NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

HEROES HONORED – MSFC

Michael Griffin SOT: “…Today I want to help tell one story, a story of the people who did nothing less than save America’s space program from quite literally being grounded for years.”

NASA has awarded its Exceptional Bravery Medal to 38 men and women who risked their lives during Hurricane Katrina to protect the agency's Michoud Assembly Facility east of New Orleans. Michoud manufactures the external fuel tanks for the space shuttle.

Malcolm Wood SOT: “…The first things we did was go look at the external tanks and see the condition of those tanks. So, it makes us feel real proud that we had this opportunity to serve the community and to serve the nation.”

While thousands evacuated the surrounding area before the storm made landfall, this "ride-out" crew stayed behind at Michoud, ensuring Katrina's high winds and massive flooding would cause only minor damage. As a result of their heroic efforts, delay in external tank processing was kept to a minimum.

Guy Jackson SOT: “…Survival was a double-edged sword. You knew you had a place to come back to work to, which is obviously what we set out to do, to protect the site. We also realized that we had no place to go to when we left here -- really a difficult thing go through. We lost everything in our homes. But we knew the one salvation we had was our work.”

Launch Announcer: “…And lift off of Space Shuttle Discovery.”

The crew's work was essential not only to NASA's Space Shuttle Program, but also to the future of human space flight. Michoud's unique manufacturing facilities figure prominently in America's Vision for Space Exploration, since derivatives of the external tank are part of the design for the next generation spacecraft

MISSION ENDS – JPL

Topex-Poseidon, the oceanography satellite of NASA and France’s National Center of Space Studies, has ceased operations after nearly 62,000 orbits of Earth, bringing to a close a highly successful 13-year mission. Launched on August 10, 1992, Topex/Poseidon made global measurements of sea surface heights using a radar altimeter. The data was used to study climate and marine mammals. Topex/Poseidon was also useful in charting ship routes and improving fisheries management. In October 2005, the spacecraft lost its ability to maneuver. Since then, troubleshooting efforts by NASA and its partner failed to revive the satellite.

THE LAST STORM - JSC

A glimpse of a rare January tropical storm was captured by the International Space Station as it traveled 220 miles above the earth's surface. The ISS cameras spotted Tropical Storm Zeta swirling over the open Atlantic on January 3. Zeta formed December 30th to become 2005's 27th named storm. Zeta ties Alice in 19-54 for the latest tropical storm on record to form in the Atlantic Basin.

PUFF BALL – CXC

This huge puff ball captured by NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory was once a star. Now it's a mass of expanding gas that spans more than 70 light years! One thousand years ago, in the year 1006 , a new star was recorded in the sky that today we know was really an existing star exploding. Known today as SN 1006, this giant puff ball of expanding gas is still visible with telescopes and glows in every type of light. This image was captured by the orbiting Chandra Observatory in X-ray light.

COMING HOME - JPL

After seven years and 2.1 billion miles, NASA’s Stardust Spacecraft is coming home, carrying particles collected from the Comet Wild 2. The samples collected will fill less than a thimble, but their secrets could hold clues to the formation of the solar system. Stardust’s Sample Return Capsule is scheduled to touch down January 15th. Recovering the capsule is a delicate, well-orchestrated procedure. The capsule will plunge into the earth’s atmosphere at nearly 28,000 miles an hour, one of the fastest reentries every undertaken. The friction will dramatically raise the temperature of the heat shield, creating a glow in the western sky. 20 miles above sea level, a small drogue shoot will deploy to slow the capsule. Six minutes later, the main parachute deploys, carrying the sample return capsule to a soft landing at the Army's Dugway Proving Ground in Utah. After recovery of the capsule, the comet samples will be transported to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, where scientists will open this treasure trove of information!

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