Past NAL Events
2022
- Sept 1 - Veteran NASA astronaut Bob Behnken talked about his experiences flying on SpaceX Crew Dragon Demo-2 flight.
- Aug 4 - "Gateway" - Debra Lubhan, Gateway Manager for Vehicle System Integration, and Tremayne Days, Gateway Safety & Mission Assurance Manager provided the latest status on NASA's effort to develop Gateway, a space station that will orbit the moon.
- July 21 - SOCIAL & DINNER - "JSC Center Director Update" by JSC Director Vanessa Wyche
- July 7 - "Making Space History" - Matthew Peek, Associate Director of University of Houston-Clear Lake Archives and Special Collections discussed archiving personal collections and papers.
- June 2 - Venus Aerospace, based at Houston's Ellington Spaceport, is developing a hypersonic aircraft to transport passengers to Earth landing sites in much less time than traditional aviation. Founders Sassie Duggleby, CEO, and Andrew Duggleby, CTO, provided an overview of their program. - Zoom Meeting
- May 5 - "Artemis 1 Mission Status" - Paul Marshall, the Orion Program's Assistant Manager for Strategy Integration, provided an update on the status of the Artemis 1 mission to send an unmanned Orion capsule to circle the Moon and return it to Earth. - Zoom Meeting
- April 7 - "Safety and Secrecy at NASA during the Apollo Program" - Callum Hardy is a postgraduate student at King’s College London. He discusses his thoughts on the causes of the Apollo 1 fire, including the impact of confidentiality and secrecy leading to breaches of safety during the Apollo program. - Zoom Meeting Callum's Dissertation
- March 3 - "Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership Presentation" - Bob Mitchell, President of the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership, spoke about BAHEP and its Space Alliance Outreach Program. - Zoom Meeting
- Feb 3 - "Rocket Spotting in North Korea" - NAL member James Oberg discussed his visit to the North Korean satellite launch center in 2012, as an NBC-News 'space consultant'. - Zoom Meeting
- Jan 6 - "Zoo in Space" - Former Shuttle Flight Director and NASA Alumni League member Rob Kelso talked about the various animals and insects that have had a part in the space program....and WHY.- Zoom Meeting
2021
- Nov 4 - Jason Ballard, co-founder and CEO of ICON, an Austin-based construction technologies company pioneering in construction-scale 3D printing, discussed how 3D printing is an essential part of humanity's toolkit to go to the Moon and Mars to stay. Video Presentation - Zoom Meeting
- Oct 7 - Carl Brainerd (retired), formerly with Link Flight Simulation, described the Shuttle Mission Simulator (SMS) complex used to train all Shuttle crews, and specifically the disassembly and current Motion Base restoration effort. Restoration Presentation charts. - Zoom Meeting
- Sept 2 - Dr. Brian Crucian, lead scientist for NASA’s Immunology research, discussed changes to an astronaut’s immune system during spaceflight, as well as developing countermeasures to help mitigate the clinical risks for astronauts during long-duration mission. - Zoom Meeting
- Aug 5 - "Stopping a Pandemic with Spacesuit Technology" - NAL member Dr. Larry Kuznetz, chief scientist and designer for Planetary Protech, discussed developing a pathogen-protected suit to defend against present and future pandemics. - Zoom Meeting
- July 1 - "Apollo's Lessons" - Space historian Andrew Chaikin talked about his work for NASA on the human elements of success and failure in spaceflight projects, focusing on the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs. - Zoom meeting
- June 3 - John Couluris, Program Manager for Blue Origin's Human Landing System, discussed Blue Origin's concept for their vehicle to land American astronauts on the Moon. - Zoom Meeting
- May 6 - NAL member Jerry Ross described some of the beautiful pictures of Earth that were taken during his seven Space Shuttle missions. "Around the world in 90 minutes" - Zoom Meeting
- April 1 - A 40th anniversary moderated discussion about STS-1 with Bob Crippen, Dick Truly, Neil Hutchinson, Chuck Lewis, and Gene Kranz - Zoom Meeting
- Mar 4 - Steve Labbe, Director of Engineering at Intuitive Machines, discussed Intuitive Machines' Lunar Program Overview. - Zoom Meeting
- Feb 4 - James Oberg discussed "Fireball Swarms from Satellite Reentries -- Astonishing Mass Public Misinterpretations Provide Unexpected Perceptual Lessons" - Zoom Meeting
- Jan 7 - Mark Craig gave a presentation on "NASA's Narrative on Exploration and Development of Space" - Zoom Meeting
2020
- Dec 3 - Dr. Kirsten Siebach, Martian geologist and Rice University Assistant Professor in Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Science, presented "Reading the Martian Record: Stories of a Previously Habitable World." - Zoom Meeting
- Nov 5 - Dr. Scott Greenald, Senior Vision Scientist in NASA's Cardiovascular and Vision Laboratory presented "How a headwind fluid shift in weightlessness may cause spaceflight-associated neuroocular syndrome (SANS). - Zoom Meeting.
- Oct 1 - Torin McCoy, Branch Chief, Environmental Sciences Branch, Human Health and Performance Directorate NASA gave a talk about Lunar Dust Toxicity - Zoom Meeting
- Sept. 3 — Dr. David Kring from the Lunar and Planetary Institute presented “Lunar South Pole: Preparing for a Seventh Landing.” - Zoom Meeting
- Aug 6 – Former astronaut and NOAA Administrator, Dr. Kathy Sullivan presented “Challenges in Sea and Space.” - Zoom Meeting
- July 23 - Daniel Newmyer – Space Center Houston VP of Education presented “Innovating Education in Challenging Times,” about the educational outreach programs being conducted by SSH during the pandemic. – Zoom Meeting
- July 2 – Space Nutrition by Scott Smith, PhD., Head of the JSC Nutritional Biochemistry Laboratory – Zoom Meeting
- March 5 – “To Boldly Sequence Where No One Has Sequenced Before: How DNA Sequencing is Changing Life in Space”, Dr. Sarah Wallace, JSC Microbiology Lab Technical Lead
- Feb 5 – “Venous Blood Flow Stasis and Thrombosis During Spaceflight”, Karina Marshall-Goebel, PhD, Senior Scientist
2019
- Dec 10 - JOINT SOCIAL & DINNER with Manned Spaceflight Operations Association (MSOA) – Speaker was Gateway Deputy Program Manager Lara Kearney. Link to presentation
- Dec 5 – Guest speaker was Chris Culbert, Manager, Commercial Lunar Payload Services. Link to presentation
- Nov 7 – NAL member Dean Eppler presented “Introduction to the Moon.”
- Oct 10 – SOCIAL & DINNER – Guest speaker was JSC Deputy Director Vanessa Wyche.
- Oct 3 – Larry Bell, Director Emeritus of the Univ. of Houston Central Campus Sasakawa Space Architecture School.
- Sept 5 – Steven Gonzalez, Technology Transfer Strategist presented “JSC Tech Transfer: The Latest on Partnerships and Start-Ups.” After this, Charlene Gilbert, Intellectual Properties Portfolio Manager, discussed the efforts of the JSC Tech Transfer Office to formulate an Intellectual Property strategy to support US Commercial Space companies.
- August 1 – “Orion Program Update”, Charlie Lundquist — Orion Deputy Program Manager.
- July 20 – Apollo 11 50th Reunion Social – Pictures from Apollo Landing Anniversary Events – Joint activity with MSOA.
- June 6 – NAL members got a guided tour of the Lone Star Flight Museum at Ellington Field.
- May 2 – Dick Rybacki and Tim Jeffcoat of the Small Business Administration gave a presentation on SCORE
- Feb 7 – Tour of new UHCL STEM building and Recreational and Wellness Facility
- March 7 — “NASA’s samples from across the solar system”, Cindy Evans, Chief of JSC’s Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division
- March 21 – SOCIAL & DINNER – JSC Director Mark Geyer was the guest speaker.
- April 4 — “Apollo-11: Fantastic Myths and Legends, and Where They Came From”, James Oberg, Presentation on Apollo 11 White Spot., Presentation on Apollo 11 UFO
2018
- Dec 6 (First Thursday) – “Girlstart – Empowering Girls for STEM Careers” – Jeff Davis
- Dec 3 – Holiday Social
- Nov 1 – A panel of Apollo veterans, Chet Vaughn, Hal Beck, Gene Ricks, Bill Moon and Denny Holt shared their stories and experiences from these historic first steps leading to the Moon landing.
- Oct 17 – SOCIAL & DINNER – “Growth and New Visions at UHCL”, Dr. Ira K. Blake, the new president of UHCL”
- Oct 4 – “James Webb Space Telescope Testing at JSC during Hurricane Harvey”, JSC/Jonathan Homan
- Sept 6 – “Engineering Technology Development Effort”, JSC/Monte Goforth
- August 2 – “International Space Station: Operating an Outpost In the New Frontier” – Dr. Robert Dempsey
- July – No program
- June 18 – SOCIAL & DINNER – “NAL-JSC – Your Impact on the Community”
- June 7 – NASA Alumni League President Wayne Hale – “Update on the NAL National Organization”
- May – No program
- April 5 – Joe Caram/SE&I Lead for Deep Space Gateway
- March 1 – “Chasing Poor Man’s Space Probes”, a discussion on the study of meteorites and what we learn from them – Dr. Everett Gibson
- Feb 1, 2018 – Tracy Lamm from Space Center gave an update on activities at Space Center Houston
- Jan 4 – Space Shuttle Astronaut Jim Wetherbee, Discussion and Book Signing for “Controlling Risk – In a Dangerous World”
2017
- Dec 7 – JSC/Jesse Buffington, “NASA’s Progress and Planning in Exploration EVA”
- Nov 7 – SOCIAL & DINNER – “History of the MOL Program”, Dr. John Charles
- Nov 2 – STS-5 Reunion “Photos” and “Part 1 Video – Vance Brand’s mission overview”, “Part 2 Video – Panel Discussion”. The panel included Vance Brand, Flight Director Tommy Holloway, Payloads Officer Mike Hawes, Training Manager Ronnie Lanier, Program Office Leonard Nicholson, and NASA Headquarters Jon Michael Smith
- Oct 5 – UHCL Dr. David Garrison – Overview of the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Houston – Clear Lake
- Sept 21 – UHCL Robotics tour at UHCL Presentation 1, Presentation 2
- Sept 7 – No program
- Aug 22 SOCIAL & DINNER – “Center Director Update” – Dr. Ellen Ochoa/JSC Center Director
- Aug 3 – “JSC’s Engineers Without Borders Chapter: Several Projects Applying Space Technology to Help in the Developing World“, Jack Bacon
- July 18 SOCIAL & DINNER – “Orion Program Update without videos, small PDF download” “PowerPoint Charts with Videos, large download”, – Program Manager/Mark Kirasich
- July 6 – “History of Underwater/Neutral Buoyancy Training for Astronauts”, Dr. John Charles
- June 1 – Frank Hughes presented his Apollo 13 class that he teaches at Lone Star College
- May 4 – SOCIAL & DINNER – “Long-term care for those with Azheimer’s and memory issues” – Anne Neelon, Executive Director of Autumn Leaves of Clear Lake
- April 14 – “Dream Chaser”, John Curry -Dream Chaser Program Director/Sierra Nevada Corporation
- Mar 7 – SOCIAL & DINNER – “ISS program Current Status and Outlook” – Kirk Shireman/Manager International Space Station Program
- Mar 2 – “Eva Suit Design Status” – Amy Ross
- Feb 7 – “Curiosity: The Mars Science Laboratory and Mars Exploration”, Doug Archer
2016
- Dec 1 – “Hope 1: Space Suit Project” Gordon Andrews/Strategic Communications Group
- Nov 15 – SOCIAL & DINNER – Preliminary Results of NASA’s Twins Study, Dr. John Charles, Ph.D., Chief Scientist, NASA Human Research Program
- Nov 3 – “Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL) Talk and Tour” by Dan Sedej
- Oct 6 – “JSC History: Cradle to Grave”, Speakers – John Uri, JSC History Office Manager and Lauren Meyers, JSC History Collection Archivist, UHCL Neuman Library
- Sept 1 – “DNA Sequencer on ISS”, Dr. Aaron Burton, Principal Investigator
- Aug 4 – “The Value of the Moon” – Dr. Paul Spudis, Senior Staff Scientist, Lunar and Planetery Institute
- July 7 – “A New Moon Rises: a 21st Century View of the Moon from LRO”, Dr. Samuel Lawrence, NASA Exploration Integration and Science Directorate
- June 7 – SOCIAL & DINNER – “Remembering Columbia: Building the NEXT Greatest Generation”, Belinda Gay from The Patricia Huffman Smith NASA “Remembering Columbia” Museum in Hemphill Texas
- June 2 – Joel Walker, Director of Center Operations, conducted an onsite tour of the newly renovated buildings at JSC.
- May 5 – “Very Recent Pluto Flyby results and Developing a Micro gravity Instrument for ISS”, Dr. Marc Fries
- Apr 7 – “The Changing Face of ISS” – Jeff Arend
- Mar 15 – “Recent Findings About Pluto and Ceres – Texas-sized Planets” – Marc Fries
- Mar 4 – “Space Enviroment Simulation Lab (SEL) Chamber A Reactivaton and JWST Testing”
- Feb 4 – The Changing Face of JSC – Renovation, Innovation, New Buildings – Joel Walker, Director of Center Operations
- Jan 7 – “The Ordinary Astronaut” – Clayton Anderson, Astronaut and Author
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