Video Library

If your business relies on ultrasonic testing, you should know about an advanced ultrasonic evaluation system invented at NASA Langley Research Center. Although most ultrasonic scanners need a coupling agent to make a good contact, Langley’s Floating Ultrasonic Transducer doesn't. The transducer “floats” across the surface being tested with less force than other similar systems. (Video Credit: NASA Langley's Technology Gateway)

Researchers at the NASA Johnson Space Center developed and refined Flash Infrared Thermography as a means of Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE). NASA’s innovative technology offers three complementary contrast tools that provide characterization of flaws and anomalies in nonmetallic composite structures using flash infrared thermography. The method can detect smaller flaws and provide quantitative and qualitative information about the shape, size, depth and location of anomalies. NASA’s designed methods assist the operator in defining the boundaries of flaws. For industries interested in NDE of composite materials — this technology can be integrated with existing infrared thermography hardware systems. (Video Credit: NASA Johnson)

In this Knowledge Byte, Safety and Mission Success Review (SMSR) Program Manager Eric Raynor discusses the purpose and importance of a SMSR. Learn how NASA performs a SMSR, who is involved in the process and why it's important to the agency.

Steve Shih, associate administrator of NASA’s Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity, speaks to the importance of providing a culture that encourages the sharing of different perspectives, concerns and ideas without fear of retaliation.

While national interest is focused on Moon 2024 and commercial crew testing, our duty of care to protect the public and our employees from terrestrial research hazards has not diminished. In the domain of radiation testing for spaceflight components, our Radiation Safety Officers work hard to provide “yes, if” controls to use radiation sources safely on a regular basis. Presented by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, this is a success story of control over Cobalt-60 pellets used to impose a Total Ionizing Dose on Electrical, Electronic and Electromechanical parts.

As many of you have heard me say, I believe that taking care of your people is essential to success. I’ve told the story that in the U.S. Marine Corps, all leaders are asked to do two things: accomplish the mission and take care of your people. Usually, this is followed with “If you do No. 2, your people will take care of No. 1.”

An important part of taking care of your people and accomplishing your mission, is ensuring, throughout your organization, people feel comfortable speaking up, without fear of reprisal. We have seen first-hand the effects fear of reprisal can have on a culture, as it was a theme for both the Challenger and Columbia mishaps, and we need to ensure that we’ve learned from our past and cultivate an environment where speaking up is not just accepted, but applauded. We also need to look at the ways we engage and include all members of the NASA family.

I encourage you to review all the data available in the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey and consider how you can enact positive change at every level in your organization to create an open, safe environment for everyone.

Astronaut Steve Bowen discusses Nondestructive Evaluation and material analysis for space and undersea.

This video provides an orientation to NASA-STD-8739.6, Implementation Requirements for NASA Workmanship Standards, including a recap on applicability, order of precedence and training centers.

In this video, NASA’s Gerry Schumann and Mike Ciannilli share personal stories of the people they met during their time supporting the Columbia search efforts.