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Students Semifinalists in 2009-2010 Siemens Competition in Math, Science, and Technology

October 31, 2009 – 1:32 pm

Students Aobo Guo, Arielle Stambler, and Karen Inoshita are semifinalists in the 2009-2010 Siemens Competition in Math, Science, and Technology for their team research paper “Effect of Solar Exposure on the Atomic Oxygen Erosion of Hubble Space Telescope Bi-Stem Thermal Shield Aluminized-Teflon FEP.”

The Polymer Erosion and Contamination Experiment (PEACE) team student’s paper summarizes research, overseen by engineers at NASA Glenn, which they conducted to determine whether or not solar radiation exposure increases the atomic oxygen erosion yield of aluminized Teflon fluorinated ethylene propylene (Al-FEP), a commonly used spacecraft thermal control material.

These results have implications to spacecraft design for environmental durability. The Siemens Competition in Math, Science, and Technology is the nation’s most prestigious high school science and mathematics research competition. A total of 2,151 students entered 1,348 projects from across the country (14 percent more students and 12 percent more projects than 2008). Only eight students from the State of Ohio were awarded Siemens semifinalists, and one was awarded finalist this year.

Guo, Stambler, and Inoshita’s paper was the only team research paper from Ohio given this honor. Their research  was . The students will each receive an award package, along with national recognition for their science research. Lists of the regional semi-finalists and finalists can be found at the Siemens Foundation web site.

Over the past 6 years there have been 13 PEACE team Siemens Competition honorees: seven semifinalists (two in 2006, two in 2008, and three in 2009), three regional finalists (2003), and three national winners (6th place nationally, 2007). This work is supported by the ISS Research Project.

Author: Webmaster

Atomic Oxygen Testing Facilities Highlighted in NASA’s Technology Innovation Magazine

October 24, 2009 – 8:38 am

The NASA Glenn Research Center’s unique atomic oxygen testing facilities were highlighted in NASA’s Technology Innovation Magazine for Business and Technology (Volume 15, Number 2, 209). The two-page article (written by Laurel Stauber, Cindy Dreibelbis of GRC and Nancy Oates of Fuentek, LLC), discusses the space and spinoff applications of the uniquely large GRC atomic oxygen facilities.

The article discusses how testing in the facilities by Bruce Banks and Sharon Miller has helped the commercial remote sensing industry and also how their testing also resulted in more than a $15 billion savings to NASA by enabling full mission durability of the International Space Station (ISS) solar array blankets. The research for ISS, published in over 70 papers, and the magnitude of the cost savings, resulted in GRC’s largest Space Act Award.

The article also described how other uses of the atomic oxygen facilities have resulted in technology applications for durability of mirrors and composite materials, atomic oxygen art restoration, improved cell adhesion, and removal of endotoxins from surgical implants. This work is supported by the NASA GRC Technology Transfer and Partnership Office.

Author: Webmaster | Other Categories: In the News

Researcher in Space Processes and Experiments Division Inducted into Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame

September 3, 2009 – 1:44 pm
Kim de Groh, with Governor Ted Strickland and First Lady Frances Strickland, holds Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame award at the Ohio Statehouse Capitol in Columbus.

Kim de Groh, with Governor Ted Strickland and First Lady Frances Strickland, holds Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame award at the Ohio Statehouse Capitol in Columbus.

On August 26th, Kim de Groh of the Space Environment and Experiments Branch was inducted into Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame by Governor Ted Strickland. The induction ceremony took place at the Ohio Statehouse Atrium.

Established in 1978 by the Women’s Programs at the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, the Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame provides public recognition of the contributions Ohio women have made to the growth and progress of our state, our nation and our world.

This year, 13 Ohio women were inducted, including women working in journalism, education, media and communications, economic development, activism, religion, transportation, social work, medicine and science, technology, engineering, math (STEM).

Kim was honored for her research contributions to the space program along with her student mentoring and outreach efforts.

More Information

Author: Webmaster | Other Categories: Awards, Honors & Patents, Space Processes & Experiments

Patent Awarded for Optical Quantum Communications System

August 22, 2009 – 11:10 am

U.S. Patent 7,574,137 entitled, “Multi-wavelength time-coincident optical communications system and methods thereof,” was awarded to John Lekki (Optical Instrumentation & NDE Branch) and Quang-Viet Nguyen (Space Environment & Experiments Branch) on August 11, 2009. The patent describes a new technology for transmitting extremely low-power or weak optical signals through either free-space or optical fibers using a combination of wavelength, polarization, and time-correlation.

The technology can be used for the transmission of extremely low power (attoWatt/bit or 10-18 W/bit) optical signals, while remaining immune to external sources of noise and background. In one embodiment, the technology uses so-called quasi-entangled photons for secure transmission of data.

Applications for this technology range from communications for small low-power robotic explorers, and quantum key distribution from space-to-Earth for highly secure transmissions.

Author: Webmaster | Other Categories: Awards, Honors & Patents, Optical Instrumentation & NDE

Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame Inductee Selected

August 8, 2009 – 3:03 pm

Kim de Groh has been selected for induction into the Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame. Established in 1978 by the Women’s Programs at the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, the Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame provides public recognition of the contributions Ohio women have made to the growth and progress of our state, our nation and our world.

This year, 13 Ohio women will be honored at a public induction ceremony that will take place on August 26 from 2-3 p.m. in the Atrium of the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus.

Author: Webmaster | Other Categories: Awards, Honors & Patents

Jim Gaier Interviewed by EARTH Magazine

May 2, 2009 – 12:39 pm

Jim Gaier (Space Environment & Experiments Branch) was interviewed by EARTH  [External Link], an earth sciences, energy and environmental news magazine of the American Geological Institute, to give context and outside comment on a major paper being published in Geophysical Research Letters describing the results of the Apollo 11, and 12, Dust Detector Experiments.

Author: Webmaster

Space Act Board Action (SAA) Awarded to Viet Nguyen

April 4, 2009 – 3:42 pm

Viet Nguyen (Space Environment & Experiments Branch) was awarded a Space Act Board Action (SAA) Award for his invention of the year submission “Method and System for Fiber Optic Determination of Nitrogen and Oxygen Concentrations in Ullage of Liquid Fuel Tanks.”

Author: Webmaster | Other Categories: Awards, Honors & Patents

Space Flight Awareness Award Given to Sharon Miller and Bruce Banks

March 20, 2009 – 4:09 pm

Sharon Miller (Space Environment and Experiments Branch) and Bruce Banks (Alphaport) traveled to the Kennedy Space Center as Space Flight Awareness awardees. The award was presented for their work in predicting the durability of the multilayer insulation blanket on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). They used a combination of space flight- and ground-based testing and analysis to determine that the multilayer insulation in one of the bays would be intact during the servicing mission. This resulted in the elimination of a difficult Extravehicular Activity (EVA) from a HST servicing mission which reduced the risk to the astronauts and saved NASA significant EVA costs.

Author: Webmaster | Other Categories: Awards, Honors & Patents

Space Flight Awareness Award Given to Sharon Miller and Bruce Banks

March 20, 2009 – 4:07 pm

Sharon Miller (Space Environment & Experiments Branch) and Bruce Banks (Alphaport) traveled to the Kennedy Space Center as Space Flight Awareness awardees. The award was presented for their work in predicting the durability of the multilayer insulation blanket on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST).

They used a combination of space flight- and ground-based testing and analysis to determine that the multilayer insulation in one of the bays would be intact during the servicing mission. This resulted in the elimination of a difficult Extravehicular Activity (EVA) from a HST servicing mission which reduced the risk to the astronauts and saved NASA significant EVA costs.

Author: Webmaster | Other Categories: Awards, Honors & Patents

GRC-Developed Technology Receives the FLC 2009 Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer

January 29, 2009 – 2:07 pm

“Atomic Oxygen-Textured Surfaces for Blood Glucose Monitoring” (Bruce Banks and Sharon Miller, Space Environment & Experiments Branch) has been selected as a winner of the 2009 Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer. This award is presented annually by the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (FLC). The award recognizes laboratory employees who have accomplished outstanding work in the process of transferring a technology developed by a federal laboratory to the commercial marketplace.

A distinguished panel of technology transfer experts from industry, state and local government, academia, and the federal laboratory system evaluated the nominations. An award ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 7, 2009 at the FLC National Meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Author: Webmaster | Other Categories: Awards, Honors & Patents

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