America’s gateway to the universe. Leading the world in preparing and launching missions to Earth and beyond. Dec. 21, 2001 John F. Kennedy Space Center Spaceport News http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/snews/snewstoc.htm Vol. 40, No. 26 Pages 4-6 – NASA hosts Holiday Celebration and Coffee. Page 8 – “Remembering Our Heritage” highlights early Vanguard test launch. Pages 2-3 – KSC workers and Channel 2 honored in “Recognizing Our People.” Page 7 – “Share the Opportunities” Conference held. (See STS-108, Page 8) Inside STS-108 launch sends Sept. 11 flags to space Space Shuttle Endeavour carried nearly 6,000 American flags and many other special mementos into space when it launched Dec. 5. The flags were carried to low- Earth orbit for the “Flags for Heroes and Families” campaign honoring victims, survivors and relief workers associated with the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States. Also carried were • three large U.S. and Marine Corps flags, which were flying at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the Pennsylvania State Capitol during the attacks, • a number of New York City police officer shields and patches, • a Fire Department of New York flag and • a poster with the pictures of firefighters who lost their lives in the attacks. Crew members aboard the Space NASA’s Acting Admin- istrator Daniel Mulville (center) joins Launch Director Mike Leinbach (left) in recognizing New York Police Department Detective Michael Jermyn in the LCC Firing Room after watching the launch of STS-108 on Dec. 5. Jermyn represented the “Flags for Heros and Families” campaign. Shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station marked the three-month anniversary of the attacks on Dec. 11 at 8:46 a.m. EST as part of a nationwide tribute to those who lost their lives in the attacks on Sept. 11, Endeavour returned to Kennedy Space Center with the flags and other mementos on Dec. 17 at 12:55 p.m. Families of victims and survivors will receive the flags and memorial certificates. Following the STS-108 launch on Dec. 5, NASA’s Acting Administra- tor Daniel Mulville addressed the launch team in the Launch Control Center Firing Room. “You make it look easy and I know it’s not. ... You made America proud today.” He and Launch Director Mike Leinbach recognized New York 2 launches, 2 coasts Next issue Jan. 11 With the launch of the Jason 1/TIMED mission Dec. 7, following the launch of Endeavour on Dec. 5, the Kennedy Space Center team had launched two vehicles from two coasts within less than 48 hours. Pictured at right, a Delta II rocket carrying Jason 1 and TIMED appears to erupt from the undulating clouds of smoke below. Liftoff from Launch Complex 2W at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., occurred at 10:07 a.m. Jason 1 joins the orbiting Topex/Poseidon satellite to continue observations of the global climate interaction occurring between the sea and the atmosphere as a result of stored solar energy. The TIMED satellite will study a little- known region above the atmosphere. The next issue of Spaceport News will be published Jan. 11, 2002. Happy Holidays! color Dec. 21.p65 12/20/01, 4:07 PM 1
Transcript
America’s gateway to the universe. Leading the world in preparing and launching missions to Earth and beyond.
Space Shuttle Endeavour carriednearly 6,000 American flags andmany other special mementos intospace when it launched Dec. 5.
The flags were carried to low-Earth orbit for the “Flags forHeroes and Families” campaignhonoring victims, survivors andrelief workers associated with theSept. 11 terrorist attacks on theUnited States.
Also carried were• three large U.S. and Marine
Corps flags, which were flying atthe World Trade Center, thePentagon and the PennsylvaniaState Capitol during the attacks,
• a number of New York Citypolice officer shields and patches,
• a Fire Department of New Yorkflag and
• a poster with the pictures offirefighters who lost their lives inthe attacks.
Crew members aboard the Space
NASA’s Acting Admin-istrator Daniel Mulville(center) joins LaunchDirector Mike Leinbach(left) in recognizing NewYork Police DepartmentDetective MichaelJermyn in the LCC FiringRoom after watching thelaunch of STS-108 onDec. 5. Jermynrepresented the “Flagsfor Heros and Families”campaign.
Shuttle Endeavour and theInternational Space Station markedthe three-month anniversary of theattacks on Dec. 11 at 8:46 a.m. ESTas part of a nationwide tribute tothose who lost their lives in theattacks on Sept. 11,
Endeavour returned to KennedySpace Center with the flags andother mementos on Dec. 17 at 12:55p.m.
Families of victims and survivorswill receive the flags and memorialcertificates.
Following the STS-108 launch onDec. 5, NASA’s Acting Administra-tor Daniel Mulville addressed thelaunch team in the Launch ControlCenter Firing Room.
“You make it look easy and Iknow it’s not. ... You made Americaproud today.”
He and Launch Director MikeLeinbach recognized New York
2 launches, 2 coastsNext issue Jan. 11
With the launch of the Jason 1/TIMEDmission Dec. 7, following the launch ofEndeavour on Dec. 5, the KennedySpace Center team had launched twovehicles from two coasts within lessthan 48 hours. Pictured at right, aDelta II rocket carrying Jason 1 andTIMED appears to erupt from theundulating clouds of smoke below.Liftoff from Launch Complex 2W atVandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.,occurred at 10:07 a.m. Jason 1 joinsthe orbiting Topex/Poseidon satelliteto continue observations of the globalclimate interaction occurring betweenthe sea and the atmosphere as aresult of stored solar energy. TheTIMED satellite will study a little-known region above the atmosphere.
The next issue ofSpaceport News will bepublished Jan. 11, 2002.
Happy Holidays!
color Dec. 21.p65 12/20/01, 4:07 PM1
SPACEPORT NEWS Dec. 21, 2001Page 2
Recognizing Our People
Last of original KSCoperators retires
Rozella Nance, better known as“Rosie,” became one of the originalKennedy Space Center operatorson Feb. 3, 1964, and she has thepicture to prove it.
Nance is the last of the originaloperators to leave KSC, havingrecently retired.
Her going-away launch photowas signed by many of the KSCteam members she’s worked with,including many of KSC’s seniormanagers.
“She’s always been extremelycustomer oriented and helpful.Everyone will miss her,” said BillWilson, NASA manager for thetelephone system. He has workedwith Nance throughout her career.
Nance, a graduate of Cocoa HighSchool, never planned to work atKSC for so many years, she said. Itjust worked out that way.
Rozella “Rosie”Nance, above, thelast of the originalKSC operators,recently retired. Atleft, she is picturedat her station in1964.
“First it was one thing that keptme here and then another,” Nance.“Before I knew it I had spent 37years in this room.”
The room referred to is in theCommunications Distribution andSwitching Center in the IndustrialArea. Although her location stayedthe same, telephone technologychanged a lot during her career.
At the beginning of her career,Nance served as one of dozens ofoperators who patched incomingand outgoing calls on a switch-board. Prior to her retirement, sheand one other operator answeredgeneral information and troublecalls and placed international callsfor Center employees.
Nance began her career withRCA and finished it with SMIInternational on the ODIN tele-phone support contract.
Channel 2 wins Emmy for KSC storyA Channel 2 team led by reporter Dan Billow
was presented with an Emmy award Dec. 1 forthe half-hour documentary “Atlantis Upclose atCountdown, Jan. 2001.”
The regional award was presented to theWESH-TV team by the National Academy ofTelevision Arts and Sciences.
Kennedy Space Center’s Final InspectionTeam, then headed by NASA’s Greg Katnik,worked with Channel 2 to bring the sights andsounds of Space Shuttle mission STS-106 finalpreflight inspection to the public.
Final Inspection Team member Mike Barber,with United Space Alliance, wore a camera andmicrophone to document the hazardous opera-tion during which the fueled Shuttle seems alive.
The Shuttle exhales billowing clouds ofoxygen while the contracting hardware contain-ing the super cold cryogenic fuel creaks andgroans.
“Very few people get to experience being onthe pad when the Shuttle is fueled,” Billow said.“We thought it would be a great thing to sharewith the public.
Channel 2 reporter Dan Billow is pictured withthe regional Emmy he and his WESH-TV teamwon for the news documentary “AtlantisUpclose at Countdown, Jan. 2001.”
“But we could have never done it without thesupport and cooperation we received from theKSC team. We felt priviledged that they wouldtake the time and go to the trouble to integrate acamera into such a hazardous operation so thatwe could tell their story.”
Katnik and other KSC team members believedthe story would be educational and would helpportray an amazing example of the many behind-the-scenes operations that lead up to theShuttle launch on Sept. 8, 2000.
“Channel 2 did a great job on the report. Wewere thrilled to see a story about a complextechnical subject made very entertaining aswell,” Katnik said.
Other members of the Channel 2 team whowon the award are Ben Smegelsky, photogra-pher; Mike Gemelli, photographer; TravisSherwin, producer; Mike Nanus, editor; andChris Allan, editor. Billow, who has covered the Shuttle programsince 1987, also recently won a Harry KolcumMemorial News and Communications Awardfrom the National Space Club Florida Committee.
color Dec. 21.p65 12/20/01, 4:07 PM2
SPACEPORT NEWS Page 3Dec. 21, 2001
— 2 —
As Director,Technical Opera-tions, Allen will beresponsible for thedevelopment andintegration oftechnical opera-tions across theFlorida programelements. Allen,who previouslyserved as ProgramManager, SpaceShuttle Develop-ment, will alsoadvise Pickavanceon program-widetechnical issues.
As a NASAastronaut, Allenflew over 900hours in space asPilot of STS-46and STS-62, andas Commander ofSTS-75. Heserved more than
November Employees of the Month
December Employees of the MonthDecember Employees of the Month pictured are (left to right) Joe Simpson, SpaceportServices; Linda Krager, Cape Canaveral Spaceport Management Office; Randall Heald,Office of the Chief Counsel; Erin Campbell, Chief Financial Office; and Mark Gordon, ISS/Payloads Processing. Not shown are Beth Smith, Associate Director’s Office; Mike Ellis,Shuttle Processing; Marty Lougheed, ELV & Payload Carriers Programs; and Joel Shealy,Spaceport Engineering and Technology.
November Employees of the Month pictured (front row, left to right) are Maxine Johnson,Spaceport Engineering and Technology; Rose Austin, ISS/Payloads Processing; DiannaLampert, Launch Integration Office; (back row/left to right) Mario Busacca, External Relationsand Business Development; and John Shaffer, Spaceport Services. Not shown are GloriaMarsh, Procurement Office; Damian Ludwiczak, ELV and Payload Carriers Programs; andDon DeHart, Shuttle Processing.
Frederick Gregory, an astronaut and thesenior executive currently responsible for thesafety and reliability of all agency programs, hasbeen named Acting Associate Administrator forthe Office of Space Flight.
Gregory, 60, is Associate Administrator for theOffice of Safety andMission Assurance(OSMA) at NASA Head-quarters in Washington.
He replaces JosephRothenberg, who retiredDec. 15.
“Safety permeateseverything Fred does. He’sthe right person for thisjob,” said Acting NASAAdministrator DanielMulville. “His experienceas an astronaut, pilot and manager of flightsafety programs is essential during this periodof transition for the Office of Space Flight.”
As a NASA astronaut, Gregory logged morethan 455 hours in space during three SpaceShuttle missions. In 1985, he served as pilot onboard Challenger during STS-51B.
Gregory was mission commander for STS-33in 1989 and STS-44 in 1991. Gregory wasselected as an astronaut in 1978, after serving inthe U.S. Air Force.
He logged nearly 7,000 hours in 50 types ofaircraft, including 550 combat missions overVietnam.
In his current position, Gregory is chargedwith overseeing all safety issues within NASAthrough the development, implementation andoversight of reliability, maintainability andquality assurance policies.
“I deeply appreciate the confidence Dr.Mulville has shown in me throughout my NASAcareer,” said Gregory. “NASA has the safest andmost reliable human space flight program in theworld. I’m going to work to make sure wecontinue to safely explore and develop space forthe benefit of everyone here on Earth.”
Gregory has been awarded the DefenseSuperior Service Medal, two DistinguishedFlying Crosses, the Defense Meritorious ServiceMedal, the Meritorious Service Medal, 16 AirMedals, The Air Force Commendation Medaland three NASA Space Flight medals. Hishonors also include the NASA DistinguishedService Medal and the NASA OutstandingLeadership Award.
Michael Greenfield, OSMA deputy associateadministrator, will serve as acting administratorduring Gregory’s interim assignment.
New AssociateAdministratorof OSF named
color Dec. 21.p65 12/20/01, 4:07 PM3
Page 4 SPACEPORT NEWS Dec. 21, 2001
Holiday Cel
color Dec. 21.p65 12/20/01, 4:07 PM4
Page 5SPACEPORT NEWSDec. 21, 2001
Celebration
NASA held its Holiday Celebration at KARS IIDec. 13. Agency employees enjoyed singing byfellow employees, a raffle and a buffet lunch.Center Director Roy Bridges and DeputyDirector James Jennings addressed the crowdwith messages of good cheer.
color Dec. 21.p65 12/20/01, 4:08 PM5
Dec. 21, 2001 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 6
KSC Christmas Coffee
Kennedy Space Centerworkers took part in theAnnual KSC ChristmasCoffee on Dec. 11 at theDebus ConferenceFacility at the KSC VisitorComplex. Employeesand retirees are picturedenjoying the festivitiesand conversations withcolleagues.
color Dec. 21.p65 12/20/01, 4:08 PM6
SPACEPORT NEWSDec. 21, 2001 Page 7
KSC helps ‘Share the Opportunities’
In remembranceA small contingent from the United States Merchant MarineAcademy recently visited Kennedy Space Center to honor two oftheir astronaut graduates. Members of the group are picturedhonoring astronaut Elliot See at the Astronaut Memorial at theKennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. See lost his life on Feb.28, 1966. The academy group also visited KSC to honor STS-108 Pilot Mark Kelly, who graduated from the academy in 1986.The group was on hand to watch the STS-108 launch.
Key NASA officials met withminority university presidents andadministrators from historicallyblack colleges and universities,Hispanic serving institutions andtribal colleges and universities Nov.29 through Dec. 1 to highlightopportunities and partnershipsavailable with the agency.
NASA’s “Share the Opportuni-ties” Conference for minorityuniversity leaders – a NASA-wideevent hosted by NASA/KennedySpace Center – was held at theRenaissance Orlando Resort inOrlando. It drew about 300 partici-pants, including 146 representa-tives from minority universities.
NASA representatives identifiedcompetitive research opportunitiesavailable through research an-nouncements and educationannouncements and activities.
The representatives alsoidentified the potential opportuni-ties in small and disadvantagedbusiness announcements andactivities, and technology transferand commercialization initiatives.
“It was a great opportunity forNASA to get to know the capabili-ties of America’s minority universi-ties and for the minority universi-ties to learn more about NASA’sresearch needs,” said JamesJennings, KSC deputy director.
Jennings came up with the ideaof holding the conference to informthe minority university communityabout NASA : the Agency, itsmission, enterprises, centers and
opportunities.Dr. Louis Sullivan, president of
Morehouse School of Medicine inAtlanta and former Secretary ofHealth and Human Services in theGeorge H. W. Bush administration,and Dr. James Shanley, president ofthe American Indian HigherEducation Consortium in Virginia,were the keynote speakers.
During his address, Shanley toldthe group, “I would like to thankthe National Aeronautics andSpace Administration for hostingthis conference at Kennedy SpaceCenter and giving Tribal Collegesthe opportunity to talk one-on-onewith people from the various NASACenters. We have made some greatcontacts in the areas of distanceeducation programs, environmentalscience and partnerships with anemphasis on working with studentsin grades K-12.”
He noted that about a year ago,NASA signed a CooperativeAgreement with the AmericanIndian Higher Education Consor-tium and awarded a grant toprovide NASA/Tribal CollegePartnerships.
Sullivan recognized retiredNASA administrator Dan Goldin forhis strong support of minorityuniversity programs.
“I would like to commend himpersonally because he did exactlywhat he said he would do, and Ithink all of us owe him a great voteof thanks and congratulations forhis tenure,” Sullivan said.
NASA’s “Share the Oppor-tunities” Conference drew manyattendees, including thosepictured. At left, are Dr. LouisSullivan, (left) president ofMorehouse School of Medicine,and James Jennings, KSCdeputy director. Below (from left)are Dr. James Shanley, presidentof the American Indian HigherEducation Consortium in Virginia;Roy Bridges, KSC director; andJoAnn Morgan, head of theExternal Relations and BusinessDevelopment directorate.
Editorial support provided by InDyne Inc. Writers Group.NASA at KSC is located on the Internet at http://www.ksc.nasa.gov
USGPO: 633-096/00072
Spaceport News
Spaceport News is an official publication of the Kennedy Space Center andis published on alternate Fridays by External Relations and BusinessDevelopment in the interest of KSC civil service and contractor employees. Contributions are welcome and should be submitted two weeks beforepublication to the Media Services Branch, XAE-1. E-mail submissions can besent to [email protected]
Remembering Our Heritage STS-108 ...(Continued from Page 1)
45 years ago: Vanguard test launchLaunches from Cape Canaveral
were already commonplacebefore NASA was formed inOctober 1958. Several launcherswere under development.
One of the early test launchestook place on Dec. 8, 1956 – thelaunch of the Vanguard TestVehicle Zero (TV-0).
TV-0 arrived at Hangar C at CapeCanaveral in October 1956, theVanguard project’s temporaryassembly building.
The vehicle was actually Viking13, refurbished and renamed, andhad only one stage. It was erectedon the old Viking launch stand atpad 18A a month later.
The stand had been shippedfrom White Sands, N. M., to beused until the more advancedVanguard program launch structurewas ready.
Stress was high in the controlroom of the blockhouse for thelaunch. Rain was falling during thefinal moments of the countdown.
Col. Asa Gibbs, the Air Forceproject officer, and Bob Schlechter,the Martin launch director, wereamong those present.
A variety of difficulties caused
two holds in the countdown. Then,as today, the appearance of a shipin the impact area caused anadditional delay.
But it did fly! Lifting off at 1:05a.m., TV-0 achieved an altitude of126.5 miles and traveled 97.6 milesdownrange. Overall, the TV-0launch achieved its prescribedobjectives.
A descendent of the Vanguardrocket is the Delta expendablelaunch vehicle, still in use today.
The first Delta, built to NASAspecifications by the DouglasAircraft Co., flew in May 1960. TheDelta second stage was theVanguard with a few modifications.
The Jason/TIMED launch onDec. 7 marked the 100th flight ofthe Boeing Delta II.
For more information on theVanguard Program, see Vanguard:A History by ConstanceMcLaughlin Green and MiltonLomask, NASA SP-4202, availableon the Web at http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4202/cover.htm.
Pictured is an early Vanguard test launch made on Dec. 8, 1956.
Police Department Detective Michael Jermyn during the post-launch address.
Jermyn attended the launch as a guest representing the NewYork Police and Fire Departments whose members lost their lives inthe Sept. 11 attacks.
“You guys did a wonderful job and now we have heroes inspace,” Jermyn said.
Also during the postflight activities, Joseph Rothenberg, retiredassociate administrator for space flight at NASA Headquarters inWashington, was recognized for his service to the space program.Rothenberg retired from his post Dec. 15.
Mission STS-108 was the 12th Space Shuttle flight to theInternational Space Station (ISS).
The 11-day mission was the first Utilization Flight (UF1) of theStation program. The main objective of the mission was to transferhardware into the ISS and perform the third ISS crew rotation.
STS-108 was the final Shuttle mission of 2001and the 107thShuttle flight overall.
After dropping through cloud cover Dec. 17, OrbiterEndeavour approaches Runway 15 at the KSC ShuttleLanding Facility, with a mission elapsed time of 11 days, 19hours, 35 minutes. Main gear touchdown occurred at 12:55p.m. EST. The landing was the 57th at KSC in the history ofthe Space Shuttle program.
