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Thursday, March 12, 2015

Fwd: NASA News and JSC Today - Thursday, March 12, 2015



Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Moon, Larry J. (JSC-EA411)" <larry.j.moon@nasa.gov>
Date: March 12, 2015 at 8:35:52 AM CDT
To: "Moon, Larry J. (JSC-EA411)" <larry.j.moon@nasa.gov>
Subject: FW: NASA News and JSC Today - Thursday, March 12, 2015

JSC Today - Thursday, March 12, 2015

Kinda thin today on news.   Another wet day, so be safe out there.  And tomorrow we Flex.

 

 

LEADING THE NEWS

• SLS Booster Tested In "Spectacular" Display.

• Enceladus May Have Underground Hot Springs.

NASA NEWS

• Winston Scott To Speak At Fresno City College.

HUMAN EXPLORATION AND OPERATIONS

• Wilmore And Others Return Safely From ISS.

• New Pepsi Challenge Relaunched With Space Video Component.

• ISS Captures London, South Devon In Video.

• Photos Show Brightman's "Grueling Training."

• Vision For Mars Challenge Winners Announced.

SLS Booster Tested In "Spectacular" Display.

The CBS Evening News (3/11, story 11, 0:20, Pelley, 5.08M) broadcast that in Utah there was a "spectacular display" when NASA successfully test fired for two minutes "a souped-up version of a space shuttle solid rocket booster."

        The AP (3/11) notes that with "the first pre-flight test for the Space Launch System," NASA is "one step closer" toward deep space missions. According to the article, Orbital ATK, which also carried out the test, claimed the test was "an important milestone" because it involved a five-segment motor for the first time. The article also notes that officials stated that the rocket motor produced "3.6 million pounds of thrust" as expected.

        The Deseret (UT) News (3/11, Lee, 538K) reports that while the SLS will be flexible and "the most powerful rocket in history," it also "builds on the technology from previous rockets," according to NASA Booster chief engineer David Wood. According to the article, Tim Lawrence, SLS Booster Motor system manager, said there has been "significant progress" on the booster, which is on track "to meet the planned 2016 phase two test and the 2018 flight schedule." In a longer version of the Deseret News article, the KSL-TV Salt Lake City (3/11, Lee, Hollenhorst, 1.07M) website notes that there are those who view the SLS as "a waste of money" that Congress "forced" onto NASA. However, Alex Priskos, manager of NASA's SLS Boosters Office, said that there were even some at NASA who agreed with that view once, "I think, right now, the important part is we've watched an agency really coalesce around a vision; and what dispersion might have been there has narrowed significantly over the last couple of years."

Enceladus May Have Underground Hot Springs.

The AP (3/11) reports that a team led by Sean Hsu of the University of Colorado in Boulder has determined that Cassini data shows that Enceladus may have "hot springs...beneath the icy surface." If this is confirmed, Enceladus would be "an even more attractive place in the hunt for microbial life." The moon would also be the only other body in the solar system other than Earth to have known hypothermal vents. Meanwhile, the article notes that the new study also found that Enceladus' ocean could be deeper than previously estimated.

        The Los Angeles Times (3/11, Khan, 3.49M) "Science Now" website, in a more detailed summary of how the conclusion was made, notes that Hsu said that Enceladusis now the "second-top object for astrobiology interest" after Europa. He added that this "astrobiological potential" would only be confirmed if another mission was sent to Enceladus.

       

Winston Scott To Speak At Fresno City College.

The Fresno (CA) Bee (3/11, Appleton, 323K) reports that NASA astronaut Winston Scott will speak at Fresno City College at an event open to the public on March 19. Scott will discuss his experiences with NASA on the Challenger and Endeavor missions in the 1990's.

Wilmore And Others Return Safely From ISS.

The AP (3/11) reports that astronauts Barry Wilmore, Alexander Samokutayev, and Elena Serova successfully returned to Earth from their six-month mission at the ISS, landing safely in Kazakhstan. The article notes that there was "heavy fog" in the landing zone, but the astronauts were retrieved from their Soyuz capsule "within a half-hour." They all seemed to be "in good condition," according to the article.

        Florida Today (3/11, Dean, 178K) notes that the next set of astronauts, including Scott Kelly, will launch to the ISS on March 27.

        The ABC News (3/12, 3.41M) website has more from astronaut Doug Wheelock describing the difference between returning to Earth aboard the space shuttle and a Soyuz.

        The Tennessean (3/11, Humbles, 406K), in its coverage of the return, reports that NASA spokeswoman Sarah Ramsey said, "What the astronauts are doing [at the ISS] is critical to space exploration. ... It's critical science research for future space exploration to Mars and applications that benefit Earth."

        Also covering the story are NASA Space Flight (3/11, Bergin, 305), Sputnik News (3/12), another Sputnik News (3/12) article, Deutsche Welle (DEU) (3/12, 20K), Radio Free Europe (3/12, 16K), AmericaSpace (3/12, Evans), SPACE (3/11, Kramer, 236K), ITAR-TASS News Agency (3/12, 5K), Reuters (3/12, Klotz, Solovyov), NBC News (3/11, Boyle, 2.71M) website, another ABC News (3/12, Good, 3.41M) website article, International Business Times (3/12, Hanrahan, 1.19M), and collectSPACE (3/11, Pearlman).

        Blog Coverage. Eric Berger at the Houston Chronicle (3/11, 2.28M) "SciGuy" blog notes that he had "the good fortune" to see Wilmore's launch six months ago, where he noted how the astronaut interacted with his wife and children before going into space. Berger notes that Wilmore broke with the typical Russian launch tradition by interacting with his family on his way to the buses that would take him to the launch pad.

New Pepsi Challenge Relaunched With Space Video Component.

ABC News (3/12, 3.41M) reports on its website that the "40-year old Pepsi Challenge is back with a vengeance and pulling out all stops" in the brand's "biggest socially-led, content driven initiative ever." Pepsi will also reportedly "up the ante" in the cola wars by working with Urthecast to create the first, "epic film adventure shot from space" in ultra high-definition. The footage will come from the ISS.

        Today Show Online (3/11, 1.8M) also covers the story.

ISS Captures London, South Devon In Video.

The Torquay (UK) Herald Express (3/11) posts a video taken of South Devon, UK from the ISS. South Devon's protected countryside makes the county look darker than the rest of the country. The lights of London can also be seen in the video.

Photos Show Brightman's "Grueling Training."

The Daily Mail (UK) (3/12, Woollaston, 4.78M) posts photographs of British singer Sarah Brightman's "grueling training regime" for a ten-day stint at the ISS as a space tourist.

Vision For Mars Challenge Winners Announced.

The Houston Chronicle (3/11, Hines, 2.28M) reports that National Space Biomedical Research Institute Industry Forum chose the three winners of the Vision for Mars Challenge, which asked competitors to develop "software and products to identify and treat eye disorders." Dorit Donoviel, the institute's deputy chief scientist, said in a statement that NASA wants these types of products "to provide critical information about ocular health during spaceflight."

 

 

From: JSC Today [mailto:jsc-jsctoday@mail.nasa.gov]
Sent: Thursday, March 12, 2015 6:00 AM
To: JSC-Today
Subject: JSC Today - Thursday, March 12, 2015

 

 

 

 

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Expedition 42 Returns to Earth

 

 

   Headlines

  1. Upcoming ICA Call for Proposals

The center's Chief Technologist Office is pleased to announce that there will be an upcoming Innovation Charge Account (ICA) Call for proposals before the end of this month. The ICA Call will solicit early-stage conceptual ideas from both JSC/White Sands Test Facility civil servants and contractors in support of NASA's Evolvable Mars Campaign (EMC). It is anticipated that the ICA Call will propose three different solicitation technology development areas you may elect to respond to for your revolutionary EMC-related proposal. These are: 1) Technological Advancement, or 2) Cross- or Multi-Disciplinary Integrated Approach or 3) Process Improvement. Project funding will be for $10,000 per project (perhaps more for the cross-discipline collaborative efforts), and will be awarded at the beginning of this May for a 16-week period of performance during Fiscal Year 2015. Please start formulating your ideas and look for the formal ICA Call announcement in JSC Today by the end of March.

David L. Brown x37426

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  1. Shipping Service Changes – JF195s

NASA Headquarters' transportation management has challenged centers to implement measures to reduce shipping costs. For this reason, all requests for shipments via a JF195 "Request for Shipment of Printed Matter" will be processed via three-day service unless valid justification is provided.

Silvia Hanagriff x36512

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  1. WSTF Network Outage - March 13 to 15

The White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) will undergo a firewall hardware upgrade from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (MT) Friday, March 13, to cut over to the new firewalls in the new WSTF Data Center. The actual outage is not expected to last for more than one hour at some point during the outage window.

This will affect all network connectivity for WSTF, and network connectivity between JSC and WSTF.

During this activity, intermittent outages will be experienced throughout the weekend as failover and redundancies are tested and verified. Affected network resources include Voice over IP Phones (VoIP), wireless Internet, WSTF Virtual Private Network (VPN) and wired Internet networks.

We apologize for any inconvenience and are working diligently to keep all network outages to a minimum.

For questions regarding outage or update activity, please contact the Enterprise Service Desk (ESD) at 1-877-677-2123.

JSC IRD Outreach x39515

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  1. The Decision to Use Lithium Ion Batteries

"They thought that this was going to be a bomb waiting to happen." Visit JSC Knowledge Online to read more about how the EVA Project Office and Engineering Propulsion & Power Division worked together to determine how to safely and reliably switch the batteries used in spacesuits from the older silver-zinc technology to newer but potentially more dangerous lithium-ion units. Extensive testing, analysis, risk assessment and expert guidance were required to ensure that the life of the astronaut working in the harsh environment of space was protected.

Read the case study, "Weighing Risk: The Decision to Use Lithium Ion Batteries for the EMU," and consider what lessons we can take away from this and apply to our own tasks. While you are there, please take time to give us your feedback.

Julie Barnes-Gober x38407 https://knowledge.jsc.nasa.gov/index.cfm

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   Organizations/Social

  1. What Color is the Dress?

Have you seen the notorious color-controversial dress that had social media asking: What color is the dress? Is it black and blue or white and gold? The scientific answer is both. Color consistency is subjective, as the appearance of a material may take on various observed colors. The apparent color is dependent on three variables: the material itself, the illuminating light and the observer. In the case of the dress, change in digital display illuminant and human color perception can generate different interpretations of color appearance.

NASA does have technical standards and requirements that address the selection of color for displays and architectural materials. Refer to NASA-STD-3001-Vol 2 and International Space Station document SSP-50005. These standards aim to protect visual quality and legibility. This article was submitted by JSC's Lighting Environment Test Facility in celebration of the United Nations designation of 2015 as the International Year of Light.

Toni A. Clark, P.E. x30857 http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/slsd/about/divisions/hefd/facilities...

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  1. Viewing of 'Makers: Women Who Make America Part 3'

In support of Women's History Month, please join the Women Excelling in Life and Leadership (WELL) Employee Resource Group for the documentary viewing of "Makers: Women Who Make America - Part 3, Charting a New Course."

The viewing will consist of the third and last part of the film ("Charting a New Course"), chronicling the 1980s and 1990s. The film illustrates issues women faced in the workforce, violence against women, the Clarence Thomas Supreme Court nomination and sexual harassment.

A roundtable discussion will be held following the film.

Please see the attached flyer for details.

Event Date: Wednesday, March 25, 2015   Event Start Time:11:30 AM   Event End Time:1:00 PM
Event Location: Building 12, Room 200/200A

Add to Calendar

Ester Lunnon x47532 https://ba.jsc.nasa.gov/OP/WELL/SitePages/Home.aspx

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  1. No Boundaries ERG Seeking New Members

The newly established and approved No Boundaries Employee Resource Group (NoBo ERG) is launching a membership drive. The NoBo ERG "promotes the development, inclusion and innovation of JSC's workforce, with a focus on employees with disabilities."

We seek interested employees at JSC (civil servants and contractors) who will help further "facilitate a working environment accessible and inclusive of all abilities, which in turn makes the center a safer and better place to work for the entire JSC workforce."

You do not need to self-identify any disabilities, but knowing more about what would assist you, a family member or friend will help us target our efforts more closely to actual needs.

Please sign up in person at the March 17 membership meeting. Meetings can then be attended in person or by conference call-in.

Event Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2015   Event Start Time:11:30 AM   Event End Time:12:30 PM
Event Location: Bldg 16 Room 2152A

Add to Calendar

Steve Candler x37152

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  1. Youth Brain Development Basics

Join us as we take an introductory look at two key periods in the development of youth. We will go over key changes in the brain during early childhood and discuss how the brain continues its growth and transition during the tween and teen years. Come and learn key concepts and terms that are involved in the cognitive, social and emotional development of the young person in your life. Ideas and tools for encouraging constructive and navigating troubling behaviors will also be addressed. Please join Anika Isaac, MS, LPC, LMFT, NCC, LCDC, CEAP, with JSC Employee Assistance Program, as she presents "Youth Brain Development Basics."

Event Date: Thursday, March 19, 2015   Event Start Time:11:30 AM   Event End Time:12:30 PM
Event Location: Building 30 Auditorium

Add to Calendar

Lorrie Bennett, Employee Assistance Program, Occupational Health Branch x36130

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  1. Parent's Night Out at Starport – March 20

Enjoy a night out on the town while your kids enjoy a night with Starport. We will entertain your children with a night of games, crafts, a bounce house, pizza, movie, dessert and loads of fun!

When: Friday, March 20, from 6 to 10 p.m.

Where: Gilruth Center

Ages: 5 to 12

Cost: $20/first child and $10/each additional sibling if registered by the Wednesday prior to event. If registered after Wednesday, the fee is $25/first child and $15/additional sibling.

Shericka Phillips x35563 https://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/en/programs/familyyouth-programs/parents-n...

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  1. 8th NASA Golf Tournament: Registration Ends Soon

Attention Golfers - registration ends March 20!

The eighth Annual NASA Golf Tournament will be our biggest and best one yet. Proceeds generated by the tournament directly fund the JSC Scholarship Program. The tournament will once again be held over two days at Magnolia Creek Golf Club.

Tournament Date 1:

    • Thursday, April 16
    • 8 a.m. shotgun start

-- OR --

Tournament Date 2:

    • Friday, April 17
    • 8 a.m. shotgun start

Registration fee includes green fees, driving range, 2015 NASA golf polo, breakfast, lunch, participation bag, silent-auction entry, drink tickets, tournament awards, door prizes and more.

Register your team today. Don't miss out on this great event!

Steve Schade x30317 https://starport.jsc.nasa.gov/en/programs/special-events/golf-tournament

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   Jobs and Training

  1. End User Services Hands-on Training

The Information Resources Directorate (IRD) is providing hands-on End User Services training from 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday, March 19, in Building 12, Room 142.

Learn how to navigate the online services used and supported by IRD. This is hands-on training for the Enterprise Service Request System (ESRS), Center Validation Tool (CVT), NASA Access Management System (NAMS), Customer Service System (CSS) and more.

To sign up, visit the Training Schedule Web page.

IRD Customer Support Center x46367

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  1. Electrical Safety Refresher ViTS - April 27

This three-hour course is designed to provide the student with a review of Occupational Safety and Health Administration electrical standards and the hazards associated with electrical installations and equipment. Topics may include single- and three-phase systems; cord- and plug-connected and fixed equipment; grounding; ground-fault circuit interrupters; hazardous locations; and safety-related work practices. This course is designed for those who have either taken the three-day course SMA-SAFE-NSTC-0309, Electrical Safety Standards, or those who have a lot of experience working with electrical systems. It may also be used for those who have a need for only electrical safety awareness and do not work with electrical systems on a regular basis. This course does not cover spacecraft or flight electrical systems. There will be a final exam associated with this course, which must be passed with a 70 percent minimum score to receive course credit.

Use this direct link for registration.

https://satern.nasa.gov/learning/user/deeplink_redirect.jsp?linkId=SCHEDULED_...

Shirley Robinson x41284

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  1. Personal Protective & Life Saving Eqpt ViTS 4/28

This three-hour course is based on Occupational Safety and Health Administration SHA CFR 1926.95 through 1926.107 of construction industry regulations, Subpart E, Personal Protective and Life Saving Equipment. During the course, the student will become familiar with the 1926.95 through 1926.107 regulations for personal protective requirements in construction and will receive an overview of the topics needed to apply proper personal protection equipment. There will be a final exam associated with this course, which must be passed with a 70 percent minimum score to receive course credit.

Use this direct link for registration.

https://satern.nasa.gov/learning/user/deeplink_redirect.jsp?linkId=SCHEDULED_OFFERING_DETAILS&scheduleID=77936

Shirley Robinson x41284

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  1. Rare Events (That Happen All the Time) - Webcast

Date/Time: March 18 at 1 p.m. CDT (lasts approximately one hour)

There have been several books published recently related to understanding the probabilities of everyday and rare events. Dr. Cynthia H. Null will provide a variety of examples of events that are misperceived as having a low probability or being surprising. She will discuss some reasons for these misperceptions and the implications for engineering.

To RSVP to attend the live webcast, click here.

Learn more!

Event Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2015   Event Start Time:1:00 PM   Event End Time:2:00 PM
Event Location: Webcast

Add to Calendar

Cornelius Dennehy 301-286-5696

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   Community

  1. Chili Like There's No Tomorrow

Chili lovers and chili cookers unite! The 37th Annual JSC FOD Chili Cook-off is Saturday, April 11, at the Gilruth. Like chili? Get a ticket from a team captain or in the Starport Gift Shops. Think you can cook chili? Well, we'll be the judge of that! Come test your skills against the 40-plus other teams in chili. There are also prizes for space trivia, showmanship and games. So, what we are saying is ... what are you waiting for?! Register now.

Event Date: Saturday, April 11, 2015   Event Start Time:8:00 AM   Event End Time:5:00 PM
Event Location: Gilruth Complex

Add to Calendar

Elmer Johnson x32084 https://external.jsc.nasa.gov/events/chili/index.cfm

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  1. Applications Being Accepted for Scholarship

The NASA College Scholarship Program will award multiple scholarships agencywide to qualified dependents of NASA civil servant employees. The scholarship recipients must pursue a course of study leading to an undergraduate degree in science or engineering from an accredited college or university in the United States. Applications are available online.

The application deadline is March 31.

Travis Cooley x47222

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JSC Today is compiled periodically as a service to JSC employees on an as-submitted basis. Any JSC organization or employee may submit articles.

Disclaimer: Accuracy and content of these notes are the responsibility of the submitters.

 

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