Orion Medical Blog

NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to foster the development of students’ skills in science, technology, engineering and math. The agreement supports the FAA’s mission to provide the safest, most efficient aerospace system in the world and NASA’s mission to pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery and aeronautics research.

“This is a perfect example of collaboration that complements and supports each organization’s educational goals,” said Dr. Joyce Winterton, NASA associate administrator for Education, Headquarters, Washington. “Joint outreach efforts like this will contribute to NASA and FAA goals for a diverse, qualified aviation and space workforce for the future.”

The partnership includes a broad range of cooperative outreach activities. The agencies’ initial focus is on a NASA curriculum called “Smart Skies.” Smart Skies is an online air traffic control simulator for students in fifth through ninth grades. It offers a fun and exciting way to learn math and skills central to air traffic control while providing multiple modes of problem solving for students who learn in different ways.  Read more

NASA will test one of the rocket engines it is developing for its new launch vehicles at the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. The agency will build a new test stand at Stennis for the J-2X engine. The engine will power the upper stages of NASA’s Ares I and Ares V rockets.

Stennis already is home to Apollo-era test stands that have served the nation’s space program through the shuttle era. The newly proposed structure will be the first large test stand built at the center since the 1960s. Unlike the older structures, the new 300-foot-tall, open-frame design will allow engineers to simulate conditions at different altitudes.

NASA engineers need to simulate various altitudes to test the J-2X’s ability to function as a second stage engine for the Ares I crew launch vehicle and the Earth Departure Stage engine for the Ares V cargo launch vehicle. To do that, the test stand will generate approximately 4,620 pounds per second of steam and use it to reduce the engine test cell pressure.  Read more

The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority board voted unanimously to adopt a resolution approving the submittal of an application to Ohio’s Department of Development (ODOD) for a $5 million Job Ready Site grant to cover costs associated with modifications required at NASA Glenn’s Plum Brook Space Power Facility located in Perkins Township in Erie County.

NASA Glenn has been assigned responsibility for environmental testing of the planned Orion space vehicle that will transport astronauts to the international space station and ultimately to the moon and beyond. Plum Brook is unique in that it will allow the space vehicle to undergo the full suite of environment testing in a single building, the Space Power Facility. An estimated $40-$50 million in capital improvements are needed to upgrade the Space Power Facility for the project. Once completed, this project will create 82 new full-time jobs at Plum Brook and retain an additional 115 jobs. The ODOD provided a preliminary commitment for the $5 million grant. The Port Authority’s formal application is expected to be considered by the State’s Controlling Board next month.   Read more

Marshall Space Flight Center engineers are working to take a 1960s era rocket engine design and add a 21st century twist of technology for NASA’s next rocket, the Ares I.

The J-2 engine was used on the upper stage of the Marshall-managed Saturn IB and the second and third stages of the Saturn V during the Apollo moon program. Today, Marshall engineers are updating the design – known as J-2X – to make the engine more efficient and give it more thrust.

“We aren’t starting with a clean-sheet new design for this, but it’s not a matter of just building an engine NASA used during Apollo,” said Mike Kynard, Marshall’s manager of the upper stage engine element. “This engine will be larger and has to put out more thrust than the old Apollo era J-2.”  Read more