Staying active

is best remedy

for aging.

Page 5

Astronauts use

new robotic arm

in training.

Page 2

Safety & Total

Health Day

best ever.

Page 4

November 5, 1999

SPACE CENTERRoundupVOL. 38, NO. 21 LY N D O N B . J O H N S O N S P A C E C E N T E R , H O U S T O N , T E X A S

A team led by NASA-JSC scientist Dr. Michael Zolensky recentlyannounced that, for the first time, liq-

uid water had been found in an object fromspace. This discovery was reported in theAugust 1999 issue of the journal Science.

Shortly after this discovery wasannounced, news of another meteorite thatfell in 1998 in Morocco was reported. Thissecond meteorite contains dark blue halite –a mineral found in the meteorite examinedby Zolensky’s team – and has inclusions of afluid, believed to be water.

This second discovery supports Zolen-sky’s belief that meteorites containing waterare probably not scarce. But by the timeresearchers get their hands on the meteorites,halite and other minerals that trap the waterhave dissolved away, and the water hasevaporated. “This phenomenon of havingliquid water in meteorites might be fairlycommon,” says Zolensky.

On March 22 last year in Monahans,Texas, a meteorite streaked across the skyand fell to Earth. Upon quitting their basket-ball game, a group of seven boys went overto inspect it. What they found was a black,grapefruit-size rock.

The next day, NASA-JSC space scien-tist Dr. Everett Gibson arrived and tookthe meteorite, later named Monahans1998, back to JSC for analysis. In a JSCclean room two days later, the rock wascarefully opened with a hammer andchisel. Researchers found halite crystalsinside, and within these crystals theyfound bubbles of water, marking the firsttime that anyone has found liquid water inan object recovered from space-and apotential indication that life may exist out-side our planet.

Because Monahans 1998 was recoveredrapidly and isolated from terrestrial contami-nants such as moisture from our atmospherewithin two days after it hit Earth, researchershad an atypically fresh sample to test. Thescientists were excited to find blue and pur-ple crystals of haliteinside. Halite is a saltcrystal that is usuallyformed from evapora-tion of briny water.

The crystals haveturned blue and pur-ple because of theradiation theyreceived from theradioactive decay ofpotassium 40 within the salt. JSC scien-tists Dr. Larry Nyquist and Dr. Don Bog-ard have dated the halite and found it to be4.5 billion years old. That means that thetrapped water could predate the sun andplanets in our solar system.

The crystalswere up to 3millimeters(about atenth of aninch) in size.These are thelargest halitecrystalsever seenby scien-tists in any extraterrestrial material. Thepresence of briny water inside the crystalswas confirmed by shining a laser beamthrough the bubbles and measuring theresultant light spectrum. The brine could

have been flowingwithin the asteroiditself when it was inspace or it could havebeen deposited on theasteroid by a passingobject, such as acomet.

“Water has beenrecognized previouslyin meteorites but it is

usually chemically combined within selectedlow-temperature phases,” said Gibson. “Discovering liquid water within the halitetrapped within high-temperature silicates ofthe meteorite was the real surprise. Thewater was essentially fluids left over from

the time of formation ofour solar system.”

Scientists did notexpect to find water inthe type of meteorite inwhich it was found.“We have been looking

for water in meteoritesfor generations, so we were

prepared to find it,” said Zolensky.“But researchers have been looking for

water in meteorites that are considered tohave been formed from water and containclay minerals.”

Researchers were equally surprised tofind water in halite, a mineral they neverexpected to find in a meteorite. Sodium chlo-ride, or table salt, is commonly found onEarth. Having this in a meteorite implies thatthere were tremendous quantities of water onthis asteroid-much more than researchershad hitherto thought.

The brine inclusions discovered in Mona-hans 1998 provide the first opportunity forthe direct analysis of a meteoritic water sam-ple, but such an analysis is difficult becauseof the small size of the inclusions. Eachinclusion contains on the order of a picomoleof water, which is beyond the capability ofhigh-precision mass spectrometers by abouta factor of a thousand. But according toZolensky, scientists in England have accessto instruments that can perform this analysis.

Extraterrestrial liquid found in second meteorite

Plans call for this research to be completedwithin a year.

In the coming year, researchers plan tolook for more samples, searching for liquidwater inclusions not only in halite but also inother minerals in meteorites. Scientists alsohave arranged to have other collaboratorsexamine the contents of the fluid in Mona-hans 1998. Knowing how much calcium,iron or magnesium is in the fluid will helpresearchers determine where this water hasbeen and how long it has been in the aster-oid. Thirdly, researchers will try to find outwhat the isotopic composition of the wateritself is by looking at the oxygen and hydro-gen isotopes in the water. This analysis willtell scientists more about the origin of thewater-whether it came from our solar systemor from somewhere else. ■

NASA JSC Photo S99-12148 by James Blair

NASA JSC Photo S99-12531 by James Blair

The Monahans 1998 Meteorite Teammembers include, from left, Dan Garrison(Lockheed Martin), Dr. Mike Zolensky (NASA),Kathleen McBride (Lockheed Martin), Dr. Larry Nyquist (NASA), and Dr. Don Bogard (NASA) (above).

Dr. Everett K. Gibson shows a model of oneof the two Monahans (1998) meteorites bear-ing the unusual salt crystals (at left).

Researchers found halite crystals (tablesalt) inside the meteorite, and within thesecrystals they found bubbles of water (below left).

2 November 5, 1999 SSPPAACCEE CCEENNTTEERR Roundup

With the completion of the mas-sive Multi-use Remote Manip-ulator Development Facility inBldg. 9, JSC has acquired an

important new addition to its array ofastronaut training tools.

This 15-ton, 60-foot-long “robotic arm”is a full-scale replica of the Canadian-builtSpace Station Remote Manipulator Sys-tem, designed to operate in a gravity envi-ronment. The flight SSRMS is currently atthe Kennedy Space Center in Florida beingreadied for launch into space aboard thespace shuttle next summer.

The MRMDF will provide pre-flighttraining for astronauts who will eventu-ally operate the actual SSRMS on orbit toassemble the space station. The MRMDFcan simulate activities that will be con-ducted by the SSRMS such as removingmodules from the shuttle payload bay,moving them around the station, andpositioning them for final assembly.

The MRMDF has seven degrees offreedom. Taking these in order from thefixed end, which is the shoulder end, theyare the shoulder roll, shoulder yaw, shoul-der pitch, elbow pitch, wrist pitch, wristyaw, and wrist roll. Astronauts use twojoystick-type controllers to commanddesired motions. The operator may con-trol single joints or command a trajectoryfor the motion at the tip of the arm.Closed-circuit TV camera viewsprovide visual cues.

“It’s strong enough to lift500 pounds when fullyextended, 60 feet inlength, flexible enoughto reach around largespace station modules,and rigid enough to simu-late the Canadian arm,” saidNASA Integration ManagerToby Martin. “Each joint iscapable of turning plus orminus 270 degrees atspeeds as low .08degrees per sec-ond and as highas 5.0 degreesper second.Within these speed ranges, the arm canrecreate the operations scenarios requiredfor crew training.” Two additional jointsreconfigure the base of the MRMDF armto simulate arm operations from differentlocations on the space station.

Ensuring that the MRMDF would becapable of joint operation at low speedswas one of the major challenges in designing and constructing the facility. “In space, moving the arm and payloadstoo fast would be dangerous,” said MikeMontz, who served as the MRMDF projectmanager. “So, arm motion in the trainingfacility had to smoothly simulate the lowspeeds normally used in space. This was achallenge with such a large mechanicaldevice, and it took a dedicated team effortfrom NASA and contractor employees tomake it successful.”

To simulate the space station environ-ment, mockups representing various stationlocations will bebuilt and posi-tioned aroundthe MRMDF

Astronauts use new robotic arm for space station assembly training

arm. Essentially, the arm will remain sta-tionary while the simulated space stationchanges around it. Mockups that are cur-rently in use include the Node, LaboratoryModule, Orbiter Payload Bay, Airlock andSpacelab Pallet.

“The MRMDF is an important trainingaid for International Space Station astro-naut crews,” said Andre Sylvester, chief,Dynamic Systems Test Branch. “It is theonly dynamic hardware simulation forhigh-fidelity Intra-Vehicular Activitytraining available to the crewmemberoperators. It has been determined by thecrewmembers that manipulation of actualhardware provides them with a usefultraining experience.”

The Boeing Company’s Space andCommunications Division built the armat the Sonny Carter Training Facility.NASA, with assistance from the Lock-heed/Lincom integration team, developedthe communications and control software.NASA also developed the cupola trainingworkstation, closed-circuit television system, latching end effector and testdirector console. Lastly, NASA had the

role of integrating all of these elementsinto a working training system.

In addition to the astronautcrewmembers who will beconducting flight proceduresin the MRMDF during theirtraining operations, theMission OperationsDirectorate providescertified robotic traininginstructors who arequalified operators, and theteam members who

integrated the arm into thefacility are certified to operate the

arm. The Automation, Robotics andSimulation Division will be the full-time operator of the facility,

providing support for maintenance,operations and sustaining engineeringactivities. ■

NASA JSC Photo S99-12315 by James Blair

Multi-use Remote Manipulator Development Facility team members, from left, front (kneeling): Mike Montz (project manager), Ken Ngo, Issa Zaid, Dago Rodriquez, Ken Alder, Matthew Ha, John Tran,Duane Johnson, Dean Landry, Alan Bell, Paul Bielski, Alberto Trujillio, Toby Martin (integration manager); middle: J.B. Buentel lo (kneeling), John Peck (kneeling), Heather Baker (standing), Anita Kemmerling (standing), Kim Baker (standing); back: Jim Brock, Larry Merkel, Tony Doran, Richard Bussey, Doug Seiler, Fran k Moore, Joe Hubbard, Garlan Moreland, Andre Sylvester (branchchief), Richard Pedersen, P.D. Lambert, Lebarian Stokes, Sam Bishop, Ed Van Maulden, Rob Bailey, Dana Snyder. Not pictured: Wes t Womack (Lockheed integration manager), Alex Lin, Lucien Junkin, Scott Killingsworth, Kent Talbot, Anna Gutkowski, Zack Crues.

NASA JSC Photo S99-12316 by James Blair

C ircling the Earth every

92 minutes, the International

Space Station is orbiting at an

altitude with a high point of 248

statute miles and a low point of

230 statute miles. Since Zarya

was launched last November, the

station has completed more than

5,000 revolutions of the planet.

Space station viewing opportuni-

ties worldwide are available on

the Internet at: http://spaceflight

.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/

November 5, 1999 3SSPPAACCEE CCEENNTTEERR Roundup

C elebrating its 15th year, the Wings OverHouston Airshow Festival delivered anotheraction packed and fun-filled weekend for

hordes of people out at Ellington Field. Despite athreat of inclement weather, the skies heldthroughout the weekend for the more than 95,000spectators who came to see one of the world’slargest airshows.

The airshow served as one of the first sites forJSC’s new Benefits of Space On-Tour mobiletheater. Organizers estimate that nearly 2,000

airshow enthusiasts visited the trailer during theweekend.

The flight festival regularly exhibits one of thelargest collections of vintage and modern aircraft inits on-the-ground display. Airshow visitors wereable to get up-close to the planes that shaped ourcountry’s history as well as the planes used to pro-tect its future, such as an F-117A Stealth. NASAaircraft, including several T-38s, the KC-135, aShuttle Training Aircraft, the WB-57 high altitudeaircraft and the Super Guppy Transport plane were

Local airshow highlights thrills of aviation

Y ears ago, visions of war-torn aircraftthundering through smoke filledskies in the World War II flick Tora!

Tora! Tora! inspired Nickie Duncan to pur-sue her own aviation dreams.

A quality assurance specialist at JSC’sAircraft Operations Directorate at Elling-ton Field since 1989 and a recent Embry-Riddle Professional Aeronautics graduate,Duncan is living her dream — workingand flying among aviation’s elite.

“This is the only place I ever reallywanted to work,” said Duncan. “I justlike being around airplanes. There’snothing like it!”

Shortly after graduating from MagnoliaHigh School, Duncan joined the U.S. AirForce and served as an aircraft mechanicon C-141As. She left in 1979 to joinNorthrop Worldwide Aircraft Services,Inc., but returned to the Air ForceReserves in 1985 as a flight engineer onC-5A/B aircraft.

J S C ★ s S H I N I N G S T A R

“I really liked the traveling,” Duncansaid of her days in the armed service. “I went around the world a few dozentimes and visited many countries. Toomany to count.”

After Desert Storm, Duncan left themilitary and returned to NASA’s aviationteam at Ellington Field where she putsher skills from the Air Force to work forthe country’s astronaut corps.

“I have approximately 3,800 totalhours of flight time,” explained Duncan.“I was C-5A/B flight engineer andinstructor, flight simulation engineer(FSE) on the Shuttle Training Aircraft,back-seat flyer on the T-38, and as a pri-vate pilot, I fly Cessna 172s.”

Her on the ground responsibilities atEllington include reviewing contract poli-cies and the airworthiness of as many asfive NASA aircraft.

“The flying is my favorite part,” saidDuncan. “As an FSE on the STA, I really

Duncan lives the dream as part of JSC’s Aircraft Operations team enjoyed watching new astronaut pilotsfinally make it to the left seat. We trainthem on the STA from when they start atNASA as an ASCAN to when theyfinally make commander of the shuttle.As a QA specialist, I don’t always likebeing the aviation police but you have tolook at it in a simple way – we’re helpingkeep the aircraft safe and, with our expe-rience and background, we also help keepthe bosses out of trouble.”

Duncan plans to continue her educa-tion through Embry-Riddle’s graduateprogram and pursue a Masters in AircraftOperations and Aviation Safety.

“Ms. Duncan is a dedicated and hardworking team member of the AircraftOperations Division Team,” said HarryDrottz, aircraft systems quality assurancebranch chief. “She is an asset to NASA,Aircraft Operations and the Quality Assurance Branch.” ■

also among those exhibited. In addition to many of the perennial air-act

favorites, including the legendary Tora! Tora! Tora!Pearl Harbor bombing re-enactment, the 1999 airshow featured flight demos from our nation’selite military aircraft. Streaking overhead were anF-15 Eagle, F-16 Falcon, AH-64 Apache Helicopterand a Stealth fighter. The skies also provided thebackdrop for aerobatic performances from national favorites such as Sean Tucker and Kent Gordon. ■

NASA JSC Photo S99-11686 by Robert Markowitz

Nickie Duncan

By Nicole Cloutier

S ome JSC employees are running aroundlike crazy to get ready for exotic trips toHonolulu and Cozumel.

Bobby Kann, GB Tech, Margie (Frances)Schafman, Boeing, and Victoria Valadez,Enterprise Advisory Services, are just a fewlocal runners participating in a program thatnot only raises funds for leukemia researchand patient assistance,but also prepares the runners to finish amarathon or bicycling century throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Leukemia is the number one disease-killer of children under 15 and also is theleading killer of young men and womenunder 35. With that in mind, more than23,000 bicyclists, runners or walkers partic-ipate in this program nationwide to raisemillions of dollars to fight it and otherrelated illnesses.

Although all the participants are intro-duced to the program in different ways, it’sthe singular goal of helping to conquerleukemia that prompts them to enlist in thecause. For Schafman, it was a very personalmission.

“My son Conrad, now 9, was diagnosed with leukemia in 1994,”explained Schafman, who plans to participate in the Cozumel Marathon inMexico this month. Her son underwent two years of chemo-therapy treat-ment, and later had to have a cancerous tumor removed.

“He’s been off the chemo treatment now for seven months,” said Schaf-man. “Training for a run like this gives you a sense of purpose – something towork towards and strive for.” It’s a similar feeling for the other runners.

“Before I committed to joining the program, I attended agroup outing of runners for Michael, an 11-year-old boy inremission from leukemia and that was it. I was hooked,” saidValadez, a regular runner at Gilruth. “Just seeing Michael inperson, and meeting someone who is going to benefit fromyour efforts, is really inspiring.”

Each runner is designated an Honor Patient Hero of some-one challenged with leukemia, lymphoma,multiple myeloma or Hodgkins’s disease,who puts a face to the cause. The HonorPatients add inspiration and motivation asthe runners prepare for the race’s financialand physical demands.

Valadez now meets with Mark Ander-son, NASA, who leads the training and provides coaching tips,and a group of about 15 other Clear Lake participants everySaturday morning to train for the upcoming marathons.

“Getting up that early in the morning is tough,” said Kannof the 6:30 a.m. training sessions. “Sometimes I don’t get outthere till 7:30 and I have to catch up!”

“But you know if you don’t make it out, everyone else isgoing to talk about you,” teases Anderson. This is Anderson’sfirst coaching role, but he says it’s a unique way to contribute

to the cause. “This has been a lot of fun, working withpeople who are new to marathoning and even to fit-ness. It’s fun to pass on my experience and to seethem get excited.”

“The best motivation, in addition to finding a cure, isknowing that it’s helping young children,” added Kann,who will be running in Honolulu for his aunt who diedof cancer, as well as Charlie, a six-year-old leukemiapatient in Pearland. “Knowing that children are goingthrough all the testing and chemotherapy keeps memotivated to pursue my fundraising goals and nevergive up during the long strenuous runs.”■

NASA JSC S99-11868 Photo by Benny Benavides

More than a fun run: JSC employees train for upcoming marathons

Runners VictoriaValadez and Mark Andersontrain for Leukemia Societymarathons.

Margie and Conrad Schafman

4 November 5, 1999 RoundupSSPPAACCEE CCEENNTTEERR

By Mary Peterson

No question about it. Safety & TotalHealth Day 1999 was the biggest,the boldest, and the best received of

any of its predecessor events. And that’snot hype. That’s the consensus of the people the day was designed to benefit,the employees.

“You only had to walk among thebooths, stroll around the pond area, oreavesdrop at a seminar,” said Gail Bowie,a publications specialist, “to hear positiveremarks. They had to do with being ableto pick up some needed information on ahealth problem, learning some new aspectof safety, or someone’s delight at beingable to have something personal done,like having their cholesterol screened. I wish I could have taken in even more of the events myself.”

According to Booth Committee co-chairs Jonathan Manning and TerriBlackwelder, more than 60 booths, the

most ever, participated this year, andrequests for more booth setups had to beturned down as late as two days beforethe event. “We think this upsurge of interest is attributable possibly to twothings,” said Manning. “One, Safety &Total Health Day has established itself asan important event at the center, and, two,our employees are taking the day a lotmore seriously – taking part, making suggestions, and even encouraging othersto bring something to the day.”

That kind of enthusiasm was not loston Barrios employees either. Spearheadedby Sharon Kemp, an administrative assis-tant, the company asked everyone to takean active role this year. She said, “Wetold our people that we wanted their com-mitment to volunteer on S&TH Day andcontribute something beyond the Barriosprogram.”

The chance to do something differentwas appealing, and soon volunteers wereeverywhere. And work they did – putting

Best Safety & Total Health Day ever! say employees

By Mary Peterson

The master of ceremonies at TeagueAuditorium, Phil West, pegged itright when he said, “Can you

believe it? A doctor with a sense ofhumor.” From JSC’s own Space and LifeSciences Directorate, Dr. Dave Williams,to guest doctors Robert Conn and TomMarshburn, the audience was in for morethan a few laughs mixed in with somevery serious subject matter.

Marshburn, who preceded Conn’skeynote, spoke on a subject of concern toall of us at some time or other: choles-terol. Speaking about how the history offood and diet evolved, Marshburn said,“In the old days, there wasn’t much morearound [to eat] than squirrels, nuts, andberries, and you had to chase after muchof that because it was either hard to findor ran away.” As time went on, though,things changed. “Now,” Marshburn said,“we have progressed to ‘happy meals’ –Ding Dongs, Twinkies, and pizzas. And,much of it we don’t have to chase after. Iteven comes to us.” The point being, fastfood can be a fast road to heart attacks.“This,” he said, “has given rise to incredi-ble buildings (hospitals), and a chance toknow its occupants (doctors) better than

you everwanted to.” He evenshowed a pic-ture of a fancyyacht that wecan, and prob-ably do, con-tribute to.

Marsh-burn’s messagewas true andclear. Watch

what you eat. Keep your cholesterol below200, LDL at less than 160, and HDL above35. Emphasize, as your mother told you, alot of fruits and vegetables in your diet. Beactive. Don’t pick up the phone every timeyou want to call someone across the office.Walk over to talk to them. Take the stairs.Park farther from your destination. Walk!Walk! Walk!

And, of course, choose your parentswisely. Well, we can’t do that exactly, butMarshburn reminded that genetics do playan important role in our physical makeupand longevity. Still, though, genetic predis-position can be somewhat managed bycareful attention to diet and exercise.

In an earlier talk, Dr. Williamstouched upon things more serious. For

Speakers mix humor, challenge, and hard facts

NASA JSC S99-13241 Photo by Steve Candler

Employees take advantage of free cholesterol screening offered by the JSC Clinic on Safety andTotal Health Day.

NASA JSC S99-13240 Photo by Steve Candler

Want fries with that? It could be you. Texas-New Mexico Power Co. employees dramaticallydemonstrate electrical safety do’s and don’ts.

Dr. Robert Conn

openers, he predicted the imminent newyear, 2000, to be a time of curious newresolutions and also of much sadness.“Having worked as an emergency traumacenter physician, I have seen a lot of accidents related to drinking and driving – something that can, and should,be avoided. Don’t let it happen to you.

“We at JSC are as concerned about yoursafety at home as at work, and don’t thinkthings can’t happen to you,” Williamswarned. He told the story of a fellow physi-cian who died quite unexpectedly of a heartattack – at age 50.

Another instance involved a personalfriend, the senior emergency physician atthe trauma center where he worked andwhom he considered a mentor. “My frienddidn’t show up for work one day. Uponchecking, he was found dead at the base ofthe stairs in his apartment. He had slippedand suffered an apparent fall, breaking hisneck. He would have been 48 years old.” A simple accident, it was a reminder thatslips, trips, and falls also account for themajority of injuries on site.

Williams said most of us give morethought to financial management than wedo to our personal time and risk management. Why? “It’s the changing of our culture,” he said. “Things we

wouldn’t have thought of doing just a fewyears ago are now commonplace. Takeextreme sports for example.”

Williams cited a number of activitiesthat push risk to the limit, including snow-boarding, scuba diving, rock climbing (apopular version of which is without asafety belt), skydiving, skateboarding, andfreestyle skiing, to name a few. “Peopleeven take ridiculous new social risks. Everbeen to a punchbowl party?” he asked.This, he explained, is where people bringany drugs and medications they can findand drop them into a punch bowl. Gueststhen pull out and consume whatever theyget. “You could get young men strung outon something as crazy as birth control pillscombined with antidepressants. Some combinations could have disastrous results.When you work 10 years as a traumacenter physician, you see everything, and,sadly, much of it preventable.”

In closing, Williams charged, “Take responsibility for your own riskmanagement, because you can make adifference in your own health and safety.”

These words segued nicely into thoseof Dr. Robert Conn, next to speak, whohas made a crusade of teaching risk management. ■

up signs, placing posters, table tents, flyers,banners, and whatever else the alreadyoverburdened Communications Officeneeded help with. “They were a godsend,”said Rindy Carmichael, of Safety Commu-nications. “Not only that, I think they bene-fited from feeling a part of the production.We need that kind of involvement.”

Besides the individual directorate activities, employees had a wealth of thingsto see and do. The cholesterol screenings,the blood drive, the Texas-New MexicoPower Company arc demonstration, theJSC Clinic M*A*S*H* tent, the JSAT VPP“Why I Work Safely” booth, the motorcy-cle safety booth, CPR training, the greatMax-Q Band, the child car seat check werevery popular as was the Health Run/Walkevent that closed out the day. A sizablenumber of employees took in at least oneof the several outstanding seminars thatwere offered.

Even Barbara Zelon, JSC’s busy PAO director, took time to participate in

some of the booth activities. Zelonwalked one of the therapy-trained dogs, abeautiful, friendly wheaten terrier, whowas part of the Pet Partners Animal-Assisted Therapy exhibit. “If seeing oneof these wonderful dogs work won’t raiseyour spirits, nothing will,” Zelon said.

New this year were the PictionaryContest and the presentation of the“George Award.” Winners and detailswill appear in the next Roundup.

This S&TH Day will be a tough act to follow in 2000. Can they do it? Thisyear’s co-chairs Perry Bennett and ChuckSawin think so. “We had a great commit-tee who knew what to do and how to getit done,” said Bennett. “They were thekey. But, most of all,” he said, “if injuriesand lost workdays continue to go down,all the time and effort were more thanworth it.” ■

Let’s not disappoint!

November 5, 1999 5SSPPAACCEE CCEENNTTEERR Roundup

By Nicole Cloutier

Temperatures are coolingand the sky is getting darkearlier. As winter nears,

many of us may tend toslow down our level ofphysical activity and getless exercise than we didduring the warmer months.But maybe a quick glanceat what some of ourolder peers are up towill inspire you to keepthe spring in your stepand do the dailyworkout you alwaysintended to do.

Take for instanceAnne Bush Brenton. AJSC program analystfor more than 32 years,Brenton is now retiredbut still works out at theGilruth Center threetimes a week.

“It’s just amaz-ing how good youfeel afterward,”says Brenton.

“Getting upand gettingstarted istough, but Ijust makeit a point to

do it and notlet it slip by.”

Pretty impressive for someone in the 65and up group, doing more than many of usin the 50 and below age bracket. But she’snot alone. Our campus is filled with ambi-tious seniors that continue, or even in somecases, increase their fitness regimen as theygrow older.

Stanley Blackmer, also a regular atGilruth and part time payload avionicsengineer, uses the stationary bicycle andother workout equipment five times aweek. Blackmer started the fitness pro-gram when he was 50 years old.

“It’s pretty obvious to me that stayingactive allows you to delay the aging pro-cess, which is inevitable,” said Blackmer.“You can always find an excuse not toexercise if you want one. The trick is toget started and make it a routine.”

Attitude can make the dif-ference for anyone when itcomes to getting out of the

chair and into the gym. Jeff Fox sees that first

hand. His dad, NBLManned Test Sup-port Group Supervi-sor Mike Fox, hasalways beeninvolved in sports.

“It’s all aboutattitude,” says JeffFox, who is on a recreationalsoftball team

with hisfather. “If youthink it’s

going tobe hard,

then it willbe hard.

We have 20-,30-, 40- and 50-

year-olds on ourteam and no one can

complain because whatcan they complainabout? They have a 66-

year-old on their teamwho’s got aches andpains but he’s not quit-

ting.”A retired master chief

hospital corpsman from theU.S. Navy, the senior Fox

has excelled at most sports he’s tried,and the list is long. Aside from being aNavy diver, he played on all-Navy soft-ball and bowling teams and even had astint on the pro-boxing circuit afterwinning the welterweight all-Navytitle. Other hobbies included golf,hockey, sky diving, and jogging, not tomention coaching dozens of LittleLeague teams and a youth bowlingleague.

Contrary to what he says, his activi-ties have only slowed slightly. He’sstill on the softball team, but has addedroller-blading, white-water rafting, andbodysurfing at Galveston to his roster.Additionally, he walks three miles eachnight, uses the PowerRider regularlyand is planning his first snow ski tripfor this winter.

“Age iscatching upwith me butI’m trying to

outrun it,” saysFox. “Butwhat I valuemost from

having stayedin shape is that I

am able to doactive thingswith my kids atthis age. We all

know peoplewho say, ‘Oh, I wish I had done this

or that’ – I tell myself, ‘I amgoing to do this.’ You can’t stop

[working out] – You’ll never get backto the condition you’re in now.”

He makes a good point. Accord-ing to Dr. Larry Wier, JSC’s direc-tor of health-related fitness, theaverage age at time of death is

about 75. If a person lives to age 62,he or she has better than 50 - 50odds of living to age 80, but the

remaining 12 years of life are notcommonly characterized by goodhealth. However, Wier points out,many senior citizens maintain a youth-

ful lifestyle and retain theirindependence. Maintaining afitness regimen helps mitigatethe negative effects of aging.

Tips for just starting out…Walking: Start out by walking four times a week for 30 minutes, adding three minutes each week with the goal

of walking five or six times a week for 45 minutes to an hour each time. Jogging: Start out with a light jog for 15 minutes, then add three minutes each week until you are running four or five

times a week for 35 to 40 minutes. Remember to completely stretch out before and AFTER each activity.

Wier has helped hundreds of people incorporate fitness into their lives and needs little more proof of the positive impact it can have on yourquality of life.

“I have some patients maybe 65 or 70 years old exercising regularly in our facility; some have even hiked the Appalachian Trail,” said Wier.“The big difference between these people and those of the same age who are immobilized by conditions such as heart attack or stroke, istheir level of habitual activity. The key to staying fit for a lifetime is staying active.”

Activity is the name of the game but once you start, there’s nothing you can’t do. Remember Anne Brenton. Bringing down high bloodpressure is what prompted her to start getting into better shape, but now she’s got higher goals, including working on her pilot’s license. AndStanley Blackmer? He’s still racing around on his 30-foot sailboat while many of his 60-year-old friends are winded before reaching the dock.It’s never to late – so start with a stretch and take the next step towards getting fit.

“There’s no doubt there is a physiologi-cal effect to aging,” said Wier, who hasauthored several studies on the impact ofregular fitness activities on people as theygrow older. “But an active lifestyle helpsretain your youth.”

JSC’s Health and Fitness Programincludes an initial medical screening andindividualized 3-day a week fitness pro-gram. The program lasts three months, butencourages quarterly follow-ups.

Wier stresses the importance of takingcare of your body and incorporating somelevel of exercise into your lifestyle, even ifyou’ve had heart problems, which scares alot of people from the gym.

“I get lots of calls from people afterthey’ve had surgery, wondering if it’ssafe,” said Wier. “You definitely can beactive despite heart disease. Walking and

jogging programshave the most suc-cess.”

The most impor-tant thing anyoneshould keep inmind when startinga fitness program isto ease into it.“Don’t try to be anOlympian the firstweek,” advisesWier. He recom-mends starting outslowly and thenbuilding up. ■

People interested in more information about theHealth-Related Fitness Course should call

Wier at x30301.

This chart reflects the mean weight gain after ten years of NASA/JSCemployees not involved in the JSC Fitness Program vs. those whoparticipate in the program.

Weight gain, lbs 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Not participating

Participating

NASA JSC PhotoS99-11666 by James Blair

NASA JSC Photo S99-06132 by James Blair

Maintaining anactive lifestyle asyou mature can helpensure that you cankeep up with yourkids, as shown byrollerbladers MikeFox, left, and hisson Jeff.

Although retired,Anne Bush Brentoncontinues to visitthe Gilruth Centerregularly.

Fit for life: Staying active is best remedy for aging

6 November 5, 1999 SSPPAACCEE CCEENNTTEERR Roundup

Ripped straight from the pages ofold Space News Roundups, here’swhat happened at JSC on this date:

1 9 6 4ASA is developing an instrument

to detect different colors

on the surface of the Moon.

Called a “Moon Blink,” the instrument

already has proved itself by helping

three men detect a red spot, October

27, in the crater Alphonsus near the

center of the Moon.

The instrument is helpful in locating

spots of color on the Moon by making

the spots appear to blink. The blinking

effect is caused by rotating colored fil-

ters across the light reflected in the mir-

ror of a telescope.

To detect a red spot on the Moon, red

and blue filters are rotated across the

light causing the spot to blink in and out

of the image.

1 9 6 9fragment of moon rock brought

to Earth by the crew of Apollo 11

went on public display Wednes-

day in the front lobby of Bldg. 1.

The exhibit is the second such official

display of returned lunar surface mate-

rial in the nation; the first public display

of moon rock was opened at the Smith-

sonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

last month.

The rock fragment will be changed peri-

odically as geologists in the MSC Lunar

Receiving Laboratory conduct experi-

ments on the Apollo 11 rock samples.

1 9 8 9ommander Don Williams flew

Atlantis to a smooth space

shuttle landing Monday, cutting

the STS-34 mission short by two

orbits because of anticipated strong

winds at Edwards Air Force Base.

Bill Lenoir, NASA associate adminis-

trator for space flight, said the most

significant aspect of the mission was

the launch of Galileo, which if suc-

cessful will be the first probe to stop

and take a close look at one of the

outer planets.

The crew of Atlantis – Williams, Pilot

Mike McCulley and Mission Special-

ists Ellen Baker, Franklin Chang-Díaz

and Shannon Lucid – reported a

smooth ride home and was ecstatic

about the successful deployment

of the Galileo spacecraft.

C

A

N

Rippedfrom the

ROUNDUP

The following discount tickets are available at the Exchange StoresGeneral Cinema Theaters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5.50Sony Loew’s Theaters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5.00AMC Theaters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4.75Moody Gardens (2 of 6 events) (does not include Aquarium Pyramid) . . . . $10.75Moody Gardens (Aquarium only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $9.25Sea World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . adult . . $27.25 . . . . . child (age 3-11) . . . $18.25Space Center Houston . . . . . . . adult . . $10.25 . . . . . child (age 4-11) . . . $6.50

(JSC civil service employees free.)Space Center Houston annual pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$18.75Entertainment Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$20.00

October 2 - November 14Texas Renaissance Festival . . adult . . .$15 . . . . . . . child . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6.50

November 25Thanksgiving Day Parade reserved seating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$16.00

Rockets Tickets available in Bldg. 11Sweet Water pecans for holiday baking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6.00

Please bring your driver’s license to pay by personal check.

Exchange Store hoursMonday-Friday

Bldg. 3 7 a.m.-4 p.m.

Bldg. 11 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

All tickets are nonrefundable.

Metro tokens and value cards

are available.

Franklin Planners now available.

For more information,

please call x35350.

By John Ira Petty

Americans will get a closer look atthe benefits they receive from theU.S. space program through a new

semitrailer exhibit focusing on tech-nology transfer.

Technology fromthe space programtouches all our liveseach day. Examplesinclude things nowtaken for granted –things like common homesmoke detectors and cordless tools. Morerecent technologies just now coming intowider use include a miniature,implantable heart assist device based onspace shuttle fuel pumps and protectiveclothing for a variety of applicationsbased on spacesuit technology.

The semitrailer, owned and operatedby JSC, is designed to visit special eventsthroughout the country. Schedule permit-ting, it also will stop at malls, universitiesand schools, said Sandy Griffin of JSC’s

Technology Transfer andCommercialization Office, who isresponsible for scheduling the visits.

This exhibit will show the Americanpeople the impact of space-related tech-nology in their daily lives, said Henry L.Davis, JSC’s director of technology trans-

Benefits from space on display in NASA semitrailer

fer and commercialization. It alsoshows the tremendous potential foreven greater future benefits for the pub-lic from space, he added.

The semitrailer is 53 feet long. Thesides expand to increase its widthfrom 8.5 feet to about 16 feet. It isdivided into two sections. Eachcan accommodate 30 people.

The first section, the Tech-nology Hall of Fame, fea-

tures exhibits on a dozenspace program spinoffs.After seeing theexhibits, visitors walkinto the Surround-Sound

Theater, where a 10-minute video on thebenefits of the space program is shown.

Griffin said the vehicle will visitabout six events per month. It will beon the road about 240 days a year.■

Book FairNovember 16-19Bldgs. 3 and 11

C heryl A. Inman of the Safety, Relia-bility, and Quality Assurance Direc-torate and Martha A. Glenn of the

Engineering Directorate each recentlyreceived the Mari-lyn J. Bockting Sec-retarial ExcellenceAward in recogni-tion of their excep-tional contributionsto the effectiveoperation of JSCthrough professionalcompetence andpersonal dedication.

Inman was recog-nized in August forher contributions asthe division secre-tary in the SpaceShuttle Division.She manages thedivision’s secretarialactivities and hasconsistently demonstrated exceptionaladministrative skills, organizational abil-ity, and an outstanding ability to work wellunder stressful conditions. She has orga-nized her work and time in a manner thathas enabled her not only to support thewidely varying functions of the office but

Inman, Glenn get Secretarial Excellence Awardsto improve the effectiveness and efficiencyof the entire office.

Since forming the newly created divi-sion in March 1998, Inman has set up

numerous systems and processes thatwould normally be set up in an estab-lished division. She has also assumedresponsibility for duties that would nor-mally be performed by an administrative officer such as a move coordinator or atraining coordinator.

Glenn was recognized in Septemberfor her contributions as secretary to thechief, Power Systems Branch, since 1985.She consistently performs her secretarial

and administrativeduties in an exem-plary manner and isalways looking forways to improve theefficiency of admin-istrative processes tominimize the impactto the engineers thatshe supports.

Glenn wasrecently reassignedas a member of theDivision’s OfficeSupport Team. Thisteam concept is amajor change in thenormal way of doingbusiness, and Glennaccepted the chal-

lenge to define and implement the supportteam. Her willingness to assist in the reor-ganization contributed to the success ofthis effort. As part of the office supportteam, she has taken on new responsibili-ties for the whole division and expandedher knowledge and capabilities.■

NASA JSC Photo S99-11969 by Bill Stafford

Cheryl A. InmanNASA JSC Photo S99-12276 by Bill Stafford

Martha A. Glenn

November 5, 1999 7SSPPAACCEE CCEENNTTEERR Roundup

http://www4.jsc.nasa.gov/ah/exceaa/Gilruth/Gilruth.htm

M arking the end of its inaugural year, JSC’s Safety ActionTeam (JSAT) presented Star Awards to its most valuableplayers and passed the torch to the team that will lead the

team into the year 2000.During the past year, Julie Kramer, JSAT chairman and JSC

structural engineer, and Donna Shafer, JSAT deputy and JSCattorney-advisor, together with about 50committed JSAT volunteers molded thecommittee into a safety and health taskforce for the center.

Among many notable achievements,JSAT’s most significant accomplish-ment likely was its work on the OSHAVoluntary Protection Program (VPP).The organization spearheaded JSC’spreparation, and ultimate success, inattaining a VPP Star.

“Our activities ranged from workingon the application, working with PAO toproduce a video, VPP introductory brief-ings and center-wide dry runs in prepa-ration for the audit,” said Kramer. “Ithink it is fair to say that our efforts inthis area paid off handsomely.”

In addition to the work for VPP,JSAT coordinated several other healthand safety related programs for the cen-ter. These included the “JSAT Jingle”program, which posts clever safety mes-sages on JSC’s roads, and regular safetyfeature stories in the Roundup. Theyalso organized Crosswalk AwarenessWeek including a crosswalk comedyworkshop, an emergency preparedness drill and celebrity cross-ing guards to help “diffuse growing tensions” between driversand pedestrians said Kramer.

“Our approach was light hearted, fun and action packed,”explained Kramer, who says JSAT intends to monitor “CloseCall” reporting trends to help them measure their program’ssuccess. “Only time will tell if our work was successful inimproving crosswalk awareness.”

With all that said, the outgoing JSAT leaders have already putthe wheels into motion for additional working groups to addressother center safety issues, and is looking to the new team, andnew volunteers, to help them continue the JSAT success.

“JSAT is just beginning,” said Julie Kramer, the 1999 JSATchairman. “It is the participation of the individuals which make

these types of efforts successful. That willbe the challenge for our successors – tocontinue to tap into the energy and cre-ativity that exist here at JSC among eachindividual.”

This month, Bob Gaffney, JSC Emer-gency Preparedness manager, andChuck Barbour, safety coordinator,Johnson Engineering Corp., take thereins of the group to carve a path forJSAT into the new millennium.

“Chuck and I want to continue thestandard set by the previous JSAT leader-ship by emphasizing the greatest influ-ence for safety at work, home and recre-ation is each of us,” said Gaffney. “Withthe active participation of center employ-ees and management support, we hope tocontinue to identify opportunities to worksafely at all times. The JSAT provides aproactive forum for employees to sharesafety information with other organiza-tions as well as internally, and to promotesafe operations at JSC.”

As a finale for the 1999 committee,JSAT officers recognized their mostvaluable players with JSAT Star pins

and certificates. Center Director George W.S. Abbey was honoredwith the first JSAT Star award.

“Through the JSAT, JSC employees have been provided anopportunity to actively participate in JSC safety and health pro-grams,” said Shafer. “We could not have this opportunity without theleadership and the support of our director who created this team.”

Employees interested in JSAT should contact Gaffney atx34249 or Barbour at 281-853-2906 for volunteer information.■

A team effort: JSC Safety Action Team readies for 2000

NASA JSC Photo S99-11971 by Benny Benavides

JSC CELEBRITY CROSSING GUARDS, from left, Bill Parsons, Vicky Pendergrass, Rachel Windham, Gary Johnson, Ginger Gibson,Deborah Johnson, Frank Benz, Mary McLaine, Estella Gillette, Jim Jaax, Lee Briscoe, Rich Dinkel and Mike Winchell receive JSATStar Award.

NASA JSC Photo S99-11970 by Benny Benavides

Chuck Barbour, left, and Bob Gaffney will head theJSC Safety Action Team during the upcoming year.

1999 JSAT StarAward Recipients

George AbbeyPolly Aucoin

Chuck BarbourBill BatesJohn Beall

Frank BenzDavid Beverly

Doug BlanchardLeon BlumLee BriscoeJeri BrownCindy Bush

Vicki CantrellJerry CondonCindy Coker

Rindy CarmichaelHank DavisPat Dickson Rich Dinkel

Emmerson EdwardsJohn Fields Bob Gaffney Juan Galvez Dan GarrisonAbel Garza

Ginger GibsonEstella GilletteSandy Griffin

Bob Hall Jim HansenGreg HayesJimmy Jaax

Bill JeffsDeborah Johnson

Gary JohnsonJennifer JonesSharon KempMary McLain

Lenoard NicholsonScott OsborneKathy Packard

Bill ParsonsVicky Pendergrass

Connie PrichardMary Alice Pruessner

Ralph SchomburgDebbie SharpJohn Stanford

Deborah WashingtonMike Winchell

Rachel Windham

Nutrition intervention program :

Six-week program includes lectures, a

private consultation with the dietitian.

Program is open to all employees,

contractors and spouses. For details call

Tammie Shaw at x32980.

Defensive driving : One-day course is

offered once a month at the Gilruth Center.

Pre-registration required. Cost is $25. Call

for next available class.

Stamp club : Meets every second and

fourth Monday at 7 p.m. in Rm. 216.

Weight safety : Required course for

employees wishing to use the Gilruth

weight room. Pre-registration is required.

Cost is $5. Annual weight room use fee is

$90. The cost for additional family

members is $50.

Step/bench aerobics : Low-impact

cardiovascular workout. Classes meet from

5:15-6:15 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Cost is $32 for eight weeks. Kristen

Taragzewski, instructor.

Yoga : Stretching class of low-impact

exercises designed for people of all ages

and abilities in a Westernized format.

Meets Thursdays 5-6 p.m. Cost is $32 for

eight weeks. Call Darrell Matula, instructor,

at x38520 for more information.

Ballroom dancing : Classes meet from

6:30-7:30 p.m. Thursdays for beginners,

8:30-9:30 p.m. for intermediate and 7:30-8:30

p.m. for advanced. Cost is $60 per couple.

Country and western dancing :

Beginner class meets 7-8:30 p.m. Monday.

Advanced class (must know basic steps to

all dances) meets 8:30-10 p.m. Monday.

Cost is $20 per couple.

Fitness program : Health-related fitness

program includes a medical screening

examination and a 12-week individually

prescribed exercise program. For details

call Larry Wier at x30301.

Aikido : Martial arts class for men and

women meets 5 - 6 p.m. Tuesdays and

Wednesdays. No special equipment or

knowledge is needed to participate.

Beginning and advanced classes start

each month. Cost is $35 per month.

Exercise : Low-impact class meets from

5:15-6:15 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays.

Cost is $24 for eight weeks.

8 November 5, 1999 SSPPAACCEE CCEENNTTEERR Roundup

As part of its mission to encourage the devel-opment of new and advanced technologies,NASA has selected 290 research proposalsfor negotiation of Phase I contract awards forits 1999 Small Business Innovation ResearchProgram. The total value of the awards isexpected to be more than $20 million and willbe conducted by 220 firms in 34 states.

In addition to stimulating innovation, the SBIRprogram aims to increase the number ofsmall businesses, including women-ownedand disadvantaged firms, conducting federalresearch and commercializing the results offederally funded research.

NASA received more than 2,260 proposalsfrom small, high-technology businesseslocated throughout the United States.

NASA’s field centers reviewed proposals fortechnical merit, feasibility and relevance toNASA research and technology require-ments. The selected firms will be awardedfixed-price contracts worth up to $70,000 toperform a six-month Phase I feasibility study.

Companies which successfully complete thePhase I activities are eligible to compete forPhase II selection the following year. ThePhase II award allows for a two-year, fixed-price contract of up to $600,000.

NASA BRIEFS

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope is uncover-ing important new clues to a galaxy’s birth andgrowth by peering into its heart – a bulge ofmillions of stars that resemble a bulbous cen-ter yolk in the middle of a disk of egg white.

Hubble astronomers are trying to solve themystery of which came first: the stellar disk orthe central bulge?

Two complementary surveys by independentteams of astronomers using Hubble showthat the hubs of some galaxies formed earlyin the universe, while others formed moreslowly, across a long stretch of time.

Hubble confirms that the evolutionary pathsof bulges and disks are connected. The cen-tral bulge stabilizes a galaxy’s developmentand largely controls the ebb and flow of starbirth in the core. The central bulge holdssecrets as to how and when a galaxy formed.Before Hubble, astronomers had detailedinformation only about the complex core ofour galaxy, which has a small bulge pep-pered with massive young star clusters and atelltale bar structure funneling gas to the cen-ter. Hubble allows astronomers to see brightstar clusters, bars and other structures deepinside the bulges of other galaxies.

A group led by Reynier Peletier from the Uni-versity of Nottingham, in the United Kingdom,has confirmed that the central bulges of moretightly wound spirals were all created at moreor less the same time in the early universe.

A second team, led by C. Marcella Carollo ofColumbia University in New York, surveyedgalaxies that have small bulges and bar-likestructures that bisect the nucleus like theslash across a no-smoking sign. They foundthat the bulges in these galaxies grew morerecently, through markedly different pro-cesses happening within the galaxy’s disk.

Both surveys used Hubble’s precise resolu-tion to peer into bulbous hubs of more than200 neighboring galaxies, out to a distance of100 million light years. Using Hubble’s visi-ble-light and infrared cameras to penetratedeep into the cores of the galaxies,astronomers were able to untangle the stars’true colors — a measure of age — from theirapparent colors, which are made redder byinterstellar dust.

NASA SELECTS 200 SMALL BUSINESS PROJECTS

STARRY BULGES YIELD SECRETS OF GALAXY GROWTH

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDWEBSTER, TXPermit No. G27

The Roundup is an official publication of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Johnson Space Center,Houston, Texas, and is published by the Public Affairs Office for all space center employees. The Roundup office is inBldg. 2, Rm. 181. The mail code is AP3. The main telephone number is x38648, and the fax is x32000. Electronic mailmessages may be directed to:

Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .William Jeffs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .william.p.jeffs@jsc.nasa.gov

Assistant Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nicole Cloutier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ncloutie@ems.jsc.nasa.gov

November 9Aero Club meets : The Bay Area Aero Club will meet at

7 p.m. November 9 at the Houston Gulf Airport clubhouse at2750 FM 1266 in League City. For more information call LarryHendrickson at x32050.

CLA-NSS meets : The Clear Lake area chapter of theNational Space Society will meet at 6:30 p.m. November 9 atthe Freeman Memorial Branch Library, 16602 Diana Lane. For more information call Murray Clark at (281) 367-2227.

NPMA meets : The National Property Management Associa-tion will meet at 5 p.m. November 9 at Robinette and DoyleCaterers, 216 Kirby in Seabrook. Dinner costs $14. For moreinformation call Sina Hawsey at x36582.

November 10Astronomy seminar : The JSC Astronomy Seminar Club

will meet at noon November 10, 17 and 24 in Bldg. 31, Rm.248A. For more information call Al Jackson at x35037.

IAAP meets : The Clear Lake/NASA Chapter of the Interna-tional Association of Administrative Professionals (formerlyProfessional Secretaries International) will meet at 5:30 p.m.November 10 at Bay Oaks Country Club. Cost is $16.For more information and reservations, call Tami Barbour at (281) 488-0055, x238.

Spaceland Toastmasters meet : The Spaceland Toastmas-ters will meet at 7 a.m. November 10, 17 and 24 at the Houseof Prayer Lutheran Church. For more information, call GeorgeSalazar at x30162.

Spaceteam Toastmasters meet : The Spaceteam Toast-masters will meet at 11:30 a.m. November 10, 17 and 24 atUnited Space Alliance, 600 Gemini. For more information callPatricia Blackwell at (281) 280-6863.

November 11Airplane club meets : The Radio Control Airplane Club will

meet at 7 p.m. November 11 at the Clear Lake Park building.For more information call Bill Langdoc at x35970.

Communicators meet : The Clear Lake Communicators, aToastmasters club, will meet at 11:30 a.m. November 11, 18,and 25 at Freeman Library, 16602 Diana Lane. For more infor-mation, call Allen Prescott at (281) 282-3281 or Mark Caronnaat (281) 282-4306.

MAES meets : The Society of Mexican-American Engineersand Scientists will meet at 11:30 a.m. November 11 in Bldg.16, Rm. 111. For more information, call George Salazar atx30162

November 12Astronomers meet : The JSC Astronomical Society will

meet at 7:30 p.m. November 12 at the Center for AdvancedSpace Studies, 3600 Bay Area Blvd. For more information,call Chuck Shaw at x35416.

November 14Westside NSS meets : The “Westside” group of the Clear

Lake area chapter of the National Space Society will meet at2 p.m. November 14 at Silicon Graphics, 11490 Westheimer,Suite 100. For more information, call Murray Clark at (281) 367-2227.

November 17Scuba club meets : The Lunarfins will meet at 7:30 p.m.

November 17. For more information, call Mike Manering atx32618.

November 18Directors meet : The Space Family Education board of

directors will meet at 11:30 a.m. November 18 in Bldg. 45,Rm. 712D. For more information on this open meeting contactLynn Buquo at x34716.

JSC NMA meets : The JSC National Management Associa-tion chapter will meet at the Nassau Bay Hilton November 18at 11:30. Steve Smith, Brown and Root project manager forEnron Field, will be the guest speaker. More information isavailable at www.jsc.nasa.gov/nma/.

November 22Alzheimer’s support group meets : The Clear Lake

Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group will meet at 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. November 22 in the first floor conference room, St. John Hospital West building, Nassau Bay. For additionalinformation, contact Nancy Malley at (281) 480-8917 or John Gouveia (281) 280-8517.

December 2Warning System Test : The site-wide Employee Warning

System will perform its monthly audio test at noon November 4.For more information, call Bob Gaffney at x34249.

December 6NSBE meets : The National Society of Black Engineers will

meet at 6:30 p.m. December 6 at Texas Southern University,School of Technology, Rm. 316. For additional information,call Kimberly Topps at (281) 280-2917.

Human Resources reports the followingpersonnel changes:

Key Management AssignmentsCharlie Justiz was selected as chief, Aviation Safety Office,

Flight Crew Operations Directorate.

Scott Reagan was named aviation safety officer, Flight Crew

Operations Directorate.

PromotionsKrystine Bui was selected as a contracting officer in the

Projects Acquisition Office, Procurement Office.

Carol Neeley was selected as a contracting officer in the

Space Station Acquisition Office, Procurement Office.

Monica Ruiz-Cortez was selected as lead secretary in the

ISO 9000 Office.

Arlene Andrews was selected as division secretary in the

Flight Avionics Division, Mission Operations Directorate.

Reassignments Between DirectoratesJerry Elliott moves from the Technology Transfer and

Commercialization Office to the Space Shuttle Program Office.

Don Schmalholz moves from the Engineering Directorate

to the International Space Station Program Office.

Barbara Smith moves from the Mission Operations Direc-

torate to the International Space Station Program Office.

Beverly Braddy moves from the Engineering Directorate

to the Space Shuttle Program Office.

Reassignments to Other CentersRay Shaughnessy of the International Space Station

Program Office moves to Marshall Space Flight Center.

RetirementsCharlie Mendel of the EVA Project Office.

ResignationsScott Hankins of the Engineering Directorate.

Craig Carothers of the Technology Transfer and Commer-

cialization Office.

Linda Kurz of the International Space Station Program Office.

Todd Lucht of the White Sands Test Facility.