MAY 2003

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LABORATORIES RENOVATED ... 6Glenn overhauls facilities used tosupport research and developmentof electrochemical systems

INVENTING FLIGHT .................... 8Glenn prepares for a spectacularCentennial celebration

A GOOD MATCH ........................ 9Dr. Quang-Viet Nguyen fits rightin at Glenn

Continued on page 7

MER: the adventure to Mars continuesBY S. JENISE VERIS

Expedition 6 ready for reentry

Volume 4 Issue 5 May 2003

Continued on page 2

xcitement surrounding the Mars Explo-ration Rover (MER) mission grows asthe launch window, May 30 throughJune 25, nears. The sequel to the suc-cessful adventure of the 1997 MarsPathfinder rover, Sojourner, MER givesDr. Geoffrey Landis, Photovoltaic andSpace Environments Effects Branch, thechance to repeat his performance ina supporting role.

Landis was principal investigator for theMaterials Adherence Experiment, a solarcell experiment that measured dust onSojourner. Last year, he was among 28researchers selected to participate in theMER mission with twin Mars rovers. The

rovers, outfitted with a so-phisticated set of geologicalinstruments and a rock abra-sion tool (the "RAT") to grindinto the interior rocks, will bedeployed to separate regionsof the red planet to investi-gate evidence of water.

"For this particular experi-ment, I'm working with PhilJenkins, OAI/Photovoltaicand Space EnvironmentsEffects Branch, to find two pieces ofinformation. First, how well do solar cellsperform in the actual Martian environ-ment? A short-circuit current cell willmeasure the amount of energy the solar

cells generate under Mars sunlight," Landisexplained. "We're also interested in Mar-tian dust to answer the question, howdusty can the solar array get before itbegins to lose power? Part of that infor-mation will come from the short-circuitsolar cell (calibration solar cell) and partfrom an optical calibration target that wewill image with the panoramic camera." xpedition 6 Commander Ken Bowersox, Flight Engineer Nikolai Budarin,

and NASA Station Science Officer Don Pettit will return to Earth aboard theSoyuz TMA–1 spacecraft this month after more than 5 months aboard theInternational Space Station.

Originally scheduled to returnin March aboard the SpaceShuttle Atlantis, STS–114 mis-sion, the Expedition 6 crew istaking advantage of the finaldays of a three-man presenceon the station before the newExpedition 7 crew is launched.

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The Expedition 6 crew, left toright, Don Pettit, Ken Bowersox,and Nikolai Budarin.

MER 2, left, with a model of itspredecessor, Pathfinder's Sojourner.

C-2002-1106

The decision to re-duce the crew sizewas based on thetemporary ground-ing of the shuttlefleet, which limitsthe capability to de-liver consumables,such as water, tothe station. An un-manned RussianProgress supplyvehicle will belaunched to thestation in June.

Bowersox andPettit recently re-configured criticalpower cables andcontinued the ex-ternal outfitting of the station during a6-hour, 26-minute spacewalk designedto complete a number of get-aheadtasks for future station assembly. Nospacewalks are planned for the two-person crews that will occupy thestation beginning with Expedition 7.

Veteran Russian cosmonaut YuriMalenchenko (colonel, Russian AirForce) and veteran NASA astronaut EdLu have been named to the Expedition7 crew, scheduled for launch in aRussian Soyuz TMA–2 spacecraft fromthe Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan,no earlier than April 26. The crew woulddock with the station 2 days later.

Malenchenko previously commandeda 4-month mission aboard the Mir in1994. Lu is a veteran of two shuttleflights including the Atlantis STS–84mission to transfer U.S. astronauts toand from Mir in 1994. This missionreunites the two, who were also mem-bers of the Atlantis STS–106 missionin 2000 that prepared the station forpermanent human occupancy. �

Continued from page 1

Space station'snew residents

Malenchenko

Lu

NASA award recognizes contractors

oftware technology that is proven to beinvaluable for law enforcement investiga-tions and a mathematical methodreceived NASA's Commercial and Gov-ernment Invention of the Year awards.

The Video Image Stabilization andRegistration System (VISAR) is NASA'sCommercial Invention of the Year. Thisinnovative technology was created byMarshall Space Flight Center employeesDr. David Hathaway, a solar physicist, andDr. Paul Meyer, an atmospheric scientist.

VISAR turns the dark, jittery images cap-tured by home video, security systems,and video cameras in police cars intoclearer, stable images that reveal cluesabout crimes. The system is also beingused in the Space Shuttle Columbiaaccident investigation.

The NASA Government Invention of theYear is a mathematical method calledComputer Implemented Empirical ModeDecomposition Method, also known asthe Hilbert-Huang Transformation

NASA awards innovative technology

(HHT) Method. The inventor isDr. Norden Huang, director, GoddardInstitute of Data Analysis at GoddardSpace Flight Center.

The HHT Method can be applied ina variety of fields to study things suchas basic nonlinear mechanics, climatecycles, solar neutrinos variations, earth-quake engineering, geophysicalexploration, submarine design, structuraldamage detection, satellite dataanalysis, nonlinear wave evolution,turbulence flow, blood pressurevariations, and heart arrhythmia. �

Dr. Paul Meyer, left, and Dr. David Hathaway,both from Marshall, view a license platenumber revealed by using VISAR.

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Photo by Emmett Given, Marshall

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lenn nominees RS Information Systems (RSIS), McLean, VA, and Williams Interna-tional (WI), Walled Lake, MI, won the 2002 George M. Low award for Small BusinessServices and Small Business Products presented at the 17th NASA Continual Improve-ment and Reinvention Conference on Quality Management held in the Hilton-Alexandria Mark Center, VA.

The Low award is the Agency's premier award that recognizeslarge and small businesses that demonstrate excellence andoutstanding technical and managerial achievements in qualityand performance on NASA-related contracts or subcontracts.

A prime contractor on several projects at Glenn andGoddard, RSIS was nominated for its performance onGlenn's Professional, Administrative, and ComputationalEngineering contract providing support in networking andsecurity, business applications and outreach, and advanced com-puting. WI was lauded for the FJX–2 turbofan engine that wasdesigned and developed under the turbine engine element ofthe NASA General Aviation Program program cooperative agree-ment. This effort, initiated in 1996 and advanced in subsequent

NASA contracts, is credited with helping to revitalize the U.S. general aviation industry.

Other Low Award winners include Analytical Services & Materials, Inc., Hampton, VA,for Small Business Service; and Jacobs Sverdrup, Huntsville, AL, and ManTechInternational Corporation, Greenbelt, MD, for Large Business Service. �

MAY 2003

here's a picture of "Wisdom" on ThomHolden's office wall.

The picture is of an elderly bespectacledman in deep thought and it serves as asalve for any frustration that creeps intoHolden's soul.

"Every time I look at it I realize there ismore knowledge to be gained—more I cando to benefit all of NASA," Holden said.

He uses the same analogy when talkingabout the Agency's One NASA concept—something that Holden readily agreeswith and supports.

"I think it's a great idea—long overdue,"Holden said. "For NASA to fulfill its mis-sions, all of the centers really do need tooperate as one entity. We need to pulltogether on projects and goals that reachacross the Agency, and I believe we are onthe right track toward achieving that."

Holden, 45, leads the ImplementationSupport Team at the Marshall Center.

IFMP on right track for One NASA

This is the second in a series of articles that feature an employee from each NASAcenter who has a “One NASA” story to share.

BY JONATHAN BAGGS

THe's responsible for providing changemanagement support to the IntegratedFinancial Management module projectsat the Center. These module projects areall part of the Integrated Financial Man-agement Program (IFMP), which is aNASA-wide effort to modernize itsfinancial and administrative systems andprocesses. The IFMP exemplifies theOne NASA approach to business. Theprogram is implementing a series of newenterprise software systems and businessprocesses through module projects.

"We've got 10 IFMP module projects,"Holden said. "NASA has implementedthree of those module projects todate—Resume Management, PositionDescription, and Travel Manager."

Resume Management, also known asNASA Stars, is enabling the Agency tohave one staffing and recruiting process.Position Description Management allowssupervisors to use a common databasefor writing job descriptions. Travel Man-ager provides NASA with one standardsystem for processing travel requests.

The Core Financial Project is the fourthin the series of IFMP modules and isconsidered the "backbone" of the entireIFMP. It's being rolled out in waves,and implementation at all NASA centersfor the Core Financial Project is scheduledto be completed later this fiscal year.

"The Core Financial module is thefoundation for the whole IFM Program,"Holden said.

The reason it is considered the foundationis that it will allow NASA staff to providetimely, consistent, and reliable informa-tion for management decisions andprovide an accounting and budgetingstructure to enable full-cost management.

"IFMP is ushering in entirely new and dif-ferent tools for NASA employees to useand enabling the Agency to conduct itsfinancial and business affairs in a muchmore efficient manner," Holden said."The IFM Program will enable OneNASA with 10 interdependent centers.It's doing that.

"As a part of One NASA, integrated finan-cial management is a change of culture, achange of thought, a change in the waywe do business," Holden continued."There will be rough spots, but if peoplewill stay the course and give OneNASA and the IFM Program a chance,the American people will benefit as wellas the NASA community."

Jonathan Baggs, ASRI, is the editor of theMarshall Star. �

he team that developed and flew NASA's Deep Space 1 (DS1) spacecraft receivedthe American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) prestigious SpaceSystems award. The award was presented on April 2 during the Responsive SpaceConference in Redondo Beach, CA.

The DS1 team was honored for their outstanding performance during design,implementation, test, operations, and extended mission, including spaceflight testingof 12 important, high-risk technologies.

Launched on October 24, 1998, DS1 was designed and built in just 3 years.Among the 12 trailblazing technologies tested was a solar array that concentratedsunlight for extra power and the Glenn-designed ion engine, part of anautonomous navigation system that computed and corrected DS1's course withoutintervention of human controllers on Earth .

For more information about NASA's DS1 spacecraft, visit http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/past/deepspace1.html. �

AIAA honors Deep Space 1 teamT

Holden, with a picture of "Wisdom" in thebackground, works to make One NASA areality with the IFM Program.

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Library open house

lans are underway for the NACA Reunion X, which will be held right here inCleveland. The event runs October 10 through 12, and will include a number ofexciting activities in and around downtown Cleveland as well as a tour of GlennResearch Center.

NACA and NASA retirees Richard "Dick" and Irene Geye, cochairpersons for thereunion, are excited about seeing many of their friends and reminiscing about the"good old days." Retirees Jean Chapman and Jan Kline have been assisting theGeyes by generating and maintaining the invitations and confirmations, which arepouring in by the hundreds! Other retirees are aiding in a variety of areas to ensurean enjoyable experience.

"We will need the help of many more people—greeters, hosts, bus guides, etc.,"Irene Geye said. "We would like to hear from attendees who would like to help us."

Retirees interested in attending and/or volunteering to assist in the celebration cancontact the NACA Reunion X Committee office at 216–433–5358. �

PRetirees planning for NACA reunion

Earth Day zoocast

Members of the NACA Reunion X Committee, left to right, Jean Chapman, Irene Geye,and Dick Geye in the committee office at Glenn. Photo by Doreen B. Zudell

Photo by Rita Foreman

To celebrate Earth Day 2003, over 1300 students in 16 states and Canadaparticipated in two Webcasts hosted by Glenn and the OhioView Consortium.These "zoocasts" originated from Adventure Hall at the Cleveland MetroparksZoo on April 11 and 12. Scientists from the University of Toledo, Cleveland StateUniversity, and Kent State University interacted with students at the zoo andacross the country. Students learned about and performed activities related toremote sensing and how satellite information is used daily. Zoo facts about theEarth and rain forests were also presented by the zoo staff. A "Students asScientists" project in which students collected and recorded data on snow andclouds to help validate satellite data was also highlighted. Dr. Kevin Czajkowski,University of Toledo, seated, led an interactive classroom utilizing LANDSAT-7images video-streamed over the Internet.

Photo by S. Jenise Veris

Vendors from Information Handling Services (Chuck Campagna), the Institutefor Scientific Information (Tom Zamojcin), and Cambridge Scientific Abstracts(Carol Hauk) demonstrated their services and fielded questions fromemployees who attended Glenn's International Special Library Daycelebration on April 10. Librarian Susan Oberc and staff organized the eventto heighten employee awareness and to improve use of these and otherelectronic resources available through Glenn's Technical Library. Door prizes,compliments of the library and vendors, and refreshments, complimentsof Glenn's Exchange, added to the festivities. The Library's home page athttp://techlib.grc.nasa.gov/ provides a wealth of resources including thosedemonstrated at the open house. Pictured is Information Handling Servicesvendor, Chuck Campagna (at computer keyboard), providing a demonstration.

MAY 2003

The journey continues

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AFGE MEETING: AFGE Local 2182 willhold its next monthly membership meet-ing at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 7,at the Clifton American Legion Post onBrookpark Road and West 220th Street.

GOLFERS WANTED: NASA Hickory NutGolf League is welcoming new membersfor 2003. Starting May 7 through Septem-ber, the league plays on Wednesdays at4:20 p.m. at the Hickory Nut Golf Club inColumbia Station. The membership feeof $20 covers prizes and part of the picniccosts. If interested or for additional infor-mation, contact Walter Kim, 216–433–3742, John Haggard, 216–433–2832,or Tom Wallet, 216–433–FORE.

LESA MEETING: LESA/IFPTE, Local 28,will hold its next monthly member-ship meeting on Wednesday, May 14, atnoon in the Employee Center, rm. 101.

INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE FAIR: Morethan 1200 students from 40 nationswill showcase cutting-edge scienceprojects and compete for over $3million in scholarships and awards at theInternational Science and EngineeringFair, May 11 to 17 in the ClevelandConvocation Center. Public admissionis free and limited to Thursday, May 15,

This month, Glenn supports two Centennial events. WPAFB Air Power 2003, WPAFB Air Power 2003, WPAFB Air Power 2003, WPAFB Air Power 2003, WPAFB Air Power 2003,Dayton, OH (May 10–11)Dayton, OH (May 10–11)Dayton, OH (May 10–11)Dayton, OH (May 10–11)Dayton, OH (May 10–11) is Wright-Patterson Air Force Base's premiere centen-nial event and an Air Force tribute to the Wright Brothers' achievements. Festival Festival Festival Festival Festivalof Flight, Fayetteville, NC (May 16–26)of Flight, Fayetteville, NC (May 16–26)of Flight, Fayetteville, NC (May 16–26)of Flight, Fayetteville, NC (May 16–26)of Flight, Fayetteville, NC (May 16–26), a series of aviation-related events forthe Wright Brothers' first flight 100th anniversary, is the largest public centennialevent in North Carolina. Visit http://centennial.grc.nasa.gov or call Lori Manthey,216–433–9658, for participation information.

Centennial events

9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday, May 16,9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dubbed the "Olympicsof Science Fairs," the event willfeature an astronaut panel celebratingthe Wright Brothers invention of flight,May 15 from 3 to 5 p.m., followinghands-on activities targeted for grades4 to 12, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

WOMEN RETIREE LUNCHEON: Thenext luncheon for Glenn (Lewis) femaleretirees is Thursday, May 15, noon,at Demetrios Restaurant (on RoyaltonRoad, west of I–71) in Strongsville. Forfurther information, contact MaryBeranek, 440–238–6501.

LLF GOLF OUTING: Lewis Little Folks(LLF) onsite child development centerwill host its annual golf outing on Friday,

n the months following the Columbia tragedy, NASA's commitment to space explo-ration is being demonstrated through several exciting missions.

Last month, the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF), the last addition to NASA'ssuite of Great Observatories, was successfully launched. This facility will use infraredtechnology to study celestial objects that are either too cold, dusty, or far away tootherwise be seen. By studying the structure and composition of planet-forming discsaround stars, SIRTF will aid the search for Earthlike planets that may harbor life.

Meanwhile, excitement mounts as the launch window of the Mars Exploration Rovermission nears. The rovers, outfitted with a sophisticated set of geological instruments

and a rock abrasion tool to grind intothe interior rocks, will be deployed toseparate regions of Mars to investigateevidence of water.

Yet another exciting venture, the Expedi-tion 6 crew will return to Earth aboardthe Soyuz spacecraft after more than5 months on the International SpaceStation. They will leave the welcomemat out for NASA astronaut Ed Lu andRussian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko,who make up the Expedition 7 crew.

These three missions exemplify theAgency's commitment to carry out itsmission to understand and protect ourhome planet, to explore the universeand search for new life, to inspire thenext generation of explorers . . . as onlyNASA can. �

May 30, at Springvale Golf Course, NorthOlmsted. The event begins at 8 a.m.(shotgun tee-off). The cost is $55 perperson and includes green fees, cart for18-hole game, dinner, awards presenta-tion, and prizes. Contact CarmellaGenaro, 216–433–5264, or DaveWilliams, 440–716–0798.

LOCAL EVENTS: Glenn will be participat-ing in several local celebrations—throughexhibits and parades—in the months ofMay and June: International Science andEngineering Fair, Cleveland, May 11 to17; MAPS Air Show, Akron, May 20 to 22;City of South Euclid Parade, May 26;and Lorain International Parade, June 29.Come out to say hello to coworkers andenjoy the activities. Anyone interestedin helping with these events can contactOrlando Thompson, 216–433–3642.

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Laboratories overhaul address power and energy storage

he Electrochemistry Branch recentlyheld an open house to spotlight the ex-tensive renovation of facilities used tosupport research and development ofelectrochemical systems—specificallyfuel cells and batteries that providepower and energy storage for NASA'saeronautics and space missions.

Five laboratories in building 309 weretotally refurbished and outfitted with

electrochemical analysis capabilities, cellconstruction hardware, and automatedtest stations. Two other laboratories wererefurbished and outfitted with state-of-the-art analytical equipment.

During the open house, visitors touredthe updated laboratories in building 309and the Dry Room addition, which wasbuilt adjacent to the building. The DryRoom is capable of maintaining anextremely dry atmosphere (<1-percentrelative humidity) for the reactive andmoisture-sensitive components thatmake up lithium-based cells.

"Our staff, who work in the laboratorieson a regular basis, had considerableinput into the development of thesefacilities," said Michelle Manzo, actingchief of the Electrochemistry Branch."During the tour, researchers greeted

visitors and answered specific questionsin the laboratories."

In addition to renovations in building 309,other upgraded laboratories that supportresearch performed by the Power andOn-Board Propulsion Division werehighlighted during the open house. Inbuilding 302, the Battery and Cell Com-ponent Thermal Characterization TestFacility has been established and a Fuel

Cell Power System Test and De-velopment Laboratory is nowfunctional in building 16. Ajoint effort between the Elec-trochemistry Branch and theInformation Systems Division

Building 309

Imaging and Material Analysis Laboratory: supports the branch's battery andfuel cell component development and characterization activities by providingstate-of-the-art instrumentation for microscopic examination and for elementalanalysis.

Thermal and Material Analysis Laboratory::::: supports the branch's battery andfuel cell component development and characterization activities by providingstate-of-the-art instrumentation for spectroscopic and thermal analyses.

Electrochemical Cell Component Development and Testing Laboratory:equipped for the preparation and testing of electrochemical cell components(electrodes, electrolytes, substrates, etc.). The laboratory supports R&Dactivities for various aqueous-based and organic and/or polymer-based cellchemistries, including nickel-based and lithium-based chemistries.

Fuel Cell and Electrolyzer Testing and Development Facility: used for fuel cellcomponent development and evaluation.

Electrochemical Cell and Battery Test Facility: used to perform characteriza-tion, validation, and life testing of cells and batteries.

Nickel-Hydrogen Cell Life Test Facility: dedicated to evaluating low-Earth-orbitcycle life and electrical performance of nickel hydrogen cells.

to utilize Glenn's GRUVE Lab, a virtualreality facility in building 142, was illus-trated in poster displays.

Construction is underway on a new fuelcell test facility in building 334, locatednext to the building 333 annex. Sched-uled for completion this fall, the facilitywill address the specific requirementsassociated with large-scale fuel cell andelectrolyzer test capabilities.

"We're excited about the new capabili-ties," Manzo said "These state-of-the-artlaboratories will enable us to conductthe research necessary to develop theproducts of the future." �

Laboratory Lineup

Continued on next page

Electrochemistry Branch members DorisBritton, middle, and Jael Panagaris, right,brief Deputy Director of AeronauticsDr. Jaiwon Shin on equipment in theElectrochemical Cell ComponentDevelopment and Testing Laboratory inbuilding 309.

The following is a brief description of the new laboratoriesincluded in the recent renovation by the Electrochemistry Branch.

BY DOREEN B. ZUDELL

Photos by Doreen B. Zudell

MAY 2003

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MER mission

Dry RoomDry RoomDry RoomDry RoomDry Room: a unique facil-ity at Glenn that augmentsthe branch's electro-chemical laboratoriesby providing a dry (<1-percent relative humid-ity), shirt-sleeve environ-ment for safe andefficient handling ofmoisture sensitive materials.

Building 16

Fuel Cell Stack, Ancillary and System Test and Development Lab: configuredto test hydrogen and/or air PEM fuel cell stacks and systems. It is used toevaluate fuel cells, ancillary components, and power plant designs for futureaeropropulsion applications.

Fuel Cell Technology Thermal Vacuum Test Facility: used to evaluate regenera-tive fuel cell system components such as gas storage tanks, gas dryers, pressurecontrollers, loop heat pipe systems, etc.

Building 302

Battery and Cell Component Thermal Characterization Facility: houses theaccelerating rate calorimeter to support battery and fuel cell thermalcharacterization of base materials and cells.

Fuel Cell Membrane Electrode Assembly Construction: houses a number ofpresses that will be used for the construction of fuel cell components usinga novel film adhesive technique that can eliminate elastomer (o-ring type) seals.

Building 142

GRUVE Lab: joint effort initiated with the Information Systems Division tointegrate fuel cell stack and component models developed by the Electrochem-istry Branch with the visualization environment that supports the GRUVE Lab,Glenn's virtual reality facility.

Building 334

Construction is underway on a new fuel cell test facility next to the building 333annex. It will house three test cells (1400 sq ft total area) and is designed to testcomplete fuel cell, electrolyzer, and regenerative fuel cell systems up to 25 kW.The building will also house a control room, data acquisition room, and a builduparea. The facility is sited to accommodate hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen tubetrailers and is designed to permit unattended operation. �

Continued from page 6

Laboratory Lineup

Tom Miller, right, conducts a tour in the Nickel-Hydrogen Cell Test Facility in building 309.

Determining the efficiency of solar cellsis critical to powering the rovers that willbe delivering the experiments. Solarpanels on top of the rovers supply powerto the computer that houses the braincontrolling the rover and the scientificinstruments. They also power the radioto send and retrieve data from Earth. Alot of time was devoted to training thescience team on use of all the softwareand tools that will control the scienceand direct the rover to specific sites.

Twice the size and 16 times the weightof Sojourner, the MER rovers haveincreased strength and range of mobil-ity. Their size, however, created techno-logical challenges when attemptingto use a landing system similar to thehighly successful one used with theMars Pathfinder. During risk analysistesting conducted in the Space PowerFacility at Plum Brook Station, it wasdiscovered that the airbags were toosmall to safely land the rovers, and hadto be redesigned along with a redesignof the parachute.

Picking the right site for landing is ofparamount importance not onlybecause of the potential for excitingdiscovery, but also to avoid potentialhazards. The first rover will be targetedto land at Gusev Crater, south of Mars'equator. A month later, the secondrover will land at Meridiani Planum,a broad area of mineral deposits half-way around the planet from Gusev.

Landis will be at Kennedy Space Centerfor the evening launch of the secondrover, and will be at mission control inPasadena for the landing. It will be chal-lenging to cover the schedules of twodifferent rovers that are exploring landsites almost 12 hours apart.

"We're extremely interested in the firstday's data because it will tell us theperformance of the solar cell before anydust lands on it," Landis said. "Modelingsolar arrays to handle the harshness ofthe Mars environment was particularlydifficult; it will be exciting to get datafrom two different locations. We think themodels of our solar cells are very good." �

Continued from page 1

BY DOREEN B. ZUDELL

Glenn prepares to lift offInventing Flight

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The Centennial CelebrationDeeds PointJuly 3–20

Gala Opening Ceremonies atCelebration CentralDeeds PointJuly 3

Dayton Art InstituteJuly 4–20

Carillon Historical ParkJuly 4–20

The RE/MAX Balloon CelebrationWPAFB* MuseumJuly 4–6

Huffman Prairie Flying FieldWPAFB*July 4–6 (Venue open)July 10–16 (NASA Exhibit)

International Blimp MeetWPAFB* MuseumJuly 11–13

Dayton Black Cultural FestivalMontgomery County FairgroundsJuly 11–13

AIAA International Air and SpaceSymposiumDayton Convention CenterJuly 14–17

Dayton Air ShowDayton International AirportJuly 17–20

National Aviation Hall of FameCeremoniesDayton Art Institute andWPAFB* MuseumJuly 18–19

NASA DayDeeds PointJuly 18

*WPAFB: Wright-Patterson AirForce Base

Inventing Flight events

lenn's Centennial of Flight subteams are eagerlypreparing for Inventing Flight, a spectacularcelebration of the 100th anniversary of poweredflight, July 3 through 20, in Dayton, OH. This eventis the Nation's largest and longest Centennial of Flightactivity that will center on the dream of flight inspiredby the Wright Brothers, who lived in Dayton. The brothersinvented the first flying machine that could be controlled while in the air.

Deed's Point, a 12-acre area in downtown Dayton, will serve as the hub of excitementand a springboard for all the special attractions throughout the Dayton region.Among the attractions, visitors can explore the impact of aviation on our society, ourculture, and our economy within four pavilions.

"NASA exhibits, including artifacts, graphics, and interactive media, will sprawl acrossa large portion of the Communication and Inspiration Pavilion," explained Glenn'sTheresa Benyo, NASA's Inventing Flight project manager. "This will enable us toshowcase the Agency's contributions—past, present, and future—to powered flight."

NASA Day, beginning the evening of July 17 and continuing through July 18,will feature astronaut visits and other NASA-centered activities that showcase theAgency's contributions. Senator John Glenn, secretary general of Inventing Flight,will take part in this special occasion as well as Agency officials.

NASA will be involved in several Inventing Flight activities outside of Deeds Point. Atthe Huffman Prairie Flying Field, adjacent to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, forexample, the Center will staff an exhibit featuring an electric-powered airplanethat has been converted from traditional fuel. Meanwhile, the nearby CarillonHistorical Park will house a Glenn exhibit entitled Tunneling the Winds for Flight.This interactive display features a wind tunnel and provides information on howthe Wright Brothers used wind tunnels in their research.

An event of this magnitude requires participation by many employees. Thirteensupport committees—transportation, housing/staffing, information technology,speakers, and publishing services, to name a few—are working diligently toensure a smooth and enjoyable experience.

"The support committees, comprised of employees and retirees, are critical to makingthis event a success," Benyo said. "In fact, participation from Agency employees isexpected to peak to 60 people a day, with 60 percent of that total coming from Glenn."

Benyo stressed that Inventing Flight will be a tribute to the Wright Brothers and allthose they inspired—especially the men and women of NASA. She encouragesemployees to visit the Centennial Web site at http://centennial.grc.nasa.gov andclick on "staffing registration" to explore opportunities where they can be partof this once-in-a-lifetime celebration. �

MAY 2003

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Asian Heritage Month Observance spotlight

BY S. JENISE VERIS

ne good match led to another in1996 when Dr. Quang-Viet Nguyen leftCalifornia to join his wife (then fiancée)who had just moved to Cleveland. As aresult, Nguyen ended his position as apost-doctoral fellow at Sandia National

Laboratories and began a career as anaerospace research engineer at Glenn.

"I was offered other positions in bothacademia and industry," Nguyen said."But NASA (Glenn) had an openingthat was a very good match to mycapabilities and training."

Nguyen, a U.S. citizen of Vietnamesedescent, has immersed himself in severalprojects since starting at Glenn. Hismajor efforts, however, are principallydevoted to the area of laser diagnosticsas a member of the Combustion Branchin the Turbomachinery Division. Nguyendesigns and builds experiments thatuse lasers and optics for measuring prop-erties in high pressure flames. Currently,Nguyen performs tests in an opticallyaccessible High Pressure GaseousBurner (HPGB), a unique hydrogen-

Dr. Nguyen and Glenn: a great match

Ofueled rig capable of operating atpressures of up to 60 atmospheres.

The majority of Nguyen's research fo-cuses on basic science, with the end-products of his efforts typically resultingin journal publications or reports.

He has also developed aunique high-speed shuttersystem currently used inthe HPGB facility. A patenthas been filed for this hard-ware and it is in the processof commercialization as alicensed technology.

As part of a recent influx toGlenn of young engineers,Nguyen appreciates the di-versity on Lab and benefitsdaily from senior engineersand technicians who bring awealth of information, ex-perience, and wisdom thatcontribute to the success ofhis own projects. Becausehis work is often dividedbetween two test cells,Nguyen said that he mustrely on a group of engineers

and technicians for the test cells' dailyoperations. Their experience lends addi-tional support to those Nguyen men-tors—college interns and a faculty fellow,as well as the research associates fromthe National Research Council and theUniversity of Toledo—who gain a wealth

of experience while assisting Nguyen onprojects assigned in the test cells.

Nguyen also enjoys working with a vari-ety of different groups across the Center.He is currently collaborating with mem-bers of the Instrumentation and ControlsDivision and Communications Technol-ogy Division to develop new diagnosticand communications technologies usingquantum entanglement. Nguyen wasalso instrumental in the startup of a newBubble Combustion Research Programat Glenn funded by the Department ofEnergy to study the combustion physicsand chemistry inside tiny bubbles.

Since becoming a member of Glenn'sAsian/Pacific Islanders Advisory Council(APIAC) a little over a year ago, Nguyenhas enjoyed the opportunity to meetsocially with other Asians onsite and thecomfort of knowing that there is a placeto go if he has any questions or concerns.As a member of APIAC, he worked withInformation Systems Division personnelto develop an anonymous commentWeb page for the group's Web site.

"It's been nice working at NASA becauseit's one of few places that you can reallywork on projects that you create. Youcome up with an idea, and someone willactually give you funding to pursue it,"Nguyen said. "Doing what you reallyenjoy makes a job easier, and to be ableto get the resources you need makes fora great working experience!" �

The Asian Heritage Month celebration will be held May 30, 10 a.m. to noonin the Ad. Bldg. Auditorium. This year's theme, A Salute to Liberty, will featurespecial performances including a Samoan ceremonial fire dance by a Hawaiianemployee from NASA Goddard and selections from a Filipino operasinger from the Cleveland Opera. Cultural booths with displays fromCambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, Japan, and China will once again offer"A Taste of Culture" that includes artifacts and samples of the country's cuisine.

A Taste of Culture

Photo by S. Jenise Veris

Dr. Nguyen, left, with Combustion Branch Chief Dr. Chi-Ming Lee in the High Pressure Gaseous Burner facility.

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AeroSpace Frontiers is an official publicationof Glenn Research Center, NationalAeronautics and Space Administration. It ispublished the first Friday of each month bythe Community and Media Relations Officein the interest of the Glenn workforce,retirees, government officials, businessleaders, and the general public. Its circulationis approximately 6700.

Editor..................................Doreen B. Zudell InDyne, Inc.

Assistant Editor.......................S. Jenise Veris InDyne, Inc.

Managing Editor......................Lori J. Rachul

DEADLINES: News items and briefannouncements for publication in the Juneissue must be received by noon, May 16.The deadline for the July issue is noon,June 13. Submit contributions to the editorvia e-mail, doreen.zudell@grc.nasa.gov, fax

216–433–8143, phone216–433–5317 or 216–433–2888, or MS 3–11.Ideas for news storiesare welcome but willbe published as spaceallows. View us online athttp://AeroSpaceFrontiers.grc.nasa.gov.

James Burkhart, Hypersonics ProjectOffice, retired on March 3, 2003, with38 1/2 years of NASA service.

Oral Mehed, Structures and AcousticsDivision, retired on January 3, 2003, with41 years of NASA service.

Thomas Niezgoda, Engineering Designand Analysis Division, retired on January1, 2003, with 40 years of NASA service.

Talivaldis Spalvins, Materials Division,retired on January 3, 2002, with 38 yearsof NASA service.

I want to send out my most sincere thanksand appreciation to everyone in the AdBldg. for the adorable Dr. B. floralarrangement and special notes. I alsowant to thank CTO for the sweet cookiebouquet, and to all who shared stories,calls of concern, cards, and prayers forgood wishes and a speedy recovery. Youtruly were a comfort during a difficulttime of healing. I sincerely thank you!

—Debbie Burak

The Albert C. Taylor family would liketo thank the NASA Glenn family for itslove and support. We would especiallylike to thank Al's many friends in AHAC,BIG, BWAG, ERE, the Get-Go Team, LPSA,Microgravity, NTA, the Office of Safetyand Assurance Technologies, SHERE,and UBFFT for their generous contribu-tions of money and flowers.

—The Albert C. Taylor family

I wish to extend my sincere gratitude tothose of you who offered their concern,prayers, cards, flowers, and friendshipduring my time of grief due to mymother's battle with cancer. I thank eachand every one of you for easing the painof my great loss. —Cynthia L. Phillips

� Discount movie tickets for Regal Cinema, General Cinema, and Cinemarktheaters are available in the Exchange Store. Cedar Point and Six Flagsamusement park tickets for the 2003 season are also available.

� Jewelry Is Fun will be back on Thursday, May 8, in the Main Cafeteria alcovefrom 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Save 30 to 70 percent off retail prices. Jewelry Is Fun isa Reader's Digest Company, the same company that has sponsored theBooks Are Fun book fairs for over 10 years.

� A Customer Appreciation Sale will be held Thursday and Friday, May 8 and9. Save 20 percent off items in the Exchange Store. This is a good time to shopfor Mother's Day (May 11) gifts.

� A Ribs & Chicken BBQ Cook Out is scheduled for Thursday, May 22.It will be served on the Main Cafeteria Patio during lunch hours from 11 a.m.to 2 p.m. Help celebrate the start of the BBQ season.

� Don't forget the Main Cafeteria for your catering needs. The CateringDepartment can help plan your next party. For more information, callBecky Tinlin at 216–433–5534.

Exchange Corner

Burkhart Mehed Niezgoda Spalvins

StannertSovie

Ronald "Joe" Sovie, Space Directorate,retired on January 3, 2003, with41 1/2 years of NASA experience.

Herbert Stannert, Manufacturing Engi-neering Division, retired on March 31,2003, with 41 years of NASA service.

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a closer look at our colleaguesLinda Ryan

Job assignment: Food and nutritional service manager at theonsite child development center, Lewis Little Folks, Inc.Time at NASA: Five years.Hometown: I was raised in Cleveland's Westpark neighbor-hood, near Kamm's Corner. I currently live in Elyria.Describe your family: I've been married to the love of my life,Rob, for 6 years. We have 2 daughters: Tabitha, 14, andJessica, 3. We share our home with a big dog named Beauand a cockatiel named Zeke. My grandfather has lived on

Ruple Parkway for more than 60 years and my parents live in Westpark, sowe are able to visit them often.Career alterative: Ergonomics specialist. I love to organize and efficient"ize."Favorite food: I love all food. My favorites are chicken paprikash, tiramisu, andmargaritas.Favorite music: My taste in music is eclectic.Favorite Web site: Anything to do with classic cars, especially Chevy muscle cars.Favorite movie: Monty Python's The Holy Grail.Person you most admire: My parents. They allowed me to learn through experi-ence. I was able to do things "all by myself" even though tasks may have takentwice as long to accomplish. They answered my "but why?" questions with realanswers, even after the 20th time of being asked. Most of all, they have beenthere to help me up or kick me into gear. I still don't know how they knew whichto do when. I hope I can share with my children what was so unselfishly given to me.Activities when away from NASA: I enjoy spending time with family and friends;making home improvements; gardening; and watching PBS, HGTV, TLC, andFood Network.What do you see as an area of expertise at NASA: I love to hear about NASA'soutreach programs. It is encouraging to know that an organization with greatresources is willing to help communities, schools, and social causes. We embracethis philosophy at Lewis Little Folks by participating in Glenn's Harvest forHunger campaign, the Animal Protective League's Pennies for Pets, the GreaterCleveland Hunger Network food drives, and the Salvation Army's HoughAvenue daycare partnership. I also applaud NASA's commitment to education,especially math and science.

AppointmentsLori Manthey, who previously served asa program support officer in the Ultra-Efficient Engine Technology Office, hasbeen named the Center's liaison officer.Manthey brings an outstanding back-ground of working with numerous orga-nizations, including other NASA centers,Government organizations, industries,and universities. She has led severalteam activities at Glenn.

Jack Salzman, chief of the MicrogravityScience Division, is currently serving adetail as acting deputy Director ofSpace. Salzman brings a wealth ofexperience as a leader, manager, andsupervisor to this position.

Manthey SmalleySalzman

Robert Bowman, 67, who retired fromGlenn with 34 years of NASA service,recently died. He retired in 1996 as chiefof Space Flight Operations.

William Green, 68, who retired fromGlenn in 1972 with 28 years of service,recently died. He worked as a welderin the Fabrication Division.

Joyce Jones, 77, who retired fromGlenn in 1978 with 26 years of Federal

The realignment of the Plum Brook Man-agement Office results in two key senior-level appointments. Robert Smalley isnow serving a 6-month detail as chief ofOperations at Plum Brook Station. Hewill oversee the day-to-day operations,including the test facilities, civil servants,and support service contractors. RobertKozar has been named executive liaisonin Glenn's Engineering and TechnicalServices Directorate, though his officewill continue to be located at PlumBrook. In this new capacity, Kozar willconvey the broad range of capabilitiesavailable at Plum Brook as its representa-tive on Agency-level boards and alliances.He will also serve as the primary liaisonfrom Plum Brook to other NASA centers,the Air Force, Department of Defense,industry, and other high-level associates.

service, recently died. She had workedas a budget analyst.

John Kline, 85, who retired from Glennin 1982, recently died. He had workedas an aerospace engineer.

Hsiau Kao, 73, who retired from Glennin 2002 with 24 years of service, recentlydied. Kao had served as an aerospaceengineer in the Nozzle Branch.

Kozar

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Volume 4 Issue 5 May 2003

AeroSpace Frontiersis recyclable!

National Aeronautics andSpace Administration

John H. Glenn Research CenterLewis Field21000 Brookpark RoadCleveland, Ohio 44135

Employees support recyclingI n 1990, Glenn kicked off its recyclingefforts with the collection of scrapcomputer paper. The program has grownsteadily over the years to includetelephone books, magazines, cardboard,newsprint, toner cartridges, scrap metals,

Affirmative ProcurementAffirmative ProcurementAffirmative ProcurementAffirmative ProcurementAffirmative Procurement: buyingproducts containing recycledand/or reused content.

RecyclablesRecyclablesRecyclablesRecyclablesRecyclables: products or materi-als that can be collected, sepa-rated, and processed to be usedas raw materials in the manufac-ture of new products.

ReuseReuseReuseReuseReuse: the reuse of waste orreutilization of a material in anenvironmentally sound mannerthat it will not result in a hazard tohuman health or the environment.

aluminum beverage cans, plasticbottles, glass juice bottles, wood,fluorescent lights, and batteries. TheCenter also reprocesses or reclaimsfor recovery used oil, solvents, anti-freeze, and lubricating oils.

"The latest addition to Glenn's recyclingefforts is indoor collection stations thatare being placed at high traffic areasaround the Center for the collection andsegregation of various listed recyclables,"said Recycling Coordinator MichelleKenzig, Logistics and Technical Informa-tion Division (LTID).

Kenzig explained that while the ResourceConservation and Recovery Act, Execu-tive Order 13101, and Public Law103–329, Section 608, drives Glenn'srecycling efforts, the program has grownbecause of the support and participationof Center personnel.

"Employees' continued participationthrough depositing recyclables in desig-nated areas, reusing current materials,and purchasing materials containing re-covered materials contribute greatly tothe success of the program," she affirmed.

Photo by Doreen B. Zudell

Deborah DePiero, EXCH/Office of the ChiefFinancial Officer, disposes of trash in acollection station located outside the MainCafeteria.

Working with Glenn's EnvironmentalManagement Office or Environmental andSafety Offices creates opportunities forthe recycling program to support andparticipate in pollution-prevention pro-grams and projects as well. Together,they identify and introduce nonhazard-ous alternatives and provide substitutesfor hazardous chemicals currently beingused throughout the Lab.

For further information on Glenn'srecycling program, visit the Web site atRecycle.grc.nasa.gov or contact Kenzigat 216–443–3043. �