April 14, 2006

John F. Kennedy Space Center - America’s gateway to the universe

Spaceport Newshttp://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/snews/spnews_toc.html

Vol. 45, No. 8

STS-1: The boldest test flight in history

Kennedy Space Center Director Jim Kennedy

The world proudlywatched as NASAresumed human spaceflight on April 12, 1981

SPACE SHUTTLE Columbia lifts off shortly after 7 a.m. on April 12, 1981.

PHOTO FROM YOUNG/CRIPPENVISIT ON THURSDAY

By Jim Kennedy Center Director

Six years passed from theend of NASA’s humanspace flight program

Apollo to the roar of SpaceShuttle Columbia on its April 12,1981, maiden flight from KSC’sLaunch Pad 39A carryingastronauts John Young and BobCrippen on a two-day Earth-orbital mission.

Twenty-five years ago thismonth, the world watched as thetwo brave astronauts completedthe monumental first test of theSpace Transportation System bylanding at Edwards Air ForceBase in California. That success-ful mission verified the com-bined performance of the orbiter,solid rocket boosters andexternal tank.

As NASA pushes ahead with

the nation’s Vision for SpaceExploration to extend humanpresence across the solar system,starting with a return to the moonby the end of the next decade,the agency is pursuing thatvision by building on the best ofApollo and shuttle technology.

As a young engineer at theMarshall Space Flight Center inAlabama, I was privileged to be apart of the team responsible forthe design and development ofthe solid rocket boosters and willalways remember, with muchpride, watching the magnificenttechnology perform beautifully.

The Kennedy Space Centerwork force enjoyed the uniqueopportunity to relive that historicmission when Young andCrippen recently returned to ourcenter and spoke about thethrilling challenges of the firstshuttle flight. Their enthusiasmfor America’s space program isas strong as it was the day theylearned they would be aboardthat first mission.

Today, more than 2,000employees who worked atKennedy Space Center duringSTS-1 still work here.

This issue provides details onNASA’s first shuttle mission andthe evolution of human spaceflight, including an interview

with Young and Crippen andtheir look back on “the ultimatetest flight,” as described byCrippen.

You will also learn about howthe shuttle’s technology hasevolved, the modifications toexisting facilities to meet theneeds of the space shuttleprogram, the diversity of thespace shuttle crews and spinoffs

from shuttle technology.As we prepare for the next

space shuttle launch in July, thework you are performing tosafely fly Discovery is as criticalas during the time NASA pre-pared for STS-1.

Thanks for all of yourcontributions as we continue theamazing journey of space flighttogether as a team.

STS-1 PILOTBob Crippen(left) andCommanderJohn Youngreturned toKSC on April6-7 tocelebrate the25thanniversaryof the firstspace shuttleflight.

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Awards

ORBITER COLUMBIA – riding piggyback atop a modified 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft – returns to Kennedy SpaceCenter April 21, 1981, after a two-day journey from the Dryden Flight Research Center in California. Columbia toucheddown on the Shuttle Landing Facility two weeks after its return to Earth from the first space shuttle flight.

NASAASTRONAUTJohnHerrington,STS-113missionspecialist,participates inone of the 151spacewalksduring theshuttleprogram.

By Kay Grinter Reference Librarian

Where does the history ofthe Space ShuttleProgram begin? In

1969, President Richard Nixon’sappointed Space Task Groupproposed that, after Apollo, thenation should pursue a broad-based space exploration programto include a space station, a lunarbase, Mars exploration and aspace shuttle. Practical applica-tions and international coopera-tion in space were essential tothe plan.

The group envisioned areusable space system to providelow cost per pound to orbit. Areusable space shuttle offeredmajor advantages over conven-tional rocket systems. Spacecraftbuilt to fly aboard a shuttlevehicle could be designed withmore emphasis on their missioncapabilities, and less emphasison their ability to withstand therigors of existing rocketlaunches.

And so, NASA marched aheadwith the Space Shuttle Program.

Enterprise, the first orbiter offthe assembly line, was namedafter the starship in the popularscience-fiction television show

“Star Trek.” Intended for useonly as a test article, the vehiclerolled out of Rockwell’s assem-bly facility in Palmdale, Calif.,on Sept. 17, 1976.

From February throughOctober 1977, Enterprise was

used in the Approachand Landing Testprogram based atNASA’s DrydenFlight ResearchCenter. The testssuccessfully demon-strated the orbitercould fly in theatmosphere like aspacecraft but landon a runway like aglider.

Three and a halfyears later, on April12, 1981, the firstlaunch of an opera-tional space shuttle,Columbia fromNASA’s KennedySpace Center LaunchComplex 39, usheredin the new era.

The shuttleconcept representedan entirely new way

of space flight. On a standardmission, the vehicle carries up toseven crew members. The firsttwo space shuttle missions,STS-1 and STS-2, only carried atwo-person crew.

Between 1981 and 1991, fourmore orbiters were built: Chal-lenger, Discovery, Atlantis andEndeavour. They carried experi-ments into space and launchedimportant science instrumentssuch as the Magellan Venusprobe, the Hubble Space Tele-scope and the Chandra X-rayObservatory.

NASA received approval toproceed with the development of

a permanently based, mannedspace station in the mid-1980s.At President Bill Clinton’sdirection in 1993, the conceptwas scaled back, made lesscostly, and transformed into theInternational Space Station inprogress today. The shuttle hasplayed an integral role in itsassembly in space.

Through 2005, the SpaceShuttle Program accomplished112 successful missions andcarried more than 614 payloadsinto orbit. The program has alsoflown 433 crew members, 69 ofwhom took spacewalks totaling491 hours.

Space shuttle history boasts mission success

SPACE SHUTTLE Enterprise was rolled out to thelaunch site on May 1, 1980, to make certain shuttleelements were compatible with the Spaceport’slaunch facilities.

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SPACEPORT NEWS Page 3April 14, 2006

Young, Crippen recall thrills of first shuttle flight

FORMER VICE President George Bush receives amodel of the space shuttle from Dr. Alan Lovelace,former acting administrator of NASA. At far right isMrs. Barbara Bush, while John Young (second fromright) and Bob Crippen (next to Lovelace) look on.

STS-1 COMMANDER John Young (right) and Pilot Bob Crippen work in thecockpit of space shuttle Columbia before its maiden flight.

By Charlie Plain Staff Writer

When Space ShuttleColumbia’s roaringengines launched

STS-1 from Kennedy SpaceCenter on April 12, 1981, theenormous jolt at liftoff toldCommander John Young andPilot Robert Crippen they wereabout to take an adventurous rideinto a new frontier.

“There was no doubt youwere headed someplace,” saidCrippen. “It was a nice kick inthe pants.”

NASA’s new versatile andreusable rocket-glider was adramatic departure from theslender Saturn V boosters of theprevious generation. Powered bymultiple engine systems andcompletely computer controlled,Columbia demanded a crew withexceptional experience andexpertise.

NASA’s decision to putYoung in the commander’s seatfor the mission was an easy one.Already a veteran of fourmissions, including a moon walk

during Apollo 16, and pilotingthree types of spacecraft, Younghad the seasoned skill and steelyconfidence to bridle Columbiaon its maiden flight. “If you wantto go into space for the first timeon a new vehicle that’s neverbeen flown, you want to go witha pro, and John certainly is apro,” said Crippen.

Crippen was therookie astronautthrilled to bepiloting a mission.“I was doinghandsprings,” saidCrippen. Hismastery ofColumbia’ssophisticatedcomputer systemsgarnered Young’sappreciation.

“I was reallylucky to have BobCrippen with mebecause he knewall the softwareend to end,” saidYoung. “He was aswell fellow andreally smart aboutthe vehicle.”

The crew spenttwo days in spaceputting Columbiathrough its paces,testing the ship’sradically advancedsystems. “We had a

good time taking it around,” saidYoung. “I just thought it was agreat machine.”

In the few spare moments theastronauts weren’t busy, Youngand Crippen delighted in theunique freedom and spectacularviews that flying in orbit offers.“The real pleasure was having achance to enjoy being weightlessand spend some time looking out(at Earth),” said Crippen.

For Young, however, spaceflight not only provides a meansof appreciating the planet, but away of protecting it. He believestechnology developed to sendhumans to the moon or Marscould one day help in preventing

BOBCRIPPEN (left)and JohnYoung boardthe emergencypad escapesystem, knownas theslidewire,during aJanuary 1981exercise. Theslidewiresystemprovides aquick escapefrom upperlaunch padplatforms incase of anemergency.

or correcting environmentalissues. “Over the long haul, it’llsave civilization.”

While Columbia featured thelatest in rocket technology,spending a couple of days withinthe sparsely outfitted crew cabindid require the pair to “rough it.”

“Living inside the shuttle atthe time was a little like campingout,” said Crippen. Turning in forthe night meant sleeping in thecockpit seats, but NASA’s latestship was equipped with a notablyimproved creature comfort. “Thefood system had come a longway since back in the Mercury/Gemini days, and we had goodfood to eat.”

Still, certain aspects of theflight were probably a little moreback to basics than Young andCrippen would have preferred.“The potty — or the wastemanagement facility — wentbelly up on the second day,”chuckled Crippen. “But John andI dealt with it.”

Ultimately, STS-1 was a boldtest flight to determine if a rocketlaunch into space could be around-trip ticket. Adventure ofthat magnitude and discoveryusually go hand in hand.

For Young, Crippen andNASA, the first flight of Colum-bia was no exception. “We surelearned a lot,” said Young.“When we got back, I think(Johnson Space Center Director)Chris Kraft said it best: We justgot infinitely smarter.”

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Page 4 SPACEPORT NEWS April 14, 2006

Technology, safety for orbiter fleet evolvesBy Elaine Marconi Staff Writer

NASA’s space shuttle, themost complex vehicle inthe history of the nation’s

space program, has experiencedsignificant changes over theyears.

To most of the world, theshuttle has represented theepitome of human know-how anddetermination. From the drawingboard to the shuttle’s 25thanniversary, the orbiters are atribute to engineering genius.

The shuttle appears verymuch the same as it did when thefirst one was built for missionSTS-1, but looks are deceiving.Many enhancements and safetyfeatures have been added to thefleet of space vehicles since theoriginal was designed.

Major modification periodsfor the shuttle orbiters werescheduled at regular intervals toenhance safety and performance,adding new technology andallowing for thorough inspec-tions of the tiles, wiring and thestructural integrity of thevehicles.

In the 1990s, NASA’s B-52research flight tests led to thedevelopment of a drag chute tohelp the orbiter land more safelyand easily. Endeavour becamethe first to use the chute during alanding.

One of the most spectacular

changes to the orbiter was theinstallation of the new Multi-function Electronic DisplaySystem, or MEDS.

The system’s 11 full-color,flat-panel screens replaceddozens of outdated electrome-chanical cockpit dials, instru-ments and gauges. Atlantis wasthe first orbiter to receive theMEDS, now commonly known asthe “glass cockpit.”

The liquid-crystal displays ofthe glass cockpit help astronautseasily read important flight data,because light sources like thesun produce no glare on thescreens. The displays allow forclear viewing from positions at awide range of angles from thescreen. The MEDS system alsoprovides greater backup capabil-ity, weighs less and uses lesspower than the original andobsolete cockpit design.

Engineers and techniciansspent about 900,000 hoursperforming safety enhancementson Endeavour during its OrbiterMajor Modification period thatstarted in December 2003.Among the extensive improve-ments were the glass cockpit andglobal positioning system.

In October 2005, the vehiclewas powered up for the first timein two years to the cheers of theengineering team. The successfulpower-up signaled the end ofEndeavour’s modificationperiod.

“The team worked tirelesslyto ensure the vehicle progressedthough the modification periodon time and on budget,” saidTassos Abadiotakis, Endeavour’sflow director.

During Discovery’s modifica-tion periods, technicians com-pleted more than 100 upgrades.This included the installation ofthe glass cockpit.

As part of the safe return-to-flight recommendations, techni-cians installed an orbiter boomsensor system, an extension thatattaches to the end of theorbiter’s robotic arm. The STS-114 crew used the boom to reacharound the vehicle and scan thereinforced carbon-carbonsurfaces to inspect the heatshield while in space.

A new digital camera wasadded to view the external tankduring launch, and sensors were

placed in the leading edge of theorbiter’s wings to detect changesin temperature.

Since the safe return ofDiscovery on mission STS-114,the orbiter is being prepared forNASA’s next shuttle launch onmission STS-121.

“The orbiter itself is a verycomplex vehicle, so there’salways work to be done,” saidStephanie Stilson, Discoveryflow director since 2001.Stilson’s responsibilities includeoverseeing periodic mainte-nance, upgrades and full systemstesting on the orbiter.

NASA’s space shuttles havecontinued to evolve throughcreative innovation and technol-ogy, increasing the safety of theorbiters and helping astronautsperform groundbreaking work inspace.

CARMEN PRATER, with United Space Alliance, works on the glass cockpit ofEndeavour in bay 2 of the Orbiter Processing Facility. Below, workersapplaud as Endeavour’s electrical system is partially powered up.

IN ORBITER Processing Facility bay 3, STS-121 Pilot Mark Kelly (secondfrom left) and Mission Specialist Stephanie Wilson (third from left) are joinedby two shuttle technicians as they examine the orbiter boom sensor system.

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Page 5SPACEPORT NEWSApril 14, 2006

THE ORBITER Atlantis heads toward the open north door of the Vehicle Assembly Building. The north door of theVehicle Assembly Building was widened after the Apollo program to allow for the space shuttle’s 78-foot wingspan.

NASA ENGINEERS added a water sound-suppression system, shown heredumping more than 350,000 gallons on the mobile launcher platform atLaunch Pad 39A, to protect the orbiters from sound waves.

By Anna Heiney Staff Writer

Columbia flew its firsttrailblazing mission onApril 12, 1981, but

preparations at Kennedy SpaceCenter began nearly nine yearsearlier.

It was April 14, 1972 — onlytwo days before the launch ofApollo 16 on a mission to themoon — when Dr. George M.Low, then the acting NASAadministrator, made the bigannouncement: Kennedy wouldbe the shuttle’s launch site.

Few places in the world arereadily equipped with the uniquefacilities and experienced workforce required to launch humansinto space. But the major differ-ences between the Apollo/SaturnV and the space shuttle — in size,shape and assembly — meant alot of work would be necessary tocreate a shuttle launch center.With so many Apollo-era facili-ties already in place at Kennedy,it made economic sense tomodify existing structures tomeet the needs of the shuttleprogram.

The Vertical AssemblyBuilding was renamed theVehicle Assembly Building, andemployees began working to givethe cavernous structure a “tech-nological face-lift.” High bays 1and 3 were equipped for shuttle

Kennedy readies facilities for shuttle in less than a decade

stacking and checkout, andwork platforms were reshaped togive workers plenty of access.Across the transfer aisle, highbays 2 and 4 each were con-verted to hold one verticalstorage cell and one checkoutcell. The space shuttle mainengine shop was created from alow bay checkout cell, and thebuilding’s north door waswidened to accommodate the

orbiter’s 78-foot wingspan.A portion of the new Launch

Processing System, which helpedreduce the shuttle’s final count-down from the 28 hours requiredfor Apollo to only three hours,was installed in two of theLaunch Control Center’s firingrooms.

Some of the most visiblechanges were made to the launchpads, as well as the three mobilelauncher platforms (MLPs). Thepads were stripped down to theirsix fixed pedestals, and fixedservice structures were fashionedout of the 380-foot-tall umbilicaltowers previously mounted onthe MLPs. A rotating servicestructure with a payload change-out room was also built at eachpad.

Another change in theplatforms involved replacing onelarge hole at the center of eachplatform with three smalleropenings, which separatelyaccommodate the liftoff flamesand hot exhaust gases emittedfrom the orbiter’s three-enginecluster and the two solid rocketboosters.

As the shuttle program gotunder way, new needs emerged.

“You do all you can with the

drawings, then you do a final fitwith the hardware,” explainedformer Kennedy Space CenterDirector Dick Smith. “But as youwould imagine, in the firstshakedown, you start finding abunch of things.”

Smith recalled some launchpad upgrades added after thefirst handful of shuttle flights.For example, when Columbiafirst launched on STS-1, theshock wave generated at boosterignition caused the orbiter’s aftbulkhead to yield. Although theorbiter escaped major damage,the potential for danger gotNASA’s attention.

“Between the first and secondflights, the water sound-suppres-sion system was extensivelymodified,” Smith remembered.“We already had a system thatsprayed water over the top of theMLP for heat protection, buteverything that’s there nowabove the deck was all addedafter STS-1.”

In the industrial area south ofthe Launch Complex 39 area, theOperations and CheckoutBuilding was adapted fromApollo needs to serve as ahorizontal processing facility forshuttle payloads.

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Page 6 SPACEPORT NEWS April 14, 2006

STS-1: A look back at the space shut

SPACE SHUTTLE Columbia moves toward Launch Complex 39A on a mobilelaunch platform before its April 12, 1981, launch.

AFTER SIX years of silence, the thunder of manned spaceflight is heard again on April 12, 1981, with the successfullaunch of the first space shuttle.

THOUSANDS OF Space Center guests line the NASA Causeway awaiting the first launchof the space shuttle. The Vehicle Assembly Building is visible in the distance.

TECHNICIANS ASSIST prime crew astronauts John Young (right) and Bob CripOperations and Checkout Building on the morning of Columbia’s successful lifto

THE STS-1 sLaunch Pad

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SPACEPORT NEWSApril 14, 2006 Page 7

e shuttle’s historic first flight

STS-1 Milestonesung (right) and Bob Crippen in suit-up operations in KSC’slumbia’s successful liftoff.

THE STS-1 space shuttle team celebrates a successful liftoff of Columbia fromLaunch Pad 39A a few seconds past 7 a.m. on April 12, 1981.

STS-1 ASTRONAUTS JohnYoung (in front) and BobCrippen are followed by FlightOperations Director GeorgeAbbey, crew trainer RichardNygram, and a space suittechnician as they departKSC’s Operations andCheckout Building en route toPad 39A for boarding of thespace shuttle. The orbitalmission lasted for 54 hours,ending with an unpoweredlanding at Edwards Air ForceBase in California. Themission demonstrated a safelaunch into orbit and return ofthe orbiter, as well as verifiedthe combined performance ofthe entire shuttle vehicle —orbiter, solid rocket boostersand external tank.

March 27, 1975 — Start of fabrication for Columbia’s aft fuselage in Palmdale, California

Nov. 17, 1975 — Start of fabrication for Columbia’s crew module

April 23, 1978 — Completed final assembly and closeout system installation; ready for power-on

March 8, 1979 — Complete closeout inspection

March 24, 1979 — Columbia arrives at KSC

Nov. 3, 1980 — External tank mated to solid rocket boosters in VAB

Dec. 29, 1980 — Columbia rolled to Launch Pad 39A

Jan. 6, 1981 — STS-1 crew participates in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test at KSC

Feb. 20, 1981 — Flight Readiness Firing of shuttle’s three main engines

April 10, 1981 — First launch attempt for STS-1

April 12, 1981 — STS-1 launch at KSC

April 14, 1981 — STS-1 lands at Edwards Air Force Base

April 21, 1981 — Columbia returns to KSC on ferry flight

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Page 8 April 14, 2006SPACEPORT NEWS

PEDRO DUQUE of Spain, with the EuropeanSpace Agency, is helped with his flight suit by suittech Tommy McDonald in the Operations andCheckout Building.

ASTRONAUT KAY Hire talks to Kristy Wiggins at Garland V. Stewart MagnetMiddle School, a NASA Explorer School in Tampa, Fla. Hire joined KennedySpace Center Director Jim Kennedy at the school in sharing the agency’snew Vision for Space Exploration with the next generation of explorers.

By Corey Schubert Copy editor

The faces have changed.Those friendly smiles ofthe two men who launched

into orbit on the first spaceshuttle mission in April 1981represented the country’seagerness to explore the myster-ies of space.

But in the 25 years since thathistoric success, the variety ofastronauts who followed in thefootsteps of Commander JohnYoung and Pilot Robert Crippenhas come to reflect the diverseraces and cultures throughout theworld.

Their wide-ranging skill setsand backgrounds serve asexamples of how the achieve-ments of mission STS-1 and theSpace Shuttle Program havebrought together people from allwalks of life for a universalcause.

From the first African-American to fly in space (GuionS. Bluford on STS-8), to the firsttribal-registered Native Ameri-can astronaut to fly and walk inspace (John B. Herrington onSTS-113), the range of “firsts”has broadened throughout 114shuttle flights.

“When we get together andwe’re working toward thiscommon goal of successful spaceshuttle missions, you don’t thinkabout somebody as a Japanese

Diversity of shuttle crews grows since STS-1

astronaut or U.S. astronaut, ormale or female,” said Kay Hire,the first Kennedy Space Centeremployee to be chosen as anastronaut and to fly on a spacemission.

“All of that fades. All thatreally matters is that we’reworking together.”

In early space programs,NASA relied on the skills ofmilitary test pilots to prove thatman could survive in a space-craft that left the Earth and safelyreturned. The creation of thespace shuttle allowed astronautsto use the vehicle as an actual

working environ-ment, with missionsthat benefit fromcrews made up ofpeople with diverseabilities.

This led to a bevyof groundbreakingflights: Dr. SallyRide, the firstAmerican woman inspace on STS-7; Dr.Franklin R. Chang-Diaz, the firstHispanic astronautin space on STS-61C; Dr. KalpanaChawla, the firstEast Indian-bornwoman in space onSTS-87; and Pedro

Duque, the first Spanish astro-naut in space on STS-95, amongdozens of others.

For many of these astronauts,being the first of a kind is farfrom their minds during themission, as they concentrate onthe important tasks at hand.

“I wasn’t thinking about itduring the launch,” said Dr. EllenOchoa, the first Hispanic femaleastronaut to fly in space. “After Iwas back on the ground, I did get

the opportunity to visit a lot ofschools that had a high percent-age of Hispanic students.”

Even years after their mis-sions, shuttle astronauts continueto see examples of ways they’veinspired people across the world.

Just last month, Ochoa spoketo students at Stanford Univer-sity in California and was movedwhen a Hispanic female ap-proached her after the presenta-tion.

“She said, ‘You’ve been myhero ever since I was in secondgrade and you came to my classafter your first flight,’” Ochoasaid. “Ever since then, she saidshe’d had posters (of the mis-sion) up on her wall. Here shewas, 21 years old or so, and shewas a junior in mechanicalengineering.”

Hire said the diversity amongastronaut crews likely willcontinue to grow, especially asNASA works to fulfill the Visionfor Space Exploration.

“As we venture into the nextsteps that we take with spaceexploration, I think what’s goingto emerge are requirements foradditional skills,” Hire said. “Tomeet those requirements, we’llbe reaching out to variousgroups for new skill sets.”

STS-87 MISSION Specialist Winston Scott was the second African-Americanto fly in the space shuttle. Scott is the executive director of the Florida SpaceAuthority.

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Page 9April 14, 2006 SPACEPORT NEWS

By Jessica Rye NASA Public Affairs Officer

From the time STS-1launched on its spectaculartest flight on April 12,

1981, Kennedy Space Center hasbeen home to numerous genera-tions of families who have beencaptivated by working to ensureAmerica’s space programcontinues to thrive.

At Kennedy, the uniquenessof launching humans into spaceseems to permeate throughoutthe families of the employeesand gets into the blood of thefuture generations who willcontinue the quest to the moonand Mars.

For one family, space isdefinitely in the genes. ConnieLehan is the vehicle processingengineer for orbiter Atlantis andfollowed in her dad’s and olderbrother’s footsteps when shebegan her career at Kennedy in1990 and later transitioned toNASA in 2000. Lehan, who holdsa bachelor’s degree in maththeory, recalls growing up in afamily so dedicated to the spaceprogram.

“My dad, Jose Garcia, was thebranch chief for the orbiterelectrical division and began towork at Kennedy in 1964. Sinceso many of my father’s co-workers lived in the sameneighborhood, I remember the

Generations of families keep NASA’s mission soaringbarbecues and get-togethers thatwere held on the weekends. Iloved hearing them reminisceabout the past times at the center,the camaraderie, the funnystories and the teamwork theyhad all experienced over theyears.”

Lehan also rememberswatching space shuttle flightslifting off from the pad anddreaming of the day she wouldhave a helping hand in launchingmissions. “I told my father, ‘Oneday I am going to push thebutton.’ ”

Louie Garcia, Lehan’sbrother, is a ground operationsmanager for the launch andlanding division and beganworking at the center in 1987just prior to the return to flightfollowing the Challenger acci-dent.

Although Garcia grew uparound the space program andwatched his dad achieve greatsuccess in his career, he was stillunsure what direction his interestwould take him.

However, the launch of STS-1was a turning point for Garcia. “Iwas a sophomore in high schoolwhen Columbia first launched. Isold bumper stickers that said‘Space Shuttle Liftoff: I Saw It’to spectators by the river inTitusville. That launch pushedme over the edge to become anelectrical engineer, and the

LOUIE GARCIA, a ground operations manager for the launch and landingdivision, and his sister, Connie Lehan, vehicle processing engineer for SpaceShuttle Atlantis, routinely share advice about job responsibilities.

timing was good for me as I wasabout to enter college.”

When Garcia came to work atNASA, he had a very similar jobto the one his sister now holds.“The neat part is to see her inthat role and how she handles theday-to-day challenges that arise— and does it better than I did.”

Nearly 20 years later, Garciareflects on being a second-

“It helps that my father worked here,” Garciasaid. “My sister and I now have relationshipscontinuing that were built through my father.”

generation space worker. “Ithelps that my father worked hereand built a foundation. My sisterand I now have relationshipscontinuing that were builtthrough my father.”

Lehan says she’s happy herbrother works at the center. “Ireally appreciate having himhere to bounce ideas off of,because he has a good under-standing of the unique environ-ment and can provide soundadvice.”

As the agency and Kennedytransition into a new program,

the work force of today inspireits children and grandchildren tobecome the future trailblazerswho will lead the space explora-tion of tomorrow.

Shuttle Processing’s CrewExploration Vehicle ManagerScott Thurston, a second-generation space employee, canalready begin to see the mind ofan engineer developing in one of

his children.“My 11-

year-old sonJordan alreadyhas a tremen-

dous aptitude for engineeringand wants to become a mechani-cal engineer,” says Thurston. “Itmust be in his blood because at 5years old, he brought a schematicto me of a trailer he had de-signed.”

Although Thurston does notknow if his son’s interest willlead to working on the spaceprogram, Jordan’s interest in hisdad’s career and enthusiasm forthe space program has put himon a path to achieve the technicalexcellence needed to pursue afuture career with NASA.

SHUTTLEPROCESSING’SCrew ExplorationVehicle ManagerScott Thurstonsays his son,Jordan, has thedesire to becomean engineer andpossibly work forNASA. “At 5years old, hebrought aschematic to meof a trailer he haddesigned.”Thurston is asecond-generation spaceemployee.

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Page 10 April 14, 2006SPACEPORT NEWS

LYNDA WEATHERMAN, president of the Economic DevelopmentCommission of Florida’s Space Coast, and Jim Kennedy, director ofKennedy Space Center, congratulate each other after signing a three-yearSpace Act Agreement in 2005 for economic development cooperation insupport of existing and future missions of NASA at KSC.

APOLLO 17 Commander Gene Cernan (left) holds the attention of guests atthe December 2004 grand opening of the Kennedy Space Center Store atOrlando International Airport. The store educates millions of airport visitorsabout America’s space program and the Vision for Space Exploration.

By Linda Herridge Staff Writer

During the ’60s, at theonset of the spaceprogram, most of the

towns and cities along the SpaceCoast were sleepy little burgswith more surfers and touriststhan space workers. Only a littlemore than 100,000 people calledBrevard County home, accordingto the U.S. Census Bureau.

Fast-forward to 2006:Brevard’s residents still includesurfers and tourists, but morethan half a million people live inthe county. It’s likely no coinci-dence that Brevard has nearlydoubled in residents since thesuccess of STS-1, the first spaceshuttle mission.

With 112 successful shuttleflights in a quarter of a century,NASA’s shuttle program hasdirectly effected growth in thecounty, as well as CentralFlorida. Kennedy Space Centerhas nearly 15,000 workers, andmany more work in space-relatedbusinesses and industry.

The financial impact of theSpace Shuttle Program ripplesthroughout the community,according to Walter Wood,president of MTN Advertising inSatellite Beach.

Shuttle program boosts Central Florida economy“When it’s on a roll, tourism

and related service business goesup,” Wood said. “However, theimpact in the long term is morefar-reaching as a function ofdirect jobs from contractors andmanufacturers.”

Lynda Weatherman, presidentand chief executive officer of theEconomic Development Com-mission of Florida’s Space Coast,said it’s clear that NASA and thenation’s space program are anintegral part of our communityand culture.

Last year, the developmentcommission entered into a SpaceAct Agreement with KSC. Theagreement is a foundationdocument used by both topartner with the local businesscommunity in a joint goal ofmaintaining and enhancingBrevard’s vigorous activity insupport of the nation’s gatewayto space, Weatherman said.

In fiscal year 2005 alone,NASA and KSC injected $1.5billion of direct spendinginto Brevard, according to areport recently released by thecenter’s Office of the ChiefFinancial Officer. Bill Dimmer ofthis office said that as theinjection increases in concertwith the agency and centerbudgets, the multiplying effect of

the spending fuels the economicimpact on the region to a greaterextent.

In FY 2005, Brevard and therest of Florida realized a $2.20return on each NASA dollarspent, and 2.52 jobs for eachNASA job.

The center also annuallyboosts the state’s economy. Thespace industry makes a $4.5billion contribution to Florida’seconomy each year, with nearlyhalf of that revenue beinggenerated by companies outsidethe Space Coast, according to areport by the Florida SpaceAuthority’s E. Keith Witt,Beyond Launch – ExpandingFlorida’s Space Economy.

Amelia Woodbridge, partnerat McBride Woodbridge Market-ing LLC in Satellite Beach, saidher business has benefited fromthe space program through acontract she secured to manageSpace Congress for two years.Along with the significantproject, Woodbridge said thecontacts she made in the processled to other work includingbrochures, Web site developmentand public relations.

“Many small businesses in allindustries have been the recipi-ents of contracts and projectsthat are directly related to thespace industry,” Woodbridgesaid. “Everything from food

vendors and tourist items tomanufacturing, photography,advertising and support serviceshave been affected positively bythe space program.”

Just open any travel magazineor brochure featuring Brevardand it’s easy to find photos ofshuttles launching from Florida’sfamous “Space Coast.” On aneven larger scale, space imagesand even astronauts have beenfeatured in nationwide ads ontelevision, billboards, radio andin newspapers and magazines.

These are reflections of theway people throughout thenation recognize the spaceexploration and shuttle missionsthat launch from the Space Coast.

“The technology leaps thatwe witness, that happen almostroutinely within the confines ofour county lines, is why many ofus live here or why we stayed,”said Linda Brandt, president ofthe Brandt Ronat and Co.advertising agency inMelbourne.

“We need to be mindful thatwe do not take for granted theincredible momentum that hasbeen created by the spaceindustry in Brevard and otherplaces around the state,” Brandtsaid. “We need to fight hard tomaintain a leadership role asspace enterprise and technologycontinues to evolve.”

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Page 11April 14, 2006 SPACEPORT NEWS

By Anita Barrett Staff Writer

Throughout the ages,exploration has led totechnological develop-

ments that ultimately found theirway into the lives of ordinarycitizens.

The spring-wound clock, forinstance, that was developed inthe 18th century for use on shipsto help determine longitude,eventually led to wristwatches.In similar tradition, NASA’sexploration of space has led todevelopments that now benefitthe public, from medical andsafety improvements to recre-ational equipment.

Below are just a few of thehundreds of technology spinoffsnow part of our everyday living.Medical

The monitoring systems usedin intensive care units and heartrehabilitation wards weredeveloped from the systems usedto monitor astronauts during thefirst space missions in the early1960s. Countless Americans

NASA-inspired spinoffs extend life on Earth

recovering from heart attacksand other serious illnesses orinjuries owe their lives to thistechnology, a direct result ofNASA’s space program.

Improved breast biopsieswere developed as a result oftechnology for the Hubble Space

Telescopeprogram. Biop-sies now can beperformed with aneedle instead ofa scalpel.

The needlebiopsies benefitpatients byleaving only asmall mark ratherthan a large scarand by costingsignificantly less— an average ofone-fourth thecost of the moretraditionalbiopsy.Safety

Research atNASA to tacklehydroplaningproblems foraircraft and landvehicles began inthe 1960s. Theunique landingrequirements ofthe Space Shuttlewere also a basis

for continued studies. NASAresearchers determined thatcutting thin grooves acrossconcrete runways reduces therisk of hydroplaning.

The grooves, which createchannels for excess water todrain, have been shown toimprove aircraft tire frictionperformance in wet conditionsby 200 to 300 percent.

Today the Shuttle LandingFacility runway at NASAKennedy Space Center isequipped with safety grooving inthe middle to optimize wetfriction performance, andgrinding in touchdown areas tominimize tire-spin wear. Hun-dreds of commercial airportsaround the world have had theirrunways grooved.

This technique is now alsoused nationwide on highwaycurves and overpasses; pedes-trian walkways, ramps and steps;and food processing plants andcattle holding pens. The use ofgrooves on highways hascontributed to an 85 percentreduction in highway accidents.

This could be NASA’s mostsuccessful technology in termsof lives saved and injuries andaccidents avoided.

Lifeshears, a powerfulhandheld rescue tool, canquickly cut through cars or otherenclosures to free persons

involved in an accident or otherdangerous situation. The tool,which was developed throughthe joint efforts of the Hi-ShearTechnology Corporation,firefighters and NASA, uses thesame power source used toseparate solid rocket boostersfrom space shuttles.

Lifeshears were used byrescue workers searching forsurvivors at the Oklahoma Cityfederal building bombing site in1995 and the World Trade Centerin 2001. Lifeshears are lighter,cheaper and easier to use thantraditional rescue equipment.Recreation

The SpiraFlex system,presently aboard the Interna-tional Space Station, is used bythe crewmembers as a primarycountermeasure against muscu-loskeletal degradation caused bymicrogravity. Using SpiraFlextechnology, Schwinn Cyclingand Fitness Inc. launched aninternational fitness program forhealth clubs and select retaildistributors, called RiPP (Resis-tance Performance Program).

A cardiovascular conditionerdeveloped for astronauts inspace led to the development of aphysical therapy and athleticdevelopment machine used byfootball teams, sports clinics andmedical rehabilitation centers.

For more information aboutNASA spinoffs, go to the Website http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/54862main_hits.pdf or http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/technologies/spinoffs_index.html.

More than 1,000 consumerproducts and services are builton NASA-inspired technologies* Solar water heaters* Reflective insulation* Graphite used in sports and safety equipment* Wireless networks* Bacteriostatic water softeners* Technologies for artificial limbs and heart pumps* Home security systems* Flat-screen and projection televisions* Lasik laser technology* Cordless power tools* Early warning weather observation technology

MONITORING SYSTEMS used in intensive care units were developed fromtechnology used to monitor astronauts in the 1960s.

LIFESHEARS WERE developed from the powersource used to separate solid rocket boosters fromspace shuttles.

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Page 12 SPACEPORT NEWS April 14, 2006

John F. Kennedy Space Center

Managing editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bruce BuckinghamEditor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeff StuckeyCopy editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Corey Schubert

Editorial support provided by InDyne, Inc. Writers Group.NASA at KSC is located on the Internet at http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedyUSGPO: 733-049/600105

Spaceport News

Spaceport News is an official publication of the Kennedy Space Center andis published on alternate Fridays by External Relations in the interest of KSC civilservice and contractor employees. Contributions are welcome and should be submitted two weeks beforepublication to the Media Services Branch, IDI-011. E-mail submissions can besent to Jeffery.Stuckey-1@ksc.nasa.gov.

Shuttle components, facilities power future exploration

Comparison in feet ofSaturn/Apollo rocket,Space Shuttle andCrew and Cargo Launch Vehicles

By Cheryl Mansfield Staff Writer

Take the space shuttle solidrocket boosters and super-size them, stretch the

external tank and add provenflight engines. You now have theheavy-lift propulsion compo-nents capable of powering a newcargo vehicle to the moon.

By also using these safe andreliable elements on the CrewLaunch Vehicle, NASA’s launchtechnology is well on its way tobeginning the next phase ofspace exploration.

While the space shuttle willbe retired in the not-too-distantfuture, key propulsion compo-nents that carried it aloft will liveon in upcoming missions toexplore our solar system.

First up will be the new CrewLaunch Vehicle that will ride afirst stage made of a five-segment solid rocket boostersimilar to the twin boosters thatnow lift the shuttle from the pad.Sitting atop the booster will be anew liquid propellant secondstage that sports a J-2X upperstage, like the ones used in theSaturn V Apollo program.

As these new launch vehiclesare built, both the Kennedy workforce and infrastructure willadapt to handle and launch therockets that will carry forth thenew wave of exploration.

“The center needs to betransformed and ready for thenext steps in the Vision for SpaceExploration to be successful,”

Center Director Jim Kennedytold the work force in February.“This center is NASA’s launchoperations center.”

Kennedy’s existing shuttlefacilities will undergo transfor-mation as the new vehicles areprocessed, transported andlaunched.

The Vehicle AssemblyBuilding, crawler transporter andLaunch Complex 39 launch padsthat accommodated the shuttlesand the vehicles that launchedour first drive to the moon will

AN ARTIST’S rendition shows the proposed Crew Launch Vehicle take offfrom Kennedy Space Center, NASA’s launch operations center.

be called upon to service yetanother era of space exploration.

Shuttle Program ManagerWayne Hale recently toldworkers gathered at Kennedythat he is dealing with issues likewhen the shuttle program willgive up one of the launch padsfor the needs of the new vehicles.These needs will be determinedby coordinating with NASA’sConstellation Program.

“As they make decisions, thenwe can put a plan together that

transitions launch pads, MLPs(Mobile Launch Platforms),firing rooms and all thosefacilities. And I have no doubtthat all of that is going to cometogether just fine,” he said.

Just as transformation wasnecessary before, the next fewyears will bring the beginning ofthe transition to support the newlaunch vehicles at KennedySpace Center that will helpNASA accomplish the Vision forSpace Exploration.

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