NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Plum Brook Reunion Looks Back and Ahead

More than 200 retirees of Glenn's Plum Brook Station (PBS) reminisced about past accomplishments and discussed the exciting challenges ahead for the agency during the 2006 PBS Reunion on September 23.

Image right: PBS Reunion dinner and presentation was held in the Engineering Building. Credit: NASA/Marvin Smith

Ron Cull, acting PBS deputy manager, standing in for PBS Chief Richard Kunuth, welcomed the attendees with a keynote address and presented a video highlighting PBS's role in critical-path test programs supporting NASA's Vision for Exploration.

"I've always held the opinion -- and current events bear out -- that we (Glenn) are 30 years ahead of our time," said William Brown, PBS reunion chair. "I remember working with Jim Deyo in early 1969, assembling hardware for the Brayton Cycle Electrical Power System which we transported to PBS for testing in the Space Power Facility. Now it's finally being considered for electrical power applications in space."

Image left: David Silverstein, guest of honor and son of former Center Director Abe Silverstein, chats with Cull. Credit: NASA/Marvin Smith

Others, like Brown, expressed excitement at seeing the rehabilitation of the Space Propulsion Facility/B-2 to accommodate the Ares I engine tests. Many view the plans as a follow-up to the RL-10 engine work for the Centaur -- just at a higher thrust level.

Dinner and self-guided tours of several facilities followed the video. Glenn's History Office's pictorial and historic book display was an appropriate backdrop for a book signing by Dr. Mark D. Bowles. Dr. Bowles provided retirees with complimentary copies of "Science in Flux: NASA's Nuclear Program at Plum Brook Station, 1955 - 2005."

The 2006 reunion committee, that returned to conduct another successful event, included William Brown, Earl Boitel, Tom Brink, Jack Crooks, Len Homyak, Jim Hurst, Harry McCune, Bob Puzak, Richard Schuh, Starr Truscott and Dave and Betty Willinger.

Image right: PBS reunion committee members, left to right, Brown, Truscott, Homyak, Crooks, and Betty and Dave Willinger, who participated in welcoming remarks. Credit: NASA/Marvin Smith

Editor's note: A link to the PBS reunion group photo and others are available for a limited time compliments of Glenn's Imaging Technology Center at

http://grcitc.grc.nasa.gov/gallery/pbreunion/index.htm

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S. Jenise Veris
NASA's Glenn Research Center