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Swarming for Success: Starling Completes Primary Mission

by Tara Friesen

After ten months in orbit, the Starling spacecraft swarm successfully demonstrated its primary mission’s key objectives, representing significant achievements in the capability of swarm configurations. 

Swarms of satellites may one day be used in deep space exploration. An autonomous network of spacecraft could self-navigate, manage scientific experiments, and execute maneuvers to respond to environmental changes without the burden of significant communications delays between the swarm and Earth. 

Cubesats
The four CubeSate spacecraft that make up the Starling swarm have demonstrated success in autonomous operations, completing all key mission objectives.

“The success of Starling’s initial mission represents a landmark achievement in the development of autonomous networks of small spacecraft,” said Roger Hunter, program manager for NASA’s Small Spacecraft Technology program at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. “The team has been very successful in achieving our objectives and adapting in the face of challenges.”  

Sharing the Work

The Distributed Spacecraft Autonomy (DSA) experiment, flown onboard Starling, demonstrated the spacecraft swarm’s ability to optimize data collection across the swarm. The CubeSats analyzed Earth’s ionosphere by identifying interesting phenomena and reaching a consensus between each satellite on an approach for analysis.  

By sharing observational work across a swarm, each spacecraft can “share the load” and observe different data or work together to provide deeper analysis, reducing human workload, and keeping the spacecraft working without the need for new commands sent from the ground. 

The experiment’s success means Starling is the first swarm to autonomously distribute information and operations data between spacecraft to generate plans to work more efficiently, and the first demonstration of a fully distributed onboard reasoning system capable of reacting quickly to changes in scientific observations. 

Communicating Across the Swarm

A swarm of spacecraft needs a network to communicate between each other. The Mobile Ad-hoc Network (MANET) experiment automatically established a network in space, allowing the swarm to relay commands and transfer data between one another and the ground, as well as share information about other experiments cooperatively.  

The team successfully completed all the MANET experiment objectives, including demonstrating routing commands and data to one of the spacecraft having trouble with space to ground communications, a valuable benefit of a cooperative spacecraft swarm. 

“The success of MANET demonstrates the robustness of a swarm,” said Howard Cannon, Starling project manager at NASA Ames. “For example, when the radio went down on one swarm spacecraft, we ‘side-loaded’ the spacecraft from another direction, sending commands, software updates, and other vital information to the spacecraft from another swarm member.” 

Autonomous Swarm Navigation 

Navigating and operating in relation to one another and the planet is an important part of forming a swarm of spacecraft. Starling Formation-Flying Optical Experiment, or StarFOX, uses star trackers to recognize a fellow swarm member, other satellite, or space debris from the background field of stars, then estimate each spacecraft’s position and velocity. 

The experiment is the first-ever published demonstration of this type of swarm navigation, including the ability to track multiple members of a swarm simultaneously and the ability to share observations between the spacecraft, improving accuracy when determining each swarm member’s orbit. 

Near the end of mission operations, the swarm was maneuvered into a passive safety ellipse, and in this formation, the StarFOX team was able to achieve a groundbreaking milestone, demonstrating the ability to autonomously estimate the swarm’s orbits using only inter-satellite measurements from the spacecraft star trackers. 

Managing Swarm Maneuvers 

The ability to plan and execute maneuvers with minimal human intervention is an important part of developing larger satellite swarms. Managing the trajectories and maneuvers of hundreds or thousands of spacecraft autonomously saves time and reduces complexity. 

The Reconfiguration and Orbit Maintenance Experiments Onboard (ROMEO) system tests onboard maneuver planning and execution by estimating the spacecraft’s orbit and planning a maneuver to a new desired orbit. 

The experiment team has successfully demonstrated the system’s ability to determine and plan a change in orbit and is working to refine the system to reduce propellant use and demonstrate executing the maneuvers. The team will continue to adapt and develop the system throughout Starling’s mission extension. 

Swarming Together

Now that Starling’s primary mission objectives are complete, the team will embark on a mission extension known as Starling 1.5, testing space traffic coordination in partnership with SpaceX’s Starlink constellation, which also has autonomous maneuvering capabilities. The project will explore how constellations operated by different users can share information through a ground hub to avoid potential collisions.  

“Starling’s partnership with SpaceX is the next step in operating large networks of spacecraft and understanding how two autonomously maneuvering systems can safely operate in proximity to each other. As the number of operational spacecraft increases each year, we must learn how to manage orbital traffic,” said Hunter. 

NASA’s Small Spacecraft Technology program, based at Ames and within NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), funds and manages the Starling mission. Blue Canyon Technologies designed and manufactured the spacecraft buses and is providing mission operations support. Rocket Lab USA, Inc. provided launch and integration services. Partners supporting Starling’s payload experiments have included Stanford University’s Space Rendezvous Lab in Stanford, California, York Space Systems (formerly Emergent Space Technologies) of Denver, Colorado, CesiumAstro of Austin, Texas, L3Harris Technologies, Inc., of Melbourne, Florida. Funding support for the DSA experiment was provided by NASA’s Game Changing Development program within STMD. Partners supporting Starling’s mission extension include SpaceX of Hawthorne, California, NASA’s Conjunction Assessment Risk Analysis (CARA) program, and the Department of Commerce. SpaceX manages the Starlink satellite constellation and the Collision Avoidance ground system.

3D-MAT – A thermal protection material for the Artemis Generation

by Frank Tavares

The 3-Dimensional Multifunctional Ablative Thermal Protection System (3D-MAT) is a thermal protection material developed as a critical component of Orion, NASA’s newest spacecraft built for human deep space missions. It is able to maintain a high level of strength while enduring extreme temperatures during re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere at the end of Artemis missions to the Moon. 3D-MAT has become an essential piece of technology for NASA’s Artemis campaign that will establish the foundation for long-term scientific exploration at the Moon and prepare for human expeditions to Mars, for the benefit of all.

This image includes both the Orion crew module and service module, connected by the compression pad that utilizes the 3D-MAT material.
On the 19th day of the Artemis I mission, the Moon grows larger in frame as Orion prepares for the return powered flyby on Dec. 5, when it will pass approximately 79 miles above the lunar surface. This image includes both the Orion crew module and service module, connected by the compression pad that utilizes the 3D-MAT material.

The 3D-MAT project emerged from a technical problem in early designs of the Orion spacecraft. The compression pad—the connective interface between the crew module, where astronauts reside, and the service module carrying power, propulsion, supplies, and more—was exhibiting issues during Orion’s first test flight, Exploration Flight Test-1, in 2014. NASA engineers realized they needed to find a new material for the compression pad that could hold these different components of Orion together while withstanding the extremely high temperatures of atmospheric re-entry. Using a 3D weave for NASA heat shield materials had been explored, but after the need for a new material for the compression pad was discovered, development quickly escalated.

This led to the evolution of 3D-MAT, a material woven with quartz yarn and cyanate ester resin in a unique three-dimensional design. The quartz yarn used is like a more advanced version of the fiberglass insulation you might have in your attic, and the resin is essentially a high-tech glue. These off-the-shelf aerospace materials were chosen for their ability to maintain their strength and keep heat out at extremely high temperatures. 3D-MAT is woven together with a specialized loom, which packs the yarns tightly together, and then injected with resin using a unique pressurized process. The result is a high-performance material that is extremely effective at maintaining strength when it’s hot, while also insulating the heat from the spacecraft it is protecting.

The 3D-MAT thermal protection material.
The 3D-MAT thermal protection material.
NASA

Within three years, 3D-MAT went from an early-stage concept to a well-developed material and has now been integrated onto NASA’s flagship Artemis campaign. The use of 3D-MAT in the Orion spacecraft’s compression pad during the successful Artemis I mission demonstrated the material’s essential role for NASA’s human spaceflight efforts. This development was made possible within such a short span of time because of the team’s collaboration with small businesses including Bally Ribbon Mills, which developed the weaving process, and San Diego Composites, which co-developed the resin infusion procedure with NASA.

The team behind its development won the NASA Invention of the Year Award, a prestigious honor recognizing how essential 3D-MAT was for the successful Artemis flight and how significant it is for NASA’s future Artemis missions. The inventor team recognized includes Jay Feldman and Ethiraj Venkatapathy from NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, Curt Wilkinson of Bally Ribbon Mills, and Ken Mercer of Dynovas.

3D-MAT has applications beyond NASA as well. Material processing capabilities enabled by 3D-MAT have led to other products such as structural parts for Formula One racecars and rocket motor casings. Several potential uses of 3D-MAT in commercial aerospace vehicles and defense are being evaluated based on its properties and performance.

Milestones

  • Winner of NASA Invention of the Year Award in 2023
  • Flown on Artemis I in 2022
  • Being assessed for use by multiple Department of Defense and commercial aerospace entities

Partners

The 3D-MAT project is led out of NASA Ames with the support of various partners, including Bally Ribbon Mills, NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, and NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Viginia, with the support of the Game Changing Development Program through NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate.

U.S. President Joe Biden Arrives Aboard Air Force One

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President Biden disembarks Air Force One at Moffett Federal Airfield before departing for a series of events in the region on May 9.
NASA photo by Dominic Hart

2023 Presidential Rank & NASA Honor Awards Ceremony Held

2023-nha-cover-slide

The annual Presidential Rank & NASA Honor Awards Ceremony was held at Ames, and shown virtually, on May 22 in the Ames Auditorium, in N201. Seventy-three employees were selected for individual Presidential and NASA Honor awards and 27 groups were selected for NASA Group Achievement Awards.

Congratulations to all the recipients. Please see below for the list of awardees.

2023 Presidential Rank and NASA Honor Award Recipients  

  

Presidential Rank of Meritorious Senior Executive  

Michael Hesse 

  

Distinguished Service Medal 
Bhavya Lal (A-Suite Nomination) 
Thomas R. Norman 

Huy K. Tran 

acd24-0068-003.jpg?w=2048
2023 Distinguished Service Medal presented to Huy Tran, center, by Center Director Eugene Tu, right, and Deputy Center Director David Korsmeyer, left, in the N201 Auditorium.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Medal 
Dora M. Herrera 

Parag A. Vaishampayan 

2023 Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Medal presented to Dora Herrera, center, by Center Director Eugene Tu, right, and Deputy Center Director David Korsmeyer, left, in the N201 Auditorium
2023 Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Medal presented to Dora Herrera, center, by Center Director Eugene Tu, right, and Deputy Center Director David Korsmeyer, left, in the N201 Auditorium.
NASA photo by Brandon Torres

Early Career Achievement Medal 
Natasha E. Batalha 
Mirko E. Blaustein-Jurcan 
Athena Chan 
Kathryn M. Chapman 
Chad J. Cleary 
Christine E. Gregg 
Supreet Kaur 
James R. Koch 
Elizabeth L. Lash 
Terrence D. Lewis 
Garrett G. Sadler 
Meghan C. Saephan 
Jordan A. Sakakeeny 
Lauren M. Sanders 
Amanda M. Saravia-Butler 
Logan Torres 
Lauren E. Wibe 
Shannah N. Withrow 
Emina Zanacic 

acd24-0068-019.jpg?w=2048
2023 Early Career Achievement Medal presented to Emina Zanacic, center, by Center Director Eugene Tu, right, and Deputy Center Director David Korsmeyer, left, in the N201 Auditorium.
NASA photo by Brandon Torres

Exceptional Achievement Medal 
Lauren J. Abbott 
Parul Agrawal 
Steven D. Beard 
Janet E. Beegle 
Jose V. Benavides 
Divya Bhadoria 
Sergio A. Briceno 
Holly L. Brosnahan 
Karen T. Cate 
Fay C. Chinn 
William J. Coupe 
Frances M. Donovan (Langley Research Center Nomination) 
Diana M. Gentry 
Lynda L. Haines 
Pallavi Hegde 
Shu-Chun Y. Lin 
Carlos Malpica 
Jeffrey W. McCandless 
Joshua D. Monk 
Mariano M. Perez 
Nathan J. Piontak (OPS Nomination) 
Vidal Salazar 
David W. Schwenke 
Eric C. Stern 

acd24-0068-038.jpg?w=2048
2023 Exceptional Achievement Medal presented to David W. Schwenke, center, by Center Director Eugene Tu, right, and Deputy Center Director David Korsmeyer, left, in the N201 Auditorium.
NASA photo by Brandon Torres

 

Exceptional Engineering Achievement Medal  

Joseph L. Rios 

Mark M. Weislogel 

Joseph D. Williams 

 

Exceptional Public Achievement Medal 

Danielle K. Lopez 

Wade M. Spurlock 

Sasha V. Weston 

  

Exceptional Public Service Medal  
John J. Freitas (OCOMM Nomination) 

Michael J. Hirschberg 

  

acd24-0068-044.jpg?w=2048
2023 Exceptional Public Service Medal presented to John J. Freitas, center, by Center Director Eugene Tu, right, and Deputy Center Director David Korsmeyer, left, in the N201 Auditorium.
NASA photo by Brandon Torres

Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal  
Noah G. Randolph-Flagg 

Ju-Mee Ryoo 

  

acd24-0068-047.jpg?w=2048
2023 Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal presented to Ju-Mee Ryoo, center, by Center Director Eugene Tu, right, and Deputy Center Director David Korsmeyer, left, in the N201 Auditorium.
NASA photo by Brandon Torres

Exceptional Service Medal  
Soheila Dianati 

Robert A. Duffy 

Shawn A. Engelland 

Thomas P. Greene 

Paul W. Lam 

Bernadette Luna 

Andres Martinez 

Ramsey K. Melugin 

Owen Nishioka 

Kathryn B. Packard 

Andrzej Pohorille (Posthumously) 

Stevan Spremo 

Mark S. Washington 

acd24-0068-052.jpg?w=2048
2023 Exceptional Service Medal presented to Andres Martinez, center, by Center Director Eugene Tu, right, and Deputy Center Director David Korsmeyer, left, in the N201 Auditorium.
NASA photo by Brandon Torres

  

Exceptional Technology Achievement Medal  
Ruslan Belikov 

Norbert P. Gillem 

Emre Sozer 

  

Outstanding Leadership Medal  
Michael D. Barnhardt 

William N. Chan 

Marilyn Vasques 

  

Silver Achievement Medal  
Christine L. Munroe (MSEO – OSBP Nomination) 

Juan L. Torres-Pérez (Langley Research Center Nomination) 

acd24-0068-061.jpg?w=2048
2023 Silver Achievement Medal presented to Christine L. Munroe, center, by Center Director Eugene Tu, right, and Deputy Center Director David Korsmeyer, left, in the N201 Auditorium.
NASA photo by Brandon Torres

  

Group Achievement Award  

ARCTIC 3 Simulation Team 

Artemis I Char Loss Anomaly Investigation Team 

CapiSorb Visible System Team 

Center Engagement Strategy 

Convective Processes Experiment-AW and -CV 

Design for Maintainability 

DIP Planning and Field Test Team 

Executive Wildfire Roundtable and Showcase 

Flight IACUC 

Long Static Pipe Manufacturing Team 

Moon to Mars SE&I Verification Compliance Tool 

N225 Arc Flash Mishap Investigation Team 

NASA Aeronautics Sample Recovery Helicopter Team 

NASA Ames SLS CFD Team 

Next Generation Life Sciences Data Archive Team 

OSHA VPP Recertification Team 

Planetary Aeolian Laboratory ROSES Proposal Team 

SOFIA Project Closeout Team 

Submesoscale Ocean Dynamics Experiment (S-MODE) 

The ACCLIP Team 

The DCOTSS Team 

The IMPACTS Team 

The Meteorological Measurement System (MMS) 

UAM eVTOL Vehicle Design and Analysis Team 

UAM Side-by-Side 2 Aeroperformance Test Team 

Western Diversity Time Series Data Collection Team 

Wide Field of View 

Ames Veterans Community Outreach Team Receives Federal Employee of the Year Award

by Maria C. Lopez

As part of the Ames Veterans Committee (AVC) employee resource group, Brad Ensign, and James Schwab, who are both Army veterans, work to support other veterans and our local Afghan and Ukrainian war refugee communities. The fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban was especially heart wrenching for Afghan war veterans and created a feeling of discouragement. The war in Ukraine only increased the level of disheartenment for many veterans. Importantly, the Ames Veterans Committee provides a forum to help veterans heal, and just as importantly, help our local community deal with the influx of Afghan and Ukrainian war refugees. 

Federal Employee of the Year Award
The Federal Employee of the Year Award was presented to (left to right) James Schwab, NASA Ames Veteran Committee (AVC); Brad Ensign, NASA AVC by Commander (CDR) Matthew Johns, MPH, Chair of the San Francisco Federal Executive Board and Regional Health Administrator, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Through the AVC Community Outreach Team, Brad Ensign coordinated to donate computers from the Ledios company, which is NASA’s Workplace & Collaboration Services to The Jewish Family & Community Services – East Bay and The Jewish Family Services of Silicon Valley. Leidos was awarded the Advanced Enterprise Global Information Technology Solutions (AEGIS) contract by NASA. In addition to AEGIS, Leidos provides enterprise IT services to NASA through the NASA End-User Services and Technologies (NEST) contract. Both contracts support NASA’s overall IT operation and mission. Once an end-user computer reaches the device’s end-of-life cycle per the NEST contract, the computers are repurposed for local charity use. The computers are verified to be in good working condition by the Leidos/NEST team. 

Brad Ensign periodically pings the Ames NEST Center Operations manager for available computer donations and the manager verifies that good working computers are available for donation. Brad then contacts various Afghan and Ukrainian war refugee assistance charities to determine their computer needs. Many of these local charities rely on donations and do not have an IT budget. Once a need is determined by local charities, Brad coordinates the number of computers available and a delivery date and time. James Schwab enthusiastically supports this effort and has provided incredible logistical support transporting the computers to the donation location.

Notably in October 2023, Brad and James successfully delivered 25 laptop computers, five desktop computers, and 30 monitors to the Jewish Family & Community Services – East Bay. 

The support for the Jewish Family & Community Services continued and in December of 2023, Brad helped deliver groceries to Afghan war refugees. So far this year, Brad, James, the Ledios company, and the NASA Ames Veterans Committee have donated a total of 40 computers and 40 monitors. These computers are extremely helpful for Afghan and Ukrainian war refugees to write resumes, find jobs, communicate with loved ones left behind, assist with personal tasks, stay informed of world and local news, help their children with schoolwork, and for entertainment. Donated computers are a tremendous resource for local war refugees and this initiative helps NASA Ames Veterans ease feelings of distress by making a difference in their community. 

On May 9, 2024, Brad and James received a Federal Employee of the Year Award from the San Francisco Federal Executive Board (SFFEB) for Volunteer Excellence based on their leadership on creating opportunities for the Ames Veterans Committee to work together during a trying time for veterans while making an ongoing, positive impact in the local community. 

DC-8 Flying Laboratory Makes Farewell Flight Over Ames Prior to Retirement

dc-8flyingoverames
NASA Ames gets an up-close look at the NASA DC-8 Flying Laboratory’s final flyover at 11:17 a.m. PDT on Wednesday, May 15, prior to it’s retirement at Idaho State University in Pocatello, Idaho
NASA photo by Brandon Torres

After nearly 40 years of service to science, on May 15 the Ames community had a chance to bid a final farewell to the DC-8 Flying Laboratory as it made its way to retirement in Idaho. NASA Ames, in coordination with NASA Armstrong, had arranged for a low-pass flyover of Ames Research Center at approximately 11:10 a.m. PDT in honor of the staff, scientists, and engineers who enabled the DC-8 to make such a profound impact on Earth science around the globe.  

The History of Ames and the DC-8

The NASA DC-8 is a world-class flying laboratory that has played a crucial role in answering fundamental questions across nearly every scientific discipline exploring Earth’s interacting systems, and how they are changing. The versatile research aircraft was unprecedented for its ability to carry multiple instruments and thereby take simultaneous active, passive, and in-situ measurements, while also providing room for 42 investigators onboard and boasting an impressive range of more than 5,000 miles.  

Ames has been involved in the science operations of the DC-8 since its arrival at Moffett Field in 1987, including long after the aircraft moved to NASA Armstrong (then NASA Dryden) in the late 1990s. Scientists at Ames continued to lead air quality and climate investigations. The Earth Science Project Office (ESPO) managed complex DC-8 deployments all over the world. And the National Suborbital Research Center (NSRC) provided critical engineering for instrument integration and the upgrading of onboard IT systems and networks, providing global satellite communications to enable real-time science anywhere in the world. 

During its first scientific mission, the DC-8 helped to establish the primary cause of the ozone hole over the southern Pacific. Other early missions focused on atmospheric science and developing new instruments for remote sensing. This work ultimately led to the upcoming  NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission, launching later this year, which will provide new insights into Earth’s processes.  

The DC-8 went on to provide calibration and validation for numerous satellite missions, including the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) series of missions and later for the Aura satellite. The DC-8 also provided critical measurements over both poles as part of Operation IceBridge.

The DC-8 successfully completed its final mission in March of this year, flying atmospheric sampling instruments for the Airborne and Satellite Investigation of Asian Air Quality (ASIA-AQ) campaign. Over the last decade, the DC-8 has also served an important role in training the next generation of Earth scientists and engineers through the Student Airborne Research Program (SARP).

As we bid farewell to this special aircraft, the DC-8 has cleared the runway for the next generation of flying laboratory: the B777. A study performed by the National Academies of Science and Medicine strongly endorsed the need for a NASA flying laboratory to replace the DC-8, resulting in the acquisition of the B777. The team at Ames is working together with NASA Langley and NASA HQ to ensure the B777 will continue to support the science community and exceed the capabilities of the DC-8 with longer range, endurance, and payload capacity: honoring and expanding its legacy for generations of scientists to come.  

Hangar 3 Historical Website is Now Live!

The Historic Preservation Office at NASA Ames’ Hangar 3 historical web site is now live!  Ames Research Center and Planetary Ventures, in consultation with the National Park Service, California State Historic Preservation Office, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation created a website and film that documents the history and features of Hangar 3, provides valuable information for future researchers, and celebrates its local and global impact.

Hangar 3
Hangar 3 at Moffett Field

You also can find additional historical information at NASA Ames and Moffett Field here, including buildings and districts listed in the National Register of Historic Places, information about Hangar 1 and Hangar 3, historical resources associated with the Space Shuttle and NASA Ames, and much more!

In Memoriam …

Fred Martwick, Senior Engineer at Ames, Passes Away

It is with great sadness we share with you the news that our good friend and colleague, Fred G. Martwick, passed away on April 29, 2024, after a brief illness. A Celebration of Life service will be held on Tuesday, June 11, at 1 p.m. at the Calvary Church, 16330 Los Gatos Blvd, Los Gatos, California 95032.  The event is open to all who wish to attend.  In addition, everyone is invited to a flag ceremony to honor Fred on Tuesday, June 25, at 10:30 a.m. PDT in front of the N-200 flagpole at NASA Ames.

FredMartwick
Fred Martwick hiking in the High Sierras.

Graduating in 1985 with a BS in mechanical engineering from San Jose State, Fred began his career with IBM in south San Jose.  After a few years, he came on-board at NASA Ames as a support service contractor in the Engineering Division. His abilities and personal work ethic were recognized, and he was quickly recruited for civil service (CS) conversion, first becoming an Army CS employee in the early 1990s, and later transitioning to NASA CS.

In the 1990s, Fred supported and then led several successful space sciences projects.  Concurrently, he served as one of the Ames representatives of the Aerospace Mechanisms Symposium organizing committee, consisting of representatives from the other NASA centers and Lockheed Martin. This group organized and sponsored the symposium on a set rotation within the NASA centers. 

In the late 1990s, after an offsite contractor failed to meet NASA’s specifications and timeline, the successful partnership of Fred and Dave Ackard managed the onsite manufacture and assembly of the SOFIA Cavity Door.  In the 2000s, Fred managed the planning, design, and prototype fabrication of a nano-satellite and deployment system in conjunction with Stanford.  Fred then managed the challenging procurement and fabrication of an intricate powered wind tunnel model of the Orion Crew Escape System.  The model and subsequent tests were key elements for the analysis test verification of the Escape System.

In the 2010s, Fred had established an intricate manufacturing documentation control system, creating a contracting “war room” in the mezzanine above the N211 Fabrication Shop.  From here, large amounts of space flight certified animal hardware were planned, contracted, tracked, assembled, and certified for flight to the International Space Station.  Fred’s procurement and documentation control system greatly impressed visiting customers from NASA/JSC management. In 2014, Fred was awarded the coveted Silver Snoopy Award in recognition of his outstanding performance in space flight system development and manufacturing.

By the 2020s, Fred had moved to the Chief Engineers Office in Code D supporting project oversight while keeping an eye on his upcoming retirement.  Fred’s dedication to NASA had pushed his retirement out a few times but was well within sight with the purchase of a beautiful home near Spokane, Washington. He was very involved with the organization Assist International and enjoyed working with the project Caminul Felix in Romania. Additionally, he worked with the Calvary Church ministry with junior high school kids. He was bus driver for the kids at the ministry, taking them to Hume Lake Christian Camp where he was the waterskiing boat driver for the kids as they waterskied behind the boat around the lake.

Fred will be greatly missed by the many people who have worked with him over his 30 plus years of outstanding service.  He will be remembered as a man of unwavering faith, a shrewd negotiator, an excellent project manager and systems engineer capable of diving into and clearly documenting the details while not losing sight of the big picture.  His ability to “get things done” makes his passing a great loss for NASA.

All of Fred’s many friends from his NASA family are welcome to attend the memorial service and flag ceremony.

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      The current NASA Headquarters lease expires in August 2028, and the agency already has evaluated multiple options including leasing or purchasing within the District of Columbia. Through a request for information published Thursday, NASA took a small step in a longer process to determine the best outcome for the agency and U.S. taxpayers.
      “With a new facility on the horizon, NASA has a unique opportunity to better meet the needs of a new generation of explorers, discoverers, and public servants – the Artemis Generation,” said Bob Gibbs, associate administrator, Mission Support Directorate. “The next NASA Headquarters will reflect our journey in a facility that inspires and engages the public, aligns with new ways of working, fosters innovation and connection, and maximizes taxpayer funding.”
      NASA is asking for responses from members of the development community, local and state jurisdictions, academia, other federal agencies, commercial aerospace partners, and other interested parties to help inform its decision.
      Needs for a new headquarters includes approximately 375,000 to 525,000 square feet of office space to house NASA’s workforce. The desired location is within walking distance to a Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority station. In addition, the new location also needs parking options, as well as convenient access to food establishments.
      Other ideal characteristics for a new setting include the capability to renovate the space to create a dynamic, flexible, and adaptive work environment inclusive of open work areas, enclosed offices, open collaboration areas, teaming rooms, conference rooms, sensitive compartmented information facilities, and secured storage spaces, to include potential stakeholder meeting, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) educational outreach, and storage spaces.
      Responses to the request for information are due no later than 12 p.m. EST on Jan. 15, 2025. This call for ideas is for informational purposes only and is intended to assist NASA with its planning and strategic decisions regarding a future facility. It is not a request for a lease proposal or a solicitation for a contract or other agreement, and it does not obligate NASA in any way.
      Under the leadership of the administrator, NASA Headquarters provides overall guidance and direction to the agency, through 10-field centers and a variety of installations nationwide.
      To learn more about NASA and its missions, visit:
      https://www.nasa.gov
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      Last Updated Nov 14, 2024 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
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    • By NASA
      Hubble Space Telescope Home NASA’s Hubble Sees… Hubble Space Telescope Hubble Home Overview About Hubble The History of Hubble Hubble Timeline Why Have a Telescope in Space? Hubble by the Numbers At the Museum FAQs Impact & Benefits Hubble’s Impact & Benefits Science Impacts Cultural Impact Technology Benefits Impact on Human Spaceflight Astro Community Impacts Science Hubble Science Science Themes Science Highlights Science Behind Discoveries Hubble’s Partners in Science Universe Uncovered Explore the Night Sky Observatory Hubble Observatory Hubble Design Mission Operations Missions to Hubble Hubble vs Webb Team Hubble Team Career Aspirations Hubble Astronauts News Hubble News Hubble News Archive Social Media Media Resources Multimedia Multimedia Images Videos Sonifications Podcasts E-books Lithographs Fact Sheets Glossary Posters Hubble on the NASA App More Online Activities   5 Min Read NASA’s Hubble Sees Aftermath of Galaxy’s Scrape with Milky Way
      This artist’s concept shows a closeup of the Large Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy that is one of the Milky Way galaxy’s nearest neighbors. Credits:
      NASA, ESA, Ralf Crawford (STScI) A story of survival is unfolding at the outer reaches of our galaxy, and NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope is witnessing the saga.
      The Large Magellanic Cloud, also called the LMC, is one of the Milky Way galaxy’s nearest neighbors. This dwarf galaxy looms large on the southern nighttime sky at 20 times the apparent diameter of the full Moon.
      Many researchers theorize that the LMC is not in orbit around our galaxy, but is just passing by. These scientists think that the LMC has just completed its closest approach to the much more massive Milky Way. This passage has blown away most of the spherical halo of gas that surrounds the LMC.
      Now, for the first time, astronomers been able to measure the size of the LMC’s halo – something they could do only with Hubble. In a new study to be published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, researchers were surprised to find that it is so extremely small, about 50,000 light-years across. That’s around 10 times smaller than halos of other galaxies that are the LMC’s mass. Its compactness tells the story of its encounter with the Milky Way.
      “The LMC is a survivor,” said Andrew Fox of AURA/STScI for the European Space Agency in Baltimore, who was principal investigator on the observations. “Even though it’s lost a lot of its gas, it’s got enough left to keep forming new stars. So new star-forming regions can still be created. A smaller galaxy wouldn’t have lasted – there would be no gas left, just a collection of aging red stars.”
      This artist’s concept shows the Large Magellanic Cloud, or LMC, in the foreground as it passes through the gaseous halo of the much more massive Milky Way galaxy. The encounter has blown away most of the spherical halo of gas that surrounds the LMC, as illustrated by the trailing gas stream reminiscent of a comet’s tail. Still, a compact halo remains, and scientists do not expect this residual halo to be lost. The team surveyed the halo by using the background light of 28 quasars, an exceptionally bright type of active galactic nucleus that shines across the universe like a lighthouse beacon. Their light allows scientists to “see” the intervening halo gas indirectly through the absorption of the background light. The lines represent the Hubble Space Telescope’s view from its orbit around Earth to the distant quasars through the LMC’s gas. NASA, ESA, Ralf Crawford (STScI)
      Download this image

      Though quite a bit worse for wear, the LMC still retains a compact, stubby halo of gas – something that it wouldn’t have been able to hold onto gravitationally had it been less massive. The LMC is 10 percent the mass of the Milky Way, making it heftier than most dwarf galaxies.
      “Because of the Milky Way’s own giant halo, the LMC’s gas is getting truncated, or quenched,” explained STScI’s Sapna Mishra, the lead author on the paper chronicling this discovery. “But even with this catastrophic interaction with the Milky Way, the LMC is able to retain 10 percent of its halo because of its high mass.”
      A Gigantic Hair Dryer
      Most of the LMC’s halo was blown away due to a phenomenon called ram-pressure stripping. The dense environment of the Milky Way pushes back against the incoming LMC and creates a wake of gas trailing the dwarf galaxy – like the tail of a comet.
      “I like to think of the Milky Way as this giant hairdryer, and it’s blowing gas off the LMC as it comes into us,” said Fox. “The Milky Way is pushing back so forcefully that the ram pressure has stripped off most of the original mass of the LMC’s halo. There’s only a little bit left, and it’s this small, compact leftover that we’re seeing now.”
      As the ram pressure pushes away much of the LMC’s halo, the gas slows down and eventually will rain into the Milky Way. But because the LMC has just gotten past its closest approach to the Milky Way and is moving outward into deep space again, scientists do not expect the whole halo will be lost.
      Only with Hubble
      To conduct this study, the research team analyzed ultraviolet observations from the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes at STScI. Most ultraviolet light is blocked by the Earth’s atmosphere, so it cannot be observed with ground-based telescopes. Hubble is the only current space telescope tuned to detect these wavelengths of light, so this study was only possible with Hubble.
      The team surveyed the halo by using the background light of 28 bright quasars. The brightest type of active galactic nucleus, quasars are believed to be powered by supermassive black holes. Shining like lighthouse beacons, they allow scientists to “see” the intervening halo gas indirectly through the absorption of the background light. Quasars reside throughout the universe at extreme distances from our galaxy.
      This artist’s concept illustrates the Large Magellanic Cloud’s (LMC’s) encounter with the Milky Way galaxy’s gaseous halo. In the top panel, at the middle of the right side, the LMC begins crashing through our galaxy’s much more massive halo. The bright purple bow shock represents the leading edge of the LMC’s halo, which is being compressed as the Milky Way’s halo pushes back against the incoming LMC. In the middle panel, part of the halo is being stripped and blown back into a streaming tail of gas that eventually will rain into the Milky Way. The bottom panel shows the progression of this interaction, as the LMC’s comet-like tail becomes more defined. A compact LMC halo remains. Because the LMC is just past its closest approach to the Milky Way and is moving outward into deep space again, scientists do not expect the residual halo will be lost. NASA, ESA, Ralf Crawford (STScI)
      Download this image

      The scientists used data from Hubble’s Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) to detect the presence of the halo’s gas by the way it absorbs certain colors of light from background quasars. A spectrograph breaks light into its component wavelengths to reveal clues to the object’s state, temperature, speed, quantity, distance, and composition. With COS, they measured the velocity of the gas around the LMC, which allowed them to determine the size of the halo.
      Because of its mass and proximity to the Milky Way, the LMC is a unique astrophysics laboratory. Seeing the LMC’s interplay with our galaxy helps scientists understand what happened in the early universe, when galaxies were closer together. It also shows just how messy and complicated the process of galaxy interaction is.
      Looking to the Future
      The team will next study the front side of the LMC’s halo, an area that has not yet been explored.
      “In this new program, we are going to probe five sightlines in the region where the LMC’s halo and the Milky Way’s halo are colliding,” said co-author Scott Lucchini of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian. “This is the location where the halos are compressed, like two balloons pushing against each other.”
      The Hubble Space Telescope has been operating for over three decades and continues to make ground-breaking discoveries that shape our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the telescope and mission operations. Lockheed Martin Space, based in Denver, Colorado, also supports mission operations at Goddard. The Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, conducts Hubble science operations for NASA.
      Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubble Media Contacts:
      Claire Andreoli (claire.andreoli@nasa.gov)
      NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
      Ann Jenkins, Ray Villard
      Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD
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      Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe.


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    • By NASA
      This photo shows the Optical Telescope Assembly for NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which was recently delivered to the largest clean room at the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.NASA/Chris Gunn NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is one giant step closer to unlocking the mysteries of the universe. The mission has now received its final major delivery: the Optical Telescope Assembly, which includes a 7.9-foot (2.4-meter) primary mirror, nine additional mirrors, and supporting structures and electronics. The assembly was delivered Nov. 7. to the largest clean room at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, where the observatory is being built.
      The telescope will focus cosmic light and send it to Roman’s instruments, revealing many billions of objects strewn throughout space and time. Using the mission’s Wide Field Instrument, a 300-megapixel infrared camera, astronomers will survey the cosmos all the way from the outskirts of our solar system toward the edge of the observable universe. Scientists will use Roman’s Coronagraph Instrument to test new technologies for dimming host stars to image planets and dusty disks around them in far better detail than ever before.
      “We have a top-notch telescope that’s well aligned and has great optical performance at the cold temperatures it will see in space,” said Bente Eegholm, optics lead for Roman’s Optical Telescope Assembly at NASA Goddard. “I am now looking forward to the next phase where the telescope and instruments will be put together to form the Roman observatory.”
      In this photo, optical engineer Bente Eegholm inspects the surface of the primary mirror for NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. This 7.9-foot (2.4-meter) mirror is a major component of the Optical Telescope Assembly, which also contains nine additional mirrors and supporting structures and electronics.NASA/Chris Gunn Designed and built by L3Harris Technologies in Rochester, New York, the assembly incorporates key optics (including the primary mirror) that were made available to NASA by the National Reconnaissance Office. The team at L3Harris then reshaped the mirror and built upon the inherited hardware to ensure it would meet Roman’s specifications for expansive, sensitive infrared observations.
      “The telescope will be the foundation of all of the science Roman will do, so its design and performance are among the largest factors in the mission’s survey capability,” said Josh Abel, lead Optical Telescope Assembly systems engineer at NASA Goddard.
      The team at Goddard worked closely with L3Harris to ensure these stringent requirements were met and that the telescope assembly will integrate smoothly into the rest of the Roman observatory.
      The assembly’s design and performance will largely determine the quality of the mission’s results, so the manufacturing and testing processes were extremely rigorous. Each optical component was tested individually prior to being assembled and assessed together earlier this year. The tests helped ensure that the alignment of the telescope’s mirrors will change as expected when the telescope reaches its operating temperature in space.
      Then, the telescope was put through tests simulating the extreme shaking and intense sound waves associated with launch. Engineers also made sure that tiny components called actuators, which will adjust some of the mirrors in space, move as predicted. And the team measured gases released from the assembly as it transitioned from normal air pressure to a vacuum –– the same phenomenon that has led astronauts to report that space smells gunpowdery or metallic. If not carefully controlled, these gases could contaminate the telescope or instruments.
      Upon arrival at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, the Optical Telescope Assembly for the agency’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope was lifted out of the shipping fixture and placed with other mission hardware in Goddard’s largest clean room. Now, it will be installed onto Roman’s Instrument Carrier, a structure that will keep the telescope and Roman’s two instruments optically aligned. The assembly’s electronics box –– essentially the telescope’s brain –– will be mounted within the spacecraft along with Roman’s other electronics.NASA/Chris Gunn Finally, the telescope underwent a month-long thermal vacuum test to ensure it will withstand the temperature and pressure environment of space. The team closely monitored it during cold operating conditions to ensure the telescope’s temperature will remain constant to within a fraction of a degree. Holding the temperature constant allows the telescope to remain in stable focus, making Roman’s high-resolution images consistently sharp. Nearly 100 heaters on the telescope will help keep all parts of it at a very stable temperature.
      “It is very difficult to design and build a system to hold temperatures to such a tight stability, and the telescope performed exceptionally,” said Christine Cottingham, thermal lead for Roman’s Optical Telescope Assembly at NASA Goddard.
      Now that the assembly has arrived at Goddard, it will be installed onto Roman’s Instrument Carrier, a structure that will keep the telescope and Roman’s two instruments optically aligned. The assembly’s electronics box –– essentially the telescope’s brain –– will be mounted within the spacecraft along with Roman’s other electronics.
      With this milestone, Roman remains on track for launch by May 2027.
      “Congratulations to the team on this stellar accomplishment!” said J. Scott Smith, the assembly’s telescope manager at NASA Goddard. “The completion of the telescope marks the end of an epoch and incredible journey for this team, and yet only a chapter in building Roman. The team’s efforts have advanced technology and ignited the imaginations of those who dream of exploring the stars.”
      Virtually tour an interactive version of the telescope The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is managed at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, with participation by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Caltech/IPAC in Southern California, the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, and a science team comprising scientists from various research institutions. The primary industrial partners are BAE Systems Inc. in Boulder, Colorado; L3Harris Technologies in Rochester, New York; and Teledyne Scientific & Imaging in Thousand Oaks, California.
      By Ashley Balzer
      NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
      ​​Media Contact:
      Claire Andreoli
      NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
      claire.andreoli@nasa.gov
      301-286-1940
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      Last Updated Nov 14, 2024 EditorAshley BalzerContactAshley Balzerashley.m.balzer@nasa.govLocationGoddard Space Flight Center Related Terms
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    • By NASA
      5 min read
      Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
      Note: The following article is part of a series highlighting propulsion testing at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. To access the entire series, please visit: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/propulsion-powering-space-dreams/.
      NASA engineers conduct a test of the liquid oxygen/liquid methane Morpheus lander engine HD4B on the E-3 Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center during the week of Sept. 9, 2013. The fourth-generation Project Morpheus engine was a prototype vertical takeoff and landing vehicle designed to advance innovative technologies into flight-proven systems that may be incorporated into future human exploration missions. NASA/Stennis The work of NASA has fueled commercial spaceflight for takeoff – and for many aerospace companies, the road to launch begins at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. 
      Already the nation’s largest propulsion test site and a leader in working with aerospace companies to support their testing needs, NASA Stennis aims to continue growing its commercial market even further.  
      “The aerospace industry is expanding rapidly, and we are here to support it,” said NASA Stennis Director John Bailey. “NASA Stennis has proven for more than two decades that we have the versatile infrastructure and reliable propulsion test experts to meet testing needs and accelerate space goals for a whole range of customers.” 
      The central hub for meeting those needs at the south Mississippi center is the E Test Complex. It features four stands with 12 test cells capable of supporting a range of component and engine test activities. NASA operates the E-1 Test Stand with four cell positions and the E-3 Test Stand with two cells. Relativity Space, based in Long Beach, California, leases the E-2 and E-4 stands to support some of its test operations. 
      Operators conduct a hot fire for Relativity Space’s Aeon R thrust chamber assembly on the E-1 Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in 2024.  NASA/Stennis Virgin Orbit, a satellite-launch company, conducts a Thrust Chamber Assembly test on the E-1 Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in 2021. The company partnered with NASA Stennis to conduct hot fire tests totaling a cumulative 974.391 seconds.NASA/Stennis Launcher’s 3D-printed Engine-2 rocket engine completes a 5-second hot fire of its thrust chamber assembly on Aug. 20, 2021, at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. The company was just one of several conducting test projects on site in 2021. Launcher, Virgin Orbit, Relativity Space, and L3Harris (formerly known as Aerojet Rocketdyne) made significant strides toward their space-project goals while utilizing NASA Stennis infrastructure.Launcher/John Kraus Photography An image from November 2021 shows a subscale center body diffuser hot fire on the E-3 Test Stand during an ongoing advanced diffuser test series at NASA’s Stennis Space Center.  NASA/Stennis A team of engineers from NASA, Orbital Sciences Corporation and L3Harris (formerly known as Aerojet Rocketdyne) conduct an engine acceptance test on the E-1 Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on Jan. 18, 2013. The successful test of AJ26 Engine E12 continued support of Orbital Sciences Corporation as the company prepared to provide commercial cargo missions to the International Space Station.  NASA/Stennis Developed during the 1990s and early 2000s, the E Test Complex can deliver various propellants and gases at high and low pressures and flow rates not available elsewhere. The versatility of the complex infrastructure and test team allows it to support projects for commercial aerospace companies, large and small. NASA Stennis also provides welding, machining, calibration, precision cleaning, and other support services required to conduct testing.  
      “NASA Stennis delivers exceptional results in a timely manner with our capabilities and services,” said Duane Armstrong, manager of the NASA Stennis Strategic Business Development Office. “Our commercial partnerships and agreements have proven to be true win-win arrangements. NASA Stennis is where customers have access to unique NASA test support infrastructure and expertise, making it the go-to place for commercial propulsion testing.”  
      Companies come to the south Mississippi site with various needs. Some test for a short time and collect essential data. Others stay for an extended period. The stage of development and the particular test article, whether a component or full engine, determine where testing takes place within the E Complex. 
      NASA Stennis also offers a variety of test agreements. Companies may lease a stand or area and perform its own test campaign. They also may team with NASA Stennis engineers and operators to form a blended test team. And in some cases, companies will turn over the entirety of test work to the NASA Stennis team. Current companies conducting work at NASA Stennis include: Blue Origin; Boeing; Evolution Space; Launcher, a Vast company; Relativity Space; and Rolls-Royce. They join a growing list who conducted earlier test projects in the complex, including SpaceX, Stratolaunch, Virgin Orbit, and Orbital Sciences Corporation. 
      In addition, three companies – Relativity Space, Rocket Lab, and Evolution Space – are establishing production and/or test operations onsite. 
      “We may work with a customer brand new to the field, so we help them figure out how to build their engine,” said Chris Barnett-Woods, E-1 electrical lead and instrumentation engineer. “Another customer may know exactly what they want, and we support them to make it happen. We focus on customer need. Given our expertise, we know how testing needs to be conducted or can figure it out quickly together, which can help our customer save money toward a successful outcome.” 
      NASA engineers conduct a test of a methane-fueled 2K thruster on the E-3 Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center during a four-day span in May 2015. NASA/Stennis NASA records a historic week Nov. 5-9, 2012, conducting 27 tests on three different rocket engines/components across three stands in the E Test Complex at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. Inset images show the types of tests conducted on the E-1 Test Stand (right), the E-2 Test Stand (left) and the E-3 Test Stand (center). The E-1 image is from an October 2012 test and is provided courtesy of Blue Origin. Other images are from tests conducted the week of Nov. 5, 2012. NASA/Stennis Operators at the E-2 Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center conduct a test of the oxygen preburner component developed by SpaceX for its Raptor rocket engine on June 9, 2015. NASA/Stennis Operators conduct a hot fire on the E-3 Test Stand during ongoing advanced diffuser test series in October 2015 at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. Subscale testing was conducted at NASA Stennis to validate innovative new diffuser designs to help test rocket engines at simulated high altitudes, helping to ensure the engines will fire and operate on deep space missions as needed.  NASA/Stennis NASA’s Stennis Space Center and  L3Harris (formerly known as Aerojet Rocketdyne) complete a successful round of AR1 preburner tests on Cell 2 of the E-1 Test Stand during the last week of June 2016. The tests successfully verified key preburner injector design parameters for the company’s AR1 engine being designed to end use of Russian engines for national security space launches. NASA/Stennis Capabilities to benefit NASA and the aerospace industry have grown since the center entered its first commercial partnership in the late 1990s. The test team also has grown in understanding the commercial approach, and the center has committed itself to adapting and streamlining its business processes. 
      “Time-to-market is key for commercial companies,” said Joe Schuyler, director of the NASA Stennis Engineering and Test Directorate. “They want to test as efficiently and economically as possible. Our goal is to meet them where they are and deliver what they need. And that is exactly what we focus our efforts on.”
      As stated in the site’s latest strategic plan, the goal is to operate as “a multi-user propulsion testing enterprise that accelerates the development of aerospace systems and services by government and industry.” To that end, the site is innovating its operations, modernizing its services, and demonstrating it is the best choice for propulsion testing. 
      “NASA Stennis is open for business as the preferred propulsion provider for aerospace companies,” Bailey said. “Companies across the board are realizing they can achieve their desired results at NASA Stennis.”  
      For information about NASA’s Stennis Space Center, visit: 
      Stennis Space Center – NASA 
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      Last Updated Nov 13, 2024 EditorNASA Stennis CommunicationsContactC. Lacy Thompsoncalvin.l.thompson@nasa.gov / (228) 688-3333LocationStennis Space Center Related Terms
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