Arcata's Research Facilities and Engineering Support Services (RF&ESS) Team earns a 96 - the 11^th Excellent Award Fee Score!

Here's what our NASA Dryden Flight Research Center customer says about Arcata's Team:

"Technical Monitors (TMs) and Performance Monitors (PMs) continue to receive customer comments and praises about how well various individuals and departments perform. Arcata continues to provide excellent customer outreach and satisfaction. Arcata exceeds the requirements by delivering products and support that are superior at Dryden. Arcata's expertise is unmatched and aids the Dryden community with performance and great customer service." - 11th Performance Evaluation Board Report, Highlights from the Period (August 1, 2007 - January 31, 2008) included:

• Outstanding support to the Ikhana - Western States Fire Mission Project

  NASA and the U.S. Forest Service took the Ikhana unmanned aircraft and its thermal-infrared imaging payload over 10 wildfires in southern and central California, Oregon and Washington Sept. 7 and 8. The 20-hour flight covered about 3,200 nautical miles, and extended to within 50 miles of the Canadian border before heading back to NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in Southern California. The flights are part of the Western States Fire Mission, which is demonstrating improved wildfire imaging and mapping capabilities of the sophisticated imaging sensor and real-time data communications equipment developed at NASA's Ames Research Center. Arcata supported the Ikhana by building up the fiber and network infrastructure, and providing video documentation, still pictures, system and integration and engineering services and operational support.

Left: NASA's Ikhana unmanned science aircraft. NASA photo by Tony Landis, Arcata. Right: in this colorized infrared image taken by the Autonomous Modular Scanner on the Ikhana flying over the Harris Fire in San Diego County in October 2007, active fire areas show up in bright yellow and pink, while previously burned areas are noted in various green and blue hues. NASA Photo.

• Support of SOFIA Build up and Preparation for Flight Testing
  
  NASA is developing the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy - or SOFIA - as a world-class airborne observatory that will complement the Hubble, Spitzer, Herschel and James Webb space telescopes and major Earth-based telescopes. Major aircraft modifications and installation of the telescope was carried out in Waco, Texas. Completion of systems installation, integration and flight test operations are being conducted at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., from 2007 through 2010. In November 2007, five flights confirmed the structural integrity and performance of the modified Boeing 747SP that carries SOFIA's 17-metric-ton infrared telescope. Arcata has been instrumental in upgrading the IT infrastructure of the Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility where the SOFIA is currently housed. In addition, Arcata's Operations and Maintenance team has provided flawless real-time support.

Left: NASA's SOFIA infrared observatory in flight during the first of a series of test flights of the highly modified Boeing 747SP. NASA photo by Carla Thomas, Arcata. Right: SOFIA's infrared telescope. NASA photo by Tom Tschida, Arcata.

• The Shuttle Network Director provided a letter of appreciation for the support provided to the STS-118 mission. Arcata also supported STS-120 during this period, with radars supporting a total of 181 orbits and telemetry supporting 125 for both missions.
  
  
• Quickly established an Emergency Communication Center to successfully acquire Satellite communications as a demonstration for Dryden's Safety Day.
  
  
• Arcata's community outreach was also a highlight. In this time period, the RF&ESS Team supported: American Cancer Society - Relay for Life; Lancaster Community Homeless Shelter dinner; "Adopt a Family" holiday toy drive and the Tehachapi High School FIRST Robotics Team.