Engineering in all of its disciplines was the focus of several special events attended by NASA and contractor workers at Kennedy Space Center to celebrate National Engineers Week, Feb. 21-24. Events were coordinated by the center’s Engineering Directorate.
“All of the missions we take on at KSC, in NASA, and indeed across the country, have a little, or a lot, of engineering,” said Pat Simpkins, Engineering director. “The celebration of Engineer’s Week began in 1952, originally in conjunction with President George Washington’s birthday. President Washington was considered the nation’s first engineer, and this week is a little celebration of how far we’ve come.”
Presentations featured engineers from the Ground Systems Development and Operations (GSDO) Program, ISS Exploration Research and Technology, Spaceport Integration and Services, and Communication and Public Engagement. They discussed their individual experiences navigating engineering careers and their evolution becoming leaders in their organizations.
Robert Basta, chief systems engineer for the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R (GOES-R) Ground at Harris Corp. gave a glimpse into the world of development and discovery of this environmental science mission that is making life better for everyone on Earth. Robert Noteboom, vice president of Advanced Technology with Moon Express shared an update on the company’s progress, future plans, and how they are helping to pave the way for commercial space activities.
NASA’s Digital Learning Network hosted a series of webcasts as part of “Introduce a Girl to Engineering.” Three female engineers from Kennedy were featured guests.
The Engineering Directorate provides support to programs across the center, including GSDO, Launch Services, ISS Exploration Research and Technology, and Commercial Crew. Engineers are helping to transform Kennedy into a multi-user spaceport that supports government and commercial launches.
National Engineers Week, referred to as EWeek, was founded in 1951 by the National Society of Professional Engineers. The society is dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers. Each year, EWeek reaches thousands of schools, businesses and community groups across the U.S.