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LAGNAIPPE
January 22, 1998
RS-68...
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cutbacks in shuttle. So we do have a slight increase projected for the next several years.”
It’s a matter of moving personnel from one program to another. New test programs have the test stands at Stennis booked up for the next 20 to 25 years. Miller said.
“This is very consistent with our strategic plan here to utilize all the test stands we have and keep everyone busy at a constant level so that we don’t have the big peaks and valleys as programs come and go,” he said.
Nearly 700 people work in the rocket testing business at Stennis.
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associated with the X-33 program. At Stennis, his office is part of NASA’s Propulsion Test Directorate, but he also answers to the RLV office at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.
In addition to managing the project at Stennis, his job requires him to spend time traveling to California where he meets with Lockheed Martin officials and participates in critical design reviews for the X-33.
When he’s not on the road,
Gilbrech spends time with his family in Picayune, which includes his wife, Shelly, and their two sons, Ryan, 8, and Brandon, 2.
LAGNIAPPE
Lagniappe is published monthly by the John C. Stennis Space Center. Roy Estess is the center director, and Myron Webb is the public affairs officer. Comments and suggestions should be forwarded to the Lagniappe Office, Building 1200, Room 207. Stennis Space Center. MS 39529, or call (228)688-3583.
EDITOR:
...................Sharon Saucier
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:
Robert Collins.......Kelly Smith
PHOTOGRAPHERS:
Richard Brown......Charles Jones
QUICK LOOK
■	The SSC Golf league is looking for new members for the 1998 season. The season runs from the end of April through the middle of September. If enough Louisiana residents are interested, there may be a split league with a Louisiana division. Call Robert Taylor at Ext. 7926 for more information.
■	The Stennis Electronics/Communi-catioas Product Show will be held Jan. 28 in Building 11 (X) Conference Center Room 107. It is being sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey and Southern Electronics Supply. Eleven companies are scheduled to exhibit. Refreshments will be provided.
■	The SSC Security Office reminds employees that it maintains a lost-and-found box. If you are looking for, or have found a lost item, call the security dispatcher at Ext. 3636.
IA blood drive w ill be held from 9 a.m. until 3 p.ni. Feb. 18 in the
Building 1100 Conference Center. The blood drive is being conducted by the Blood Center. For more information, contact Elizabeth Valenti at Ext. 1468.
■	Keesler Federal Credit Union has
moved its ATM to directly in front of the cafeteria in Building 1100.
■	Hot food again in the cafeteria. The
cafeteria will be fully operational Monday, Jan. 26. Limited hot food, salad bar and sandwich line will be available Jan. 20-23.
SSME...
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Station, and they will reduce risk and provide an overall safety benefit to the program.
Deployment of the space station will require the shuttle to carry an additional
16,000	pounds of payload than it does now. Critical to the assembly and operation of the station is the improved ruggedness and reliability of Block II main engines.
The first two main engine tests of 1998 at SSC were directly involved with developing the Block II.
On Jan. 6, a successful 250-second test was conducted on the A-2 test stand to see how the computer controller on a Block II engine would handle a lockup of the engine’s hydraulic system. Engineers had purposely programmed the test profile so that the engine’s hydraulic supply would fail at 210 seconds into the test. The engine controller’s software indicated the failure and continued to perform and complete the scheduled test time.
A successful test Jan. 8 on the B-1 stand was conducted to simulate the fuel chill procedure of the main engines as is done at Kennedy for each launch.
Before a launch at Kennedy and before engine tests at Stennis, the extremely cold liquid propellants are routed through the engines. The difference is that tne shuttle has recirculation pumps that create a back pressure on the fuel bleed system, which is normally not created for engine tests.
During the Jan. 8 test, a motorized facility valve was used to simulate a back pressure on the fuel bleed system for 15 minutes. This is not a new procedure in engine testing, but a more accurate simulation of the-shuttle’s fuel inlet conditions and is essential in development.
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