WELCOME TO GODDARD NEWS ON-LINE FOR JANUARY 21, 2000
 
Visit this week’s complete issue in easy-to-read html on the web at:
 
<http://pao.gsfc.nasa.gov/gsfc/gnews/012100/012100.htm>
 
    SAFETY IS OUR NUMBER ONE VALUE!!
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Center Director’s All Hands on Jan. 28
 
All employees are invited to join Center Director Al Diaz in an "All Hands" session on Jan. 28 beginning 1 p.m. in the Bldg.8 Auditorium.
Director Diaz will offer a review of the year that unfolded with many challenges as well as significant achievements. How did we do? What’s in store for 2000? Come and hear the Center Director reflect on 1999 and offer some projections for the coming year. Call the Office of Public Affairs at 6-8955 with comments or questions on this event.
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STS-103 Crew Visits Goddard
 
You saw the mission on TV, now come and hear the entire seven member STS-103 astronaut crew’s presentation on the HST 3A servicing mission. The special colloquium will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 25 at 3:15 p.m. in the Bldg. 8 auditorium. Crew pictures and decals will be distributed following the presentation. A sign language interpreter will be provided. *********************************************************
Scientific Colloquium to Feature Alice Harding
 
This week’s topic is entitled, "Magnetars: Nature’s Strongest Magnetic Fields." Alice Harding from Goddard will review the history of magnetars, discuss the observational evidence that they really exist and the exotic and fascinating physics that operates in these sources. The event will be held in the Bldg. 3 Auditorium at 3:30 p.m. For more information on upcoming speakers in this series check out the following website: <http://scicolloq.gsfc.nasa.gov>
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ISO 9001 Surveillance Audit Scheduled for Late February
 
The first ISO9001 Surveillance Audit of the GSFC Quality Management System (QMS) at Greenbelt and Wallops is scheduled for Feb. 28 to March 3. A surveillance audit is a check on the continued compliance of GSFC’s QMS with ISO 9001 requirements. Surveillance audits happen every six months and are generally shorter and less intense than the initial compliance audit, although there is typically an increased rigor in interpretation of the Standard and an expectation of system improvements.
 
Although all of the elements are not specifically targeted for this audit, they will not be ignored if an auditor sees something that should be pursued.  For a list of what elements will be targeted, go to:
<http://pao.gsfc.nasa.gov/gsfc/gnews/012100/012100.htm#iso>
For more information about ISO, check out the ISO web site:
<http://arioch.gsfc.nasa.gov/iso9000/>
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STS-51 Challenger Memorial Ceremony To Be Held
 
The 14th anniversary memorial ceremony to remember the STS-51L Challenger crew who perished on Jan. 28, 1986 will be held outside the Visitor Center on Friday, Jan. 28, at 11:38 a.m. Taps will be played, followed by a moment of silence. STS-51L would have been NASA’s 25th Shuttle launch. All Goddard employees are invited to attend this brief ceremony. For more information, please contact the Visitor Center on 6-8981. 
**************************************************************** Goddard Flags at Half Staff
 
All government flags will he flown at half staff on Thursday, Jan. 27, in memory of the three member astronaut crew, Virgil Grissom, Edward White and Roger Chaffee, who perished in the Apollo 1 fire on Jan. 27, 1967. The flags will remain at half staff on Friday, Jan. 28, in memory of the seven astronauts who perished in the STS-51L Challenger accident: Dick Scobee, Michael Smith, Judith Resnik, Ellison Onizuka, Ronald McNair, Christa McAuliffe and Gregory Jarvis.
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Roy Innis, National Chairman of the Congress of Racial Equality to Speak at Goddard
 
Mr. Roy Innis, National Chairman of the Congress Of Racial Equality/CORE will speak at Goddard on the theme: Back to the Future, Civil Rights Comes Full Circle. Mr. Innis, a contemporary of Dr. King’s and an dedicated civil rights activist for decades, is a dynamic public speaker, a vocal and principled defender of everyone’s Constitutional liberties and offers a unique, almost unprecedented historical perspective on the progression of American and global trends and issues.
**************************************************************** NASA Balloon Program Has a First
 
For the first time, the NASA Scientific Balloon Program has two long duration balloon flights in the air at the same time. Two 29.47 million cubic foot NASA scientific balloons were successfully launched from McMurdo, Antarctica. The first, carrying a solar physics experiment, was launched on Jan. 10. Dr. David Rust, Johns Hopkins University was the principal investigator. This was followed by the launch on Jan. 11 of a balloon carrying a high-energy astrophysics experiment for the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Robert Lin was the principal investigator. Both balloons are still afloat.
**************************************************************** Space Shuttle Program Joins American Icons in Commemorative Stamp Collection
 
The Space Shuttle Program joined video games, the Cabbage Patch Kids dolls and 12 other American memories as part of the U.S. Postal Service’s "Celebrate the Century" program; the 15-stamp series that was unveiled on Jan. 12 at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
 
The text on the gummed side of the Space Shuttle stamp reads, "Space Shuttles have transformed U.S. space exploration. These reusable crafts can launch satellites and house labs for scientific experiments. Columbia, the first Space Shuttle, was launched Apr. 12, 1981." For the complete article, visit:
<ftp://ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/pressrel/2000/00-012.txt>
**************************************************************** Safety Message From The Administrator–Health & Safety Topic #10 – Hearing Conservation
 
Some NASA operations require working in environments where ambient noise levels are capable of damaging the hearing of NASA employees. Some of those operations, such as high pressure air distribution venting, are so loud that they have the potential for causing immediate traumatic hearing loss. Many other operations can result in noise induced hearing loss from chronic exposure.
 
We have become keenly aware of noise induced hearing loss from space crews who experienced continuous noise exposure aboard the Mir Space Station. Although not as visible, every NASA Center has hundreds of employees potentially exposed to harmful noise levels in our earth-based workplaces.
 
Hearing loss is preventable. I expect full compliance with the NASA noise exposure standard and effective management involvement to assure all elements of the NASA Hearing Conservation Program (HCP) are afforded to the NASA work force.
 
Weekly health topics will be available on the NASA web site
<http://www.nasa.gov> as well as the Occupational Health web site
<http://ohp.ksc.nasa.gov>.  For comments regarding this health message or
to suggest future health topics, please contact Lisa Cutler at:
lisa.l.cutler.1@gsfc.nasa.gov
**************************************************************** Lone Black Holes Adrift in the Galaxy
 
Two international teams of astronomers using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and ground-based telescopes in Australia and Chile have discovered the first examples of isolated stellar-mass black holes adrift among the stars in our galaxy.
 
All previously known stellar black holes have been found in orbit around normal stars, with their presence determined by their effect on the companion star. The two isolated black holes were detected indirectly by the way their extreme gravity bends the light from a more distant star behind them.  For more on this, visit:
<http://pao.gsfc.nasa.gov/gsfc/gnews/012100/012100.htm#black>
**************************************************************** Chandra Resolves Mysterious X-ray Glow into Millions of Galaxies
 
While taking a giant leap towards solving the greatest mystery of X-ray astronomy, NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory also may have revealed the most distant objects ever seen in the Universe and discovered two puzzling new types of cosmic objects.  Not bad for being on the job for only five months.
 
Chandra has resolved most of the X-ray background, a pervasive glow of X-rays throughout the Universe, first discovered in the early days of space exploration. Before now, scientists have not been able to discern the background’s origin, because no X-ray telescope until Chandra has had both the angular resolution and sensitivity to resolve it.  To find out more about this discovery, click on:
<http://pao.gsfc.nasa.gov/gsfc/gnews/012100/012100.htm#chandra>
**************************************************************** NASA To Develop Advanced Technologies for Earth Remote Sensing
 
NASA’s Office of Earth Science, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C, has selected proposals for a new technology development program in support of the Earth Science Enterprise. The Advanced Technology Initiatives Program (ATIP) will provide for core component and subsystem technology
developments that support NASA’s science research of Earth observing instruments in the area of space-borne and airborne remote sensing measurements.
 
The Office of Earth Science is awarding 23 proposals, for a total dollar value over a three year period of approximately $14.5 million through the Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. In addition, nine proposals have been tentatively accepted. Contract awards for tentatively selected proposals are dependant on funding availability. The minimum period of performance is twelve months. The total proposed period of performance should not exceed 36 months. For the entire story, go to:
<http://pao.gsfc.nasa.gov/gsfc/gnews/012100/012100.htm#remote>
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Center Road Closing
 
The intersection of Trios Road and Bldg. 22 East Drive is currently closed until Feb. 11.
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No More Flu Shots Available at Health Unit 
 
The GSFC Health Center is out of flu serum, therefore all flu shot sessions have ceased.
**************************************************************** !!!UPCOMING EVENTS AT GODDARD!!!
 
**Next Week’s Scientific Colloquia Information**
 
Where/When: Bldg. 3 auditorium, January 28 at 3:30 p.m.
Who: Yervant Terzian from Cornell University
Topic:  "Binary Galaxies and Dark Matter"
 
**"Learn How to Eliminate Chaos With the Power of SAN"**
 
Don’t miss FedData’s open discussions on storage solutions FDC can provide. The free seminar will be held Tuesday, January 25 in Bldg. 26, Room 205 from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm.  Continental breakfast is provided.  To register call 888-321-OPEN x3300 or email SAN@feddata.com.  Please register by
January 18th or register at the door.
 
**Martin Luther King, Black History Month Activities Scheduled**
 
Wednesday, Jan. 26 – Roy Innis, Congress of Racial Equality/CORE, Bldg. 8 Auditorium, 11 a.m.
 
–Black History Month Events in February–
 
Wednesday, Feb. 2, Brenda Simmons, South Eastern Conference of Minority Educators, Bldg. 3 or Bldg. 26 Auditorium, 11:30 a.m.
 
Wednesday, Feb. 9, Hank Wilfong, Small and Minority Business CEO, Bldg. 3 Auditorium, 11:30 a.m.
 
Wednesday, Feb. 22, Congressman Elijah Cummings, Bldg. 8, 8:15 to 9:30 a.m.
 
**Chinese New Year Luncheon**
 
The Goddard Chinese American Club will hold its annual New Year Luncheon on Feb. 8, 2000 at the Seven Seas Restaurant from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The price for the lunch ticket is $11/person. Tickets can be bought from the following people through February 5th:
 
Bldg 3, Mario So, Room 216, 286-6113
Bldg 11, Pen-Shu Yeh, Room E227, 286-4477
Bldg 16, Paul Hwang, Room 100J, 286-6968
Bldg 32, Jianchun Qin, Room S188, 614-5323
Bldg 33, Yunyue Yu, Room B225, 614-5895
Bldg 33, Song Yang Room C324 614-5844
 
If you have questions, please contact Jen tung Ku at 6-3130.
 
**Oscar Wilde’s "Importance of Being Earnest" Opens Feb. 11** MAD’s Winter Show, "The Importance of Being Earnest (A Trivial Comedy for Serious People)," can only be seen for eight performances (Feb. 11-13, 18-20, 25-26) at the Goddard Recreation Center. Advance ticket sales ($11-$14 person) will be held at lunchtime on Jan. 19 in Bldg. 1 cafeteria and Jan. 20 in Bldg.21 cafeteria. Price includes hot & cold hors d’oeuvres, beer/wine/sodas and the show.
 
!!Upcoming Events at Goddard’s Visitor’s Center!!
 
WHAT:  Discover Goddard:  Decreasing Arctic Ice
 
WHEN:  Sunday, Jan. 23, 2000 at 1 p.m.
 
EVENT:  Ever wonder if polar bears and other polar species could survive without ice? Dr. Claire Parkinson, of Goddard’s Laboratory for Hydrospheric Processes, Oceans and Ice Branch, will discuss how satellite data reflects decreasing Arctic ice and how this phenomena could be related to global warming.
 
**Black History Month at the Visitor Center**
 
WHEN:  Thursday, Feb. 17, 2000 at 5:30 p.m
 
In honor of Black History Month, Dr. Marshall Shepherd, GSFC Research Meteorologist will speak on "Weather, Climate, and Satellites: What They Mean for You!" This event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.
 
**Upcoming Launches**
 
For a schedule of launches coming up in the next few months, check out: <http://pao.gsfc.nasa.gov/gsfc/newsroom/flash/flash.htm>
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If you’re interested in checking out press releases that went out last week, go to:
<http://pao.gsfc.nasa.gov/gsfc/newsroom/flash/flash.htm#release>
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MISSION SUCCESS STARTS WITH SAFETY
 
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Visit previous issues of Goddard News On-Line at:
 
<http://pao.gsfc.nasa.gov/gsfc/gnews/gnews.htm>
 
If you have any comments regarding the content of Goddard News, please email: Trusilla.Y.Steele.1@gsfc.nasa.gov