JANUARY 2003

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I

2002 YEAR IN REVIEW ................ 6AeroSpace Frontiers highlightssignificant events of the past year

PRESIDENTIAL RANK .................. 10Two senior executives receiveprestigious recognition for service

DRIVERS REMOVED .................... 12A unique challenge for theConstruction Management Branch

Continued on page 9

Center Director shares thoughts on first flight

Space director and R&T deputy bid Center farewellBY S. JENISE VERIS

The Wright Brothers' Tom Benson (left), Engine Systems TechnologyBranch, and Roger Storm (center), Fairview High School, explainthe design of their kite to Center Director Campbell.

Centennial of Flight celebration

Volume 5 Issue 1 January 2003

Continued on page 10A

Q. What are your thoughts on thisNation's 100th anniversary of flight?

A. We've come a long way in 100 years.Many people had thought about flying—but no one at that time in history under-stood what it took to fly. When you lookback at how the Wright Brothers startedout with a 12-horsepowered engine andthen look at what we do now—we've gotengines, such as the GE90, that arelarge enough that people can walk intothe inlet! It's amazing when you realize

how much we havedepended on techno-logy achievements.

Q. Glenn has the benefitof many great facilitiesand technology. Whatdo you think the WrightBrothers would haveaccomplished if theyhad the resources wehave today?

Photo by Marvin SmithC-2002-2071

n 2003, NASA joins this Nation in celebrating a century of poweredflight propelled by the Ohio-born Wright Brothers. The Agency, withstrong participation by Glenn, will celebrate this anniversary throughvarious events on and off-site. Center Director Donald Campbell andaviation enthusiast shares some views on this milestone.

Barna Dr. Bober

wealth of experience and leadershipgoes out the gate when Gerald "Jerry"Barna, director of Space, and Dr.Lawrence "Larry" Bober, deputy director

of the Research and TechnologyDirectorate, retire effective January 3.

Barna was responsible for Glenn's spaceprograms and the personnel who staffthe major space flight projects conductedin support of NASA's space missions.His career reflects the progression of aman who came up through the ranksfrom performing system analyses andstudies to project management to linemanagement with increasingly largerand more complex organizations in sup-port of NASA missions.

"Ultimately, a person's career comesdown to choosing the path you want to

follow, without being afraid to change,"Barna said. "Getting involved in project

2

Parachute recovery system researchIn October 2002, a pilot released the parachute of his single-engine aircraft and landedsafely in a Texas mesquite-tree grove. The pilot was uninjured, and there was minimaldamage to the plane. The successful "save" was made possible through Langley's SmallBusiness Innovation Research (SBIR) program and Ballistic Recovery Systems, Inc., ofSouth St. Paul, MN. Propelled by a solid-fuel rocket motor, the parachute is releasedfrom a special opening on top of the fuselage. Three Kevlar-webbing straps connect theparachute to the airframe and help guide it through a level descent. This technologywill be part of the suite of innovations available to NASA's Small Aircraft TransportationSystem research program with additional SBIR funding in place for development of alarger parachute for the new generation of minijets.

NASA shares universe with visually impairedA new book of majestic images, taken by NASA'sHubble Space Telescope (HST), brings the wonders ofour universe to the fingertips of the visually impaired.The 64-page book, titled Touch the Universe: A NASABraille Book of Astronomy, takes the reader on a cosmicjourney that begins with HST orbiting Earth, and thentraveling outward into the universe, presenting stunningcolor images such as planets, nebulae, stars, and galaxies.Each image is embossed with lines, bumps, and othertextures. The raised patterns translate colors, shapes,and other intricate details of the cosmic objects, allowing

visually impaired people to feel what they cannot see. Braille and large-print descriptionsidentify each of the book's 14 photographs. Noreen Grice, operations coordinator forthe Charles Hayden Planetarium at the Boston Museum of Science, coauthored thebook with Bernhard Beck-Winchatz, an astronomer at DePaul University in Chicago. Itis published by Joseph Henry Press, trade imprint of the National Academies Press.

Music is out of this worldWith detection instruments on NASA's Voyagers, Galileo, Cassini, and more than twodozen other spacecraft, University of Iowa physicist Dr. Don Gurnett has beenrecording waves that course through the thin, electrically charged gas pervading thenear-vacuum of outer space for nearly 40 years. Composer Terry Riley compiled a 10-movement musical composition called "Sun Rings" from the melody fragments andideas recorded from the spacecraft and collected near Jupiter, Venus, and otherplanets. The Grammy-nominated Kronos Quartet premiered the piece at the Universityof Iowa's Hancher Auditorium in October. The NASA Art Program has commissionedartists to document the Agency for over 40 years. It also supports art projects designedto reach diverse communities across the country. For more information about theNASA Art Program, contact Bertram Ulrich, curator, at 202–358–1713.

Automotive emissions reductionNASA's laser technology may soon be part of your car's exhaust system. Originallydesigned for satellites to measure the chemical makeup of the Earth's atmosphere, Low-Temperature Oxidation Catalysts (LTOC) will soon be available for commercial use. TheLTOC is a collection of technologies that enables the destruction of pollutant gases suchas carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons as well as NOx species. Developed at Langley,LTOC technology is expected to reduce automotive pollution emissions by approxi-mately 30 percent and the cost of aftermarket catalytic converters by 25 percent.Airflow Catalyst Systems, Inc., Rochester, NY, is the exclusive licensee for the internalcombustion application. NASA is still accepting licensing applications for other LTOCtechnologies through the technology commercialization program.

pence "Sam"Armstrong, senioradvisor to NASAAdministrator SeanO'Keefe, retiredfrom NASA onDecember 31.

As senior advisor,Armstrong pro-moted partner-ships with academia, the Department ofDefense, and industry. During his 11years at NASA, Armstrong has beenhonored with the Presidential Rank ofMeritorious Executive and NASA'sOutstanding Leadership medal andExceptional Service medal. Before join-ing NASA, he served for 34 years in theU.S. Air Force, retiring with the rank oflieutenant general. �

Spence Armstrongretires from NASAS

Nicogossian retiresafter 30 years

Armstrong

D r. Arnauld E.Nicogossian, M.D.,retires after more than30 years at NASA tojoin the School ofPublic Privacy atGeorge MadisonUniversity Fairfax, VAas head of the Officeof Medical Policy.

Since June 2001, Nicogossian has beensenior advisor to the NASA Administratorfor Agencywide issues related to healthcare provisions and aerospace medicine.

Throughout his NASA career, Nicogossianhas contributed greatly to the NASAmission ensuring crew health. He wasinstrumental in establishing the NASAOffice of the Chief Health and MedicalOfficer, serving as its first doctor in 2000.

Nicogossian has received numeroushonors and awards such as NASA'sDistinguished Service medal andContribution and Invention award, andthe International Academy of Astronautics'Life Sciences Book award. �

Dr. Nicogossian

JANUARY 2003

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NA

SA

VIS

ION To improve

life here,

To extendlife to there,

To findlife beyond.

eavy metal will rock—and roll—at seven different locations across the country as highschool students and engineers team with their robotic creations to take centerstage at NASA-sponsored regional robotics competitions and a final nationalchampionship in April 2003.

Following the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology)competition kickoff on January 4, these teams will begin to design a robot that cancomplete a specified set of tasks based on rules revealed during NASA TV'sbroadcast of the ceremony.

The goal of FIRST competition is to expose students to facets of engineering andtechnology through the excitement and experience of partnering with professionalsto build a robot. Teams entering the competition are sponsored by NASA and anumber of corporations.

NASA's Robotics Education Project, in collaboration with FIRST, is hosting 7 of the 23regional competitions around the country. NASA-sponsored regional competitionswill be held in Cleveland, OH, Richmond, VA, and St. Louis, MO (March 6 to 8); inAnnapolis, MD (March 13 to 15); in Atlanta, GA (March 27 to 29); and in Seattle, WA,and Los Angeles, CA (April 3 to 5).

More information about the competition and FIRST is at http://www.usfirst.org/. VisitNASA's Robotics Education Project Web page at http://robotics.nasa.gov. �

NASA supports robotic competitionH

lenn, Cuyahoga CommunityCollege, and WireNet, with the helpof a grant from the Martha HoldenJennings Foundation, hosted theinaugural Buckeye FIRST (ForInspiration and Recognition ofScience and Technology) LEGORegional robotics tournament onNovember 16 at Max S. HayesVocational School in Cleveland.

Students aged 9 to 14 vied forhonors in this nationally recognizedcompetition that requires teams ofup to 10 children to design, con-struct, program, test, and developa one-of-a-kind robot from a LEGOkit to solve an annual challenge.Winners advanced to the statetournament at Sinclair CommunityCollege in Dayton, OH. �

Dr. J. Victor Lebacqz, associate adminis-trator for Aerospace Programs at AmesResearch Center, has been named deputyassociate administrator for the Officeof Aerospace Technology at NASAHeadquarters. Lebacqz will assistAssociate Administrator Dr. JerimiahCreedon in developing integrated,long-term, innovative Agency-leveltechnology for aeronautics and space.Labacqz will also assist in developingnew commercial partnerships that exploittechnology breakthroughs.

George Reese, assistant administratorfor Equal Opportunity Programs, hasaccepted a detail assignment with theDepartment of Education's WhiteHouse Initiatives Office for HistoricallyBlack Colleges and Universities(HBCU's). Reese will be working withthe initiative's director, AmbassadorLeonard Speaman, and the President'sBoard of Advisors on HBCU's on howbest to ensure the institution's long-termviability and enhancement.

Dorothy Hayden-Watkins has beenappointed assistantadministrator forEqual OpportunityPrograms, effectiveearly 2003. Hayden-Watkins is theprincipal of Hayden-Watkins & Associ-ates, an executiveconsulting firm providing technicaladvice and services in strategic planning,implementation, and evaluation of diver-sity and equal opportunity programs. �

FIRST LEGORegional

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A Glenn-sponsored SEMAA (Science,Engineering, Mathematics, andAeronautics Academy) team wasamong 12 middle school teams thatcompeted in the FIRST LEGO Regional.

Dr. Lebacqz Reese

Hayden-Watkins

Photo by C

arol Galica

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The highly anticipated new big-screen film, IMAX® Space Station, was shownto a preview audience of local journalists and NASA employees and theirfamilies on November 19 at the Great Lakes Science Center. Those attendingwere proud to see ample Glenn influence both on screen and off. As viewerswalked into the theatre, they were greeted by a scale model of the Inter-national Space Station and an eight-panel information display, both supplied byGlenn. Director of Space Jerry Barna greeted the crowd and thanked them forattending. Glenn employees are eligible for discounts to the movie and foradmission to the Science Center exhibits through mid-March while IMAX® SpaceStation is showing. Contact the Exchange Store for details.

Space station IMAX debut

Newspaper and magazine travel writers from around the region were recently invitedto Glenn's Visitor Center to explore the exhibits, listen to speakers talk about theCentennial of Flight celebrations, and tour several research facilities. The writers startedthe day in the Visitor Center by participating in a scavenger hunt to introduce themto the many interactive exhibits on display. Center Director Donald Campbell greetedthe crowd and thanked them for coming to witness the exciting opportunities fortravelers afforded by Glenn. Hosted by the Community and Media Relations Office,the event featured speakers explaining the history of the Center, NASA's relation tothe Centennial of Flight celebrations, Glenn's educational resources, and the diverseprograms available at the Visitor Center. Pictured is Cleveland Magazine's Erick Trickeybecoming familiar with the Visitor Center exhibits through the scavenger hunt exercise.

Travel writers trek by

Hundreds of students once again made their pilgrimage to Glenn for the tenth annualYoung Astronaut Day. The students, aged from kindergarten through 12th grade,participated in competitive activities designed to stimulate an interest in aeronautics,space science, and engineering. Glenn engineers, scientists, and organizers of the eventhosted activities such as a Bridge Building Challenge to determine the largest strength-to-weight ratio, the Tower of Babel to build the tallest tower for the fewest dollars, and AirplaneComputer Optimization to demonstrate some of the tradeoffs involved in airplanedesign. Glenn's Ultra-Efficient Engine Technology Program Office and the Northern OhioSection of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics sponsored the event.

Although Glenn did not host its annual Children's Holiday Show in 2002, the spiritis still alive. On December 13, many of the former show workers enthusiasticallydonned costumes to become Tigger, Elmo, Frosty, Rudolph, Mickey, Minnie, Bert,Ernie, Snow White and Seven Elves, Santa, and Mrs. Claus to visit Lewis Little Folks(LLF) Day Care Center. The children eagerly greeted the characters with smiles andhugs of appreciation for the special visit. The Exchange provided treats for thechildren and volunteers. Despite many key show workers having either left orretired since the first show back in 1964, the Holiday Show committee hopesto recruit enough new workers to bring the event back in 2003. If you areinterested in helping with next season's show, contact Tom Bizon, 3–8121, or AlanHewston, 3–3556. Pictured are children in the LLF Bear Room visiting withRudolph (Pete Meitner, 0330).

Aspiring astronauts

Characters bring cheer

Photo by Katherine Martin

Photo by S. Jenise Veris

Photo by Doreen ZudellC-2002-2082

JANUARY 2003

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An Odyssey of learning

N ASA's mission "to inspire the next generation of explorers" will take flight this yearwhen the Educator Mission Specialist Program gets underway. In an effort to takestudents on a new journey of learning, last April Administrator Sean O'Keefe unveiledplans to expand the astronaut corp by adding this new type of space explorer.

Coordinated under Associate Administrator for Education Dr. Adena Williams Lostonat Headquarters, this dynamic program will motivate students and educators to studyscience, technology, engineering, and mathematics by expanding exploration into U.S.classrooms. Through the presence of Educator Mission Specialists on the InternationalSpace Station, students and educators will have opportunities to engage in real-timediscussions and participate in exciting activities that will reinforce these discussions.

Idaho elementary school teacher BarbaraMorgan—who trained with ChristaMcAuliffe in 1986 through the Teacher inSpace program and was selected as amission specialist member of the astronautclass in 1998—is scheduled to fly on STS–118 in November 2003. She will forgethe way for other teachers in expandingand strengthening NASA's educationmission—a core competency that flowsthrough every program.

I'm proud of our many educational effortshere at Glenn. Our Office of EducationalPrograms embraces the NASA missionby utilizing the unique Glenn laboratoriesand diverse and specialized workforce toparticipate in appropriate educationalprograms and activities that enhance theteaching and learning of science,mathematics, and technology. As a NASACenter, we have and will con-tinue towork closely with Dr. Loston byestablishing a team to nurture andpromote this new initiative.

LESA MEETING: LESA/IFPTE, Local 28,will hold its next monthly membershipmeeting on Wednesday, January 8, atnoon in the Employee Center, rm. 101.

AFGE MEETING: AFGE Local 2182 willhold its monthly membership meeting at4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 8, atthe Clifton American Legion Post onBrookpark Rd. and W. 220th St. All mem-bers are encouraged to attend.

CENTENNIAL OF FLIGHT: Glenn willhold a Centennial of Flight kickoff eventon January 15 from 10 to 11 a.m. in theAd. Bldg. Auditorium and Foyer. The

News Notes 2003 deadlines

Can't remember the number tocall for building maintenance

and repair service? Now there'san easy answer. Simply call

FIXIT (3–4948) to placea work order for building-

related repairs.

New Work Control number

presentation will outline the Centennialof Flight endeavor, its mission, and whereGlenn fits into the overall picture. TheCentennial of Flight Volunteer Fair will beheld in the same locations on January 29from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. During this time,subcommittees will be representedby team leads and people will havethe opportunity to talk in more detailwith spokespeople in their particularareas of interest.

FRAUD HOTLINE: Aware of waste, fraud,or abuse? Contact the Office of theInspector General at 216–433–5412 orMS 501–9. Confidentiality is maintained.

Issue Date Deadline

February 7 January 17March 7 February 14April 4 March 14May 2 April 11June 6 May 16July 7 June 13

Issue Date Deadline

August 1 July 11September 5 August 15October 3 September 19November 7 October 17December 5 November 14January 2, 2004 December 12

Please note that these are the deadlines for brief news items that are placed in theNews Notes section. Contact the editor for deadlines on larger articles.

We're goingonline

eroSpace Frontiers will soon beopening new frontiers when it goesonline later this month.

Look for details on Today@Glennand in future AeroSpace Frontiersissues to learn the Web site addressand view the newsletter throughthe Internet.

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Technology developedby three researchers atGlenn earned the NASAGovernment Inventionof the Year award. Theteam invented a hollowcathode assembly that isthe primary componentof the InternationalSpace Station's plasmacontactor system.

The U.S. Regulatory Commission approvedGlenn's plan for the decommissioning of theclosed Reactor Facility at Plum Brook Station.The project should be completed by 2007.

NASA's Freedom to Manage task force visited Glennin September to solicit input to improve workprocesses and practices within the Agency. Glennwas the first stop for the task force, which plans tovisit all NASA centers.

Dr. Julian Earls, whobegan his NASA careerin 1965 as a physicist,was named Glenn'sdeputy director in July.He previously servedas deputy director ofOperations and the act-ing deputy director.

Six new technologies involvingadvanced space travel, aviationsafety, and more efficient airplaneengines received awards forinnovativeness in NASA's TurningGoals Into Reality AwardsProgram. The technologies wereled by Glenn, with participationfrom other NASA centers, industry,and academia.

Graphic by Terry Condrich

JANUARY 2003

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Several modules of the Agency's IntegratedFinancial Management (IFM) programbecame operational at Glenn in 2002.The IFM program is the Agency's effortto modernize NASA's financial andadministrative systems and processes.

Glenn was selected to manage the developmentof the NASA Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT)system, which will use xenon gas and electrical powerto drive future spacecraft.

Risk reduction testing in Plum Brook Station's SpacePower Facility verified years of research and develop-ment on Boeing's Delta IV launch vehicle andLockheed Martin's Atlas V launch vehicle.

Glenn employees and business community leaders extendeda warm welcome to the new NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefeduring his first visit to the Center in January. O'Keefe spent the daygetting acquainted with the Center's people and technology.

On January 22, Glenn officiallyretired the Advanced Communica-tions Technology Satellite flag,which had flown on theCenter's flagpole since thesatellite's 1993 launch.

Most photos byGlenn's ImagingTechnology Center

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"Cool" new video on icingW ould you know what to do if the airplane was "iced up" and could no longermaintain altitude? Icing for General Aviation Pilots, the latest addition to Glenn'sIn-Flight Icing series of educational videos for pilots, addresses that and more.

"This video takes the pilot through steps to avoid life-endangering situations thatmay result from ice accretion on the outside of an airplane," said Kurt Blankenship,a research pilot in the Aircraft Operations Office.

During the hour-long video, pilots learn how to avoid ice, detect ice, minimizeexposure, and safely exit icing conditions while following the realistic scenarios of twopilots—one piloting a light, twin-engine aircraft with an ice protection system, and theother piloting a single-engine aircraft without ice protection equipment—from preflightplanning through the approach and landing. The effects of icing on aircraft perfor-mance, control upsets (wing and tail stalls), and recovery procedures are also discussed.

Targeted specifically for general aviation pilots, the video was the collaboration ofGlenn, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Aircraft Owners and PilotsAssociation Air Safety Foundation. Ice accretion imagery captured during NASA andFAA wind tunnel and flight tests, animation, and interviews are included to illustrate theinformation presented in the scenarios.

"Partnering with regulatory agencies and relevant pilot associations has enabled Glennresearchers to understand specific issues and tailor the breadth of knowledge pre-sented to the targeted audience," explained Dr. Judith Van Zante (QSS), Icing Branch.

Tailplane Icing, the first video of the In-Flight Icing series, was produced using insightsgained from the NASA/FAA Tailplane Icing Program. Icing for Regional & Corporate

lenn innovation and a teacher's initia-tive recently helped build a ramp thatenabled a Lincoln West High Schoolstudent to regain his independence andaccess to education.

Susan Kilkenny, an instructional aide fororthopedic and visually impaired students

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Pilots, the second in the series, is intendedfor turboprop aircraft pilots. This videowas written by Glenn aircraft icing ex-perts, the FAA, and the Air Line PilotsAssociation.

"Response to the latest video has beenvery favorable," Van Zante said. "TheNASA name adds tremendous credibil-ity—pilots know the information is basedon solid research from both our icingresearch aircraft and Icing Research Tun-nel. They appreciate that we're playingtest pilot, so they don't have to."

Editor's note: To order videos or for moreinformation about Glenn's Icing Researchprogram, visit http://icebox.grc.nasa.gov.

at Lincoln West, discovered that MitchellRios, one of her students who is quad-riplegic, had moved to a new home thatwas not wheelchair accessible.

"I observed Glenn's outreach in thecommunity and decided to advocateon behalf of Mitchell," Kilkenny said, "so,I asked my husband, Mark (SystemsManagement Office), to inquire if

there was a group at NASA that couldprovide assistance. This led me toGreg Schade (Tactical Support Branch)

who previously worked with Habitat forHumanity."

Schade enthusiastically agreed to buildthe much-needed ramp and formed ateam to get the job done. Jeff Swan,deputy chief, Research Testing Division(RTD), assembled a group of volunteersfrom RTD. Vince Verhoff, with consulta-tion from Floyd Truskot, designed theramp and provided the blueprint.Through affiliation with Schade, em-ployees of the Federal Aviation Adminis-tration (FAA) donated the bulk of theconstruction material, while Schadeprocured the proper building permits.Less than a month from the initialrequest, the people and plans were inplace to build the ramp, which wasconstructed in 2 days.

"It was such a positive experience towatch us proceed from a pile of wood to

Glenn volunteers build ramp to educationBY S.JENISE VERIS

Continued on next page

Some of the volunteers "load tested" theramp before attaching the rails. Amongthose pictured are RTD volunteers: GregSchade, Luis Beltran, Floyd Truskot, WendellWhite, Vincent Verhoff, Ruben Ramos,Emye Benavage, Leo Robinson, AlMatthews, Bob Freedman, Jim Bowser, NickVaraljay, Denise (Bob)Ryant, Eric Sockel,Dennis Dicki, Wade Arida, Jim Mullins,Sandra (Mark) Buettner, John Naglowsky,and Jeff Swan; and FAA’s Elaine Kimblerand Gary Klinger.

Photo by Elaine Kimbler

JANUARY 2003

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Centennial takes flight in 2003Continued from page 1

A. It's hard to say what they mighthave been able to do with current tech-nology, but they made the most of whatthey had. There was no technology roadmap to follow. For example, there wasno wind tunnel around for them, sothey developed one. I believe theirspirit of ingenuity is alive and well atGlenn today.

Q. Do you believe that as a researchcenter it is an especially good opportu-nity for us at Glenn to participate in thiscelebration of flight and recognize suchhistorical efforts?

A. We're part of the aerospace commu-nity and have been involved in aeronau-tics since inception of the Center. Glennhas made significant contributions inaerospace technology. NASA wasinvolved in many of the advances forcommercial flight. In fact, we like to usein our speeches, "nobody flies on gliders. . . aircraft don't go any place withoutpropulsion." You need propulsion andpropulsion is what it's all about at Glenn.

Q. Do you think this centennialcelebration will help boost interest inaeronautical careers?

A. Yes. It will help promote aeronauticsthroughout our educational system. Ithink this celebration will rekindle stu-dents' interest, while not necessarily inaeronautics and space but in scienceand engineering because that's whereit's all based.

Q. What sparked your early interest inthe field of mechanical engineering?

A. I enjoyed building model planes andrepairing cars and anything mechanical.

Q. How about your children andgrandchildren? Are you sharing yourknowledge and interest in aeronauticsand spaceflight?

A. Oh yes. My grandson is really into StarWars and reads everything I send him.Two of my sons are engineers but theyare not in the field of aeronautics.

Q. Over the course of your career, haveyou met any people in aeronautics thatyou admire?

A. While working for the Air Force in the1970s, I got to know one of the inventorsof the jet engine whose office was next tomine. We had daily conversations aboutjet engines. He was Hans von Ohain, aGerman engineer/scientist who co-invented the turbine engine. I also metsome important people in aviation back

then, such as Sir Frank Whittle. Thereare still a lot of people in the industrythat are making new discoveries.

Q. Your enthusiasm for aeronautics iscontagious. Do you enjoy opportuni-ties to get away from the managementside and be an engineer again?

A. Yes. It's exciting. There's alwayssomething new. In fact, I recently

visited Tuskegee University. It was hum-bling to stand on the training field forTuskegee Airmen and visit the displays ofGeneral Chappie James' accomplish-ments. I can't describe what it felt like asI stood there and thought about whatthese people did and the obstacles theyovercame. I have also visited historic sitesin Dayton that gave me similar feelings. Itwas like walking across the prairie withWilbur and Orville Wright.

Q. Do you think the rate of technologicaladvancements will continue?

A. Yes. I'm amazed at how we reinventourselves. Right now we're talking aboutdoing a new program—Integrated SpaceTransportation—which has elementssimilar to the advanced propulsion con-cepts in the two-stage orbiting vehicleprogram that I worked on in the early 70'swith the Air Force. With the advancesin technology we have a chance to im-prove. I think in the future we're going tosee the kind of vehicles seen in Star Wars.

Q. Are there any specific centennialevents you're looking forward toattending?

A. I plan to attend as many as I can.Although our focus has been on contribu-tions to Ohio, the celebration will be in-ternational. It will be continued beyondwhat is being done in Dayton, and wehere at Glenn will be major participants,both in Dayton and in Cleveland. �

Glenn teams with FAA in outreachContinued from page 8

a functional, sturdy ramp. Everyoneseemed to find their niche and provide avaluable contribution, whether it waslayout, posthole digging, sawing, pilotdrilling, screwing nails, or sweeping,"Swan said. "It was a great example ofhow well the FAA and NASA work to-

gether, not only professionally but alsopersonally, to make a positive impact inthe community."

The immediate impact is Rios' almostperfect school attendance since theramp was built. �

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 6,700.

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 theFebruary issue must be received by noon,Friday, January 17. The deadline for theMarch issue is noon, Friday, February 14.

Submit contributions tothe editor via 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 stories arewelcome but will bepublished as space allows.

Barna and Bober retire

10

My family and I would like to thank all whothrough their kind words and thoughtful-ness provided great comfort to us duringmy wife's battle with cancer and at the timeof her death. —John Adamczyk

We would like to thank employees fromaround the Center who provided assis-tance and attended the Veteran's Dayobservance on November 14.

—Veterans Awareness Committee

I would like to thank all of the employees atthe Center for their prayers, support, andexpressions of sympathy to my family andme on the death of my father. We areso fortunate to work with and have suchcaring friends to carry us through suchdifficult times. —Terry Ross

Thank you for your condolences. We willalways be grateful for your kindness andgenerosity. —Bernice Godbott & family

Continued from page 1

management and line management was the right path for me."

Barna served as acting center deputy director (twice), deputy director of Space FlightSystems, and deputy director for Space Station Freedom. However, his efforts insupport of the Nation's energy program, the development of the International SpaceStation, and Glenn's involvement in bioscience are some of the achievements that gavehim the greatest sense of pride during his 39-year career at Glenn. Among other hon-ors, he received a NASA Exceptional Service medal in 1990 and the Presidential Rankof Meritorious Executive in 1995 and again in 2000.

During his 35-year career, Bober's greatest source of pride also proved to be hisgreatest personal challenge while working on the Advanced Turboprop Project (ATP),a NASA innovation to resurrect a more fuel-efficient prop-fan aircraft. The project wasinitiated to rescue the U.S. airline industry following the 1973 oil embargo, which tripledaircraft fuel costs.

"There were many challenges in demonstrating the viability of high-speed propellers,but one by one they were overcome," Bober recalled. "The opportunity to seesomething go all the way from a small activity to a flight demonstration was great."

Bober supervised a group responsible for experimental and computational research onadvanced propellers as a member of the NASA-Industry ATP team, which later earnedthe 1987 Collier Trophy. In 1990, he earned the NASA medal for ExceptionalEngineering Achievement and in the same year became chief of the TurbomachineryTechnology Branch. He was acting deputy chief of the Propulsion Systems Divisionfrom 1995 to 1996, prior to his latest appointment.

For the past 6 years, Bober has had the shared responsibility as deputy director of R&Tto maintain, manage, and allocate Glenn's research and technology core competenciesand the workforce to deliver Glenn aeronautics and space programmatic commitments.

Bober said that, for now, his retirement plans are focused on having fun—takingweekday excursions in his Corvette and playing more golf. Barna plans to be aconsultant to organizations or companies that can best utilize his experience andcapabilities. He will support nonprofit organizations by serving in roles such aspresident of the Board of Trustees of the Global Issues Resource Center located on theCuyahoga Community College's Eastern Campus. �

Salzman and Sehra earn Presidential Rank honors lenn's Jack Salzman, chief of the Mi-crogravity Science Division, and Dr. ArunSehra, director of Aeronautics, wererecently honored with the 2002Presidential Rank Meritorious award.They are among 45 NASA senior execu-tives who have been chosen to receivethis prestigious recognition for their sus-tained excellence in Government service.

Each of the NASA honorees was nomi-nated and chosen for their awards after avery rigorous selection process, and thenpersonally approved by President Bush.

G

Dr. SehraSalzman

Of all the Presidential Rank awards beinggranted Governmentwide this year,NASA employees received an impres-sive 11 percent of the Distinguished and11 percent of the Meritorious awards.

This record reflects well on NASA's contin-ued leadership in advancing the Nation'sscience and technology agenda. �

11

a closer look at our colleagues

Ken O'ConnorJob Assignment: Senior safety engineer in the Safety OfficeTime at Glenn: It was 13 years on September 11, 2002.Hometown: I'm originally from Pittsburgh, PA. (Yes, I am adiehard Steelers fan!) I currently live in Brunswick.Describe your family: My wife of 13 years, Janet, and I havetwo terrific sons—Sean (10) and Kevin (7), and a gregariousgolden retriever named Barkley.Favorite music: I like a variety of music but prefer classicalor jazz.Favorite book or magazine: My favorite book is the Bible. I

usually read National Review and Popular Mechanics magazines monthly, and enjoyreading American and world history.Favorite movie: I enjoy older movies such as Shenandoah, The Bells of Saint Mary's, TrueGrit, and the Quiet Man.Person you most admire: As a husband and father, and as I have grown older, I havecome to admire and appreciate my parents much more. They are part of the generationthat endured the Depression, World War II, Korea, and all the societal changes in thiscountry, while raising me and my siblings. Recently, my dad was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and received chemotherapy for several months. I never heardhim or my mom complain about his situation. Rather, what I observed was strength ofcharacter to press on, and the confidence in Jesus' words, "in this life we will havetrouble, but be of good courage for I have overcome the world."Activities when away from Glenn: We're involved with our sons' activities (sports, art,music) and in our church, Grace Church in Middleburg Heights, OH. I also enjoycamping, fishing, and other outdoor recreation and physical conditioning activities.What do you see as an area of expertise at Glenn: It is always encouraging to read ina technical article about an engineering or scientific advancement developed by Glennpersonnel. There is much that Glenn contributes to the region and Nation, and weshould all be proud of the work that is done here. The professionalism and persistenceexhibited by many are a motivator to me.

SFA Honorees

Three Glenn em-ployees are recentrecipients ofa Space FlightAwareness award,one of the highestand most presti-gious awardsavailable to em-ployees of theNASA, industry,shuttle, and space station team.

Dr. Bruce Steinetz, Patrick Dunlap andJudith Anthony (ZIN) were among 250Government and industry honoreesinvited to view the STS–112 shuttlelaunch, tour the Kennedy Space Centerfacilities, and attend a receptioncelebrating their dedication to qualitywork and flight safety in support of ourNation's space program.

Dunlap and Steinetz, members of theMechanical Components Branch in theStructural and Acoustics Division, wererecognized for their design and develop-ment of a new robust thermal barrier/structural seal for critical joints on thespace shuttle solid rocket motor nozzle-to-case joint. The new thermal barrier isa unique carbon-fiber-based seal de-signed to withstand the high-tempera-ture environment (5500 degrees Fahren-heit) in a solid rocket motor.

Anthony supports Glenn's MicrogravityScience Division as lead electrical engi-neer for the Space AccelerationMeasurement Systems (SAMS) project.She was recognized for her expertisein the design of the SAMS RemoteTriaxial Sensor. Her leadership led toflight verification more than a monthahead of schedule.

Chester Barstow, 88, who retired fromGlenn in 1980 with 35 years of service,recently died. He had worked as anaerospace mechanic.

Michael Godlewski, 64, who retired fromGlenn in 1991 with 29 years of service,recently died. Godlewski was an expertin solar cell development and worked asa manager of university grants and inde-pendent contracts while at Glenn.

Betty Jane Hood, 81, who retired fromGlenn in 1980 with 35 years of service,recently died. She worked as a data

analyst and mathematician in the Com-puter Services Division.

Sidney Huntley, 85, who retired fromGlenn in 1973 with 34 years of service,recently died. He began his NASAcareer at Langley Field in 1941, thenmoved to Cleveland in 1944 to workas a research engineer.

Richard "Babe" Snider, 80, who retiredfrom Glenn in 1973 with 29 years ofservice, recently died. While at Glenn, heworked as a supervisory supply specialist.

Dr. Steinetz Dunlap

Anthony

12

Volume 5 Issue 1 January 2003

AeroSpace Frontiersis recyclable!

National Aeronautics andSpace Administration

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

Turbine drivers removed from High Pressure FacilityBY DOREEN B. ZUDELL

W hat would it cost to dismantle two107-ton turbine engines and 35 tons ofassociated hardware? Fortunately forGlenn, it was a case of "one man's junk isanother man's treasure." Recently alocal company removed the equipmentfree of charge, saving the Centerwell over $135,000 in demolition andrestoration costs.

Mothballed since 1984, the General Elec-tric turbine engine drivers had been usedin the High Pressure Facility for turbomachinery research. When the facilitywas updated, new and upgraded air com-pressors replaced the existing drivers.

"After 5 years of searching for a companythat could find a use for the drivers andremove the equipment at no cost to theCenter, we located IndependenceExcavating in Independence, OH,"explained Steve Keys, contract manager,Construction Management Branch."The company had a buyer for the tur-bines who agreed to pay IndependenceExcavating for the removal and deliveryof the equipment."

Due to the size and weight of the equip-ment, the task of removing the drivers,

concrete bases, ducts, and associatedpiping was a unique and challenging onefor the Construction ManagementBranch. This task required a team ofpersonnel from across the Lab, enlistingthe skills of the safety and environmentaloffices and their Waste ManagementTeam. Coordinating the transportationof oversized equipment, such as the650-ton crane and the two 175-foot-longtrailers, also necessitated participationfrom the Ohio Department of Transpor-tation, the Ohio Highway Patrol, andthe Cleveland Hopkins Airport.

"Safety was the number one priority onthis project," explained Dave Diamond,construction manager, ConstructionManagement Branch. "Due to the pro-fessionalism of all those involved, includ-ing that of the team from IndependenceExcavating and its subcontractors, theproject went smoothly and with littleimpact on research being conductedinside the facility."

Other project team members includeMarlene Metzinger, project manager,Facilities Engineering and ArchitecturalBranch; Erick Lupson, contracting officer,Services and Construction Branch;Rolf Richter, construction manager,

Construction Management Branch;Greg Schade, electrical lead, TacticalSupport Branch; and James Bowser,customer, Aviation Environments TestEngineering Branch. �

Photo by Marvin SmithC-2002-1772

This 650-ton crane hoisted the drivers ontothe two 175-foot-long trailers.