Members Can Post Anonymously On This Site
-
Similar Topics
-
By European Space Agency
What does satellite navigation have to do with sustainable development? Quite a lot, in fact. Satnav and other positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) technologies provide critical data that support green solutions across numerous sectors. From enabling smart mobility to optimising energy grids and facilitating precision farming, the potential for PNT to drive sustainability is immense.
View the full article
-
By NASA
Jennifer Becerra has nearly three decades of experience in education, both in the classroom and within the NASA community. Leading a team dedicated to fostering a passion for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), she develops programs that inspire students and educators alike.
Whether coordinating internships or organizing engagement events, Becerra creates educational opportunities to bring the excitement of NASA’s missions to life for students. As NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) student services manager at Johnson Space Center in Houston, her efforts aim to cultivate the next generation of explorers and build a stronger, more engaged future workforce.
Official portrait of Jennifer Becerra. NASA/Josh Valcarcel Becerra’s responsibilities include overseeing intern recruitment, placement, and development. She leads the OSTEM Center Engagement to create impactful opportunities for students to connect with NASA’s mission and resources. Becerra also serves as the technical officer for NASA’s Teams II Engaging Affiliated Museums and Informal Institutions Community Anchor grant program. She assists in managing funded projects that advance STEM education by supporting institutions that serve as local hubs for learning and space exploration.
Becerra holds memberships in The National Science Teachers Association and the Science Teachers Association of Texas, further underscoring her dedication to empowering tomorrow’s innovators.
Student interns at Johnson Space Center hold a sign to encourage the next generation of explorers to apply to #BeAnAstronaut.NASA/Josh Valcarcel Becerra takes great pride in her work. One of her most fulfilling achievements is witnessing the spark of inspiration in students when they participate in events like astronaut graduation, the Artemis II crew announcement, or the OSIRIS-REx sample reveal. “Seeing their excitement and curiosity fuels our commitment to creating impactful experiences that encourage students to explore STEM fields,” she said. “We aim to inspire the next generation of explorers who may one day contribute to future NASA missions.”
Students congratulate the 23rd astronaut class at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston on March 5, 2024.NASA/Josh Valcarcel Her upbringing on the Texas-Mexico border in Del Rio, Texas, deeply influences her sense of identity. She is an active member of Johnson’s Hispanic Employee Resource Group, which promotes cultural awareness and provides a platform to engage and educate the Johnson community about the richness and significance of Hispanic culture.
“I aim to foster a more inclusive environment where diverse perspectives are valued and celebrated,” she said. Becerra honors her culture in the workplace by embracing her authentic self every day and contributing to her team in meaningful ways.
Jennifer Becerra, left, receives a Group Special Act Award at Johnson Space Center. An important lesson she has learned throughout her career is the power of collaboration. “I’ve realized that it takes a collective effort to achieve our goals,” said Becerra. “I’ve come to deeply appreciate and rely on the diverse experiences and perspectives my colleagues bring to our team.”
Early in her career, Becerra faced imposter syndrome, but over time she overcame it by connecting with colleagues who shared her background. Today, she appreciates the inclusivity and collaboration within her teams.
Jennifer Becerra at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Looking forward, Becerra is excited for the future of space exploration, especially the moment when the first woman steps onto the Moon. She hopes to inspire more girls to explore STEM and leave a lasting legacy with the Artemis Generation.
“Passion drives fulfillment and long-term commitment, especially at NASA,” she said. “I encourage students to seize every opportunity, build strong connections with their teams, and embrace the sense of being part of something much greater than themselves.”
View the full article
-
By Space Force
The panel discussed the development and realignment of the department’s commands during an era of Great Power Competition.
View the full article
-
By NASA
4 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
Students take a tour of NASA Glenn’s Telescience Support Center, where researchers operate International Space Station experiments. Credit: NASA/Jef Janis School is back in session, and the joy of learning is back on students’ minds. Teachers and parents seeking ways to extend students’ academic excitement outside of the classroom should know NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland offers various opportunities to engage with NASA.
NASA educators encourage Ohio students and teachers to take part in the incredible space and aeronautics research happening right in their backyards.
“We have lofty goals to send the first woman and first person of color to the Moon, on to Mars, and beyond. To get there, we’ll need all the creativity and talent available to us,” said Darlene Walker, Glenn’s Office of STEM Engagement director. “We offer programs, events, and experiences at Glenn to inspire and attract students to NASA careers.”
Throughout the year, NASA Glenn offers in-person and virtual events for students and schools.
6 Ways Students Can Engage With NASA Glenn
One-day events are open to students and teachers who are U.S. citizens as well as Ohio schools or other youth-serving organizations. Registration generally opens one to two months prior to the event. “Event dates may be subject to change. Check the Glenn STEM Engagement webpage for the most up-to-date information.”
Events are designed to inspire students and spark their interest in STEM fields. These events feature NASA experts, engaging STEM activities, and tours of Glenn facilities.
1. High School Shadowing Days | High school students
Offered in fall and spring, this one-day event allows high school students to explore career opportunities in STEM, as well as business.
Fall Event Date – Nov. 14, 2024
Registration Opens – Sept. 16, 2024
Spring Event Date – May 15, 2025
Registration Opens – March 14, 2025
2. Girls in STEM | 5-8th grade students
To inspire an interest in STEM fields among middle school students, Girls in STEM features female Glenn employees, STEM activities, and tours of center facilities.
Event Date – April 10, 2025
Registration Opens – Feb. 10, 2025
3. Aviation Day | Middle and high school students
This one-day event celebrates advancements in aviation and encourages middle and high school students’ interest in aeronautics.
Event Date – Aug. 28, 2025
Registration Opens – June 27, 2025
4. TECH Day | Middle school students
TECH is short for Tours of NASA, Engineering challenge, Career exploration, and Hands-on activity. This event includes tours of center facilities, a student engineering design challenge, and career exploration opportunities.
Event Date – May 1, 2025
Registration Opens – Feb. 28, 2025
5. Manufacturing Day | High school students
Manufacturing Day aims to educate high school students about careers in the manufacturing field while encouraging an interest in STEM. Students will see how teams of engineers, researchers, and technicians work together to design and prototype aeronautics and space hardware.
Event Date – Sept. 18, 2025
Registration Opens – July 18, 2025
6. NASA STEM Kids Virtual Events | K-4th grade students
These virtual events are designed to engage kindergarten through fourth grade students by sharing the excitement of NASA’s missions of exploration and discovery through virtual tours, conversations with NASA experts, and hands-on activities.
Event Dates – Dec. 5, 2024; March 8, 2025; June 7, 2025; and Sept. 13, 2025
Registration Opens – 60 days prior to each event
“Through these opportunities, we want students to see astronauts, scientists, engineers, and role models who look like them and grew up like them work toward NASA’s missions and goals,” Walker said. “We hope they see themselves achieving these things too. We have all kinds of careers at NASA. Any career you can find outside of NASA, you can find here as well.”
Additional programs and projects
Glenn offers additional programs and projects for schools, teachers, and students looking for other ways to engage with NASA:
High School Capstones Glenn Engineering Design Challenges MUREP Precollege Summer Institute MUREP Aerospace Academy For more information about these opportunities, reach out the NASA contact listed on the correlating web page.
Learn more about NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement.
Jacqueline Minerd
NASA’s Glenn Research Center
View the full article
-
By NASA
When designing a new spacecraft or exploration vehicle, there is intense focus on its technical performance. Do its systems perform as expected? What kind of power does it need? Will it safely reach its destination?
Equally important, however, is whether that vehicle also works for the humans inside. Can astronauts easily reach critical controls? Do the seats conform to a crew member regardless of their height and body size? Does the layout of crew workstations, translation paths, stowage, and other items support effective working and living conditions?
Those are just a few of the questions NASA’s Center for Design and Space Architecture (CDSA) seeks to answer. Based within the Human Health and Performance Directorate at Johnson Space Center in Houston, the CDSA is NASA’s conceptual, human-centered design studio. It creates advanced concepts for spacecraft, exploration vehicles, and habitats that put crew needs first. The team provides a full spectrum of design services, from concept sketches to CAD models, to scaled mockups and virtual reality (VR), to full-size prototype fabrication.
Carl Conlee, Evan Twyford, and Dr. Robert Howard perform a window node visibility study on the mockup of the Space Exploration Vehicle. NASA The CDSA has been an integral partner in the design of everything from dining tables for the International Space Station to ergonomic seats for the Orion spacecraft, and private sleeping bunks for the Space Exploration Vehicle (also known as the Small Pressurized Rover). The multidisciplinary team also played key roles in the design and construction of analog habitats onsite at Johnson, including the Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) and the Crew Health And Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA) habitats where volunteer crews recently completed simulated Mars missions.
Dr. Robert Howard, CDSA co-lead and habitability domain lead, explained that the current HERA habitat was initially developed as the ground-test version of a lunar habitat envisioned by the Constellation Program. The CDSA team built medical operations and suit maintenance workstations, stowage systems, cameras, and outfitting supplies for the habitat, known then as the Habitat Demonstration Unit. Later, the team added a galley, exercise and stowage space, and crew quarters to university-built inflatable upper decks. They also outfitted the interior of a hygiene module provided by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, helped Kennedy Space Center’s plant growth team locate their experiments in the habitat, and worked with the Human Factors Engineering Laboratory to develop crew procedures for testing the habitats at Johnson and in Arizona.
“The plan was to excess the habitat when the program ended, but CDSA realized the asset was too valuable and we campaigned to find a new owner for the mockup,” Howard said. “That led to the birth of HERA. The Human Research Program now performs the day-to-day maintenance and conducts the HERA missions.”
Dr. Robert Howard (left) briefs Apollo astronauts Gene Cernan, Neil Armstrong, and Harrison Schmitt on the Altair lunar lander mockup. NASA For CHAPEA, the CDSA worked with NASA teams and commercial partners to determine the habitat’s necessary functions and layout, assisted with furniture installation, provided design consultation and fabrication assistance for an external airlock, and designed and built a docking node.
Another part of the CDSA’s work is the development of NASA test units for partner-produced vehicles and spacecraft. “In the early phases of a project, these test units can help NASA understand what requirements we want to levy on the partner,” Howard explained. “Later, they can be used to emulate partner concepts and NASA can perform independent studies with them, either to assess partner capabilities or to predict the impacts of possible changes.”
The CDSA team can also build replicas of contractor mockups for crew training or additional testing. They are currently supporting development of lunar surface logistics, a pressurized rover, and Gateway components, too.
Center for Design and Space Architecture team members test a Gateway habitat mockup. From left are Brett Montoya, Taylor Phillips-Hungerford, and Zachary Taylor. NASA/Robert Markowitz In addition to Howard, the CDSA team includes Maijinn Chen, the technical discipline lead for space architecture, and Nathan Moore, the technical discipline lead for fabrication, as well as nearly a dozen contractors who serve as space architects, industrial designers, mechanical engineers, and VR developers. “It is a very multidisciplinary team, so we are able to leverage different skillsets to complete our work,” Howard said. “All of the team members are well-versed in design ideation, so we can collaborate when developing concepts, whether for high-level architectures, individual vehicle assets, subsystem components, or even crew-worn items.”
Howard explained that the CDSA almost always works as a sub-team within a larger effort. “We can support a team at any point in a spacecraft lifecycle, but it is best when we are brought in at the very beginning,” he said. “That is where human-centered design processes can have the greatest impact in improving a space system for the lowest cost. It is also very helpful in ensuring that the requirements levied on our contractors and international partners reflect the needs of the future astronaut crews.”
Howard can trace his passion for space exploration back to his early childhood. “I feel like I was born interested! My mom said when I was three, I might not watch ‘The Electric Company,’ but I would not miss ‘Star Trek’ or ‘Space 1999,” he said. “As I got older, I would gravitate toward the space section of the library and read anything I could about NASA. I was always more interested in human spaceflight than in unmanned vehicles and I suppose that was the beginning of my path towards habitability and human-centered design.”
For Howard, the most rewarding part of the CDSA team’s work is creating things that have never existed. “I love it when we find a way to do something that was previously considered impossible, or beyond the scope of what was considered likely,” he said. “I consider it a personal calling to find ways to make space more habitable for humanity.”
View the full article
-
-
Check out these Videos
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.