October 2016 EISD Newsletter outreach - NASA...Much as a paleontologist can reconstruct the body of a dinosaur by studying bones preserved in gullies and buttes of the Dakotas and

THE EISD MISSION Lead space exploration through research, strategy, mission planning, systems development, and integration.THE EISD MISSION Lead space exploration through research, strategy, mission planning, systems development, and integration.

F R O M T H E M A N A G E M E N T S T A F F

O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6I N T H I S I S S U E

By Chris HansenManager, EVA Office

“FYI, I feel a lot of water on the back of my head…”These words signaled the beginning of a harrowing experience had by astronaut Luca Parmitano on board the International Space Station during a spacewalk in July 2013, where he came dangerously close to drowning. Who would have guessed that the risk of drowning during a spacewalk was real? What we do, this Exploration thing, is risky. All of us in this business believe that the risk is well worth the reward, including me. But do we always trulyunderstand that risk? As the manager of the EVA Office, I’m often required to make risk decisions about the EMU. Do we spend money upgrading this component, can we extend the life of that part, is it safe to use the suit in that way? I have a fabulously talented team of experts that helps me understand those risks, but ultimately I feel responsible for the safety of the crew members that use our equipment to explore. Because of that I wanted to get inside this marvel of a machine, the EMU, and get a taste of what it feels like for the people that use this hardware to survive in space. That experience was humbling…

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We Are ExplorersFeaturing ARES guest editors, Kathie Thomas-Keprta & Simon Clemett

AnnouncementsEISD honors and announcements

Featured Team: XI/ARESAn introduction

ARES At A GlanceAn infographic

Simon’s LabMad science

Our Work with Lunar and Martian SamplesExploration in the lab

EISD PicnicGood fun

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THE EISD NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 2016

Cover Message from Chris concludedTo get inside the EMU, you have to crawl underneath the Hard Upper Torso and squeeze your body inside, twisting your arms and shoulders in very unnatural ways and well, I’m not exactly petite. But the highly professional expert technicians guiding me through this experience assured me, after subjecting me to hours of measurements, that I should indeed fit inside. As I slid my arms inside and prepared to push my body into this very small space, my brain screamed at me that I might never get out. My heart began to pound, my breathing became rapid. However, too many people knew I was doing this to back out now. I went for it, and yes, I fit… barely.

My first thought was that we should apologize to the astronauts we put through this. There is no way any human being should go into space wearing this crazy machine. However, after a few minutes of acclimating, I started to understand how this incredible suit could do its job. I also gained a ton of respect for the men and women who get to do this in space for a living. I now have a better understanding of the risks we take when we do Exploration. Although I still firmly believe those risks are worth taking, I’ll be a better manager for understanding that risk in a much more personal way. Think about that lesson, and take the opportunity to leave your desk occasionally and find ways to better understand the very real risks we take, so you can better appreciate the very real rewards we get from exploration. Then let’s get on with our job of Exploring!

Chris

Chris Hansen gets up close and personal with the ISS Extravehicular Maneuvering Unit

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Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science

The new Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division logo, dubbed “Windows to the Universe,” captures the beauty of the organization’s diverse mission areas. The hexagonal shapes reference NASA elements such as the cupola on the International Space Station and the collectors flown on the Genesis and Stardust sample return missions. The Earth and Solar System elements represent, respectively, spacecraft risk mitigation and astromaterials and exploration research.

A New Logo

The EISD division of XI, the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, is best described as an integrated team of explorers comprising scientists, engineers, and laboratory technicians. ARES had its origins in the Apollo era and through these five decades has gone by many names, and has traveled through a directorate or two. These days we just go by “ARES” and we proudly serve as a member of EISD.

We are curators: We began as caretakers, analysts, and lunar experts for Apollo and NASA’s first astromaterials sample collection. We now curate the largest and most comprehensive extraterrestrial collection in the world, with materials from the Moon, Mars, the sun, asteroids, comets, other stars, and space-exposed hardware.

We are researchers: We maintain cutting edge, one-of-a-kind laboratories for analysis of extra-terrestrial collections. We attract top scientists whose international collaborations regularly fuel ground-breaking studies and discoveries.

We are mission partners: We are members of mission teams, operating spacecraft and sensors. We provide planetary expertise in the definition of mission objectives, spacecraft designs, suit and tool designs, and operating protocols. We provide applied science services to missions, including remote sensing, imagery science and analysis, orbital debris environment predictions, spacecraft debris risk assessments, and spacecraft shielding.

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Astromaterials Acquisition and Curation

Office

Astromaterials Research Office

Exploration Science Office

ARES is growing, most notably with an

investment by the Agency in curation

capabilities.

ARES is integrated into both human and robotic missions,

pulling from robotic experience to enhance

human exploration.

ARES holds unique scientific responsibilities for the Agency, Center, and programs in support of basic research, technology development, mission development, and real-time mission execution.

ARES scientists conduct ground-breaking research

valued by the international scientific community.

ARES links the Agency’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) to the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD).

ARES develops concepts and experiments for spaceflight.

ARES pairs scientists with engineers to eliminate iterations, streamline projects, and propel innovation.

ARES is the Center’s leader in the discipline of science operations.

Visit Our New Website To Learn More

https://ares.jsc.nasa.gov/

ARES At a Glance

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Kathie-Thomas Keprtaand

Simon ClemettWe visit with our ARES Guest Editors who are also planetary research partners!

You two are certainly explorers! Agree?We offer Carl Sagan’s quote, “Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” We wholeheartedly concur with this statement! As scientists, we have been exploring the secrets of the Solar System at JSC for a combined 40+ years. Our passion has been unraveling the nature and origins of minerals and organic matter contained within extraterrestrial materials including chondritic meteorites, Martian meteorites, interplanetary dust, interstellar grains, and Apollo Moon rocks.

Could you describe that in broader terms?Much as a paleontologist can reconstruct the body of a dinosaur by studying bones preserved in gullies and buttes of the Dakotas and Montana, we use minerals and organic species as chemical fossils. These represent a time capsule of the environment at the birth of our Solar System. They also provide insight into the early planetary environment.

What led you to planetary science?SIMON: I wanted to be a scientist my entire life!KATHIE: I failed at everything else. Just kidding! It was not

something I thought I was headed into, as you can see from my biography. I came to JSC as a post-doctoralemployee. At that time, ARES and Human Health and Performance were in the same organization. I was exposed to a lot of interesting investigations and planetary science drew me in.

How did your partnership begin?KATHIE: I first met Simon when he was a graduate student. SIMON: After university, I came to JSC where our research

paths became intertwined through our contributions to the landmark research that revealed evidence of past biogenic activity within a Martian meteorite.

EDITOR: We have a separate article on the topic in this edition!

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Above, Dr. Simon Clemett (right) with NASA legend Gene Kranz; Below, Dr. Kathie Thomas-Keprta.

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Dr. Simon Clemett has worked at NASA JSC over 15 years, first for Lockheed Martin, then for ERC, Inc. His primary scientific focus is the characterization of organic matter in extraterrestrial materials. He developed and designed a one-of-a-kind instrument called a two-step laser mass spectrometer that is used for the detection of organic molecules in microscopic and heterogeneous samples. He is also involved in missions including Osiris-REx. He received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Stanford University in 1996.

Dr. Kathie Thomas-Keprta has worked at JSC over 25 years, first employed with Lockheed Martin, then by Barrios Technology. Her primary scientific focus is the characterization of extraterrestrial materials using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. She was one of the co-leaders on the study of Martian meteorite ALH84001. She is also involved in missions including Osiris-REx. She received her Ph.D. in Environmental Toxicology from Texas Southern University.

You’re looking for the origins of life?Yes, the “chemical fossils” we described also yield tantalizing clues about chemical pathways leading to the origin of life! We search for biosignatures, substances that provide evidence of past or present life. The signatures include fossilized cellular components such as cell walls and molecular debris, as well as less obvious, but potentially more powerful, biologically mediated minerals produced by some organisms.

Identifying biosignatures in terrestrial rocks allows us to categorize those environments that may have harbored and preserved life, vital knowledge that we can also use to study environments of other planetary bodies such as Mars.

We have also studied laboratory produced impact craters and residues lining crater walls to better understand how these processes can shape the nature and form of minerals and organic matter during impact events.

Do you participate in missions?We are involved with missions, including Osiris-REx, the first U.S. mission to collect samples from an asteroid. The mission launched successfully on September 8 this year, to great fanfare. We look forward to characterizing the returned samples beginning in 2023.

Do you ever branch out?When not consumed by the Solar System, we participate in an eclectic mix of projects with other directorates at JSC. These range from investigating the mechanisms of catastrophic thermal runaway in

lithium ion batteries to understanding the causes of visual impairment and intracranial pressure(VIIP) syndrome in astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Also, we are participating in the planning and development of future robotic missions, writing peer-reviewed manuscripts, collaborative research with scientists world-wide, and writing proposals that support all of these exciting endeavors.

What planet would you like to visit?SIMON: Mars!KATHE: Yes, Mars!SIMON: Wait, Pluto would be fun.KATHIE: Sure, but Pluto after Mars!

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Simon’s LabBy Simon Clemett and Kathie Thomas-Keprta

If you were to come into Building 31 and ask for directions to the Laser Microprobe Laboratory, you might be met by blank stares. It would be better to simply ask for “Simon’s Lab.”

Simon’s Lab was designed and constructed by Simon Clemett (a guest editor this month). It houses a one-of-a-kind instrument, the microprobe two-step laser mass spectrometer. Simon and his research partner, Kathie Thomas-Keprta (also a guest editor), operate the facility.

The spectrometer enables high fidelity identification of vanishingly small traces of organic matter in complex samples. When up and running, the instrument (shown on the right with Simon) gives off a classic mad scientist vibe. In fact a recent discovery in the lab by Simon was indeed unusual.

He detected organic matter preserved in impact ejecta fragments formed when a large meteorite crashed into the Pampas region in South America (shown below right). The organics were the residue of plant matter preserved through being flash coated by condensing silica vapor produced during the impact event. This was an unexpected finding since it was thought an impactor that produces a crater would pulverize any material with which it came into contact.

Simon’s work showed organic materials can be preserved near a crater if encased in glass produced during the impact—just like sealing up material in a test tube. So fragile, even biogenic, materials may be preserved on planetary surfaces if we know where to look. As unlikely as it seems, craters may be a good place to begin the search!

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Our Work with Lunar and Martian SamplesBy Simon Clemett and Kathie Thomas-Keprta

Years ago when the first lunar samples were returned to JSC, it was generally thought they would be rich in carbonaceous matter. In fact, many thought that these samples would contain lunar microbes! Yet after more than 40 years there was no conclusive identification of indigenous (i.e., lunar) organic matter in any of the Apollo samples. That was… until recently.

In late 2014, we reported the existence of clumps of organic matter on the surfaces of Apollo 17 orange and black glass beads. The top right image shows one Apollo black glass bead with the location of a mass of organic matter highlighted by a yellow arrow. The clump of organic matter (false colored orange) is enlarged in the image below right.

This was not our first research in the realm of organic discovery. We also contributed to the 1996 McKay, et al. manuscript, a benchmark paper in NASA’s Planetary Exploration Program for Mars. The paper described four lines of evidence within a Martian meteorite, called ALH84001, describing signatures of past biogenic activity. The image below shows Kathie and Everett Gibson, also a contributor to the McKay, et al. paper, holding a portion of the famous ALH84001 meteorite in 2015.

While conclusions of the McKay, et al. paper remain controversial, this work led to an explosion of scientific interest in Mars, resulting in the creation of NASA’s Astrobiology Institute in 1998. It also helped initiate a series of robotic investigations of Mars and renew focus on studying life in extreme environments on Earth.

ARES now has ~ 90 Martian meteorites available for study. These samples offer excellent opportunities to increase our understanding of Mars. Not only are they the least expensive method of sample return, they also provide ground truth measurements for remote sensing missions. It is amazing what has been and what can still be learned from these samples.

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Click here for the full set of picnic images.

EISD Picnic Montage

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C O N G R A T U L A T I O N SA w a r d e d a s o f O c t o b e r 2 0 1 6

Center Director's Commendation AwardJoseph Hamilton, XIJames Hill, XMKathy Messersmith, XXAdam Schlesinger, XSJonette Stecklein, XM William Stefanov, XISarah Walsh, XB

Silver Star MedalNancy Fleming, XBLinda Ham, XP

Center Director's Innovation Individual AwardRichard Davis, XMThomas Moody, XS

Center Director's Innovation Team AwardDTN ISS Implementation TeamStrata-1 Class 1E Team

JSC Group Achievement Award EMU Return to Contingency EVA Team

Secretarial Excellence AwardLisa Roberts, XP

Power of One – GoldAlexs McCauley-Slack, XS

Brook Gerky, XSBrook joins EDI as a civil servant, formerly working with Curved Skies. He will be supporting the System Protection Office as well as the Enterprise Verification & Validation Team.

Lori Keith, XSLori joins EDI through the Ares Corporation on the MPIC contract. She will serve as the Cross Program Integration Team (CPIT) Technical Assistant.

Mark Elder, XXMark joins XX as EVA Office Business Manager.

S T A F F I N G N E W S

E I S D N E W S L E T T E R S T A F F

Contact us with comments, ideas, and submittals

Tracy Calhoun XI Reporter Blake Dumesnil Graphic ArtistVickie Gutierrez XB ReporterTracy Hom XS ReporterJoy Judas IT CoordinatorHolly Kurth XP ReporterDebi Shoots EditorStephanie Sipila XX Reporter

Special Achievement AwardCullen Balinski, XBCarla Burnett, XBAaron Burton, XILisa Buswell, XAMarc Fries, XIJohn Gruener, XIDave Melendrez, XIThomas Moody, XSMichelle Rucker, XMVeronica Saucedo, XM

Length of Service Award Michelle Lewis, XP – 35 yearsHanif Abdulaziz, XP – 30 yearsMichelle Kamman, XP – 30 yearsKathy Messersmith, XX – 30 yearsMary Anne Plaza, XS – 30 yearsMichelle Rucker, XM – 30 yearsGene Stansbery, XI – 30 yearsKevin Watts, XM – 30 yearsGregory Byrne, XA – 25 yearsCristopher Hansen, XX – 25 yearsBrian Johnson, XX – 25 yearsMichael Mankin, XX – 25 yearsCuong Nguyen, XX – 25 years

Nancy Fleming accepting the Silver Star Medal from Cathy Claunch

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