AIAA Houston Chapter Presents!

 Space Operations Technical Committee

Mr. Carl E. Walz

Vice President for Human Space Flight Operations

Orbital Sciences Advanced Programs Group

                   Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012 Gilruth Center Alamo Ball Room 11:30 to 1:00 PM

Lunch option available with RSVP only at the www.aiaa-houston.org  by Jan 27, 2012

To RSVP for the L&L only and no Lunch please do so here! Tickets for the lunch will only be sold by the AIAA on their web site.

Under the Commercial Resupply Service (CRS) program, Orbital will provide 8 pressurized cargo missions to the ISS beginning in 2012 and running through 2015, carrying approximately 20,000 kg of cargo to the ISS as well as disposal of ISS waste.  For NASA, CRS will provide a U.S.-produced and-operated automated cargo delivery service for ISS logistics support, to complement Russian, European and Japanese ISS cargo vehicles.  The Cygnus system is a low-risk design incorporating elements drawn from Orbital and its partners’ existing, flight-proven spacecraft technologies. The service module incorporates avionics systems from Orbital’s flight-proven LEOStar™ and GEOStar™ satellite product lines plus propulsion and power systems from the Orbital GEOStar communications satellites.  The pressurized cargo module is based the on the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM), developed by Thales Alenia Space for NASA. From an operations perspective, the Orbital team performs the pre-mission planning, crew training, and real-time mission execution in coordination with NASA.  COTS/CRS launches are planned at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility with integrated mission operations conducted from control centers in Dulles and Houston. Once berthed to ISS, the module will be operated by ISS astronauts.  Once interface connections are made and the hatch is opened, cargo is unloaded by astronauts.

Mr. Carl E. Walz, Vice President for Human Space Flight Operations in Orbital’s Advanced Programs Group, is responsible for all Orbital COTS/CRS mission operations activities. Mr. Walz will present and discuss the current status of Orbital’s COTS/CRS Program activities and operations planning in support of the first launch in early 2012.  Prior to joining Orbital, Mr. Walz served at NASA’s Washington, DC headquarters as Director for the Advanced Capabilities Division in the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate.  Before his assignment to NASA headquarters, Mr. Walz had a distinguished career as both a NASA astronaut and as an Air Force officer.

This event is open to all interested attendees. Classic Sandwich Deli selection buffet, Chips, and Cookies, and drink will be available for $9 for members, $10 for non-members with RSVP at www.aiaa-houston.org by Jan 27^th please! The meal will be available starting at 11:45 AM. Professional Engineers earn one hour of credit toward Continuing Education requirements by attending this event. For additional information please contact Beatriz Kelly-Serrato (BeBe), SOTCC at 281-798-9060 or bserrato@a-scc.com .