SMG Meteorologist Doris Hood Recognized by NASA

SMG meteorologist Doris Hood is awarded a plaque for working 110 space shuttle missions. (L to R) Deputy Chief of Flight Directors Office Norm Knight, Director of Mission Operations Paul Hill, Chief of Flight Directors Office John McCullough, Doris Hood, Space Shuttle Program Manager John Shannon, and Flight Directors Richard Jones and Tony Ceccacci. (Photo: NASA)

(Sept. 1, 2011) -- National Weather Service Meteorologist Doris Hood was recognized by the NASA Johnson Space Center Mission Operations Directorate in Houston, Texas, for providing support to over 100 Space Shuttle missions. The award was presented by senior Mission Operations management on July 15, 2011.

The NASA recognition stated:

"As an employee of the National Weather Service, Doris Hood has been a member of the Spaceflight Meteorology Group since 1986 and has provided outstanding support of 110 Space Shuttle missions including the last Space Shuttle mission, STS-135. Doris has been a constant, stabilizing presence within the Spaceflight Meteorology Group and has provided a myriad of accurate upper wind forecasts for the Flight Directors Office and the ascent/entry teams for which she has worked.

The Ascent/Entry Flight Directors rely on these forecasts and routinely make critical trades based on the key insights and information that Doris provides. Doris has not only earned the trust and respect of the Ascent/Entry Flight Directors and maintained this over many years, but is also very well respected among her peers and senior management at NASA, NOAA, the Air Force 45th Space Wing, and throughout the meteorological community.

One of her lasting contributions, to both mission operations and JSC center operations, is her customization work on the MIDDS and AWIPS systems. These graphics-based meteorological analysis tools have greatly streamlined the communication of a large volume of weather information to the flight control teams during mission support and to the JSC leadership team for critical hurricane evacuation planning. This has increased safety for the entire community, including the JSC family of astronauts, flight controllers, and engineers.

Doris's support over 110 missions has been a key contribution to the success of the Space Shuttle Program and has been greatly appreciated by the Flight Directors."