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Archived News:
+ June 2009
Environmental Workshop in Germany
TEERM, in concert with its partner in Portugal,
C3P and GE Global
Research in Germany, is holding a technical workshop on
environmental and alternative energy strategies in Munich,
Germany, November 10-12, 2009. You may register for the workshop
by completing the online
Registration. There is no fee, but space is limited, so
register now. If you are interested in presenting at the workshop,
provide a brief description (200 words or less) of the topic in
the
online registration page, Question 2, before August 1.
+ May 2009
Shuttle Environmental Assurance Initiative (SEA)
Technology Evaluation for Environmental Risk Mitigation Principal
Center (TEERM) personnel attended and presented at the
Face-to-Face meeting of the Shuttle Environmental Assurance
Initiative (SEA) team on April 28-29, 2009, in Houston, Texas.
Attendees included NASA personnel from Headquarters, multiple
centers, and contractors, including representatives from NASA’s
International Space Station and Constellation Programs. The role
of SEA is to support mission execution through the life cycle of
the Space Shuttle Program by mitigating the risks of materials
obsolescence as a result of environmental, health, or safety
regulations. Lessons learned from the Space Shuttle Program are
also being disseminated to the Constellation Program through
meetings such as these. Through participation Constellation
recognizes the value of implementing a SEA-like group to address
materials obsolescence issues that could affect the new mission
and is assessing the transition of this function.
+ April 2009
Meeting of the Joint Group on Pollution Prevention (JG-PP)
An annual meeting of the Principal members
of the Joint Group on Pollution Prevention (JG-PP) occurred
April 15, 2009 in Arlington, VA. The group is currently chaired
by NASA Headquarters Environmental Management Division at the
Principal level and NASA Technology Evaluation for Environmental
Risk Mitigation Principal Center (TEERM)
at the Working Group level. During an Executive Session, the
Army agreed to chair the group beginning in FY10.
Biobased (Corn) Blast Media “Show and Tell” at Kennedy Space
Center (KSC)
The NASA Technology Evaluation for Environmental Risk
Mitigation Principal Center (TEERM) hosted an all day
demonstration of corn hybrid polymer (CHP) blast media technology
on April 2nd at the Kennedy Space Center Space Station Processing
Facility (SSPF) (Building M7-0360). TEERM invited anyone at KSC or
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) interested in
environmentally preferable depainting operations to attend this
“show and tell”. TEERM is supporting NASA’s evaluation of
corn hybrid polymer (CHP) blast media as a potential drop-in
replacement for the current media used to de-coat delicate
substrates at various NASA centers.
+ March 2009 - No notable news.
+ February 2009
Corrosion Control Facility Goes Green Initiative
TEERM has teamed with Kennedy Space Center (KSC)
Environmental, the KSC Corrosion Technology Laboratory, and the KSC
Ransom Road Corrosion Control Facility on the “Corrosion Control
Facility Goes Green Initiative.” The purpose of the
initiative is to identify, validate, and implement environmentally
preferable corrosion protection technologies at the Corrosion
Control Facility. The first project is currently underway and
is evaluating thermal spray coatings and topcoats. Test
panels have been prepared and placed at the KSC corrosion beach
site. This project is closely associated with other TEERM
projects in which thermal spray coatings, gas dynamic spray
coatings, and topcoats are being demonstrated for NASA and Air
Force Space Command sites.
Lead-Free Electronics Project
NASA TEERM has completed assembly of 195 circuit cards to be tested
for reliability in a joint
NASA-DoD project. BAE Systems, Irving, Texas, provided the
test vehicle assembly as in-kind contribution to the project. The
objective of the laboratory effort is to assess the reliability of
circuit cards soldered with new lead-free alloys. The
assembled test boards will be subjected to accelerated testing
(thermal, vibration, shock, etc.) to simulate real world
conditions. Results of the testing will allow participating
organizations to make informed decisions about lead-free
implementation or mitigation strategies.
TEERM Program Management Review
NASA Headquarters Environmental Management Division (EMD)
conducted a Program Management Review (PMR) of the NASA TEERM in
Florida the week of February 2. The primary objective of the
PMR was to evaluate the progress of TEERM activities and examine
improvements to increase efficiency, effectiveness and quality.
Presently, TEERM is managing 10 demonstration/ validation projects
designed to qualify or evaluate new materials or processes to
reduce NASA’s risk to mission. TEERM also supports and
monitors more than a dozen other projects by partner organizations.
As part of the PMR, TEERM staff led EMD personnel on tours of some
project testing locations, notably Launch Complex 39A (Shuttle
hypergolic fueling), Launch Complex 17 & LC-18 (coated test
articles), and the Kennedy Space Center beach corrosion test site.
+ January 2009
Hexavalent Chrome-free Coating Systems
Project
NASA TEERM has begun the second phase of testing on
a joint NASA-DoD project to evaluate the viability of new coating
systems that are entirely free of hexavalent chromium.
Historically, high corrosion resistance offered by chromated films
is attributed to the presence of both hexavalent and trivalent
chromium in the coating. The trivalent chromium is present as an
insoluble hydrated oxide, whereas the hexavalent chromium imparts a
“self-healing” characteristic to the coating during an oxidative
(corrosive) attack. Chromated coatings also play a critical role in
supporting and enhancing the adhesion of the primer coating to the
substrate. TEERM's project is focused on the performance of
coatings applied to commonly used aluminum alloys as well as
NASA-specific lithium-aluminum and high-copper alloys used on space
flight hardware. Testing is in accordance with a Joint Test Plan
that meets the specific critical performance requirements of all
the project team members. The project builds off prior TEERM
efforts that include the NASA/DoD phase one testing of five
alternatives and the NASA/Center for Portuguese Pollution
Prevention (C3P)
project where chrome-free systems were flight tested on a Airbus
A-380 commercial aircraft.
ECOS Network Project
NASA TEERM's partner in Portugal, the Centro Para
Prevenção da Poluição (Portuguese
Center for Pollution Prevention or C3P), was awarded funding to
begin working with Portugal municipalities to increase the energy
efficiency of buildings using renewable energies and sustainable
construction. The aim is to create competitive and innovative
cities at an international level. During the proposal process,
TEERM supported C3P by providing examples of U.S. city best
practices in sustainability. The project was one of only five (from
26 submitted) that was selected for funding.
+ December 2008 - No notable news.
+ November 2008
C3P/NASA
International Workshop on Pollution Prevention and Sustainable
Design
TEERM, in concert with its partner in
Portugal, the Centro Para Prevenção da Poluição (Portuguese Center
for Pollution Prevention or C3P), attended and managed an
International Workshop on
Pollution Prevention and Sustainable Development in San
Diego, CA on November 18-20, 2008. The theme of the event was
“Enhancing Mission through Proactive Environmental Risk
Mitigation”, and was highlighted by a stimulating NASA panel
discussion on how to incorporate elements of sustainability into a
human lunar mission. More than 100 individuals from 5
countries attended the workshop, including students and professors
from the University of California at San Diego, which hosted the
event. At the Workshop’s technical sessions, more than 45
U.S. and international subject matter experts presented slides on
topics ranging from sustainability and renewable energies to
European Union restricted chemicals to advances in materials and
conventional processes, such as coating, coating removal, and
electronics soldering. Further information can be found at
http://www.teerm.nasa.gov/workshop.html.
+ October 2008
C3P/NASA International Workshop on Pollution Prevention and
Sustainable Design
TEERM, in concert with its partner in Portugal,
the Centro Para Prevenção da Poluição (Portuguese
Center for Pollution Prevention or C3P), is planning an
International Workshop on Pollution Prevention and Sustainable
Development in San Diego, CA on November
18-20, 2008. The theme of the event is “enhancing mission
through proactive environmental risk mitigation”. The event
is being hosted by the University of California at San Diego.
Further information can be found at
http://www.teerm.nasa.gov/workshop.html.
Shuttle Transition Planning
A
meeting of the Shuttle Environmental Assurance Initiative (SEA)
occurred October 21-22 in Huntsville, AL. Attendees included
TEERM staff and NASA employees and contractors, including
representatives from NASA’s Constellation Program.
Requested
presentations were provided by TEERM covering program updates and
status on many of TEERM projects supporting SEA’s Element Updates
agenda topic. In addition, TEERM provided a requested
presentation on the joint hexavalent chromium project supporting
SEA’s Technical Crosstalk on Hexavalent Chromium agenda topic.
Lessons learned from the Shuttle Program
are being conveyed to Constellation through meetings such as these.
The role of SEA is to support mission execution through the life
cycle of the Space Shuttle Program by identifying materials that
may become obsolete as result of environment, health and safety
regulations and mitigating these risks through teamwork.
Constellation is seriously considering implementing a SEA-like
group to address materials obsolescence issues that could affect
the new mission.
+ September 2008
NASA Environmental
and Energy Conference
The NASA Technology Evaluation for
Environmental Risk Mitigation Principal Center (TEERM) assisted
NASA Headquarters Environmental Management Division with the
NASA Environmental and Energy (E&E) Conference at Langley
Research Center on September 22-25. The E&E Conference is
held every other year and its purpose is to strengthen
communication and promote synergy across the Agency's environmental
management community, provide opportunities to share innovative
risk mitigation measures and best management practices, and
increase awareness of across the NASA workforce of the Agency's
successes and ongoing challenges in environmental stewardship.
Topics discussed this year included Energy/Water Efficiency,
Materials Obsolescence and Management, the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA), Climate Change/Green House Gases, Cultural
Resources, Environmental Management System (EMS), Emerging
Contaminants/Cleanup, and Recycling and Affirmative Procurement
/Pollution Prevention.
Energy and Water Management Functional Review
KSC contractor ITB, Inc., assisted NASA Headquarters (HQ) with
Energy and Water Management Functional Reviews (EWMFR) at Johnson
Space Center (JSC). Federal energy and water management
requirements such as the National Energy Conservation Policy Act
and Executive Order 13423 establish primary performance metrics for
reducing energy intensity, reducing water intensity, and increasing
renewable energy use. The review assessed how JSC’s energy
and water management program supports the NASA mission by pursuing
compliance with Federal requirements. The review also
provides a two-way street that enables NASA HQ to learn and assess
the health of the sites energy and water programs while enabling
the site to identify support needed from HQ. The EWMFR is
performed in tandem with the Environmental Functional Review that
includes both management and technical reviews.
+ August 2008
Energy Efficiency Panel Meeting
NASA KSC contractor ITB, Inc. assisted NASA HQ in conducting
its annual face-to-face
Energy Efficiency Panel (EEP)
meeting August 7, 2008, in Phoenix,
Arizona. The EEP meeting followed the GovEnergy 2008 Federal
energy/water training workshop, at which KSC was well-represented.
At the EEP meeting, ITB’s
Al
Sorkin made a presentation featuring the Department of
Energy’s “Existing Building Assessment Tool” for high performance
sustainable buildings as a way to fulfill Executive Order 13423’s
requirement that 15% of each Federal agency’s existing capital
asset building inventory have incorporated sustainable
practices by end of FY 2015.
Gas Dynamic Spray Demonstration Project
The NASA Technology Evaluation for Environmental Risk Mitigation
Principal Center (TEERM) has completed the Joint Test Protocol for
a project to demonstrate Gas Dynamic Spray (GDS) technology.
GDS uses kinetic force at low pressure to produce coatings or
freestanding deposits by solid state deformation; no volatile
organic chemicals or hazardous air pollutants are emitted.
The lower temperatures avoid oxidation, metallurgical
transformation, or residual stresses. A variety of materials
can be used and specialized coatings created. The focus of
this demonstration will be using Cold Spray as a means of repairing
thermal spray coatings that have been damaged or areas where
thermal spray coatings are less effective. The technology can
result in reduced maintenance and thus reduced hazardous
materials/wastes associated with current processes.
+ July 2008
NASA Environmental and Energy Conference
NASA Environmental Management Division is holding a biennial
Environmental and Energy Conference at NASA Langley Research Center
in Hampton, VA on September 22-25, 2008. The purpose of this
conference is to strengthen communication and promote synergy
across the Agency's environmental management community, provide
opportunities to share innovative risk mitigation measures and best
management practices, and increase awareness of across the NASA
workforce of the Agency's successes and ongoing challenges in
environmental stewardship. NASA TEERM is assisting HQ in planning
this event. For more information see the
conference web site:
http://www.teerm.nasa.gov/Environmental_EnergyConference2008.html
+ June 2008
Latest TEERM Newsletter, QuEST, Available
The latest edition (Volume 3) of TEERM’s annual newsletter,
QuEST, is now available.
NASA Pollution Prevention &
Sustainability Workshop Planned for November 2008
The NASA Technology Evaluation for Environmental Risk Mitigation
Principal Center (TEERM), in concert with its partner in Portugal,
C3P, is planning a technical symposium on pollution prevention
and sustainable development in San Diego, CA on November 18-20,
2008. The theme of the event is “enhancing mission through
proactive environmental risk mitigation.” The University of
California at San Diego is the host. The registration period has
begun. Further information can be found on this Web site by
clicking the
Workshop tab at top.
Corn Hybrid Polymer Blast Media Technology Demonstration
The NASA Technology Evaluation for Environmental Risk Mitigation
Principal Center (TEERM) hosted a demonstration of a corn hybrid
polymer blast media technology on April 28 and May 5 at the
Corrosion Control Facility (Building M6-1625) at Kennedy Space
Center. Approximately 30 employees and contractors from NASA
Kennedy Space Center and the U.S. Air Force attended the
demonstration. Participant surveys indicate an overwhelmingly
positive response to the performance of the product as well as the
recycling process. Corn hybrid polymer media is being evaluated
as a reliable substitute for the current plastic media used to
de-coat delicate substrates at KSC and CCAFS. The next phase of
the project will be to validate the technology by Materials and
Processes to see if the media can be implemented, thereby reducing
or potentially eliminating a large waste stream generated by
de-coating operations.
Demonstration of VOC Emission Reduction Technology at Wallops
In May 2008, the NASA Technology Evaluation for Environmental Risk
Mitigation Principal Center (TEERM) conducted the third
demonstration of a novel semi-permeable membrane technology for
reducing volatile organic chemical (VOC) emissions. The
technology offers the possibility of collecting VOC emissions and
re-using or recycling them in the future. The focus of the
demonstration was VOC emissions from the soil vapor extraction unit
of a remediation site contaminated with jet fuel at NASA Wallops
Flight Facility. TEERM expects to evaluate the unit at other
sites within or outside NASA to get comparative data. The
technology is not limited to remediation sites, but can be used to
capture such pollutants from any entrained air stream. The
test platform containing the membrane modules was designed to be
transportable in order to test the technology at several locations.
An earlier version of this membrane technology was tested at NASA
Kennedy Space Center on a smaller scale in 2001.
Certified Energy Manager Examination Passed
Ms. Susan Valek, lead for the Energy/Water Management Task for the
NASA Technology Evaluation for Environmental Risk Mitigation
Principal Center (TEERM), passed the Certified Energy Manager®
(CEM®) examination offered by the Association of Energy
Engineers. The CEM® credential recognizes
individuals who have demonstrated high levels of experience,
competence, proficiency, and ethical fitness in the energy
management profession. It has gained industry-wide use as the
standard for qualifying energy professionals both in the United
States and abroad.
The Energy/Water Management Task was
created to support NASA Headquarters Environmental Management
Division in meeting the requirements of federal regulatory
requirements and reducing energy costs to the Agency.
+ May 2008
Energy/Water Management
NASA Technology Evaluation for Environmental Risk Mitigation
Principal Center (TEERM)’s Energy/Water Management Task has
completed its first awards call for the Presidential Awards for
Leadership in Energy Management and Federal Energy and Water
Management Awards, inviting nominations from Energy/Water
Management, Facilities, and Transportation at all NASA sites.
The Energy/Water Management Task also has revised the
NASA Annual Report to the Department of Energy FY 2007
to provide updated information on buildings subject to energy and
water management goals.
+ April 2008
Joint Group on Pollution Prevention Meeting
The annual meeting of the Principal members of the
Joint Group on Pollution Prevention (JG-PP) occurred April 8
in Washington, D.C. Representatives from NASA Headquarters
Environmental Management Division and NASA Technology Evaluation
for Environmental Risk Mitigation
(TEERM POC:
John
Herrington)
attended. NASA is the acting chair of JG-PP, and at the
meeting agreed to continue to chair the group through FY09.
Some key Principal decisions from the meeting include: agreeing to
modernize JG-PP’s mission statement to include environmentally
driven risk to mission; inviting the U.S. Coast Guard to be a
member; and reinvigorating defense and space contractor
participation in JG-PP projects. NASA and DoD having
partnered on numerous JG-PP technology demonstration/validation
projects since the 1990s; new projects continue to be developed in
the areas of environmentally friendly cleaning, coatings,
depainting, plating, green electronics, and biobased materials.
Air Force Tour of
Launch Coatings Demonstration Site
Representatives from Air Force Space
Command (AFSPC), the Air Force Research Laboratory, University of
Dayton Research Institute, and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
met with staff from the Technology Evaluation for Environmental
Risk Mitigation
(Project POC:
Pattie
Lewis Burford)
and Corrosion Technology Laboratory at
NASA Kennedy Space Center during the week of March 24 to make
plans for a new project to test advanced coatings on launch
structures. Environment friendly durable coatings are desired that
can withstand the extreme temperatures and corrosive exhaust gases
from multiple launches, thereby reducing required maintenance and
environmental impacts while improving mission readiness. Tours of
the Beach Site Corrosion Test Bed and Launch Complex 17 were
conducted. LC17 is the likely site for coatings testing.
KSC and Stennis Space Center have interest in the project. The
project is a continuation of multiple projects in which NASA and
AFSPC also partnered.
Lead-Free Airworthiness Advisory and TEERM
The U.S. Air Force (USAF) has recognized the efforts of NASA TEERM
in evaluating the reliability of lead-free electronics. The
Headquarters Aeronautical Systems Center located at Wright
Patterson Air Force Base released an
Airworthiness Advisory (AA-08-02) on March 31, 2008 providing
information on the trend within the electronics manufacturing
community toward the use of lead (Pb)-free solder. The
Advisory references NASA TEERM's two lead-free electronics projects
(Project POC:
Kurt
Kessel).
To date, no lead-free solders are known to have met the reliability
requirements imposed upon military electronics. At the same time,
many electronic items being acquired by the USAF and DoD may
already contain lead-free solder due to electronics manufacturers’
use of solely lead-free solder. Until such time that a
suitable, reliable, lead-free solder replacement is identified, all
program managers should ensure their electronic equipment suppliers
continue to provide items which meet all performance,
compatibility, and reliability requirements. Failure to do so could
adversely affect the reliability of weapons and space systems. This
standpoint is shared by NASA’s prohibition of pure tin as a final
finish on electrical, electronic, and electromechanical (EEE)
parts.
+ March 2008
NASA Participation at C.S.I.M.P.
Conference
The NASA Technology Evaluation for Environmental Risk Mitigation
Principal Center (TEERM), NASA Principal Center for Regulatory
Risk Analysis and Communication (RRAC PC), and the NASA
Headquarters Environmental Management Division (HQ EMD) presented
at the 18th
Annual Cleaner, Sustainable Industrial Materials & Processes
(C.S.I.M.P.) Workshop. The C.S.I.M.P. Workshop’s focus is
reducing the use of potential harmful substances, conserving
energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and minimizing the
costs of maintenance by utilizing environmentally compatible
approaches; all part of the TEERM mission.
Mr. James Leatherwood, Director HQ EMD and Joint Group on
Pollution Prevention (JG-PP) Chairman, was a featured keynote
speaker. The RRAC PC spoke of their tools in identifying
risks to NASA from emerging regulations. The TEERM Manager
discussed the Principal Center’s purpose and methodology while
TEERM engineers highlighted projects of interest to the group.
Isocyanate-free Coatings Project
The NASA Technology Evaluation for Environmental Risk Mitigation
Principal Center (TEERM) will present on the Isocyanate-free
Coatings for Structural Steel project at the National Association
of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) 2008 Corrosion Conference on March
18, in New Orleans, LA. The presentation will give an
overview of the results of the 18-Month Marine Exposure Testing
and prove that environmentally preferable coatings can protect as
well as conventional systems. Based on the results of
testing, five coating systems showed favorable performance and
were added to the NASA technical standard NASA-STD-5008A,
Protective Coating of Carbon Steel, Stainless Steel, and Aluminum
on Launch Structures, Facilities, and Ground Support Equipment.
The project was a joint effort between TEERM, Air Force Space
Command, Kennedy Space Center, Stennis Space Center, and the KSC
Corrosion Technology Laboratory.
+ February 2008
TEERM Lead-Free Project Presented to Joint Service Lead-Free
Technical Committee
The Joint Service Lead-Free Technical Committee (JSLFTC) requested
and received a presentation on the TEERM Managed NASA-DoD
Lead-Free Electronics Project in Macon, GA, at the Raytheon
Systems facility on February 6, 2008. JSLFTC members consist
of DoD (Army, NAVAIR, NAVSEA, Air Force, DMEA, DMA, USCG), FAA &
NASA. The project’s primary technical objective is to
undertake comprehensive testing to generate information on failure
modes/criteria to better understand the reliability of packages
assembled and reworked with lead-free alloys and mixed
(lead/lead-free) alloys.
+ January 2008
Orion Surface Finishes Team Visits KSC
The NASA Technology Evaluation for Environmental Risk Mitigation
(TEERM) hosted NASA’s Lead for the Orion Surface Finishes Team
during his visit to KSC on January 22, 2008. The Finishes
Team, based at JSC, is identifying performance requirements and
coatings to be used on the Orion crew exploration vehicle.
The likelihood of new alloys and materials being used on Orion
warrants further study of ways to reduce their corrosion.
Part of the team’s purview is reducing corrosion with coatings that
do not contain harmful chemicals, such as hexavalent chromium.
During the visit to KSC, the Orion representative toured the
Corrosion Technology Laboratory and the Beachside Atmospheric Test
Facility at KSC to better understand the capabilities of KSC in the
area of corrosion protection and coatings analysis. The Team
Lead also met with the NASA TEERM Manager to discuss past and
pending NASA projects dealing with the identification and testing
of non-chrome coatings.
TEERM Awareness Meeting with Ares 1 TPS
In response to an invite, a Technology Evaluation for Environmental
Risk Mitigation (TEERM) program overview was presented to the Ares
1 TPS team at MSFC on January 17, 2008. The MSFC team
commented on the TEERM flexibility, cross-program visibility and
ESA connection attributes. Areas of mutual interest and
collaboration opportunities were identified for follow on
discussions.
Energy/Water Management
The NASA Technology Evaluation for Environmental Risk Mitigation
Principal Center (TEERM) assisted NASA Headquarters Environmental
Management Division (HQ EMD) in compiling the NASA Annual Report
to the Department of Energy FY 2007. The report contains
information on how well NASA is meeting federally mandated energy
and water management goals, in accordance with the Energy Policy
Act of 2005 and the newly enacted Executive Order 13423. FY
2007 marks the first year of reporting against EO 13423
requirements. FY 2007 is also the baseline year for new water
conservation goals. Kennedy Space Center has reduced energy
consumption 7.64% since the baseline year FY 2003, which compares
favorably to the goal for NASA as a whole of 6.0%. TEERM
support is credited with allowing HQ EMD to submit this important
federal report on time.
+ December 2007
Energy Pilot Project Installed on Portugal Island
In December 2007, the first of several planned solar photovoltaic
panels was installed on Portugal’s Berlenga Island to produce
electrical energy at the island. The project is a partnership
between NASA and Portuguese partners, namely NASA Technology
Evaluation for Environmental Risk Mitigation (TEERM), C3P, EDP –
Energias de Portugal, Portuguese Navy, EFACEC and Municipality of
Peniche. The pilot system is composed of 12 photovoltaic
panels with a total 1.8 kW installed power. A total of 24
batteries permit the energy storage. TEERM is collaborating
with the project team to help recommend water and wastewater
technologies for possible future installation on the island, as
well as communicate lessons learned back to NASA’s renewable energy
initiatives.
Shuttle Transition Planning
A meeting of the Shuttle Environmental Assurance Initiative (SEA)
occurred December 4-5 in Huntington Beach, CA. Attendees
included TEERM staff and NASA employees and contractors, including
representatives from NASA’s Constellation Program. Lessons
learned from the Shuttle Program are being conveyed to
Constellation through meetings such as these. The role of SEA
is to support mission execution through the life cycle of the Space
Shuttle Program by identifying materials that may become obsolete
as result of environment, health and safety regulations and
mitigating these risks through teamwork. Constellation is
seriously considering implementing a SEA-like group to address
materials obsolescence issues that could affect the new mission.
Isocyanate Urethane Alternatives Project
NASA TEERM has completed a project that identified isocyanate-free
coating systems for use on structural steel. Stennis Space
Center (SSC) has banned the use of isocyanate-containing coating
systems, and Kennedy Space Center (KSC) has cited concerns about
continued use of isocyanates. TEERM selected coatings for
testing that met strict environmental and performance requirements.
Ultimately, five systems were approved and will be added to the
Qualified Products List in NASA-STD-5008, which is used across NASA
and referenced by the military services. This was a joint
project with SSC, KSC, the KSC Corrosion Technology Laboratory, and
Air Force Space Command. Additional information about the
project, including project documents, can be found on the TEERM
website (http://www.teerm.nasa.gov).
+ November 2007
C3P-NASA International Workshop on Pollution Prevention and
Sustainable Development
NASA teamed with the Portuguese Center for Pollution Prevention
(C3P) to organize the 5th Annual C3P-NASA International
Workshop on Pollution Prevention and Sustainable Development on
November 7-9, 2007, in Peniche, Portugal. The workshop
provided an excellent forum for up-to-date information on
environmental and energy concerns that are common to Portuguese,
European and U.S. industries, as well as information on ongoing and
future projects. In total, 243 individuals from 8 countries
(Portugal, USA, Netherlands, Spain, Finland, Italy, Poland, and
Germany) attended the technical workshop, and more than 45
international experts presented. Opening session speakers
included Olga Dominguez (NASA HQ), Patrick Simpkins (KSC), the U.S.
Ambassador to Portugal, and Portugal’s Secretary of State for the
Environment. The next workshop will be held in the United
States.
Constellation/Exploration - TEERM Collaboration with CEV M&P
The NASA Technology Evaluation for Environmental Risk Mitigation
Principal Center (TEERM) recently met with the materials and
processes (M&P) technical discipline for the Orion/CEV (Crew
Exploration Vehicle) Project at NASA Johnson Space Center and
identified an opportunity to collaborate on ongoing evaluations of
material systems for corrosion protection on the Orion spacecraft.
TEERM was invited to become an active member of the “Orion Finishes
Team” that is attempting to select, test, and evaluate for design
the corrosion protection finishes for the entire Orion vehicle.
This is a breakthrough in Constellation mission support and is part
of TEERM’s activity to collaborate across the Agency on the
validation and implementation of hexavalent chrome free coatings.
Further discussions are planned in the coming months to better
understand KSC’s corrosion testing capabilities and coordination of
proposed testing.
+ October 2007
NASA to Chair Joint Pollution Prevention Group
In October 2007, NASA accepted the role as chairman of the Joint
Group on Pollution Prevention (JG-PP). JG-PP was charted by
the Department of Defense in 1994 to reduce duplication of effort
within the DoD when qualifying new, environmentally preferable
materials or processes. The NASA Technology Evaluation
for Environmental Risk Mitigation Principal Center (TEERM)
was created in 1998 (under the original name NASA Acquisition
Pollution Prevention or AP2) to support JG-PP and be the NASA focal
point for agency-wide pollution prevention activities. NASA
has benefited greatly from its association with JG-PP and the
numerous projects JG-PP has undertaken. Like TEERM, all JG-PP
test plans and test reports are free and publicly available.
These reports and other JG-PP information can be found at
www.jgpp.com.
Endorsement of the C3P and NASA Technical Workshop
The President of Portugal, Prof. Anibal Cavaco Silva has endorsed
the “Partnering for Energy and Environmental Stewardship” Center
for Pollution Prevention Portugal (C3P) and NASA Technical Workshop
being held in Peniche, Portugal November 7-9, 2007. Kennedy Space
Center Director William Parsons was scheduled to be the workshop's
keynote speaker and has asked Dr. Patrick Simpkins, Director of
Engineering at KSC, to conduct the keynote speech due to other
commitments preventing his attendance. C3P and KSC's Technology
Evaluation for Environmental Risk Mitigation (TEERM) have been
coordinating joint workshops for the past few years to share
knowledge on new technologies for reduce pollution and energy
consumption.
+ September 2007
Demonstration of VOC Emissions Reduction Technology at
Wallops
In August 2007, the NASA Technology Evaluation for
Environmental Risk Mitigation Principal Center (TEERM) demonstrated
a novel semi-permeable membrane technology for reducing volatile
organic chemical (VOC) emissions from a soil vapor extraction unit
of a remediation site contaminated with jet fuel at Wallops Flight
Facility (WFF). Presently, no VOC reduction technologies are
associated with the remediation site, and WFF is permitted to emit
these VOCs directly to the air. In the TEERM-WFF demonstration, the
hollow-fiber membranes proved able to remove VOCs from the
extracted air stream, condensing them into a liquid. The technology
also offers the option of re-using or recycling the captured VOCs.
The membrane unit is fully transportable. Further testing of the
membrane unit (with modifications) at WFF is planned in the next
few weeks. TEERM is considering evaluating the unit at other
demonstration sites within or outside NASA. An earlier version of
this membrane technology was tested in 2001 at NASA Kennedy Space
Center.
+ August 2007
New Manager for TEERM
Mr. Charles (Chuck) Griffin has been named Manager of the NASA
Technology Evaluation for Environmental Risk Mitigation (TEERM).
Kennedy Space Center (KSC) has been the Principal Center for
TEERM since 1998. Mr. Griffin is responsible for spearheading
initiatives to reduce pollution and to minimize or eliminate the
use of hazardous materials and volatile organic compounds in the
design, production, and operation of NASA programs. He will also
assume the duties as working group chairman of NASA/Department of
Defense Joint Group on Pollution Prevention, tasked with combining
resources to find solutions to common environmental problems.
Previously, Mr. Griffin spent 10 years in the NASA Technology
Programs & Partnerships Branch, the last 5 years
as manager of the SBIR/STTR Program. Mr. Griffin has
35 years with NASA at KSC and has held numerous positions within
the Design Engineering Directorate.
Gas Dynamic Spray Technology Demonstration
The NASA Technology Evaluation for Environmental Risk Mitigation
Principal Center (TEERM) recently teamed with Air Force Space
Command, Patrick Air Force Base, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station,
and JBOSC to demonstrate Gas Dynamic Spray Technology at John F.
Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Also commonly called cold
spray, the technology uses a gas jet to accelerate particles to
supersonic velocities, producing coatings or freestanding deposits
by solid state deformation of the impacting particles onto a
substrate. The focus of this demonstration was on steel
substrate, but the technology can be used on a variety of
substrates. The technology can result in reduced hazardous
waste generation. For further information, contact Pattie
Lewis Burford at (321) 867-9163.
+ January 2007
NAME CHANGE - The Acquisition
Pollution Prevention (AP2) Program Office is now known as the
Technology Evaluation for Environmental Risk Mitigation (TEERM)
Principal Center
+ November 2006
2006 Workshop Presentations now available
+ April 2006
Quest Newsletter released
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