African-American engineer gets "cool" fuel to Shuttle

Marta R. Metelko
Headquarters, Washington February 02, 2004
(Phone: 202/358-1642)

RELEASE: 04-051

AFRICAN-AMERICAN ENGINEER GETS 'COOL' FUEL TO SHUTTLE

In just over eight minutes, the Space Shuttle goes from
standing still to moving more than 17,000 mph. Martin Hayes, a
25-year-old African-American engineer at NASA's Kennedy Space
Center (KSC) in Florida, knows the process well. The Shuttle
couldn't leave Earth without the ultra-cool hydrogen fuel that
his team loads into the Shuttle's huge external tank six hours
before every launch.

The Shuttle's three main engines burn a mixture of liquid
hydrogen and oxygen at an incredible rate of approximately
1,000 gallons every second. Hayes and the "hydrogen team" at
KSC maintain the fuel stored in a 900,000-gallon, thermos-like
container that keeps the hydrogen liquid by cooling it to minus
425 degrees Fahrenheit.

On launch day, Hayes and the team ensure the liquid hydrogen
flows smoothly through an intricate series of above ground
pipes to the Shuttle's external tank. The work is neither for
the timid nor those afraid of heights, as many of the valves
and pipes that transport the hydrogen reach as high as 215
feet.

"One of the perks of the job is the view from the launch
tower," Hayes said. "From there, you can see all the NASA and
Air Force launch pads and, beyond them, the vast ocean that
carried explorers to America. Seeing this panoramic view of the
Kennedy spaceport makes it clear, this is the gateway to the
universe for a new generation of explorers," he added.

Hayes began his NASA career in 1998 as a cooperative education
student while attending Tuskegee University, the historically
black university in Tuskegee, Ala. He earned a bachelor's
degree in aerospace engineering in 2000 and came to work for
NASA full time. Hayes has seen 15 Shuttle launches, but was
most dazzled by the first he witnessed in 1997, while
completing a summer internship in West Palm Beach, Fla., at
Pratt & Whitney. "Several students who had never seen a launch
went to Cape Canaveral together," Hayes recalled. "When the
Shuttle lifted off, it wasn't like anything I'd ever seen
before. Everyone should see a launch. Watching a spaceship
leave the Earth is indescribable," he said.

Hayes credits his parents, teachers and church leaders for his
success. They always encouraged him to follow his dreams
wherever they took him, even to the stars and beyond.
"I wish everyone could have a teacher like Dr. David Foye, who
taught physics at Murrah High School in Jackson County, Miss.,"
Hayes said. "He did experiments and demonstrations that brought
physics to life for the students," he said.

Hayes was on his way to visit another campus, when he stopped
by Tuskegee University. Dr. Eric Shepard, a Tuskegee aerospace
engineering professor, told Hayes about the university's
aerospace program. Shepard gave him such an impressive tour,
Hayes decided to enroll. At a career fair in 1998, Hayes talked
with a KSC representative and learned about the NASA co-op
education program that launched his career.

As a co-op student at KSC for two years, Hayes found the
position a great way to find out about NASA's career
possibilities. "You learn so much about the way NASA works,
information you can't get in any classroom," he remarked.

As a full-time NASA employee, Hayes believes it is important to
share information with other agency engineers and with students
interested in following in his footsteps. To network with other
African-American NASA engineers and exchange information, Hayes
is part of the Black Employee Strategy Team at KSC. The group
also sponsors recruiting trips to historically black colleges
and provides tutoring for elementary students.

"Never sacrifice your integrity. There's always pressure to go
in a certain direction, but don't follow the crowd, be an
innovator. Stick to what you know is true, and it will pay off
in the long run. Being true to yourself is its own reward,"
Hayes advised.

Media organizations interested in interviewing Hayes should
contact Tracy Young, KSC Public Affairs at: 321/867-9284.

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Internet,
visit:

http://www.nasa.gov


-end-



--
-------------------

Jacques :-)

Editor: www.spacepatches.info

Jacques van Oene wrote:
AFRICAN-AMERICAN ENGINEER GETS 'COOL' FUEL TO SHUTTLE

Since when did Africa participate in NASA programs ? (I assume they really
meant South Africa ?)

And in case, this is just equal opportunity stuff to show that NASA employs
people with black skin, do the employees selected for such PR have the right
to veto their being labeled "african american" ?

(If a person is haitian, he might prefer being called haitian-american).

"John Doe"

this is just equal opportunity stuff to show that NASA employs
people with black skin

For all we know, he could be selling liquid hydrogen secrets to Moazmbique.

I must ask a question he why aren't black Americans (African Americans)
simply called Americans?

"John Doe" wrote in message
...
Jacques van Oene wrote:
AFRICAN-AMERICAN ENGINEER GETS 'COOL' FUEL TO SHUTTLE

Since when did Africa participate in NASA programs ? (I assume they really
meant South Africa ?)

And in case, this is just equal opportunity stuff to show that NASA
employs
people with black skin, do the employees selected for such PR have the
right
to veto their being labeled "african american" ?

(If a person is haitian, he might prefer being called haitian-american).

"Alan Erskine" wrote in message
...

I must ask a question he why aren't black Americans (African Americans)
simply called Americans?

to be blunt, because if they're just "American" they don't get special
treatment anymore and don't have a built-in excuse.

Sadly, there are still plenty of black people who are still obsessed with
being persecuted. Lots more have achieved enough (free your mind and your
ass will follow) that they really don't give a damn whether they're a
minority anymore, which is the way *everyone* should feel.

But there are still a bunch of feet-draggers in the black community. Mainly
the people whose own influence is through the "persons of color" hierarchy
instead of the "just people" hierarchy.

--
Terrell Miller


"It's one thing to burn down the **** house and another thing entirely to
install plumbing"
-PJ O'Rourke

All the white folks are in an underground bunker two miles away, and the
Afro-American dude considers it an honor to be outside next to a 500,000
gallon tank of liquid hydrogen. What does this guy do between launches is
what I want to know. Public speaking tours on careers in pumping gas.....

Imagine if the story had run like this. It would have been called raceist.



Marta R. Metelko
Headquarters, Washington February 02, 2004
(Phone: 202/358-1642)

RELEASE: 04-051

EUROPEAN-AMERICAN ENGINEER GETS 'COOL' FUEL TO SHUTTLE

In just over eight minutes, the Space Shuttle goes from
standing still to moving more than 17,000 mph. Martin Hayes, a
25-year-old European-American engineer at NASA's Kennedy Space
Center (KSC) in Florida, knows the process well. The Shuttle
couldn't leave Earth without the ultra-cool hydrogen fuel that
his team loads into the Shuttle's huge external tank six hours
before every launch.

The Shuttle's three main engines burn a mixture of liquid
hydrogen and oxygen at an incredible rate of approximately
1,000 gallons every second. Hayes and the "hydrogen team" at
KSC maintain the fuel stored in a 900,000-gallon, thermos-like
container that keeps the hydrogen liquid by cooling it to minus
425 degrees Fahrenheit.

On launch day, Hayes and the team ensure the liquid hydrogen
flows smoothly through an intricate series of above ground
pipes to the Shuttle's external tank. The work is neither for
the timid nor those afraid of heights, as many of the valves
and pipes that transport the hydrogen reach as high as 215
feet.

"One of the perks of the job is the view from the launch
tower," Hayes said. "From there, you can see all the NASA and
Air Force launch pads and, beyond them, the vast ocean that
carried explorers to America. Seeing this panoramic view of the
Kennedy spaceport makes it clear, this is the gateway to the
universe for a new generation of explorers," he added.

Hayes began his NASA career in 1998 as a cooperative education
student while attending Tuskegee University, the historically
white university in Tuskegee, Ala. He earned a bachelor's
degree in aerospace engineering in 2000 and came to work for
NASA full time. Hayes has seen 15 Shuttle launches, but was
most dazzled by the first he witnessed in 1997, while
completing a summer internship in West Palm Beach, Fla., at
Pratt & Whitney. "Several students who had never seen a launch
went to Cape Canaveral together," Hayes recalled. "When the
Shuttle lifted off, it wasn't like anything I'd ever seen
before. Everyone should see a launch. Watching a spaceship
leave the Earth is indescribable," he said.

Hayes credits his parents, teachers and church leaders for his
success. They always encouraged him to follow his dreams
wherever they took him, even to the stars and beyond.
"I wish everyone could have a teacher like Dr. David Foye, who
taught physics at Murrah High School in Jackson County, Miss.,"
Hayes said. "He did experiments and demonstrations that brought
physics to life for the students," he said.

Hayes was on his way to visit another campus, when he stopped
by Tuskegee University. Dr. Eric Shepard, a Tuskegee aerospace
engineering professor, told Hayes about the university's
aerospace program. Shepard gave him such an impressive tour,
Hayes decided to enroll. At a career fair in 1998, Hayes talked
with a KSC representative and learned about the NASA co-op
education program that launched his career.

As a co-op student at KSC for two years, Hayes found the
position a great way to find out about NASA's career
possibilities. "You learn so much about the way NASA works,
information you can't get in any classroom," he remarked.

As a full-time NASA employee, Hayes believes it is important to
share information with other agency engineers and with students
interested in following in his footsteps. To network with other
European-American NASA engineers and exchange information, Hayes
is part of the White Employee Strategy Team at KSC. The group
also sponsors recruiting trips to historically white colleges
and provides tutoring for elementary students.

"Never sacrifice your integrity. There's always pressure to go
in a certain direction, but don't follow the crowd, be an
innovator. Stick to what you know is true, and it will pay off
in the long run. Being true to yourself is its own reward,"
Hayes advised.

Media organizations interested in interviewing Hayes should
contact Tracy Young, KSC Public Affairs at: 321/867-9284.

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Internet,
visit:

http://www.nasa.gov


-end-



--
-------------------

Jacques :-)

Editor: www.spacepatches.info