Minutes of Senior Staff and Center Directors’ Meeting 1 May 2000

The following documents the discussions addressed at the Senior Staff and
Center Directors’ Meeting on May 1, 2000. Mr. Goldin did not attend the
meeting. Action assignments have been placed in brackets [ ] for easy
identification.

1. AA Reports

B/Holz: Mr. Holz thanked GRC/Campbell and staff for hosting the Chief
Financial Officers’ meeting.

P/Cleggett: Ms. Cleggett reported that Public Affairs will have a video
file and news release on the meteor Kleopatra. The Geostationary
Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-9 launch is set for Wednesday,
May 3, at 2:30 a.m. Several astronauts are speaking at schools and
universities this week. Last week, the Hubble Space Telescope 10th
Anniversary was covered on ABC World News Tonight and CBS Evening News.
Also, Good Morning America ran a story on the Boomerang.

AS/Olsen: Dr. Olsen reported that the NASA Science Council is scheduled
to meet on May 11, 2000, from 1 to 3 p.m. in room 9H40. The subject for
discussion is “The Grand Challenges and Science Questions of the NASA
Decadal Plan.”

Q/Gregory: Mr. Gregory reported on the following items: 1) The
Compton-Gamma Ray Observatory’s (GRO) risk factor for a bad reentry,
causing human fatality, is 1 in 29,000,000. The first burn is planned
for May 26. The reentry is planned for June 3. The target is the
southeastern Pacific Ocean, west of Central and South America, south of
the latitude of Hawaii. 2) During May 2000, a unique Crisis and
Consequence Management Exercise will be conducted in the United States to
exercise our ability to respond and mitigate the potential effects of
multiple simulated terrorist incidents using Weapons of Mass Destruction.
The exercise is a “no notice” multicomponent, multisite exercise
cosponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department
of Justice. The 10-day period, in May, that will be selected for
exercise will remain a secret. NASA’s role is to respond to the
requirements of the Federal Response Plan for consequence management. We
will play a support role in providing response capability when and where
we may have the capacity. For example, NASA has limited supplies of
“level A response”-protective clothing that could be used for protection
of responders. We do not expect a call for this equipment.

M/Rothenberg: Mr. Rothenberg reported that the STS-101 mission was
postponed due to inclement weather. The new launch date is May 18.

Y/Asrar: Dr. Asrar reported that the May 3 date for the GOES-9 launch is
on schedule. Dr. Asrar thanked Codes M and S for their support. (Note:
GOES-9 successfully launched).

L/Kerwin: Ms. Kerwin reported that the House Appropriations Committee
allocations for FY 2001 will be released tomorrow, May 2. The total
budget assumption does not allow for much growth. The White House has
assessed the allocations, and NASA’s reduction could be as high as 10.5
percent.

Z/Garver: Ms. Garver reported that Dr. Neal Lane, Assistant to the
President for Science and Technology, will be travelling to Houston to
visit and tour JSC on Friday. Mr. Goldin will be in attendance.

C/Christensen: Mr. Christensen reported that Headquarters Health and
Safety Day is scheduled for Thursday, May 4, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. He
encouraged all to participate in the activities.

W/Gross: Ms. Gross reported that she will testify before the Senate
Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, Restructuring, and
the District of Columbia on incentives to attract and maintain a skilled
workforce on May 2. She added that the General Accounting Office and
Office of Personnel Management would also testify.

2. AI/Mulville

Dr. Mulville reported on the following items: 1) The Gravity Probe B
Special Assessment Report will be discussed at the Tuesday, May 2,
Program Management Council Meeting beginning at 1 p.m. in 9H40. 2) The
Headquarters Quality Council will meet on Wednesday, May 3, to discuss
functional leadership plans, employee training status, and the status of
any open action items. As a reminder, Associate Administrators (AA’s),
Deputy AA’s, or Senior Officials should attend from each code. 3) Today
is “Melanoma Monday” at NASA Headquarters. All employees are encouraged
to be screened for skin cancer in the Health Unit.

3. Center Reports

GSFC/McNally: Ms. McNally reported that Mr. Diaz was with House
Authorization Committee staffers visiting GSFC.

JSC/Abbey: Mr. Abbey reported on the following items: 1) The Space
Station is doing well in orbit. 2) The STS-101 launch was delayed until
May 18, and the crew is back at JSC.

KSC/Bridges: Mr. Bridges reported on the following items: 1) KSC is
ready for the GOES launch on Wednesday, May 3. 2) Jim Jennings, KSC
Deputy Director for Business Operations, and Richard Arbuthnot, KSC
Director of the Administration Office, have meetings scheduled on Monday,
May 1, and Tuesday, May 2, with Associate Administrators for final
approval of the KSC reorganization. Mr. Bridges looks forward to the
support of Headquarters.

NOTE: ACTION ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE TRANSMITTED UNDER SEPARATE COVER AND
TRACKED BY THE HEADQUARTERS CORRESPONDENCE MANAGEMENT OFFICE. SPECIFIC
QUESTIONS MAY BE ADDRESSED TO BRIDGET FENNER AT (202) 358-0909.

Officials-in-Charge of NASA Headquarters Offices:

AI/Dr. Mulville

AB/Ms. Tagg

AC/Gen. Armstrong

AE/Mr. Keegan

AJ/Mr. Tam

AO/Mr. Holcomb

AS/Dr. Olsen

B/Mr. Holz

C/Mr. Christensen

E/Mr. Reese

F/Ms. Novak

G/Mr. Frankle

H/Mr. Luedtke

I/Mr. Schumacher

J/Mr. Sutton

K/Mr. Thomas

L/Mr. Heffernan

M/Mr. Rothenberg

P/Ms. Wilhide

Q/Mr. Gregory

R/Mr. Venneri

S/Dr. Weiler

U/Dr. Nicogossian

W/Ms. Gross

Y/Dr. Asrar

Z/Ms. Garver

Directors, NASA Centers:

ARC/Dr. McDonald

DFRC/Mr. Petersen

GRC/Mr. Campbell

GSFC/Mr. Diaz

JSC/Mr. Abbey

KSC/Mr. Bridges

LaRC/Dr. Creedon

MSFC/Mr. Stephenson

SSC/Mr. Estess

Director, Jet Propulsion Laboratory:

Dr. Stone

cc:

A/Ms. Roberts

AB/Ms. Saldana

AC/Ms. Landrus

AE/Ms. Moore

AI/Ms. Shaeffer

AI/Ms. Bloxon

AI/Ms. Soper

AO/Ms. Wissinger

AS/Ms. Simms

CIC/Ms. Grimes

CIC/Ms. Hoover

CIC/Ms. Coates

CIC/Ms. Fenner

CIC/Ms. Maynor

CIC/Ms. Doyle