October 2007

www.nasa.gov

Page 2 - NASA Mars Rover Software Leads

 to Virtual Globetrotting 

Page 3 - Taking a Tour Inside the NASA

 Ames Protective Services Office

Page 5 - Ames 2007 CFC Kick Off 

Page 12 - Ames Ongoing Monthly Events

Page 13 - Classifieds

On the Inside . . .

NASA-funded astrobiologists 

have found evidence of oxygen present in Earth's atmosphere earlier than 

previously known, pushing back the 

timeline for the rise of oxygen in the 

atmosphere. Two teams of researchers 

report that traces of oxygen appeared 

in Earth's atmosphere from 50 to 100 

million years before what is known as 

the Great Oxidation Event. This event 

happened between 2.3 and 2.4 billion 

years ago, when many scientists think 

atmospheric oxygen increased significantly from the existing very low 

levels. 

Scientists analyzed a kilometerlong drill core from Western Australia, 

representing the time just before the 

major rise of atmospheric oxygen. 

They found evidence that a small 

but significant amount of oxygen 

was present in Earth's oceans and 

atmosphere 2.5 billion years ago. The 

findings appear in a pair of research 

papers in the Sept. 28 issue of the 

journal Science.

"We seem to have captured a piece 

of time during which the amount 

of oxygen was actually changing 

-- caught in the act, as it were," said 

Ariel Anbar, an associate professor at 

Arizona State University, Tempe, and 

leader of one of the research teams. 

The goal of both research teams 

was to learn more about the environment and life in the oceans leading 

up to the Great Oxidation Event. The 

researchers did not expect to find evidence of oxygen earlier than what was 

previously known.

"The core provides a continous 

record of environmental conditions, 

analogous to a tape recording," explained Anbar. He and his research 

group analyzed the amounts of the 

trace metals molybdenum, rhenium 

and uranium. The quantity of these 

metals in oceans and sediments 

depend on the amount of oxygen in 

the environment. The other research 

group, led by Alan Kaufman of the 

University of Maryland, College Park, 

Md., analyzed sulfur isotopes. Its distribution also relies on the abundance 

of oxygen.

"Studying the dynamics that gave 

rise to the presence of oxygen in 

NASA research indicates oxygen on Earth 2.5 billion years ago

continued on page 6

Earth's atmosphere deepens our appreciation of the complex interaction 

between biology and geochemistry," 

said Carl Pilcher, director of the NASA 

Astrobiology Institute at Ames, which 

co-funded the study. "Their results 

support the idea that our planet and 

the life on it evolved together." 

One possible explanation for the 

Great Oxidation Event is the ancient 

ancestors of today's plants first began 

NASA wants to tell its story accurately and unfiltered and to the widest 

audience practicable was the message 

delivered to Ames employees by the 

agency's chief of communications 

strategy.

Addressing an All Hands meeting 

Oct. 18, in the main auditorium, Robert Hopkins explained NASA's Media 

Communications Policy and stressed 

the importance of open communication throughout the agency. 

“NASA, a scientific and technical agency, is committed to a culture 

of openness with the media and the 

public that values the fee exchange of 

ideas, data and information as part 

of scientific and technical inquiry,” 

Hopkins said.

“Consistent with NASA statutory 

responsibility, the agency will provide 

for the widest practicable and appropriate dissemination of information 

concerning its activities and the results 

thereof,” Hopkins added.

Hopkins said the policy was developed at the direction of NASA Administrator Michael Griffin, who wanted 

all employees to understand the policy. 

Hopkins outlines NASA’s 

Media Communications Policy 

continued on page 4

Robert Hopkins, NASA’s chief of communications strategy, is seen here during his recent 

visit to the center where he outlined the Media 

Communications Policy for NASA.

NASA photo by Dominic Hart
2 Astrogram October 2007

NASA Mars rover software leads to virtual globetrotting

George Takei, of Star Trek fame, 

spoke at the center on Oct. 11, in 

honor of Ames’ first observance of 

National Coming Out Day. The NASA 

Ames Office of Diversity and Equal 

Opportunity, the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual and Transgender (LGBT) Advisory 

group and the Asian American-Pacific 

Islander Advisory group hosted the 

event. 

Takei was the keynote speaker and 

is the charismatic actor who portrayed 

"Lieutenant Sulu" in the original "Star 

Trek" television series and a number of 

the "Star Trek" feature films. 

Takei has been an outspoken advocate for the LGBT civil rights movement since he came out as a gay man 

in 2005. 

There was also an introduction to 

National Coming Out Day by Ardel 

Thomas, chair of the Queer Studies 

Department at the City College of San 

Francisco. Thomas had the privilege 

of participating in the first march 

on Washington, D.C., for LGBT civil 

rights, a milestone in the ongoing 

George Takei, who portrayed Star Trek’s 

“Lieutenant Sulu,” speaks at Ames

LGBT civil rights movement that comprised the origin of National Coming 

Out Day, which occurred 20 years ago, 

on Oct, 11, 1987. 

Now, anyone can virtually search 

Earth close-up, zooming into pebblesize objects, the same way scientists 

have explored Mars, but in more 

detail. Scientists have examined Mars 

scenes after special NASA software 

joined many overlapping martian images and enabled researchers to study 

the resultant panoramas of the red 

planet and even zoom into extreme 

close-ups of martian soil.

A spin-off of that NASA software 

creates ”GigaPan” panoramas for the 

Internet, containing lots of pictures 

made of billions of tiny dots of light 

(pixels). 

GigaPans are very high-resolution images stitched together from 

hundreds, potentially thousands of 

overlapping ordinary consumer digital camera photos. Each wide picture 

is also stepped into, with closer and 

closer images taken for each wide 

view. The resulting mammoth, on-line 

panoramas permit people to globetrot 

via the Web and to zoom deep into 

big, wide pictures of locations like 

Argentina, Rome's skyline and market 

places around the world.

"It's like having a pair of binoculars that you can use to explore the 

panoramas," said Randy Sargent, a senior systems scientist at Carnegie Mellon University West, located at NASA 

Research Park at Moffett. "When you 

pack a billion pixels into a panorama, 

you can explore it for hours and still 

find new things. It's like being transported," Sargent added.

Carnegie Mellon created a Web site 

located at http://gigapan.org, where 

the public can explore many GigaPans 

and can upload huge, panoramic images.

"GigaPan is a significant achievement because it allows everyone to 

create, at a very low cost, panoramas 

that previously could only be made by 

specialists using systems costing tens 

of thousands of dollars," said Terry 

Fong, director of the Intelligent Robotics Group at NASA Ames.

When Sargent was a staff member 

at Ames, he helped to develop software to sew together images that the 

NASA Mars Exploration Rovers took 

on Mars. That is when Sargent and 

partner Illah Nourbakhsh thought of 

the "GigaPan" concept. Nourbakhsh 

is associate professor for Robotics at 

Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Amateur photographers from 

distant parts of the globe also can contribute their views of our home planet 

by uploading big digital pictures taken 

by consumer cameras to the Web. "It is 

increasingly important to give people 

a broad view of the world, particularly to help us understand different 

cultures and different environments," 

Sargent explained.

Team members from the "Global 

Connection Project," which includes 

people from Carnegie Mellon, various other universities, NASA Ames, 

Google and National Geographic 

magazine on-line collaborated to provide a GigaPan robotic camera mount 

for consumer digital cameras. It will 

help photographers take hundreds of 

overlapping images for panoramas 

that use the new software - developed 

in two years by Carnegie Mellon and 

NASA Ames. continued on page 11

George Takei was the keynote speaker during 

Ames’ first observance of National Coming 

Out Day on Oct. 11, 2007.

NASA photo by Dominic Hart

An example of a panoramic view from the Gigapan Web site. The view is a result of a compilation of 

consumer digital photos pieced together. Gigapan is a spin-off from NASA software technology.
3 Astrogram October 2007

What do law enforcement, counterterrorism, export compliance, 

locksmith services, international visits, 

employee and visitor badging, fire 

protection and emergency response 

planning have in common?

All these areas, and more, are part 

of the NASA Ames Protective Services 

Office (PSO), Code JP, in the Center 

Operations Directorate.

"Since 1994, the 

Protective Services 

Office has provided 

NASA Ames with professional security and 

emergency services," 

said PSO Chief Bob 

Dolci. "Our job is to 

provide a safe, secure 

environment for the 

Ames staff so they 

can do their work and 

help NASA achieve its 

mission." Deputy Division Chief Phil Snyder, 

and Assistant Division 

Chiefs Ken Silverman 

and Ann Sullivan, round out the management team.

Security management is probably 

the most recognizable of Protective 

Services' functions. We see the guards 

and the vehicle inspectors at the gates, 

and some us of know about the officers who ticket us for driving too 

Taking a tour inside the NASA Ames Protective Services Office

fast or rolling through a stop 

sign. But many people know 

little about what Protective 

Services actually does.

Former Secret Service 

agent Ken Silverman leads a 

team of 12 civil servants and 

approximately 90 contractor employees whose job is 

to protect life and property 

and preserve peace and order at Ames, 

the NASA Research Park and Moffett 

Field. Silverman's team also is responsible for international programs, 

program security, personnel security, 

technical security and investigations.

With commercial companies, retail 

shops, restaurants, a bank, housing, a 

NASA photos by Dominic Hart

NASA Ames Protective Services Office employees--in the Ames 

badging office (left); on site at Moffett/NASA Ames (top right); 

and at the front gate (below)--keep NASA Ames a safe and secure 

place to work.

hotel, universities and military establishments on site, in addition to the 

NASA Ames research campus, Ames/

Moffett is much like a city of several 

thousand people. And, it faces many 

of the problems of a small city: traffic 

issues such as speeding, vehicle accidents and failure to stop for stop signs, 

theft, vandalism and a variety of other 

criminal offenses.

The law enforcement team includes four primary groups of employees:

• Security officers (light blue 

shirts) control access to Ames at each 

of the center's five gates. Undoubtedly 

the best known security officer is the 

late Johnny Green.

• Vehicle inspectors search incoming vehicles on a random basis for the 

presence of weapons, contraband or 

other potentially dangerous items.

• Security police officers (dark 

blue shirts) perform law enforcement 

services at Ames, including patrol, 

crime prevention and enforcement of 

the traffic management plan. Security police officers have federal arrest 

authority.

• Emergency dispatchers take 

reports of emergency and non-emer- continued on page 11
4 Astrogram October 2007

Issued by NASA Headquarters in 

October 2006, the policy establishes 

clear areas of responsibility and coordination methods intended to improve 

NASA's communications process. 

These procedures govern the release of 

public information, which is defined 

as information in any form provided 

to news and information media, especially information that has the potential to generate significant media or 

public interest or inquiry. The policy 

is available online at http://www.

nasa.gov/commpolicy

According to a Government 

Accountability Office (GAO) report 

issued in May 2007, the director of the 

Office of Science and Technology Policy cited NASA's media communications plan as a model for other federal 

agencies to consider when developing 

their own communications policies.

The policy does not include scientific and technical reports, Web postings designed for technical or scientific 

interchange, or technical information 

presented at professional meetings or 

in professional journals.

Hopkins also is the assistant 

administrator for the Office of Communications Planning, which provides 

long-term strategic communications 

messaging and planning and coordinates outreach activities throughout 

the agency. He served previously as 

the senior advisor to NASA Deputy 

Administrator Shana Dale.

Describing his duties as “the ultimate cat herder,” Hopkins said one of 

the things he does at Headquarters is 

trying to improve communication by 

“making sure everyone is talking to 

each other so that everyone is on the 

same page.”

Hopkins stressed the importance 

of employees working with their public affairs offices to coordinate media 

interviews and dissemination of information to the news media.

NASA employees are allowed 

to speak to the media and the public about their work, but that only 

designated NASA spokespersons are 

authorized to speak for the agency in 

an official capacity regarding NASA 

policy, programmatic or budget issues. He said contractors are allowed 

to speak to the media, but only about 

their area of expertise and identify 

themselves as contract employees.

 Employees are to notify their 

supervisor about upcoming media 

interviews and coordinate with their 

public affairs officer in advance of the 

interview whenever possible. 

Public affairs officers' role is to 

“attest to the content of the interview, 

support the interviewee and provide 

post-interview follow-up with the media as necessary,” Hopkins explained.

Hopkins outlines NASA’s Media Communications Policy 

Ames Center Director S. Pete 

Worden, who introduced Hopkins, 

said that NASA wants to disseminate 

information to the public and will assist researchers to ensure their papers 

are published.

“The point is to get your stuff out,” 

Worden said. “I think the message 

here is that if there are problems let 

us know and we'll work to get them 

fixed.”

by Michael Mewhinney

The Sally Ride Science Festival 

was held at NASA Ames recently. 

Hundreds of girls attended the 

event, which was aimed to inspire 

girls from 5th - 8th grade to study 

math and science, in the hope that 

this will help the next generation of 

women be active participants in our 

technical society. 

The event was similar to a street 

fair, and consisted of hands-on activities, booths, food and music. Astronaut Sally Ride gave the keynote 

address at the event.

Sally Ride Festival inspires girls

Angela Phillips Diaz, director, 

Strategic Communications and 

Development Directorate at Ames, 

(center left in blue suit), visits 

one of the science stations at the 

recently held Sally Ride Science 

Festival at Ames.

Astronaut Sally Ride gives her 

key note speech at the festival.

Right photo: Girls 

learn Newton’s 

Laws of Motion as 

they launch water 

rockets at the science 

festival.

NASA photos by Dominic Hart

continued from front page
5 Astrogram October 2007

Anthony R. Gross, 2007 chairman of the Ames CFC, during the 

kick-off meeting.

Nellie Lutcher, a famous musical legacy, remembered 

The Combined Federal 

Campaign (CFC) kick-off 

meeting was held at the 

center in early October. 

NASA Ames has traditionally been a leader among 

Bay Area federal agencies in 

our generosity and support 

of the Combined Federal 

Campaign (CFC). The Ames 

campaign theme for this year 

is '2 Minutes 2 Make a Difference.' The campaign 

this year runs from 

Oct. 10 through Nov. 

16, 2007. Representatives from two Bay 

Area charities within 

the CFC spoke during the event. There 

was training following the meeting for 

the CFC captains and 

key workers. 

Ames kicks off CFC campaign

David Goronja, from Philippine Children’s Fund of America, spoke at the recent CFC kick-off meeting at the center.

NASA has been a part of my life 

for 27 years and until recently I did 

not know why I'm here and what motivated me to work and care for this 

agency with such passion. That was 

given to me by my ancestors. I have 

met presidents of the United States 

and dignitaries from all over the world 

as part of my duties for NASA Ames. 

I have represented NASA on many occasions, produced events on behalf of 

NASA Ames for thousands of people 

and yet I was never more moved than 

the experience I had this past month.

We all have a story to tell. How 

we got here, who our people were and 

what makes us who we are. Someone 

once said, "Only the strong survived 

the passage from Africa to the Americas, and I am a descendent of the 

strongest. I didn't feel very strong, nor 

do I now; but I feel very proud of my 

ancestors, because I know it was not 

easy for them to survive and thrive."

This is the story of one of my relatives, my aunt Nellie Lutcher, born 

Oct. 15, 1912. She died June 8, 2007. 

She was born in Lake Charles, La., 

one of 10 children, my father's oldest 

sister. She was born into a musical 

family and everyone played something. She played the piano from age 

8 in the church and, by age 13, she was 

playing for the likes of Ma Rainey. My 

grandpa had a band, and they played 

weekends and holidays all around 

town, with Nellie at the piano. Jazz 

was her love and, by age 23, she was 

off to Los Angeles, the big city, to try 

her luck.

She landed a job the first week 

earning $2 a night. Until then, she had 

been paid $2 a month, at home playing 

for the New Sunlight Baptist Church 

in Lousiana. Work was steady, but 

it took her 12 years to be discovered. 

Working at the Dunbar Hotel in 1935, 

she knew them all: Duke Ellington, 

Count Basie, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, 

Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, Lena 

Horne, Langston Hughes and W.B.Du 

Bois. They all stayed at the Dunbar 

and listened to Nellie play night after 

night. Her best friends were Billie 

Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah 

Vaughan. She played from 8 p.m., in 

the evening to 2 a.m., in the morning, 

then moved onto the breakfast clubs 

to play until 5 a.m. or 6 a.m., in the 

morning. However, she was discovered in 1947 after performing on the 

radio for the March of Dimes telethon.

Nellie played for the Queen of 

England, the BBC in London, the 

Apollo Theather in Harlem, Café 

Society in New York, on the Ile de 

France cruise ship and all over the 

United States. When I was growing 

up, she was a regular at Disneyland 

in the New Orleans section. Mr. 

Disney would ride her around in a 

horse-drawn carriage. She cut duos 

with Nat "King" Cole and had over a 

dozen hit singles. In her later years, 

when her music was less popular, she 

became the first African-American 

woman to be on the board to the Musicians' Union. She was a part of the 

class action law suit with the record 

companies to change the way they put 

musicians under contract. In her day, 

the standard contract gave you $.01 

per record, a half cent if you recorded 

a duo. She made millions for others, 

continued on page 7

Nellie Lutcher, first African-American woman 

to be on the board to the Musician’s Union. She 

also performed with Nat “King” Cole and made 

numerous hit singles.

NASA photos by Dominic Hart
6 Astrogram October 2007

A seminar entitled 'Global Research into Energy and the Environment at NASA (GREEN) Symposium' was held on Oct. 19, 2007, at 

the center.

The event was a first in a series 

of seminars that will consider how 

the tools and expertise developed by 

NASA for the exploration of space 

can be applied to problems associated with sustainable energy and 

clean technologies on Earth.

Can lessons learned from life 

Kathy Martinez, executive 

director of the World Institute on 

Disability (WID), recently shared 

some of her personal experiences and stories that provided 

a glimpse into the mosaic and 

diversity that is the disability 

community. She spoke at Ames 

in honor of National Disability 

Employment Awareness Month 

this month. 

Martinez is an internationally recognized disability rights 

proponent who specializes in 

employment, asset building, 

independent living, international 

development, diversity and gender issues. 

At the Oakland-based WID, 

Martinez provides influential 

leadership in the areas of advocacy, training and public policy.

‘GREEN Team’ holds environmental symposium at Ames

support, astrobiology, planetary 

science, systems engineering 

and aerodynamics be applied to 

energy and environmental problems? Do we need a new 'Apollolike' program to focus attention on 

these problems? If so, what role 

should NASA play in such a program? What role should NASA 

Ames play?

To address these issues and 

inform the NASA Ames community about energy and envito produce oxygen by photosynthesis. 

However, many geoscientists think 

organisms began to produce oxygen 

much earlier, but the oxygen was 

destroyed in reactions with volcanic 

gases and rocks. 

"What we have now is new evidence for some oxygen in the environment 50 to 100 million years before the 

big rise of oxygen," Anbar said. 

"Our findings strengthen the notion that organisms learned to produce 

oxygen long before the Great Oxidation Event, and that the rise of oxygen 

in the atmosphere ultimately was 

controlled by geological processes." 

The international project brought 

together researchers from Arizona 

State University, the University of 

Maryland, the University of Washington, the University of California, Riverside and the University of Alberta. The 

project received financial support from 

the NASA Astrobiology Institute and 

the National Science Foundation. The 

Geological Survey of Western Australia provided logistical support. 

Founded in 1998, the NASA Astrobiology Institute is a partnership 

between NASA, 16 U.S. teams and five 

international consortia to promote, 

conduct and lead integrated multidisciplinary astrobiology research and 

train a new generation of astrobiology 

researchers. The institute's Astrobiology Drilling Program is an international program aimed at coordinating by Michael Mewhinney

continued from front page

NASA research indicates oxygen on Earth 2.5 billion years ago

continental drilling projects of astrobiological significance, especially those 

concerning Earth's early atmosphere. 

NASA photo by Eric James

Disability rights proponent speaks at Ames

Kathy Martinez, executive director of the World Institute 

on Disability (WID), spoke recently at Ames for October’s 

National Disability Employment Awareness month.

ronmental (clean-tech) activities 

outside of NASA, the GREEN 

Team is planning a series of events. 

These events will include lectures 

by scientists, engineers and policy 

makers followed by in-depth 

discussions with the audience. The 

audience will include both NASA 

personnel and invited participants 

from academia, national labs, and 

the private sector.
7 Astrogram October 2007

On Sept. 11, 2007, the Ames 

Acquisition Division hosted the 

annual Leslie A. Kaufhardt Acquisition Peer Awards ceremony presenting awards of appreciation to 

three of their peers. This honorable 

award, created by members of the 

Acquisition Division 21 years ago, 

allows individuals in the Acquisition Division a chance to recognize 

and reward their non-management 

peers for special achievements and/

or contributions made to the Acquisition Division, NASA Ames and the 

agency. 

 The FY 2007 winners are Joanne 

Comstock, Pat Hudson and Marianne Shelley. These individuals 

were selected for their dedication 

and concerted efforts in making 

significant contributions toward the 

achievement of Acquisition Division 

goals and their support of other staff 

members. 

The Acquisition Peer Award 

is named in memory of Leslie A. 

Kaufhardt, an exceptional contract 

specialist who worked at Ames in 

the 1970s, 80s and 90s and whose 

quality of work, positive attitude 

and spirit have set the standard of 

excellence for the Acquisition Division.

NOMAD (NASA Operational Messaging and Directory) is a new collaborative messaging system being rolled 

out across the agency. NASA Ames 

has begun the migration and you will 

be migrated soon--if not already! 

Please participate in instructor-led 

training on Nov. 7 in the Main Auditorium (N-201) with Entourage (Mac) 

from 9 a.m. to noon and Outlook 

(PC) from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. We’ve also 

tentatively scheduled instructor-led 

calendar training on Nov. 28. Please 

visit the Web site below for details.

 Training is critical to a successful 

migration and will prepare you for 

this change in your work environment. You are strongly encouraged 

to participate in one or more of the 

training resources available. See the 

Training section of the NOMAD Web 

site for more information (http://nomad.arc.nasa.gov).

On Sept. 20, the Ames Acquisition 

Division hosted an informal ceremony 

to present letters of appreciation to 

three contracting officers technical 

representatives (COTRs) who were 

this year’s ‘COTR of the YEAR’ award 

winners. 

The recipients were Charles 

Training available 

for NOMAD

Kaufhardt Award 

winners named

Acquisition Division names COTR of the Year awardees

Sobeck, COTR for the Kepler Project; 

William Thigpen, COTR for the NASA 

Information Technology Research, 

Development and Operations for Scientific Computing contract; and 

Irving Statler, 

COTR for the 

Integrated Safety 

Data for Strategic 

Response (ISDSR) contract.

These individuals were 

selected by the 

Acquisition 

Division for their 

determination, 

attentiveness and 

professionalism 

while performing their COTR 

responsibilities. This demonstrates their 

commitment to customer satisfaction 

and proactive contract management. 

The COTR awards were initiated by 

working level contract specialists over 

by Gary Hea

by Gary Hea

FY 2007 ‘Contracting officers technical representatives (COTR) of the Year’ 

awardees, left to right, Charlie Sobeck, Bill Thigpen and Irv Statler.

NASA photo

20 years ago in recognition of that fact 

that, as the acquisition process grows 

ever more complicated, it becomes 

increasingly important for the people 

in the technical organizations and the 

Acquisition Division to work closely 

as a team.

At the close of each fiscal year, 

the Acquisition Division attempts to 

recognize three or four COTRs who 

have been committed to that teaming 

relationship which is so vital to successful contract management.

but saw very little for her efforts.

Nellie was her own woman until 

the end of her 94 years. Her nine 

sisters and brothers were successful 

because of her help. She leaves one 

son, one granddaughter and a host of 

nieces and nephews, of whom I am 

one. I am her brother James' daughter, 

one of five who are proud to say we 

came from the strongest.

In October 2007, Nellie was honored with the re-naming of a street 

near where she lived as a girl. The 

mayor gave the family a proclamation and we were given the keys to 

the city. A wonderful museum exhibit 

of her life's work was premiered, as 

was a one-act play telling her story. I 

was proud to attend with many of my 

cousins representing our fathers and 

mothers during this four-day event, 

put on by the city of Lake Charles, La.

by Sheila Lutcher Johnson-Heac

continued from page 5

Nellie Lutcher
8 Astrogram October 2007

On Sept. 27 and 28, 2007, the 

NASA Ames Technology Partnerships Office reached out to over 1,000 

women at the 13th annual Women 

In Technology International (WITI) 

Women and Technology Summit in 

Santa Clara.

WITI was founded by Carolyn 

Leighton in 1989 to help women 

advance by providing access to--and 

support from--other professional 

women working in all sectors of technology. WITI's mission is to empower 

women worldwide to achieve new 

possibilities through technology, 

leadership and economic prosperity. 

Current membership is over 103,000.

This year's summit focused on the 

theme of ‘Innovation,’ featuring innovators and dynamic discussion about 

innovation. Speakers included Helen 

Greiner, co-founder and chairman 

of iRobot Corporation and Padmasree Warrior, executive vice president 

and CTO of Motorola, Incorporated. 

Workshop topics included ‘Capital 

Strategies for Entreprenuers,’ ‘Powerful and Connected: Women Transforming Technology Environments’ 

Ames Partnerships Office reaches out to women in technology

by Candice Nan

and ‘Bringing Innovation to 

Market.’

At NASA Ames, the 

Technology Partnerships 

Office works to form partnerships with industry and 

academia in order to develop new technology that 

supports Mission Directorate programs. More information can be found at the 

Technology Partnerships 

Office Web site at http://

technology.arc.

nasa.gov.

The Technology Partnerships 

Office also commercializes and 

transfers NASA 

technology to U.S. industry and enhances NASA 

technology and commercial objectives through the 

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and 

Small Business Technology 

Transfer (STTR) Programs. 

NASA's SBIR and STTR 

Programs provide a threephased approach for small 

businesses to develop technology in response to a specific set of NASA missiondriven needs, as presented 

in the NASA SBIR/STTR 

Annual Solicitation. 

Under the STTR program, a research institution 

partners with a small business to develop technology based on 

specific mission needs. Visit http://

sbir.nasa.gov for more information on 

the NASA SBIR/STTR programs.

The NASA Ames Technology 

Partnership Office provided a booth at 

the Women and Technology Summit, 

with the goal to publicize technology 

partnership possibilities at NASA. 

Women-owned, technology-based 

small businesses, as well as women 

in technology-based positions within 

large corporations, were present. 

Corporations present at the WITI 

Summit included IBM, Oracle, Raytheon, Intel and Motorola. The exhibit 

Sara Villarreal, left, of the Ames Technology Partnerships Office 

provides information to a WITI Summit participant about the 

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business 

Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs at NASA.

NASA photo by Eric James

Helen Greiner, co-founder and chairman of iRobot, at the 13th annual 

Women In Technology International 

(WITI) Women and Technology Summit recently held in Santa Clara.

photo credit: WITI 2007

Ames Technology Partnership Office staff members at the recent 

13th annual Women In Technology International (WITI) Women 

and Technology Summit in Santa Clara. Back row, left to right, 

Kim Hines, Sara Villarreal and Candice Nance. Front row, left to 

right, Dina Salazar and Paulette Dal Porto.

NASA photo by Eric James

booth promoted possible business 

opportunities between private industry and NASA. Small businesses 

benefited from learning more about 

the funding possibilities with the SBIR 

and STTR programs, while larger corporations inquired about partnerships 

and licensing agreements with NASA.

To learn more about the Women 

and Technology Summit, visit www.

WITI.org.
9 Astrogram October 2007

Learn how easy it is to reduce your 

monthly gasoline bill, traffic headaches and carbon footprint.

With auto emissions a major 

contributor to greenhouse gases, 

now is the time to rethink your daily 

path to and from work. Attend the 

Ames Commute Alternatives Fair, 

Wednesday, Oct. 24, from 11 a.m. to 

1 p.m., outside the Ames Mega Bites 

Cafeteria, King Road side, to learn 

about money-saving commute alternatives that can make your commute life 

smoother and more satisfying.

There are many ways you can 

make a positive impact on the environment through your daily commute. 

Here is a partial list of participating organizations available to share information with you:

• http://511.org/ - see how 

easy carpooling is with this efficient 

one-stop matching resource that also 

provides money-saving promotions.

• Green eMotor Inc. and Electro 

Ride Bikes and Scooters - Learn about 

Green is "in" everywhere these 

days and NASA Ames has long been a 

proponent of programs to reduce pollution, conserve resources and protect 

the natural environment. Supporting 

the NASA mission also means supporting viability and quality of life 

actions on planet Earth through our 

work contributions, personal energyuse, consumption and waste recycling 

habits. 

Each day, the average American 

throws away 3.5 to 5 pounds of garbage, adding up to a legacy of 90,000 

lbs of trash per person over a lifetime; 

the bulk of which ends up as ground, 

water or air pollution. 

To bring awareness to this growing 

environmental problem, the Environmental Services Division hosted 

an environmental brown bag event 

recently on the topic of green consumerism, presented by Acterra, a local 

community organization dedicated 

to sustainable Earth awareness and 

education. For more information, visit 

http://www.acterra.org/

 The lunch-hour program highlighted ways to "green your life" 

starting with a simple demonstration 

Ames Commute Alternatives Fair scheduled Oct. 24

scooter power and other fuel efficient 

options.

• Breathe California (formerly the 

Lung Association) - Gain the health 

benefits of commute alternatives and 

also spare the air.

• Hybrid Test Drives with Sunnyvale Toyota, Larry Hopkins Honda, 

Sunnyvale Ford - Experience the ease 

of switching to a hybrid with onsite 

test drives during the fair and discounts!

• San Mateo County Transit - 

Learn about the SamTrans bus line 

and CalTrans rail line options that can 

work for you.

• Altamont Commuter Express 

(ACE) Train - Help ease car congestion 

over the Altamont pass and enjoy a 

relaxing trip to work.

• Ames Environmental Services 

Division - Find out more about environmental programs underscoring 

NASA's commitment to environmental excellence.

• Ames Commute Alternatives 

Program (ACAP) - Choose from one 

or more Ames alternative commute 

services including shuttle, carpool/ 

parking, transit discounts and bike 

locker program.

• Ames Bicycling Club - Join the 

award-winning club that promotes 

bicycling at Ames.

• Mountain View Pedestrian 

Advisory Committee - Learn about 

the safety programs affecting residents 

bicycling and walking in the city.

• Peninsula Bike & Pedestrian Coalition (PBPC) - Experience the joys of 

exploring the Peninsula on foot or bike 

with this advocacy group.

• Valley Transportation Authority - See how Silicon Valley light rail 

and bus systems options make it easy 

to move around and also help ease 

congestion.

For more information, contact 

April Neilson at aneilson@mail.arc.

nasa.gov, ext. 4-6810. Note: NASA 

Ames does not endorse any commercial products or services.

Ames supports reducing pollution to protect the environment

of how much bottled water really costs 

when the fuel to transport it, produce 

the plastic and recycle or landfill the 

container is factored in. Carrying your 

own refillable water container from 

home not only spares the environment 

but also saves costs associated with 

buying bottled water. 

Using the new ENERGY STAR 

light bulbs (visit http://www.pge.

com/res/rebates/lighting/ for more 

information) is another easy step to 

reduce energy consumption.

Use of these energy efficient bulbs 

can reduce production of up to 312 

lbs/yr of CO2 - about as much CO2 as 

the average passenger car produces in 

four months of driving.

 To calculate your CO2 footprint, 

use the 'Low Carbon Diet Personal 

CO2 Calculator.' For additional helpful tips for reducing your carbon 

footprint, check out the EPA's guide 

to what you can do about climate 

change at http://www.epa.gov/

climatechange/wycd/index.html; 

visit the Acterra Web site listed above; 

and consider taking actions like these 

excerpted from David Gershon's 'Low 

Carbon Diet: A 30-Day Program to 

Lose 5,000 Pounds.' Also visit http://

www.empowermentinstitute.net/lcd/ 

for further information.

by April Neil

by April Neil
10 Astrogram October 2007

Some 50 ‘hardworking’ contractors 

and friends on 13 teams participated 

in the 2007 Ames Contractor Council 

(ACC) golf outing at The Golf Club at 

Moffett Field in late September. The 

weather was great, the shots were long 

and straight (at least sometimes) and 

got better on the 19th hole with the 

post-golf BBQ. 

The straightest shots were hit by 

Kathleen Starmer and Frank Santos. 

They were the winners of the closestto-the-pin contests for women and 

men. The longest-drive winners were 

Elise Taube and Tim Walker. The team 

from Consolidated Safety Systems 

won the low-gross prize while the 

Planners Collaborative team was the 

low-net winner. Lewis Braxton, along 

with Mike Hill, the director of The 

Golf Club, shared some of the plans 

and the vision of the club’s transformation. There was unanimous agreement that this year was great and next 

year will be even better.

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 golf event foster better 

working relationships that help both 

the government and its contractor 

community achieve success in pursuit 

of NASA’s objectives. 

Any company with an active 

contract at Ames is invited to send its 

by Dale Stansbury and Chris Jo

Ames Contractor Council holds 2007 Charity Golf Outing

representative to the monthly ACC 

meetings held the first Wednesday of 

the month, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., in the 

Jack Boyd Committee Room, in Bldg. 

N-200. 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 next events coming 

up that benefit the Ames community 

include the Excellence Awards and the 

2008 Ames Calendar.

 Through our successful fundraising activities, 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 the Web 

site located at: www.amescontractorcouncil.org

Adam Savage, above, of the Mythbusters show prepares for his 

flight in the advanced concepts flight simulator to test an aircraft 

myth.

The Ames Golf Club Team, left to right, Barry Sullivan, Lewis Braxton, Duc Tran and 

Demos Tsairides.

photo by Carol Roland

Mythbusters visits Ames to dispell another myth

Jamie Hyneman of 

Mythbusters (left) 

explains to Ames 

Center Director S. 

Pete Worden the 

myth they were trying to dispell during 

their recent visit.

NASA photos by Dominic Hart
11 Astrogram October 2007

gency situations, lost or found items, 

and suspicious letters or packages, 

and monitor an array of alarm systems 

at Ames.

Each security officer and security 

police officer must pass a rigorous 

background investigation, psychological testing and a medical examination. In addition, every Ames security 

police officer must graduate from a 

recognized police academy or have 

worked as a reserve officer with a 

local police or sheriff's department. 

Although security officer requirements 

are less stringent, they nonetheless 

meet or exceed the requirements set 

for private guards by the state of California. Security officers and security 

police officers at Ames are employees 

of SecTek Inc.

After being hired, each law enforcement officer must take and pass a 

160-hour NASA 'federal arrest authority' course at the Kennedy Space 

Center. Security officers must pass an 

80-hour course. The curriculum for 

both courses comes from the Federal 

Law Enforcement Training Center 

at Glynco, Ga., the same center that 

trains law enforcement officers for 

more than 80 federal agencies.

During training, security police 

officers learn federal laws of arrest, 

search and seizure, constitutional law, 

self-defense, arrest control techniques, 

high- and low-speed driving techniques and officer ethics. Officers also 

receive in-house training in CPR and 

first aid, hazmat response, firearm 

qualification and legal updates. Every 

other year, each officer must complete 

at least 40 hours of refresher training 

to stay current with federal laws and 

NASA regulations.

Located in Bldg. N-241, the Ames 

dispatch center is a certified 9-1-1 center that operates 24 hours a day, seven 

days a week. Dispatchers handle all 

police and fire-related calls at Ames. 

Each dispatcher must meet the same 

requirements as city police dispatchers and attend the same state-certified 

training course as do city and county 

dispatchers.

Ames' security management team 

also is responsible for developing and 

implementing security plans for special events, such as last April's Yuri's 

Night celebration. Planning frequently 

involves collaborations with other 

law enforcement agencies. Silverman's team also works with the Secret 

Service and FBI whenever the president or other U.S. or foreign dignitaries visit Ames or land at the airfield. 

These duties, as well as follow-up 

investigations of crimes committed at 

Ames, liaison to outside police agencies and to the U.S. attorney's office, 

are handled by two special agents in 

Protective Services.

"Having a good working relationship with the U.S. attorney's office is 

critical to effective prosecution of any 

serious crimes that transpire at Ames," 

Silverman noted.

In an upcoming issue, we'll take 

a closer look at some other, lesser 

known, Ames security management 

functions.

Taking a tour inside the NASA Ames Protective Services Office

continued from page 3

by Ann Sulliva

In partnership with Charmed Labs, 

Austin, Texas, the team has begun a 

public beta test of 400 GigaPan robotic 

camera mounts. Team members say 

they also will provide a simpler design 

for the device so ambitious photographers could build their own GigaPan 

robotic camera mounts.

NASA Ames provided expertise 

in panoramic image stitching, camera 

calibration and interactive graphics. 

Another key NASA Ames contribution 

to the GigaPan project is the NASA Vision Workbench application, explained 

at this NASA Web site: http://ti.arc.

nasa.gov/visionworkbench

The GigaPan system is part of the 

Global Connection Project. Its goal 

is to help people learn about other 

cultures and environments across the 

globe

"An ordinary photo makes it 

possible to cross language barriers," 

Nourbakhsh noted. "But a GigaPan 

provides so much information that it 

leads to conversations between the 

person who took the panoramas and 

the people who are exploring it and 

discovering new details."

Since 2004, an early GigaPan system has been recording panoramic images every 30 minutes of a backyard. 

According to scientists, time-lapse 

digital photography combined with 

GigaPan images such as the backyard 

scene, permit users to look back in 

time and study, for example, a bird's 

nest being built.

The GigaPan system is already 

finding more uses. The Pennsylvania 

Board of Tourism has created GigaPans of Civil War sites. There are plans 

for children from schools in the United 

States, South Africa, Trinidad and 

Tobago to use the GigaPan system to 

examine each other's environments. 

The NASA Ames Intelligent Robotics Group in 2006 used GigaPan as a 

visual inspection tool during a robotic 

field test at Meteor Crater in Arizona. 

"High-resolution panoramas are 

important and useful, particularly for 

understanding scientific phenomena 

in context," said Fong, director of the 

Intelligent Robotics Group at NASA 

Ames.

Scientists also think GigaPan will 

help researchers communicate among 

themselves and with the public worldwide. Other uses may include helping 

managers examine natural disaster 

scenes remotely.

"The possibilities with GigaPan are 

limitless," said Fong. "We have only 

begun exploring how it can be used 

for education, entertainment, science, 

engineering and a myriad of uses we 

never dreamed of."

by John Bluc

continued from page 2

NASA Mars rover software 

leads to virtual globetrotting
12 Astrogram October 2007

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 September 2007 is shown below.

Protective Services monthly activity

Ames Amateur Radio Club, third Thurs., of 

ea. month, 12 noon, N-T28 (across from N-255). 

POC: Michael Wright, KG6BFK, at ext. 4-6262. 

Ames Ballroom Dance Club, Classes on 

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

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

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

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

Ames Bicycling Club, every third Wednesday 

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

Auditorium. POC: Julie Nottage at jnottage@

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

Ames Bowling League, Homestead Lanes 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, 1 - 2:30 p.m., Bldg. 

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

Ames Contractor Council Mtg., first Wednesday of ea. month, 11 a.m., Bldg. N-200, Committee Room. POC: Chris Johnson, (650) 938-8017.

Environmental Forum, first Thursday every 

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

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

Ames Federal Employees Union (AFEU) Mtg, 

First Wednesday of November (7th), noon. 

First Wednesday of December (5th), noon. 

Bldg. N-247, Rm. 109. Beginning 2008, third 

Wednesday each month, same location. Guests 

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

Paul K. Davis, ext. 4-5916. 

The Hispanic Advisory Committee for 

Excellence (HACE) Mtg., first Thursday of each 

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

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

Leon, ext. 4-6498.

Jetstream Toastmasters, Mondays, 12 p.m. 

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

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

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

Ames Mac Support Group Mtg., third Tuesday 

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

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

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

on weekend mornings. POC: Mark Sumich, 

ext. 4-6193.

Native American Advisory Committee Mtg., 

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

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

Ames Nimble Knitters Club, every Tuesday 

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

Rosalyn Jung, knitfan2@yahoo.com or Diane 

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

nasa.gov

Ames Safety Committee, third Thursday of 

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

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

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

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

Ames Sailing Club Mtg., second Thursday 

of each month (March through Nov), from 

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

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

ext. 4-2399.

 Safety Data 

 NASA-Ames Occupational

 Illness-Injury Data for 

 Calendar Year-to-Date 2007

 Jan. 1, 2007 - Sept. 30, 2007

 Civil Contractors

 Servants

 

 First aid cases 10 12

 Lost Workday cases 0 2

 Recordable cases 1 3

 Restricted duty days 0 1

 Above data are as of Sept. 30, 2007. 

 May be subject to slight adjustment in

 the event of a new case or new informa- 

 tion regarding an existing case.
13 Astrogram October 2007

Ames Classifieds Exchange Information

Beyond Galileo Gift Shop N-235 in 

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

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

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

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

Visitor Center Gift Shop N-943 

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

NASA logo merchandise, souvenirs, toys, gifts and 

educational items. 

Ongoing Vacation Opportunities

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

community by the Ames Exchange Council. Visit 

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

NASA Lodge (N-19) 603-7100

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

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

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

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

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

special events. POC -Chana Langley, Pool Manager 

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

purchasing a membership, there is an entrance fee: 

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

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

fee). Special events: include military training, swim 

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

special events is $50/hr.

Ames Swim Center (N-109) 603-8025

Astrogram deadlines

Please submit articles, calendar and 

classified advertisements to astro- gram@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/2ba, View 

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

cleaning fee. Two night minimum. Includes linens, 

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

4155, DBMcKellar@aol.com.

Bass Lake vacation rental, 4 mls south of Yosemite. 

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

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

(650) 390-9668.

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

in canyon setting. Fully eqpd kitchen. Access to 

priv. beach. Tub in patio gdn. Halfway between 

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

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

(650) 328-4427.

Pine Mountain Lake vacation home. Access to golf, 

tennis, lake, swimming, horseback riding, walk 

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

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

Incline Village, Forest Pines, Lake Tahoe condo, 3 

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

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

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

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

ACruiseStore.com $135/night spring and fall, 

$173/night summer and winter (holidays higher) 

plus $125 cleaning fee and 12 percent Nevada 

room tax. Charlie (650) 743-8990.

New York, 5th Ave., one fully furnished bedroom 

apt. in 24 hour security fbldg. overlooking

Washington Square Park, $1,000/week or

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

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

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

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

Santa Cruz 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, one mile from Heavenly Valley. 

Sleeps 11, 3 bd/2.5 ba. Large deck with hot tub. 

Matt (408) 482-5286.

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.

Transportation

‘03 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport Utility (SUV). 

Only 51,000 miles. Automatic, 4 cylinder, 2WD, 

4 door, red and in excellent condition. $9,950. 

Call R. Smith (408) 926-4747.

The NASA Office of Chief Engineer is 

sponsoring an agency-wide Earned Value 

Management (EVM) Award of Excellence 

to be awarded at the PM Challenge Conference in Daytona Beach, Fl., on Feb. 26, 2008. 

The purpose of this award is to recognize 

leadership, excellence, innovation and agility 

in the application of EVM in our projects. 

The award is intended for both NASA 

in-house EVM applications as well as NASA 

projects that actively use their contractor 

EVM deliverables to improve the management and forecasting of their contracted 

activities. All NASA projects that fit these 

guidelines are encouraged to apply. 

For details on the application process, 

visit the award Web site located at: http://

evmexcellence.gsfc.nasa.gov/ or contact Jahi 

Wartts at: Jahi.O.Wartts@nasa.gov or Phoebe 

Wescott at Phoebe.L.Wescott@nasa.gov.

EVM award to be presented at PM Challenge
14 Astrogram October 2007

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

Ames Research Center

Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000

The Ames Astrogram is an official publication of 

Ames Research Center, National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration.

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

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

You can reach the Astrogram Office at: astrogram@

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

Astrogram Web site: http://www.nasa.gov/

ames/astrogram.

Another presentation in the Aeronautics Technical Seminar series 

was given recently by Richard 

Jehlen, director, Planning and 

Procedures Air Traffic Organization 

System Operations Services, Federal 

Aviation Administration (FAA), 

left, and Chief National Airspace 

System Architect Diana Liang. This 

tied directly to key research issues 

currently being explored by NASA’s 

Next Generation Air Transportation System (NGATS) Airspace and 

Airportal projects. 

In early October, 18 teams competed in a culinary cook-off. Lots of 

people were out to sample the awesome chili which began at 11 a.m. 

This year’s theme was sports and 

all the booths were decorated to the 

hilt. Participants got to enjoy their 

skills in the batting cage, golf radar 

driving range, speed pitch cage, 3 

pointer football and slap shot hockey. 

The free peanuts, cracker jacks, cotton candy and ice cream cups were a 

smash hit.

Chili cook off awards went to:

Peoples choice

 1st place team - Asani (Code TI)

 2nd place team - Surfin Slugs on

 Steroids We Sizzle! (Code D)

 3rd place team - Chili Colorado 

 Buffalo’s (Code RCM - 

 Leo Magazu)

Judges Choice

 1st place team - NFAC is Back

 (Code U)

 2nd place team - Hog Wild 

 (Code RM machine shop

 3rd place team - Knockout Chili 

 (Code YS)

Best Presentation

 NFAC Is Back (Code U)

5 Alarm

 Knockout Chili (Code YS)

Teams compete for votes at Ames annual chili cook-off

Aeronautics Technical seminar held

NASA photo by Eric James

Ames employees participating in the recent chili 

cook-off held recently at the center.

NASA photos by Jon-Pierre Wiens