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NASA to Participate in ASCEND Conference, Brief Media on Tech Demo


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NASA leaders, including Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, will participate in the 2022 ASCEND conference, hosted by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) in Las Vegas from Monday, Oct. 24, through Wednesday, Oct. 26.

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      “I started manifesting it, thinking about it every day as I drove by. When I started looking for a new job, I saw an opening and decided to apply,” said Balijepalle, a senior database administrator working at the Airspace Operations Laboratory (AOL) at NASA Ames.  
      Eight and a half years later, she supports the researchers and developers who research next-generation solutions to advance aircraft technology and air traffic management. 
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      Balijepalle’s journey to NASA started thousands of miles away. She grew up in a small town in southern India, studying electrical engineering in college and establishing a career in information technology, working in C++ and Python. 
      When her husband found a job opportunity in the United States, Balijepalle’s life took an unexpected turn. 
      “I never planned to move to America,” said Balijepalle. “It was not easy to come here, even though my husband had a job. I stayed in India for almost nine months, before he found a different job that would help us with my visa and documentation.” 
      After settling into her new country, growing her family, and developing in her new career, Balijepalle began to ponder her dream job at NASA. She and her younger daughter, a fellow space fan, enjoyed talking about the agency’s work in space, and when a Linux administrator position opened up, she jumped at the chance. 
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      “I spoke English when I came to America, but not as well, and not using the technical language we use at NASA,” said Balijepalle. “I’m proud that I’ve improved my communications skills.” 
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      Find more information about NASA’s Dawn mission here:
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      News Media Contacts
      Gretchen McCartney
      Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
      818-287-4115
      gretchen.p.mccartney@jpl.nasa.gov 
      Karen Fox / Molly Wasser
      NASA Headquarters, Washington
      202-358-1600
      karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov
      2024-178
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      Learn more about NASA’s Technology Transfer Program: 
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      Firefly’s first lunar delivery is scheduled to launch no earlier than mid-January 2025 and will land near a volcanic feature called Mons Latreille within Mare Crisium, on the northeast quadrant of the Moon’s near side. Firefly’s second lunar mission includes two task orders: a lunar orbit drop-off of a satellite combined with a delivery to the lunar surface on the far side and a delivery of a lunar orbital calibration source, scheduled in 2026.
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      Learn more about CLPS and Artemis at:
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      -end-
      Alise Fisher
      Headquarters, Washington
      202-358-2546
      alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov
      Natalia Riusech / Nilufar Ramji    
      Johnson Space Center, Houston
      281-483-5111
      natalia.s.riusech@nasa.gov / nilufar.ramji@nasa.gov
      Share
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      Last Updated Dec 18, 2024 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
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