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To infinity and beyond!
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BY: ARLENE FINE Senior Staff Reporter
NASA celebrates its 50th anniversary
“We Were First!” trumpeted headlines in Russia’s Izvestia daily on Oct. 4, 1957. That’s when Russian space scientists rocked the world by launching Sputnik, the first man-made satellite to orbit the earth.
That watershed moment propelled President Dwight D. Eisenhower to quickly enter the space race. He established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on July 29, 1958. Today, NASA’s annual budget is $17.3 billion.
Cleveland had established a foothold in aeronautical research as early as 1941, when it built the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory, part of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) in Cleveland. With the formation of NASA, the Cleveland facility became one of six NASA Research Centers and was renamed NASA Lewis Research Center. The name changed again in 1999 in honor of Ohio Sen. John H. Glenn, the first American to orbit the earth. It is It is now known as NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field. The Cleveland facility employees more than 3,000 people and includes a compound of 140 buildings,
The CJN spoke to four career NASA Glenn researchers who are enthralled with the work they do and the significant impact NASA research has had on life on earth.
Since he was a kid
“I’ve been interested in science since I was a kid,” admits aerospace engineer Isi Greenfeld. While attending The Hebrew Academy, Greenfeld joined a science club led by NASA scientist and solar cell pioneer Joe Mandelcorn.
“Joe arranged an internship for me at NASA for two summers,” explains Greenfeld. “Imagine a ’60s teenager watching scientists working on space communications and the space shuttle. It was very exciting and inspiring and gave me a remarkable introduction to applied science.”
Having worked on the Galileo, Ulysses and Magellan space shuttles since he joined NASA as an aerospace engineer in 1977, the Cleveland Heights resident witnessed many space-age discoveries that have had lasting benefit on earth.
“As NASA scientists continue to develop much lighter, sturdier and more efficient fuels and engines for our aerospace program, these same advances are applied to commercial planes and automobiles,” explains Greenfeld. “NASA research is helping to create lightweight, long-running batteries for electric cars and specialized solar cells to provide energy for alternative forms of transportation.”
Greenfeld, who currently works at the NASA Safety Center in the Ohio Aerospace Institute in Brook Park, unabashedly admits to having his head in the stars. “By studying how stars are formed and understanding their life cycle, we can have a much better window into our solar system,” he says.
Working at NASA has not shaken his Orthodox religious beliefs, maintains Greenfeld. If anything, it has strengthened those beliefs. “When you have a better understanding of the vastness and complexity of the universe, you can become philosophical and appreciate the Creator who put all these things together,” he says.
Listing NASA’s discoveries
“How do astronauts go to the bathroom in space?”
That’s the first question elementary school students usually ask Harvey Shabes, chief of project implementation at NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field.
“Older students ask more detailed questions like What does it mean to be weightless? How do rockets work? And what does a NASA rocket scientist do all day?’ I encourage students’ excitement about space and tell them they are the astronauts of tomorrow.”
Shabes also likes to list NASA discoveries that have had a beneficial impact on human life. “Astronauts’ spacesuits are embedded with fluid-filled plastic tubing so their bodies maintain a healthy temperature in relation to where their spaceship is to the sun,” he says. “The technology from these space- suits has been adapted for use in burn units. Severely burned patients wear a variation of the suit to help them regulate body temperature as their wounds heal.”
A mechanical engineer, Shabes has worked on a number of NASA’s exploration missions, and he is already at work on the planned mission to return to the moon. “One of our goals is to show that astronauts can live on the moon and live off the moon as they spend a period of time doing research experiments,” he says.
Although he has contributed to many important projects while at NASA, Shabes’s proudest moment, he says, was meeting Ohio Sen. John Glenn, the first American to orbit the earth as an astronaut in NASA’s Mercury program.
“He is real a American hero, who has done so much for space exploration, for NASA, and for creating excitement for space technology on earth,” says Shabes.
Brainstorming with physicists
“One of my personal joys is that when I need to brainstorm with a physicist, all I have to do is walk down the hall,” says Dr. Frances I. Hurwitz, NASA senior materials research engineer at Glenn Research Center.
The Shaker Heights resident has had plenty of opportunity to brainstorm with physicists and rocket scientists since she joined NASA in 1979. During that time she has also seen many personnel changes.
“When I began working at NASA, I was one of seven female Ph.D.s; all the other researchers were male,” she recalls. “Today there are so many talented female researchers and student interns, we outnumber the men here.”
Those interns and researchers will have their work cut out for them; Woodrow Whitlow Jr., NASA Glenn director, recently announced the agency’s workforce of 3,200 would remain stable for at least eight years, based on the Center’s assignments for NASA’s mission to return to the moon.
“I’m excited about space exploration because it provides opportunities to develop new technologies that will offer a greater understanding of the larger environment in which we live,” says Hurwitz.
Her excitement is tempered, however, by certain financial constraints. In 2006, NASA Glenn experienced the largest downsizing in its history, including a reduction of 700 employees and nearly $120 million from its budget. Crain’s Cleveland Business reported that the agency is slated to receive $538 million for fiscal 2009, down 4.3% from the $562 million received in fiscal 2008.
These cutbacks have affected her research, maintains Hurwitz. “For many years our research teams enjoyed a very nice crossover between academics and industry,” she says. “Now, our research is much more focused than it had been in the past, and teams must show results over a shorter period of time.”
This worries Hurwitz, whose field of expertise includes composite materials, ceramic matrix composites, aerogels, high-temperature thermal insulation, and conversion of polymers to ceramics.
“We are moving from mainly in-house research to contract research and are building and developing quick turnaround products that provide off-the-shelf technology rather than spending the necessary money and allotted time to develop and test new technology for future generations,” she explains. “The government is one of the few organizations that can afford to fund the sort of technology and research that will bear fruit 15 years from now. If we move too far away from that, no other organization can fill that gap.”
Good as Olympic gold
What do the NASA launch pads in Florida have in common with the Statue of Liberty? “Twenty years ago, NASA scientists developed a clear coating that prevented our Florida launch pads from corroding in the humid, salty air,” says Dr. Howard D. Ross, associate director for planning and evaluation at NASA Glenn. “That same coating is now used to protect famous landmarks like the Statute of Liberty, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the 112-ft.-high statue of Buddha in Hong Kong. It is also used in power lines, break linings in cars, and many other applications.”
Ross is quick to dispel the myth that NASA was responsible for creating Teflon®, Velcro® or Tang (the orange powder drink). Instead, he points with pride to the 1,500 products that NASA developed for space which have also enhanced life on earth.
“When NASA developed a medical telemetry monitoring system to check astronauts’ vital signs on the moon, that application quickly went into use in hospitals around the world,” says Ross. “Now every cardiac care patient is hooked up to the monitors that relay their vital signs like blood pressure and pulse rate to the nursing station. These monitors have resulted in a decrease in death rates of post-surgical cardiac patients from 30% to 7%.”
Ross also points to NASA’s contributions to the aeronautics industry. “Every commercial airplane is now safer, quieter, more energy efficient, less polluting, and easier to maintain because of NASA discoveries,” says Ross. “And our research into energy efficiency and alternative fuel sources are playing a critical role in future car design.”
Ross, who began his career at NASA in 1985, says the best part of his job is watching years of planning an experiment in space successfully come to fruition. “When the experiment goes as planned, as it has 98% of the time, it is like winning Olympic Gold.”
“The lowest point is when “we have lost a crew because of a space disaster,” explains Ross. “There is nothing worse in terms of how you feel during a tragedy like that. But after NASA staff has pitched in and done everything we can do to help the families, our focus becomes to find the problem, fix it, and fly it.’”
Ross feels incredibly lucky to work at NASA. “Every time I tell people I work at NASA, I get two responses n wonder and envy,” says Ross. “Since ancient times, space has brought out that sense of wonder that goes very deep within the human spirit.”
afine@cjn.org
Some of NASA’s spinoff technologies
Speedo®’s LZR Racer® swimsuit, used in
the 2008 summer Olympics
Freeze-dried food
Memory or temper foam, used in mattresses
DustBusters
Cochlear implants
Artificial limbs
Aircraft anti-icing systems
Improved radial tires
LEDs (Light-emitting diodes)
Water purificiation
Better virtual software
Improved mine safety
“We Were First!” trumpeted headlines in Russia’s Izvestia daily on Oct. 4, 1957. That’s when Russian space scientists rocked the world by launching Sputnik, the first man-made satellite to orbit the earth.
That watershed moment propelled President Dwight D. Eisenhower to quickly enter the space race. He established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on July 29, 1958. Today, NASA’s annual budget is $17.3 billion.
Cleveland had established a foothold in aeronautical research as early as 1941, when it built the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory, part of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) in Cleveland. With the formation of NASA, the Cleveland facility became one of six NASA Research Centers and was renamed NASA Lewis Research Center. The name changed again in 1999 in honor of Ohio Sen. John H. Glenn, the first American to orbit the earth. It is It is now known as NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field. The Cleveland facility employees more than 3,000 people and includes a compound of 140 buildings,
The CJN spoke to four career NASA Glenn researchers who are enthralled with the work they do and the significant impact NASA research has had on life on earth.
Since he was a kid
“I’ve been interested in science since I was a kid,” admits aerospace engineer Isi Greenfeld. While attending The Hebrew Academy, Greenfeld joined a science club led by NASA scientist and solar cell pioneer Joe Mandelcorn.
“Joe arranged an internship for me at NASA for two summers,” explains Greenfeld. “Imagine a ’60s teenager watching scientists working on space communications and the space shuttle. It was very exciting and inspiring and gave me a remarkable introduction to applied science.”
Having worked on the Galileo, Ulysses and Magellan space shuttles since he joined NASA as an aerospace engineer in 1977, the Cleveland Heights resident witnessed many space-age discoveries that have had lasting benefit on earth.
“As NASA scientists continue to develop much lighter, sturdier and more efficient fuels and engines for our aerospace program, these same advances are applied to commercial planes and automobiles,” explains Greenfeld. “NASA research is helping to create lightweight, long-running batteries for electric cars and specialized solar cells to provide energy for alternative forms of transportation.”
Greenfeld, who currently works at the NASA Safety Center in the Ohio Aerospace Institute in Brook Park, unabashedly admits to having his head in the stars. “By studying how stars are formed and understanding their life cycle, we can have a much better window into our solar system,” he says.
Working at NASA has not shaken his Orthodox religious beliefs, maintains Greenfeld. If anything, it has strengthened those beliefs. “When you have a better understanding of the vastness and complexity of the universe, you can become philosophical and appreciate the Creator who put all these things together,” he says.
Listing NASA’s discoveries
“How do astronauts go to the bathroom in space?”
That’s the first question elementary school students usually ask Harvey Shabes, chief of project implementation at NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field.
“Older students ask more detailed questions like What does it mean to be weightless? How do rockets work? And what does a NASA rocket scientist do all day?’ I encourage students’ excitement about space and tell them they are the astronauts of tomorrow.”
Shabes also likes to list NASA discoveries that have had a beneficial impact on human life. “Astronauts’ spacesuits are embedded with fluid-filled plastic tubing so their bodies maintain a healthy temperature in relation to where their spaceship is to the sun,” he says. “The technology from these space- suits has been adapted for use in burn units. Severely burned patients wear a variation of the suit to help them regulate body temperature as their wounds heal.”
A mechanical engineer, Shabes has worked on a number of NASA’s exploration missions, and he is already at work on the planned mission to return to the moon. “One of our goals is to show that astronauts can live on the moon and live off the moon as they spend a period of time doing research experiments,” he says.
Although he has contributed to many important projects while at NASA, Shabes’s proudest moment, he says, was meeting Ohio Sen. John Glenn, the first American to orbit the earth as an astronaut in NASA’s Mercury program.
“He is real a American hero, who has done so much for space exploration, for NASA, and for creating excitement for space technology on earth,” says Shabes.
Brainstorming with physicists
“One of my personal joys is that when I need to brainstorm with a physicist, all I have to do is walk down the hall,” says Dr. Frances I. Hurwitz, NASA senior materials research engineer at Glenn Research Center.
The Shaker Heights resident has had plenty of opportunity to brainstorm with physicists and rocket scientists since she joined NASA in 1979. During that time she has also seen many personnel changes.
“When I began working at NASA, I was one of seven female Ph.D.s; all the other researchers were male,” she recalls. “Today there are so many talented female researchers and student interns, we outnumber the men here.”
Those interns and researchers will have their work cut out for them; Woodrow Whitlow Jr., NASA Glenn director, recently announced the agency’s workforce of 3,200 would remain stable for at least eight years, based on the Center’s assignments for NASA’s mission to return to the moon.
“I’m excited about space exploration because it provides opportunities to develop new technologies that will offer a greater understanding of the larger environment in which we live,” says Hurwitz.
Her excitement is tempered, however, by certain financial constraints. In 2006, NASA Glenn experienced the largest downsizing in its history, including a reduction of 700 employees and nearly $120 million from its budget. Crain’s Cleveland Business reported that the agency is slated to receive $538 million for fiscal 2009, down 4.3% from the $562 million received in fiscal 2008.
These cutbacks have affected her research, maintains Hurwitz. “For many years our research teams enjoyed a very nice crossover between academics and industry,” she says. “Now, our research is much more focused than it had been in the past, and teams must show results over a shorter period of time.”
This worries Hurwitz, whose field of expertise includes composite materials, ceramic matrix composites, aerogels, high-temperature thermal insulation, and conversion of polymers to ceramics.
“We are moving from mainly in-house research to contract research and are building and developing quick turnaround products that provide off-the-shelf technology rather than spending the necessary money and allotted time to develop and test new technology for future generations,” she explains. “The government is one of the few organizations that can afford to fund the sort of technology and research that will bear fruit 15 years from now. If we move too far away from that, no other organization can fill that gap.”
Good as Olympic gold
What do the NASA launch pads in Florida have in common with the Statue of Liberty? “Twenty years ago, NASA scientists developed a clear coating that prevented our Florida launch pads from corroding in the humid, salty air,” says Dr. Howard D. Ross, associate director for planning and evaluation at NASA Glenn. “That same coating is now used to protect famous landmarks like the Statute of Liberty, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the 112-ft.-high statue of Buddha in Hong Kong. It is also used in power lines, break linings in cars, and many other applications.”
Ross is quick to dispel the myth that NASA was responsible for creating Teflon®, Velcro® or Tang (the orange powder drink). Instead, he points with pride to the 1,500 products that NASA developed for space which have also enhanced life on earth.
“When NASA developed a medical telemetry monitoring system to check astronauts’ vital signs on the moon, that application quickly went into use in hospitals around the world,” says Ross. “Now every cardiac care patient is hooked up to the monitors that relay their vital signs like blood pressure and pulse rate to the nursing station. These monitors have resulted in a decrease in death rates of post-surgical cardiac patients from 30% to 7%.”
Ross also points to NASA’s contributions to the aeronautics industry. “Every commercial airplane is now safer, quieter, more energy efficient, less polluting, and easier to maintain because of NASA discoveries,” says Ross. “And our research into energy efficiency and alternative fuel sources are playing a critical role in future car design.”
Ross, who began his career at NASA in 1985, says the best part of his job is watching years of planning an experiment in space successfully come to fruition. “When the experiment goes as planned, as it has 98% of the time, it is like winning Olympic Gold.”
“The lowest point is when “we have lost a crew because of a space disaster,” explains Ross. “There is nothing worse in terms of how you feel during a tragedy like that. But after NASA staff has pitched in and done everything we can do to help the families, our focus becomes to find the problem, fix it, and fly it.’”
Ross feels incredibly lucky to work at NASA. “Every time I tell people I work at NASA, I get two responses n wonder and envy,” says Ross. “Since ancient times, space has brought out that sense of wonder that goes very deep within the human spirit.”
afine@cjn.org
Some of NASA’s spinoff technologies
Speedo®’s LZR Racer® swimsuit, used in
the 2008 summer Olympics
Freeze-dried food
Memory or temper foam, used in mattresses
DustBusters
Cochlear implants
Artificial limbs
Aircraft anti-icing systems
Improved radial tires
LEDs (Light-emitting diodes)
Water purificiation
Better virtual software
Improved mine safety
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