Minutes of Senior Staff and Center Directors’ Meeting 07-10-2000

The following documents the discussions addressed at the Senior Staff and
Center Directors’ Meeting on July 10, 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 NASA recently discovered and disclosed an
error in its published financial reports. This was an error only in the
way funds were reported. The actual use of the funds was entirely in
compliance with the law. The error applied to a single line item
(“Recoveries of prior year obligations”) in one of the FY 1999 financial
statements, the “Statement of Budgetary Resources.” The error was
discovered after congressional staff questioned the change from 1998 to
1999. Upon investigation, NASA determined there was a misinterpretation of
the OMB (Office of Management and Budget) guidance and reported its
findings. NASA regrets the error and has taken appropriate correctiveaction.

I/Cline: Ms. Cline reported that the Administrator is leading a delegation
to Russia and Kazakhstan this week for the International Space Station
(ISS) Service Module launch from Baikonur on July 12 and an ISS Heads of
Agencies meeting among the partners in Moscow on July 13. (Note: The ISS
Service Module launch was successful.)

E/Reese: Mr. Reese reported on the following: 1) He thanked the Johnson
Space Center for sending the new semi-trailer exhibit focusing on
technology transfer. The Inventions from Space vehicle is receiving a lot
of attention at the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People) annual convention in Baltimore, MD. 2) He also thanked
Headquarters for participating in the orientation for the incoming NASA
Fellows Program class, with a special thank you to the Associate
Administrators (AA’s), Deputy AA’s, and Division Directors.

F/Novak: Ms. Novak reported that later this week, Code F will be issuing
new guidance on information that must be provided in support of all SES
(Senior Executive Service) personnel actions submitted to the Administrator
for approval. Documentation that clearly shows the individual’s superior
technical qualifications and leadership management skills will be required.
This will ensure that there is sufficient information in the record to
supplement the personal review of the action by the Administrator with the
cognizant AA.

W/Gross: Ms. Gross reported that on June 29, 2000, Ikenna Iffih pled
guilty to a three-count criminal information filed in U.S. District Court
in Boston, MA, for the illegal interception and possession of electronic
communications transmitted to and through a U.S. Government computer; and
damage of a computer used in interstate and foreign commerce; and Title 18,
U.S.C., Section 1362, the willful and malicious interference of a working
communications system operated and controlled by the U.S. Government. The
three counts combined carry a maximum penalty of 20 years incarceration and
a potential fine of up to $750,000. Sentencing has been set for October
26, 2000. Mr. Iffih obtained unauthorized access to a dial-up Internet
account. Mr. Iffih used that account to compromise a Defense Logistics
Agency (DLA) computer in Columbus, OH. Using the DLA computer, Mr. Iffih
illegally accessed a computer owned by the Zebra Marketing Online Service
(ZMOS) in Seattle, WA, and through his reckless actions, damaged that
computer and caused a significant loss of revenue to ZMOS. On May 6, 1999,
Mr. Iffih illegally accessed a computer located at the Goddard Space Flight
Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, MD, and used his access to install a “sniffer”
program to view and capture log-in names and passwords transmitted on the
GSFC network. The investigation was conducted by Special Agents of the
NASA Office of Inspector General, Office of Criminal Investigations,
Computer Crimes Division; the Defense Criminal Investigative Service; the
Federal Bureau of Investigations; the U.S. Department of the Interior,
Office of Inspector General; and the Immigration and Naturalization
Service, Office of Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison D.
Burroughs, District of Massachusetts, and Stephen C. Schroeder, Western
District of Washington, are handling the prosecution of this matter.

AS/Olsen: Dr. Olsen reported that on Thursday, July 13, the Commission on
the Advancement of Women and Minorities in Science, Engineering and
Technology Development will present their recommendations at a press
briefing and at a congressional Hearing. NASA has been a member of the
Interagency Steering Committee, and we will be participating in the event.
Colonel Eileen Collins, astronaut, will provide testimony via telecon from
Houston.

Z/McCormick: Ms. McCormick reported that NASA’s 2000 Strategic Plan has
received concurrence from all codes.

Q/Hill: Mr. Hill reported that Mr. Gregory and staff are at DFRC for the
Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) Directors Meeting. All Center SMA
Directors meet periodically with Code Q at either Headquarters or at a
Center to discuss SMA policy and topics.

Y/Asrar: Dr. Asrar reported on the following: 1) All Earth science
missions are performing well and providing outstanding observations to the
users through EOSDIS (Earth Observing Satellite Data Information System).
Notable is the latest Landsat accomplishment of capturing and delivering
1433 scenes (each scene covers approximately a 100-by-100-mile area) of
cloud-free observations to the users in June, and during the first week of
July, it acquired and delivered 454 scenes. This 1-month achievement is
comparable to annual accomplishments of previous Landsats. 2) The launch
of Germany’s CHAMP satellite with our GPS (Global Positioning Satellite)
payload on the Russian Cosmos rocket is currently scheduled for July 15.

L/Kerwin: Ms. Kerwin reported on the following: 1) The House and Senate
have returned from the July 4 recess. 2) Authorization conference
discussions are continuing, but no new date for a conference has been set.
3) No date has been set for Senate Appropriations markup. 4) Tomorrow,
July 11, there will be an event on the Hill, sponsored by Congressmen
Michael E. Capuano (D-MA) and Henry J. Hyde (R-IL), concerning aircraft
noise reduction, involving the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA),
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics AIAA, NASA, and the
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). 5) On July 13, Astronaut Eileen
Collins will appear before the House Subcommittee on Technology, chaired by
Congresswoman Connie Morella (D-MD), concerning the Morella Commission’s
report on women and minorities in the fields of science, engineering, and
technology.

M/Readdy: Mr. Readdy reported that Mr. Rothenberg is in Russia for the
Service Module launch.

P/Wilhide: Ms. Wilhide reported that Code P is preparing to support the
launch of the Service Module on Wednesday, July 12.

2. AI/Dr. Mulville

Dr. Mulville reported on the following: 1) The Program Management Council
meeting, previously scheduled for July 11, has been cancelled. 2) The
Capital Investment Council (CIC) will be held on July 13 and 14. A revised
agenda will be distributed to all CIC members today. 3) After the telecon
today, there will be a discussion of Reliability Centered Maintenance and
its application to test equipment. Dr. Mulville asked all the Center
Directors, Enterprise AA’s, and other interested parties, to stay on the
line (following conclusion of the Senior Staff and Center Directors’
Meeting) for that discussion. 4) Effective immediately, Dr. Kathie Olsen
will be the Acting AA for the Office of Life and Microgravity Sciences and
Applications. Dr. Arnauld Nicogossian will assume, full time, his duties
as the Agency’s Chief Health and Medical Officer. His office, the new Code
AM, will be a policy and oversight organization. One of the assignments is
the creation of an advisory committee, separate from the performing
organizations, to support their function of focusing on the safety of
astronauts and NASA employees. 5) Dr. Mulville also welcomed Jason Kessler
back to Code A from his detail at SSC. 6) Due to the July 4 holiday, the
HQ softball tournament was not held last week. Following is a list of
upcoming games: On July 11 at 4:50 p.m., Codes F vs. C, and at 6 p.m.,
Codes PZK vs. ABG. On July 13 at 4:50 p.m., Codes M vs. I, and at 6 p.m.,
the winner of the Codes F vs. C games plays the winner of the Codes PZK vs.
ABG game.

3. Center Reports

ARC/Berry: Mr. Berry reported that today, ARC is hosting Mr. Luedtke
(Associate Administrator for Code H).

DFRC/Petersen: Mr. Petersen reported that DFRC is hosting the Safety and
Mission Assurance Directors Meeting.

GRC/Campbell: Mr. Campbell reported on the following: 1) The combined
team of the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) Experiments
Office, Analysis and Integration Group, and support contractors
successfully completed a spacecraft maneuver to increase the drift rate of
ACTS towards its retirement location at 105.2°W. The 5-minute maneuver
occurred at 9 p.m., Sunday, June 18. This will provide a drift rate of
0.07° a day. A second maneuver is being planned to further accelerate the
drift rate. The arrival of ACTS at 105° is estimated to be in early August
2000, depending on conjunction assessment results and timing of the second
maneuver. 2) Successful completion of a NASA Level-1 Milestone was
achieved on June 29, 2000, when the T-220 Hall Effect Thruster surpassed
500 hours of operation at GRC. The T-220 is a 10kW electric thruster
developed by GRC, TRW, and Space Power Inc., under the Advanced Space
Transportation Program (ASTP). The primary objectives of the tests were to
determine the rate of erosion that occurs on the ceramic discharge chamber
in order to refine future designs and to demonstrate the overall durability
of high-power hall thrusters. The thruster operated satisfactorily during
the 50-hour test with discharge current oscillations and propellant
utilization improving over time.

GSFC/Diaz: Mr. Diaz reported on the following: 1) He thanked Dr. Asrar
for his Landsat remarks. 2) He reported that the TDRS (Tracking and Data
Relay Satellite) is doing well.

JSC/Garman: Ms. Garman reported on the following: 1) She discussed
preparations for launch of the Russian Service Module. 2) The Agency
Transition Book is now being compiled.

KSC/Jennings: Mr. Jennings reported that KSC is hosting OMB’s Steve
Isakowitz and Doug Comstock.

MSFC/Griner: Ms. Griner reported that Mr. Stephenson is touring the
National Research Laboratory.

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.

Officials-in-Charge of NASA Headquarters Offices:

AA/Mr. Heffernan

AI/Dr. Mulville

AB/Ms. Tagg

AC/Gen. Armstrong

AE/Mr. Keegan

AJ/Mr. Tam

AM/Dr. Nicogossian

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. Stewart

AB/Ms. Saldana

AC/Ms. Landrus

AE/Ms. Moore

AI/Ms. Shaeffer

AI/Ms. Blinebury

AI/Ms. Soper

AJ/Ms. Bloxon

AO/Ms. Wissinger

AS/Ms. Simms

CIC/Ms. Grimes

CIC/Ms. Hoover

CIC/Ms. Coates

CIC/Ms. Fenner

CIC/Ms. Maynor

CIC/Ms. Doyle