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By NASA
4 Min Read What is an Engineer? (Grades K-4)
This article is for students grades K-4.
Engineers solve problems. They use science and math to create new things or make things work better. There are different kinds of engineers. They work on different kinds of projects. Some engineers design buildings or machines. Others find ways to move heat, power, or water from one place to another. Some create new tools.
NASA needs engineers. They design the things humans need to fly in space or on airplanes. Engineers make great ideas become real.
What do NASA engineers work on?
NASA has many missions. These missions need different kinds of engineers. Here are some of the ways engineers help NASA get the job done.
Spacecraft: These are vehicles that fly in space. NASA engineers decide how a spacecraft should be built and what it should do. They also make sure it will keep astronauts safe. Airplanes: NASA engineers work on airplanes. They design how the plane will look, how fast it will fly, and how much fuel it will use. Telescopes: Telescopes help us see space objects like stars and planets. Some telescopes are placed in orbit for the best view. NASA engineers design them to work in space. Computers: Computers can do complex tasks faster than people. NASA engineers write code that tells computers what to do. Anthony Vareha, NASA flight director Why is it fun to be a NASA engineer?
At NASA, engineers get to work on cool projects. They use science and creativity to find new ways to reach big goals. Here are some of the reasons they like their work.
“Being an engineer is like solving a huge puzzle or building something cool with building blocks. The difference is that the things we make help make the world better and improve people’s lives.” – Othmane Benefan, materials research engineer “I like being an engineer because I get to learn new things almost every day. Most of the engineering projects at NASA are super unique because we are building satellites that study new places all over the solar system (planets, asteroids, even the Sun), and it’s really fun to learn all the ways that we can use robots to explore.” – Phillip Hargrove, launch mission integration engineer “I love to build and create things. At NASA, there’s always something to do, and I get to work with people I enjoy.” – Jenna Sayler, aerospace engineer “I love being an engineer because I love trying to understand how things work. There’s a lot of stuff in our universe. Engineering is the tool I’ve chosen to help make sense of it all.” – Brian Kusnick, mechanical engineer Elaine Stewart, contamination control engineer What are some things I can do to help me become an engineer?
Be curious and excited to learn new things. Learn more about how different types of machines work. Practice making, building, or tinkering with things. Work hard in math and science classes. When you get to middle school or high school, try a NASA student challenge or apply to be a NASA intern. Students over age 16 can apply for NASA internships. Interns work on real projects. NASA team members help guide interns as they learn. Wendy Okolo, Ph.D., aerospace research engineer How can I try engineering today?
NASA has fun engineering activities that you can do at home. Here are a few to try:
Make and color a paper airplane. Let your imagination fly! Build a tower with pasta! How tall can you build it? Make a paper Mars helicopter. See which design works best! Build a new spacecraft using items in your house! A CubeSat is a small satellite. Try to build a CubeSat in this online game. When you do these projects, try them more than once. Make a small change each time. See if it makes your design work better. Engineering is all about testing ideas!
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JPL Education: Student Projects (Grades K-4) NASA Space Place Explore More for Students Grades K-4 View the full article
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By NASA
Electrical engineer Scott Hesh works on a sub-payload canister at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility near Chincoteague, Virginia. The cannister will be part of a science experiment and a demonstration of his Swarm Communications technology.Credits: NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility/Berit Bland Scott Hesh, an electrical engineer at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, was announced Nov. 2 as the FY22 IRAD Innovator of the Year, an award presented by the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
“An electrical engineer with an insatiable curiosity, Scott Hesh and his team have worked hand-in-glove with science investigators since 2017,” said Goddard Chief Technologist Peter Hughes. “He developed a technology to sample Earth’s upper atmosphere in multiple dimensions with more accurate time and location data than previously possible with a sounding rocket.”
Related: NASA Sounding Rockets Launch Multiple Science Payloads
Newly proven technology developed at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility near Chincoteague, Virginia, turns a single sounding rocket into a hive deploying a swarm of up to 16 instruments. The technology offers unprecedented accuracy for monitoring Earth’s atmosphere and solar weather over a wide area.
Engineers Josh Yacobucci (left) and Scott Hesh test fit a science sensor sub-payload into a Black Brant sounding rocket at Wallops.Credits: NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility/Berit Bland The Internal Research and Development (IRAD) Innovator of the Year award is presented by Goddard’s Office of the Chief Technologist to individuals who demonstrate the best in innovation.
“Scott has this enthusiasm for what he does that I think is really contagious,” Sounding Rocket Program technologist Cathy Hesh said. “He’s an electrical engineer by education, but he has such a grasp on other disciplines as well, so he’s sort of like a systems engineer. If he wants to improve something, he just goes out and learns all sorts of things that would be beyond the scope of his discipline.”
Mechanical engineer Josh Yacobucci has worked with Scott Hesh for more than 15 years, and said he always learns something when they collaborate.
“Scott brings this great perspective,” Yacobucci said. “He could help winnow out things in my designs that I hadn’t thought of.”
“For his interdisciplinary leadership resulting in game-changing improvements for atmospheric and solar science capabilities,” Hughes said, “Scott Hesh deserves Goddard’s Innovator of the Year Award.”
By Karl B. Hille
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
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By NASA
u0022Every project I have worked has been unique, whether it be a sounding rocket, scientific balloon, or aircraft mission,u0022 said Wallops Flight Facility News Chief Keith Koehler, looking back on his 41 years at NASA. u0022The projects are numerous and great people are involved.u0022NASA/Aubrey Gemignani Name: Keith Koehler
Title: News Chief
Formal Job Classification: Public Affairs Specialist
Organization: Office of Communications, Wallops Flight Facility, Goddard Space Flight Center (Code 130.4)
What do you do and what is most interesting about your role here at Goddard? How do you help support Goddard’s mission?
As news chief, I manage media relations with local, regional, national, and international media. I also write news releases and web features, and I conduct interviews to bring the exciting activities at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore to the public.
What is your educational background?
I have a B.A. in journalism from Murray State University in Kentucky and an M.B.A. from Bellarmine University in Kentucky.
How did you come to work for NASA?
In 1978, while I was at Murray, I joined the NASA Langley Research Center’s Public Affairs Office (now the Office of Communications), in Virginia, as a cooperative education student, a type of internship. In 1984, I joined Wallops as the manager of the Visitor Center while I was working on my master’s. In 1987, I returned to Bellarmine full time to complete the last semester for my master’s. Later that year, after graduating, I returned to the Wallops Visitor Center. In 1990, I became the lead of the Wallops Public Affairs Office, where I have remained most of my career.
Why did you spend almost your entire career at Wallops’ Office of Communications?
When I first came to Wallops, I fell in love with the area. I grew up in the city and I love this rural area. I enjoy working with the people and the scientists from all over the world who come here to do research projects. Wallops projects usually run six months to about two years, so it’s very fast-paced with a lot of activity in many different areas.
I also met my wife Lisa, a native of the area, while at Wallops.
What are some of the most interesting projects you have worked on?
Northrop Grumman’s Antares program, which launches from Wallops, is interesting because of the positive impact the launches have on the community and their importance in getting supplies to the International Space Station. Wallops began in 1945 as a launch facility. Since coming to Wallops in 1984, I have seen it become a world-class launch facility for much larger rockets.
Every project I have worked has been unique, whether it be a sounding rocket, scientific balloon, or aircraft mission. The projects are numerous and great people are involved.
What I have enjoyed most throughout my career is the people. Our people want to share what they are doing with the public.
u0022What makes a good science communicator is the ability to listen,u0022 said Wallops news chief Keith Koehler. u0022You need to listen closely to what is being told to you from the mission support staff, such as a scientists, engineers, or technicians. Then you must be able to take that information and put it in a format that the public can understand.u0022Courtesy of Keith Koehler What do you want to be your legacy?
I would like to be remembered as someone with integrity who was able to bring the message of what we do at Wallops to the public and as someone who supported our educational programs through the development and support of hands-on programs and support of internships.
What advice would you give to someone starting out in science communications?
You need to have a passion for learning and be curious.
We pass on new findings to the public and everything is always changing. You must enjoy communicating with the scientists and engineers and passing on that information to the public in a way they can understand the technical complexities of the science and engineering.
What makes a good science communicator?
What makes a good science communicator is the ability to listen. You need to listen closely to what is being told to you from the mission support staff, such as a scientists, engineers, or technicians. Then you must be able to take that information and put it in a format that the public can understand. You also must be able to listen to the public and understand what they are asking and interested in hearing.
What was your favorite campaign?
That is hard to say. With more than 41 years supporting NASA, the missions and field campaigns have been numerous. Field campaigns took me to Alaska, New Mexico, California, Hawaii, in the air over the mid-Atlantic states, and Puerto Rico.
How has Wallops changed over the years?
In some ways, Wallops has stayed the same, but it also has changed. Wallops has always had a can-do attitude. Mission personnel know the project goals and work toward those goals. Historically, the work has focused on suborbital projects using sounding rockets, scientific balloons, and science aircraft.
Recently, there has been an increase in working with small satellites – project management, development, testing and tracking. In addition, Wallops has greatly expanded its support of commercial launch activities. In 1995, Virginia located the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops, which has brought an increase in the launch of orbital rockets. I was part of the core group involved in the birth of the spaceport.
What do you enjoy most about living near Wallops?
The area is quiet, slower paced. The beaches are nice. We are close enough for a day trip to Washington, D.C., but we can live surrounded by nature.
After you retire at the end of this year, what are your plans?
I want to travel nationally and internationally with my wife Lisa. I love vegetable gardening. I also want to spend time with my grandchild. I may do some part-time teaching. I hope to do volunteer work, but have not yet decided exactly what or where.
What is your “six-word memoir”? A six-word memoir describes something in just six words.
Integrity, faithful, patient, inquisitive, caring, trustworthy.
By Elizabeth M. Jarrell
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
Conversations With Goddard is a collection of question and answer profiles highlighting the breadth and depth of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center’s talented and diverse workforce. The Conversations have been published twice a month on average since May 2011. Read past editions on Goddard’s “Our People” webpage. Conversations With Goddard is a collection of Q&A profiles highlighting the breadth and depth of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center’s talented and diverse workforce. The Conversations have been published twice a month on average since May 2011. Read past editions on Goddard’s “Our People” webpage.
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Last Updated Feb 10, 2025 Related Terms
Goddard Space Flight Center People of Goddard Wallops Flight Facility Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA
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By NASA
“I’m always proud every time I see a new picture taken by Hubble,u0022 said Phathom Donald, a satellite systems engineer for the Hubble Space Telescope. u0022It feels like an accomplishment and an honor even to be part of a mission that brings those images to people on Earth.”u003cstrongu003eu003cemu003eCredits: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center / Rob Andreoliu003c/emu003eu003c/strongu003e Name: Phathom Donald
Title: Mission Engineer
Formal Job Classification: Satellite Systems Engineer
Organization: Astrophysics Project Division, Hubble Space Telescope Operations Project, Code 441
What do you do and what is most interesting about your role here at Goddard? How do you help support Goddard’s mission?
As a member of the flight operations team for the Hubble Space Telescope, I monitor and evaluate the performance of Hubble’s subsystems through its telemetry. I send commands to Hubble as needed for routine maintenance, maintaining communication with the spacecraft, and recovery from onboard anomalies. I also support ground system maintenance to ensure that operations run smoothly and uninterrupted.
On the flight software team, I build and run simulations to verify flight software changes before they’re installed onto Hubble. Just like how your laptop or your smartphone gets regular updates to add new features or to fix bugs, Hubble gets flight software updates for added capabilities and to address new issues.
Being a flight controller was a dream of mine, so being able to command a spacecraft has been really exciting. I also really enjoy coding, and it’s been interesting seeing how all these critical and complicated activities happen at the same time. I think the work I do outside of my flight controller role has helped me become a better flight controller, because I have a better idea of what’s happening behind the scenes — things feel a bit more intuitive to me.
How did you find your path to Goddard?
During undergrad, I was on a path to become a power systems engineer. But one day in my senior design class, our professor invited the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) project manager at the time to speak to our class about systems engineering and its applications to the mission. Within five minutes of this presentation, I was on the verge of tears. This presentation alone changed the course of my career because it reminded me that I love the stars and I love space. More importantly, it made me feel like a career at NASA was actually possible.
So, I emailed the speaker and asked him for advice, and he responded with excellent guidance and encouragement. I saved that email and essentially used it as a career guide. After graduating, I worked for a NASA contractor first as a quality engineer, then as a model-based systems engineer. While I was in that role, I pursued my master’s, and about a month after graduating, I saw the job posting for Hubble’s flight operations team at Goddard. After a year or so of settling in, I reached out to that same speaker and I let him know I took his advice, I made it to NASA, and that I couldn’t be more grateful for his help. He responded beautifully, saying that he was humbled to have played any role in me getting to where I wanted to be.
What first sparked your interest in space?
My dad used to take my brothers and me to the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles all the time. I loved going to those shows in the planetarium and just feeling engrossed in what they were teaching. I’d always wanted to take an astronomy class, but I didn’t get the chance until my last year of undergrad. I’m so glad I did; it just reaffirmed that space is for me.
u0022In moments where Hubble’s mission is at risk, I’ll look at the situation and think, ‘Okay, what can we do to either fix or mitigate this problem?’u0022 said Phathom Donald, a satellite systems engineer for the Hubble Space Telescope. u0022I do what I can with care, I communicate clearly with those I’m working with, and I trust the abilities of my colleagues.”u003cstrongu003eu003cemu003eCredits: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center / Rebecca Rothu003c/emu003eu003c/strongu003e What is your educational background?
I graduated from Howard University in Washington, D.C., in 2014 with a bachelor’s in electrical engineering. I also have a master’s in space systems engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. Right now, I’m pursuing a graduate certificate in control systems from the University of Michigan at Dearborn to prepare for a role supporting Hubble’s pointing and control subsystems. After I’m done, I plan to pursue a graduate certificate in aerospace for that same reason; I want to pick up and hone skills in order to maximize my contributions to Hubble.
How do you keep a cool head when you have a mission-critical situation?
I think I’m generally a pretty calm person, but in moments where Hubble’s mission is at risk, I tend to focus on what is in my power to get done. So I’ll look at the situation and think, “OK, what can we do to either fix or mitigate this problem?” And I do what I can with care, I communicate clearly with those I’m working with, and I trust the abilities of my colleagues. I work with really brilliant, dedicated people who love what they do, so I know that they’re going to do what’s best for the mission.
What is your proudest accomplishment at Goddard?
To be honest, I’m always proud every time I see a new picture taken by Hubble, especially after we’ve recovered it from an anomaly. It feels like an accomplishment and an honor even to be part of a mission that brings those images to people on Earth.
Who are your science role models, and how have they shaped your career in science?
Katherine Johnson: she was an African American mathematician who was pivotal in the success of the early human spaceflight missions carried out by NASA. Her complex trajectory calculations got the first man into space and back unharmed. I also admire Dr. Sian Proctor: she was the first Black woman to pilot a spacecraft.
As a minority, it can be easy to feel like an outlier in the space industry. Seeing people like Katherine and Dr. Proctor succeed and excel in these fields adds a bit of comfort. They show me that these technically demanding roles are attainable.
How do you like to spend your time outside of work? What are your hobbies?
I spend a lot of time with my tiny dog, Chara. I named her after a yellow star in the Hunting Dogs constellation. Chara is Greek for “joy,” and to say she brings me joy would be an understatement.
I actually have a new obsession with snorkeling and freediving. I went snorkeling for the first time in early 2021 and it completely changed my life. Before snorkeling, I was terrified of water. After snorkeling, I wanted to be a fish. I just love the freedom that comes with the lack of equipment. I love the peace that I feel underwater.
What is your “six-word memoir”? A six-word memoir describes something in just six words.
“The stars are not too far.”
What is some advice you would give your 10-year-old self?
You are capable of more than you know, more than what people might try to make you believe. Do what makes you feel fulfilled and define your own success. Your passion is your strength.
By Hannah Richter
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
Conversations With Goddard is a collection of Q&A profiles highlighting the breadth and depth of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center’s talented and diverse workforce. The Conversations have been published twice a month on average since May 2011. Read past editions on Goddard’s “Our People” webpage.
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Last Updated Feb 10, 2025 Related Terms
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By NASA
5 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
When it comes to building spaceflight missions, the software is at least as important as the hardware. For computer engineer Nargess Memarsadeghi, having a hand in the programming is like getting to go along for the ride.
Name: Nargess Memarsadeghi
Title: Associate Branch Head, Software Systems Engineering Branch
Formal Job Classification: Supervisory Computer Engineer
Organization: Software Systems Engineering Branch, Software Engineering Division, Engineering Directorate (Code 581)
Nargess Memarsadeghi is the associate branch head of the Software Systems Engineering branch at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.Courtesy of Nargess Memarsadeghi What do you do and what is most interesting about your role here at Goddard?
As associate branch head for the Software Systems Engineering Branch, I spend half of my time supporting the branch head on internal functions, different planning activities, and supervising our employees who are senior software systems engineers and often team leads themselves.
For the other half of my time, I work on a technical project. Currently, I am supporting the Human Landing Systems (HLS) project. I am a member of NASA HLS Software Insight Team working with NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and Johnson Space Center in Houston, and industry partners SpaceX and Blue Origin to meet software requirements and milestones, and to ensure the Artemis campaign succeeds in taking astronauts to the Moon.
I enjoy learning about various NASA missions and being part of them either by supporting our branch employees who work on these missions or by being a project team member and making technical contributions directly.
Why did you become a software engineer?
I always loved math and sciences. Software engineering seemed like a good and practical way to apply math to different scientific and engineering applications.
What is your educational background?
I got my bachelor’s (2001), master’s (2004), and doctorate (2007) degrees in computer science from the University of Maryland at College Park.
How did you come to Goddard?
I joined Goddard in 2001 right after college. The university had a recruitment event at its career center. I signed up for an interview with NASA, which went well. I then got an invitation for an onsite interview, and then an offer to join Goddard as a computer engineer.
What is your supervisory style?
I have been supervising on average 10 employees. We have tag-ups every two weeks to learn about their work and see if they have any issues or need anything from management. We keep in constant communication which goes both ways. I have an open-door policy. I try to match an employee’s interests and expertise to their work. I am willing to hear their concerns and address them to the best of my ability or putting them in contact with those who can. I enjoy learning about their work and celebrating the achievements.
What are some of the most exciting projects and missions that the Software Systems Engineering Branch is involved with?
We provide end-to-end software systems engineering support to many high-impact missions, like the upcoming flagship astrophysics Roman Space Telescope mission. We support Roman’s software systems, as well as its testing and assembly with one of our software products, the Goddard Dynamic Simulator.
Our team also supports a variety of Earth science missions, such as the Joint Polar Satellite Systems (JPSS), GOES-R, and GOES-U, all of which NASA supports on behalf of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). We also develop and manage different ground segment software systems for different missions including PACE, TSIS-II, and others.
What are some of your career highlights so far?
One was being part of the James Webb Space Telescope team and working on stability testing of microshutters. Webb is a huge, multinational observatory making many scientific discoveries.
Another is being part of the Dawn mission’s satellite working group searching for moons of the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres. I worked on this from prelaunch through launch and operations. We were some of the first to see the scientific images soon after being downlinked. It felt like going on a ride with the spacecraft itself.
I would add my more recent work on the Roman Space Telescope.
In general, I really enjoyed working on various missions during their different stages of their life cycle. I got to see the whole picture of how software is used for missions, from technology development to post-launch.
What advice do you give your graduate students and interns as a mentor?
I emphasize that they also need to work on their communication skills, leadership skills, and team building. I tell them to focus not just on their technical skills but also on their interpersonal skills both written and oral. NASA has a lot of collaborative projects and being able to effectively communicate across different levels is crucial for mission success.
Whom do you wish to thank?
I would like to thank my family for their support. I would also like to thank my past teachers and mentors who made a big difference in me and positively impacted my life.
What do you do to relax?
I like going for long walks, spending time with family and friends, and doing activities with my son including attending his piano recitals.
Who is your favorite author?
As a young reader, I enjoyed reading Jules Verne. I also enjoy reading poetry. My favorites are Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, and Persian poets Sohrab Sepehri and Saadi Shirazi.
What motto do you live by?
Be the change you want to see in the world.
By Elizabeth M. Jarrell
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
Conversations With Goddard is a collection of Q&A profiles highlighting the breadth and depth of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center’s talented and diverse workforce. The Conversations have been published twice a month on average since May 2011. Read past editions on Goddard’s “Our People” webpage.
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Last Updated Dec 19, 2024 Related Terms
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