National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland/Wallops Island, Virginia
October 6, 2000
The Goddard News is published weekly by the Office of Public Affairs, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771
September 15 - October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month
HETE-2 Flies In
Search of Gamma-Ray Bursts
Locating the ever-mystifying phenomena called gamma-ray bursts and other short-lived and remarkable cosmic occurrences will soon be the job of the High-Energy Transient Explorer 2 (HETE-2), poised for launch Oct 7.
For a brief, bright moment, gamma-ray bursts outshine the rest of the universe, but scientists do not know what causes them. One theory is that gamma-ray bursts come from the merger of two black holes. Another theory suggests these bursts are from a huge star explosion, called a hypernova, which is 1000 times more powerful than the already potent supernova. Snapping a photograph of a burst while it is exploding is a key goal for astronomers.
HETE-2 replaces the original HETE spacecraft that was lost due to a rocket malfunction in November 1996. The spacecraft was built by MIT and the technology is essentially the same as the previous HETE, except for a new detector built by MIT. MIT is responsible for development and integration, as well as mission and science operations, for the satellite. Goddard has project oversight. The Kennedy Space Center, FL, is responsible for all launch operations
HETE-2 is scheduled for launch at 1:45 a.m. EDT from Kwajalein Missile Range, Marshall Islands, aboard a Hybrid Pegasus expendable launch vehicle.
For the complete article, go to: http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/ftp/pub/PAO/Releases/2000/H00-160.htm For more information about the HETE-II science mission, go to: http://space.mit.edu/HETE/
NOAA Takes Over NOAA-16 Satellite
On September 29, NASA handed over operational responsibility of NOAA-16(L) to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA). NOAA will operate the satellite from the Satellite Operation Control Center located in Suitland, Md. However, NASA is still responsible for completing the on orbit verification (OV) activity. This lasts for another 35 days.
At this time NOAA-16 satellite operations are nominal and all instruments are on except for the High Resolutions Infrared Radiation Sounder, SEM and the Infrared Radiation channels on the Adavanced Very High Resolution Radiometer. These will be turned-on October 10 and 11. Once the OV period is complete the National Enviromental Satellite, Data and Information Services will begin the checkout of the data processing systems (Level 1b, non Sounding products and Sounding Products).
For more information, go to: http://poes.gsfc.nasa.gov/ or http://www.osd.noaa.gov/sats/poes.htm
Here Comes the Sun...To Baltimore
Where can you make auroras dance, create and manipulate electric currents and watch the Sun churn, whirl and explode? At the Maryland Science Center, home for the newest and hottest museum exhibit in the solar system.
Last week, an exciting new traveling exhibit called the "Space Weather Center" began its three-month stay at the Science Center, which is located in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. Each weekend during the exhibit, scientists and space weather experts from Goddard will be on hand at the Science Center to conduct science demonstrations for the public and answer questions about the Sun and its affects on our planet.
To the unaided eye, space appears to be a vast, dark void and the Sun a tranquil sphere of light. But in fact, space is not empty. We live in the atmosphere of a very dynamic star. Our solar system has the cosmic equivalent of winds, clouds, storms and hurricanes that scientists call 'space weather.' And just like the weather here on Earth, it can be both mild and wild.
Using current images, movies and science information - as well as several hands-on and minds-on activities - the exhibit explores the nature of the Sun and Earth and the mysterious connections between them. Visitors also will learn how spacecraft allow researchers to "see the invisible" and how weather in space can affect our everyday lives.
Scientists and educators from Goddard and the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo., developed the Space Weather Center. An online version of the exhibit can be viewed on the Internet at: http://istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/exhibit/
NASA
Scientists Predicts Less Climate Cooling from Clouds
Don't count on clouds to come to the rescue if the Earth's current climate-warming trend continues. That's according to new NASA research published in the October 1st issue of the American Meteorological Society's Journal of Climate.
Heating and cooling of the Earth are influenced by cloud cover. Clouds can act as a natural sun shield by reflecting light back into space. But clouds can also coat the skies like a blanket, trapping warmth.
Precisely how these competing attributes will change in response to a warmer atmosphere is not well understood. Anthony Del Genio of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York City, analyzed three years of observations of low clouds over land, a type of cloud thought likely to contribute to future cooling.
Some climate theories predict that a warmer atmosphere would evaporate more water, and this additional water vapor would form thicker clouds. However, Del Genio's research found that when air temperatures were higher, clouds were thinner and thus less capable of reflecting sunlight. These thinner clouds occurred regardless of weather conditions, season, or time of day.
For the complete article and animations, go to: http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/GSFC/EARTH/environ/clouds.htm
Michael Marder to Present at Today's Scientific Colloquium
Michael Marder from Univ. of Texas, is today’s Scientific Colloquium speaker. His topic will be "How Things Break." This talk will begin by discussing how that occurs, the engineering science that has grown up to explain it, and the successes and limitations of the engineering approach. The talk will then shift to a discussion of recent experiments, the observation of a dynamic instability in fracture, and the solution of the problem of ideal brittle fracture. The colloquium is at 3:30 p.m. in the Building 3 auditorium.
For information about today’s colloquium and the scientific colloquium series, go to: http://scicolloq.gsfc.nasa.gov/
The AETD
Minority Career Mentoring Program Completes Its Inaugural Year
The AETD Minority Career Mentoring Program (MCMP) has completed its first exciting year. The program was developed under the leadership of Program Coordinators Dennis Small (Code 584) and Cindi Adams (Code 584) and Program Champion Dr. John Day (Code 560). The AETD MCMP was developed to target the minority workforce using a one-to-one relationship or partnership that focuses on the career development needs of an individual, so that maximum growth potential can be achieved. Though the program was developed as minority initiative, it is open to all of AETD. The goal of the program is to provide an opportunity for all AETD employees at all grade levels and skill areas to benefit from a mentoring relationship. The program:
The program has received a high evaluation and is considered a very valuable tool by the participants. "This is an excellent program. I found my Career Mentor to be a good asset. His experience and insight helps me to make informed decisions about my career path," expressed Eric Holmes a program protégé. The program participants were:
(Front row) Irene Bibyk, Madeline Butler, Jeannette Benavides, Adrienne Beamer, Donya Douglas, Parminder Ghuman, Sharon Wong, Cindi Adams (Back row) Bill Reaves, Eric Holmes, John Day, Jean-Marie Denis, Luther Lighty, Ken Hinkle, Howard Kea, Dennis Small
(Not pictured) Janet Barth, Garcia Blount, Howard Branch, Jose Florez, Darryl Lakins, Bob Savage, Eric Silk
The program’s first year concluded on September 13, 2000 at the Goddard Recreation Center with an end of program wrap-up session and program appreciation luncheon. The AETD MCMP is now kicking off its second year with a Call for Career Mentors and Proteges. We are asking you to please participate in the program. The Minority Career Mentoring benefits the AETD organization by increasing the institutional knowledge and skills, increasing communications among people at different levels of the organization, creating a diverse pool of qualified employees job opportunities, and improves morale.
You can contact either Dennis Small at x6-8210 or Cindi Adams at x4-5097 with questions about the program or visit our website at http://aetd-diversity/. Come be a part of another exciting year of the AETD MCMP.
Space Shuttle Discovery 100th Launch Delayed
Shuttle managers announced Thursday that Shuttle Discovery will launch no
earlier than Monday. Over the weekend, workers will enter Discovery's aft compartment to
troubleshoot and replace a problematic valve on the orbiter's main propulsion
system. Engineers also will continue to evaluate a problem with
a protruding bolt that caused an initial 24-hour delay from Thursday's planned launch.
For more status on the STS-92 launch go to: http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/status/stsstat/current.htm
GSFC NEW 5-12 Workshop Finds Its Way to the Classroom
The Office of Public Affairs’ Education Programs Office at GSFC
offered workshops in remote sensing and designing an experiment to be launched on a space
shuttle to 25 math and science teachers from the eastern United States. The
teachers had the unique
opportunity to meet with NASA scientists directly involved in projects investigating
global warming and tracking El Nino.
At Wallops Flight Facility, the teachers focused on microgravity and the Space Experiment Module (SEM) and submitted programs for the flight certification process.
| This year's educators participating in a science related activity |
Ben Preddy, a mathematics teacher form Haverford, Pa had his experiment certified and was selected to launch on SEM 10 in June 2001. The experiment will look at the growth rate of bulbs on earth and in space. Preddy’s experiment will involve all NASA Educators Workshops (NEW) grades 5-12 educators and 20,000 students. Preddy said the NEW workshop energized him as he continues to make math real and teach his students to think. Mr. Preddy has been recognized for the knowledge he brings to the classroom such as the most recent research and data from NASA.
NASA NEW Workshops are offered to educators during the summer. GSFC Education Programs will offer the workshops to 25 new educators July 23rd – August 5, 2001. You may contact Antoinette Wells for additional information, 301-286-7262, awells@pop100.gsfc.nasa.gov.
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
In observance of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the Equal Opportunities Advisory Committee invites you to share in this month's activites.
Thursday, Oct 12, speaker Michael Burks will be in bldg 8 auditorium from 12 noon - 1 p.m. to present his view of what the future may look like for everyone regardless of disability. Burks is a world recognized IT communications professional with more than 20 years experience. He will also speak on the subject of People with Disabilities and the Internet.
Tuesday, Oct. 24, Fido's For Freedom will be in bldg 32, rooms 103/100 from 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. to do demonstrations on how they assist people with disabilities. FIDOS is a nonprofit organization in the Washington-Baltimore Metropolitan area that trains and places hearing and mobility assist dogs.
Accessible bus transportation will be provided between the Bldg. 8 West Lobby and Bldg. 32 lobby at 9:15, 9:30, and 9:45 with a return trip at about 11:40 a.m. at the completion of the demonstration. For more information about this event, please contact Lynn Clark at x6-2881.
To further strengthen our commitment to diversity, a business case for diversity has been developed for the Center that describes the management practices necessary to support our beliefs and values regarding inclusion. How we treat each other as individuals, as teams, and as an organization is based on individual values, as well as the collective values of the Center. The Business Case draft outlines how diversity adds value to the Center. The full text of the Business Case and a set of questions and answers to aid in your understanding of the Business Case, can be found on the Workforce Diversity web page at http://workforce.gsfc.nasa.gov/a2.html
Please read the Business Case. We invite your feedback and comments. Please contact or send comments by Oct. 13, to Sharon Wong, Special Assistant for Diversity, Code 100, by phone at X6-0475, or by email to: Sharon.M.Wong.1@gsfc.nasa.gov. Confidentiality is assured and comments will not be attributed to any one individual.
Technology Commercialization Office Announces New Development Program and Request for Proposals
The GSFC Technology Commercialization Office (TCO), Code 750, is implementing a new pilot program, the Commercial Technology Development (CTD) program. The CTD program will only focus on funding and developing GSFC civil servant new technologies that exhibit commercial potential. Primary civil servant involvement, functional prototypes, commercial industry involvement, and aggressive technology development schedules will be hallmarks of the CTD program. Proposals are due by 4pm Oct. 30, 2000. For details please go to: http://tco.gsfc.nasa.gov/ctd
Combined Federal Campaign to Begin
The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) is a great opportunity for federal employees to contribute towards helping improve the quality of life for thousands of people who need our help.
Last year Goddard employees contributed $473,000 to CFC. The campaign will run from Oct. 9 - Nov 3.
This year’s goal is $445,000. By contributing to the CFC, you can be assured that 96 cents of every dollar contributed goes directly to the agencies of your choice. Your gift, and the satisfaction you receive from helping others, can be spread over the year through payroll deduction. This is the easiest and most convenient way to give. Remember, your gift, whether through payroll deduction or direct payment, is tax deductible if you itemize.
Many local, national, and international voluntary organizations will benefit from your thoughtfulness and generosity. A few minutes of your time to complete the pledge card can mean meals for hungry children, relief for families in need, further work on cures for diseases, environmental protection and better lives and renewed hope for millions of people in our global community.
For a list of your directorate representatives and other details see GSFC CFC homepage at url: http://internal.gsfc.nasa.gov/cfc/cfc.html
Changes in Access to Parking Garage Elevators at Headquarters
As NASA continues to make safety and security a major area of emphasis, enhancements continue to be made at NASA Headquarters. Effective October 1, 2000, access to the Headquarters Building parking garage elevators and return to the garage from the lobby level, will require a proximity card. Visitors and center personnel who enter the garage will receive a magnetic strip parking ticket, coded to activate the parking garage elevators. The magnetic strip ticket must be kept with you at all times for garage elevator access from the lobbies. The ticket becomes invalid after 7 p.m. on the day of the purchase.
If you have any questions about these procedures, please call Elena Weston at 202-358-2415 or Vera Edmunds at 202-358-0106.
Your cooperation in making our workplace as safe and secure as possible is appreciated.
SeaWiFS: The SeaWiFS view of the 'Sandstorm the Size of Spain' in late February 2000 was featured on the cover of the October issue of the American Geophysical Union's journal Geophysical Research Letters illustrating an article about African Dust and the Demise Caribbean Coral Reefs.
The cover as well as a link to the journal and the SeaWiFS images can be found on the SeaWiFS website at: http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEAWIFS.html
TOMS: An article about the ozone hole area being approximately three times the size of the United States was recently posted at CNN.com’s web site. The article quotes Goddard’s Paul Newman with an explanation of how a combination of CFCs and other ozone-eating chemicals as the blame for the increased size.
Science Data Processing Workshop
Want to identify and discuss ways for reducing ground data processing development time and costs? Participate in the Science Data Processing Workshop
When: Here at Goddard on November 7th and 8th.
What: There will be opportunities to share tools, ideas, and data processing methodologies that form a common thread across projects, missions, and instruments. Workshop activities will include exploration of new methodologies, gathering new ideas for innovative approaches, examining lessons learned, and identification of common ground.
See http://that.gsfc.nasa.gov/gss/workshop2000/index.htm to register or obtain more information.
Scientific Colloquium
Who: Max Tegmark from Univ. of Penn.
What: Will speak on the topic entitled, "Zeroing in on Cosmological Parameters"
When/Where: Friday, Oct. 13 at 3 p.m. in bldg. 3 auditorium
For more info: http://scicolloq.gsfc.nasa.gov/
Engineering Colloquium
Who: Norden Huang of Code 971
What: Will speak about "Should We Bury or Praise Baron Jean Baptiste Joseph Fourier?."
When/Where: Monday, Oct. 16 at 3:30 p.m. in bldg 3 auditorium
For more info: http://ecolloq.gsfc.nasa.gov/sched.html
Information Science & Technology
Who: Prof Joseph JaJa, Director of Institute for Advanced Computer Studies at the Univ. of Maryland
What: His talk is entitled "Geospatial Management and Mining"
When/Where: Thursday, Oct. 19 at 3:30 p.m. in bldg. 3 auditorium
For more info: http://ISandTColloq.gsfc.nasa.gov/schedule.html
Center Director's Colloquium
Who: Dr. Robert Ballard, founding Chair of the JASON Foundation for Education
What: Will speak about the role of safety and risk management in planning and executing projects
When/Where: Tuesday, Oct. 24 from 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. in bldg. 3 auditorium
For more info: http://workforce.gsfc.nasa.gov/pdf/FY01.pdf
Upcoming Launches
For a schedule of launches coming up in the next few months, check out: http://pao.gsfc.nasa.gov/gsfc/newsroom/flash/flash.htm
Press Releases from the past week can be found here: Hot Topics
Back to topIf you would like to make comments or ask questions concerning Goddard News for this week please address your email comment to: Trusilla.Y.Steele.1@gsfc.nasa.gov
