatives from other Lockheed Martin 

functional organizations who will be 

available to demonstrate such things 

as our new e-catalog from central 

operations (ODIN Help Desk). Light 

refreshments will be served during 

the day, so take a few minutes and 

come on down and join us for the 

Lockheed Martin Desktop Showcase 

coming this January.

Want to learn more about the Hubble Space Telescope?

served as scientific director of the 

Sloan Digital Sky Survey. 

Date: Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2007

Time: 7 p.m.

Place: Smithwick Theater

 Foothill College

 El Monte Road 

 and Freeway 280,

 Los Altos Hills

The talk is free and open to the 

public and is part of the Silicon Valley Astronomy Lecture Series. No 

background in science is required 

for this talk. Parking on campus 

cost $2. Call the series hot-line at 

(650) 949-7888 for more information 

and driving directions.

NASA photos by Tom Trower
11 Astrogram December 2006

Some of the members of the Nimble Knitters Club modeling the pocket scarves that they knitted for their 

latest charity project. Seated, left to right, Lynda Haines, Rosalyn Jung, Rekha Dolas. Standing, left 

to right, Joanne MacArthur, Mary Walsh, Sandy Hart, Katharine Lee, Lou Ann Hong, Susan Nelson, 

Susan Lee, Diane Alexander, Maria Triarsi and Arelene Spencer. 

The Ames Nimble Knitters learned 

to knit and were able to help some 

homeless members of the community 

at the same time. Under Ames Exchange sponsorship, the club donated 

20 much-welcomed pocket scarves 

to the Santa Clara County InnVision 

homeless shelters. 

Come join the Nimble Knitters to 

learn to knit or to share your skills in 

the art of knitting. Website: http://

knit.arc.nasa.gov

Have you visited the Tee Minus 1 

Grill Clubhouse lately? New changes 

include the addition of wi-fi! 

 “NASA Research Park partner 

Advanced Wireless Communication 

(AWC) project manager Michael Blankenship coordinated the installation 

of the service in less than 2 1/2 hours 

and we are thrilled,” said Terry Del 

Vecchio, Ames Exchange operations 

manager. 

“This is just the first of what we 

hope to be many mutually beneficial 

agreements with the NASA community,” said AWC CEO Andrew Gold.

A super automatic espresso/capWIFI and coffee available at Moffett’s Tee Minus 1 Grill Clubhouse

puccino machine was also installed at 

Tee Minus 1 Grill. The trained baristas 

will soon be delighting the specialty 

coffee connoisseurs in the Ames community!

The 

wi-fi at the 

clubhouse is 

not part of 

the NASA 

network. Be 

aware that all 

network traffic between 

your laptop 

and the Tee 

Minus One 

wi-fi service is 

un-encrypted, 

so you will 

need to take NASA photos by Tom Trower

steps to ensure the level of security 

required by NASA. For more information about how to secure your NASA 

laptop when connecting to non-NASA 

networks, go to the following link: 

http://computer-security.arc.nasa.

gov/laptopsecurity.cfm For more 

information, contact Terry Del Vecchio 

at Teresa.M.DelVecchio@nasa.gov

Ames’ Nimble Knitters club help the homeless keep warm

Tee Minus 1 Grill Clubhouse, located at Moffett Field, now has wi-fi and a 

new super automatic espresso/cappuccino machine.
12 Astrogram December 200

 

Ames Ongoing Monthly Events Calendar

 Safety Data 

 NASA-Ames Occupational

 Illness-Injury Data for 

 Calendar Year-to-Date 2006

 Jan. 1, 2006 – Nov. 30, 2006

 Civil Contractors

 Servants

 

 First aid cases 15 20

 Lost Workday cases 0 6

 Recordable cases 3 10

 Restricted duty days 0 0

 Above data are as of 11/30/06. May 

 be subject to slight adjustment in the 

 event of a new case or new inform-

 ation regarding an existing case. 

Ames Amateur Radio Club, third Thursday 

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

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

4-6262. 

Ames Ballroom Dance Club, Classes on 

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

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

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

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

Ames Bicycling Club, Every 3rd Wednesday 

of the month. The meeting location is Building 19, Conference Room 1083 and the meeting 

time is 12 noon - 1 p.m. Contact Julie Nottage 

at jnottage@mail.arc.nasa.gov, ext. 4-3711. Bylaws of Ames Bicycling Club can be found at 

http://zen.arc.nasa.gov; the link is right under 

the picture.

Ames Bowling League, Homestead Lanes on 

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

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

4-1132. 

Ames Child Care Center Board of Directors 

Mtg, every other Tuesday in N-229/Rm 117 

from 12 - 1:30 p.m. POC: Julie Schonfeld, ext. 

4-6504.

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

POC: Doreen Cohen, ext. 4-5203.

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/email 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 radio-controlled aircraft at the north end of Parsons Ave. 

on weekend mornings. POC: Mark Sumich, 

ext. 4-6193.

Ames Sailing Club Mtg, second Thursday 

of ea. month (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 every 

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

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

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

at ext. 4-6810.

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

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

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

Leon at ext. 4-6498.

Jetstream Toastmasters, Mondays, 12 p.m. to 1 

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

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

http://jetstream.freetoasthost.com

Native American Advisory Committee Mtg, 

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

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

4-1132.

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 Nov 2006 is shown below.

Protective Services monthly activity

Look for changes to upcoming 

editions of the Astrogram. The 

Astrogram team believes these 

changes, which will be implemented 

in early 2007, will make the 

employee newsletter more timely 

and user friendly.
13 Astrogram December 200

Ames Classifieds Exchange Information

Beyond Galileo Gift Shop N-235 in 

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

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

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

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

Visitor Center Gift Shop N-943 

M-F, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sat 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., 

ext. 4-5412

NASA logo merchandise, souvenirs, toys, gifts and 

educational items. 

Vacation Opportunities

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

community by the Ames Exchange Council. Visit 

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

NASA Lodge (N-19) 603-7100

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

gate, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., ext. 4-5412 and Beyond 

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

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

Miscellaneous

Ames emergency 

announcements

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

instructions for Ames employees. You 

can also listen to 1700 KHz AM radio 

for the same information.

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

special events. POC -Chana Langley, Pool Manager 

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

purchasing a membership, there is an entrance fee: 

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

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

fee). Special events: include military training, swim 

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

special events is $50/hr.

Ames Swim Center (N-109) 603-8025

Astrogram deadlines

Please submit articles, calendar and 

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

the 10th of each month. If this falls 

on the weekend or holiday, then the 

following business day becomes the 

deadline. For Astrogram questions, 

contact Astrid Olson at the aforementioned e-mail address or ext. 4-3347. 

Ads for the next issue should be sent to astrogram@

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

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

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

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

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

material received, we are unable to verify the accuracy 

of the statements made in the ads. Caveat emptor! 

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.

Piano for sale. Upright white maple Wurlitzer 

in excellent condition. You arrange pick up 

from San Jose. $500 or B/O. Marilyn (408) 

629-7889.

Steamer EuroproX Professional Model EP961, 

$50. Rotisserie/BBQ Ronco Showtime, seldom 

used, $50. Power Juicer, Jack LaLanne, never 

used, $50. Exercise equipment: Lifestyler Cardio 

930 low impact, $50. Call (408) 765-4935.

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

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.

Pine Mountain Lake vacation home. Access to golf, 

tennis, lake, swimming, horseback riding, walk to 

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

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

Incline Village, Forest Pines, Lake Tahoe condo, 3 

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

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

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

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

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

winter (holidays higher) plus $125 cleaning fee and 

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

New York, 5th Ave. One fully furnished bedroom 

in 24 hour security bldg. overlooking Washington 

Square Park, $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).

Lake Tahoe cabin rental in Agate Bay, North Shore. 

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

deck, sleeps 10. Closest skiing is Northstar, Alpine 

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

Call (408) 867-4656.

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

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

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

Maui luxury oceanfront resort one-bedroom condo 

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

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

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

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

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

and questions.

Monterey Bay vacation rental at Pajaro Dunes, 20 

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

with distinctive architecture. Beautiful ocean and 

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

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

cleaning by the maid service when you depart. Call 

(408) 252-7260.

Automotive

RV Lots Available Call to reserve a 

space at (650) 603-7100/01.

 Civilian/Contrators, $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.

‘89 Ford Bronco- full size 4wd, 155K miles, offroad interior pkg, strt 6 4.9l engine, 5spd.man. 

transmission, new alternator,battery,recently 

passed smog. Extra parts. $1,800 or B/O. Kyle 

(510) 504-2163.

Online registration for NASA’s Fourth PM 

Challenge conference to be held in Galveston 

Texas on Feb. 6-7, 2007 is now open: Visit 

http://pmchallenge.gsfc.nasa.gov/registration2007.htm. The conference theme is 

‘Knowledge Sharing.’ Speaker abstracts and 

biographies are now posted at on the Web at 

http://pmchallenge.gsfc.nasa.gov/program.

htm#Programsummary

NASA Project Management 

(PM) Challenger 2007
14 Astrogram December 200

National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration

PLEASE RECYCLE

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

FIRST-CLASS

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

PERMIT NO. 85

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA

The Ames Astrogram is an official publication of 

Ames Research Center, National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration.

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

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

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

You can reach the Astrogram Office at: astrogram@

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

Astrogram Web site: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/news/astrogram/2006/06astrograms.

html

Ames Research Center

Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000

Ames Research Center will be 

offering buyout and earlyout opportunities to employees in selected competencies. The buyout application period 

will continue through Feb. 16, 2007. 

Acceptances/rejections will be issued 

each Monday for applications received 

by the close of business on the preceding Friday. Employees may separate 

at any time after receiving notification 

of acceptance of their application up to 

March 3, 2007.

The buyout will be in the form of 

a lump sum payment made to eligible 

employees who separate by resigning 

or retiring. The maximum payment 

will be $25,000 and is dependent on 

grade, length of service and age.

The early out allows eligible employees to retire early, before meeting 

the normal age and years of service 

requirement. Employees taking the 

early out can also receive the buyout.

An centerwide announcement will 

be issued when this buyout/earlyout 

opportunity opens and when applications can be submitted. Further 

information about this opportunity, 

the eligible competencies, and the application form, will be available on the 

HR Web site http://ameshr.arc.nasa.

gov/transformation/buyout.html .

Since the number of opportuniAmes to offer earlyout/buyout opportunities

ties will be limited, and will vary by 

competency, grade, occupation and 

organization, employees with a strong 

desire to take advantage of this opportunity should not delay in submitting 

their applications.

Employees should contact their 

Human Resources Manager with 

questions concerning the buyout/ 

early out opportunity.

The Ames Contractor Council 

(ACC) 2007 historical calendar is 

now available for sale at the Ames 

gift shops. The 2007 calendar 

features Ames historical aviation 

photographs and costs $10 each. 

As part of the ACC fundraising efforts, proceeds will benefit 

Ames community programs. This 

year’s ACC calendar committee 

chair is Joy Colucci.Members of 

the ACC sold calendars recently 

at the Ames Mega Bites Cafe. 

To learn more about the Ames 

Contractor Council, visit the website at:http://contractorcouncil.

arc.nasa.gov/

Photo by Gerri Stephenson

ACC 2007 historical calendar on sale

Chris Johnson, ACC vice president; and Doreen 

Cohen, ACC president, shown selling the 2007 

historical calendars at the Mega Bites Cafeteria.