By Logan Hamel
When I began my studies at the University of Wisconsin - Madison I was unsure which career path to choose. I anticipated that I would enjoy engineering due to my success in mathematics and physics as well as my love for problem solving. However, I was not ready to select a specific discipline within engineering. During my second semester I began to realize that a degree in Engineering Mechanics and Astronautics would be an excellent fit. This degree would allow me to maximize my coursework in my favorite subject, classical mechanics. Furthermore, the degree would provide the opportunity to move into the aerospace industry which was a thought that created additional motivation. I believe that through exploration of our solar system, we will learn valuable information about ourselves and begin to better understand our place within this universe. Despite my excitement about my new major, as a freshman I was still not completely confident in my decision. I also believed civil engineering would be a good fit for me as it would allow me to make a more direct impact in the community. However, as I continued my coursework and studied topics including structural mechanics and advanced dynamics, I became increasingly confident in my decision to pursue Engineering Mechanics and Astronautics.
As a junior at UW-Madison I was lucky enough to be selected for the engineering co-op program at United Space Alliance (USA). I moved to Houston, TX to work in the Ascent/Descent Flight Design department. I was very excited and my time at USA was everything that I hoped it would be. I learned a great deal about NASA’s space shuttle program and I performed analysis on the sensitivity of shuttle contingency abort scenarios to monthly weather fluctuations. The experience made me realize how important my role as an engineer would be and thus it motivated me to work even harder when I returned to school in the fall.
Last year I returned to school to pursue my Masters of Science in Aerospace Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology. At Georgia Tech my work has been focused on advanced rotorcraft design which was new to me at first, but I have found it to be a fascinating field of research. I will soon be graduating and I cannot wait to continue making my contributions to the aerospace engineering industry.
There have been two main highlights within my experience of engineering thus far. The first was the patenting of my senior design project, a ladder load lifting device. I was very excited to receive a patent so early in my career. It made me realize how much opportunity there is to impact our community through engineering. The second highlight was my experience as a member of Georgia Tech’s graduate student team which won first prize in NASA’s fundamental aeronautics program competition for the design of a supersonic airliner. I am very proud of the amount of progress my team was able accomplish in such a short time during the competition. The best part of each experience was working side by side with other motivated students who are equally passionate about aerospace design.
I believe that through hard work, dedication, and a little bit of luck all students will eventually find their way into a career which is motivating and inspiring.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Cruising to the Moon
How long does it take humans to travel to the moon? Currently, Constellation is planning for the trans-lunar coast to take no longer than 4 days, or 96 hours. Apollo’s design requirement was for the coast time to range between 60 hours and 100 hours. The actual missions (Apollo 10-17) varied from 72 hours to 83 hours.
So why would it take longer on the future missions? It may not actually. At this point, Constellation is in the requirements definition and preliminary design phase for the lunar exploration portion of the program therefore requirements are set for the most stressing - maximum and minimum - types of conditions.
The trans-lunar cruise duration is a function of the energy or change in velocity (delta-V) applied at the trans-lunar injection, or TLI, burn. The energy requirements for the TLI burn will vary depending on where the planned landing site is located on the moon and when the mission is launched, among other factors. So, if a mission is launched on a more favorable opportunity, less energy will be required for the TLI burn and the trip would be quicker.
Since Constellation is planning for worst-case conditions at this point, the transfer time in the current plan minimizes the amount of propellant, and therefore the mass, required for trans-lunar injection. When Constellation flies actual missions to the moon, there will likely be the same flexibility as Apollo to shorten the duration of the flight toward the moon if it is desirable to do so.
So why would it take longer on the future missions? It may not actually. At this point, Constellation is in the requirements definition and preliminary design phase for the lunar exploration portion of the program therefore requirements are set for the most stressing - maximum and minimum - types of conditions.
The trans-lunar cruise duration is a function of the energy or change in velocity (delta-V) applied at the trans-lunar injection, or TLI, burn. The energy requirements for the TLI burn will vary depending on where the planned landing site is located on the moon and when the mission is launched, among other factors. So, if a mission is launched on a more favorable opportunity, less energy will be required for the TLI burn and the trip would be quicker.
Since Constellation is planning for worst-case conditions at this point, the transfer time in the current plan minimizes the amount of propellant, and therefore the mass, required for trans-lunar injection. When Constellation flies actual missions to the moon, there will likely be the same flexibility as Apollo to shorten the duration of the flight toward the moon if it is desirable to do so.
Artist’s concept of NASA’s Orion crew exploration vehicle and
Altair Lunar Lander while the Earth departure stage
performs the trans-lunar injection burn (JSC2009-E-031248).
Monday, November 16, 2009
A Perspective from a Baby Boomer
By Steven Gonzalez, Deputy, Advanced Planning Office, JSC
I must admit that last week I got that pleased, grateful feeling like the one I get from being "carded" at the grocery store checkout line when I purchase a bottle of wine. It has been a while since I was the age of a Gen Y'er, but I took it as a great complement to be mistaken for one last week. For those that do not know me, I am a "Baby Boomer" with 20 years of experience at JSC and most of my blog entries have been from a "boomer" perspective. Granted, those that know me best would not categorize me as having the typical "Baby Boomer" perspective, but is there really a perspective that captures an entire Generation? No, but I do think there is a difference between the image we have of NASA before we arrive and the image after we have been supporting this great organization. So, let me share how the image changed for me and why it is good to revisit our original vision. To that end, join me in visualizing those two images.
For many in my generation it was the Apollo program or Star Trek that sealed our future with NASA. For me it was the original voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Yes, I am one of those that would love to see the mission of the agency to be, "To Boldly Go where No one has gone before." My expectation was that upon entering the gates of NASA, I would find someone working on the Warp drive or a transporter. I thought that there would be people working on projects that pushed the boundaries of space and time. I expected Mission Control to look like the deck of the Enterprise. Instead, I found the Apollo Mission Control configuration that worked exceedingly well into the late 1980's. Now don't get me wrong; I believe that we are executing some very exciting missions and have some incredible technology projects occurring in various organizations around the Agency. My point is that my vision of where NASA was heading was different from the reality. I also found that many of my colleagues shared the same opinion.
Over the past 20 years that vision has been challenged by the realities of what is currently possible in the realm of human spaceflight. My original naiveté was reframed by the wisdom gained over the years and yet, there is much to be gained from recapturing the original vision we had when we first drove through the front gate. About 10 years ago I tried to recapture my initial feeling when I first arrived at JSC. It's a long, but great story that can be found in the archived article from the NASA ASK magazine. The end result was that I was able to create a lab focused on looking at the leading and even bleeding edge of technology development. I found exciting research occurring inside and outside the agency that reminded me of the Star Trek technologies. There was the quantum pair possibility of either instant communication over large distances or teleportation and the potential holodeck application of the 3D visualization research at the University of Central Florida. In recapturing my original vision I found labs around the Agency that were collaborating and searching for new, creative ideas around the world.
Today I find myself wondering, what was that original vision of NASA for many of my Generation and the following Generations? What are the reasons why that original vision was not achieved? I carry a Motorola Razr in my pocket to communicate, so why can't NASA push the boundaries of space and time? Earlier this year the Advanced Planning office asked a team of Generation Y leaders where they wanted JSC to be when they became Center Director or Program Managers. We were asked by many, "Why did you ask Gen Y?" Partly, because they remember the feeling and vision they first had when they arrived at NASA. So think back and recall your original expectations when you arrived at NASA and hold it up to the view gained from wisdom over the years. Then see what unfolds. Yes, I am looking for my fellow Baby Boomers and Gen X'ers to offer their view of the future! Does your original expectation match the reality of where you are at now, FANTASTIC! Please, let me know. If it doesn't, in what ways does it not match?
I must admit that last week I got that pleased, grateful feeling like the one I get from being "carded" at the grocery store checkout line when I purchase a bottle of wine. It has been a while since I was the age of a Gen Y'er, but I took it as a great complement to be mistaken for one last week. For those that do not know me, I am a "Baby Boomer" with 20 years of experience at JSC and most of my blog entries have been from a "boomer" perspective. Granted, those that know me best would not categorize me as having the typical "Baby Boomer" perspective, but is there really a perspective that captures an entire Generation? No, but I do think there is a difference between the image we have of NASA before we arrive and the image after we have been supporting this great organization. So, let me share how the image changed for me and why it is good to revisit our original vision. To that end, join me in visualizing those two images.
For many in my generation it was the Apollo program or Star Trek that sealed our future with NASA. For me it was the original voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Yes, I am one of those that would love to see the mission of the agency to be, "To Boldly Go where No one has gone before." My expectation was that upon entering the gates of NASA, I would find someone working on the Warp drive or a transporter. I thought that there would be people working on projects that pushed the boundaries of space and time. I expected Mission Control to look like the deck of the Enterprise. Instead, I found the Apollo Mission Control configuration that worked exceedingly well into the late 1980's. Now don't get me wrong; I believe that we are executing some very exciting missions and have some incredible technology projects occurring in various organizations around the Agency. My point is that my vision of where NASA was heading was different from the reality. I also found that many of my colleagues shared the same opinion.
Over the past 20 years that vision has been challenged by the realities of what is currently possible in the realm of human spaceflight. My original naiveté was reframed by the wisdom gained over the years and yet, there is much to be gained from recapturing the original vision we had when we first drove through the front gate. About 10 years ago I tried to recapture my initial feeling when I first arrived at JSC. It's a long, but great story that can be found in the archived article from the NASA ASK magazine. The end result was that I was able to create a lab focused on looking at the leading and even bleeding edge of technology development. I found exciting research occurring inside and outside the agency that reminded me of the Star Trek technologies. There was the quantum pair possibility of either instant communication over large distances or teleportation and the potential holodeck application of the 3D visualization research at the University of Central Florida. In recapturing my original vision I found labs around the Agency that were collaborating and searching for new, creative ideas around the world.
Today I find myself wondering, what was that original vision of NASA for many of my Generation and the following Generations? What are the reasons why that original vision was not achieved? I carry a Motorola Razr in my pocket to communicate, so why can't NASA push the boundaries of space and time? Earlier this year the Advanced Planning office asked a team of Generation Y leaders where they wanted JSC to be when they became Center Director or Program Managers. We were asked by many, "Why did you ask Gen Y?" Partly, because they remember the feeling and vision they first had when they arrived at NASA. So think back and recall your original expectations when you arrived at NASA and hold it up to the view gained from wisdom over the years. Then see what unfolds. Yes, I am looking for my fellow Baby Boomers and Gen X'ers to offer their view of the future! Does your original expectation match the reality of where you are at now, FANTASTIC! Please, let me know. If it doesn't, in what ways does it not match?
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Astronaut Insertion Technician
George Brittingham is often one of the last people an astronaut sees before launch. As an insertion technician, Brittingham is a member of the closeout crew, which helps the astronauts get into the space shuttle as it is prepared for flight. Brittingham also makes sure the astronauts and rescue personnel know what to do if something goes wrong.
What is your job, and how do you support astronauts for space travel?
I am an insertion technician, responsible for crew ingress (or entry) prior to flight, the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (a practice run of launch day, using the actual orbiter), and training events. This also includes ensuring the crew has the correct crew-worn/carry-on equipment and that all suit-related items are functioning and fit properly. I am one of seven members of the shuttle closeout crew, which has the responsibility to rescue the astronauts in the event of an emergency. I assist the crew with exiting the orbiter after landing and make certain all equipment is properly removed. I also train fire rescue and medical personnel on capabilities of the Advanced Crew Escape Suits, or ACES. I conduct briefings on how to perform emergency extractions from the orbiter seats, as well as emergency suit removal.
Why are spacesuits needed for launch and landing?
The suit is part of the shuttle egress (or exit) system. If the orbiter were to lose cabin pressure, the suit would inflate automatically to protect the crew member while creating a survivable environment for each crew member.
How did you get your current position?
I received my experience while serving on active duty in the Air Force. I worked on essentially the same equipment that is being used for the shuttle crew members. It was an easy transition. There are only minor differences in the Air Force equipment and the NASA equipment. The ingress process is different, ... [but] the criticality and importance is still the same. My initial position was as a suit technician within Crew Escape Equipment Lab of United Space Alliance. When the opportunity to become an insertion technician presented itself, I volunteered for the position.
Were you involved with NASA as a student in high school or college, and, if so, in what projects were you involved?
Unfortunately I was not. However, as a child I would always like to watch the Apollo launches and thought about working at NASA if I had the opportunity.
What are the challenges your team faces in working with this aspect of spacesuits?
The challenges include maintaining and supplying hardware to support a rigorous training and flight schedule and ensuring equipment is received in flight-ready condition.
As NASA prepares to go back to the moon, what changes will be needed for the design of spacesuits that you support?
A spacesuit able to protect and sustain the astronaut during launch, re-entry and landing, as well be adaptable to the lunar environment, is needed.
What else would you want to tell people about your job or your experiences with astronaut support?
I feel fortunate to have a job like this. Not many people within the NASA family get to interact with the astronauts on a daily basis as well as participate in an integral part of space exploration.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
From Intern to Aerospace Technician
Heather Paul works at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston as part of the Constellation spacesuit team. She works on the life support designs for the next-generation spacesuits that astronauts will wear on the moon and Mars. Find out more about Ms. Paul and how she went from college student to NASA engineer.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Deer Park, a small town on Long Island in New York. I went to John F. Kennedy Elementary School, and attended seventh grade at Robert Frost Junior High School. I then moved to Atlanta, Georgia and attended Sutton Middle School for eighth grade. I went to North Atlanta High School, and majored in dance in the magnet for the performing arts.
Growing up, I liked to read many types of books, but I especially liked science fiction. I have always wanted to be an astronaut, although I also had interests in being a dancer.
My mother is my greatest role model. She is a strong, intelligent, independent woman who taught me to set my goals high and always believe in myself.
Where did you go to school and what program did you intern with under NASA?
I attended Auburn University and obtained a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish. (The Spanish degree was for fun - I just happen to love learning foreign languages!) I chose Auburn because of its cooperative education connection with NASA. I was a cooperative education student at Johnson Space Center. I applied when I was a sophomore at Auburn University, and was accepted to start working the fall of my junior year. I began alternating between school and work semesters, getting real-world experience in Life Sciences, Propulsion, EVA Operations, and EVA Tools and Space Suits. I continued to co-op while pursuing my Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. After so much time working as an undergraduate co-op, I knew that I wanted to work with EVA, so I used my graduate co-op tours to focus on the work in that area to get more experience and work on my thesis, which was directly linked to my co-op work.
Could you describe your internship and share some lessons learned? Was there any advice that specifically helped you achieve your goals?
Working gave me the opportunity to take the theories and equations learned in school and apply them to real engineering problems. I am the type of person that learns best through hands-on experience, so sometimes I struggled in school with classes that were based on a lot of theory. When I was able to put those theories to work and see the results, everything made a lot more sense, and it gave me a better appreciation for the topics I was studying.
Co-oping in various areas gave me more insight into the diversity of the field of mechanical engineering, and it helped me to narrow down the career choices. I figured out what I wanted to do, and more importantly, what I did not want to do.
Also, co-oping gave me a break from school. Engineering school is very challenging, and I would often look forward to the end of the term because I knew that I would be coming to Houston to put my new knowledge to the test. After working for a while, I would look forward to the end of my co-op term, because I knew I would return to school and to all of my friends. So unlike many people who pushed through school without co-oping or interning, I never got "burnt out," and was able to really appreciate what I was doing while I was doing it. I learned a lot about time management, and became much more efficient while studying, which also improved my grades.
Work to be as well-rounded as possible. Straight A's are great, but if all you do is study, you're missing out on a lot of wonderful life experiences that are just as important in your development as your studies. NASA needs engineers that can not only do the work exceptionally well, but also be able to communicate the results through documentation and verbal communication. Study hard and work to get the best grades that you can, but also take the time to have extracurricular activities.
Get involved with NASA programs early. There are so many educational opportunities that NASA has available for students of all ages. Students interested in working with NASA should get involved in as many ways as they can. By working with our programs, students can not only learn about what NASA does, they also learn more about what they are interested in, and more importantly what they don't want to do in terms of careers.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Persistance - Never Give Up
By Bob Cabana, Director, Kennedy Space Center
NASA Astronaut, STS-41,53,65,88
As a young midshipman at the Naval Academy, I had the opportunity to tour the Kennedy Space Center and to see the launch of Apollo 13. The day before launch we were inside the Vehicle Assembly Building, and I can remember seeing the Saturn V rockets being stacked to go to the Moon. It was awe inspiring. Standing there, it was difficult to believe that I might one day have the opportunity to fly in space, let alone be the Director of the Kennedy Space Center. I just wanted to fly jets, and I couldn’t wait to graduate and get started.
Everyone needs dreams and goals to reach for. When I’m asked, “How do you become an astronaut?”, I reply, “Persistence—set a goal for yourself and never give up till you achieve it. Then move on toward a new goal. It is also important to do something you really enjoy, because if you enjoy it, you’re going to excel at it.”
Ever since I saw the Wright Flyer and the Spirit of St. Louis hanging from the ceiling of the Smithsonian when I was five years old, all I ever wanted to do was to fly airplanes. I read every book I could about the aces of World War II and Korea and the test pilots of the ‘50s and ‘60s. I spent hours at the Naval Air Station in Minneapolis watching the A-4Cs and P-2 Neptunes come and go. The Naval Academy seemed like the best way to reach my goal. I was the first alternate from the state of Minnesota, and when the principal candidate declined his appointment, I was on my way to Annapolis.
I chose a commission in the Marine Corps after graduation, and following the Basic School in Quantico, Virginia, I was headed to Pensacola for flight training. As a math major at the Naval Academy with a strong engineering background, I was well prepared for the ground school classes. Unfortunately, I failed my eye test, so I ended up going through Naval Flight Officer (NFO) training, eventually becoming an A-6 bombardier-navigator. I enjoyed it, but I still wanted to be a pilot. After three years as an NFO and passing numerous eye tests, I was able to get orders back to Pensacola for pilot flight training. I loved it! With 1,000 flight hours under my belt, I decided to tackle my next goal and apply for Navy Test Pilot School. I didn’t get picked up on the first try, but six months later I was off to Patuxent River, Maryland, for test pilot training. There I could use all the math and engineering that I loved, along with my flying skills. It was a dream come true. After test pilot training, I realized that I met all the requirements to apply to be an astronaut. I didn’t make it on the first try for that either, but I reapplied and was fortunate enough to make it on the second try.
As I set each successive goal, I was always doing something that I really enjoyed and was able to make valuable contributions at each step along the way.
So the moral of the story is this: Do something you really enjoy and excel at it, have intermediate goals to reach your long-term goal, and never give up. It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you put your mind to it and are persistent.
NASA Astronaut, STS-41,53,65,88
As a young midshipman at the Naval Academy, I had the opportunity to tour the Kennedy Space Center and to see the launch of Apollo 13. The day before launch we were inside the Vehicle Assembly Building, and I can remember seeing the Saturn V rockets being stacked to go to the Moon. It was awe inspiring. Standing there, it was difficult to believe that I might one day have the opportunity to fly in space, let alone be the Director of the Kennedy Space Center. I just wanted to fly jets, and I couldn’t wait to graduate and get started.
Everyone needs dreams and goals to reach for. When I’m asked, “How do you become an astronaut?”, I reply, “Persistence—set a goal for yourself and never give up till you achieve it. Then move on toward a new goal. It is also important to do something you really enjoy, because if you enjoy it, you’re going to excel at it.”
Ever since I saw the Wright Flyer and the Spirit of St. Louis hanging from the ceiling of the Smithsonian when I was five years old, all I ever wanted to do was to fly airplanes. I read every book I could about the aces of World War II and Korea and the test pilots of the ‘50s and ‘60s. I spent hours at the Naval Air Station in Minneapolis watching the A-4Cs and P-2 Neptunes come and go. The Naval Academy seemed like the best way to reach my goal. I was the first alternate from the state of Minnesota, and when the principal candidate declined his appointment, I was on my way to Annapolis.
I chose a commission in the Marine Corps after graduation, and following the Basic School in Quantico, Virginia, I was headed to Pensacola for flight training. As a math major at the Naval Academy with a strong engineering background, I was well prepared for the ground school classes. Unfortunately, I failed my eye test, so I ended up going through Naval Flight Officer (NFO) training, eventually becoming an A-6 bombardier-navigator. I enjoyed it, but I still wanted to be a pilot. After three years as an NFO and passing numerous eye tests, I was able to get orders back to Pensacola for pilot flight training. I loved it! With 1,000 flight hours under my belt, I decided to tackle my next goal and apply for Navy Test Pilot School. I didn’t get picked up on the first try, but six months later I was off to Patuxent River, Maryland, for test pilot training. There I could use all the math and engineering that I loved, along with my flying skills. It was a dream come true. After test pilot training, I realized that I met all the requirements to apply to be an astronaut. I didn’t make it on the first try for that either, but I reapplied and was fortunate enough to make it on the second try.
As I set each successive goal, I was always doing something that I really enjoyed and was able to make valuable contributions at each step along the way.
So the moral of the story is this: Do something you really enjoy and excel at it, have intermediate goals to reach your long-term goal, and never give up. It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you put your mind to it and are persistent.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
I Was Hooked II
By Ingrid Desilvestre
Executive Officer to the Deputy Center Director
Ames Research Center
When I was a kid, my entire school would gather to watch NASA rockets launch and capsules parachute into the ocean. The space program would grow to influence all of our lives in a huge way – but it seemed a much bigger part of our lives then than it probably seems to be to your lives today. Today, we take the benefits of the space program more for granted.
But then – then, I was hooked. I thought it was so cool that, years later, when a NASA representative came to my grad school, I made a point of going to his presentation. At that point, working for NASA was an abandoned dream. I not only knew I wouldn’t be an astronaut, I knew I wouldn’t even be an Earth-bound rocket scientist. Instead, I had majored in political science and history and was about to get a degree in international affairs. But that day I found out that it takes more than astronauts and rocket scientists to manage the U.S. space program.
NASA, it turns out, accomplishes a lot of its goals by working cooperatively with other countries. The biggest and best example is the International Space Station. Sixteen countries partnered to build it, and so far astronauts from 14 countries have visited. Foreign astronauts have flown on the Space Shuttle as well. Also, many NASA missions carry foreign instruments and components (and vice versa). For example, the U.S. mission to Saturn, Cassini, carried a European probe that landed on the moon Titan. U.S. instruments flew on the recent Indian mission to the Moon, Chandrayaan. Space cooperation with the Soviet Union quietly kept the two nations talking during some of the coldest days of the cold war.
So I took my international degree straight to NASA Headquarters and became a Soviet desk officer, working on life sciences and solar physics cooperation with the USSR (you learn the science as you go along!). After that, my responsibilities included collaboration with Latin American countries, Germany, Canada, Scandinavia, and, for a little while, the European Space Agency and Japan. I got to travel a lot, learn a lot, and meet interesting people.
And then, I got the best job you can have at NASA if you can’t be an astronaut: I became the NASA Representative in Spain. NASA had representatives in Spain and Australia because we have deep space communications complexes there – stations with huge dish antennas that receive signals from and send commands to spacecraft exploring distant planets. I served in the U.S. Embassy and helped negotiate an agreement between the governments of Spain and the United States for the complex. It was fun, to be the NASA Rep and live abroad.
I came back to the United States to a different job, executive officer to the Center Director at Ames. Right now, I’m the executive officer to the deputy center director. That doesn’t involve a whole lot of international stuff, or science and engineering, but, like I said, it takes more than rocket scientists and engineers to build a space program.
(Ms. Desilvestre will be our LiveRoom guest for our Freshman chat Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009 at 8:00pm CT)
Executive Officer to the Deputy Center Director
Ames Research Center
When I was a kid, my entire school would gather to watch NASA rockets launch and capsules parachute into the ocean. The space program would grow to influence all of our lives in a huge way – but it seemed a much bigger part of our lives then than it probably seems to be to your lives today. Today, we take the benefits of the space program more for granted.
But then – then, I was hooked. I thought it was so cool that, years later, when a NASA representative came to my grad school, I made a point of going to his presentation. At that point, working for NASA was an abandoned dream. I not only knew I wouldn’t be an astronaut, I knew I wouldn’t even be an Earth-bound rocket scientist. Instead, I had majored in political science and history and was about to get a degree in international affairs. But that day I found out that it takes more than astronauts and rocket scientists to manage the U.S. space program.
NASA, it turns out, accomplishes a lot of its goals by working cooperatively with other countries. The biggest and best example is the International Space Station. Sixteen countries partnered to build it, and so far astronauts from 14 countries have visited. Foreign astronauts have flown on the Space Shuttle as well. Also, many NASA missions carry foreign instruments and components (and vice versa). For example, the U.S. mission to Saturn, Cassini, carried a European probe that landed on the moon Titan. U.S. instruments flew on the recent Indian mission to the Moon, Chandrayaan. Space cooperation with the Soviet Union quietly kept the two nations talking during some of the coldest days of the cold war.
So I took my international degree straight to NASA Headquarters and became a Soviet desk officer, working on life sciences and solar physics cooperation with the USSR (you learn the science as you go along!). After that, my responsibilities included collaboration with Latin American countries, Germany, Canada, Scandinavia, and, for a little while, the European Space Agency and Japan. I got to travel a lot, learn a lot, and meet interesting people.
And then, I got the best job you can have at NASA if you can’t be an astronaut: I became the NASA Representative in Spain. NASA had representatives in Spain and Australia because we have deep space communications complexes there – stations with huge dish antennas that receive signals from and send commands to spacecraft exploring distant planets. I served in the U.S. Embassy and helped negotiate an agreement between the governments of Spain and the United States for the complex. It was fun, to be the NASA Rep and live abroad.
I came back to the United States to a different job, executive officer to the Center Director at Ames. Right now, I’m the executive officer to the deputy center director. That doesn’t involve a whole lot of international stuff, or science and engineering, but, like I said, it takes more than rocket scientists and engineers to build a space program.
(Ms. Desilvestre will be our LiveRoom guest for our Freshman chat Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009 at 8:00pm CT)
Monday, November 2, 2009
I Was Hooked
By Robert Haberly, Ames Research Center
I was looking over the weather charts in the back of San Jose State's meteorology lab one day when I noticed a yellow technical paper lying on a nearby desk. I was a graduate student at the time searching around for a research thesis topic. What got my attention about this paper was its title: Development of the Venus Atmosphere. I didn't understand the paper much, but I was astonished to learn that Venus' atmosphere was mostly carbon dioxide, that it surface pressure was about 90 bars (about 90 times higher than Earth's), and its surface temperature was over 700° Kelvin (hot enough to melt lead). Good Lord, I thought, how did that happen? What about the other planets in the solar system? Do they too have bizarre atmospheres with weird surface conditions?
As I looked for answers to these questions (which turned out to be YES, they do have bizarre atmospheres and weird surface conditions) it suddenly dawned on me that our planet is pretty unique. And having been taught (actually - drilled) that physics is universal and its laws apply to everything, I reasoned that there must be a perfectly logical explanation to why the other planets are so different. In fact, it seemed to me that the other planets provide natural laboratories for us to test out our theories of what determines the Earth's weather and climate.
Having come to this revelation, I decided to approach Dr. Christopher Reigel, my Master's Thesis advisor, about doing a thesis on the meteorology of another planet. Fortunately, he knew someone at NASA/Ames Research Center who was actively involved in this kind of research. At the time NASA was sending spacecraft to Mars to try to determine if it had life (it still is). Much of the information coming back from these missions (Mariner 9 and Viking) was related to the atmosphere and climate system. Ames researcher Dr. Jim Pollack was one of the few scientists in the world who was studying planetary atmospheres and Mars in particular. Dr. Reigel introduced me to Jim and the rest is history.
I was hooked. Working with Jim Pollack opened a door to a world I never thought I be part of - planetary exploration. But Jim admonished me that if I wanted to stay part of it, I needed to get a Ph.D. So I did, and I eventually got hired at Ames where to this day I continue to conduct research on planetary atmospheres and get to work with people who study subjects ranging from planetary interiors to solar system formation and astrobiology. It is a very stimulating environment and lots of fun! But most importantly, it is very satisfying to know that the work I do contributes to our understanding of the universe we live in.
I was looking over the weather charts in the back of San Jose State's meteorology lab one day when I noticed a yellow technical paper lying on a nearby desk. I was a graduate student at the time searching around for a research thesis topic. What got my attention about this paper was its title: Development of the Venus Atmosphere. I didn't understand the paper much, but I was astonished to learn that Venus' atmosphere was mostly carbon dioxide, that it surface pressure was about 90 bars (about 90 times higher than Earth's), and its surface temperature was over 700° Kelvin (hot enough to melt lead). Good Lord, I thought, how did that happen? What about the other planets in the solar system? Do they too have bizarre atmospheres with weird surface conditions?
As I looked for answers to these questions (which turned out to be YES, they do have bizarre atmospheres and weird surface conditions) it suddenly dawned on me that our planet is pretty unique. And having been taught (actually - drilled) that physics is universal and its laws apply to everything, I reasoned that there must be a perfectly logical explanation to why the other planets are so different. In fact, it seemed to me that the other planets provide natural laboratories for us to test out our theories of what determines the Earth's weather and climate.
Having come to this revelation, I decided to approach Dr. Christopher Reigel, my Master's Thesis advisor, about doing a thesis on the meteorology of another planet. Fortunately, he knew someone at NASA/Ames Research Center who was actively involved in this kind of research. At the time NASA was sending spacecraft to Mars to try to determine if it had life (it still is). Much of the information coming back from these missions (Mariner 9 and Viking) was related to the atmosphere and climate system. Ames researcher Dr. Jim Pollack was one of the few scientists in the world who was studying planetary atmospheres and Mars in particular. Dr. Reigel introduced me to Jim and the rest is history.
I was hooked. Working with Jim Pollack opened a door to a world I never thought I be part of - planetary exploration. But Jim admonished me that if I wanted to stay part of it, I needed to get a Ph.D. So I did, and I eventually got hired at Ames where to this day I continue to conduct research on planetary atmospheres and get to work with people who study subjects ranging from planetary interiors to solar system formation and astrobiology. It is a very stimulating environment and lots of fun! But most importantly, it is very satisfying to know that the work I do contributes to our understanding of the universe we live in.
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