Investigation Board Visits KSC
The Columbia Accident Investigation Board arrived at the KSC Shuttle Land-ing Facility Wednesday, Feb. 12. Board Chairman Retired Navy Admiral Harold W. Gehman Jr. and other members of the board will be visiting the Orbiter Processing Facilities, the Vehicle Assembly Building, the launch pads and the Launch Control Center. The independent board is charged with determining what caused the destruction of the Space Shuttle Columbia and the loss of its seven-member crew on Feb. 1 during reentry.

The Columbia debris located to date is being transported to KSC for reconstruction and examination in the RLV Hangar (below), marked with grid lines.

ELV Update
By early March, spacecraft for three JPL missions will be at KSC. The Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) is currently at the Multi-Purpose Payload Processing Facility. A solar array deployment test for the satellite is scheduled for today. At the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, launch processing continues on the landers and cruise stages for the pair of Mars Exploration Rover (MER) missions. The rovers themselves will arrive at KSC in late February and early March. The Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) is also scheduled to arrive at KSC to begin processing in Hangar AE the first week of March. GALEX is scheduled to launch March 25, SIRTF April 15, and the Mars missions May 30 and June 25.

Education Opportunity
Florida Tech's School of Extended Graduate Studies offers MS degrees in Software Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Information Systems, Space Systems and Space Systems Management. Applications are currently being accepted for the summer semester, which begins the week of April 28. Contact Caro-lyn Henninger at chenning@fit.edu. Also, Florida Tech's School of Management offers the MBA, the MBA with a concentration in Acquisition and Contract Management, and the MS in Engineering Management. Applications are currently being accepted for the summer semester, which begins the week of May 12. Contact Sharon Stites at sstites@fit.edu. The office is located in the KSC Industrial Area, at B Avenue and 2nd Street, Bldg. TRM-032. Evening classes are held at the Kennedy Space Center and Patrick Air Force Base. For information on all degrees, call 453-2030.

Reminder
The Lobster & Clam Bake sponsored by the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Foundation Inc., will be held 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at the Lighthouse. Tickets are $25 for a menu featuring lobster or chicken, clams, corn & bread. Call 868-6502 for tickets, or purchase them at Mainely Lobster, Cocoa Beach, 799-4700, or Village Perks, Cocoa, 638-0038.

Due to security considerations, transportation to the clam bake will be provided starting at 3:45 p.m. from the CCAFS Pass & ID Building. Attendees must show ticket and photo ID, be a U.S. citizen and at least age 16.

Engineer Of The Year Banquet
The Society of Women Engineers Space Coast Section is hosting their annual Women Engineer of the Year Awards Banquet Feb. 19 at the Rockledge Country Club. Awards for Technical Achievement, Outstanding New Engineer and Outstanding Woman Engineer will be awarded. Nominations have been received from Boeing, USA, Harris, NASA, Computer Sciences Raytheon, and ITT SLRC. Vilma Brueggemeyer, vice president and office manager of Environmental Consulting Technologies Inc., will be the guest speaker. RSVP is due Friday, Feb. 14, to Judy Kersey at judykersey@cfl.rr.com or 783-4644, or Linda Hait at l.hait@boeing.com or 867-0854.