Press Release

Minutes of Senior Staff and Center Directors’ Meeting January 31, 2000

By SpaceRef Editor

January 31, 2000

Filed under NASA HQ

The following documents the discussions addressed at the Senior Staff and
Center Directors’ Meeting on January 31, 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 reported that the Integrated Financial Management Program
Board will meet tonight and tomorrow, February 1.

I/Cline: Ms. Cline reported that Mr. Schumacher is at KSC today. Due to
the international payload and crew, representatives of the European Space
Agency, Germany, Italy, and Japan are attending the STS-99 launch. She
also reported that the Russians plan to launch a Progress supply ship to
Mir on February 1, 2000.

S/Weiler: Dr. Weiler reported that next week, we have a “good chance” of
making the cover of TIME magazine with a story on “Living with a Star.”
But in any case, there should be a major story in TIME on Monday.

E/Dalton: Mr. Dalton reported that the theme for this year’s National
African-American History Month is “Heritage and Horizons: The
African-American Legacy and the Challenges of the 21st Century.”

AS/Olsen: Dr. Olsen reported that the next Science Council meeting will be
held on Tuesday, February 8, in the Program Review Center (9H40) from 2 to
4 p.m. The topic will be the Space Studies Board of the National Research
Council Report on the “Institutional Arrangements for Space Station
Research.”

Y/Luther: Mr. Luther reported that the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission
payload is ready, and Code Y is looking forward to the STS-99 launch today.

M/Branscome: Mr. Branscome reported that Mr. Rothenberg is at KSC for the
launch and that there is a 40 percent chance of launch.

U/Havens: Ms. Havens reported that the STS-95 1-year results symposium was
held last Thursday and Friday at NASA Headquarters and at the National
Institutes of Health. The results of all of the experiments on the mission
were presented, including the medical experiments involving Senator Glenn.
Senator Glenn attended all-day presentations and participated in a question
and answer press event. There was excellent press coverage (NBC and CBS)
emphasizing the scientific value of his participation in the mission. On
Thursday evening, the presentation by the crew of that mission was attended
by over 600 enthusiastic members of the public, including many children.

AE/Hudkins: Mr. Hudkins reported on the following items: 1) The
Engineers’ Council, (EC) Inc., a not-for-profit public benefit corporation
organized by engineers in 1955, has announced winners for this year’s
Engineers’ Council Awards: Michael E. Polites of MSFC for the Peter
Recchia Omni Memorial Award; Raymond G. Clinton, Jr. of MSFC for the EC
Distinguished Engineer Achievement Award; and Carlton L. Foster of MSFC for
the Distinguished Engineer Achievement Award. These awards will be
presented at a ceremony on the last day of National Engineers’ Week,
February 26, 2000, in Studio City, California.

2. R/Gen. Armstrong

Gen. Armstrong reported on the following: 1) The Senior Management Council
meeting is scheduled for Friday, February 18. The main topic for this
meeting is for the Functional Offices to present the status of their
Functional Leadership Plans. The agenda was distributed last Friday by
fax. In addition, Mal Peterson, Comptroller, will discuss the FY 2002
Budget Guidance. 2) The Program Management Council Quarterly Status Review
is scheduled for Thursday, February 17, from 1 to 4 p.m. 3) The Farewell
Reception for Gen. Dailey has been scheduled for Thursday, February 17,
from 4 to 6 p.m. The reception will be held at HQ in the Representational
Facility. Formal invitations will be mailed. 4) February is National
African-American History Month.

3. Center Reports

GRC/Earls: Mr. Earls reported on the following items: 1) The Air Force
Research Laboratory proposed a program based on High Speed Research
(HSR)-developed Titanium Aluminide (TiAl). TiAl sheet technologies,
developed under the HSR program by GRC, Pratt & Whitney, Plansee, and BF
Goodrich, have been chosen by the Air Force Research Laboratory to be part
of a Defense Production Act Title III program proposal. The purpose for
the Title III program is to develop a domestic TiAl industry for defense
applications which would eventually be available to the civilian sector.
Paul Bartolotta of GRC was asked to lead the proposal team for the TiAl
sheet technologies and participate as an advisor to the program. 2) The
Electron Device Technology Branch at GRC received a letter of appreciation
from Rear Admiral John A. Gauss, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command,
Department of Navy. The branch provided design assistance to a Navy
contractor to allow them to produce a traveling wave tube for use in
terrestrial communications to Milstar satellites. 3) On Monday, December
20, 1999, GRC submitted the Decommissioning Plan for the Plum Brook Reactor
Facility to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The Decommissioning
Plan must be reviewed and approved by the NRC before the decommissioning of
the Plum Brook Reactor Facility can begin. The normal review period for
this type of plan is between 12 and 18 months. Predecommissioning planning
and work not requiring NRC approval will continue while the NASA plan is
reviewed.

SSC/Craig: Mr. Craig reported on last week’s successful phase one testing
of a commercial combustion device, liquid oxygen engine to 8000 psi.
DuPont will be at SSC this week regarding their safety program. Thanks to
Jim Jennings for his participation in last week’s Outsourcing Desktop
Initiative for NASA (ODIN) meetings. Also, Frank Owens of the Headquarters
Office of Human Resources and Education will be visiting SSC next week.

NOTE: ACTION ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE TRANSMITTED UNDER SEPARATE COVER AND
TRACKED BY THE HEADQUARTERS CORRESPONDENCE MANAGEMENT OFFICE. SPECIFIC
QUESTIONS MAY BE ADDRESSED TO VANESSA COATES @ (202) 358-0906.