Atlantis in the VAB awaiting STS-125

Early this morning space shuttle Atlantis was transferred to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). Atlantis will be waiting for it's next flight early next year. This week I am on 2nd shift. So I am basically helping out on the night shift with any processing issues for Discovery. In early November we should have a better idea on whether Atlantis or Discovery will be the shuttle to launch February.

Crawler on its way to pick up Atlantis!

As I was headed to Pad B to work a contamination issue, I saw the crawler heading to Pad A. The crawler will be picking up Atlantis and taking it to the VAB. This should be around Monday or Tuesday of next week. Endeavour will then be transferred to Pad A for a November 14 launch!!!!

A view from Pad B.

Ares/Orion Lightning Protection System

Yesterday afternoon I went to pad 39B to help work an issue with Endeavour, which is currently scheduled for launch (STS-126) on November 14.

Pad 39B is undergoing modifications to support the Constellation Program's Ares I rockets. One of the major additions to the pad is the lightning protection system which is designed to reduce the probability of a direct lightning strike to the vehicle and associated launch equipment during processing and other pre-flight activities.

The three steel towers are going to be 595 feet (181.4 meters) in height and after talking with some of the guys out at the pad, they said a gigantic crane is going to be shipped over to KSC around November to help stack the tower segments. The crane is going to be so huge that it is being shipped disassembled. Estimated completion date is March of 2010.

The is an artist's conception of the final construction of the three towers.


Click here for an animation of the lightning protection system.

Walking back to the car, I stopped to take an overall picture of the pad and to my left...was this guy....

Celebrating NASA's 50th year Anniversary

So I've returned from Houston to premote NASA's 50th Year Anniversary on behalf of the Coalition for Space Exploration.

I had such a great time conversing with Commander Gene Cernan! I mean, what an honor to be sitting next to a man who actually walked on the moon.

We sat through about 30 live live and live-to-tape television and radio broadcasts by stations around the United States. The whole experience was more than inspiring to me! I also had time to got visit Texas A&M University to give a talk to students about the orbiter's Thermal Protection Systems. I hadn't been back to Texas A&M since 2005 and so much has changed! I kinda miss my old college town. :)

Here are a couple of links to some videos that were uploaded by some t.v. stations.

WJZ (Baltimore, Maryland): http://video.aol.com/video-detail/coffee-with-eugene-cernan-and-damaris-sarria/983467250/?icid=VIDLRVNWS08

KOVR (Sacramento, California): http://www.truveo.com/Gene-Cernan-Damaris-Sarria/id/1929086897

CNN.com Interview: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/tech/2008/10/01/dcl.cernan.man.on.moon.cnn?iref=2

NewsRadio740 KTRH (Houston, Texas) - http://www.ktrh.com/cc-common/podcast/single_podcast.html?podcast=newscasts.xml Look for live interview from Wednesday, October 1, 2008.

KIVI (Denver, Colorado) and KWGN (Boise, Idaho): http://media.vmsnews.com/MonitoringReports/100108/900403/S001533028/

San Diego 6 (San Diego, California): http://www.sandiego6.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?articleID=516740

KUSA (Denver, Colorado)http://www.9news.com/life/programming/shows/mornings/article.aspx?storyid=100845&catid=229&GID=Ze80yzx6M8UT4D1tY+XN6emKumXU/VVr55FEtxiU9uo%3D

KVUE (Austin, Texas): http://www.kvue.com/video/?z=y&nvid=288243

STS-125 Delayed....

Due to electrical malfunction with the Hubble Space Telescope, the servicing mission that Atlantis and the astronaut crew were going to perform is now going to be delayed. NASA will press ahead with the launch of Endeavour on November 14th, 2008. Atlantis will be removed from pad 39A to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). Endeavour would then be moved to pad 39A for normal launch processing and modifications of pad 39B will continue for the transition to the Ares rockets to replace the space shuttle.

Project 10^100

Link: Project 10^100

If you have an idea that you believe would help somebody, Google wants to hear about it. They're looking for ideas that help as many people as possible, in any way, and they're committing the funding to launch them.

People are encouraged to submit their ideas, in any of 25 languages, at www.project10tothe100.com through October 20, 2008. Entrants must briefly describe their idea and answer six questions, including, "If your idea were to become a reality, who would benefit the most and how?"

Google employees, with the help of an advisory board, will narrow the submissions to 100 semifinalists by January 27, 2009. Between January 27, 2009 and February 2, 2009 the public will vote online for their favorite ideas. A panel of judges will then review the top 20 ideas and announce up to five winners in mid-February.

Good Luck!!

NASA's 50 and the Spacecraft Technology Center

Since I have returned from Barcelona, I have been keeping myself very busy!

I have been applying to various schools for another Master’s. I have chosen to pursue a degree in either Materials Science & Engineering or Biomedical Engineering as both fields spark a great interest to me. I’ve rounded up all my transcripts and am about to mail those out along with the letters of recommendation. I hope to complete the application process for all schools by the middle of next week.

Speaking of next week, I will be in Houston on behalf of the Coalition for Space Exploration to promote NASA’s 50th Year Anniversary. Apollo 17 commander Gene Cernan and I will be available for various media interviews that will be on live television and radio at Space Center Houston. Together we hope to highlight NASA’s success over the last 50 years and benefits of space exploration.



The day after that, I will be traveling to where I received my undergraduate degree from, Texas A&M University, to do a presentation to the Space Engineering Institute students of the Spacecraft Technology Center (STC). While I was an undergrad, I worked for the STC and I have to say this is what helped my career get started in the space industry. I am very excited to go back and see some of the people I worked with as well as meet the SEI students and tell them of my experiences. Next week will be very busy!!


The following launch schedule changes were announced this morning:
STS-125 (Atlantis) launch has been moved to October 14th @ 10:19pm EDT
STS-126 (Endeavour) launch has been moved to November 16th @ 7:07 pm EDT

Space Shuttle Atlantis and Endeavour at the pads

The Best View of 2 Space Shuttles!!!!

If all goes according to schedule we should have a unique view at Launch Complex 39 tomorrow morning. Endeavour arrived at Pad B this morning and certain operations will keep the Rotating Service Structure (RSS) retracted (as in the launch configuration) until mid morning. Meanwhile over on Pad A, Atlantis is waiting for the delivery of the Hubble Space Telescope Service Mission (HST SM-4) payload. In preparation for the canister delivery and lift into the Payload Changeout Room (PCR), the Pad A RSS will also be retracted tomorrow morning. So for a few hours tomorrow morning (somewhere between 7:30am – 10:30am) we will have a clear unobstructed view of both vehicles on the pads. The only other time this occurred was nearly 20 years ago, in September of 1990 (see photo above). Columbia (STS-35) was on Pad A and Discovery (STS-41) was on Pad B.


Here's a picture of when Endeavour arrived at Pad B early this morning.

Astronaut Candidate Selection Process Timeline

It was recently pointed out to me that NASA has made a timeline available regarding the astronaut candidate selection process.

September - October 2008
Qualified Applications reviewed to determine Highly Qualified applicants

October - November 2008
Highly Qualified applications reviewed to determine Interviewees

November 2008 - January 2009
Interviewees brought to JSC for preliminary interview, medical evaluation, and orientation

February 2009
Finalists determined

February - March 2009
Finalists brought to JSC for additional interview and complete medical evaluation

May 2009
Astronaut Candidate Class of 2009 announced

August 2009
Astronaut Candidate Class of 2009 reports to the Johnson Space Center

2009 NASA Means Business Student Competition

Attention Undergraduate and Graduate Students!!!
About a year ago I was a judge for this student competition and I highly encourage students to participate in this!

NASA needs your help in designing a strategy to articulate the many anticipated contributions that its Constellation Program will make to space exploration as well as to everyday life on Earth. In return, NASA wants to give YOU an outstanding, one-of-a-kind educational experience!

The Constellation Program is designing and building America's next generation human spaceflight system, which will replace the Space Shuttle by providing access to the International Space Station and other destinations in Earth orbit. It will also take America back to the Moon and on to Mars.

Your assignment?
..to design and prepare a Constellation Program Branding Strategy, and
Illustrate that strategy in a 30-second video public service announcement (PSA) production.

For this effort we strongly urge you organize a team with a wide range of backgrounds - not just science and engineering, but also business, advertising, marketing, public relations, graphic arts and animation, communication, radio-television-film, journalism and other similar disciplines.

The prize for the 5 finalist teams?
A cash award of $1,000, and an invitation to "behind-the-scenes" visits at both the Johnson Space Center and Kennedy Space Center.

The grand prize?
You have to choose between a cash award of $1000 or a ride on the Zero Gravity Corporation's G-FORCE ONE aircraft.

Read about the eligibility and requirements on the following site: http://www.tsgc.utexas.edu/nmb/index.html

Space Shuttle Atlantis on her way to the Launch Pad!

Back to work...

Yesterday was my first day back at work. It is great to see everyone again and jump right back into things. I'm still a little jet lag and find myself wide awake around 4:30am and extremely sleepy around 9pm. But I'll get over it. :)

Our concern here at Kennedy Space Center is keeping in an eye out on Tropical Storm Hanna, Hurricane Ike and Tropical Storm Josephine. It looks like we may just get some rain from the outer bands of Hanna and that it will dodge the Florida coast. We are still not sure of Hurrican Ike's track, but we will need to keep on eye on it. Tropical Storm Josephine in weakening and we hope it will stay that way.


On a lighter note, there are two things to look forward to tomorrow.....NASA will attempt to roll Space Shuttle Atlantis to the launch pad at 10am....and I will be 27! :)

ISU SSP 2008 Closing Ceremony

On Thursday, our team did a great job with our final presentation. Over the past four weeks, our team developed an evaluation mechanism to assess existing or proposed spaceports. The development of the criteria also provides comprehensive recommendations to be considered when developing or improving a spaceport.


Tonight was the closing ceremony for ISU's 2008 Space Studies Summer Program. I am now off to pack and take an early flight back to Florida. This summer has unvieled an incredible experience for me that one would have to relive in order to fully understand. I have established great new friendships and will miss everyone.


So now....back to work at Kennedy Space Center. I will return just in time to see Atlantis roll out to launch pad 39A on Tuesday! (Launch is still set for 10/8/2008 @ 1:34 a.m. EST)

Week 9 at ISU

This is the final week I will be here in Barcelona as the International Space University's 2008 Space Studies Summer Program comes to an end.

Currently, the editors within the group are adding the finishing touches on the report and as part of the presentation team, we are preparing slides for Thursday's formal presenation. As part of a group of 41 different members, representing 11 different countries, we have collaborated in a remarkably efficient and organized manner. I am very proud to be working with the following team members:

Atlantis in the VAB

Atlantis has made its way over to the Vehicle Assembly Building. Even with tropical storm Fay delays, it is not expected to effect the targeted launch date of October 8th.

Fay's Effect on Kennedy Space Center

Tropical Storm Fay over Florida....view via the Aqua Satellite

Week 8 at ISU

Next week is my last week at ISU and it´s hard to believe. In the mean time we are currently extremely occupied with putting our final report together. Our team name is called FuturIST: Future Infrastructure for Space Transportation. We are researching all the that is involved for a spaceport to be commercially viable and then a creating a criteria/evaluation tool for future spaceport operators, investors, or entrepreneurs and vaildating the tool towards existing spaceports. So far, the subgroups have completed their respective sections and we still have 2 more chapters to contribute to. In parallel, the editors are reviewing all the submissions and compiling the report. We have various teams working together on differents tasks at the moment. Next week we will be presenting the final report and the weekend will conclude my stay in Barcelona.

Delay in Atlantis roll over

Monday's planned roll of space shuttle Atlantis from the orbiter processing facility (OPF) to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) has been delayed due to Fay's approach. The new plan is to roll over to the VAB on Thursday.

Tonight's Partial Lunar Eclipse

The last eclipse of 2008 is a partial lunar eclipse at the Moon's ascending node in Capricornus. It is visibile primarily from the Eastern Hemisphere as well as eastern South America. Here is my view from Barcelona, Spain.

Kennedy Space Center Update!

During the launch of STS-124, there was some pretty extensive damage caused to the flame trench of launch pad 39A. Part of the flame trench wall has been undergoing some repairs. A localized area of bricks were removed and a steel grid structure has been welded. A heat-resistant concrete (Fondue Fyre) has been sprayed into the grid structures. Atlantis's targeted launch date is on October 8th and the repairs are expected to be completed before then. Below is a sequence of photos that show the repair process post STS-124.






Atlantis will be rolling over to the Vehicle Assembly Building on August 18th.


The external fuel tank for space shuttle Endeavour's STS-126 mission has made its way to the Vehicle Assembly Building. Launch for Endeavour is targeted for November 10th.