ISS Update
On Wednesday, the Starboard 6 (S6) truss segment, the 11th and final piece of the Space Station's football-field-long backbone and one of few station components fabricated in Houston, was flown to KSC aboard NASA's Super Guppy aircraft. The truss will be processed at KSC for launch aboard the Space Shuttle on assembly flight 15A in early 2004. The mission will also include the fourth and final set of U.S. solar arrays delivered to the Station.

ELV Update
The launch of the ICESat (Ice Cloud and land Elevation Satellite) and CHIPSat (Cosmic Hot Interstellar Plasma Spectrometer) polar-orbiting satellites for NASA aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket is scheduled to occur on Thursday, Dec. 19. Liftoff will be from Space Launch Complex 2 (SLC-2) at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The 45-minute launch window extends from 7:45 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. EST. ICESat will be launched into an orbit of 375 statute miles while CHIPSat will be launched into a polar orbit of 350 miles.

Education Opportunity
Webster University is now accepting applications for the Master of Science in Computer Science program that will be held onsite at KSC, with a proposed start date of Jan. 7, 2003. Candidates for this program must have a B.S. degree in computer science or a bachelor's degree with documentation showing related experience or coursework. Classes are one evening per week. Other programs are available at the Merritt Island, Palm Bay and Patrick AFB campuses. For more information, call 449-4500 or visit the Web site .www.webster.edu/spacecoast.

Environmental & Energy Awareness Week Celebration April 2003
Mark your calendars for April 21-23, 2003, to attend activities for the Environmental & Energy Awareness Week in celebration of Earth Day! Anyone interested in participating in next year's event as an exhibitor and/or presenter can register online at http://environmental.ksc.nasa.gov/eeaw/eeaw2003/register.htm. If any problems occur with the registration on line, please contact Barbara Naylor at 867-8452 or e-mail Barbara.Naylor-1@ksc.nasa.gov. Registration deadline is Jan. 31. The EEAW Committee has begun planning meetings. If you are interested in attending these meetings, contact Barbara Naylor.

The NASA Invention of the Year
The call has gone out from NASA Headquarters for nominations. This award is sponsored by the General Counsel's Office (Code G). The award call offers two competitions: NASA Commercial Invention of the Year and NASA Government Invention of the Year. Two nominations may be submitted from each Center. All nominations will be considered for each award. At least one NASA inventor must be on each award. The winner(s) will receive a cash award provided by the Inventions and Contributions Board as part of the Space Act Awards Program. Please forward all nominations to YA-C1/Pam Bookman by Dec. 31. Nomination criteria and application forms can be found on the Web site http://icb.nasa.gov/aeqchoice.html .