August 2007

www.nasa.gov

On the Inside . . .

Page 2 - NASA engineer works to develop

 new airplane to seek water on Mars

Page 5 - NASA robots practice moon survey

 in the Arctic Circle

Page 6 - NASA Ames software monitors

 Space Station gyroscopes

Page 12 - Ames Ongoing Events

Page 13 - Ames Classifieds

Editor’s Note:

Next month’s September 2007 issue of 

the Astrogram will be the final paper 

copy of the newsletter. Beginning 

October 2007, the Astrogram will 

be accessible online only at: http://

www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/

astrogram/2007/07astrograms.html

NASA develops wireless tile scanner for space shuttle inspection

A new space shuttle tile inspection 

method using NASA-built, wireless 

scanners is replacing manual inspection. The new process began with the 

shuttle mission STS-118. 

Technicians used six new scanners 

to look for cracks and other imperfections in some of the 24,000 tiles that 

cover space shuttle Endeavour. The 

agency designed and built the new 

tools at NASA Ames. In the past, 

workers at Kennedy visually analyzed 

tiles and measured dings and cracks 

with small hand-held scales. 

“The new method is much faster 

and more accurate because the depth 

and volume measurements of the 

flaws and their locations are wirelessly transmitted into a computer 

database,” said Joe Lavelle, a senior 

engineer and project manager at Ames. 

This image, taken at NASA Ames where the 

scanner was developed, shows sample shuttle 

tiles being scanned to illustrate how technicians 

would use the new tool to evaluate tiles on the 

space shuttle orbiter.

NASA photo by Dominic Hart

NASA and Microsoft Corporation 

of Redmond, Wash., have released an 

interactive, 3-D photographic collection of the space shuttle Endeavour 

preparing for its upcoming mission to 

the International Space Station. Endeavour launched from NASA Kennedy 

Space Center in Florida on Aug. 8. 

For the first time, people around 

the world can view hundreds of high 

resolution photographs of Endeavour, Launch Pad 39A and the Vehicle 

Assembly Building at Kennedy in 

a unique 3-D viewer. NASA and 

Microsoft’s Live Labs team developed 

the online experience using hundreds 

of photographs and a photo-imaging 

technology called Photosynth. Using a 

click-and-drag interface, viewers can 

zoom in to see intimate details of the 

shuttle booster rockets or zoom out for 

NASA, Microsoft launch collaboration with immersive photography

a more global view of the launch facility. The software uses photographs 

from standard digital cameras to 

construct a 3-D view that can be navigated and explored online. The NASA 

images can be viewed at Microsoft’s 

Live Labs at: http://labs.live.com

“This collaboration with Microsoft 

gives the public a new way to explore 

and participate in America’s space 

program,” said William Gerstenmaier, 

NASA’s associate administrator for 

Space Operations, Washington. “We’re 

also looking into using this new technology to support future missions.”

“With Photosynth, we take pictures of an environment and knit them 

together into an experience that people can move through like a 3-D video 

game,” said Microsoft Live Labs Architect Blaise Aguera y Arcas. “NASA 

provided us with some outstanding 

images, and the result is an experience 

that will wow anyone wanting to get a 

closer look at NASA’s missions.”

The NASA collections were created 

in collaboration between Microsoft’s 

Live Lab, Kennedy and NASA Ames. 

“We see potential to use Photosynth for a variety of future mission 

activities, from inspecting the International Space Station and the Hubble 

Space Telescope to viewing landing 

sites on the moon and Mars,” said 

Chris C. Kemp, director of Strategic 

Business Development at Ames.

Photosynth was created in collaboration between Microsoft and the 

University of Washington. The software combines hundreds or thousands 

of regular digital photos of a scene 

continued on page 3

continued on page 10

“This tool allows the inspectors to 

determine with very high confidence 

whether a shuttle tile needs to be replaced or just repaired.”

“When they made the measurements manually with the scales, they 

had to estimate the volume of flaws to 

a worst-case value because they could 

not precisely measure the volume 

with any accuracy,” Lavelle explained. 

“With this scanner, they will actually 

save tiles and the time-consuming 

process of replacing them.”

The thermal tiles on the space 

shuttle protect it from the extreme heat 

generated during re-entry into the 
 Astrogram August 2007

NASA engineer works to develop new airplane to seek water on Mars

continued on page 3

You might think it is impossible 

to fly an airplane over Mars, but it is 

possible. Actually, glider-like airplanes 

that, in theory, could ride the wispy air 

of the red planet have been on drawing boards for the last 30 years.

One of the latest proposals is to fly 

a rocket-powered Mars airplane and 

land on the edge of a cliff in search of 

water, a fluid that is essential to life, as 

we know it.

“For the last three years, I’ve been 

developing a Mars airplane concept 

that is specifically designed to accomplish a soft landing,” said Larry 

Lemke, a NASA Ames engineer who 

recently submitted his proposal to 

space agency officials. “You use small 

rocket motors to land like a Harrier 

vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) 

airplane lands. The idea would be to 

conduct a precision landing near Mars 

gullies to look for subsurface water,” 

he explained.

NASA Associate Administrator for 

Science Alan Stern issued a request 

for information for small landers that 

could be secondary payloads on future 

missions to Mars. The first opportunity for a secondary payload Mars 

mission might be in 2013 on the Mars 

Science Orbiter (MSO), according to 

Lemke.

Lemke’s plan calls for the airplane 

to have ground-penetrating radar to 

search for water near a gully on Mars 

after the plane lands. Scientists have 

found Mars gullies from about 330 feet 

(100 meters) to 660 feet (200 meters) 

down steep walls, according to Lemke.

“The gullies always appear on 

steep walls like a crater or a cliff, and 

the gullies all appear partway down 

a wall,” Lemke said. “The theory is 

there is an underground water layer, 

and every so often the water pops out 

on the surface.” According to Lemke, 

if the airplane could land on the lip of 

a crater or edge 

of a cliff, then the 

craft could use 

radar to look for 

signs of water below the ground’s 

surface.

Radar will go 

through very dry 

surface material 

with very little 

change, but a water layer would be 

a hundred times 

more reflective, 

Lemke observed. 

Carbon dioxide would echo radar 

with yet a different reflectivity, he 

added.

“You should be able to tell the difference between water ice and liquid 

water, again by how reflective it is,” 

Lemke noted. The airplane would 

probably also have a camera, he said.

Previous Mars airplane missions 

were judged to be extremely exciting 

scientifically, but very risky technically, 

so they were not selected, according 

to Lemke. Mars airplane missions are 

technically challenging because “the 

planetary exploration community has 

no experience with flying airplanes on 

other planets,” Lemke said.

“One of the main technical challenges was to build an airplane that 

could be folded to fit inside an entry 

capsule,” Lemke observed. “It’s a capsule - usually conical in shape. It’s got 

a heat shield on it. It enters the martian 

atmosphere from space and protects 

the payload inside,” he explained.

A second challenge is that the airThe MATADOR Mars airplane concept is seen here ‘flying’ over the Mars 

landscape. The plane could be designed to carry a variety of instruments, such as 

ground-penetrating radar to search for water near a gully on Mars.

photo by Naval Research Laboratory

NASA photo by Eric James

Alan Stern shares science mission updates

In August, Alan Stern, Associate Administrator of the Science 

Mission Directorate (SMD), visited 

Ames to meet with and talk to the 

Ames scientists and employees. 

It was his first visit to the center 

since he was appointed AA. He was 

pleased to have the opportunity 

to answer questions and share his 

vision for SMD’s research and scientific exploration programs.

Stern began his presentation by 

citing four SMD core objectives: to 

get more science done within our 

budget; to ensure the success of 

NASA’s ‘Vision for Space Exploration;’ to promote U.S. leadership for 

all science disciplines; and to create 

a better workplace. He said that 

retiring the space shuttle in 2010 and 

developing new human spaceflight 

systems prevented the previously 

planned rate of growth for science.

Additional objectives included 

increasing the number of flights, 

expanding foreign collaboration 

and suborbital research, recreating a lunar science community and 

accelerating progress on the Earth 

Science Decadal Survey. Accomplishments cited were returning the 

Near Earth Object program to SMD, 

adding $3M to NASA Astrobiology 

Institute’s budget, and funding fouryear grants. Audience questions 

ranged from concerns about the 

amount of paperwork required to 

do their jobs, to perpetually competing for funding for research grants 

and programs.

Stern previously served as 

executive director of the Space Science and Engineering Division at 

the Southwest Research Institute, 

Boulder, Colo.

by Ruth Dasso Marlai

Associate Administrator of the Science Mission 

Directorate (SMD) Alan Stern recently visited 

Ames to meet with the employees at the center 

to answer and discuss questions about SMD’s 

research and scientific exploration programs.
 Astrogram August 2007

plane must unfold itself in mid air, according to Lemke. Once it unfolds, the 

airplane would fly to a gully using a 

computer pilot. A pilot on Earth could 

not remotely control the airplane, because even at the speed of light, radio 

signals can take longer to reach Earth 

than the entire flight.

According to Lemke, the airplane 

would have a mass of about 143 

pounds (65 kilograms). The engines 

would be small rockets powered by 

hydrazine. In a hydrazine thruster, 

two chemicals, called bi-propellants, 

mix to cause a reaction and produce 

thrust.

“In this kind of a mission you just 

want to get down to the place and 

land,” Lemke said. “The endurance 

may be no more than 15 minutes. 

You’ll have to have autonomous 

software called seeing-recognition 

software. It means the computer in 

the airplane has to be able to take images of what it sees and compare that 

to a stored image of where it wants 

to be, and then figure out how to get 

to the desired spot. This is similar to 

how cruise missiles work,” Lemke 

explained.

Lemke said there are several 

advantages to using an airplane to 

conduct Martian science missions. 

“It can fly much closer to the surface 

than a satellite . . . a kilometer above 

the surface,” he observed. Comparing 

an airplane to a balloon, he said, “An 

airplane can go where you command 

it to go. A balloon goes wherever the 

wind blows it.”

Lemke said there are other potential missions for Mars airplanes. “An 

airplane mission could last anywhere 

from 15 minutes to probably five 

hours,” he said. Longer missions 

might use propeller airplanes.

“The most efficient technique 

would be a propeller,” Lemke explained. “The power would come 

from a storable liquid fuel or an electrical power source, a battery or fuel 

cells.”

The goals of a Mars airplane mission have changed over the years, 

according to Lemke.

“In the beginning, high-resolution 

photos would be a main choice, but, 

today, we have a high-resolution Mars 

orbiter satellite.” He said today’s Mars 

airplane missions would most likely 

study atmospheric science, such as 

wind speed, pressure, dust and minor 

constituents like methane.

Another objective of a Mars airplane mission might be to land a payload, Lemke added. “The idea would 

be to use it as a precision lander,” he 

said.

“I think when humans arrive, there 

are two scenarios that make sense,” 

Lemke predicted. “One is that you 

could use small robotic aircraft for 

scouting and for a short range communication relay. The second is for transporting people and small amounts 

of cargo for regional exploration,” he 

continued.

Lemke developed his Mars airplane proposal for the NASA Science 

Mission Directorate’s Mars Technology Program.

continued from page 2

NASA engineer works to develop new airplane to seek water on Mars

by John Bluc

NASA Ames hosted a news briefing on Aug. 1 to provide updates 

on NASA’s Constellation Program, 

which is developing the Orion spacecraft and Ares rockets to support 

an American return to the moon by 

2020. The Orion spacecraft will carry 

astronauts to the International Space 

Station by 2015, and support missions to the moon, Mars and beyond.

NASA Ames leads the Orion 

Thermal Protection System Advanced Development Project that is 

NASA officials discuss progress 

of new spaceship development

producing a heat shield to protect 

Orion during its return from lowEarth orbit or the moon.

Participants included, above photo, left to right, Constellation 

Program Manager Jeff Hanley and 

Orion Project Manager Skip Hatfield, 

both of NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston; and James Reuther of 

Ames, leader of the Advanced Development Thermal Protection Systems 

(heat shield) Project for the Orion 

crew exploration vehicle.

Earth’s atmosphere. After each shuttle 

lands, technicians go through a very 

rigorous and lengthy process to assess 

the surface of the tiles for any damage.

Each scanner weighs approximately 2.9 pounds and is about the size and 

shape of a small teapot. Technicians 

place the machine on the tile’s flaw 

to scan it. In about three seconds, the 

data are computerized and archived.

Engineers can scrutinize computerized 3-D pictures of the flaws. The 

images show the length, width and 

depth of the flaws on the surface of the 

tiles. Although engineers designed the 

instrument to scan space shuttle tiles, 

it also could scan reinforced carboncarbon material used on the leading 

edges of the shuttle’s wings.

Engineers developing a heat shield 

system for NASA’s new spaceship Orion already are using a larger, desktop 

version of the scanner to study heat 

shield samples tested at Ames. NASA 

is building a second desktop scanner for use at NASA’s Johnson Space 

Center in Houston. The unit should be 

completed in about two months.

For high-resolution images of the 

scanner, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/

mission_pages/shuttle/news/wireless_scanner.html 

by John Bluc

Shuttle tile scanner

continued from front page

NASA photo by Dominic Hart
 Astrogram August 2007

by John Bluc

NASA Web site shows possible Mars landing sites for 2009 mission

From the Marsoweb site, photo taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter satellite of the proposed Mars Science Lab 

landing site in Meridiani Crater Lake. 

NASA’s Marsoweb Web site now 

includes high-resolution images of 

candidate 2009 landing sites for the 

Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) 

rover.

The rover, 1,875 pounds (850 

kilograms), will assess whether 

Mars ever had an environment 

that could support microbial life. 

The Internet site, created to support the MSL landing site selection 

process, includes pictures taken 

from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance 

Orbiter satellite. It is located at 

http://marsoweb.nas.nasa.gov/

landingsites/msl/mro_images/.

“As with the Mars Exploration 

Rover (MER) sites selection effort, 

we are providing an interactive 

Web site containing images and 

other information for anyone interested in helping to choose the MSL 

landing site,” said Virginia Gulick, 

a planetary geologist at NASA 

Ames.

“We want to make sure that we 

select a site where it is safe to land, 

scientifically interesting and also 

maximizes the unique capabilities of 

the instruments on the MSL rover,” 

she added. The Web site will help the 

scientific community to provide its 

input about the potential landing sites 

on Mars, according to Gulick.

Large images of the 33 candidate 

Mars landing sites, converted to ‘zoomable’ images, that users can navigate by clicking and dragging a cursor 

across the picture on the special Web 

pages.

“With these Web resources, users can quickly and easily explore 

the enormous images in full-resolution over the Web,” noted Glenn 

Deardorff, a computer scientist at 

NASA Ames, who created the Web 

pages.

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter satellite’s High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) 

is the source of 23 of the images on 

the pages. Another 14 images came 

from the satellite’s context imager.

NASA’s Science Mission Directorate funded development of the 

Marsoweb MSL site selection Web 

pages.NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California 

Institute of Technology, Pasadena, 

manages the Mars Science Laboratory mission for the NASA Science 

Mission Directorate, Washington. 

For more information about the mission, please visit: http://mars.jpl.nasa.

gov/msl/

continued on page 8

When Comet Kiess’ dust trail 

briefly encounters Earth in the dark, 

early morning hours of Sept. 1, 2007, 

astronomers predict that an extremely 

rare Aurigid meteor shower will 

result. Meteor showers happen when 

comet dust streaks into Earth’s atmosphere and vaporizes. 

To help document the uncommon 

event, researchers hope the public will 

submit digital photos and camcorder 

movies of the shower’s “shooting 

stars” to a team of scientists from 

NASA and other organizations.

The cause of the Aurigid meteor 

showers is very old. About 2,000 

years ago, comet Kiess passed the 

sun and ejected a cloud of dust. The 

comet completed its first orbit of the 

sun in 1911 when Lick Observatory’s 

Carl Kiess discovered the object. Its 

dust formed a continuous stream of 

particles that has been flowing just 

outside Earth’s orbit ever since.

On Sept. 1, 2007, the Earth will 

travel through the stream of dust particles in the wake of the 1911 return of 

comet Kiess, according to astronomer 

Peter Jenniskens, an expert on mePublic invited to help scientists study meteor shower

teor showers, who works for the SETI 

Institute, Mountain View. “Meteors 

will radiate from the constellation of 

Auriga, many as bright as the brighter 

stars in the sky,” said Jenniskens, who 

also works at NASA Ames.

According to Jenniskens, the 

shower will be visible by the naked 

eye from the western United States, 

especially in California, Hawaii, 

Alaska and other western states and 

Mexico and the western provinces of 

Canada. Prime viewing time will be on 

Saturday, Sept. 1, 2007, from 4:06 a.m. 

- 5:06 a.m. PDT, Jenniskens forecasts. 

Astronomers believe the whole event 

will last no longer than one-and-a-half 

hours and will not be seen again in our 

lifetimes. 

Sunlight has pushed the comet’s 

ejected particles into wider orbits 

around the sun in a thin stream just 

outside of Earth’s orbit. “On occasion, 

the combined gravity of the solar system’s planets moves this dust trail into 

Earth’s path,” Jenniskens, explained.

Jenniskens and fellow researchers 

Jérémie Vaubaillon of the California 

Institute of Technology, Pasadena, 

Calif., and Esko Lyytinen of Finland, 

predicted the upcoming, rare Aurigid 

shower. 

According to Jenniskens, as dust 

grains from comet Kiess collide 

with Earth’s atmosphere during the 

Aurigids shower, they will begin to 

vaporize at about 80 miles altitude, 

and the bigger comet particles will 

penetrate as low as 50 miles.

Jenniskens is leading a team of 

scientists and astronomers to study 

the Aurigid meteor shower from two 

aircraft. The airplanes will take off 

late Friday night, Aug. 31, 2007, from 

Moffett Field at NASA Ames, and will 

carry researchers from NASA, the 

SETI Institute, Utah State University 

and other organizations to a location 

high above the Pacific Ocean to view 

the meteor shower early Saturday 

morning, Sept. 1.

The primary goal of the mission 

is to count the meteors over the large 

area visible from the airplanes and 

measure the exact duration and peak 

time of the shower. Scientists will 

observe how the meteors break up and 

examine their colors to learn about the 
 Astrogram August 2007

Two NASA Ames robots recently 

surveyed a rocky, isolated polar desert 

within a crater in the Arctic Circle. 

The study will help scientists learn 

how robots could evaluate potential 

outposts on the moon or Mars.

The robots, K10 Black and K10 

Red, carried 3-D laser scanners and 

ground-penetrating radar. The team 

arrived at Haughton Crater at Devon 

Island, Canada, on July 12 and operated the machines until July 31. Scientists chose the polar region because of 

the extreme environmental conditions, 

lack of infrastructure and resources, 

and geologic features. Also, Haughton 

Crater is geographically similar to 

Shackleton Crater at the South Pole of 

the moon. Both are impact craters that 

measure roughly 12.4 miles in diameter.

“We are learning about the awesome potential of human and robot 

teams,” said Ames Center Director, S. 

Pete Worden. “Studying how humans 

and robots can maximize scientific 

returns in sites such as Devon Island 

will prepare us to walk on the moon 

and Mars.”

NASA is 

planning to 

send astronauts back to 

the moon by 

2020. Prior 

to establishing a lunar 

outpost, the 

agency must 

conduct 

detailed 

surveys at 

a variety of 

locations 

to produce 

maps, look 

for minerals 

and water, 

and learn 

other details. NASA plans to accomplish its surveys with an automated 

orbiting spacecraft, not a robotic 

lander, but the agency still has a keen 

interest in advancing the laser scanning technology.

Most of the lunar sites are on harsh 

terrain and in permanently shadowed 

areas. It is not unusual for site surveys 

to require thousands of measurements 

and hundreds of hours to complete. 

A robot can reduce mission cost and 

improve mission effectiveness by 

allowing ground control to conduct 

surveying tasks.

“A typical scenario involves multiple rovers autonomously surveying 

a region while humans supervise and 

assess data from a remote location,” 

said Terry Fong, director of the Intelligent Robots Group at Ames.

The robots used different techniques from the goal-directed traverses and isolated sampling tasks that 

Mars scientific rovers have used to 

explore the red planet. K10 Black and 

K10 Red utilized a mix of information 

previously obtained by aerial and satellite imaging and data that the robot 

survey team gathered.

The 3-D laser scanner can map 

topographic features as far as 3,280 

feet away. The ground-penetrating 

radar, which NASA Jet Propulsion 

Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., developed, can map below ground as deep 

as 16.4 feet.

The robots covered the area in 

lawnmower-like paths at human 

walking speeds to systematically map 

above and below ground, according to 

Fong.

The practice survey in Haughton 

Crater took place at an area called 

Drill Hill. The robots covered about 

120 acres of terrain. Researchers commanded the robots remotely from the 

Haughton-Mars base camp more than 

two miles away from Drill Hill.

The robots navigated using the 

Global Positioning System, stereo cameras, laser scanners and sun trackers. 

Each of the four-wheel-drive machines 

weighs 165 pounds and can carry a 

payload up to 110 pounds.

A key objective of the Drill Hill 

survey was to test the instruments and 

software on the robots as well as the 

equipment and software that humans 

would use at lunar bases and ground 

control to supervise the robots. Engineers at NASA Johnson Space Center 

in Houston assessed advanced robot 

driving techniques using a multiscreen cockpit. NASA Ames tested 

software that makes high-resolution 

maps for interactive display in 3-D.

NASA’s Exploration Technology 

Development Program sponsored the 

robotic site survey at Haughton Crater.

For more information, including 

an updated blog, visit: http://haughton2007.arc.nasa.gov

by John Bluc

NASA robots practice moon survey in the Arctic Circle

On July 20, Ames hosted a live, two-way video 

conference with a panel of NASA researchers currently working in Haughton Crater, Devon Island, 

Canada. Employees had the opportunity to ask 

questions of Chris McKay, Space Science Division, NASA Ames, regarding the value of analog 

sites; Matt Deans, Intelligent Robotics Group, 

NASA Ames, regarding the Ames K10 robot 

site survey; and Pascal Lee of the SETI Institute 

regarding the ‘stranded astronaut’ EVA walk-back 

experiment. 

NASA photo by Dominic Hart

The Intelligent Robotics Group conducted a robotic field test in Haughton Crater on 

Devon Island, Canada. Two NASA Ames K10 rovers, ‘Red’ and ‘Black,’ performed systematic surveys of several simulated lunar outpost sites, including a roughly 700 m-by700 m region called ‘Drill Hill.’ The K10 rovers were equipped with ground-penetrating 

radar to map underground layers and a 3-D scanning laser to map topography. During 

the three-week test, the two rovers drove more than 30 km and collected more than 25 GB 

of data. ‘K10 Red’ is seen here near the Haughton-Mars Project Base Camp.

NASA photo
 Astrogram August 2007

NASA has added a new computer 

program to help monitor the four 

gyroscopes that keep the International Space Station properly oriented 

without the use of rocket fuel. During a spacewalk on Aug. 13, 2007, 

two astronauts from the space shuttle 

Endeavour removed and replaced a 

gyroscope that failed in late 2006.

Computer scientists at NASA 

Ames designed the new software for 

the space station. The Inductive Monitoring System was added to a group 

of existing tools to identify and track 

problems related to the gyroscopes.

“If the system does something unexpected, the software alerts ground 

controllers that something is different, 

an anomaly, and that allows them to 

analyze the situation and take preventive measures as necessary,” said David Iverson, the computer scientist at 

Ames who spearheaded the five-year 

effort to develop the software.

During its development, researchers used the software to analyze several months of normal space station 

gyroscope data collected by the International Space Station Mission Control 

Center at NASA Johnson Space Center, 

Houston. In these tests, problems with 

the gyroscopes were noticed long 

before the previous system flagged 

glitches. NASA started using the softNASA Ames software monitors Space Station gyroscopes

ware earlier this year.

The software program also has 

been used in F-18 fighter planes and 

by the space shuttle’s leading edge 

impact detection system, as well as for 

electric power plant and water quality 

monitoring.

For more information about the 

International Space Station, visit: 

http://www.nasa.gov/station

by John Bluc

David Iverson, above, is lead for the Ames-led development of computer software that monitors the condition of the gyroscopes that keep the International Space Station (ISS) properly 

oriented in space as the ISS orbits Earth. The gyroscopes are flywheels that control the station’s 

attitude without the use of propellant fuel. NASA computer scientists designed the new 

software, the Inductive Monitoring System, to detect warning signs that precede a gyroscope’s 

failure. According to NASA officials, engineers will add the new software tool to a group of 

existing tools to identify and track problems related to the gyroscopes in 2007. If the software 

detects warning signs, it will quickly warn the space station’s mission control center.

‘Rosy future’ forecast for small spacecraft

Recently, a few weeks before 

space shuttle Endeavour’s launch, 

an excited collection of visiting interns, resident researchers and space 

enthusiasts gathered in Ames’ main 

auditorium to hear Pete Klupar’s 

colloquium, ‘Small Spacecraft, What’s 

the Big Deal?’ 

Klupar was quick to answer the 

rhetorical question posed by the 

title of his talk, by stating that small 

spacecraft have a “rosy future” thrust 

behind NASA’s exploration and science missions. 

Klupar, chief of the Small Spacecraft Office here at Ames, said the 

“resurrection and redemption” of 

small spacecraft is due to NASA’s 

need for a sustainable, high perfor- by Rachel Pruce

mance and affordable return to the 

moon, as well as other space missions. They are the craft of choice, 

due to the fact that small spacecraft 

can accomplish NASA missions at a 

lower cost and risk than their larger 

counterparts, by a window of nearly 

$190 million a launch. The time and 

money saved could enable NASA to 

quickly conduct a greater number of 

missions.

Klupar defines small spacecraft 

by three criteria: weight, cost and 

the time they take to develop. This 

criteria revolutionizes the manner in 

which spacecraft are designed: the 

capability of the small spacecraft is 

applied to mission needs, as opposed 

to the expensive older manner of 

determining mission requirements 

and then creating a craft to enable 

them. According to Klupar, small 

spacecraft remain resilient, preventing experiments from being held 

hostage if a launch is delayed, and 

do not restrict NASA to a queue of 

predetermined missions. 

Klupar critiqued the continuing practice of pouring additional 

NASA resources into “fewer baskets” by focusing solely on large 

launches, because they would only 

“squeeze” the budgets for smaller 

endeavors. He enthusiastically supported commercial collaborations 

and “more exploration and more 

science for less dollars.”

NASA photo by Dominic Hart
 Astrogram August 2007

When space shuttle Endeavour 

rocketed into space on Aug. 8, it took 

along a common microorganism normally found in the upper respiratory 

tract of approximately 40 percent of 

the healthy human population. 

The experiment, Streptococcus 

pneumoniae Expression of Genes in 

Space (SPEGIS), part of the STS-118 

space shuttle mission will investigate 

the effects of the space environment on 

the common microorganism Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae). 

Scientists believe that sending this bacterium into space may lead to a better 

understanding of S. pneumoniae, an 

opportunistic human pathogen, which 

causes infections in individuals with 

reduced immune function. This bacterial pathogen is the most common 

cause of pneumonia, middle-ear infections and bacterial meningitis.

“The opportunity to investigate 

and understand the effects of spaceflight on the pathogenic potential of S. 

pneumoniae may further the design 

and development of new drugs that 

can be used for treatment of diseases 

on Earth,” said Hami Teal, the experiment’s project scientist and a researcher at NASA Ames.

Vials containing bacterial cultures 

were loaded aboard space shuttle Endeavor in SPEGIS canister assemblies 

developed by NASA. The hardware 

consists of three canisters, each containing three sealed polypropylene 

vials inserted into aluminum jackets to 

News media and the public were invited to attend a special pre-launch program in the Exploration Center 

at NASA Ames on the afternoon of Aug. 8. This event was an opportunity to observe the live, televised 

broadcast of the launch of STS-118 space shuttle Endeavour from NASA Kennedy Space Center, Fla., 

and attendees heard several speakers who discussed the upcoming mission. Guests listened to remarks 

from Ames’ planetary scientist Chris McKay; researcher Cecilia Wigley, who discussed one of the experiments aboard STS-118; Laura Shawnee, of Ames’ Education Division, discussed the Educator Astronaut 

Program; and astronaut Janice Voss, seen here, top left, in the above photo, speaking to the attendees of 

the pre-launch program, who has flown in space five times and provided pre-launch commentary.

Public, media views STS-118 launch

by Ruth Dasso Marlai

Astronauts conduct study of bacterial growth in space

improve contact and 

enhance thermal 

transfer. The SPEGIS experiment only 

requires transfer of 

the canisters from 

refrigeration to incubation and then to a 

freezer to preserve 

the sample. The 

SPEGIS experiment 

will be returned to 

Earth for analysis by 

scientists. Since the 

SPEGIS canisters are 

triple-contained and 

never opened, the 

crew is never in direct contact with the 

bacterial cultures.

“We expect the 

SPEGIS experiment 

will provide important new information about how microbes adapt to microgravity and the 

spacecraft environment. These results 

will lead to a better understanding of 

these organisms on a molecular level 

and how their ability to interact with 

humans may be altered,” said David 

W. Niesel, the project’s principal invesA SPEGIS sample container, vials and vial jackets.

Scanning electron micrograph of Streptococcus pneumoniae (x14,520). Photo taken 

by Phillips, D.M., New England Journal 

of Medicine, 1993 Aug 12; 329(7):477

tigator and professor at the University 

of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, 

Texas.

For more information about the 

SPEGIS research project, visit: http://

www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/science/experiments/SPEGIS.

html

NASA photo by Jon Pierre Wiens
 Astrogram August 2007

materials that formed the solar system.

Not only is the shower rarely seen, 

the Aurigid meteors also may be very 

unusual, Jenniskens noted. They are 

solid bits of the icy comet Kiess that 

returned from the Oort cloud of comets on the outskirts of the solar system.

“Billions of comets have spent 4.5 

billion years in the Oort cloud, where 

cosmic rays baked their crust over the 

age of the solar system,” Jenniskens 

said. “Some of the Aurigid meteors 

could be bits and pieces of this original crust of the comet. Comets that 

return more frequently to the sun 

have long lost this pristine crust,” he 

observed. 

Several tips follow for setting up 

a digital camera or camcorder to take 

images of meteors.

Meteors, or “shooting stars,” look 

like streaks of light, or sparks flying 

from a distant campfire or fireworks. 

Observers can photograph meteor 

streaks by pointing digital cameras 

and camcorders towards the sky, but 

away from the moon.

The Aurigid meteors (“shooting 

stars”) will look as if they are coming 

from the constellation Auriga (Latin 

for charioteer) in the northeastern sky. 

Perseid meteors will seem to originate 

from the constellation Perseus, just 

above Auriga. Astronomers named the 

showers for the constellation of stars 

from which the meteors appear to be 

derived. 

Astronomers suggest that photographers go to safe locations that 

are far away from the haze of cities. 

According to astronomers, dust in the 

atmosphere in metropolitan areas will 

scatter moonlight and make the sky 

too bright to photograph or see the 

meteors well. 

Jenniskens suggests that people 

who wish to contribute digital images 

to scientists should first use their cameras’ “clock set” options to set them 

to the correct time, accurate to within 

one second. To find out the correct 

time, photographers can dial time-ofday services provided by telephone 

companies in their local areas. For example, in the San Francisco Bay Area, 

photographers can dial the letters on 

their telephones that spell “popcorn,” 

(415) 767-2676. 

Photographers should place their 

cameras on tripods and use a “night,” 

“bulb” or similar camera setting, so 

the volunteer observers can shoot 

meteor pictures with exposure times 

of 10 seconds, one after the other. 

Photographers should set the camera’s 

light sensitivity to ISO 1600, according 

to Jenniskens. 

“Choose a fairly small field of view 

that is no larger than the square of (the 

constellation) Pegasus,” he said. “Take 

many successive 10-second-duration 

exposures,” he added. 

According to Jenniskens, volunteers should not move their cameras 

once they are set to take images, so 

that the frequency rate of the meteors 

can be measured. After the shower, 

each volunteer should record his/her 

observing location on a map, look at 

each of their images and make a list 

with the time each meteor picture was 

taken, Jenniskens said.

“Do not alter the digital images 

because scientists will use photo-editing programs to analyze the different 

colors in the images to learn about the 

meteors’ compositions,” Jenniskens 

advised.

According to Jenniskens, people 

interested in videotaping the meteors 

also should first set their camcorder 

clocks to the correct time. “Set the 

camera so that the time is recorded on 

the video picture (date not needed),” 

Jenniskens said. 

“Mount the camcorder on a tripod, 

and then point to a region in the sky 

with many bright stars. Zoom in 

enough to see those bright stars in the 

video. Continue videotaping for the 

duration of the shower. Do not move 

the camera during the shower. Later, 

watch the video to find the meteors 

and provide a list of times and record 

your location on a map,” he noted. 

Those people who would like to 

contribute their images and other observations to researchers should send 

them by e-mail to pjenniskens@seti.

org. The public may also upload their 

images and data to the Aurigid Meteor 

Shower Web site at: http://aurigid.

seti.org

According to Jenniskens, other 

organizations interested in obtaining meteor images and observations 

from volunteers include the American 

Meteor Society and the International 

Meteor Organization.

To view images from past meteor 

observation campaigns, visit: http://

leonid.arc.nasa.gov

by John Bluc

continued from page 4

Public to help scientists study meteor shower

Titan seen as similar to Earth

In Dr. Chris McKay’s talk on Titan, 

Saturn’s largest moon studied by 

the joint NASA/ESA/ASI CassiniHuygens spacecraft, he demonstrates 

how Titan is like Earth in many ways. 

McKay calls it “our real twin,” save for 

the fact that it averages -180 degrees 

Celsius. Like Earth, its atmosphere is 

dominated by nitrogen with a pressure close to sea level, it experiences a 

greenhouse effect, and it experiences 

“wet ages,” where methane plays the 

role of water to shape the surface and 

atmosphere, just as Earth’s hydrological cycle. It has characteristic fluvial 

features, such as deep channels and 

shorelines, but no large bodies of 

liquid on its surface. 

He contributes the absence of liquid methane to radiative time scales. 

While Earth’s atmosphere loses all 

radiative energy in 100 days, Titan’s 

takes 100 years. This is because Titan’s 

atmosphere is so massive and thick (10 

times the column mass of Earth’s), that 

it experiences no day and night changes in temperature; only “summer” 

and “winter.” This may explain why 

Titan’s temperature has not changed 

in the last 13 years, as well as the dynamic cloud activity and small lakes 

residing in the polar regions.

The probe confirmed a number of 

“knowns,” yet unanswered mysteries 

remain: what is the origin and source 

of re-supply of methane on Titan, a 

gas which is destroyed over time by 

the Sun? Why is the surface of Titan 

wet? Are what appear to be rocks 

really water? Is there any organic 

material or life? by Rachel PruceyNASA photo by Eric Jame

Chris McKay during his recent talk at Ames about Titan.
 Astrogram August 2007

In Memory of . . .

Victor Stevens, an original NACA engineer, dies

Victor I. “Vic” Stevens, one of the 

group of original NACA engineers at 

Ames, passed away on June 26, 2007, 

in Medford, Ore. 

Stevens joined Ames in 1941 fresh 

from the University of Washington. 

He had worked in the wind tunnel 

there, and so quickly made his mark in 

the Ames 7-foot-by-10-foot wind tunnels. Stevens was part of the research 

group led by Harry Goett, who used a 

model of the Navy PV-1 patrol aircraft 

to first demonstrate how handling 

quality predictions could be made 

with powered wind tunnel models.

When the Ames 40-foot-by-80-foot 

wind tunnel opened in 1944, Stevens 

moved there as an assistant branch 

chief. He led the group that quickly 

demonstrated the value of the fullscale tunnel by solving the compound 

aerodynamic problems of the Ryan 

XFR-1 Fireball, the first U.S. Navy 

airplane with jet propulsion. Those 

years were so busy at Ames that when 

he retired in 1972, Stevens still carried 

forward unused annual leave from 

World War II. 

Stevens also contributed to Ames’ 

work in making the swept wing useful 

in the design of high-speed subsonic 

and supersonic aircraft. He worked 

with R.T. Jones on some important 

tests of swept wings in the 6-foot-by-6- 

foot wind tunnel. He shared a double 

desk with Bill Harper and worked 

closely with Roy Jackson and other 

aeronautical engineering legends.

Stevens was better known, though, 

for his career in engineering management. Harvey Allen, chief of the 

Ames High Speed Research Division, 

had conceived of and designed the 

first supersonic, free-flight tunnel. 

When it opened at Ames in 1949, he 

asked Stevens to lead the section that 

operated it. Allen, renowned as an 

inspirational engineering leader, appreciated strong management but had 

no interest in doing it himself. So he 

asked Stevens to serve as his assistant chief in the High Speed Research 

Division, one of the most creative and 

productive aeronautical engineering 

teams ever assembled. When the 3.5 

foot hypersonic wind tunnel opened 

in 1959, Stevens became assistant chief 

of the newly formed Ames Thermoand Gas-Dynamics Division. He 

served there throughout the 1960s as 

by Vic Peterson and Torrie 

it expanded its work into new areas of 

hypersonic and space research, such as 

re-entry vehicle research and liftingbody design. 

As assistant division chief, 

Stevens’ blackboard always had 

some new curve drawn by someone 

in his division who had stopped by 

to explain the technical details of his 

project. In the NACA spirit, he was a 

stickler about precise and clear writing, and closely edited the technical 

papers of those who worked for him. 

He was known as a superb mentor.

When Jack Boyd had an opportunity 

to take a Sloan Fellowship, Stevens 

also took on Boyd’s duties as technical 

assistant to the director, so that Boyd 

could attend Stanford. 

Stevens enjoyed lecturing at universities throughout the Northwest 

to recruit bright students to come to 

Ames. Stevens recruited Scott Crossfield from college to be an engineering 

test pilot for the NACA, and Crossfield later became the first person to 

fly Mach 2. Among those he enticed 

to Ames were Leroy Presley, Pat 

Peterson, Victor Peterson, Allan Faye, 

Rodney Wingrove, Glen Stinnett and 

Dale Compton. 

When NASA launched its space 

shuttle program in 1970, Ames Center 

Director Hans Mark asked Stevens 

to lead an office to coordinate all 

Ames’ support of the shuttle program. 

Stevens was highly regarded throughout NASA, and enjoyed a reputation 

for being thorough and conscientious. 

Stevens’ efforts were instrumental in 

making Ames’ technology useful to 

senior shuttle program managers at 

NASA Headquarters, as well as Marshall and Johnson space centers. 

Stevens retired in 1972, saying he 

hoped to open management opportunities for younger engineers. His hobbies included photography, camping 

and woodworking. He met his wife 

Katherine “Kay” Stevens as students 

at the University of Washington; she 

preceded him in death. He is survived 

by his son, Victor “Torrie” C. Stevens, 

who worked at Ames on the QSRA as 

a flight test engineer. He is also survived by his daughter, Ann Eggertsen 

who worked for the State Department 

as an architect and is now working 

on her PhD in psychology from the 

University of Texas in Dallas.

The combined 4th Annual Foothill-DeAnza 

Internship Program ‘Student Achievement 

Celebration’ and the 11th Annual Ames 

Summer Science day was held on Aug. 16. 

This year, there was one large poster presentation for both programs, which provided an 

opportunity for people at Ames and across the 

local community to meet in a casual setting 

where they could view and discuss posters 

describing 2007 summer projects conducted 

by students and faculty fellows. Posters were 

presented in a variety of diverse fields including life sciences, nanotechnology, Earth/

space/astrobiological sciences, aeronautics 

and information technology.

Ames holds annual Summer Science Day 

Victor I. “Vic” Stevens

NASA photo

NASA photo by Dominic Hart
10 Astrogram August 2007

ACC hosts 4th annual Partners in Excellence Reception

The Ames Contractor Council 

(ACC) hosted the 4th annual Partners in Excellence Reception in early 

August in the Exploration Center. 

Representatives from 10 codes and 

28 contract companies attended the 

event. This annual event is a unique 

opportunity for Ames center management and contractor company representatives to gather in an informal 

setting to mix and mingle. Gatherings 

such as this reception foster better 

working relationships that help both 

the government and its contractor 

community achieve success in pursuit 

of NASA’s objectives. 

ACC President Chris Johnson welcomed everyone and presented highlights of ACC activities this year. He 

then introduced Ames Center Director 

S. Pete Worden, who informed everyone that Ames’ future is quite bright. 

He mentioned many of the projects 

that are moving forward, including 

the Vertical Motion Simulator, Future 

Flight Central, Constellation, the Arc 

Jet facilities for CEV technology, small 

spacecraft and upcoming partnerships 

with other centers such as JPL. Deputy Center Director Chris Christensen 

and Associate Center Director Steve 

Zornetzer also attended. 

Any company with an active 

contract at Ames is invited to send its 

representative to the monthly ACC 

meetings, which are held the first 

Wednesday of the month, 11 a.m. to 

12 noon, in Building 200 in the Jack 

Boyd Committee Room. The deputy 

center director, or his representative, 

is always first on the agenda with an 

update about center and agency activities. This update is followed with 

presentations by various guest speakers, including topics such as HSPD-12, 

security, safety and new business. 

The ACC also has active committees that benefit the Ames community. 

Through our successful fundraising 

activities, such as the golf tournament 

and historic calendar sales, we are 

able to contribute to education outreach and other worthy 

endeavors.

To learn more about 

the ACC and how it 

actively supports the 

Ames community, visit 

its Web site at: www.

amescontractorcouncil.

org 

If you are eligible 

for membership in 

the ACC, you are also 

eligible to be included in 

the online list of companies under “About” 

on the Web site. This 

list links directly to each 

company’s Web site, where company 

information and job opportunities 

may be found, http://amescontractorcouncil.org/contract-frame.html

The Ames Contractor Council 

(ACC) is a non-profit (501)(c)(4) organization whose membership consists 

of representatives from the contractor 

companies performing work at NASA 

Ames. The ACC strives to apply its 

collective pool of management talent 

to benefit the Ames community. 

The ACC’s mission is to assist 

NASA Ames in providing world-class 

quality products and services to its 

customers that consistently meet or 

exceed all customer specifications and 

expectations for technical, schedule 

and cost performance. The council 

strives to improve the productivity 

and enhance the quality of contractors’ 

services and products for the overall 

success of Ames Research Center. 

The ACC focuses on maintaining 

open lines of communication between Ames center management and 

contractor site managers and representatives. Interested in developing 

contractor hidden potential, the ACC 

conducts several annual and special events to raise awareness of this 

organization’s value to the Ames community. Proceeds from those events 

support the Ames Community.

Ames Contractor Council officers for 2007, left to right, Chris Johnson, 

MEI Technologies (president); Nicki Rayl, EASI (secretary); Kathleen 

Starmer, SAIC (vice president); and Herb Finger, Unisys (treasurer).

ACC President Chris Johnson (MEI Technologies), left, and Ames Center Director S. Pete Worden, 

right, at the 4th annual Partners in Excellence Reception held in August at Ames. This event is as an 

opportunity for Ames center management and contractor company representatives to meet informally.

NASA photos by Dominic Hart

by Doreen Coh

by Jonas Dino

to present a detailed 3-D model of a 

subject, giving viewers the sensation 

of smoothly gliding around the scene 

from every angle. A collection can be 

constructed using photos from a single 

source or multiple sources. The NASA 

Photosynth collection also includes the 

return of the space shuttle Atlantis to 

the Kennedy Shuttle Landing Facility 

from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., 

in July.

Microsoft Live Labs is an applied 

research organization focused on the 

incubation of innovative, Internet technologies to improve and accelerate the 

next evolution of Microsoft’s Internet 

products and services. 

NASA, Microsoft 

collaboration

continued from front page
11 Astrogram August 2007

On Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2007, at 7 p.m., astronomer David Morrison 

of Ames will give a non-technical, 

illustrated talk entitled ‘Taking a Hit: 

Asteroid Impacts and Evolution,’ as 

part of the Silicon Valley Astronomy 

Lectures.

Place: The Smithwick Theater 

 at Foothill College

 El Monte Road and 

 Freeway 280,

 Los Altos Hills

Cost: Free and open to the public

 Parking is $2

Call the series hot-line at (650) 949-

7888 for more information and driving 

directions. No background in science 

will be required for this talk.

Asteroids have hit the Earth many 

times in the past, and they will continue to hit in the future, whether we 

are prepared or not. Collisions with 

our planet over 4.5 billion years have 

profoundly influenced the evolution of 

life. In fact, were it not for the impact 

of a 15-km wide asteroid 65 million 

years ago, it is likely humanity would 

not be here.

Impacts are important for our future as well as our past. In the last 

two decades, we have learned not only 

how to evaluate the impact hazard 

but also (in principle) how to defend 

ourselves. The astronomers operating 

the Spaceguard Survey of Near Earth 

Asteroids have already reduced the 

risk of fatality from unknown asteroids by at least 75 percent. Unlike 

other natural hazards, we now have 

the capability of removing most of the 

impact risk within the next generation. 

However, the government still does 

not have a plan of action for when an 

asteroid is discovered heading our 

way or when an impact happens with- out any warning. Morrison is one of the world’s 

experts on the study of asteroid 

impacts. He is the senior scientist 

at the NASA Astrobiology Institute, 

where he participates in a variety of 

Non-technical public lecture on asteroids to be held soon

research programs in the study of 

the living universe. Morrison is the 

author of more than 155 technical 

papers and has published a dozen 

books, including several widely used 

college textbooks in astronomy. He 

is the recipient of numerous awards 

for his scientific and his educational 

work, including the Sagan Medal of 

the American Astronomical Society for 

public communication. 

Morrison was a founder of the 

multi-disciplinary field of astrobiology. Asteroid 2410 Morrison is named 

in his honor, but he assures us that it 

is not one of those that might hit the 

Earth.

The lecture is co-sponsored by 

NASA Ames, the Foothill College Astronomy Program, the SETI Institute 

and the Astronomical Society of the 

Pacific.

Past Silicon Valley Astronomy Lec- tures are now available in MP3 format 

at: http://www.astrosociety.org/edu- cation/podcast/index.html.

Every time a hazardous waste site 

is cleaned up - that’s good news. In 

the past year or so, Ames’ Environmental Services Division, Code QE, 

has completed and closed four Areas 

of Investigation (AOI) with the most 

recent closure certified on Aug. 2 by 

the California Department of Toxic 

Substances Control (DTSC). The four 

closed AOIs encompass:

• Buildings N-225/N-225B 

 electrical substations soils 

 contamination (closed 7/5/07).

• Building N-267

 area soils contamination

 (closed 6/30/06).

• Buildings N-221C/N-227

 electrical substations soils

 contamination (closed 2/8/06).

• Underground Storage Tanks at

 seven sites (closed 8/02/07).

In addition to the four AOI 

projects certified as closed by the 

California agency, one additional area 

encompassing the N-221 wind tunnel 

complex (AOI 4), remains under DTSC 

oversight. The other 11 AOIs are managed under the Environmental Protection Agency Region IX.

Clean up of hazardous sites is a 

long and arduous process requiring 

deep knowledge of contaminants and 

meticulous attention to complex and 

Code QE earns clean-up certifications on four sites

stringent compliance, materials handling and disposal 

requirements. This work often 

includes investigative sleuthing into the past to uncover 

historical practices impacting 

the use of the land use. 

Voluntary cleanup agree- ments governing the five AOI 

sites were negotiated with the 

DTSC in 1996 to help guide the 

Ames’ investigative process. 

Now that these sites have been 

officially closed by the DTSC, 

NASA Ames can return these 

areas to unencumbered use 

and eliminate future expen- ditures for environmental 

actions, ultimately decreasing NASA’s environmental 

liability, while increasing site 

sustainability and support of 

agency missions.

Congratulations to Code 

QE team manager Don Chuck 

and the support services contractor, ISSi team members Joe 

Lukas, Casey Fitzgerald and 

Brian Reddig. 

by April Nei

The NASA Ames Water Quality Report is now available for review at:

http://q.arc.nasa.gov/qe/compl/dwater/AmesWaterQualityReportall.pdf

This map shows the sites, AOI 5, 8, 10 and 11, which represent four 

clean up areas receiving certification for closure by the California 

Department of Toxic Substances Control. 
12 Astrogram August 200

Ames emergency 

announcements

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

instructions for Ames employees. You 

can also listen to 1700 KHz AM radio 

for the same information.

Ames Ongoing Monthly Events Calendar

Security/Law Enforcement Activity

Fire Protection Activity

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

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

of July 2007 is shown below.

Protective Services monthly activity

Ames Amateur Radio Club, third Thursday 

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

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

4-6262. 

Ames Ballroom Dance Club, Classes on 

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

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

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

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

Ames Bicycling Club, Every 3rd Wednesday 

of the month. The meeting location is Building 

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

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

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

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

right under the picture.

Ames Bowling League, Homestead Lanes on 

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

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

4-1132. 

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

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

4-5411.

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

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

8017.

Ames Federal Employees Union (AFEU) Mtg, 

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

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

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

Mosher, ext. 4-4055.

Ames Mac Support Group Mtg, third Tuesday 

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

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

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

on weekend mornings. POC: Mark Sumich, 

ext. 4-6193.

Ames Sailing Club Mtg, second Thursday 

of ea. month (March through Nov), from 12 

p.m. - 1 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 a.m. to 10 a.m., Bldg. 218/2nd 

floor training room. URL: http://q/qe/

events/EHSseries/ POC: Stacy St. Louis at 

ext. 4-6810.

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

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

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

Leon at ext. 4-6498.

Jetstream Toastmasters, Mondays, 12 p.m. to 

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

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

http://jetstream.freetoasthost.com

Native American Advisory Committee Mtg, 

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

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

4-1132.

 Safety Data 

 NASA-Ames Occupational

 Illness-Injury Data for 

 Calendar Year-to-Date 2007

 Jan. 1, 2007 – July 31, 2007

 Civil Contractors

 Servants

 

 First aid cases 6 11

 Lost Workday cases 0 1

 Recordable cases 0 2

 Restricted duty days 0 0

 Above data are as of July 31, 2007. 

 May be subject to slight adjustment in

 the event of a new case or new informa- 

 tion regarding an existing case.
13 Astrogram August 200

Ames Classifieds Exchange Information

Beyond Galileo Gift Shop N-235 in 

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

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

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

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

Visitor Center Gift Shop N-943 

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

NASA logo merchandise, souvenirs, toys, gifts and 

educational items. 

Vacation Opportunities

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

community by the Ames Exchange Council. Visit 

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

NASA Lodge (N-19) 603-7100

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

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

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

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

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

special events. POC -Chana Langley, Pool Manager 

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

purchasing a membership, there is an entrance fee: 

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

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

fee). Special events: include military training, swim 

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

special events is $50/hr.

Ames Swim Center (N-109) 603-8025

Astrogram deadlines

Please submit articles, calendar and 

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

the 10th of each month. If this falls on 

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

Astrid Olson at the aforementioned 

e-mail address or ext. 4-3347. 

Ads for the next issue should be sent to astrogram@

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

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

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

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

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

material received, we are unable to verify the accuracy 

of the statements made in the ads. Caveat emptor! 

RV Lots Available Call to reserve a 

space at (650) 603-7100/01.

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

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

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

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

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

adult) 

Moffett Field Golf Club with ‘Tee minus 

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

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

rafting, tennis, ice skating, and more. Summer 

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

Bass Lake vacation rental, 4 mls south of Yosemite. 

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

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

(650) 390-9668.

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

in canyon setting. Fully eqpd kitchen. Access to 

priv. beach. Tub in patio gdn. Halfway between 

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

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

(650) 328-4427.

Pine Mountain Lake vacation home. Access to golf, 

tennis, lake, swimming, horseback riding, walk 

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

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

Incline Village, Forest Pines, Lake Tahoe condo, 3 

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

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

sauna, outdoor pool. Walk to lake. Close to ski 

areas. Visit web site for pictures: http://www.

ACruiseStore.com $135/night spring and fall, 

$173/night summer and winter (holidays higher) 

plus $125 cleaning fee and 12 percent Nevada 

room tax. Charlie (650) 743-8990.

New York, 5th Ave. One fully furnished bedroom 

in 24 hour security bldg. overlooking Washington 

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

Call (650) 349-0238.

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

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

wk. negotiable. Call (650) 349-0238.

Santa Cruz townhouse, 2 bedrooms plus study, 

2 baths, decks, totally furnished, 3 blocks from 

beach, available July, August, September; $1,600 

per month. Call (831) 423-5777 (H) or (831) 277-

8476 (C).

Lake Tahoe cabin rental in Agate Bay, North Shore. 

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

deck, sleeps 10. Closest skiing is Northstar, Alpine 

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

week. Call (408) 867-4656.

Florida west coast vacation in St. Petersburg, 

beautiful 2bd/2ba condo, fully equipped kitchen 

and furnished, sunset views, 1/4 mile from St. Pete 

Beach, monthly or 2 week minimum rentals only. 

Call (703) 299-8889 or e-mail: jdgoehler@aol.com

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.

The NASA PM Challenge 2008 will be held Feb. 

26 - 27, 2008 in Daytona Beach, Fla. Visit the Web at 

http://pmchallenge.gsfc.nasa.gov/index.htm for 

details. Call for speakers: Download the Speaker 

Requirements Document at: http://pmchallenge.

gsfc.nasa.gov/Speaker2008.htm. Speaker abstracts 

and biographies are due Sept. 14, 2007. PM Challenge is sponsored by the NASA Office of the Chief 

Engineer, the NASA Academy of Program/Project 

and Engineering Leadership (APPEL) and the 

NASA Office of Safety and Mission Assurance.

PM Challenge 2008 set!

Miscellaneous

The Ames Cat Network needs help finding 

homes for cats trapped at Moffett. They range 

from feral to abandoned/lost pets. Tested, 

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

if you or someone you know are interested in 

fostering or adopting a cat.

Kitchen table for sale, it comes with matching 

chairs. Pam (650) 344-0725.

1933 Philco console radio, model 18L. Good 

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

comcast.net

Twin day bed with trundle. White enamel frame 

with delicate flowers, 2 matresses. 2 years old. 

Paid $1,000, Asking $500 or B/O. E-mail acsullivan@comcast.net

Craftsman lawn mower, 6.5hp, 21” push mower, 

looks and runs great, like new, $75. Bill (408) 

252-0386. 
14 Astrogram August 200

National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration

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The Ames Astrogram is an official publication of 

Ames Research Center, National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration.

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

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

You can reach the Astrogram Office at: astrogram@

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

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

Ames Research Center

Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000

Do you need help using one of the 

NASA Ames Library’s resources or 

getting an answer to a question? Do 

you need an article or book not found 

in the library’s collection? Do you need 

assistance in finding an old or obscure 

report? The Ames librarians can help 

you.

During recent funding realities, the 

goal has been to make as many of the 

library’s journals available electronically as possible. Publisher price increases 

plus inflation have made this task a 

challenging one. However, the library 

is able to obtain most articles or documents needed by researchers through 

interlibrary loan at no additional cost.

For more information, come visit 

the Ames Technical Library, in Building N-202 in the basement and the Life 

Sciences Library in Building N-239 in 

Room 53.

Take a look at all the library has to 

offer. On the Web at http://ameslib.

arc.nasa.gov, or call ext. 4-6325 or email: library@mail.arc.nasa.gov

The NASA Ames Library provides variety of services

by Dan Papp

NASA photo by Dominic Hart

Standing, left 

to right: Ames 

librarians Kathy 

Ponce, Marie 

Schneider and 

Beverly Mcleod. 

Seated is Dan 

Pappas.