America’s gateway to the universe. Leading the world in preparing and launching missions to Earth and beyond.

Page 2 – Debris recovery team experiencecompelling eventsPage 3 – Coordinated recovery efforts key toReturn to FlightPages 4 – Reconstruction efforts at KSCPage 5 – Space Station elements prepared forflightPages 6&7 – Columbia was the first SpaceShuttle to launchPage 8 – Modifications to Discovery may provideclues to Columbia accidentPage 9 – What is the future of space travel forNASA?Page 10 – Inspirational messages flood KSCofficesPage 11 – Students encouraged to carry onColumbia legacyPage 12 – Columbia remembered withinspirational messages

July 25, 2003

John F. Kennedy Space Center

Spaceport Newshttp://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/snews/snewstoc.htm

Vol. 42, No. 14

Inside

Columbia: Flagship ofthe Shuttle Program

From April 12, 1981, with the crew of BobCrippen and John Young, until Feb. 1,2003, with the crew of Michael Ander-

son, Dave Brown, Kalpana Chawla, LaurelClark, Rick Husband, Willie McCool and IlanRamon, the Space Shuttle Columbia flew 28missions and set NASA on a new course ofexploration.

It arrived piggyback on a 747 at KennedySpace Center on March 24, 1979, to a team whohad never worked on this type of spacecraft.

Former Shuttle Launch Director Bob Sieckcredits the first Space Shuttle with training theprogram team that is in place today: “It wasn’tjust the technicians. . .who managed theoperations and checkout. It was the projectmanagers, the program managers, it was NASA,

the NASA contractor team. Columbia trained ushow to run a reusable vehicle program.”

Shuttle Commander Rick Husband talkedabout his favorite moments on STS-107:“. . . watching everyone perform as a team. Ireally love seeing a team come together, andthe bigger team who makes this entire missionpossible is the team on the ground.”

As part of that team at Kennedy SpaceCenter we have seen the worst of times and thebest of times. Our team shows their spirit, theirexcellence, their toughness and their compe-tence for space travel – anytime, anywhere.

This commemorative issue of SpaceportNews is dedicated to the history of Columbiaand the events surrounding its demise over theskies of East Texas.

Left: The crew ofColumbia poses outsidethe orbiter during pre-launch training formission STS-107.Clockwise from top areMission SpecialistKalpana Chawla,Commander RickHusband, MissionSpecialists Laurel Clarkand Dave Brown, PilotWillie McCool, PayloadSpecialist Ilan Ramonand Payload Com-mander MichaelAnderson.

Far left: Columbialaunches on its lastmission, Jan. 16, 2003,at 10:39 a.m. EST. Itsinaugural launch 22years earlier proved thatNASA could create aSpace Transpor-tationSystem for a series ofmissions in low Earthorbit.

Special IssueThis commemorative issue of Spaceport

News is dedicated to the memory of SpaceShuttle Columbia and her achievements, aswell as the tireless workers who brought herhome. As we prepare to return to flight, we alsosalute the employees of Kennedy Space Centerwho have supported the investigation.

SPACEPORT NEWS July 25, 2003Page 2

Kennedy Space Center workerswho supported the Columbiarecovery efforts in East Texas oftenfound the tour of duty to be a life-altering experience.

While the volunteers fromNASA, United Space Alliance,Boeing and Space GatewaySupport worked long hours andfaced physical difficulties, thehonor of helping bring Columbiahome and uncovering the cause ofthe accident outweighed theburdens, they said.

The warmth and dedication ofthe East Texans, the U.S. ForestryService workers, other supportpersonnel and the public in generalreaffirmed many KSC workers’faith in humanity and changedtheir world view.

A reunion for the recoverygroup was held at KARS I onMerritt IslandMay 30.Workers sharedtheir stories witheach other andexpressed howmuch theexperiencemeant to them.

DebbieAwtonomow, aNASA engineer who served as leadfor the Hemphill site for a total ofsix weeks, said she and other spaceprogram workers appreciated thehospitality of the restaurant ownersand townspeople of Hemphill.

“The restaurants gave us freefood, the school children made uscare packages with personal notes,and so many people baked cakesand casseroles for us. It was ahomey touch, which meant somuch when you’re far from home,”

said Awtonomow.“Many of the townspeople

volunteered for the first weeks ofthe search before the ForestryService came in. They gave 200percent and didn’t ask for anyrecognition.”

Doug Gray, Boeing PayloadsOperations manager for SpaceStation, found his work as theBoeing ground operations teamlead at the Corsicana site to be socompelling that he volunteered foran extended tour of duty fromFebruary 1 through May 1. Anumber of other KSC managersand workers were similarly movedto service.

“I felt I needed to be there. Itwas difficult, but extremelyrewarding,” said Gray. “I sawpeople pull together in a way I’venever seen before in my life.

People didn’tcare abouttitles or aboutbureaucraticprocedures,they just gotthings done.They didwhatever ittook. Every-one was

dedicated to a single purpose.” NASA Quality Inspector

Dennis Sparks flew on air opera-tions missions with ForestryService workers near the Palestinesite. The air operations helicoptershovered five to 10 feet above theground and just above the treetops to search out areas within thegrid sites.

Sparks was impressed by afellow recovery worker who wasdetermined to make sure the team

didn’t miss any debris.“One day we saw a crater in a

pond that looked as if it couldhave been created by the impactof Shuttle debris,” said Sparks.“Unfortunately the cratercouldn’t be seen at ground leveland the ground team was unableto locate it.

“Finally, Brian removed hisflight suit, then pulling a rowboat with us in it, waded out tothe crater feeling the muck withhis feet. Unfortunately, althoughBrian searched the area, hewasn’t able to find anything. Ihad to hand it to him though forgoing the extra mile.

“Everyone we met out therehad a deep sense of dedication tofinding as many pieces of debrisas possible so that we could findout what went wrong and get

Debris recovery team experiences compelling events

flying again.”KSC Space Shuttle Logistics

Engineer Lamar Russell served atthe Lufkin Command Center asthe NASA team lead for closingdebris sighting reports outsideTexas. He also worked with theinitial response team at BarksdaleAFB, spending a total of 10 weekssupporting the recovery efforts.

“The public was magnificentconcerning reporting sightings ofShuttle debris. We were able tocoordinate the search ofthe ground track for debris west ofTexas through combining informa-tion from public calls with airtraffic control system radaranalysis,” said Lamar.

“The whole recovery experi-ence showed us all how you cansuccessfully face a huge challengewhen everyone pulls together.”

NASA engineer Debbie Awtonomow served as lead for the Hemphill debriscollection site for six weeks. She greatly appreciated that city’s hospitality: “Itwas a homey touch, which meant so much when you’re far from home.”

By Kathy Hagood

NASA Kennedy Space Center engineer Lamar Russell,who served as team lead for debris sighting reportsoutside of Texas, points out to his Lufkin CommandCenter team a location targeted for a grid search.

A reunion for workers who helped recover Columbia was held at KARS I May 30. Thegroup shared stories about their experiences in East Texas and Louisiana.

“I saw people pulltogether in a way I’venever seen before inmy life.” — Doug Gray

SPACEPORT NEWS Page 3July 25, 2003

In what is being called thesingle largest organized groundsearch ever carried out, theColumbia recovery efforts showwhat the human spirit can do tosolve a problem. More than 130different federal, state and localagencies participated in theeffort and more than 30,000people helped recover 84,000pieces of debris totaling 85,000pounds.

At first, estimates were thatonly a small portion of thespacecraft would be recovered. TheFederal Emergency ManagementAgency (FEMA), who was incharge of all recovery operations,estimates that more than 4,000persons were searching each daywith a total of 16,500 personnelparticipating in the ground search.

“The Columbia mishap was agreat tragedy for NASA and forour nation, but it did bring forthone really wonderful thing. Itsrecovery has proven that ourgovernment agencies – federal,state and local – are an absolutelyterrific team,” said Kennedy SpaceCenter Director Roy Bridges Jr.

Organizing a response teamfell, in part, on the shoulders of EdMango, KSC launch manager andrecovery director, and DennyGagen, Shuttle landing recoverymanager and co-chair of theResponse Management Teamalong with United SpaceAlliance’s Chris Hasselbring.

Responsible for management ofall recovery duties in whichKennedy resources were required,

Mango managed the tasks andpersonnel in the field and at thecamps in Corsicana, Palestine,Nacogdoches, Hemphill, theCommand Center at Lufkin, andthe Barksdale operations.

“The early estimates were thatwe would only get 5 percent of thespacecraft back, but in reality wegot 40 percent,” said Mango.“Eventually it became obviousthat most of the effort was goingto be stationed out of Lufkin, sowe created three teams of sixpeople each to go search there.We thought that was going to beenough.”

Meanwhile back at KSC,Gagen and the Response Manage-ment Team’s primary responsibil-ity was to support the deployedteams with whatever they neededto do the job. That involved thereplacement of the personnel whowere deployed, working thetransportation to and from the siteand setting them up with the rightarrangements.

“We didn’t know the magni-tude of the task or the magnitudeof the people that were going to berequired, so it was trying to beprepared for whatever eventualitycame to pass,” said Gagen.

“For the first four days, weended up moving a total of 215people out there from KSC. Wehad to get the people together tobrief them as to what they wouldbe involved with and to keep itas smooth as possible.”

In all, 870 personnel weredeployed from KSC over thethree-month recovery operation.The local flight operations group

at Patrick Air Force Base supportedthe deployment with approximately40 flights on NASA-4.

When Mango first arrived at theLufkin Command Center, therewere hundreds of personnel fromthe U.S. Forest Service, statetroopers from Texas, FEMA, EPAand more, and NASA owned threetables in the convention center.

There were many concernswith the local and state govern-ment who wanted to make surethe schools in the NacogdochesCounty area could be cleared ofShuttle debris, so that becameMango’s firstpriority. A numberof Army Blackhawkhelicopters arrived,so Mango and acrew took someoverview flights tosee what they wereup against.

“I took one ofthose flights just eastof Nacogdoches andLufkin, and therewas so much debristhat we were up therefor an hour and a halfand we logged 40items,” he said.

“In the process,since I was aKennedy employeeand most of theresources were fromhere, it was deter-mined that I wouldtake over theoperation in Lufkinfrom a KSC stand-point.”

Between week three and four,recovery teams completed 85percent of all the call-in pickupsfrom citizens. That shifted phasesfrom pickup to searching. TheTexas Forest Service suggested totreat it the way they treated a forestfire search. The search groupsdidn’t know what to look for, northe hazards, so a NASA employeewas added to each search team.

“One thing was very clear,”Mango said. “Our senior manage-ment at NASA greatly supportedthe personnel out in the field.”

Coordinated recovery efforts key to return to flight

Members of the Recovery Management Team at KSC in the Operations Support Building, from left around the table are: Don Maxwell, safety, UnitedSpace Alliance (USA); Russ DeLoach, chief, Shuttle Mission Assurance Branch, NASA; George Jacobs, Shuttle Engineering; Jeff Campbell, ShuttleEngineering; Dave Rainer, launch and landing operations; and the two co-chairs of the Response Management Team, Denny Gagen, LandingRecovery Manager, and Chris Hasselbring, Landing Operations, USA. Above, recovery workers scour the fields in East Texas.

By Jeff Stuckey

Dean Schaaf (left), Barksdale site manager andNASA KSC Shuttle Process Integration GroundOperations manager, and Elliot Clement, a UnitedSpace Alliance engineer at KSC, inspect baggedpieces of Columbia at the Barksdale Hangar site.

Page 4 SPACEPORT NEWS July 25, 2003

Almost immediately followingthe Center’s Feb. 7 ColumbiaMemorial Service, NASA, UnitedSpace Alliance and Boeingworkers started the labor intensivetask of preparing the ReusableLaunch Vehicle (RLV) Hangar forthe arrival of Columbia debris.According to Steve Altemus,NASA-KSC reconstructiondirector, one of the reasons KSCwas selected was because of theexperienced workforce of engi-neers, technicians and qualityinspectors who knew the vehicle“inside and out.”

Debris reconstruction prepara-tions in the RLV Hangar, nowknown as the Columbia Hangar,included reconfiguring equip-ment and areas to make room for a110 percent scale grid of the outerstructure. Areas were arrangedaround the hangar’s insideperimeter accommodating toolstorage, debris analysis systems,work stations, sorting areas andstorage of non-crucial debris.

The first truck carryingrecovered debris arrived at KSCfrom Barksdale, La., Feb. 12.

Lisa Huddleston, a contractengineer with Spherion Corp. forUSA, worked to identify partnumbers and placement of variouspieces of wing leading edge RCC.

“Looking at that collection ofscattered parts on the hangar floorand realizing that it was once theorbiter in which I had spentseveral years of my life was a

sobering experience. It is some-thing that I will never forget,” saidHuddleston.

As debris was processed, it wastagged with a bar code and anidentification number and theinformation was entered into theColumbia Reconstruction Data-base. The database was developedwithin the first week of theaccident and used when the debrisfirst arrived at KSC. Reconstruc-tion processes included receivingdebris, identifying pieces, sortingand cataloging pieces, gridplacement and performing foren-sics studies.

Pat Floyd, USA grid manager,worked with the team to maintainaccurate placement of all piecesincluding critical left wing debris.

“The effort was superb oneveryone’s part,” said Floyd.“Even those who designed theSpace Shuttle and are now retiredworked on the grid on their handsand knees, teaching many of usthat passion for this program hasno age.”

Approximately 75 engineersand technicians were in the hangarat any given time. The teamworked six days a week, in twoeight-hour shifts, from Feb. 7through the end of May to identify84,000 recovered pieces from aslarge as landing gear to as small asa quarter. They processed 85,000pounds of debris representing 38percent of the dry weight of theorbiter.

Tools used to assist in identifi-cation and placement on the grid

included real-time X-ray and 3-Dlaser scanning.

“We started 3-D scanningabout three or four weeks after theaccident,” said Jon Cowart, NASAreconstruction engineer. VirtualReconstruction was used forvisualization and parts identifica-tion, providing off-site personnel atool to visualize what the team atKSC saw inside the hangar.Engineers identified more thaneight pieces of the RCC using thismethod.

During the reconstructionefforts a positive attitude wasneeded in order to get the jobdone. Woody Woodworth, USAreconstruction engineering lead,said, “We saw debris in all shapesand sizes, but a piece of debris inthe shape of a phoenix remindedus that we will rise from this andfly again.”

All the managers of thereconstruction effort praised thelevel of professionalism and focustheir workers exhibited.

As manager of ColumbiaReconstruction for USA, JimComer said, “This is a tribute tothe spirit of our workforce. I’mvery proud to be a part of thisteam.”

“The reconstruction ofColumbia was a monumental andpainstaking effort. Imagine a giantpuzzle that you’re trying to puttogether,” said Altemus. “Thisteam by far was probably theclosest, well-adapted team I’veever seen. Being part of thereconstruction process helped togive us all a sense of closure insome ways.”

“I have been associated with

Columbia reconstruction efforts at KSC will helpShuttles fly againBy Linda Herridge

many teams in my 18-plus years atKSC and the Columbia Recon-struction Team is without a doubtthe most courageous, creative andcompassionate group of folks Ihave ever had the privilege toknow and work with, bar none,”said Shuttle Launch Director MikeLeinbach, who gave countlesstours of the Hangar to visitingdignitaries.

KSC Director Roy Bridgesconcluded, “Bringing Columbiahome and learning what happenedfrom her remains were missions oflove from those of us at KSC. Herremains spoke volumes about whathappened and those answers willget us back to flight. A ‘well done’to our KSC team.”

Members of the Columbia Reconstruction Project Team seek to place apiece of debris from Columbia on this replica of the leading edge of theleft wing.

United Space Alliance technicianWoody Woodworth identifiespieces of Thermal ProtectionSystem tile from the left wing ofColumbia recovered during thesearch efforts in East Texas.

The floor of the Columbia Hangar is full of pieces of Shuttle debrisdelivered from the search and recovery efforts.

Page 5SPACEPORT NEWSJuly 25, 2003

As NASA and the Kennedy Space Centerworkforce prepare to implement the recommen-dations of the Columbia Accident Investiga-tion Board, a flurry of activity is ongoing inthe Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF).

Tip Talone, director of International SpaceStation/Payloads Processing, and his team havebeen busy reevaluating their level of effort andshifts worked in order to build as mucheconomy as possible into the processingschedule.

“Not only did work not come to a halt afterthe accident, but it actually picked up becauseof where we are in the manifest,” Talonereports.

“Whatever the delay until the next flight is,we’ve got plenty of work to do, and that’shelped keep morale up.”

One reason for all the activity – two majorcomponents of the International Space Station(ISS) arrived at the SSPF in June, includingNASA’s Node 2 and the Pressurized Modulecomponent of the Japanese ExperimentModule (JEM).

Node 2 is the next pressurized modulescheduled to be installed on the Station. It wasbuilt for NASA by the European Space Agency(ESA) in Italy. Once in place, it will increasethe living and working space on the ISS to18,000 cubic feet.

JEM is Japan’s primary contribution to theStation. When complete, it will include anexposed platform for space environmentexperiments, a robotic manipulator system andtwo logistics modules. These components willbe assembled over the course of three Shuttlemissions.

The Italian-built module will providepassageway to the U.S. Destiny Lab, the JEM,the European Columbus Laboratory and theCentrifuge Accommodation Module. It willalso provide connecting ports for the Multi-

Space Station elements prepared for flight

Space is at a premium in the Space Station Processing Facility high bay. In the top center isthe S6 Integrated Equipment Assembly. The hardware includes, on the left from top tobottom: the P3/P4 truss; the U.S. Node 2; the S6 truss Long Spacer; the P5 truss; the S5truss; and the Utilization and Logistics Flight-1 Multi-Purpose Experiment Support StructureCarrier. On the right, from top to bottom, are the S3/S4 truss; the Japanese ExperimentModule (JEM) Pressurized Module; the Utilization and Logistics Flight-2 Multi-PurposeLogistics Module; and the Utilization and Logistics Flight-1 Multi-Purpose Logistics ModuleRaffaello.

By Kay Grinter

The U.S. Node 2 is lowered onto a workstand in the Space Station Proc-essing Facility.

In the Space Station Processing Facility, Executive Director of NASDAKoji Yamamoto (center) gets information about the facility while on atour of KSC. Behind the group is the Japanese Experiment Module(JEM) pressurized module.

Purpose Logistics Modules, the Japanese H-IIATransfer Vehicles and the Pressurized MatingAdapter 2.

Another reason – additional processingtasks are necessitated by the delay until Shuttleflights resume.

One example is the recertification of theremaining solar arrays. The oldest array in theprocessing flow was installed on the P4 truss,the next completed in April 2002.

A concern arose that the silicon used to

protect its wiring may allow the wing to stickto itself if compacted in its container forseveral years. In space, this additional forcecould make it difficult to deploy.

Another task is the de-integration andreconfiguration of the Multi-Purpose LogisticsModule (MPLM) slated to fly on the nextmission. The manifested supplies and equip-ment to be stowed on the MPLM will beadjusted, requiring the racks to be reconfiguredto accommodate the cargo.

Page 6 SPACEPORT NEWS July 25, 2003

By Kathy Hagood

She was named after a smallsailing vessel that operatedout of Boston in 1792 and

explored the mouth of theColumbia River. The name wasalso shared by one of the firstships of the U.S. Navy to circum-navigate the globe and thecommand module for the Apollo11 lunar mission.

The name Columbia has beenused poetically as the femalepersonification of the UnitedStates. The Orbiter’s initiallaunches fittingly inspired thenation and proved the operationalconcept of a winged, reusablespaceship.

Former Shuttle LaunchDirector Bob Sieck remembersColumbia being built in Palmdale,Calif. “It was impressive andinteresting to watch these piecesbeing put together, being in-spected, knowing that this vehiclewas going to be different thananything us rocket scientists hadbeen involved with before,” hesaid.

The vehicle, also known asOV-102, was a revolutionarydeparture from the one-time-usecapsules of the Mercury, Geminiand Apollo programs.

After Columbia’s completionat Palmdale, the Orbiter wasdelivered to Kennedy SpaceCenter.

Tonya Witt, Thermal Protec-tion System Operations lead atKennedy, remembers her introduc-tion to Columbia. She was one ofthousands who watched for thevehicle as it was flown in.

“The first time I saw Columbiais when it first came piggyback onthe 747. It was March 24, 1979,and the reason I remember that isbecause it was a day before myson was born. And little did Iknow that two-and-a-half-months later I’d be working onColumbia.”

Because of the demand forShuttle program technicians, Wittwas one of many hired to receiveon-the-job training in the earlyprogram. Columbia was a newtype of space vehicle and the

processing procedures were allnew.

Months of painstakingprocessing procedures paid off.Columbia first lifted off Pad A inthe Launch Complex 39 area atKSC April 12, 1981. The orbiterlanded for the first time April 14at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

The successful launch ofColumbia proved that NASA couldcreate a Space TransportationSystem for a series of missions inlow Earth orbit.

For the first six Shuttlelaunches, Columbia served as aproving ground for programworkers.

“I credit Columbia withtraining the program team that is inplace today. It wasn’t just thetechnicians and the floor work orthe engineers who managed theoperations and checkout,” saidSieck.

“It was the project managers,the program managers, it wasNASA, the NASA contractor team.Columbia trained us how to run areusable vehicle program.”

Mission achievements forColumbia included the recovery ofthe Long Duration ExposureFacility satellite from orbit duringmission STS-32 in January 1990,and the STS-40 Spacelab LifeSciences mission in June 1991, thefirst manned Spacelab missiontotally dedicated to human medicalresearch.

Eileen Collins took the helm ofColumbia as the Shuttle Program’sfirst female commander on STS-93. Collins’ mission focused onthe deployment of the Chandra X-ray Observatory.

For the technicians, engineersand managers who worked withColumbia many years, the shiptook on a unique personality.

“The orbiter almost takes on afeeling of being alive. She’s like afamily member,” said Witt. “Youwork on her everyday, you seeher everyday, you learn all herlittle quirks. After every mission,you knew what happened duringthe flow before, so you knewwhat to look for to see howthings went, and how to go aboutfixing the problems she had. Each

Columbia was the first Sp

Top left: Col

Below left: Spad.

Below: Colu

Above: AfteCalif., April 1

Right: ColumPad 39A.

SPACEPORT NEWSJuly 25, 2003 Page 7

vehicle is different, they all havetheir different personalities, andColumbia definitely had her ownpersonality. It was like one of yourchildren, growing up with them forthe past 24 years.”

Columbia was called the “biggirl” of the fleet because she wasthe heaviest orbiter. Columbia wasdesigned to carry extra sensors andwiring to gather early flight data,and the other orbiters benefitedfrom the lessons learned fromColumbia’s manufacture.

“Having watched all thosepristine parts being put togetherin Palmdale, and then visitingnow is obviously a sad occasion,”

pace Shuttle to launch

lumbia arrives at KSC on the back of a modified 747 jet.

Space Shuttle Columbia leaves the Vehicle Assembly Building for the launch

umbia launches on STS-1, April 12, 1981.

r a successful two-day mission, Columbia lands at Edwards Air Force Base,14, 1981.

mbia launches on its last mission, STS-107, Jan. 16, 2003, from Launch

said Sieck.“But when I look at those

parts, and you look at the lastmission that flew, Columbia flewwell. Its systems were operatingjust fine, and it fought being tornapart at the end.

“The information that has beenrevealed since the tragedy, allthose orbiter systems that were soreluctant to get off the groundwere working just fine, eventhough the forces of re-entry weretearing at the structure of thatvehicle as it was trying to comehome. But the orbiter was doingits job right through the end. I’llalways remember that.”

“I credit Columbia with training theprogram team that is in place today.”

— BOB SIECK

Page 8 SPACEPORT NEWS July 25, 2003

Discovery, the third orbiter tobecome operational at KennedySpace Center, was named after aship used by the British explorerJames Cook in the 1770s duringvoyages in the South Pacific thatled to the discovery of theHawaiian Islands. The Shuttle iscurrently undergoing its periodicmaintenance and safety upgradesat KSC, and may offer researcherssome clues into what happened toColumbia.

“To support the investigation,we have had components ofDiscovery that were used foranalysis, such as the ReinforcedCarbon-Carbon (RCC) panels andthe Leading Edge SupportStructure (LESS) carrier panelassemblies from the wing,” saidStephanie Stilson, NASA vehiclemanager for Discovery.

“With those RCCs removed,there may be further evaluationthat was not required prior to theaccident. We’re anxious to hearwhat the board recommends andwhat the Agency levies upon us asrequirements.”

Based on the accident, there isextra work being done toDiscovery’s nose cap. It wasalready at the vendor and initialevaluations came back positive.

The RCC panels off the wings’leading edge were removed priorto the accident in order to perform

structural inspections. Once thepanels are off, technicians performan extensive examination lookingfor any type of corrosion, smallpits or bubbling, that is not visibleto the naked eye.

Discovery is commonlyreferred to as Orbiter Vehicle-103.Its empty weight was 151,419pounds at rollout and 171,000pounds with main engines in-stalled. At rollout, its weight wasabout 6,870 pounds less thanColumbia.

Last year, the Agency decidedto move Orbiter Major Modifica-tions (OMM) to KSC from thePalmdale, Calif., manufacturingfacility after the Office of SpaceFlight evaluated the flightschedule, workforce skills andexperience, facility utilization andother factors. The current modifi-cations on Discovery started lastSeptember with official power-upof those changes scheduled forSept. 1. It won’t be operationaluntil next year.

“Work is going very well,” saidStilson. “We’ve had our share ofchallenges along the way, butthings look real good for us tomake our power-up in Septemberand at that point we will runthrough all our systems testing.”

The biggest change will be theMultifunctional Electronic Dis-play Subsystem (MEDS) or ‘glasscockpit.’

MEDS is replacing thecockpit’s four cathode ray tubescreens, mechanical gauges andinstruments with full-color flatpanel displays like those currentlyin use on modern military aircraft.The previous electro-mechanicaldevices were becoming obsoleteand more expensive to maintain.

Other transformations include acooling and power modification tosupport future missions to theSpace Station. The Multi-PurposeLogistic Module (MPLM) HeatExchanger, a power modificationto improve mid-deck experimentsfor payload customers, and theMMU (Mass Memory Unit)modification to convert theelectronics to a solid-state systemwill also improve activities on

future flights.Wire separation and redun-

dancy is a combined modificationthat looks to find wire harnessesthat have multiple critical wires inthe same bundle. The team separ-ates those critical wires and runsthem down opposite sides of theShuttle so that if, by chance, onebundle malfunctioned, there woulddual redundancy in another bundle.

Approximately 80 modificationswill be performed on Discovery, notto mention any changes that resultfrom the Columbia AccidentInvestigation Board report.

“Normally we have about4,000 requirements in a standardflow for power-up testing, but thistime we will have about doublethat,” said Stilson.

Modifications to Discovery may provide cluesto Columbia accident

Retired Navy Admiral Harold W. Gehman Jr. (second from left),chairman of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board, and otherboard members are given a guided tour around Space ShuttleDiscovery as it undergoes its Orbiter Major Modification.

United Space Alliance technicians continue the processing of Space ShuttleDiscovery. Discovery is undergoing its Orbiter Major Modification, a regularlyscheduled structural inspection and modification downtime, which began inSeptember 2002.

Discovery is pictured in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) before itsmove to the Orbiter Processing Facility for its Orbiter Major Modification(OMM) period.

By Jeff Stuckey

July 25, 2003 SPACEPORT NEWS Page 9

What is the future of space travel for NASA?

ArepresentationofadesignfortheOrbitalSpacePlane.(NASA/MSFC)

By Anita Barrett

NASA’s vision “to extend lifeto there” implies the presence ofhumans in space. But what willget them there beyond thecurrent fleet of orbiters? Newmethods of space transportationare needed, both manned andunmanned.

NASA’s Integrated SpaceTransportation Plan (ISTP)includes Space Shuttle technologyupgrades, the Orbital SpacePlane (OSP) Program, and thetechnology development pro-gram known as Next GenerationLaunch Technology (NGLT).Advanced technologies devel-oped by NGLT will enable newprograms to develop spacelaunch vehicles capable ofcarrying payloads for NASA,commercial and military mis-sions, as well as to fly crews toand from the International SpaceStation (ISS).

Satellite delivery and futureISS support are the primary set ofrequirements for the new systemand will lead to crew transfervehicles, reusable launchvehicles and orbital transfersystems.

Orbital Space PlaneThe Orbital Space Plane (OSP)

is a crew transport rescue vehicledesigned to be launched on eitheran expendable launch vehicle or asecond-generation RLV, whenavailable. Significant will be itsability either to land on a runwayor use Apollo-style parachutes andflotation bags to “land” on thewater. That ability expands safety

measures and escapepossibilities during ascentor as a crew escape systemwhile on-orbit. The OSPwould also be used forcargo transfer.

Center Director RoyBridges recently gave anupdate on plans for theOSP: “We do expect thatthe Orbital Space Planewill launch on one of theexpendable launchvehicles that will belaunched here on thecoast of Florida. We thinkthe Orbital Space Plane isa near-term program andwe expect to launch it as arescue vehicle by 2010and as a transport vehicleby 2012.

“It’s up to the contrac-tor community to providealternatives to NASA todetermine the appropriatedesign based on therequirements. We haven’tdecided if this will be a capsule orwinged vehicle, whether it will beexpendable or reusable.”

Three system design contractorteams — The Boeing Company ofSeal Beach, Calif.; LockheedMartin Corp. of Denver; and ateam including Orbital SciencesCorp. of Dulles, Va., andNorthrop Grumman of ElSegundo, Calif. — have beenawarded contracts to designpotential candidates for theOrbital Space Plane vehicle orvehicles, ground operations and allsupporting technologies needed toconduct a mission to and from theSpace Station.

In June, NASA AdministratorSean O’Keefe fast-forwarded thetimeline for OSP. “NASA willaccelerate development of a newspace station crew rescue vehicleby two years. The space agencynow will work to have the pro-posed Orbital Space Plane ferryingStation crews by 2008 instead of2010,” said O’Keefe.

Next Generation LaunchTechnology

The first step of identifyingtechnologies needed to createnew, safe, cost-effective launchsystems is to generate an inte-grated technology plan.

The NGLT Program hascombined previous SpaceLaunch Initiative research anddevelopment efforts – focusedon rocket propulsion – withadvanced space-transportationprograms developing air-breathing propulsion technolo-gies to achieve speeds of Mach10-12. The resultling NGLTprogram is intended to increasethe safety, reliability and cost-effectiveness of the nation’snext-generation reusable launchvehicle. The program will placeemphasis on reusable, kerosene-fueled rocket engine designsand, in concert with Departmentof Defense initiatives, on a varietyof other launch system technolo-gies, including development of air-

breathing hypersonic propulsionsystems.

NGLT is pursuing four signifi-cant technology areas:

• rocket propulsion, especially areusable liquid-oxygen/liquid-kerosene rocket booster engine;

• hypersonic, air-breathingpropulsion and airframe systems;

• cross-cutting launch vehiclesystem technologies intended tosupport a broad variety of launchand flight vehicle architectures;

• analysis activities to guideprogram investment and to ensurean appropriate fit not just withNASA’s needs, but with those ofNASA’s civilian and governmentcustomers.

Civil-based commercialefforts

In addition, 24 entrants fromseven countries are seeking a pieceof the RLV space action throughthe St. Louis-based X PRIZEFoundation to encouragedevelopment of space vehicleconcepts for routine humanspaceflight that will reduce thecost of space travel.

The $10-million prize will goto the first team that launches avehicle able to carry threepeople on a suborbital trajectoryto a 62-mile altitude and berepeated within two weeks in thesame vehicle.

One SLIconcept(NASA/MSFC)

A representation of a design for theOrbital Space Plane. (NASA/MSFC)

“I have experiencedfirst hand how the Agencyresponded as One NASAthrough this process.”

— Penny Myers

Page 10 SPACEPORT NEWS July 25, 2003

The first bouquet of flowersarrived at NASA’s Protocol Officeat the Kennedy Space CenterVisitor Complex a few hours afterthe loss of Columbia, and monthslater it’s overwhelming what thatsingle compassionate actprompted.

Pat Christian, External Rela-tions and Business Development’s(XA) business office, beganhandling condolence arrivals.

“It became the most rewardingand self-healing experience of mylife,” said Christian. “I guess I wasin the right place at the time whenI was needed the most.”

With XA co-op student AmberMarek’s assistance, thousands of e-mails were individually answeredwith a statement from the NASAand STS-107 crew family. Manymessages were in different lan-guages, including French, Italian,German and Korean. All werereplied to in each respectivelanguage.

More than 500 institutions,including schools, sent heart-warming tokens, including cards,letters, drawings, paper dovesand Space Shuttle models.

Claudette Beggs, XA team

member, now rotates roughly 50contributed posters throughoutKSC buildings for display.

In six weeks, more than 600condolence cards arrived andseveral still arrive weekly. Addi-tionally, KSC redistributedhundreds of cards intended forJohnson Space Center (JSC) andNASA Headquarters (HQ).

Mourners also sent unique giftssuch ashandmadeflags, quilts,books, musicand poems.All were sentto crewfamilies atJSC. Also,nearly $1,000sent to KSCwas given to HQ for disbursement.

“The most precious andtouching gift received was a‘bouquet of hands’ by pre-schoolchildren from Bethany LutheranSunday School of Cranston, R.I.,”said Christian.

A portion is displayed in thehallway outside KSC’s HQ room3321. These sympathetic gesturesare documented in a remembrancefile and acknowledged with a cardon behalf of the NASA and STS-

107 family.Not only does incoming

correspondence need managing,but information going out requiresorganization as well.

KSC received numerousrequests from the public and mediafor Columbia-related recordspursuant to the Freedom ofInformation Act (FOIA). FOIAprovides access to federal agencyrecords, unless protected fromrelease by FOIA exemption.

As ofmid-May,NASAreceived 432requests.Many singleFOIArequests seekdozens ofdocuments,involving

hundreds of pages, making thetotal requests quite substantial.HQ, JSC, KSC and MSFC receivedmost requests to date, with KSCwelcoming 61.

KSC employees also respondto requests for Agency recordsfrom the Columbia AccidentInvestigation Board (CAIB). Thissituation placed a strain on NASAresources not seen since theChallenger accident.

In response, NASA searched

Inspirational messagesand information requestsflood KSC offices for, collected and reviewed a truly

massive amount of Columbia-related records. Sought-out recordsare not only for Columbia STS-107,but for prior Shuttle missionsdating back to STS-1.

Most media queries seekexpedited processing under FOIAto inform the public about thiscompelling event. To quicklyrespond and eliminate duplicateprocessing, NASA immediatelydecided to make all Columbia-related FOIA records publiclyavailable via the Columbia homepage (www.nasa.gov/columbia).

Key people supporting thisongoing KSC effort include GeoffSwanson, KSC legal counsel toNASA’s FOIA legal team; AmberHufft and Tracy Lee Crittenden,legal counsel; Henry Schwarz,NASA-PH; Bob Eddy, USA;InDyne’s Repro Department andKay Grinter, KSC FOIA curator.

“I have experienced first handhow the Agency responded as OneNASA through this process,” saidPenny Myers, KSC’s FOIAmanager.

“This has truly been a teameffort to locate, review and providea voluminous amount of records tothe public as quickly as possible.Weekly coordination meetingscontinue at KSC to close out theremainder of these requests.”

Above, co-op student Amber Marek (left) and Claudette Beggs, XA team member, changeout posters and mementos sent by groups across the country. Up to 50 posters are beingcirculated around KSC. Right, Pat Christian, External Relations and BusinessDevelopment office, displays the “bouquet of hands” created by pre-school children fromBethany Lutheran Sunday School, Cranston, R.I.

By Jennifer Wolfinger

SPACEPORT NEWS Page 11July 25, 2003

Kennedy Space Center isreaching out to educate

communities about the loss ofColumbia and offering outlets forremembrance ensuring everyoneunderstands the need for explo-ration to continue.

“The KSC Education officewas overwhelmed with cards,letters and phone calls receivedfrom students and teachersexpressing their condolences andsupport after the Columbiaaccident,” said Pam Biegert,chief, Education Programs andUniversity Research Division.“We have also received numer-ous posters made by students andother items like the beautifulquilt we received from DeerwoodElementary School students.”

“We have tried to share theseitems with workers in all areas ofKSC. While they were all sad-dened by Columbia, both thestudents and the teachers werevery positive in wanting NASA tocontinue our quest for explora-tion.”

Many schools have visitedKSC’s Visitor Complex to honorthe lost STS-107 crew and areencouraged to fulfill the crew’sunanimous hope – continuingspace exploration despitechallenges.

Sixth grade classes fromColumbia Elementary School,Palm Bay, Fla., greeted KristieMcCool Chadwick, STS-107 PilotWilliam “Willie” McCool’s sisterFeb. 21. Educator Resource CenterRepresentative Laura Colvilleexplained aerospace career paths

and presented science demonstra-tions for the 100 students. Thegroup later remembered the crewby placing red, white and bluecarnations at the AstronautMemorial Mirror and observed amoment of silence.

After a solemn first trip Feb.3, Orlando’s Deerwood Elemen-tary fourth- and fifth-gradegifted students returned April21. After writing letters to theastronauts’ families, PresidentBush, and NASA employees andAdministrator Sean O’Keefe,the group contributed some-thing everlasting – a memorialquilt. Two teachers assembledthe fabric squares, which weredecorated by each student.

“Teachers are going through a

revival of interest in teachingspace-related topics, so as theyreach the kids, the kids arereaching out to us for moreinformation,” said EducationProgram Manager Patricia Gillis.

Gillis represented KSC whenshe visited Idyllwilde Elemen-tary in Sanford for the STS-107Memorial Garden dedicationMay 20.

“Teachers expressed that [theColumbia tragedy] was one ofthose events you can look back onin 10 years and remember exactlywhere you were when you heardthe news,” said Gillis.

“They were very excitedsomeone from NASA would cometo their small school. The studentswanted to know if I was really a

Students encouraged to carry on Columbia legacyNASA employee and how theycould work here. I stressed theneed to study hard in the math-ematics and science areas.”

Bennie Bell, Speakers Bureauteam member, ensures KSCrepresentatives are equipped tohandle Columbia questions,regardless of where they are or thelanguages encountered.

“I sent information withseveral speakers on the recoveryteam to Texas to hand out to folksthere,” she said. Bell also sent avideo that KSC’s Press Site madewith a Spanish introduction to agroup in Puerto Rico for a specialdedication ceremony for the STS-107 crew.

KSC engineers often venture toschools to describe their personaland professional NASA experi-ences.

Welmon Speed, CustomerIntegration manager, joined thirdthrough fifth-graders at a St.Cloud elementary school careerday session May 16. “I spokespecifically on what was be-lieved to be the main contribut-ing cause of the [STS-107]tragedy. I asked students whatthey thought NASA did,” hesaid.

“I proceeded to share the maingoals of NASA and some of thechallenges we face concerningspace travel. I also talked on theissues we have to overcome in thefuture if we travel to Mars.”

Shuttle fuel cells engineerAmy Houts Gilfriche encouragesall KSC employees to exert a littleeffort to help the public under-stand NASA’s missions andclarify misconceptions.

“Several people said they hadno idea what we do in space, or ifthere were benefits from spaceexploration. We have a chance toencourage and inspire students topursue their dreams,” explainedGilfriche, who recently spoke attwo schools.

“Space exploration is students’dream too – they want reassur-ance we are still building theirfuture. It inspires them to knowthe STS-107 crew believed in thebenefits of this science enoughto accept the risks of spaceflight.That’s a huge motivation tostudents, and this usuallygenerates a great discussionabout careers in math, scienceand engineering,” said Gilfriche.

Students from Columbia Elementary School in Palm Bay place flowersin front of the Astronaut Memorial Mirror at the KSC Visitor Complex.

Students fromDeerwood

Elementary School inFlorida present a

quilt to KSC inmemory of the

Colulmbia crew.Pam Biegert (third onleft of the quilt), chief,Education Programs

and UniversityResearch Division,

accepted the gift.

By Jennifer Wolfinger

Page 12 SPACEPORT NEWS July 25, 2003

Managing editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bruce BuckinghamEditor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeff Stuckey

Editorial support provided by InDyne Inc. Writers Group.NASA at KSC is located on the Internet at http://www.ksc.nasa.gov

Spaceport News is an official publication of the Kennedy SpaceCenter and is published on alternate Fridays by External Relations andBusiness Development in the interest of KSC civil service and contractoremployees. Contributions are welcome and should be submitted two weeks beforepublication to the Media Services Branch, XA-E1. E-mail submissionscan be sent to Jeffery.Stuckey@jbosc.ksc.nasa.gov

John F. Kennedy Space Center

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Columbia remembered withinspirational memorials

Following the tragic loss of Columbia and crew on their return to Earth, currentCenter Director Roy Bridges (left) and future Director Jim Kennedy placed awreath in front of the Astronauts Memorial Space Mirror at the KSC VisitorComplex. The mirror is a national tribute to the earlier 17 Americanastronauts who also gave their lives to the quest to explore space.

By Amber Marek

Following the Columbiatragedy, memorials were formedand overflowed with banners,flowers, cards and many othercondolences.

Kennedy Space Center’smemorial service was held on themorning of Feb. 7 at the ShuttleLanding Facility. Taking part inthe ceremony were NASAAdministrator Sean O’Keefe,former astronaut and KSCDirector Robert Crippen andGov. Jeb Bush. The sky was darkand the mood was somber,especially when the missing manformation flew over the service.

A memorial service was alsoheld at Johnson Space Center Feb.4. Taking part in the ceremony,among others, were Administra-tor O’Keefe and PresidentGeorge Bush. “Their mission wasalmost complete and we lostthem so close to home,” saidPresident Bush. “The men andwomen of the Columbia hadjourneyed more than six millionmiles and were minutes fromarrival and reunion.”

The National Cathedral inWashington, D.C., held a memorialservice for NASA Headquarters twodays later. Vice President RichardCheney, Brig. Gen. CharlesBaldwin and Rev. StephenMcWhorter were among thosepresiding.

“The men and women aboardthe Columbia were driven by afierce determination to make lifebetter here on Earth by unlockingthe mysteries of space,” saidCheney.

“Every great act of explorationinvolves great risk. The crew ofColumbia accepted that risk inservice to all mankind.”

Plans are underway to memori-alize the seven Columbia astro-nauts who lost their lives. TheAstronaut Memorial Foundation iscurrently raising funds to engravethe names of the Columbiaastronauts into The AstronautMemorial, or Space Mirror, tobuild a biographical wall in honorof these astronauts and to constructa memorial park in their honor.Contact Lora Singer at (321) 452-2887 ext. 5148 or e-mail her atsinger@amfcse.org for informa-tion.

Jim Singer is carving theastronauts’ names into the granitefor the memorial. “A lot of peoplecan’t say they’ve done somethinglike this,” said Singer.

He recently finished the firstpiece containing the namesKalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark andIlan Ramon. Singer is now startingon the second slab with the namesof Rick Husband, Michael Ander-son, David Brown and WilliamMcCool.

Each of the slabs weigh 600pounds and are as wide as adump truck. They will be placedin the wall soon and covereduntil the dedication ceremony inlate October.

“A memorial to honor theastronauts’ doomed Space ShuttleColumbia will be built in theArlington National Cemetery nearthe marker honoring ShuttleChallenger’s crew,” said Admin-istrator O’Keefe in April.

A national memorial in thenation’s capital will serve as areminder about what the crew ofColumbia stood for: bravery,honor and the quest for knowl-edge. President Bush authorized$500,000 for the memorial.

In addition, a 13,980-footmountain peak in Colorado has

been named in honor of Columbia.The mountain peak, located inColorado’s Sangre de CristoMountains, was named ColumbiaPoint in a ceremony at theInterior Department.

“Columbia Point will forevercommemorate the Space Shuttlemission,” said Interior Secretary

Gale Norton, who presided overthe naming ceremony withAdministrator O’Keefe.

The peak is one of three inthe mountain range that com-memorates American explorersof the past and present. Thenorthwest peak is named inhonor of the Shuttle Challenger.

PresidentGeorge W.

Bushspeaks tomourners

at theJohnson

SpaceCenter

memorialservice forthe crew ofColumbia.

NASAAdministratorSean O’Keefespeaks at amemorialservice atKSC. Alsoamong thespeakers wasFlorida Gov.Jeb Bush(second fromright).

John F. Kennedy Space CenterKennedy Space Center, Florida 32899

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