8
March 23, 2007 John F. Kennedy Space Center - America’s gateway to the universe Spaceport News http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/snews/spnews_toc.html Vol. 46, No. 6 Petro becomes first woman deputy director at KSC Atlantis processing continues while new launch date considered IN THE Vehicle Assembly Building, technicians secure protective material around the base of the nose cone of Space Shuttle Atlantis’ external tank. The nose cone is undergoing repair from recent hail damage. At press time, the launch date for mission STS-117 was still to be determined. Employees, families enjoy 2007 All-American Picnic THE 2007 Kennedy Space Center All-American Picnic was held March 10 at KARS Park 1, complete with beautiful weather and fun activities. See contest results and photographs on pages 4-5. N ASA recently selected Janet Petro as the new deputy director of the Kennedy Space Center effective April 29. Petro succeeds William (Bill) Parsons, who assumed the position as the director of the center in January. Prior to joining NASA, Petro served in various management positions for Science Applications International Corporation, also known as SAIC, where she provided extensive program management and technical leadership since December 2000. She directly interacted with senior-level government custom- ers, and was responsible for overseeing program and project managers and providing opera- tional guidance on various technical projects. “I am extremely pleased that Janet has decided to join the leadership team at Kennedy,” said Parsons. “She brings with her a strong technical management background and extensive engineering leadership that is directly applicable to the challeng- ing future here at Kennedy.” At SAIC, Petro held positions of increasing responsibility within the corporation’s Satellite Beach Subsurface Engineering and Data Center Operations, including division and deputy operations manager. She directed technical teams in the design, installation and sustainment support for the Subsurface Engineering and Logistics Support contract. In SAIC’s St. Petersburg division, she led the Cooperative Engagement Capability Pre- Planned Product Improvement Program Team in developing supportability products for an upgraded signal data processing assembly. “I am honored I was selected to join the talented team of profes- sionals at KSC and feel excited to be a part of the tremendously important mission we have been given,” said Petro. Earlier in her career, Petro held various senior management positions with McDonnell Douglas Aerospace, including program manager for overseeing and executing a classified $13-million U.S. Department of Defense program at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The program involved integrating, supporting and coordinating payloads onto various space vehicles at U.S. Air Force and NASA facilities. Petro also served as a captain in the U.S. Army’s aviation branch. She holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., and a Master of Science degree in business administration from Boston University Metropoli- tan College. She resides in Indian Harbor Beach with her daughter, Hannah, and son, Andrew. Former Science Applications International Corporation manager begins position April 29

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Page 1: March 23, 2007 Vol. 46, No. 6 Spaceport News

March 23, 2007

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

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

Vol. 46, No. 6

Petro becomes first woman deputy director at KSC

Atlantis processing continueswhile new launch date considered

IN THE Vehicle Assembly Building, technicians secure protective materialaround the base of the nose cone of Space Shuttle Atlantis’ external tank.The nose cone is undergoing repair from recent hail damage. At presstime, the launch date for mission STS-117 was still to be determined.

Employees, families enjoy2007 All-American Picnic

THE 2007 Kennedy Space Center All-American Picnic was heldMarch 10 at KARS Park 1, complete with beautiful weather and funactivities. See contest results and photographs on pages 4-5.

NASA recently selectedJanet Petro as the newdeputy director of the

Kennedy Space Center effectiveApril 29. Petro succeeds William(Bill) Parsons, who assumed theposition as the director of thecenter in January.

Prior to joining NASA, Petroserved in various managementpositions for Science ApplicationsInternational Corporation, alsoknown as SAIC, where sheprovided extensive programmanagement and technicalleadership since December 2000.

She directly interacted withsenior-level government custom-

ers, and was responsible foroverseeing program and projectmanagers and providing opera-tional guidance on varioustechnical projects.

“I am extremely pleased thatJanet has decided to join theleadership team at Kennedy,” saidParsons. “She brings with her astrong technical managementbackground and extensiveengineering leadership that isdirectly applicable to the challeng-ing future here at Kennedy.”

At SAIC, Petro held positionsof increasing responsibility withinthe corporation’s Satellite BeachSubsurface Engineering and Data

Center Operations, includingdivision and deputy operationsmanager. She directed technicalteams in the design, installationand sustainment support for theSubsurface Engineering andLogistics Support contract.

In SAIC’s St. Petersburgdivision, she led the CooperativeEngagement Capability Pre-Planned Product ImprovementProgram Team in developingsupportability products for anupgraded signal data processingassembly.

“I am honored I was selected tojoin the talented team of profes-sionals at KSC and feel excited tobe a part of the tremendouslyimportant mission we have beengiven,” said Petro.

Earlier in her career, Petro heldvarious senior managementpositions with McDonnell Douglas

Aerospace, including programmanager for overseeing andexecuting a classified $13-millionU.S. Department of Defenseprogram at Cape Canaveral AirForce Station. The programinvolved integrating, supportingand coordinating payloads ontovarious space vehicles at U.S. AirForce and NASA facilities. Petroalso served as a captain in the U.S.Army’s aviation branch.

She holds a bachelor’s degreein engineering from the U.S.Military Academy at West Point,N.Y., and a Master of Sciencedegree in business administrationfrom Boston University Metropoli-tan College.

She resides in Indian HarborBeach with her daughter, Hannah,and son, Andrew.

Former Science Applications InternationalCorporation manager begins position April 29

Page 2: March 23, 2007 Vol. 46, No. 6 Spaceport News

SPACEPORT NEWS March 23, 2007Page 2

Awards

IN THE Space Station Processing Facility, Russ Romanella (right),director of International Space Station and Spacecraft Processing,presides over a ceremony to unveil the new name of NASA’s Node 2module, Harmony. With him are mission STS-120 Commander PamMelroy and Pilot George Zamka.

Students in ‘Harmony’ in naming space station module

U.S. Army’s Golden Knights to appear at World Space Expo

The World Space Expo set for November 3-11 at the Kennedy SpaceCenter Visitor Complex will include a weekend aerial salute bythe U.S. Army parachute team’s Golden Knights as part of a 45th

anniversary tribute to Project Mercury.The Mercury program successfully launched six of the original

“Mercury 7” astronauts into space, including Alan Shepard, the firstAmerican in space, and John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth.

The 920th Rescue Wing based at Patrick Air Force Base will also stagea demonstration as part of the tribute. The wing, formerly the 301stRescue Squadron, was responsible for recovering the Mercury capsuleswhen they splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean.

“We could not think of a better way to open the World Space Expoaerial salute than with a tribute to the brave men who pioneeredAmerica’s manned space program,” said Daniel LeBlanc, chief operatingofficer of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, host of the WorldSpace Expo.

The U.S. Army played a key role in the success of Project Mercury,using its Redstone vehicle as a launch platform.

“It is a privilege to perform over the Kennedy Space Center whilepaying tribute to the 45th anniversary of Project Mercury,” said Sgt. 1stClass Karen Morrison of Golden Knights Operations.

THE U.S. Army’s Golden Knights parachute team will perform at theopening of the Nov. 3-11 World Space Expo. The salute will pay tribute tothe 45th anniversary of Project Mercury.

By Linda Herridge Staff Writer

From the incredible minds ofchildren came the new nameof NASA’s Node 2 module,

which was announced during anunveiling ceremony on March 15at Kennedy Space Center’s SpaceStation Processing Facility.

Russ Romanella, along withmission STS-120 Commander PamMelroy and Pilot George Zamka,revealed the module’s new name:“Harmony.” It is the first U.S. pieceof the station named by peopleoutside of the agency.

Also attending the event wereBill Gerstenmaier, associateadministrator for Space Operations,and astronaut Mike Baker, aveteran of four space flights.

“It’s an exciting time in thehistory of human exploration, withthe recent incredible assemblyactivities onboard the station, aswell as preparations for futurestation missions happening here inthis facility,” said Romanella, whois director of International SpaceStation and Spacecraft Processing.

The node received its newname through the NASA ExploringSpace Challenges program gearedat kindergarten through 12th gradestudents nationwide. The Node 2Challenge, held in the fall of 2006,

required students to learn aboutthe space station, build a scalemodel of Node 2 and write anessay explaining their chosenname.

“Involving the youth of ournation in our space program isimportant,” Melroy said. “It will bean exciting moment when the STS-120 crew opens the module inspace.”

Entries came from 32 states andone U.S. Department of Defenseschool in Japan. The 62 entriesinvolved more than 3,000 studentsacross all grade levels. The mostsuggested name was submitted bysix different schools and wasselected because it symbolizes thespirit of international cooperationembodied by the station as awhole.

The winning entries for“Harmony” came from WorldGroup Home School in Monona,Wis.; a ninth grade class fromLubbock High School in Texas;third grade classes from BuchananElementary School in BatonRouge, La., and West NavarreIntermediate School in Navarre,Fla.; and eighth grade classes fromLeague City Intermediate Schoolin League City, Texas, and BrowneAcademy in Alexandria, Va.

Harmony will be delivered tothe station on mission STS-120,scheduled for later this year. It isthe second of three nodes that willserve as connectors on the station.During the mission, Harmony willbe attached to the front of the U.S.Lab Destiny.

Both the European SpaceAgency Columbus module and theJapan Aerospace ExplorationAgency Kibo research module willuse connecting ports on Harmony.

In an agreement betweenNASA and ESA, the node was builtby Alenia Spazio at its facility inTorino, Italy. Harmony weighsapproximately 30,000 pounds andis about 24 feet in length and 15feet in diameter. According toRomanella, it is presently theheaviest element for delivery tothe station.

Page 3: March 23, 2007 Vol. 46, No. 6 Spaceport News

SPACEPORT NEWS Page 3March 23, 2007

Hanson receives woman engineer award

ROSELLE HANSON was namedthe 2007 Outstanding WomanEngineer of the Year by the Societyof Women Engineers’ SpaceCoast Chapter.

By Jennifer Wolfinger Staff Writer

Roselle Hanson, the Engi-neering Directorate’sdeputy director for manage-

ment, was recently selected as theOutstanding Woman Engineer ofthe Year by the Society of WomenEngineers’ Space Coast Chapter.

She was recognized for hersustained excellence, outstandingleadership and personal integritythat exemplifies and promotes thegoals of the society.

“I was very surprised andhonored to be selected. I wasnominated about 10 years ago inanother category and, from thatexperience, I knew the othernominees would be highlytalented, respected and haveoutstanding credentials,” saidHanson. “I did not expect to win; ittruly was a surprise.”

In her position, she is respon-sible for the business, work forceand personnel aspects of theEngineering Directorate. Sheworks with all of the directorate’sdivisions and offices to maintain

According to Hanson, thedirectorate works closely with theLaunch Services Program, LaunchVehicle Processing, InternationalSpace Station and SpacecraftProcessing, and ConstellationGround Operations organizations.

“I have been very fortunate tohave had opportunities to work inmany directorates here at KennedySpace Center and at NASAHeadquarters and Johnson SpaceCenter, and to have led severalhigh-performing teams,” sheexplained.

“I love the work we do atNASA and the people — ourNASA and contractor work force— are the best. I believe inmentoring individuals and helpingthem see opportunities to learn andgrow.”

Award nominees must demon-strate a high level of competence,leadership and personal integrityin their job; contribute personallyto their organization’s mission;have developed, or be developing,their own potential in the engi-neering profession or outsideactivities and have helped other

the skills and work force requiredto meet NASA’s needs on time andon budget.

women engineers develop theirpotential.

Nominees also must haveworked for and significantlycontributed to the enhancement ofwomen’s status on the job or in thecommunity; have at least sevencumulative years of engineeringexperience; and reside or work inBrevard, Volusia or Indian Rivercounties.

Hanson graduated from CorbinHigh School in her hometown ofCorbin, Ky. She received anassociate’s degree in civil engi-neering technology from theUniversity of Kentucky. Later, sheearned a Bachelor of Sciencedegree in electrical engineeringand a Master of Science inindustrial engineering andmanagement systems from theUniversity of Central Florida.

Her husband, Dave, teachesand coaches at Astronaut HighSchool in Titusville. They enjoybeing active in their church andhave two adult children, Eric andJill. For information about thesociety, visit http://www.swe-sc.org.

Willcoxon to lead Launch Vehicle Processing

RITA WILLCOXON is director of theLaunch Vehicle ProcessingDirectorate. She is the first womanto hold that position at Kennedy.

By Linda Herridge Staff Writer

When Rita Willcoxonbecame director of theLaunch Vehicle

Processing Directorate at KennedySpace Center in January, shebecame the first woman in thehistory of the space program tohold that position.

Her responsibilities includeoverseeing the processing of threeorbiter vehicles and integratingand launching the Space Transpor-tation System missions. She is alsoresponsible for the transition andretirement of shuttle assets as theprogram concludes.

She has recently been taskedby Tip Talone, the KSC Constella-tion Project Office director, toassist in planning and ultimatelyperforming the launch vehicle andintegrated processing of theConstellation system. Her team is

already heavily engaged inactivities leading to the planned2009 launch of the Ares 1-Xtest flight.

“The challenge for the organi-zation is in balancing all three ofthese very important KSC roles ”Willcoxon said.

She said the biggest challengewill be to safely fly four to fiveshuttle launches per year in orderto complete the InternationalSpace Station before the end of theprogram in 2010, while gearing upfor the new Constellation Programat the same time.

“Our primary near-termchallenge in Constellation is tocomplete the ground supportsystem modifications to prepare forthe Ares I-X test flight.”

This work will be added to theexisting Space Program OperationsContract in which Willcoxon hastechnical management representa-tive responsibility.

“I am enjoying my new role,”Willcoxon said. “I’ve had differentchallenges in my career, but this isthe most challenging. The LaunchVehicle Processing organizationhas a very exciting future and I amgrateful to be a part of it.”

She said former ShuttleProcessing Director Mike Wetmorehelped to prepare her for the newrole. “And I’m surrounded by agreat group of highly motivatedpeople who are passionate anddedicated to their work.”

Willcoxon said she is gratefulfor the expertise of NASA SpaceShuttle Program Manager WayneHale. “He’s there to make sureeverything we do is integratedacross the agency and he asks thehard questions,” she said.

Willcoxon has worked at KSCfor 19 years, but has 25 years ofgovernment service. Prior to hernew position, she served as deputydirector of Shuttle Processing.

Previous positions included actingdirector and deputy director of theSpaceport Engineering andTechnology Directorate.

Page 4: March 23, 2007 Vol. 46, No. 6 Spaceport News

Page 4 SPACEPORT NEWS March 23, 2007

More than 5,000 people attend 2007 KenneFrom the beautiful Florida

weather to the delicioussamples at the annual Chili

Cookoff, the 2007 Kennedy SpaceCenter All-American Picnic onMarch 10 at KARS Park 1 was theperfect opportunity for employeesto meet co-workers and theirfamilies.

For the Chili Cookoff, attend-ees voted the C.O.P.S. boothsponsored by the NASA FederalLaw Enforcement TrainingAcademy and Space GatewaySupport as the People’s Choicewinner. For receiving the mostvotes, the group will donate$1,130 to the Amyotrophic LateralSclerosis Association (ALS),

Florida Chapter. ALS is oftenreferred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Orion’s Irish Pub sponsored byLockheed Martin won the Judges’Choice category, and the Pirates ofthe Chilibean sponsored by theNASA Human Resources Officewon Best Storefront.

In the fishing tournament,winners included StephanieOuellette, Patrick Matthews, SeanBenzinger, Steven Valdivia andAlyssa Coe. Free-throw tournamentwinners were Timothy Buntting inthe children’s category and CoreyWalker in the teenager category.The popular pie-eating contest waswon by Ryan Bonnicksen.

ASTRONAUTS JANICE Voss (left), Eric Boe and Megan McArthur signpersonalized autographs during this year’s All-American Picnic.

JUDGES FOR the Chili Cookoff included, from left, Bill Sample, MikeBolger, Bob Willcox, Pat Simpkins and Joe Dowdy. They chose Orion’sIrish Pub, sponsored by Lockheed Martin, as their favorite.

THE PEOPLE’S Choice winner for the ChiliCookoff went to the C.O.P.S. booth sponsoredby the NASA Federal Law EnforcementTraining Academy and Space GatewaySupport. The team includes, from left, JonWilloughby, Amanda Hurley, Tim Suspanic,Keith Fields, John Stubbe and RachelleFields.

THE 2007 Kennedy Space Center All-American Picnic held March 10 at KARS Park With temperatures in the 70s, employees and families enjoyed the perfect setting fo

CENTER DIRECTOR Bill Parsons (and-white 1961 Volkswagen Bug, th

Page 5: March 23, 2007 Vol. 46, No. 6 Spaceport News

Page 5SPACEPORT NEWSMarch 23, 2007

nedy Space Center All-American Picnic

rk 1 included an expanded menu selection. for a day outdoors.

s (left) presents Rocco Russo, owner of a red-, the trophy for “Center Director’s Choice.”

CATHY HESTER’S 2002 Victory Drifter, which featuresthe space station on the gas tank and a space shuttleon the back fender, won Motorcycle Best of Show.

THE TUSKEGEEAirmen talked abouttheir personalexperiences andsigned autographsduring the All-American Picnic.Other exhibitsincluded theDisabilityAwareness andAction WorkingGroup, KSCBarracudas DiveClub, KSC FitnessCenters, KSCAmateurAstronomers, USFish and WildlifeService and more.

THE CHILDREN at this year’s picnic enjoyed a variety of games and treats. At left, Ashley Campbell gets herface painted by Shani Pehl. Nineteen children’s games were part of the Children’s Carnival.

DENNIS MCDONOUGH won Truck Best of Show forhis custom pickup.

Page 6: March 23, 2007 Vol. 46, No. 6 Spaceport News

Page 6 SPACEPORT NEWS March 23, 2007

Kennedy co-hosts FIRST robotics regional contestBy Jeff Stuckey Editor

High school students fromthroughout Florida, sevenother states and Puerto

Rico packed the University ofCentral Florida Arena March 8-10to compete in the 2007 FloridaFIRST Regional Robotics Compe-tition. NASA’s Kennedy SpaceCenter and the UCF College ofEngineering and ComputerScience co-hosted this year’sFIRST, or For Inspiration andRecognition of Science andTechnology, regional event.

This annual contest bringstogether students, mentors,teachers and parents to collaborateand share challenges after sixweeks of designing and building arobot.

The Florida regional event ispart of a nationwide contest thatteams mentors and young peopletogether to solve an engineeringdesign problem in a competitiveway. The national competition willinvolve more than 30,000 highschool students on more than1,130 teams this year.

This year’s game, called “Rackand Roll,” featured studentsdesigning and building robots thatplaced inflatable tubes on a three-level rack in the center of the

playing field.Midway through the first day’s

competition, a select number ofstudents served as hosts forsponsors attending an invitation-only luncheon featuring KennedySpace Center Director Bill Parsonsas guest speaker.

“The new Vision for SpaceExploration was rolled out in 2004and that takes us back to the moonand on to Mars,” Parsons said.“Although NASA has beeninvolved in a lot of space opera-tions since the Apollo era, we havenot designed a new space vehiclein quite a while, so this will be anew endeavor for us and we needstudents like you to help us. Weneed you to get involved withengineering, get involved inscience and get as much hands-onexperience as you possibly can.”

Other major sponsors involvedin the Florida regional eventinclude ASRC Aerospace, Boeing,Lockheed Martin and UnitedSpace Alliance.

More than 70 scholarshipopportunities worth close to $8million are available to studentsparticipating in this year’s FIRSTevents. The FIRST Championshipwill take place at Atlanta’s GeorgiaDome on April 12-14. Visitwww.usfirst.org for information.

COMPETING ROBOTS try to loop the large metal target with coloredrings. The robots are products of student teams taking part in the FIRSTrobotics event held at the University of Central Florida Arena March 8-10.

CENTERDIRECTOR BillParsons (center)dons the pink wigthat representsteam No. 233,composed ofstudents fromRockledge,Cocoa Beachand Viera HighSchools. Theteam is co-sponsored byNASA KSC.

THE FIRST, or For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology,Robotics Competition challenges teams of young people and their mentorsto solve a common problem in a six-week timeframe using a standard kit ofparts and a common set of rules.

STUDENT TEAMSrepresentingFlorida and severalout-of-state areasdisplay and work ontheir robots in thepit area for theFIRST roboticsevent. NASA and theUniversity of CentralFlorida are co-hosts of this year’sFlorida regionalcontest. SeveralKennedy SpaceCenter employeesserve as mentors,judges andreferees at theannual event.

Page 7: March 23, 2007 Vol. 46, No. 6 Spaceport News

SPACEPORT NEWSMarch 23, 2007 Page 7

Remembering Our Heritage

By Kay Grinter Reference Librarian

Developing the budget tobuild a moonport wasalmost as challenging as

building the space center itself.NASA was already partnered

with the U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers in 1961 when NASAannounced that 80,000 acres ofland on Cape Canaveral and thesurrounding area would bepurchased to support manned lunarflight and missions requiringadvanced Saturn and Novaboosters. NASA requested that theCorps act as the real estate agentfor the acquisition, and laterperform design and constructionservices for the facilities.

The budget process wascomplicated in 1962 for RoccoPetrone, chief of the HeavyVehicle Systems Office for theLaunch Operations Center. Histeam had to plan and budget fornew facilities and equipment for anundefined launch vehicle to meetthe deadline set before thedecade’s end.

Budget figures had previouslybeen in the millions of dollars;expenditures in the hundreds ofmillions now had to be justified.

After Congress passed anappropriation act, the Bureau ofthe Budget released apportionedmoney to NASA periodically

45 years ago: ‘How much does it cost to build a moonport?’NASA number crunchers ask

according to phases of develop-ment. NASA Headquarters thentransferred money to the center atintervals for each project.

All of the funds appropriatedfor a project for a specific fiscalyear were rarely released duringthat year.

NASA alumnus Libba Johnsonwas a program budget analyst infinancial management in 1962 anddeputy of resources managementwhen she retired in 1992. “After wegot a lump sum from NASAHeadquarters,” she said, “weparceled it out to various contrac-tors.”

Under contract to NASA, theCorps was allowed to recoveradministrative fees by agreement.“The orange groves were alsoleased back to the original ownersthrough the Corps,” Johnsonrecalled.

The construction funding“spoon-fed” to the center peakedin 1963 at $204.3 million, withonly slightly lower amountstransferred over the next threeyears.

Hal Row was a structuralengineer who joined the Corps in1962. “We took NASA’s require-ments and turned them into designrequirements,” recalled Row, nowa consultant at the Kennedy SpaceCenter Visitor Complex.

“Everything was being donefor the first time. We had no idea

EARLY DEVELOPMENT at the center included extending the railroad pastthe Central Supply Warehouse (above) and completion of the Operationsand Checkout Building (below).

National Space Club honors Melnick with Debus Award

how dramatic the outcome wouldbe.”

Row thrived on the challengeand left the Corps in 1967 to workfor NASA.

In retrospect, how much does it

cost to build a moonport? By thetime 1968 drew to a close, $917.9million had been spent on con-struction of facilities at KennedySpace Center.

BRUCE MELNICK will behonored with the 2007 DebusAward for his contributions toAmerica’s space program. Theevent will be held April 28 at theKennedy Space Center VisitorComplex’s Debus Center.

The National Space ClubFlorida Committee invitesthe spaceport to honor

Bruce Melnick, former NASAastronaut and current vice presi-dent of Boeing Florida Operations,as the winner of the 2007 DebusAward for outstanding contribu-tions to America’s space program.

The Debus Dinner will be heldApril 28 at the Kennedy SpaceCenter Visitor Complex’s Debus

Center.The reception begins at 6:30

p.m., followed by dinner at 7:30p.m. Individual tickets are $75 formembers and $85 for non-mem-bers. Corporate tables, with seatingfor 10, are available for $800.Space is limited at the black-tie-optional event. Contact LaDonnaNeterer at 321-505-2037 [email protected] forreservations.

Page 8: March 23, 2007 Vol. 46, No. 6 Spaceport News

Page 8 SPACEPORT NEWS March 23, 2007

John F. Kennedy Space Center

Managing editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . William JohnsonEditor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .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: 733-049/600129

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 KSCcivil service 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 [email protected].

Cape Canaveral Lighthouse lantern room restored

As workers wait at the top ofthe newly repainted CapeCanaveral Lighthouse (left), a

crane carefully moves the refurbished18,000-pound lantern room towardthem. The optic, or light, (visible inthe center of the tower) was powereddown for the restoration and removedfor maintenance and overhaul, aswell. This rotating beacon — whichcan be seen up to 22 miles offshore— is operated by the U.S. CoastGuard, while the lighthouse is ownedby the U.S. Air Force.

The extensive refurbishmentproject was started a year agofollowing many years of normalweathering in the coastal location,which was heightened by hurricanedamage from the 2004 season. As partof the restoration, the original brassroof of the lantern room was returnedto the structure and its familiar black-and-white “daymark” was repainted.The final step will be the relightingof this active navigational aid,scheduled for sometime in spring.

The 2007 KSC BiannualDiversity Event with guestspeaker George Takei will

be held in the KSC TrainingAuditorium at 11:30 a.m. April 9.

Takei is best known for hisportrayal of Mr. Sulu in theacclaimed television and filmseries “Star Trek.” Takei iscurrently playing the father of timetraveler Hiro Nakamura on theNBC TV series “Heroes.”

Takei was born in Los Angeles.During World War II, his familyand 120,000 other Japanese-Americans were placed withinbarbed-wire enclosures of U.S.internment camps. Takei spent

Biannual Diversity Event features Star Trek actormost of his childhood at CampRohwer in the swamps of Arkansasand at wind-swept Camp TuleLake in northern California. Hisfamily eventually returned to LosAngeles, where Takei began hisacting career.

A community activist, Takeiserves as chairman of the councilof governors of East West Players,the nation’s foremost Asian PacificAmerican theatre. He is chairmanemeritus of the board of trustees ofthe Japanese American NationalMuseum and a past member of theadvisory committee of the Califor-nia Civil Liberties Public Educa-tion Program. He is also a member

of the Human Rights Campaign.Seating allocations for this

presentation will be provided todirectorates and contractors. Theprogram will also air on NASA TVfor those unable to attend. Noflash photography or individualvideography will be allowedduring the presentation. For thosepresent in the auditorium, therewill be an opportunity for ques-tions following the formal presen-tation.

GEORGE TAKEI will appear at theTraining Auditorium on April 9.

Spaceport employees receive 15-percentdiscount for Camp KSC spring session

Camp Kennedy SpaceCenter’s spring sessionfor children entering

second though ninth grade isscheduled for March 26-30.Regular tuition is $295 perchild.

There is a 15-percentdiscount for badged employees

and contractors of Kennedy SpaceCenter, Cape Canaveral Air ForceStation, Patrick Air Force Baseand retired KSC personnel. Springcamp hours are from 9 a.m. to4:30 p.m., with extended drop-offand late pick-up hours availablefree for badged employees. Call321-449-4444 for details.