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By Space Force
Space Force officials have selected 14 senior master sergeants and 25 master sergeants for promotion in the 24S9 and 25S8 promotion cycles, respectively.
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By NASA
NASA astronaut Dr. Kjell Lindgren poses with a patient at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center roll-out event for NASA’s “MISSION: All Systems Go!” suite of digital products. Credit: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center As NASA innovates for the benefit of humanity and inspires the world through discovery, the agency launched a new video series specifically designed for use by medical treatment centers across the United States to help reduce anxiety and stress among pediatric patients during treatment.
The project, named “MISSION: All Systems GO!”, is hosted by NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren and was developed alongside the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and National Association of Proton Therapy. The suite of products intentionally draws similarities between an astronaut’s experience and the challenges young patients will encounter during their treatment, such as restricted movement in confined spaces, strange sounds and smells, and separation from family and friends. The videos, and accompanying products, are a new resource for treatment centers, and support President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden’s Cancer Moonshot Initiative.
“As part of the Biden Cancer Moonshot Initiative, NASA is committed to improving the experience of cancer patients and their families while we work to end cancer as we know it,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Cancer treatment is full of unknowns, and so is space travel — we hope that this project will provide hope and comfort to patients and their loved ones as they navigate their cancer treatment mission.”
Some patients undergo as many as six weeks or more of treatments strapped into sterile, state-of-the-art medical machines that many patients find intimidating. However, some patients expressed fascination toward these high-tech mechanisms and compared them to the look of a NASA spacecraft, leading to the idea for this unique suite of products.
“Part of the agency’s mission is to improve life here on Earth,” said Kevin Coggins, deputy associate administrator and NASA’s SCaN (Space Communication and Navigation) program manager. “I’m proud that we can help thousands of kids and their families get through an extremely difficult time in their lives.”
In the first of three hosted videos, Lindgren, himself a medical doctor, briefs the patient on their upcoming “mission.” Step by step, Lindgren addresses each requirement and his confidence in how the patients can do it.
After completing their treatment, patients will receive a mission de-brief from Lindgren, where he offers reminders on how to follow up with treatment, as well as his heartfelt congratulations. The patient also is presented with a custom certificate of mission completion signed by Lindgren and Dr. James D. Polk, NASA’s chief health and medical officer.
Finally, in the third video, Lindgren takes part in a Q-and-A in which patient’s family and friends learn more about his job and how he’s handled challenges to what they now are facing.
In addition to the video products, medical centers will have access to NASA imagery to decorate a center’s video viewing room to look like NASA’s Mission Control Center, as well as display posters featuring human spaceflight and science missions enabled by NASA’s SCaN program.
NASA’s “MISSION: All Systems GO!” is another step in the agency’s effort to help President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden’s Cancer Moonshot Initiative. NASA is working with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as well as researchers across the federal government to help cut the nation’s cancer death rate by at least 50% in the next 25 years.
“In 2022, NASA was added to the White House Cancer Moonshot Program. Since then, the agency’s Office of Chief Health and Medical Officer has formed several task forces with one specifically focused on patient and caregiver support,” said Mark Weyland, director of health operations and oversight for the Office of Chief Health and Medical Officer. “We believe the “MISSION: All Systems GO!” initiative will have a positive impact on so many patients and caregivers. Partnering with SCaN and the Cancer Moonshot Program furthers NASA’s desire to continue to provide for the health and wellness of humanity and the discovery of new medical innovations.”
The agency’s “MISSION: All Systems GO!” products are available for use by medical treatment centers and facilities across the United States. Centers interested in accessing the suite of products will be required to fill out an electronic form, accept NASA’s Terms of Use, and download the products from a dedicated Office of Chief Health and Medical Officer webpage: OCHMO & NASA Mission: All Systems GO! – NASA
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By Space Force
Space Force officials selected 14 senior master sergeants for promotion to chief master sergeant and 25 master sergeants for promotion to senior master sergeant.
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By NASA
Credit: NASA NASA, on behalf of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has selected Southwest Research Institute of San Antonio to build three coronagraphs for the Lagrange 1 Series project, part of NOAA’s Space Weather Next program.
Once operational, the coronagraphs will provide critical data to NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, which issues forecasts, warnings, and alerts that help mitigate space weather impacts, including electric power outages and interruption to communications and navigation systems.
This cost-plus-fixed-fee contract is valued at approximately $60 million, and the anticipated period of performance is from this November through January 2034, concluding after launch of the second coronagraph aboard a NOAA spacecraft. The third coronagraph will be delivered as a flight spare.
This contract award marks a transfer of coronagraph development from the government to the U.S. commercial sector. The contract scope includes design, analysis, development, fabrication, integration, test, verification, and evaluation of the coronagraphs; launch support; supply and maintenance of ground support equipment; and support of post-launch instrument operations at the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility. The work will take place at Southwest Research Institute’s facility in San Antonio.
The coronagraphs will observe the density structure of the Sun’s faint outermost atmosphere — the corona — and will detect Earth-directed coronal mass ejections shortly after they erupt, providing the longest possible lead time for geomagnetic storm watches. With this forewarning, public and private organizations affected by space weather can take actions to protect their assets. The coronagraphs will also provide data continuity from the Space Weather follow-on Lagrange 1 mission.
NASA and NOAA oversee the development, launch, testing and operation of all the satellites in the project. NOAA is the program owner providing the requirements and funding along with managing the program, operations, data products, and dissemination to users. NASA and its commercial partners develop and build the instruments, spacecraft, and provide launch services on behalf of NOAA.
For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov
-end-
Abbey Donaldson
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
Abbey.a.donaldson@nasa.gov
Jeremy Eggers
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
757-824-2958
jeremy.l.eggers@nasa.gov
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By NASA
NASA and the military have shared strong connections since the agency’s early days. From the nation’s earliest aeronautic research and the recruitment of test pilot astronauts to modern-day technology development, satellite management, and planetary defense, NASA has built a longstanding partnership with the military.
This legacy of collaboration has created natural opportunities for former service members to join NASA’s ranks at the conclusion of their military careers.
Lewis Swain is one of the many veterans working at Johnson Space Center in Houston today. Swain was recruited by NASA contractor McDonnell Douglas after leaving the military in 1980. He commissioned as a second lieutenant and served in the Air Force for 12 years, flying nearly 200 combat missions during two tours in Vietnam.
“The shuttle program was starting, and they needed ex-military pilots to serve as simulation instructors,” he said. Swain specialized in control and propulsion systems instruction for several years before becoming the training team lead for shuttle missions. Following the Challenger accident in 1986, Swain transitioned to supporting the International Space Station Program and Return to Flight evaluations. He has been a civil servant since 1989 and a training facility manager since 2006.
L. Jerry Swain during his Air Force career (left) and as a facility manager at Johnson Space Center in Houston (right).Images courtesy of L. Jerry Swain NASA’s Pathways Internship Program has also provided a point of entry for former service members. John Smith was studying mechanical engineering at the University of Texas at El Paso when he made an impactful Johnson connection. “I met with a former flight director, Ms. Ginger Kerrick, at a career fair hosted by my university,” he said. “Pathways happened to be accepting applications at the time and she enthusiastically encouraged me to apply. I never expected to get a response, much less an offer. I couldn’t say yes fast enough when it came!”
For others, the NASA SkillBridge Program has been instrumental in transitioning from the military to civilian careers. The program connects individuals in their final months of military service with a NASA office or organization. SkillBridge fellows work anywhere from 90 to 180 days, contributing their unique skillsets to the agency while building their network and knowledge. Since fellows’ pay and benefits are provided by their military branch, their support comes at no additional cost to NASA.
Johnson hosted the agency’s first-ever SkillBridge fellow in spring 2019, paving the way for many others to follow. Albert Meza, an Air Force space professional, was among this first wave of service members at NASA.
Approaching retirement from the Air Force in November 2019, Meza planned to move his family back to Houston that summer, then join them in the fall once his military service ended. A colleague encouraged him to apply for SkillBridge because it would let Meza move with his family. Meza was skeptical, noting the military is not typically flexible on moves or timelines, but after a quick meeting with his commanding officer and finding a Johnson team to work with, he was on his way to Houston. “It was unbelievable,” he said. “It kind of fell into my lap.”
Albert Meza visits Johnson Space Center’s Space Vehicle Mockup Facility while serving in the Air Force (left) and receives an award from NASA astronaut Rex J. Walheim during his retirement ceremony at Space Center Houston (right). Images courtesy of Albert Meza Today Meza is a payload integration manager for NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) program, working within the Exploration Architecture, Integration, and Science Directorate at Johnson. In this role, he acts as a liaison between payload teams and the vendor developing a lander to help ensure flight requirements are understood and met.
Meza is also one of SkillBridge’s on-site coordinators. He said that when he first arrived at Johnson, he realized the program was relatively unknown. “I thought, I need to take the responsibility for waving the flag for SkillBridge at NASA.” Meza works tirelessly to educate service members, military leaders, and NASA supervisors about the program’s benefits. He also emphasizes how easy it is for NASA supervisors to host a fellow. “You get someone for six months who is already disciplined, loyal, and has all of these highly trained credentials,” he said. “Any civil servant supervisor can host a SkillBridge fellow. The only real requirement is that the supervisor can provide IT assets and a work location.”
Johnson has hosted more than 25 SkillBridge fellows since the program’s inception. Many fellows have since accepted full-time positions with NASA, including Patricia “Trish” Elliston. Meza found her a SkillBridge position with the center’s Protective Services Division in spring 2023. Elliston relocated to Houston in 2020, a few years prior to her anticipated retirement from the U.S. Coast Guard. Living in Houston and interacting with numerous NASA employees, along with prior experience working with the agency in maritime safety, convinced Elliston that Johnson was the place for her.
Trish Elliston flies aboard an aircraft during a mission (left) and visits Johnson Space Center’s Space Vehicle Mockup Facility (right) while serving in the U.S. Coast Guard. Images courtesy of Trish Elliston “During my internship I networked as much as possible and made every effort to learn as much as I could so that I could be better prepared to start my civilian career,” Elliston said. “I worked hard and learned a lot, and when a job opportunity became available, I applied.” She now works as a cyber intelligence analyst within the Flight Operations Directorate.
Meza notes that SkillBridge is a transition program, not a hiring program, and that some fellows have not received a job offer or have decided to pursue other opportunities. What happens after a SkillBridge fellowship depends on each individual and whether they’ve demonstrated their potential and built relationships in a way that turns this ‘foot in the door’ into a full-time position.
Interested in becoming a SkillBridge fellow at NASA? Learn more about the program and submit your application here.
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