Citation
Astrogram

Material Information

Title:
Astrogram
Uniform Title:
Ames Astrogram (Online)
Added title page title:
The Ames Astrogram
Place of Publication:
Moffett Field, CA
Publisher:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Ames Research Center
Publication Date:
Frequency:
Quarterly[May 2012-]
Monthly[ FORMER Mar. 11, 2002-]
Biweekly[ FORMER Vol. 1, no. 1 (Oct. 24, 1958)-Feb. 25, 2002]
quarterly
regular
Language:
English

Subjects

Subjects / Keywords:
Astronautics ( lcsh )
Technology transfer -- United States ( lcsh )
Astronautics ( fast )
Technology transfer ( fast )
United States ( fast )
Genre:
periodical ( marc )
serial ( sobekcm )
federal government publication ( marcgt )
periodical ( marcgt )

Notes

Dates or Sequential Designation:
Print began with vol. 1, no. 1 (Oct. 24, 1958).

Record Information

Source Institution:
University of Florida
Holding Location:
University of Florida
Rights Management:
This item is a work of the U.S. federal government and not subject to copyright pursuant to 17 U.S.C. §105.
Resource Identifier:
67989914 ( OCLC )
2006230703 ( LCCN )
ocm67989914

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Aggregations:
University of Florida
Digital Aerospace Collection

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November 2006 www.nasa.gov Page 3 University students help NASA with GeneSat Page 4 NASA, SETI explorers seek planetary evolution clues on Earth Page 4 Mythbusters conduct test at Ames Page 5 Local students engage in Sally Ride Workshop at Ames Page 8 Ames Ongoing Events On the Inside . has called for the agency to change the way it does business when working with the commercial space industry to implement the Vision for Space Exploration. A little over a year ago, I un veiled to the Congress and the public NASAs architecture for returning to an Oct. 19 address to the X Prize Cup Summit held in Las Cruces, N. M. It is a conservative plan, designed to ac complish the stated mission with mini and as much use of existing systems as added. But having combed through the design trades, associated costs and projected budget for the agency, it is apparent that NASA will need to leverage commercial and interna Organic haze in the atmosphere of Saturns moon, Titan, is similar to tional partners to the maximum if we are to sustain this long journey, with Space Station, then on the moon and from there onward to Mars. It is out of necessity for, not charity toward, commercial space endeavors that we at NASA must change our way of doing business. Study shows Titan and early Earth atmospheres are similar NASA Administrator urges innovation with commercial space industry partners, praises Ames continued on page 2 haze in early Earths air -haze that may have helped nourish life on our planet-according to a NASA Astro biology Institute study released in November. Study scientists simulated both the atmospheric conditions of early Earth and those of present-day Titan. Their study, Organic Haze on Titan and the Early Earth, describing the scientists work, appears in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The principal author is Melissa Trainer, a NASA Astrobiology Institute post doctoral fellow at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Its exciting to see that the early Earth experiments produced so much organic matter, said Carl Pilcher, director of the NASA Astrobiology Institute, at NASA Ames. An organic haze produced this way on early Earth could have contributed to the forma tion and sustenance of life. According to the studys research ers, their experiments help scientists interpret observations of Titans atmosphere from NASAs Cassini mis sion, while also showing how a major source of organics could have been continued on page 8 The photochemistry of CH 4 and CO 2 may have produced an organic haze layer on the early Earth. This image is an illustrative composite prepared by Melissa G. Trainer using images of Titan and Earth; courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech. More than 20 teams recently competed in the X Prize games, consist ing of a lunar lander challenge, a vertical rocket challenge and space elevator games, for approximately $2.5 million in prize money. Seen here are the X Prize judges and a launch vehicle at the October X Prize Cup Summit held in Las Cruces, N.M.

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2 Astrogram November 2006 A mes Dr. Patricia Cowings has earned the 2006 National Women of Color Technology Award for Research Leadership. She received the award in Atlanta, Ga. in October. The National Women of Color Technology Awards recognize the sig women in the digital world. Cowings is a research psychologist and is the lead of the Psychophysi ological Research Lab in the Human Systems Integration Division. For more than 20 years, she has been responsible for planning and con ducting research into space-induced physiological changes and developing One example of the way NASA is changing the way it works with the commercial space industry cited by its director, S. Pete Worden, whom I want to congratulate Pete Wor den and his team at Ames for work ing with Bigelow Aerospace to secure a piggyback ride for their GeneBox experiment on Bigelows Genesis in of many innovative, short-turnaround ideas that well be seeing from Pete ventured. He is turning Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley into a Mecca for space entrepreneurs, where among other things, we are hosting the Red Planet Venture Capital Fund, similar in some ways to the CIAs In-Q-Tel operation, to leverage innovators and investors who have not typically done An estimated 10,000 people, including representatives from NASA Ames, attended the two-day event held in southern New Mexico Oct. 20 to 21 and featuring competition designed to foster innovation in space technology. More than 20 teams vied for approximately $2.5 million in prize money, competing in a lunar lander challenge, a vertical rocket challenge and space elevator games. that NASAs new Commercial Or bital Transportation Services (COTS) demonstrations being conducted under the framework of NASA Space Act Agreements are the agencys most tempting to spur development of the commercial space industry. can do even better in partnering with the commercial space industry to implement the nations Vision for Space Exploration. While I think that the $500 million were investing in the COTS theres more gold to be mined in other It is important for the future that NASAs investments productively leverage the engine of the American economy, a GDP valued at over $13 trillion per year, to help us carry out our mission of space exploration, seeking partners who would like to use the International Space Station to conduct commercial experiments and is open to novel concepts designed to enhance the utility of the facility. In another new way of doing busi ness concerning microgravity research, purchasing seats aboard commercial to conduct various experiments and possibly even astronaut candidacy its own microgravity research aircraft based at the Johnson Space Center, the commercial sector. As the agency pursues these new ways of doing business, Grif pragmatic dialogue between NASA and the commercial and entrepreneur ial space community when exploring possible joint endeavors, and he said that its important not to over-promise or over-commit. There must be healthy competi said. Before making commitments, we must carefully consider and ensure that joint endeavors are properly aligned with NASAs mission, are of done within the resources provided to NASA, he added. It is one thing to begin an en deavor, but it is an even greater ac observed. Too many exciting endeav ors at NASA have failed to meet this standard in recent years. We must re-establish NASAs reputation for BY MICHAEL MEWHINNEY NASA Administrator urges innovation, praises Ames continued from front page Cowings receives National Women of Color Technology Award non-medical countermeasures. Cowings is perhaps best known for her Autogenic Feedback Training Exercise that is used to train people to monitor and voluntarily control a range of their own physiologi cal responses to reduce symptoms of motion sickness and to improve orthostatic tolerance. The training has facilitated adaptation to space and re-adaptation to Earth for astronauts and cosmonauts, and has improved Coast Guard pilot performance in C130 aircraft and multi-crew helicopters during search-and-rescue missions. Patricia Cowings, a research psychologist and leader of the Psychophysiological Research Lab in the Human Systems Integration Division at NASA Ames, recently received the 2006 National W omen of Color Technology Award for her leadership in research. NASA photo by JT Heineck

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3 Astrogram November 2006 Associate Administrator Program Analysis and Evaluation Scott Pace, presents Lisa Lockyer, acting deputy director, Partnerships plishment award for her leadership in the implementation and management of NASAs venture capital project, Red Planet Capital. Red Planet Capital invests in companies developing technologies with a likelihood of meeting both commercial and NASA mission needs. To learn more, visit: www.redplanet capital.com NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System turns 30BY MICHAEL MEWHINNEY NASA photo by Dominic Hart Accomplishment Award NASAs Aviation Safety Reporting porting system widely used by pilots and other airline employees to iden tify potential safety hazards, recently marked its 30-year anniversary. Established under a memorandum of agreement between NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the ASRS began collecting, ana lyzing and responding to voluntarily submitted aviation safety incident cies and discrepancies in the National Aviation System and provide safety information to government and indus try to help improve safety and reduce accidents. Since the implementation of the Aviation Safety Reporting System, more than 715,000 reports have been submitted by pilots, mechanics, air and other airline personnel in both commercial and general aviation, said Linda Connell, director of the ASRS, located at NASA Ames Re search Center, Moffett Field, Calif. Many of those reports have had a direct impact on making the nations airways safer, and were extremely proud of our continuing contributions to safety. ASRS is an excellent tool that has helped us spot rare and infrequent emerging threats and hazards, said FAA Associate Administrator for Avia tion Safety Nicholas A. Sabatini. To continue putting downward pressure on the accident rate, we need this kind of information about trends, about precursors, and about what is going on every day in the aviation system. Over the past 30 years, the ASRS has issued more than 4,000 safety alerts to the FAA and the commercial and private aviation community. Ap proximately 42 percent of the ASRS alert recipients have taken action to correct the hazardous condition and improve safety. Recent ASRS safety alerts address a wide range of safety issues, includ aircraft equipment problems, airport signage and marking issues, similarsystem performance contributions. An example of a safety alert is sued by ASRS, involved failure of an aircrafts cockpit seat locks. ASRS doc umented cases in which failure of the seat locking mechanism resulted in the back during takeoff or other critical to the ASRS alert and subsequently is sued an Airworthiness Directive. The ASRS is the largest repository of aviation human factors incidents in the world, Connell noted, and has conducted more than 7,100 database searches for government agencies, industry groups, research organiza tions, aircraft manufacturers, aviation students, and a wide variety of other organizations. In addition to safety alerts and database searches, ASRS research An early ASRS study on cockpit distractions led the FAA to enact the sterile cockpit rule which prohibits crewmembers from performing nonessential duties and activities during ing addressed the content and format of aviation checklists and manuals for into an FAA Advisory Circular. issues regarding increased separation standards behind Boeing 757 aircraft to reduce wake turbulence, safety guidance governing the use of passen ger electronic devices to reduce their impact on aircraft communication and navigation systems and improvements in runway warning lights and mark ers. The ASRS has become a model for safety reporting systems worldwide and is a charter member of the Inter Systems, a group of 12 nations, which operate aviation safety reporting systems similar to ASRS. The ASRS also has been recognized for its safety contributions in other industries, including medicine, in which NASAs ASRS is collaborating with the Depart ment of Veteran Affairs to operate the NASA/VA Patient Safety Reporting System (PSRS). The ASRS provides a wide range of safety products, including safety alerts, publications, database search requests, quick response reports in support of accident investigation or safety topics and research products for developments in 2006 include two new automated services: Database Online and Electronic Report Submis sion that can be accessed directly from the ASRS Website.

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4 Astrogram November 2006 To go where few people have gone before, a team of expert scientists, mountain-climbers, and divers will explore the ecosystems of three highaltitude summit lakes to understand microbial lifes adaptation to these challenging environments. Exploring new frontiers on Earth, the 15-member team will climb three giant volcanoes of the Andes and their summit lakes: Licanca bur at 19,813 feet (6004 m), Poquentica at 19,192 feet (5850 m), and Aguas Calien tes at 19,635 feet (5950 m), in Bolivia and Chile. They will be going where the atmo sphere is thin, ultraviolet radiation intense, and the temperatures cold, which make these environmental conditions potential analogs to ancient martian lakes. The High Lakes Project, funded by a grant from the NASA Astrobiology Institute to the SETI Institute, Moun tain View, is a collaborative effort to investigate extreme lakes at the sum mit of high volcanoes and collect new knowledge about the biosphere of our own planet, the evolution of life and its adaptation to climate changes. The expedition started late October and runs through early December. What is critical for life is how environmental extremes interact with each other through time, and the time they give life to adapt, said Nathalie Cabrol, the expeditions lead and prin cipal investigator at the SETI Institute who works at Ames. Time may be just what is needed for life to survive environmental changes. This is true on Earth and could have been true as well on Mars, and beyond. In the past four years, the team has investigated the geophysical envi ronment of the summit lakes of the Licancabur and Poquentica volcanoes, as well as lower lakes such as Laguna Verde and Laguna Blanca at 14,520 feet (4,400 m), and Laguna Colorada at 14,850 feet (4,500 m). Some of these lakes in the Bolivian Andes are poorly known. They are located in rugged environments and host unique ecosys tems. NASA, SETI explorers seek planetary evolution clues on EarthBY RUTH MARLAIRE Our earlier expeditions have helped us identify the presence of a unique ecosystem at the summit of Licancabur, said Cabrol. Preliminary results on microbial organisms both in bottom sediments near shore and are adapting to this unique environ ment. We also know now from these results that the potential to discover new species is very high. This year, the team will dive to the bottom of these high-altitude lakes for diving equipment, called rebreath ers. These are bags that divers carry on their chests (like a third lung) that capture carbon dioxide and allow the divers to breathe pure oxygen, thereby preventing expelled carbon dioxide from contaminating the lakes. The advantage of the rebreathers is that they will allow divers enough time to explore the ecosystem at the bottom of the Licancabur lake in great detail, to capture the complexities of its biology, and to fully photoand video-document it, said Cabrol. We are testing new exploration techniques that are pushing the limits of human exploration of high-altitude aquatic environments. While standard scuba was used by archeological teams back in the 80s and 90s at Licancabur, it presented risks that oxygen rebreathers mitigate, Cabrol said. Previous expeditions to the 4-mile-high volcanic lake in the potential for life on other planets and helped prepare for future planetary missions to Mars and beyond. This expedition represents potentially an immense source of knowledge, Ca brol said. We might learn more about microbial adaptation to extreme envi ronments on Earth that could lead to a better understanding of how microbial organisms might have survived on ancient Mars. Visit http://highlakes.seti.org to tions of the teams exploration and stunning photographs. and divers explored the ecosystems of three high-altitude summit lakes to understand microbial lifes adaptation to these challenging environments. In November, a team from the Discovery Channels TV show Mythbusters visited Ames to conduct an experiment in Hangar 2. The myth they attempted to bust is that a piece of paper can be folded in half no more than eight times. They taped together strips from a huge roll of paper to make a piece 170-feet-by-280-feet -in the same proportions as an ordinary 8.5-inch-by-11-inch sheet but nearly the aid of numerous bystanders, eventually requir ing a steam roller and a forklift. To compare pre dictions made ahead of time by an Ames scientist the myth was busted, watch for the segment early in 2007 on the Discovery Channel. NASA photo by Dominic Hart

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5 Astrogram November 2006 Astronaut Janice Voss gave an inspiring talk at the recent Sally Ride Science Festival held at Ames. Science workshops were given by local veteri narians, astronomers, microbiologists and more. Workshops for parents and teachers were also held as a means to Local students engage in Sally Ride Workshop at Ames NASA photos by Dominic Hart Astronaut Janice Voss speaks to girls attend at Ames in late October. The festival is held to help keep girls interested in the subjects of math and science and to inspire them to think about their futures, so that they are better prepared to pursue a wide range of exciting opportunities in high school, college and beyond. support girls interests in science. In 4th grade, the number of girls and boys who like math and science is about the same. But by 8th grade, twice as many boys as girls show an interest in these subjects. Sally Ride Science would like to change that, helping to keep girls interested in these subjects. For more information about the festivals, visit: www.SallyRi deScience.com Fall is upon us and a new calen der year is just around the corner. There is change in the air, but one thing that never changes is the institution of the Combined Federal Campaign. As long as there is a need, Ames has traditionally been at the forefront of the campaign and this year is no different. The 2007 Combined Federal 26 to Nov. 30. Ames had its cam paign kick-off in late October, and an ice cream social recently. As a reminder, if you have not made a donation there is still time. For civil servants, your donation site is WebTads, and for contractors it is the paper donation forms. The list of charities is downloadable BY RONALD FONG, CFC DEPUTY CHAIR from WebTads and there are booklets available from your key workers or visit the CFC Web site at: www.cfc. arc.nasa.gov. You can also contact this years CFC chair, Betty Chris tensen, at bchristensen@mail.arc. main auditorium. The theme for this years cam paign is The Needs of the Many Met Through NASA photo by Dominic Hart nasa.gov for more information. As always, your generosity is greatly appreciated, and thank you all for caring.

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6 Astrogram November 2006 Members and guests of the San Francisco Section of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronau tics (AIAA), including many employ ees from Ames, marked Veterans Day with a special dinner banquet on Nov. 9 at the Shoreline Golf Club in Moun tain View. The banquet featured Colonel Richard Graham (ret.), a former SR-71 pilot and commander of the SR-71 and U-2 wing at Beale Air Force Base, and also a decorated veteran of the war in Vietnam. Grahams talk focused on the many technical and engineering innovations embodied in the SR-71, still the worlds fastest airplane. Gary Powers U-2 was shot down over the Soviet Union in May 1960. The very next month, the U.S. Congress funded Kelly Johnson and Lockheed to begin development of the SR-71. That team SR-71 aircraft in just 22 months. When you consider that the aircraft required an all-new design, all new materi als, all new tooling, it was an astonishing accomplishment, said Graham. Almost 100 people packed the banquet hall, including 11 veterans of the U.S. armed forces. In a special segment of the program, the veterans were asked to stand and were recognized with extended applause for their service the freedoms we enjoy today. Graham stayed after the program to speak with guests and sign copies of his two books: SR-71 Revealed: The Inside Story and SR-71 Blackbird: Sto ries, Tales, and Legends. All royalties were donated to the AIAA-SF Schol arship Fund and to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museums J.T. Vida Memorial Fund that maintains and supports the SR-71 exhibit at the Udvar-Hazy Center adjacent to Dulles International Airport. The AIAAs local San Francisco Section sponsors banquets and events several times a year to promote interaction and community among aerospace professionals in an informal setting. Recent speakers have included U.S. Congressman Mike Honda; structural engineer and analyst of the World Trade Center impact Robert Bocchieri; and Ames own Astrobiol ogy Institute senior scientist David Morrison. The events are organized and pro duced entirely by volunteers from the local section. AIAA members in the Ames community who would like to assist the small-but-energetic group of volunteers who are planning the next banquet should contact Todd Farley at chair@aiaa-sf.org. At the conclusion of the banquet, the AIAA presented Graham with an over the U.S. capitol earlier this year and was provided by local Congress woman Anna Eshoo. attendance at the Nov. 9 banquet held at Michaels in Mountain View. along with many Ames employees, met to observe Veterans Day and also to recognize some of the attending veterans for their dedicated service to their country. BY MEMBERS OF THE SAN FRANCISCO AIAA SECTION Cosmologist Joel Primack and writer/philosopher Nancy Abrams, together with Seth Shostak of the SETI Institute, spoke to a capacity crowd at the popular NASA Research Park Exploration the Center of the Universe. Primack and Abrams are co-authors of a best seller book by the same title, which they both signed after the talk. They discussed recent advances in astronomy, showed spectacular new videos and framed a compelling theory for understanding the universe and our role in it. The event was held, in conjunction presented several spectacular simulations of cosmological events such as colliding galaxies based on computations and simulations done on Project Columbia. Cosmological events depicted in colloquium/NRP talk NASA photo by Tom Trower

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7 Astrogram November 2006 NASA recently announced an opportunity for university students to work with NASA engineers to conceive, design, fabricate and test a radio-controlled aircraft capable of taking off and landing while carrying a maximum load of cargo. Students will develop their air craft and compete for the new NASA Systems Engineering Award as part of the Aero Design competition, made possible through a partner ship between NASAs Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate and SAE International. Students compet ing for the award will receive e-mail feedback from NASA engineers who will review the students work at two critical points during the design and development of their aircraft. The purpose of this new award is to engage students in the systems engineering process, explained Deborah Bazar, a project manager in the Education Division at NASA Ames. NASA wants to expose more of todays engineering students to systems engineering concepts and practice, which are integral to indus try and research in todays world, she added. NASA announces new systems engineering award competition Each year, hundreds of engi neering students compete for cash awards during SAE Internationals two North American Aero Design competitions one on the East Coast and one on the West Coast. The next Aero Design East will be held May 4-6, 2007 in Fort Worth, Texas. The next Aero Design West will be held March 23-25, 2007 in San Fernando, Calif. Systems engineering is a logical set of grouped processes performed by multidisciplinary teams to engi neer and integrate systems to ensure products meet customer needs. A systems engineering plan imple ments a core set of common technical processes and requirements needed products created for an organization. Systems engineering processes build upon and apply best practices and lessons learned from NASA, as well as other government agencies, academia, trade associations and in dustry, to clearly delineate a success ful model to complete comprehen sive technical work, reduce program and technical risk and improve mission success. With this competition, NASA continues its tradition of investing in the nations education programs. The competition directly ties into the agencys major education goal of strengthening NASA and the nations future workforce. Through this and the agencys other college and uni versity programs, NASA will identify and develop the critical skills and capabilities needed to support its long-term aeronautics requirements. SAE International has more than 90,000 members who share informa tion and exchange ideas for advanc ing the engineering of mobility systems used in designing, building, maintaining, and operating self-pro pelled vehicles for use on land or sea, in air or space. For more information about the new NASA Systems Engineering Award, visit: http://students.sae. org/competitions/aerodesign/na saaward.htm For more information about SAE Internationals education programs, visit: http://students.sae. org/ BY MICHAEL MEWHINNEY Professor Hans-Peter Roeser recently presented a directors collo quium entitled SOFIA and the Small Satellite Program at the University of Stuttgart. Since 2002, Roeser has been a professor at the University of Stuttgart and managing director of the Institute of Space Systems. His main interest is the development and appli cation of remote sensing instruments in the visible and infrared wavelength range for airborne and space-borne programs. During the colloquium, Roeser discussed the activities and research in the German SOFIA Institute, which include the management of the contributions to the SOFIA opera tions phase. Then, he outlined the University of Stuttgarts small satellite program which consists of a series of four satellites, starting with the Flying Laptop, to be launched in early 2008 into low Earth orbit. NASA photo by Dominic Hart Professor Hans-Peter Roeser at the recent colloquium at Ames where he discussed the latest satellite program.

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8 Astrogram November 2006 Ames Ongoing Monthly Events Calendar NASA-Ames Occupational Illness-Injury Data for Calendar Year-to-Date 2006 Jan. 1, 2006 Oct. 31, 2006 Civil Contractors Servants First aid cases 12 19 Lost Workday cases 0 5 Recordable cases 3 9 Restricted duty days 0 0 Above data are as of 10/31/06. May be subject to slight adjustment in the event of a new case or new information regarding an existing case. Ames Amateur Radio Club, third Thursday of each month, 12 noon, N-T28 (across from N-255). POC: Michael Wright, KG6BFK, at ext. 4-6262. Ames Ballroom Dance Club Classes on Tuesdays. Beginning classes meet at 5:15 p.m. Higher-level class meets at 5:50 p.m. Held in Bldg. 944, the Rec. Center. POC: Helen Hwang at helen.hwang@nasa.gov, ext. 4-1368. Ames Bicycling Club Every 3rd Wednesday of the month. The meeting location is Build ing 19, Conference Room 1083 and the meeting time is 12 noon 1 p.m. Contact Julie Nottage at jnottage@mail.arc.nasa.gov, ext. 4-3711. Bylaws of Ames Bicycling Club can be found at http://zen.arc.nasa.gov; the link is right under the picture. Ames Bowling League Homestead Lanes on Thursday nights at 6:20 p.m. Seeking substitute bowlers. Questions to sign up: Mike Liu at ext. 4-1132. Ames Child Care Center Board of Directors Mtg every other Tuesday in N-229/Rm 117 from 12 1:30 p.m. POC: Julie Schonfeld, ext. 4-6504. Ames Contractor Council Mtg day each month, 11 a.m., N-200, Comm. Rm. POC: Doreen Cohen, ext. 4-5203. Ames Diabetics (AAD) 1st & 3rd Weds, 12 noon to 1 p.m., at Ames Mega Bites, Sun room. Support group discusses news affecting dia betics. POC: Bob Mohlenhoff, ext. 4-2523/email at: bmohlenhoff@mail.arc.nasa.gov. Ames Federal Employees Union (AFEU) Mtg third Wednesday of ea. month, 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., Bldg. 221, Rm 104. Guests welcome. Info at: http://www.afeu.org. POC: Marianne Mosher, ext. 4-4055. Ames Mac Support Group Mtg, third Tuesday of ea. month, 11:30 a.m.to 1 p.m., Bldg. N262, Rm 180. POC: Tony ext. 4-0340. Ames Model Aircraft Club, trolled aircraft at the north end of Parsons Ave. on weekend mornings. POC: Mark Sumich, ext. 4-6193. Ames Sailing Club Mtg, second Thursday of ea. month (Feb through Nov), from 12:00 p.m. -1:00 p.m. in Bldg. N-262, Rm 100. URL: http://sail.arc.nasa.gov/. POC: Becky Hooey, ext. 4-2399. Environmental Forum other month, 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., Bldg. qe/events/EHSseries/ POC: Stacy St. Louis at ext. 4-6810. The Hispanic Advisory Committee for Excel lence (HACE) Mtg N255 room 101C from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. POC: Eric Kristich at ext. 4-5137 and Mark Leon at ext. 4-6498. Jetstream Toastmasters Mondays, 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., N-269/Rm.179. POC: Miwa Hayashi at ext. 4-1397, mhayashi@mail.arc.nasa.gov, Web: http://jetstream.freetoasthost.com Native American Advisory Committee Mtg fourth Tues each month, 12 noon to 1 p.m., Bldg. 19, Rm 1096. POC: Mike Liu at ext. 4-1132. Security/Law Enforcement Activity Fire Protection Activity A statistical summary of activities of the Protective Services Divisions Security/Law Enforcement and Fire Protection Services units for the month of July 2006 is shown below. Protective Services monthly activity continued from front page BY JOHN BLUCK produced on Earth billions of years ago. The researchers reported that the aerosols produced in the laboratory could serve as analogs for the ob served haze in Titans atmosphere. The scientists also estimated that aerosol production on early Earth could have served as a primary source of organic material to the surface. This paper shows one of the ways in which the study of other worlds can help us understand Earth, said Chris McKay, a scientist at NASA Ames and one of the studys co-authors. Titan has a thick organic haze layer, and this work started out to understand the chemistry of that alien organic haze. Then we realized that we could apply the same approach to the organic haze on early Earth. We hope to determine how the organics were made and their chemi cal nature, McKay observed. The scientists reported that when sunlight hits an atmosphere of methane and nitrogen, like the atmosphere of Titan today, aerosol particles form. When an atmosphere also contains carbon di oxide, as in the atmosphere of ancient Earth, different kinds of aerosols form. The scientists used a special ultra violet-light lamp to produce particles in the simulated atmospheres, and measured the chemical composition, size and shape of the resulting par ticles. Its somewhat similar to the smog in Los Angeles, Trainer explained. Todays haze on Earth is also cre ated photochemically, which means sunlight powers chemical reactions in the atmosphere. However, the early at mosphere of Earth had different gases present, so chemical composition of the early haze is very different than the haze we have today. There also would have been a lot more of it. Study shows Titan and early Earth atmospheres are similar

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9 Astrogram November 2006 Exchange Information Beyond Galileo Gift Shop N-235 in the cafeteria (8 a.m. to 2 p.m.) ext. 4-6873 Dont forget to purchase your baby shower, birth day, holiday gifts at Ames two gift shops! Mega Bites Cafeteria N-235 (6 a.m. to 2 p.m.) ext. 4-5969/Catering ext. 4-2161 Visitor Center Gift Shop N-943 (M-F, 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sat 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.) ext. 4-5412 NASA logo merchandise, souvenirs, toys, gifts and educational items. Vacation Opportunities Information about products, services and oppor tunities provided to the employee and contractor community by the Ames Exchange Council. Visit the web site at: http://exchange.arc.nasa.gov NASA Lodge (N-19) 603-7100 Tickets, etc... (N-943 outside the main gate, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.) ext. 4-5412 and Beyond Galileo (4-6873) See daily menu at: http://exchange.arc.nasa.gov Housing Miscellaneous Ames emergency announcements To hear the centerwide status record ing, call (650) 604-9999 for informa tion announcements and emergency instructions for Ames employees. You can also listen to 1700 KHz AM radio for the same information. The pool is heated year round! The pool is cur rently available for lap swim, pool parties and special events. POC -Chana Langley, Pool Manager (650) 603-8025. Memberships: single member ships: $40/yr. Family memberships: $60/yr. After purchasing a membership, there is an entrance fee: daily entrance fee $3/day or lap pass fee $40 for 20 uses. Platinum membership $360/yr. (no daily fee). Special events: include military training, swim team events, kayak role practice, etc. The cost for special events is $50/hr. Ames Swim Center (N-109) 603-8025 Astrogram deadlines Please submit articles, calendar and gram@mail.arc.nasa.gov no later than the 10th of each month. If this falls on the weekend or holiday, then the following business day becomes the deadline. For Astrogram questions, contact Astrid Olson at the aforemen tioned e-mail address or ext. 4-3347. Ads for the next issue should be sent to astrogram@ mail.arc.nasa.gov and must be resubmitted for each issue. Ads must involve personal needs or items; (no commercial/third-party ads) and will run on a spaceavailable basis only. First-time ads are given priority. Ads must include home phone numbers; Ames exten sions and email addresses will be accepted for carpool and lost and found ads only. Due to the volume of material received, we are unable to verify the accuracy of the statements made in the ads. Caveat emptor! homes for cats trapped at Moffett. They range from feral to abandoned/lost pets. Tested, altered and inoculated. Call Iris at ext. 4-5824 if you or someone you know are interested in fostering or adopting a cat. Lake Tahoe-Squaw Valley Townhse, 3bd/2ba. View of slopes, close to lifts. Per night: $250, plus $145 cleaning fee. Two night minimum. Includes linens, 4155, DBMcKellar@aol.com Vacation rental, Bass Lake, 4 mls south of Yosemite. 3bd/1.5 ba, TV, VCR, MW, frplc, BBQ, priv. boat dock. Sleeps 8. $1,050/wk. Call (559) 642-3600 or (650) 390-9668. Big Sur vacation rental, secluded 4bd/2ba house in canyon setting. Fully eqpd kitchen. Access to priv. beach. Tub in patio gdn. Halfway between Carmel and Big Sur. $175/night for 2; $225 for 4 and $250 for more, plus $150 cleaning dep. Call (650) 328-4427. Pine Mountain Lake vacation home. Access to golf, tennis, lake, swimming, horseback riding, walk to beach. Three bedrooms/sleeps 10. $100/night. Call (408) 799-4052 or (831) 623-4054. Incline Village, Forest Pines, Lake Tahoe condo, 3 stereo w/CD player, microwv, W/D, jacuzzi, sauna, outdoor pool. Walk to lake. Close to ski areas. Visit web site for pictures: http://www.ACruiseStore.com $135/night spring and fall, $173/night summer and winter (holidays higher) plus $125 cleaning fee and 12 percent Nevada room tax. Charlie (650) 743-8990. New York, 5th Ave. One fully furnished bedroom in 24 hour security bldg. overlooking Washington Square Park, $1,000/wk or $3,000/mo. negotiable. Call (650) 349-0238. Paris/France: Fully furnished studio, 5th Arr, Latin Quarter, Notre Dame and Lie-St. Louis., $1,400/wk. negotiable. Call (650) 349-0238. Santa Cruz townhouse, 2 bedrooms plus study, 2 baths, decks, totally furnished, 3 blocks from beach, available July, August, September; $1,600 per month. Call (831) 423-5777 (H) or (831) 277-8476 (C). Lake Tahoe cabin rental in Agate Bay, North Shore. deck, sleeps 10. Closest skiing is Northstar, Alpine and Squaw. Rates are $375 a weekend, $1,000 a week. Call (408) 867-4656. Florida west coast vacation in St. Petersburg, beauti ful 2bd/2ba condo, fully equipped kitchen and fur nished, sunset views, 1/4 mile from St. Pete Beach, monthly or 2 week minimum rentals only. Call (703) 299-8889 or e-mail: jdgoehler@aol.com Maui luxury oceanfront resort one-bedroom condo available one week. Rents for $345/night now, $495/night in the summer. We will rent to an Ames family for $1,750 for the week. See the condo at http://www.starwoodvo.com/resorts/villafeatures. jsp?resortID=12 Call (650) 572-8877 for availabilty and questions. Monterey Bay vacation rental at Pajaro Dunes, 20 miles south of Santa Cruz, 3bd/2ba beach house with distinctive architecture. Beautiful ocean and tennis courts. $700/wkend, $2,100/wk including cleaning by the maid service when you depart. Call (408) 252-7260. Automotive RV Lots Available Call to reserve a space at (650) 603-7100/01. Civilian/Contrators, $50/mo; military $25/mo Where to stay when youre too tired to drive home? What about the lodge?! Two types of rooms: Bldg. 19 (43 rooms), rate: $55/night ($5 ea addl adult); Bldg. 583 (150 rooms), rate: $45/night ($5 ea. addl adult) Moffett Field Golf Club with Tee minus 1 Grill and Sports Bar. Call (650) 6038026. Unfurnished room in house in San Jose, close to light rail and Caltrain. $525 incl utils and WiFi. Available to quiet, mature, non-smoking female student or professional. E-mail: mbualat@stan fordalumni.org or call (408) 578-9580. 03 Honda CRV EX sports utility, 42K miles leather, new brakes, 80K Goodyear tires, cargo equipment, just had 40K service, dealer main tained, all records, two sets mats dark tan paint, unused cloth interior $17.6K. Under Blue Book private party $ 18.65K. Jim (408) 257-3930. Toyota Corolla, silver, automatic, 40K miles, e-mail: winnie.ling@gmail.com or call (650) 580 0708. Honda Civic, silver, automatic, 17K miles, $13,990, e-mail: winnie.ling@gmail.com, or call (650) 580 0708. Temporary housing needed for relocating NASA employee beginning mid-December or January through May. Non-smoker. Contact Ann Clarke at (202) 285-2150.

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10 Astrogram November 2006 National Aeronautics and Space Administration PLEASE RECYCLE Printed on recycled and recyclable paper with vegetable-based ink. FIRST-CLASS U.S. POSTAGE PERMIT NO. 85 MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA Ames Research Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Editor-in-Chief................................. Laura Lewis Managing Editor..............................Ann Sullivan Editor, Layout and Design.............Astrid Olson mail.arc.nasa.gov or by phone at (650) 604-3347. Astrogram Web site: http://www.nasa.gov/cen ters/ames/news/astrogram/2006/06astrograms. html Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000 Dozens of university students are helping NASA to prepare, monitor and analyze the science from a nano satellite scheduled to launch in December. NASAs GeneSat-1 satellite is scheduled to ride aboard an Air Force rocket being launched into Earth orbit on Dec. 11, 2006. The small satellite will carry bacteria that researchers will analyze to de on microscopic living things. News media were recently invited to view the small satellite facility at Ames. They also saw the GeneSat satellite being tested, and were able to interview stu dents from Santa Clara University, Ames John Hines, GeneSat project manager, and Bruce Yost, GeneSat mission manager. The 10-pound (4.5-kilogram) satellite will be a secondary payload on an Air Force Mino taur rocket, derived from a Min BY JOHN BLUCK Ames GeneSat project manager John Hines, right, describes the GeneSat mis sion to a reporter during a recent media day, which showcased the small satellite facility at Ames. The GeneSat-1 satel lite, to be launched Dec. 11, will carry bacteria that researchers will analyze to microscopie living things. NASA photo by Tom Trower launch payloads into orbit. The main purpose of the launch from the NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia is to loft an Air Force TacSat 2 satellite into orbit. NASAs separate GeneSat1 will carry bacteria inside a miniature laboratory to study how the microbes may change genetically The micro-laboratory includes sensors and opti cal systems that can detect netic activity. The studentoperated GeneSat commu nications system, located in the Stanford foothills, will receive data via radio from the satellites onboard micro-laboratory after it has completed its observations and tests of the bacteria carried on the spacecraft. This data will be relayed through the Internet to the GeneSat mission operations center at Ames. Santa Clara University students will control the spacecraft from the mission operations center at Ames. The students developed software that will send commands to the satellite, analyze spacecraft health and calibrate biological data.