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NASA Staff Meeting Minutes 6 May 1996

By Keith Cowing
NASA Watch
May 6, 1996
Filed under ,

Minutes of Senior Staff and Center Director’s Meeting May 6, 1996
The following documents the discussions addressed at the Senior Staff and Center Director’s Meeting on May 6, 1996. Mr. Goldin was not in attendance.
Action assignments are bolded.

1. AA Reports
W/Gross: On May 10, 1996, at its officewide training conference, the Office of the United States Attorney, Southern District of Texas, will recognize four employees of the JSC Office of the Inspector General for outstanding achievements during the past year. Douglas Smith, Special Agent in Charge, will be recognized for his overall management of several investigations. Special Agents Joseph Gutheinz and Jacqueline Spiller will be recognized for their work on an investigation that resulted in the indictment and conviction of a NASA subcontractor, its owner, the owner’s spouse, six related companies, and five other individuals on a wide range of charges, including false claims, and mail fraud. The following resulted from the charges: prison time of 2 years for one defendant, and probation of 1 year for two others; $25,000 in fines and penalties; restitution in the amount of $11,969,358; a civil judgment in the amount of $10 million; a court order for the liquidation of 7 companies by a court-ordered trustee; and a savings of over $7.2 million by the cancellation of the subcontract. Special Agent Lance Carrington will be recognized for his work on an investigation that resulted in criminal charges against and convictions of 13 individuals and 2 companies on kickback and bribery charges. Two of those charged were NASA employees. The following resulted from the charges: payment by a company of $1 million toward the cost of the investigation; prison time of 5 months for a NASA employee plus probation ranging from 6 months to 3 years for the employee and other individuals; $27,000 in fines and penalties; restitution in the amount of $8,000; and debarment of several individuals from Government contracting. Additionally, on May 6, 1996, the United States Attorney Patrick H. NeMoyer announced a 12-count indictment, charging Streamflo strainers, a Burlington Ontario, Canada, business, Gerald Brown and David Islip with one count of conspiracy in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371. The indictment charges the defendants with importing Canadian manufactured industrial strainers and check valves from Canada into the United States and claiming a reduced duty status under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement, at approximately $6 million, when the goods were actually products of Taiwan. The indictment further alleges that the defendants also falsely classified some of the imported goods’ material content to receive further improper reductions of duty. Based on the defendants’ fraudulent certification that the goods were products of the United States, some of these products were purchase by the U.S. Government under the Buy American Act and ultimately found their way to U.S. Navy installations and a NASA utility tunnel.
P/Vincent: Mr. Goldin’s participation in the editorial boards during his recent visit to the Mid-west went very well. On May 3, 1996, live television interviews concerning SOHO and the solar plumes were conducted at NASA HQ. It is anticipated that the launch date for STS-77 may slide after the Flight Readiness Review which is being conducted on May 7, 1996. (Editor’s note: May 19, 1996, has been selected as the Shuttle’s launch date.) Dr. Shannon Lucid will conduct a series of live interviews this week, to include Larry King and Good Morning America.
L/Lawrence: Code L is focused on the House FY 1997 Omnibus Civilian Science Authorization Act of 1996, Title II, which authorizes NASA’s FY 1997 budget.
On May 16, 1996, a hearing will be held on the FY 1997 NASA Budget Request before Chairman Bond (R-MO) of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on VA-HUD and Independent Agencies. A vote on the International Space Station program funding is anticipated as early as the evening of May 9. There are two bills associated with this vote. The first bill calls for the cancellation of the International Space Station program; the second is to reduce its funding by $50 million. Mr. Lawrence reminded everyone to review Code L’s internet homepage for the most current information about the hearing schedule. It is anticipated that the House hearing on the U.S. Launch Trade Strategy, to be held on May 15, 1996, before Chairman Sensenbrenner’s (R-WI) Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee may be canceled. (Editor’s note: as of May 7, 1996, this hearing has been canceled and has not been rescheduled.) Chairman Sensenbrenner will be visiting MSFC on May 13, 1996, and SSC on May 28, 1996.
X/Mansfield: The first in a series of flight tests on the DCXA will be conducted on May 17, 1996. JPL has a series of displays describing micro-instruments and vehicles at NASA HQ from May 6 to 10, 1996, in the main lobby.
S/Huckins: Dr. Huntress is in Hawaii for the May 8, 1996, dedication ceremony for the W. M. Keck Observatory atop Mauna Kea. Using the Keck’s twin telescopes in interferometric studies, wherein the telescopes will make concurrent observations of the same object in space, will provide a dramatic increase in light-gathering and resolution over a single scope. These studies will lay much of the groundwork for NASA’s Origins Program, one goal of which is to seek planets around nearby stars.
J/Cooper: As part of the ongoing GAO audit on the NASA infrastructure, auditors will be contacting NASA representatives directly in an effort to collect follow-on data concerning NASA’s ability to track the implementation of various study recommendations.
R/Whitehead: Dr. Whitehead thanked ARC for inviting him to participate in an awards ceremony on May 7, 1996. The Boeing 777 will be awarded the Collier Trophy on May 8, 1996. Boeing will fly the aircraft to LaRC on May 10, 1996, in order to recognize NASA’s assistance in developing the technologies that made the 777 a reality.
2. AD/Dailey
The HQ “go-to” plans have been submitted and are being reviewed this week. Individual meetings have been scheduled between each code’s AA, General Dailey, Mr. Mott and Mr. Christensen for the week of May 13-17, 1996.
The Agency Honor Awards Ceremony will be conducted on May 14, 1996, in the Health and Human Services Auditorium, in Washington, DC.
General Dailey provided all of the meeting’s participants with a copy a draft document called “A Proposed Integrated Approach to Focus NASA’s Mission.” (Attached) Mr. Goldin is using this document, that is based upon the Strategic Plan, as a foundation for his upcoming speeches. General Dailey encouraged everyone to review its contents and to provide any feedback they may have.
The HQ correspondence appears to be under control; however, there are several actions that are overdue. Every effort should be made to complete these actions.
3. Center Director Reports
ARC/Dean: On May 7, 1996, representatives from the FAA, including Guy Gardner, the Director of the FAA’s Technical Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey, will be at the Center to review areas of mutual cooperation.
DFRC/Szalai: The High Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV) completed substantially all the ANSER test objectives in flights conducted during the week of April 29, 1996. The aircraft flew a total of 10 flights in April, and the program is on schedule to complete the remaining research test points and guest pilots flights by May 22, 1996. The General Atomics Altus vehicle made a successful first unpiloted flight on May 1, 1996. The flight originated at the El Mirage facility and lasted over 2 hours, reaching about 8000-foot altitude; the aircraft will continue test flights in preparation for the Department of Energy/ARM science mission later this summer. DFRC has assisted Tuskegee University in establishing a low-cost, computer-based simulation facility which is suitable for the study of flight dynamics and control in their Flight Vehicle Design laboratory. The simulation uses DFRC-developed F-15 simulation software and graphics and joystick interface on a set of SCI workstations. The F-16 Supersonic Laminar Flow Control (SLFC) flight on May 3, 1996, was monitored in real time by Boeing personnel in Seattle using the Aeronet; both control room data displays and voice communications were available. This demonstrated the latest in a series of developments to all on real-time data monitoring at sites remote to DFRC. All parties involved viewed the operation as a success.
GSFC/Rothenberg: Dr. Emmett Chappelle has been selected as one of the top 100 Afro-American scientists of the 20th century.
JSC/Abbey: The launch date for STS-77 will be announced after the Flight Readiness Review being conducted at KSC on May 7, 1996. Dr. Lucid is doing well aboard Mir. The Progress module will dock with the Mir on May 7, 1996.
LaRC/Holloway: LaRC will be visited by General Dailey on May 8 to 9, 1996. The Boeing 777 will arrive May 10, 1996, to acknowledge the contributions made by NASA to the development of the aircraft. The wing box test on the RLX graphite structure, developed by Northrop and Rockwell, is exceeding expectations. So far, the test reports indicate that it has been loaded to 140 percent of specification and has not failed.
LeRC/Campbell: A General Aviation Propulsion Workshop will be conducted on May 14-15, 1996, at the Ohio Aerospace Institute in Cleveland, Ohio. The Workshop’s objective is to present and discuss NASA aircraft propulsion technologies and capabilities which are relevant to the general aviation industry. On April 23, 1996, the Priroda module was launched from Baikonur, Russia, carrying four microgravity science experiments to Mir that were designed, built, and tested by LeRC. Included within the four are two fluids experiments–the Interface Configuration Experiment and the Technological Evaluation of the Microgravity Isolation Mount, and two combustion experiments–Candle Flames in Microgravity and the Forced Flow Flame Spreading Test. All four experiments are scheduled to be performed on Mir by Dr. Lucid this summer. The first of three experiments will be performed in the MSFC Microgravity Glovebox facility. The last will be performed in the Canadian Space Agency’s Microgravity Isolation Mount.
MSFC/Littles: Dr. Littles thanked Dr. Paul Holloway and his staff for his recent visit. Congressmen Sensenbrenner and Cramer (D-AL) will visit the Center on May 28, 1996.
NOTE: ACTION ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE TRANSMITTED UNDER SEPARATE COVER AND TRACKED BY THE HEADQUARTERS CORRESPONDENCE OFFICE. SPECIFIC QUESTIONS MAY BE ADDUCED TO LORIE PESONEN AT 358-45254.
(Note: Enclosure follows) DRAFT
A PROPOSED INTEGRATED APPROACH TO FOCUS NASA’S MISSION
WE LOOK AS FAR AS THE AIDED EYE CAN SEE AND REACH AS FAR AS THE TRANSLATED HAND CAN EXTEND, TO OPEN THE AIR AND SPACE FRONTIERS. WE BOLDLY EXPLORE THE UNKNOWN TO MAKE DISCOVERIES THAT INSPIRE THE SOUL, PROVIDE INTELLECTUAL NOURISHMENT FOR THE MIND, AND ENRICH OUR LIVES. WE SEEK AN UNDERSTANDING OF OUR ORIGINS AND THE LAWS OF NATURE. WE DEVELOP THE TOOLS AND KNOWLEDGE TO HELP PRESERVE OUR FREEDOMS AND PROVIDE HOPE AND OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR CHILDREN.
WE ACHIEVE THESE GOALS BY ASKING THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:
1. HOW DID GALAXIES, STARS, AND SOLAR SYSTEMS, AND PLANETARY BODIES OF ALL KINDS FORM AND EVOLVE? TO MORE DEEPLY EXPLORE THIS QUESTION, WE SEEK TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESSES ASSOCIATED WITH THESE TRANSFORMATIONS AND TO MEASURE THE PARAMETERS THAT DEFINE OUR UNIVERSE (ITS SIZE, AGE, SHAPE, AND COMPOSITION).
2. IS LIFE OF ANY FORM, HOWEVER LOWLY OR COMPLEX, CARBON BASED OR OTHER, UNIQUE TO PLANET EARTH?
3. BY LOOKING OUT AT OTHER PLANETARY BODIES AND DOWN AT OUR OWN PLANET, CAN WE DEVELOP PREDICTIVE ENVIRONMENTAL, CLIMATE, NATURAL DISASTER, RESOURCE IDENTIFICATION, AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT MODELS TO HELP ENSURE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE?
4. CAN WE DEVELOP THE AVIATION TECHNOLOGY THAT PROVIDES FAST, AFFORDABLE, AND SAFE TRANSPORTATION TO ENRICH THE CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC LIVES OF ALL THE WORLD’S PEOPLE — WHILE PRESERVING THE ENVIRONMENT AND ASSURING ENHANCED GLOBAL SECURITY?
5. WE NEED TO DEVELOP AFFORDABLE TOOLS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS 1 – 4.
(A) HOW CAN WE IMPROVE THE SAFETY, AFFORDABILITY, MANEUVERABILITY, COMFORT, SPEED, AND REDUCE THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF TRAVELING THROUGH AIR AND SPACE?
(B) WHAT CUTTING EDGE PROCESSES, TECHNOLOGIES AND TECHNIQUES MUST WE DEVELOP TO ENABLE ANSWERING ALL THESE QUESTIONS IN THE MOST PRODUCTIVE, AFFORDABLE, AND TIMELY MANNER?
(C) HOW CAN WE MOST EFFECTIVELY TRANSFER THE KNOWLEDGE WE GAIN FROM OUR DISCOVERIES TO COMMERCIAL VENTURES IN SPACE, AIR, AND ON OUR OWN PLANET?
6. HOW DO WE MOST EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE THE KNOWLEDGE WE GAIN TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO EDUCATE THEM AND PROVIDE COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES?
7. HOW CAN WE BRING NEW UNDERSTANDING AMONG THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD AND IMPROVE THE PRODUCTIVITY OF THE SPACE PROGRAM THROUGH INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION? HOW DO WE PROTECT HIGH PRIORITY AMERICAN INTERESTS AT THE SAME TIME?

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