Colleagues:

This has been a remarkable year, one marked by new leadership at senior levels of NASA, as well as in a number of directorates at Goddard. And while 2002 may be remembered as a year of change, one thing remained remarkably constant - and that is the outstanding performance and dedication of all of you.

Today, the NASA vision captures the spirit of an agency driven to explore, and to protect and to improve life on Earth. For over 40 years, our Center has been at the forefront of that vision, exploring Earth and space, and developing the breakthrough technology to enable NASA to achieve its mission.

And while much of our effort is devoted to either looking down from space, or out into space, closer to home we continued to make a difference to the nation and our community. We renewed and strengthened our emphasis on education and university partnerships to train and inspire a new generation of explorers. And we set in place the cornerstone for creating a Center that will enable us to continue to be a world-class research establishment in this new millennium with the approval of our Facility Master Plan by the National Capitol Planning Commission.

It has been a remarkable year, and Alison, Bill and I are enormously grateful to each and every one of you for your hard work, devotion to excellence and outstanding achievement.

From all of us, we wish you a joyous and safe holiday, and a healthy and prosperous New Year. Peace be with you and your friends, family and loved ones.

A. V. Diaz

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NASA 's Mission:
*To understand and protect our home planet
*To explore the Universe and search for life
*To inspire the next generation of explorers
…as only NASA can

For a further details of the NASA mission, go to: http://www.nasa.gov/bios/vision.html

ICESat/CHIPSat Launch Rescheduled

Half-Day Closing of Executive Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government on Tuesday, December 24, 2002

Holiday IT Security

Education Initiative Successes Continue at Goddard

SORCE Spacecraft Moves One Step Closer to Launch

Senator Craig and O'Keefe Visit

Mark Your Calendar for Freedom to Manage Town Hall Meeting

The Integrated Financial Management Program (IFMP)

Culture Survey Deadline Extended

Bring Your Children to Work

Safety Alerts

In observance and in celebration of reaching a century of flight in 2003, Goddard News will feature historical NASA flight tidbits.

NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe helped kick-off the Nation's celebration of the Centennial of Flight in Washington at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum (NASAM) this week. O'Keefe shared anecdotes demonstrating the transforming power of early flight experiences in the lives of some of the legends and heroes of American aviation.

Aviation icons, including astronauts Dr. Neil Armstrong and Sen. John Glenn, relatives of the Wright brothers, actor and aviator John Travolta, and others met at the "Centennial of Flight: Born of Dreams -- Inspired by Freedom" kick off event.

NASA, in partnership with the U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission and NASM, kicked off the national celebration honoring the first powered flight by the Wright Brothers on the 99th anniversary of their first flight. This event was the first of many Centennial festivities throughout the country, including Dayton, Ohio, the birthplace of aviation, and Kitty Hawk, N.C., the site of the Wright brothers' first successful powered flight at 10:35 a.m. Dec. 17, 1903.

For more information on the Centennial of Flight celebration events, go to: http://www.centennialofflight.gov/