Woodrow Whitlow Jr., director of the Gleen Research Center, and Lisa Porter, associate administrator of NASA’s aeronautics research mission directorate, tell reporters that Glenn's programs and facilities are still relevant to the agency's reduced aeronautics agenda. However, Glenn will need to obtain significant work in space exploration to remain healthy, Whitlow said. (Photo by Kevin Kelley)

NASA: Aeronautics programs at Glenn still viable
By Kevin Kelley
Westshore
Published April 26, 2006

While NASA has drastically reduced its aeronautics budget to fund future space exploration, many aeronautics programs at the Glenn Research Center are still relevant to the agency, a top official said last week. Glenn officials also appeared to show more flexibility in working with Fairview Park to alleviate that city’s financial loss from Glenn’s pending closure of two buildings on Brookpark Road.

Lisa Porter, associate administrator of NASA’s aeronautics research mission directorate, toured Glenn and met with its employees April 19.

She said NASA intends to pursue long-term, cutting-edge research in aeronautics which will benefit the broad aeronautics community.

“This center is going to be critical in that pursuit,” she said. “The capabilities that exist at Glenn are world-class. They are highly regarded throughout the world for the cutting-edge research that they are capable of. And in the reshaping of the program, there will be a renewed focus on that type of high quality, cutting edge research.”

Much of Glenn’s current aeronautical work fits right in with NASA’s goals, Porter told reporters during a press conference.

“A large portion of the research that Glenn was conducting, particularly in engine research and noise and emissions already directly applies to where we’re going,” she said.

NASA is looking to integrate aeronautical research to reduce duplications of its research center, said Porter, who also co-chairs a multi-agency movement to develop a national aeronautics policy.

But Woodrow Whitlow Jr., Glenn’s director, told reporters his center still must pursue projects related to space exploration.

“Aeronautics alone cannot make Glenn a healthy and viable center,” Whitlow said, noting NASA Administrator Michael Griffin has declared that 16/17 of NASA’s overall budget will be related to space exploration. “We are moving toward a larger role in spaceflight systems development....We will have to have a much larger focus and emphasis on development work than we have in the past.”

Although space exploration work has yet to be assigned among NASA centers, Whitlow was hopeful Glenn will receive significant work in space exploration. Whitlow himself is on a NASA board which quarterly reviews such decision making. Plus Glenn currently has about a dozen employees stationed part of the time at other NASA centers to maintain partnerships and contacts throughout the agency, Whitlow said.

Fairview’s two lost buildings
When Glenn officials confirmed in January that Buildings 500 and 501 will close, they said NASA would retain ownership of the land in case the agency ever needed the facilities again. Fairview Park officials, who say they will lose $631,000 in income tax revenue once the buildings close viewed that position as a potential roadblock to possible remedies.

But last week, Whitlow showed a more open-minded stance regarding the fate of the property.

“We are open to considering most any option that is suitable to both of us in terms of how do we make this property something that’s of value to the city of Fairview Park,” Whitlow said. “So those talks are continuing.”  

There’s no final answer to what becomes of the buildings or land once Glenn employees vacate the buildings by October of 2007, Whitlow said. When asked by West Life, he said NASA giving the land to Fairview Park was not out of the question.

The day before Porter visited Glenn, Fairview Park Mayor Eileen Patton met with Robert Fails, Glenn’s associate director, and other officials from the center at Fairview City Hall. Also present was Rep. Dennis Kucinich.

Patton said she asked a number of questions on the future of the buildings, including the possibility of demolishing them. A company from the region has expressed an interest in relocating at the property but would prefer an empty lot, Patton said.

While Glenn officials gave no answers, Patton seemed more optimistic about finding a solution than before.

“It was a very productive meeting,” Patton said.

“(Glenn officials) left with a commitment that they will partner with us on any ideas we may have,” she said.