January sci-tech newsletter available

The latest issue of Alliance Insight, a quarterly newsletter highlighting science and technology in South Mississippi, is now available. The January issue takes a look at what's in store for South Mississippi in 2011. Also included: feature stories about NASA's Stennis Space Center, the Infinity Science Center, South Mississippi's airports and the Tradition planned community. The newsletter is produced by the Mississippi Gulf Coast Alliance for Economic Development. (Source: Alliance Insight, January 2011)

January Messenger available

The January issue of Michoud Messenger, a monthly newsletter about activities at Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, is available for download. The issue includes reports about the next step for the Orion crew vehicle; the recognition of award recipients; a rundown of the November industry day in New Orleans; the retirement of Frances Celino and more. (Source: Michoud Messenger, January 2011)

NASA awards agency contract

NASA awarded a 10-year contract to HP Enterprise Services of Herndon, Va., for agency consolidated end-user services, or ACES, with a maximum value of $2.5 billion and four-year base period with two three-year option periods. The contract will be managed at the NASA Shared Services Center at Stennis Space Center, Miss. The ACES contract will develop a long-term outsourcing arrangement with the commercial sector to provide and manage most of NASA's personal computing hardware, software, mobile information technology services, peripherals and accessories, associated end-user services, and supporting infrastructure. HP Enterprise Services will provide, manage, secure and maintain these essential IT services for the agency. The NSSC is a partnership among NASA, Computer Sciences Corp. and the states of Mississippi and Louisiana. The NSSC performs selected business activities for all 10 NASA centers. (Source: NASA, 12/27/10)

PW completes subassembly

CANOGA PARK, Calif. - Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne completed another major subassembly for NASA's first J-2X rocket engine. The turbopump assembly follows the successful assembly of the oxidizer turbopump, which delivers high-pressure liquid oxygen to the main injector. The engine’s first hot-fire tests are planned for early 2011 at Stennis Space Center, Miss. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is headquartered in Canoga Park and has facilities in Huntsville, Ala.; Kennedy Space Center, Fla.; West Palm Beach, Fla.; and Stennis Space Center. (Source: PRNewswire, 12/21/10, NASA, 12/22/10) Previous story

NASA partners with school on project

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Researchers at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center have partnered with students at Hancock High School in Kiln, Miss., to study the intrusion of saltwater into vital coastal fresh water areas. The Salinity Drifter Project conducted by the Stennis Applied Science and Technology Project Office focuses on collecting valuable data about salinity variations that could impact vegetation and various species located in coastal fresh waters. Stennis researchers are helping students at Hancock High School assemble and deploy a floating sensor module, a drifter, that will measure salinity and temperature and transmit this information via cell phone and Internet connections. (Source: NASA, 12/21/10)

AJ26 performs second test fire

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NASA conducted a 55-second test fire Friday of the liquid-fuel AJ26 engine that will power the first stage of Orbital Sciences' Taurus II space launch vehicle. Taurus II uses a pair Aerojet AJ26 rocket engines to provide first stage propulsion. The test on the E-1 test stand involved a team of Orbital, Aerojet, and Stennis. The test was the second in a series of verification tests. A third hot-fire test also is planned to verify tuning of engine control valves. The AJ26 engine is designed to power the Taurus II space vehicle on flights to low Earth orbit. NASA's partnership with Orbital was formed under the agency's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services joint research and development project to enable commercial cargo flights to the International Space Station. The company is under contract with NASA to provide eight cargo missions to the space station through 2015. (Sources: PRNewswire, NASA, 12/17/10)

December Lagniappe available

The December issue of Lagniappe, a monthly newsletter about NASA activities at Stennis Space Center, is available for download. This issue has a stories about the test firing of a new AJ26 rocket engine; the topping out of the Infinity project; a recap of 2010 at NASA; a Pratt & Whitney safety milestone and more. (Source: Lagniappe, December 2010)

NASA, Navy help teachers

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - The Education Office at NASA' Stennis Space Center teamed with the Naval Research Laboratory Dec. 10-11 to offer a group of science educators a no-cost training opportunity to build and operate underwater robots. Teachers from Louisiana and Mississippi spent two days at Stennis learning how to build and use Sea Perch, a remotely operated underwater robot. The teachers now can take the Sea Perch Program back to their students, offering a hands-on activity designed to inspire continued studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. (Source: NASA, 12/15/10)

NASA picks projects for development

NASA is negotiating contracts with 350 small businesses that had the best proposals to address critical research and technology needs for agency programs and projects. The proposals are part of NASA's Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer program (STTR). Eight awards will develop technologies for the Innovative Partnership Program at NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center, five through the STTR program, three through SBIR. (Source: NASA, 12/09/10)

NVision manager gets certification

BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss. - NVision Solutions Inc. GIS Manager Joel Herr was recently awarded the new Esri Technical Certification. Herr was awarded the "ArcGIS Desktop Professional Certification" based on the first exam administered at the 2010 Esri International User Conference in San Diego, Calif. The Esri Technical Certification Program recognizes qualified individuals who are proficient in best practices for using Esri software. (Source: NVision Solutions, 12/09/10)

Commercial launch, recovery a success

The first attempt by a commercial company to launch a space capsule into orbit and bring it back is being praised as a milestone in the future of space travel. SpaceX's unmanned Dragon spacecraft left Cape Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday atop a Falcon 9 rocket and entered orbit 10 minutes later. It circled Earth twice before splash-down in the Pacific. The next step is a fly-by of the International Space Station, then a cargo and crew mission to the ISS, both in 2011. NASA signed a contract with SpaceX in December 2008 under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program to provide 12 spacecraft to resupply the ISS through 2016. NASA also signed a contract with Orbital Space Corp. for eight launches of its Taurus II rocket starting in 2011. Wednesday's flight was important for the Obama administration's hopes to expand commercial space efforts as a way to free up NASA funds for missions to send astronauts much deeper into space and ultimately to Mars. (Sources: AFP via Space Travel, Washington Post, 12/08/10) Gulf Coast note: Stennis Space Center, Miss., is testing the AJ26 propulsion systems for the Orbital Space Corp. program.

PW completes key J-2X assembly

CANOGA PARK, Calif. - Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne successfully completed assembly of the oxidizer turbopump on NASA's J-2X rocket engine, moving the next-generation, human-rated rocket engine a step closer to testing at Stennis Space Center, Miss., in 2011. The oxidizer turbopump delivers high pressure liquid oxygen to the engine's main injector, pumping more than 80 percent of the propellant consumed by the engine. It's driven by a turbine that uses the products of the gas generator after it has driven the engine's fuel turbopump. The J-2X engine was developed with heavy-lift capabilities in mind, and could play an important role as a powerful upper-stage engine for future missions to low-Earth orbit, Mars or an asteroid. (Source: PRNewswire, 12/07/10)

MsET service seminar scheduled

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - The Mississippi Enterprise for Technology, an incubator and technology transfer operation at Stennis Space Center, Miss., is beginning a new series of seminars as a result of feedback from client companies. Called "service seminars," the first one will be held Dec. 13 at noon at the Herman Glazier Conference room. The speaker will be Clay Gaskamp of Adminstaff, a professional employer organization (PEO). He’ll describe what a PEO is and the services it can provide to a company. For more information, contact MsET's Belinda Gill by e-mail or by calling 228-688-3144. (Source: MsET, 12/06/10)

December Messenger available

The December issue of Michoud Messenger, a monthly newsletter about activities at Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, is available for download. The issue includes items about the visit of Energy Secretary Steven Chu to Michoud; Hahnville Career Day; a Safety and Health Fair; a technology expo; NASA and LSU day and more. (Source: Michoud Messenger, December 2010)

LEGO League championship set

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Elementary and middle school students from Mississippi will gather at the Lake Terrace Convention Center in Hattiesburg on Dec. 4 to participate in the Mississippi Championship FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) LEGO League Tournament. Some 400 students and as many as 38 teams from across Mississippi are scheduled to participate in the robotics challenge. FIRST LEGO League is a hands-on method to increase student knowledge of science, engineering, technology and mathematics. NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center supports the FIRST LEGO League by providing mentors and training, as well as competition judges and referees, audiovisual staff and other volunteer personnel. (Source: NASA, 11/30/10)

Series speaker scheduled

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Mel Estrade of the South Mississippi Contract Procurement Center will be guest speaker at the next "Lunch and Learn" series of the Mississippi Enterprise for Technology. It will be held Dec. 9 at the Herman C. Glazier Conference Room, Building 1130, Stennis Space Center. Estrade will detail the services available to Mississippi companies through the Mississippi Procurement Technical Assistance Program, a program of the Mississippi Development Authority, the chief economic development agency for the state. MPTAP's mission is to enhance national defense and economic development of the state by helping Mississippi businesses in obtaining federal, state, local government and commercial contracts. For more information on the upcoming Lunch and Learn, contact Belinda Gill at MsET by e-mail or by calling 228-688-3144. (Source: MsET, 11/29/10)

Goodrich ships XWB thrust reverser

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Goodrich Corp. has delivered its first thrust reversers for the Airbus A350 XWB twinjet. The thrust reversers will be installed on a Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engine to be used in the engine ground test program, scheduled to begin later this year. Goodrich shipped the thrust reversers from its facility in Chula Vista, Calif., which was also the site of final assembly. The reversers will be sent to the Rolls-Royce facility in Derby, England, for initial testing before being shipped to a Rolls-Royce ground testing site at John C. Stennis Space Center, Miss. (Source: Goodrich, 11/23/10) Goodrich's Alabama Service Center is located in Foley, Ala.

November Lagniappe available

The November issue of Lagniappe, a monthly newsletter about NASA activities at Stennis Space Center, is available for download. This issue has a story about Stennis Space Center's Legends Lecture Series, a year-long 50th anniversary series that got underway Nov. 9. Other stories in the newsletter: The delay in the launch of Discovery; a story about the arrival of an A-3 test stand component; a story about the kickoff of a student design challenge and more. (Source: Lagniappe, November 2010)

Sensor newsletter available

Sensor, a newsletter focusing on Mississippi's geospatial industry, is now available for viewing. This is the first one produced by the Stennis Space Center-based Magnolia Business Alliance, a non-profit. Sensor had been produced by the Enterprise for Geospatial Solutions when it was run by the University of Mississippi. But in early August management and support of EIGS was transferred from the university to the private sector. EIGS is now a program of the Magnolia Business Alliance. (Source: Tcp, 11/22/10) Newsletter

Science center gets topped

Five flags were placed atop the roof of Infinity Science Center during a topping out ceremony Wednesday near the Mississippi Welcome Center. The center along Interstate 10 not far from the Mississippi-Louisiana state line is designed to interest visitors in science and engineering and to highlight the work done at NASA's nearby John C. Stennis Space Center. The topping out is a traditional ceremony and marks the highest point of the building. "We're optimistic that this is going to be a scientific Disney World for Louisiana and Mississippi like nothing we've ever seen before," said George Schloegel, chairman of the Infinity board. (Sources: Sun Herald, WLOX-TV, 11/17/10)

NASA teams with high schools

NASA will team with students at 17 high schools in four states, including five in Mississippi, to design and develop hardware and software models and products for America's space program. Students will work with NASA engineers at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., and Stennis Space Center, Miss., on eight projects identified by the High Schools United with NASA to Create Hardware (HUNCH) initiative. The project was launched at Marshall in 2003 and expanded to include Stennis Space Center last year. One goal of the HUNCH initiative is to inspire high school students to pursue careers in science, technology or engineering fields. The Mississippi schools are Hancock County Vocational Technical School in Kiln, East Central High School in Hurley, Gulfport High School in Gulfport, New Albany High School in New Albany and Petal High School in Petal. The other high schools are in Alabama, Louisiana and Tennessee. (Source: NASA, 11/17/10)

Lockheed gets SSC contract

NASA has awarded the test operations contract at Stennis Space Center, Miss., to Lockheed Martin Services Inc. of Houston. The test operations contract is a performance based, cost-plus-award-fee contract, valued at $95.7 million, with a five-year period of performance consisting of a base period of 30 months and one option period of 30 months. As the test operations contractor, Lockheed Martin will be responsible for providing test operations, core operations and maintenance activities to support test projects at Stennis. (Source: NASA, 11/16/10)

Speakers lined up for Industry Day

Stennis Space Center Director Patrick Scheuermann will be among the speakers Thursday during NASA Stennis Industry Day at Hollywood Casino in Bay St. Louis. It all begins Wednesday with a training session, early registration and a reception. Thursday's events include opening remarks by Ridge Bourgeois of the Gulf Coast Government Contractors Association, Vic Johnson of the Louisiana Technology Transfer Office and Charlie Beasley of the Mississippi Enterprise for Technology. In addition to Scheuermann, other speakers are Glenn Delgado of the NASA Office of Small Business Programs, Richard Arbuthnot of the NASA Shared Services Center, and Susan Dupuis, NASA procurement officer. The lunch speaker is Apollo 13 astronaut Fred Haise, who will discuss the Infinity Science Center project. A golf tournament is scheduled for Friday. For more information, contact Hazel Wiggington, GCGCA events and meeting director. (Source: Tcp, 11/16/10) Final agenda

NASA selects Air Products

NASA chose Air Products and Chemicals Inc. of Allentown, Pa., for the follow-on contract for the agency-wide acquisition of liquid hydrogen. It has a one-year base performance period with a one-year option period. The maximum potential value of the contract is about $18 million. Air Products will supply about 10,860,000 pounds of liquid hydrogen to Stennis Space Center, Miss., Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.; and Kennedy Space Center, Fla., in support of the agency's Space Operations Mission Directorate and Exploration Systems Mission Directorate. (Sources: Examiner, Spaceref, 11/15/10)

November Messenger available

The November issue of Michoud Messenger, a monthly newsletter about activities at Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, is available for download. The issue includes a story about the Oct. 20 address by Marshall Space Flight Center Director Robert Lightfoot to several hundred workers at MAF; and an item about a briefing NASA officials gave to the New Orleans city council about potential uses and development opportunities of Michoud; and more. (Source: Michoud Messenger, November 2010)

Slidell gets WorldWinds computer complex

SLIDELL, La. - WorldWinds Inc. has installed one of the most powerful computer clusters in the New Orleans area at Slidell's Gause Boulevard Complex. WorldWinds purchased the system to run storm surge simulations for historical and hypothetical hurricanes, which will be used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to develop new flood zone maps. The complex, which once was home to a NASA computer complex, also houses Textron Marine and Land Systems. WorldWinds is headquartered at Stennis Space Center, Miss. (Source: WorldWinds, 11/11/10)

AJ26 test fired at Stennis Space Center

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center conducted a successful test firing Wednesday of the liquid-fuel AJ26 engine that will power the first stage of Orbital Sciences Corp.'s Taurus II space launch vehicle. Orbital and its engine supplier, Aerojet, test-fired the engine on Stennis' E-1 test stand. The test directly supports NASA's partnerships to enable commercial cargo flights to the International Space Station. The initial test, the first in a series of three firings, lasted 10 seconds and served as a short-duration readiness firing to verify AJ26 engine start and shutdown sequences, E-1 test stand operations, and ground-test engine controls. (Source: PRNewswire, NASA, 11/10/10; Business Wire, 11/11/10)

NASA exhibits at supercomputer conference

NEW ORLEANS - NASA will showcase the latest achievements in climate simulation, space exploration, aeronautics engineering, science research and supercomputing technology at the 23rd annual Supercomputing 2010 (SC10) meeting. The international conference on high-performance computing, networking, storage and analysis will be held Nov. 13-19 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. NASA's SC10 exhibit will feature nearly 50 demonstrations, including high-resolution simulations of Hurricane Katrina. (Source: NASA, 11/09/10)

NASA, Esri pact supports GIS work

NASA recently signed an enterprise license agreement with Esri of Redlands, Calif., making ArcGIS software tools available for unlimited use by authorized NASA employees and contractors. "NASA is one of the most innovative users of geographic information system (GIS) technology," said Esri president Jack Dangermond. GIS plays a key role in NASA's efforts to monitor and study the factors of climate change. "GIS increases our understanding of the world around us through the visualization of information," said Stennis Space Center, Miss., environmental GIS lead Kelly Boyd. (Source: Business Wire, 11/08/10)

Microbes to the rescue

More answers are beginning to surface about what happened the oil that gushed into the Gulf of Mexico from the BP well during the spring and summer. Scientists have tracked how nontoxic elements of oil became dinner for microbes, and that in turn became food for plankton. The study focused on the way carbon specific to the oil moved through the food web. William Graham, a plankton expert at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab in Alabama, said the speed of how the oil components moved through the ecosystem may affect the overall health of the Gulf. Questions still remain on the toxic portion of the oil. The study, released Monday, was funded by the National Science Foundation, Alabama, and BP research funds distributed through the Northern Gulf Institute at Stennis Space Center, Miss. (Sources: Mobile Press-Register, AP via Sun Herald, 11/08/10)

Spaced Out Sports challenge launched

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NASA has launched Spaced Out Sports, a national challenge for students in grades 5-8 to create games that will be played by astronauts aboard the International Space Station. "This is a great opportunity for students to learn fundamentals of science in a hands-on way," said Katie Wallace, director of the Stennis Office of Education, where the curriculum was developed. "Student teams around the nation will have a chance to earn a NASA-sponsored, school-wide celebration and to see their game played by astronauts aboard the space station." Information on Spaced Out Sports. (Source: NASA, 11/08/10)

Evidence of oil on Gulf floor mounts

While the surface signs of this summer's oil spill are harder to find, that's not the case on the floor of the Gulf of Mexico. Just ask Vernon Asper, a professor of marine science at the University of Southern Mississippi's operation at Stennis Space Center, Miss. Asper and his colleagues are studying soil samples taken from the floor of the Gulf of Mexico. A "multicorer" used to obtain three samples, one 140 nautical miles away from the busted well, one 16 nautical miles away and one intermediate, shows a big difference. The soil the furthest away is all mud, while a sample from the intermediate location has a thin layer of oil. The one near the well is striped with a bottom layer of mud, a layer that appears to be oil and a top layer of slime that may be oil with bacteria feeding on it. What all this means for sea life is still to be determined. (Source: OnEarth magazine, 11/04/10) Federal scientists also have found damage to deep sea corals and other marine life several miles from where the BP well spewed millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. They found dead and dying corals, some coated with a brown substance, seven miles from the BP well. (Source: AP, 11/05/10)

Election topic of meeting

The mid-term election and what it means to businesses will be the topic of discussion at the Knight Non-Profit Center Monday in Gulfport, Miss. It's from 5 to 7 p.m. The panel will be led by the Washington-based public policy management and marketing firm Dutko Worldwide, which since 2007 has been a member of the Coast business community with its office in Gulfport. For more information or to reserve a spot, contact Lori Moran at 228-295-7117. Refreshments will be provided by Stennis Space Center's Mississippi Enterprise for Technology. (Source: Magnolia Business Alliance, 11/05/10)

Former leaders to address SSC workers

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - The first of a series of NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center Legends Lecture Series for Stennis employees is scheduled for Nov. 9. The series celebrates leadership excellence during the transition between the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs. It kicks off the year-long celebration of Stennis Space Center’s 50th anniversary. The three former NASA leaders will offer remembrances about the move from Apollo lunar missions to low-Earth orbit space shuttle missions during the 1970s. Former leaders scheduled to visit are Jerry Hlass, former Stennis Space Center director, George Hopson, former space shuttle main engine project manager, and J.R. Thompson, former NASA deputy administrator. Each former leader will speak during a 1 p.m. session for Stennis employees. (Source: NASA, 11/05/10)

MsET hosts NOPP presentation

The Mississippi Enterprise for Technology is hosting a presentation by the program manager of the National Oceanographic Partnership Program on Nov. 15. NOPP provides funding for collaborative research projects on ocean issues, and participants will learn more about the program and topics scheduled for funding. NOPP is a collaboration of federal agencies that support ocean research partnerships involving academia, government, industry, and non-governmental organizations. NOPP invests in multiple areas, including oceanographic research and exploration, technology development, resource management, and ocean education. Proposals to the program must have government, university, and private industry partners. For more information, contact Belinda Gill at 228-688-3144. To register. (Source: MsET, 11/04/10)

ONR lauded for workforce development

ARLINGTON, Va. - The Office of Naval Research received a bronze award for workforce development at the Program Executive Officers/Systems Command Commanders Conference on Fort Belvoir, Va., Nov. 3. A panel of judges from academia, industry and corporate learning organizations independently conducted the awards evaluation process. Other ONR accolades include leading the Navy agency subcomponents category of the 2010 Best Places to Work in the Federal Government index and being named a 2010 Best Diversity Company. (Source: NNS, 11/03/10) Note: The Naval Research Lab and its detachment as Stennis Space Center, Miss., is part of the Office of Naval Research.

Job fair scheduled

WAVELAND, Miss. - A job fair will be held from 8 a.m. until noon at the Hancock County WIN Job Center Friday. Participants should bring a printed or electronic resume. Laptop computers will be available for 30 minutes, or Wi-Fi is available for those who bring a laptop. The WIN center is at 454 U.S. 90, Suite C, in Waveland. Later this month is Stennis Industry Day at Hollywood Casino in Bay St. Louis. It's scheduled for Nov. 17-18. (Source: Sun Herald, 11/02/10)

Science center topping out date set

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - A "topping out" ceremony has been scheduled for Nov. 17 for the Infinity Science Center. The ceremony marks a milestone in construction of the multimillion-dollar education center, set to open in 2012. In addition to the placing of a tree at the highest part of the structure, there will be remarks by key officials. Infinity, located near the Mississippi-Louisiana state line and the Mississippi Welcome Center along Interstate 10, is designed to interest young people in science, technology, engineering and math, and to increase the public’s understanding of the work done at NASA's nearby Stennis Space Center. (Source: Tcp, 11/01/10)

Geospatial experts flock to New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS - The GeoInt 2010 Symposium, the largest geospatial intelligence event in the United States, is being held this week at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The symposium, which annually attracts more than 3,000 attendees and over 200 exhibitors, got under way Monday and ends Thursday. There are keynote speakers, panel discussions, workshops, breakout sessions and networking opportunities at the symposium. Organizers say it’s the premier event of the year for the defense, intelligence and homeland security communities. (Source: Tcp, United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation, 11/01/10) Note: Stennis Space Center, Miss., is a key center for geospatial technologies.

Industry Day golf tournament set

The Mississippi Enterprise for Technology has scheduled a golf tournament in connection with the NASA Stennis Industry Day. The golf tournament is Friday, Nov. 19, the day after industry day wraps up. The tournament is at The Bridges Golf Course at Hollywood Casino. To register, click here. For sponsorship opportunities, contact MsET’s tournament partner for fundraising, Magnolia Business Alliance, Lori Moran at 228-295-7117. (Source: MsET, 10/29/10)

Series speaker scheduled

John Walrod of Science Applications International will be guest speaker at the next "Lunch and Learn" series of the Mississippi Enterprise for Technology. It will be held Nov. 11. Walrod, an engineer and assistant vice president and director for the Advanced Systems Division, will talk about SAIC's local operations, including projects at the Long Beach Engineering Center and current contract with the National Data Buoy Center. He will detail SAIC's small business goals and ways to do business with SAIC. Walrod will also provide some industry-specific information on emerging technologies. For more information, contact Belinda Gill at 228-688-3144. (Source: MsET, 10/28/10)

Industry day approaching

NASA Stennis Industry Day, scheduled for Nov. 17-18 at Hollywood Casino in Bay St. Louis, is getting near. The event is presented by the Mississippi Enterprise for Technology, Gulf Coast Government Contractors Association and the Louisiana Technology Transfer Office. Business matchmaking sessions are scheduled for Nov. 18 in one-on-one meetings with NASA small business specialists and prime contractors. Special room rates are Hollywood Casino are available until Nov. 3. For more information, contact Hazel Wiggington, GCGCA events and meeting director, at events@gcgca.org.

Glider test underway

The Stennis Space Center-based Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command's USNS Pathfinder, T-AGS 60, embarked littoral battlespace sensing (LBS) gliders Oct. 21 while ported at Naval Base San Diego. The unmanned undersea vehicles will undergo at-sea testing until Nov. 6. The Battlespace Awareness and Information Operations Program Office for Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command will be acquiring and providing up to 150 LBS gliders for deployment aboard the Navy's seven T-AGS ships. For the first time the gliders will be tested at a depth of 1,000 meters to characterize the sea floor at 3,500 meters. Gliders, which have no propeller, travel in a saw-tooth pattern using changes in buoyancy for propulsion, The ability to employ multiple gliders will be a "force multiplier" in terms of gathering a vast amount of data for the same operating cost. (Source: NNS, 10/27/10)

Biking for Navy SEALs

POPLARVILLE, Miss. - Four retired and one active duty servicemen are riding across the country to raise money and awareness of Navy SEALs who died in the line of duty. Several members of the Navy Special Boat Team 22, based at John C. Stennis Space Center, greeting the bikers with a boat-mounted mini-gun salute – firing blanks – as they rode into Poplarville. The bikers are riding 3,300 miles across the country from Coronado, Calif., to Fort Pierce, Fla., in 42 days. They plan to reach Fort Pierce by Nov. 6. (Source: Picayune Item, 10/27/10)

Earth scientists engage students

NEW ORLEANS - More than a dozen NASA and university scientists will visit schools in the New Orleans area Friday to encourage students to learn more about our Earth system and the importance of the view from space. The scientists are in New Orleans for an Oct. 25-28 conference called the "A-Train Symposium," named after a fleet of NASA satellites orbiting the planet to collect data on a variety of aspects of the Earth system, including the atmosphere, land surface and oceans. Part of the reason for holding the symposium in New Orleans is the city's experience with Hurricane Katrina, and a desire to reach out to the people affected. (Source: PRNewswire, 10/27/10) New Orleans is also close to John C. Stennis Space Center, Miss., a key center for Earth science.

iRobot wins two contracts

iRobot Corp. of Bedford, Mass., has received two contracts valued at $1.82 million from the Naval Oceanographic Office at the Stennis Space Center, Miss. One is for a new Seaglider unmanned underwater system, the other to support the existing fleet of Seaglider systems. The Seaglider can perform missions that last many months and cover thousands of miles. The Seaglider was recently used in the Gulf of Mexico to collect data for scientists researching the effects of this summer’s oil spill, said a press release from iRobot. (Source: Boston Globe, Street Insider, 10/25/10)

More federal waters opened

Another 7,000 square miles of federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico has been reopened to commercial and recreational fishing. That leaves just four percent still closed as a result of this summer's Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the latest opening is 60 miles east of the well site, between the Florida-Alabama state line and Cape San Blas, Fl. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 10/22/10) Note: Multiple organizations at Stennis Space Center, Miss., participated in responding to the spill.

SSC will appear in show

John C. Stennis Space Center, Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art and other South Mississippi points of interest will be seen during a segment of "Antiques Roadshow" on PBS in May. Treasures hauled to the Coast Convention Center in July will be highlighted on the show. The Biloxi shows will be aired May 2, May 9 and May 16 at 7 p.m. on Mississippi Public Broadcasting. (Source: Sun Herald, 10/20/10)

P&W wins NASA award

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne won the 2010 Large Business Prime Contractor of the Year Award from NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. The award recognizes excellence in support of the work of the Marshall Center and in sustaining NASA's mission. The company was recognized for exemplary support of the center's subcontracting programs under the J-2X upper-stage engine and Space Shuttle Main Engine contracts. Pratt & Whitney, a United Technologies Corp. company, also has an operation at John C. Stennis Space Center, Miss. (Source: Pratt & Whitney, 10/18/10)

SSC reaches out to students

Vicki Bess and Lynne Oshiro from John C. Stennis Space Center visited students at Vancleave Lower Elementary School recently to present a lesson on space exploration. Educators hope to attract and engage students' interest in science, technology, engineering and math. (Source: Mississippi Press, 10/17/10) In addition, students at Gateway Christian in Pascagoula recently heard a presentation by Robert Anderson, who retired this year from Stennis Space Center and gave a science presentation. (Source: Mississippi Press, 10/17/10)

October issue of Lagniappe available

The October issue of Lagniappe, a monthly newsletter about NASA activities at Stennis Space Center, is now available for download. This issue has a story about the AJ26 engine that was installed on the E-1 test stand in September. The engine will be used to power commercial cargo flights to the International Space Station. Testing is expected to begin by the end of this month. Other stories in the newsletter: SSC employees surpassed their Fed Feed Families food donation goal by 400 percent; the upcoming kickoff of the Combined Federal Campaign; the visit to Stennis by members of the Louisiana Economic Development group; an update on test stand work and more. (Source: Lagniappe, October 2010)

NRL topic of meeting

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – The superintendent of the Naval Research Laboratory's Stennis Detachment is guest speaker at Thursday's monthly "Lunch and Learn" of the Mississippi Enterprise for Technology. The lunch is at the Herman C. Glazier Conference Room in Building 1130. Dr. Herbert Eppert of the marine geosciences division will discuss projects under way in NRL's Acoustics, Oceanography, and Marine Geosciences Divisions at Stennis and other activities in the southeast region. He'll also provide information on doing business with NRL. (Source: MsET, 10/13/10)

Report highlights S. Mississippi military

The Harrison County Development Commission has released its second annual report on the military in South Mississippi, including the Navy at Stennis Space Center. The special report of the HCDC Communicator focuses on Harrison County, including Keesler Air Force Base, Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport, the National Guard at Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport and the Coast Guard. But it also has stories about activities outside that county. (Source: Tcp, 10/11/10) (The 20-page PDF can be downloaded at the HCDC Web site)

Infinity science center taking shape

HANCOCK COUNTY, Miss. – The Infinity Science Center, an interactive facility begin built near Stennis Space Center along Interstate 10, is beginning to take shape. Work began May 3 near the Welcome Center in South Mississippi not far from the state line with Louisiana. The building is scheduled to be finished in August. About 90 percent of the steelwork is up and 80 percent of the concrete is done. A "topping off" will be celebrated in the next few weeks. Backers are still raising some $2 million for the $12 million interactive exhibits. Infinity will highlight ocean, space and earth science through fun exhibits at the center. It's expected to open in the spring of 2012. (Source: Sun Herald, 10/10/10)

90 percent of federal waters now open

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration this week reopened to commercial and recreational fishing another 2,927 square miles of Gulf of Mexico waters off eastern Louisiana. This is the eighth reopening in federal waters since July 22 in connection with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. No oil or sheen has been documented in the area since July 31. The remaining closed area now covers 23,360 square miles, or about 10 percent of the federal waters in the Gulf. (Source: NOAA, 10/05/10) Note: Multiple organizations at Stennis Space Center, Miss., participated in responding to the spill over the summer.

Center chief to discuss SSC future

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Members of the media will be at John C. Stennis Space Center Wednesday for a roundtable discussion with the center's director about SSC's future. Director Patrick Scheuermann will talk about work under way at Stennis and its impact on the local community. SSC is where rocket engines are tested, but it's actually a diversified center with more than 30 tenants, the largest being the U.S. Navy. The media will also tour the construction site of the new A-3 test stand, which will be able to test rocket engines at simulated altitudes up to 100,000 feet, and the E-1 test stand that will be used to test Aerojet AJ26 rocket engines. Those engines will power Orbital Science Corp. commercial cargo flights to the International Space Station. Stennis Space Center is in South Mississippi, not far from the Louisiana-Mississippi state line. (Source: Tcp, 10/06/10)

R&D expenditures up

Research and development expenditures at three Mississippi research universities went up between fiscal year 2008 and 2009. New figures from the National Science Foundation show Mississippi State University’s R&D increased $6 million to $216.94 million from the previous year’s $210.95 million. The University of Mississippi’s R&D expenditures rose to $90.67 million from $90.09 million, and Jackson State University went from $42.73 million to $44.88 million. The University of Southern Mississippi R&D expenditures dropped from $47.08 million to $46.74 million. (Source: Tcp, 10/05/10) Note: MSU, Ole Miss, and Southern Miss all have operations at Stennis Space Center, Miss.

Congress OKs plan for NASA

Congress approved a plan for NASA extending the space shuttle program for a year and backing President Obama's plan to use commercial carriers to transport astronauts into near-Earth space. The bill, passed by the House this week and by the Senate lasts month, dismantles the Constellation Program, which sought to return astronauts to the moon, and extends the life of the International Space Station to 2020. At Stennis Space Center, Miss., where propulsion systems are tested and certified, center director Patrick Scheuermann said he's confident Stennis will be fully utilized for future space exploration. (Source: Multiple, including AP via the Sun Herald, WLOX-TV, 09/30/10)

Michoud trims back workforce

NEW ORLEANS - About 300 workers were laid off at the Michoud Assembly Facility Thursday as production of the space shuttle external fuel tank came to an end. Lockheed Martin had about 1,500 people at the facility at the start of the year, but the number has slowly dropped as various stages of the external fuel tank production have ended. It’s down to about 600. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 09/30/10) Note: Stennis Space Center, Miss., tested shuttle main engines..

October Messenger available

The October issue of Michoud Messenger, a monthly newsletter about activities at Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, is available for download. The feature story is about the 300-ton Deepwater Horizon blowout preventer’s arrival at Michoud. The device will be studied to determine why it failed. Other items in the newsletter include the rollout of ET-122 and an employee spotlight feature. (Source: Michoud Messenger, October 2010)

NASA picks NRL imager

WASHINGTON - NASA has chosen the Naval Research Laboratory's Wide-field Imager to be part of the Solar Probe Plus mission set for launch no later than 2018. The Solar Probe Plus, a car-sized spacecraft, will plunge directly into the sun's atmosphere about four million miles from our star's surface. It will explore a region no other spacecraft ever has encountered in an effort to unlock the sun's biggest mysteries. (Source: NRL, 09/27/10) In addition to NASA activities, John C. Stennis Space Center is home to a detachment of the Naval Research Lab.

Mabus: Penalty money should go to states

A large amount of the penalty money energy giant BP is expected to pay for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill should go to Gulf Coast states harmed by the disaster. That's according to a report released Tuesday. Former Mississippi governor Ray Mabus, the Secretary of the Navy who was assigned to devise a recovery plan to respond to the spill, rolled out the plan in New Orleans and Gulfport. (Sources: Multiple, including USA Today, Sun Herald, Mississippi Press, 09/29/10) Organizations at Stennis Space Center, Miss., have been heavily involved in spill-related work.

CSC gets contract modification

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NASA has awarded Computer Sciences Corp. of Falls Church, Va., a modification to exercise the first option year under its existing contract for the NASA Shared Service Center. This is a one-year option period for the continuation of financial management, human resources, procurement and information technology support services to NASA. The one-year option increases the existing NASA Shared Services Center support contract by more than $38 million and provides services through Sept. 30, 2011. The center is a partnership among NASA, CSC, and the states of Mississippi and Louisiana. The center performs selected business activities for all 10 NASA centers. (Source: NASA, 09/28/10)

Shuttle tank on way to Kennedy

The external fuel tank that will power the last planned space shuttle is expected to arrive Sunday at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla. The tank has been restored to flight configuration at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans after sustaining damage during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The tank, ET-122, was shipped out Tuesday. It will support shuttle Endeavour's flight targeted for launch in February. (Source: Tcp, based on NASA release, 09/20/10)

Contract awarded for road expansion

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NPD Resources Inc. of Brookhaven, Miss., has been awarded a $12.46 million contract to expand Highway 607 at Stennis Space Center from two lanes to four lanes. The project is expected to take 18 months. The highway will be expanded to a four-lane divided roadway between Saturn Drive and Texas Flat Road at Stennis Space Center, a distance of about four miles. The improvement will be made by adding two lanes west of the existing roadway from Saturn Drive to the north security gate at Stennis and adding two lanes east of the existing roadway from the gate to Texas Flat Road. A 30-foot median will separate the four lanes. The roadway addition is part of a larger project to expand state Route 607 to four lanes all the way to I-59. The expanded road not only will provide service to Stennis Space Center, but will serve as a hurricane evacuation route. (Source: NASA, 09/22/10)

PW on track for 2011 test at SSC

Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne successfully completed the latest round of tests on the gas generator for NASA's J-2X rocket engine. With the first NASA J-2X engine far along in development, Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne is on track to begin testing in 2011 at John C. Stennis Space Center, Miss. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is a United Technologies Corp.company. It has an operation at Stennis Space Center. (Source: PRNewswire, 09/21/10)

SSC kicks off LEGO League competition

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Students from across Mississippi gathered at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center last week for a kickoff workshop for the 2010 FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) LEGO League competition. The robotics competition is for children ages 9 to 14. The focus is on inspiring and celebrating science and technology through hands-on participation and learning. Once robots are built, student teams will compete in the 2010 FLL Mississippi Championship Tournament, scheduled for Dec. 4 in Hattiesburg. (Source: NASA, 09/21/10)

Geospatial program selected for funding

A program in South Mississippi centered around Stennis Space Center will receive $600,000 in funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration from its pilot "Innovative Economies" program. The announcement was made today by SBA Administrator Karen Mills. The Enterprise for Innovative Geospatial Solutions, which has transitioned to the South Mississippi-based non-profit Magnolia Business Alliance, focuses on the growth of the Mississippi and Louisiana geospatial cluster. It won a one-year contract with an option for another year to help create jobs. The Mississippi Enterprise for Technology is an MBA team member. There were 10 awards announced. (Source: Tcp, 09/20/10) SBA press release

September issue of Lagniappe available

The September issue of Lagniappe, a monthly newsletter about NASA activities at Stennis Space Center, is now available for download. This issue includes a story about the opening of Stennis’ new records facility and an item on NASA technology chief Robert Braun’s visit to Stennis. Other stories in the newsletter: A senate staff member visit to Stennis; an update on test area activities at Stennis; a story on the opening of Kidz Zone; an update on Infinity construction and more. (Source: Lagniappe, September 2010)

Search on for Bonhomme Richard

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - The U.S. Navy, along with the Ocean Technology Foundation, the British Royal navy and the French navy, is leading a search for the remains of the warship Bonhomme Richard off the coast of England. The search, which began last week, will last 10 days. The oceanographic survey ship USNS Henson, operated by Military Sealift Command for the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command, is the primary platform for the search. The survey crew is comprised of oceanographers from the Stennis-based Naval Oceanographic Office. Bonhomme Richard was a frigate given by France to John Paul Jones during the Revolutionary War. It was lost in 1779 after a decisive battle with HMS Serapis. Jones and his crew emerged from the battle victorious, seizing HMS Serapis as Bonhomme Richard sustained heavy damage during the battle and sank 36 hours later. (Source: NNS, 09/11/10)

September Messenger available

The September issue of Michoud Messenger, a monthly newsletter about activities at Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, is available for download. The feature story is about Blade Dynamics and its decision to open a facility at Michoud. The employee spotlight is about Dana Miller, who saved a child from drowning. Other items in the newsletter: the move of Orion to Building 404; Einstein Elementary's career day; the retirement of a security officer and more. (Source: Michoud Messenger, September 2010)

Stennis industry day scheduled

NASA Stennis Industry Day is scheduled for Nov. 17-19 at Hollywood Casino in Bay St. Louis. The event is presented by the Mississippi Enterprise for Technology, Gulf Coast Government Contractors Association and Louisiana Technology Transfer Office. For more information, contact Hazel Wiggington, GCGCA events and meetings director, at events@gcgca.org

NASA wants to share great ideas

NASA is seeking information from potential partners who could provide no-cost brokerage services for intellectual property transactions to help transfer NASA-owned technologies into the marketplace. "Technology transfer always has been an important objective of America's aeronautics and space program," said NASA Chief Technologist Bobby Braun. "We want to accelerate the agency's efforts to get groundbreaking technologies and innovations from development efforts out into commercial markets. We're asking for information from broker services on how they might help us do this, without any cost to the taxpayer." The request for information is posted on the FedBizOps website. (Source: NASA, PRNewswire, 09/08/10)

Cluster goes from public to private sector

The Enterprise for Geospatial Solutions has shifted from the University of Mississippi oversight to the private sector in an organization called Magnolia Business Alliance. The university and member companies decided the organization matured to the point that the private sector is best suited to take over. The state of Mississippi, first through the Mississippi Space Commerce Initiative and then through EIGS, has spent the last decade nurturing a high-tech business cluster in the geospatial industry. During the past year, 847 people were employed by EIGS member companies with an average salary double the per capita income for the state. Revenues for the cluster topped $125 million. The Web site is www.magnolia-ba.biz. (Source: Magnolia Business Alliance, 09/02/10)

Push on for Infinity contributions

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Former Apollo 13 astronaut Fred W. Haise was at a Mississippi Enterprise for Technology luncheon to discuss the Infinity science center and a push for community contributions. Infinity is being built south of Interstate 10 near the Mississippi Welcome Center and will highlight the science and technology activities at Stennis Space Center. The building is under a fast pace of construction, with the second floor being stood up now. MeET executive director Charlie Beasley pointed out that the Granite Paver program is an excellent way for small and medium sized businesses to contribute. The pavers are available from $3,000 to $15,000. Beasely said the science center is one of the most significant projects in the region for economic development, education, and tourism. About 30 representatives attended from Stennis companies, contractors, and universities. (Source: Tcp, 09/01/10)

DHS email via private cloud

The Department of Homeland Security will provide e-mail-as-a-service through a private cloud platform to its various components and agencies as part of data-center consolidation efforts, Richard Spires, DHS’ chief information officer, said at a conference on public-sector data centers Tuesday. “We looked at the cloud offerings provided by outsiders. Right now, for a number of reasons, we decided to keep it in-house." DHS is on track to move 24 data centers into two large-scale centers by 2014, Spires said. One data center, at NASA Stennis Space Center, Miss., is managed by Computer Sciences Corp. The other is in southern Virginia and hosted by Hewlett-Packard. (Source: Government Computer News, 08/31/10)

SSC awards contract for sensor

Lion Precision of St. Paul, Minn., manufacturer of high-performance displacement sensors, was awarded a Cooperative Agreement with NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center to develop a smart sensor and associated communication protocols to monitor valve position and wear. The eddy-current displacement sensors will monitor valves responsible for the flow of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen in rocket engine test cells. (Source: PR.com, 08/31/10)

SSC exercises award term period 1

NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center has exercised award term period 1 of the Facility Operating Services Contract with Jacobs Technology Inc. of Tullahoma, Tenn. It provides a broad range of services to support NASA missions and more than 30 resident agencies sharing and using Stennis facilities and services. The cost-plus-incentive fee award term 1 is valued at $55.5 million. This is the first of seven award term periods in addition to the 3-year base period. (Source: PRNewswire, 08/26/10)

NAVOCEANO bids farewell to ship

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - The Naval Oceanographic Office has bid farewell to the hydrographic survey ship, the USNS John McDonnell. T-AGS 51, deactivated Wednesday, was named for a former NAVOCEANO commanding officer who later became the first commander of what is now the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command, NAVOCEANO's parent command. The 208-foot vessel has traveled the world since late 1991. Each mission was supported by a complement of about 14 NAVOCEANO surveyors and 23 civilian mariners from Naval Oceanographic Detachment 124. It has surveyed the territorial waters of 10 countries, as well as the shallow areas of the Yellow Sea, East China Sea and Caribbean Sea, among other large bodies of water. In 20 years the ship collected about 392,500 nautical miles of swath bathymetry and 35,000 nautical miles of side scan sonar imagery, in addition to having charted and verified thousands of navigation hazards. (Source: NNS, 08/26/10)

Braun impressed with SSC

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NASA's chief technologist says there are a lot of options for getting humans to distant places in space, but with all of them the "pathway to do that will go through Mississippi." Robert Braun was at NASA's Stennis Space Center today as part of a national tour to bring attention to the $5 billion Space Technology Program slated to start next fiscal year. The program will focus on developing transformative new space technologies, from propulsion systems to space habitats and more. This was Braun's first visit to SSC, and he admits he strongly associated it with propulsion testing but found "it's really much more than that." He noted the large number of additional federal agencies, and said he sees a number of partnership opportunities. Braun said that one of the first things that impressed him about Stennis was "how quickly people can do things here," such as taking an innovative idea and doing the testing. While SSC is most noted for test and evaluation, Braun sees it playing a role in the Space Technology Program and working on transformative technologies through the innovative partnership program, which will become a part of his office in 2011. So what will he tell his bosses about Stennis Space Center? "First thing I'm going to say is how cool it is," he said. (Source: Tcp, 08/26/10)

StenniSphere opens Kidz Zone exhibit

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - The StenniSphere visitor center at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center opened a new exhibit today, a Kidz Zone attraction that offers young visitors an interactive look at space. The new area includes a feature that allows visitors a chance to perform simple tasks while wearing gloves similar to those used by astronauts; a puzzle that offers a chance for children to "build" the International Space Station; a standup cutout that gives children a chance to take a photo of themselves "wearing" a spacesuit; and a video screen presentation providing answers to commonly asked questions about space. (Source: NASA, 08/25/10)

NASA chief technologist visiting

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NASA Chief Technologist Bobby Braun will visit Stennis Space Center Thursday and hold a media briefing at 1:30 p.m. CDT. Braun will discuss innovation and technology in NASA's future and the important role that Stennis Space Center will play in future space exploration programs. Braun is one of the youngest senior leaders at NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C. (Source: NASA, 08/25/10)

Stennis opens new storage facility

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center cut the ribbon today on a new, storm-resistant Records Retention Facility that consolidates and protects records storage at the nation’s premier rocket engine test facility. This facility will also house history office operations. The new facility will house and protect the history and the historical documents related to Stennis and its rocket engine test work. It was designed to meet all specifications and storage criteria set forth by the National Archives and Records Administration. Stennis is the first NASA center to open a NARA-compliant storage facility. (Source: NASA, 08/24/10)

DEVELOP students focus on spill

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - DEVELOP students at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center put their knowledge of remote sensing and access to NASA technology to use this summer to study the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. DEVELOP is a NASA Science Mission Directorate Applied Sciences training and development program where students, mentored by science advisors from NASA and partner agencies, work on Earth science projects. The Stennis students partnered with DEVELOP students at NASA’s Langley Research Center, Va., to form a Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Response team. The DEVELOP team used NASA technology to track the extent of the oil spill and to study how sea surface temperatures are being affected by the changing conditions. Students are sharing this information with local communities addressing coastal management issues from the oil spill. (Source: NASA, 08/19/10)

NIUST gets $4.87M

The University of Mississippi-led National Institute for Undersea Science and Technology is getting $4.87 million in funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The funding will be used for infrastructure costs associated with operating and managing the institute, as well as for individual research projects. NIUST was established in 2002 through a cooperative agreement involving the University of Mississippi, the University of Southern Mississippi and NOAA's Undersea Research Program. (Source: WLOX-TV, Mississippi Business Journal, 08/18/10) Note: NIUST has three divisions, including the Undersea Vehicles Technology Center at Stennis Space Center, Miss.

600 jobs to land at Michoud

NEW ORLEANS – NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility will get 600 new jobs when Blade Dynamics, a wind turbine blade and component manufacturer, sets up shop at the east New Orleans site. Blade Dynamics, a British company, partnered with American Superconductor Corp. and Dow Venture Capital on the project. To qualify for $30 million in state incentives, Blade Dynamics had to incorporate in the United States and place headquarters in New Orleans. It must create 600 direct jobs by 2015, and the company will invest $13 million. The state estimates there will be 970 indirect jobs, with $35.8 million in new state tax revenue and $23.9 million in new local tax revenue over the next 10 years. Michoud, which for years built the external tanks for the space shuttle, is one of the world's largest manufacturing centers and sits on 832 acres. (Sources: Times-Picayune, New Orleans City Business, 08/17/10)

August issue of Lagniappe available

The August issue of Lagniappe, a monthly newsletter about NASA activities at Stennis Space Center, is now available for download. This issue includes a story about AJ26 testing moving forward, and a photo package about the A-3 test cell installation. Other items in the newsletter: The education team's development of a curriculum to help educate students about mass and weight; an encore presentation of an interview with the late Roy Estess; an item on Women’s Equality Day and more. (Source: Lagniappe, August 2010)

StenniSphere closed Aug. 21

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - StenniSphere, the visitor center at NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center, will be closed Aug. 21 to perform planned maintenance work. However, bus tours of the rocket engine test facility will continue from the Hancock County Welcome Center as usual. The visitor center will reopen Aug. 25 and resume normal operating hours. (Source: NASA, 08/16/10)

Satellite successfully launched

The first Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite built by Lockheed Martin for the Air Force was successfully launched Saturday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., aboard an Atlas V rocket. The multi-satellite AEHF system will provide the U.S. military with global, protected, high capacity, secure communications. The system is the successor to the five-satellite Milstar constellation. The AEHF constellation will also serve Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 08/14/10) Lockheed Martin Mississippi Space & Technology Center at Stennis Space Center, Miss., provides the core propulsion modules for AEHF.

Two groups work together

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - The Naval Small Craft Instruction and Technical Training School and Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation conducted the fourth in a series of joint field training exercises here last month. The training supports U.N. peacekeeping, drug interdiction and disaster response operations. NAVSCIATTS students from three countries and WHINSEC students from eight took part in the week-long training July 17-23, said Cmdr. Bill Mahoney, commanding officer of Stennis-based NAVSCIATTS. The training took place in and around the Pearl River, part of the Naval Special Warfare Group 4’s Western Maneuver Area. (Source: NAVSCIATTS PAO, 08/10/10)

O'Keefe, son, survive plane crash

Five people, including former Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, were killed and four survived a private plane crash in Alaska Monday night, according to a variety of reports. Two of the survivors were EADS North America CEO Sean O’Keefe, the former NASA administrator, and his son. The plane crashed some 300 miles from Anchorage. (Source: Multiple, 08/10/10)

O'Keefe, former senator in plane crash

Five people were killed and four survived a private plane crash in Alaska Monday night, according to a variety of reports. One of those on board was EADS North America CEO Sean O’Keefe, the former NASA administrator, the company confirmed. Former Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska was also believed on the plane that crashed some 300 miles from Anchorage. (Source: Multiple, 08/10/10)

DigitalGlobe gets NGA contract

LONGMONT, Colo. - DigitalGlobe, provider of high-resolution earth imagery, has entered into a $3.55 billion agreement with the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency. The agreement provides for DigitalGlobe to supply satellite imagery from the WorldView satellite constellation in a total amount of $2.8 billion, with up to $750 million for value added product. The agreement is a 10-year term. DigitalGlobe will begin procurement and construction of its next satellite, WorldView-3, which will be ready for launch by the end of 2014. (Source: DigitalGlobe, 08/09/10) Note: DigitalGlobe's Stennis Space Center operation is a member of MsET. It was highlighted in the September 2009 MsET newsletter.

20 foreign officers graduate

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - A group of 20 foreign officers from four different countries became the first graduates of the Strategic Level Small Craft Combating Terrorism course offered by the U.S. Naval Small Craft Instruction and Technical Training School during a ceremony in New Orleans last month. It's a four-week course. (Source: NNS, 08/02/10)

August issue of Messenger available

The August issue of Michoud Messenger, a monthly newsletter about activities at Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, is now available for download. This issue includes an item about the Michoud's final mission tank and New Orleans-style send-off. Other items in the newsletter: the "Go Green" program; hurricane hotline numbers; the topping out of the Vertical Assembly Building and more. (Source: Michoud Messenger, August 2010)

Well killed by heavy mud

The BP well that spewed millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico has been killed by heavy drilling mud. BP made the announcement early Wednesday. Technicians will determine, perhaps as soon as today, whether to follow the mud with cement that would seal the well permanently. (Source: McClatchy via Sun Herald, 08/04/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil flowed freely until a cap was put in place July 15.

StenniSphere hours adjusted

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - StenniSphere, the visitor center at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center, will open Aug. 4 at noon and Aug. 7 at 11 a.m., later than normal, to perform planned maintenance work. StenniSphere regularly is open to the public 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, and is closed on major holidays. (Source: NASA, 08/02/10)

Printing office gets ISO 9001

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - The U.S. Government Printing Office's passport production facility at Stennis Space Center has earned special certification from the International Organization for Standardization. The facility achieved ISO 9001 certification, a designation of excellence in manufacturing and quality. The certification recognizes the facility as having world-class standards, said David Spiers, passport manager at the Stennis production plant. (Source: Sun Herald, 07/31/10)

NASA internships available

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Undergraduates in communities surrounding John C. Stennis Space Center are invited to participate in NASA's Undergraduate Student Research Program (USRP). Applications are being accepted through Oct. 31. USRP offers undergraduates mentored internship experiences at NASA centers and research support facilities. The program is designed to give students experience for careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. For information.(Source: NASA, 07/30/10)

Shared Services Center awarded

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - The NASA Shared Services Center has been awarded the LEED Silver Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED, an internationally recognized green building certification system, provides third-party verification of the use of best practices in energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction and indoor environmental quality. The service center performs financial management, human resources, information technology, and procurement services for all 10 NASA centers. (Source: NASA, 07/28/10)

EDA reviewing grant process

The U.S. Economic Development Administration, a longtime funder of business incubators, is reviewing its grant process to ensure that the agency continues to meet the needs of American communities. In order to create a system that works best for its stakeholders, EDA is inviting comments and suggestions on the proposed new process. Comments can be made at the following site. (Source: NBIA, 07/26/10) Note: Mississippi Enterprise for Technology is a business incubator at Stennis Space Center.

SBT-22 gets new commander

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Cmdr. Francis G. Franky replaced Cmdr. Robert W. Lyonnais as commander of Special Boat Team 22 during a ceremony July 15. About 300 people attended the change-of-command. Lyonnais' next assignment is at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, R. I. Franky is a prior enlisted SEAL who attended the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif., earning a bachelor's in computer science and a master's in defense analysis. Stennis-based SBT-22 is the only command in the Department of Defense designated to conduct special operations in a riverine environment. (Source: SBT-22 Public Affairs, 07/21/10)

StenniSphere alters hours for a day

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - StenniSphere, the visitor center at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center, will open July 24 at 11 a.m., one hour later than normal, for planned maintenance work. StenniSphere regularly is open to the public 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, and is closed on major holidays. (Source: NASA, 07/21/10)

July issue of Lagniappe available

The July issue of Lagniappe, a monthly newsletter about NASA activities at Stennis Space Center, is now available for download. This issue includes a story about the death of Roy Estess, former director at SSC, and an update on test stand A-3. Other items in the newsletter: A-1 test stand readied for future testing; SSC workers join Feds Feed Families effort; the visit by shuttle crews to SSC; a recap of an IT expo and more. (Source: Lagniappe, July 2010)

Latest issue of MsET newsletter available

The July issue of the Mississippi Enterprise for Technology newsletter is now available. This issue features a story about some of the work MsET companies are doing to respond to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Also featured is a column by Charlie Beasley, MsET president. (Source: MsET, July 2010)

Aerojet engine arrives

An Aerojet AJ26 rocket engine was delivered to NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center on Thursday. It's the first of a series of Taurus II engines that will be tested at SSC to include acceptance testing of flight engines. Stennis will provide propulsion system acceptance testing for the Taurus II space launch vehicle being developed by Orbital Sciences Corp. of Dulles, Va. The first Taurus II mission will be flown in support of NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services cargo demonstration to the International Space Station. Orbital's Taurus II design uses a pair of Aerojet AJ26 rocket engines to provide first stage propulsion for the new launch vehicle. (Source: NASA, 07/15/10)

Legislators tour services center

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Members of the Legislature and the Mississippi Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management recently toured the NASA Shared Services Center at Stennis Space Center. As part of a state-wide facilities tour, the visitors spent time with the NSSC's management and facilities personnel, getting a hands-on look at the NSSC's daily operations within the $33 million state-owned facility. (Source: NASA, 07/15/10)

Oil flow stopped

BP says oil has stopped leaking into the Gulf for the first time since April. BP has been slowly dialing down the flow as part of a test on a new cap. Engineers are now monitoring the pressure to see if the busted well holds. (Source: Sun Herald, 07/15/10)

Fleet Survey Team shows capabilities

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Four members of the Navy's Fleet Survey Team recently returned from Indonesia where they held an expeditionary hydrography demonstration June 2-19. The team spent the two and a half weeks in the Strait of Malacca in the North Sumatra region familiarizing the Indonesian Department of Oceanography and Hydrography on technology and techniques for very shallow water surveying in beach areas. The Fleet Survey Team is a rapid-response team with capabilities to conduct quick-turnaround hydrographic surveys anywhere in the world. (Source: NNS, 07/11/10)

Web page highlights SSC

Anyone interested in learning more about NASA's centers can do so at NASA's Cultural Resources GIS page. The history office has recently added one displaying the history of John C. Stennis Space Center. To see the information, documents, photos and other multimedia for various historic sites and buildings at Stennis, click here.

Bill would roll back NASA changes

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation is moving toward an authorization bill that would reverse much of the president's proposed changes to NASA's human space flight program. The bill lays out the direction of the space program for the next three years. It would add another space shuttle flight, speed development of a heavy-lift rocket and move ahead with building a spacecraft to venture beyond low-Earth orbit. It would also require companies to demonstrate their capabilities before receiving large contracts for delivering astronauts to the International Space Station. (Source: New York Times, 07/08/10)

Startups key to growing jobs

For policymakers focused on creating jobs, a Kauffman Foundation study has the answer: startups. The study, The Importance of Startups in Job Creation and Job Destruction, is based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau. It shows that, both on average and for all but seven years between 1977 and 2005, existing firms are net job destroyers, losing 1 million jobs net combined per year. By contrast, in their first year, new firms add an average of 3 million jobs. "These findings imply that America should be thinking differently about the standard employment policy paradigm," said Robert E. Litan, vice president of Research and Policy at the Kauffman Foundation. "Policymakers tend to focus on changes in the national or state unemployment rate, or on layoffs by existing companies. But the data from this report suggest that growth would be best boosted by supporting startup firms." Job-creation policies aimed at luring larger, established employers will inevitably fail, said the study's author, Tim Kane, Kauffman Foundation senior fellow in Research and Policy. (Source: Kauffman Foundation, 07/07/10) Note: The Mississippi Enterprise for Technology is a business incubator at John C. Stennis Space Center.

StenniSphere closed July 10

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - StenniSphere, the visitor center at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center, will be closed July 10 to perform planned maintenance work. The center will reopen July 14 and resume normal operating hours. StenniSphere is open to the public 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, and is closed on major holidays. Public tours run throughout each day from the Launch Pad at the Hancock County Welcome Center, Interstate 10, Exit 2. (Source: NASA, 07/07/10)

"Lunch and learn" set for July 8

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - The Mississippi Enterprise for Technology has scheduled this month's "MsET Lunch and Learn" for July 8. The speaker is Jeff Corbin, director of QinetiQ's Slidell Research and Development Center. He'll discuss technologies and programs of QinetiQ North America and business opportunities with the company. Mississippi Enterprise for Technology is a business incubator and technology transfer operation at SSC. The lunch and learn series is a forum for participants to learn more about products and services represented within the MsET community. For information on the event, contact Pamela Street at 228-688-3372, or email her at pamela.s.street@nasa.gov. (Source: MsET, 07/02/10)

July issue of Messenger available

The July issue of Michoud Messenger, a monthly newsletter about activities at Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, is now available for download. This issue includes an item on the MAF Transition Team being recognized for outstanding achievement during a ceremony at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. Other items in the newsletter: hurricane safety; the visit to Michoud by the STS-132 crew; the third-year kickoff of the Michoud Education Fellow program and more. (Source: Michoud Messenger, July 2010)

Shuttle missions rescheduled

NASA is targeting Nov. 1 for the launch of space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 mission and Feb. 26, 2011, for the liftoff of shuttle Endeavour's STS-134 flight from the Kennedy Space Center, Fla. The target dates were adjusted because critical payload hardware for STS-133 will not be ready in time to support the previously planned Sept. 16 launch. With STS-133 moving to November, STS-134 cannot fly as planned, so the next available launch window is in February. All target launch dates are subject to change. (Source: NASA, 07/01/10) Stennis Space Center, Miss., tested the main engines for the shuttle program. Previous story

Last external tank completed

NEW ORLEANS, La. - NASA and Lockheed Martin Space Systems will hold a ceremony at 9 a.m. CDT on July 8 at Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans to commemorate 37 years of tank deliveries and the final external tank's rollout. The tank was completed June 25 by Lockheed Martin workers at Michoud, some 40 miles from Stennis Space Center, Miss. The external tank will travel by barge to Kennedy Space Center in Florida, 900 miles away. The last shuttle flight, STS 134, is slated for February 2011. (Source: NASA, 06/30/10)

Panel sidesteps Constellation

A House panel agreed Tuesday to accept President Obama's proposed funding increase for NASA, but without taking a position on changing the agency's course. The House appropriations subcommittee governing NASA unanimously approved $19 billion for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1, a nearly $276 million increase from the current year. The panel opted to take to take no position on White House plans to scrap NASA's moon-rocket program and replace the space shuttle with commercial rockets. (Sources: Multiple, including Florida Today, Orlando Sentinel, 06/30/10)

Students try hand at robotics

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Students Ian Tonglet and Seth Malley, both 13 and both from Picayune, work with an underwater robot during Tuesday's Astro Star camp activity at Stennis Space Center. The science and technology camp is for 13-15 year olds interested in robotics, engineering, marine science and related fields. NASA joined with the Navy for the underwater robotics exercise involving Sea Perch robots, simple, remotely operated underwater vehicles made from PVC pipe and other inexpensive, easily available materials. During the exercise, students used the robots they built to maneuver underwater and collect plastic rings. (Source: NASA, 06/29/10)

System a game-changer in mine warfare

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – The commanding officer of the mine warfare center called the system a game-changer. It also affirmed Naval Oceanography’s mine warfare role. The new mine detection method is more selective and does the work in substantially less time than in the past. The concept of centralized data fusion was proven during the Frontier Sentinel '10 Homeland Defense mine warfare exercise earlier this month in Norfolk, Va. Data fusion takes information from multiple sources and "fuses" them into a stream more useful for analysis. Experts from Stennis Space Center's Naval Oceanography Mine Warfare Center and the Naval Oceanographic Office processed a majority of the data collected, fused and conducted analysis on all of the mine-like contacts, then advised which required diver identification. It reduced by 57 percent the number of mine-like objects that had to be checked. Significantly, in the past analysis took four times as long as data collection. This time it was 0.7 as long. The data fusion and analysis used upgraded software developed by the Naval Research Laboratory at Stennis. "We've never operated at this level before,” said Lt. Cmdr. Scott Parker, whose squad operated 14 unmanned underwater vehicles from multiple organizations collecting data. "It was a game-changer for mine warfare, and Naval Oceanography's role in it," said Cmdr. Matthew Borbash, NOMWC commanding officer. (Source: NNS, 06/28/10)