For Melissa John, protecting the environment is her way of contributing to space exploration while preserving the Earth we call home. As the sustainability program lead at NASA’s White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico, John manages efforts to reduce waste, prevent pollution, and promote eco-conscious practices. Over the past 13 years, she … Read more
A lifelong baseball fan, Catherine Staggs set out with her family to visit all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums across the United States. That love of the game eventually led them to settle in Houston about eight years ago – a choice that helped lead Staggs to NASA’s Johnson Space Center, where she is a … Read more
Of all the possible entry points to NASA, the agency’s SkillBridge Program has been instrumental in helping servicemembers transition from the military and into civilian careers. Offered in partnership with the Department of Defense (DoD), the program enables individuals to spend their final months of military service working with a NASA office or organization. SkillBridge … Read more
With over 25 years of experience in human spaceflight programs, Melissa Harris has contributed to numerous programs and projects during key moments in NASA’s history. As the life cycle lead and Independent Review Team review manager for the Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program, she guides the agency through development initiatives leading to a new … Read more
Teresa Sindelar always knew she wanted to be a part of human spaceflight, but she was unsure how to make that dream a reality until a chance encounter with former NASA astronaut Tom Stafford when she was 11 years old. The pair met in a local jewelry shop near Sindelar’s Nebraska home, where Gen. Stafford … Read more
As humanity prepares to return to the lunar surface, Aaisha Ali is behind the scenes ensuring mission readiness for astronauts set to orbit the Moon during Artemis II. Ali is the Artemis ground control flight lead at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. She makes sure her team has the resources needed for the next … Read more
Lisa Pace knows a marathon when she sees one. An avid runner, she has participated in five marathons and more than 50 half marathons. Though she prefers to move quickly, she also knows the value of taking her time. “I solve most of my problems while running – or realize those problems aren’t worth worrying … Read more
Editor’s note: This interview was conducted in October 2023. As the International Space Station approaches 25 years of continuous human presence on Nov. 2, 2025, it is a meaningful moment to recognize those who have been there since the beginning—sharing the story of human spaceflight with the world. If you have ever witnessed the live … Read more
As branch chief of the Hypervelocity Impact and Orbital Debris Office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Dr. Heather Cowardin leads a team tasked with a critical mission: characterizing and mitigating orbital debris—space junk that poses a growing risk to satellites, spacecraft, and human spaceflight. Long before Cowardin was a scientist safeguarding NASA’s mission, … Read more
Farah Al Fulfulee was just four years old when she started climbing onto the roof of her family’s house in Iraq to gaze at the stars. “It scared me how vast and quiet the sky was, but it made me very curious. I grew a deep passion for the stars and constellations and what they … Read more