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By NASA
6 Min Read Lagniappe for July 2024
Explore the July 2024 issue, featuring NASA Stennis Achieves Primary Success for Historic In-Space Mission, NASA at the Mississippi Comic Convention, NASA Stennis Take Our Children to Work Day, and more! Explore Lagniappe for July 2024 featuring:
NASA Stennis Achieves Primary Success for Historic In-Space Mission Mississippi Comic Convention Experiences NASA NASA Stennis Hosts Take Our Children to Work Day Gator Speaks
Conversations filled the room with anticipation for the day ahead.
NASA’s Stennis Space Center hosted Take Our Children to Work Day on June 27 with a day set aside for children of employees to see up close the work carried out at NASA Stennis by its diverse workforce.
A video featuring NASA Stennis Associate Director Rodney McKellip welcomed the enthusiastic crowd. He shared about the different hats worn by the more than 5,000 employees throughout the NASA Stennis federal city.
There are engineers who help make the south Mississippi NASA center the premier rocket engine test facility in the country. NASA Stennis, the place that tested rocket stages to put the first humans on the Moon, remains on the frontlines of preparing NASA and the United States for its return to the Moon through the Artemis campaign to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before.
Those attending Take Our Children to Work Day learned how NASA Stennis has many rocket scientists and test engineers carrying out this work, but that is not all.
Gator SpeaksNASA/Stennis A team of folks, including accountants, lawyers, environmental specialists, educators, and public affairs specialists, wear the NASA hat to ensure mission success too.
There also are teams climbing on test stands, installing rocket engines into the stands, working with piping, electrical, welding, construction projects, safety inspections, and more.
In addition to being the premier propulsion test site supporting NASA’s mission, NASA Stennis is where commercial companies experience success and benefit from the expertise of NASA personnel. Companies like Relativity Space, Rocket Lab, and Evolution Space have established ongoing operations at NASA Stennis as the commercialization of space continues.
The NASA Stennis federal city also includes a range agencies, universities, and companies sharing costs and carrying out individual missions.
It is the command site for the largest collection of oceanographers in the world and where Navy Seals train.
Participants learned about such operations from a panel of employees from NASA, Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3 Harris Technologies company, Lockheed Martin, and Relativity Space.
They toured NASA Stennis and participated in activities facilitated by NASA, Aerojet Rocketdyne, and the National Data Buoy Center.
The NASA Stennis associate director left them with a final thought before their day started: If you hear something loud during the day, just know that is the sound of progress at the nation’s premier rocket propulsion test facility and federal city known as NASA Stennis.
Sure enough, that afternoon, the unmistakable sound of engine testing could be heard across the site. For this ol‘ Gator, it sounds like music to the ears.
NASA Stennis Top News
NASA Stennis Achieves Primary Success for Historic In-Space Mission
NASA’s Stennis Space Center and partner Sidus Space Inc. announced primary mission success July 2 for the center’s historic in-space mission – an autonomous systems payload aboard an orbiting satellite.
Read More About Mission Success Mississippi Comic Convention Experiences NASA
Science fiction fans at the Mississippi Comic Convention were provided an out-of-this world experience, while learning about NASA, during the two-day event in Jackson, Mississippi, thanks to employees from NASA’s Stennis Space Center.
“I’ve never been to an outreach activity that you reached so many people and from such a wide spectrum of people, from grade schoolers to retired grandparents,” said Troy Frisbie, NASA Stennis legislative affairs officer and chief of staff. “We interacted with a wide audience and really shared how NASA and NASA Stennis benefit all. It was a really, really good experience.”
The NASA booth, at an event that attracted 18,000 people to the Mississippi Trade Mart and Coliseum on June 22-23, featured an immersive experience with virtual reality goggles. Participants were able to view an engine test conducted at NASA Stennis, take a virtual spacewalk while visiting the International Space Station, and experience a simulated rocket launch to Mars.
One group enjoying the interaction with NASA was the Star Trek fan club from Jackson, Mississippi.
“They were real big supporters of NASA,” Frisbie said. “They loved the virtual reality experience and encouraged others at the convention to come by and visit with us.”
NASA Stennis budget analyst Rebecca Mataya and engineers Paul Fuller, Steven Helmstetter, and Chris Barnett-Woods volunteered with Frisbie. The center employees talked to college students majoring in engineering, graphic design, architecture, education, and healthcare.
“The assumption is everybody has to be an engineer to work at NASA, and that is not the case,” Frisbie said. “There are all kinds of opportunities, and that was an eye opener for many.”
Conversations centered on job opportunities and careers with NASA, as well as work conducted at NASA Stennis. The volunteers also fielded general questions about NASA’s powerful SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and the agency’s Artemis campaign of returning astronauts to the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and inspiration for a new generation of explorers: the Artemis Generation.
“We enjoyed telling the NASA story and how NASA Stennis on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi serves as an economic engine that contributes to this nation’s space dreams,” Frisbie added.
Jackson, Mississippi, Star Trek fan club, USS Haise member, volunteers to be the first user of the virtual reality experience provided by NASA Stennis before the Mississippi Comic Convention begins.NASA/Rebecca Mataya NASA Stennis budget analyst Rebecca Mataya, right, and NASA Stennis engineer Paul Fuller assist young space fans with the NASA virtual reality experience at the Mississippi Comic Convention in Jackson, Mississippi, on June 22 at the Mississippi Trade Mart and Coliseum.NASA/Troy Frisbie A Mississippi Comic Convention worker, an advocate for children with disabilities, speaks with NASA Stennis budget analyst Rebecca Mataya, right, during the event in Jackson, Mississippi, on June 22, about community outreach events and INFINITY Science Center’s ability to host children with special needs interested in learning more about NASA.NASA/Troy Frisbie NASA engineer Steve Helmstetter, center, gives a thumbs up on June 22 at the Mississippi Comic Convention in Jackson, Mississippi, as a young fan has a virtual reality experience in space.NASA/Rebecca Mataya NASA Stennis legislative affairs specialist and chief of staff Troy Frisbie discusses his appearance in Star Trek Explorer magazine with a member of the Jackson, Mississippi, Star Trek fan club, USS Haise. NASA/Rebecca Mataya A Darth Vader character visits with NASA Stennis legislative affairs specialist and chief of staff Troy Frisbie at the NASA booth on June 23 at the Mississippi Comic Convention in Jackson, Mississippi.NASA/Rebecca Mataya Center Activities
NASA Stennis Breaks Ground with Rolls-Royce on New Testing Area
NASA’s Stennis Space Center continues to support commercial companies and benefit the aerospace industry. The latest example comes as officials from NASA Stennis and Rolls-Royce break ground for the E-1 Hydrogen Test Pad, located at the NASA Stennis E-Complex Test Facility, during a June 27 ceremony. The site will be where Rolls-Royce conducts hydrogen testing for the Pearl 15 engine. The Pearl 15 engine helps power the Bombardier Global 5500 & 6500 aircraft and enables top speeds of Mach 0.90. Groundbreaking participants include (left to right): Adam Newman, Rolls-Royce chief engineer of hydrogen technology; Deborah Robinson, Rolls-Royce director of test and experimental engineering; Troy Frisbie, NASA Stennis legislative affairs specialist and chief of staff; Dan Lyon, Rolls-Royce North America general manager; and Steven Blake, Rolls-Royce North America indirect purchasing, global commodity manager. NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA Stennis Hosts NASA Mission Support Directorate
Members of NASA’s Mission Support Directorate met with leaders from NASA’s Stennis Space Center and the NASA Shared Services Center during an onsite visit June 3. The group also participated in an in-depth tour of the NASA Stennis facilities. Pictured (left to right) are Ron Bald, chief counsel for the Office of the General Counsel at NASA Stennis and NASA Shared Services Center; Dinna Cottrell, chief information officer for the NASA Stennis and NASA Shared Services Center Office of the Chief Information Officer; Eli Ouder, procurement officer for NASA Stennis and NASA Shared Services Center; Stacy Houston, executive officer for NASA’s Mission Support Directorate; Michael Tubbs, acting director for the NASA Stennis Center Operations Directorate; Michael Hess, deputy associate administrator for NASA’s Mission Support Directorate; Rodney McKellip, associate director for NASA Stennis; Nichole Pinkney, program manager for NASA’s Mission Support Directorate; Duane Armstrong, manager for the NASA Stennis Strategic Development Office; Gary Benton, director for the NASA Stennis Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate; and Alison Butsch, associate chief financial officer for the External Business Operations Division within the NASA Stennis Office of the Chief Financial Officer. NASA/Danny Nowlin Space Force Students Visit NASA Stennis
United States Space Force training students and professors stand at the Thad Cochran Test Stand on June 4 during a tour of NASA’s Stennis Space Center. NASA Stennis is preparing the test stand to test the exploration upper stage, which will fly on future SLS (Space Launch System) missions as NASA continues its mission of exploring the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all. The upper stage is being built at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans as a more powerful second stage to send the Orion spacecraft to deep space. It is expected to fly on the Artemis IV mission. Before that, it will be installed on the Thad Cochran Test Stand (B-2) at NASA Stennis to undergo a series of Green Run tests of its integrated systems to demonstrate it is ready to fly. The Space Force, established in 2019, organizes, trains, and equips personnel to protect U.S. and allied interests in space and to provide space capabilities to the joint forces. NASA/Danny Nowlin Louisiana STEM Academy Visits NASA Stennis
Rising high school juniors and seniors from Ascension Parish, Louisiana, visit the Thad Cochran Test Stand on June 6 during a tour of NASA’s Stennis Space Center. The students are part of the week-long BASF Tech Academy, in coordination with River Parishes Community College, where participants learn about technical careers and education. NASA Stennis is preparing the test stand to test the exploration upper stage, which will fly on future SLS (Space Launch System) missions as NASA continues its mission of exploring the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all. The upper stage is being built at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans as a more powerful second stage to send the Orion spacecraft to deep space. It is expected to fly on the Artemis IV mission. Before that, it will be installed on the Thad Cochran Test Stand (B-2) at NASA Stennis to undergo a series of Green Run tests of its integrated systems to demonstrate it is ready to fly. NASA/Danny Nowlin Florida A&M STEM Group Visits NASA Stennis
Members of the Florida A&M University Program of Excellence in STEM attend a presentation June 21 during a visit to NASA’s Stennis Space Center. The NASA Office of STEM Engagement provided information on grants and student activities during the presentation about NASA Stennis and the work conducted at the unique federal city. The group also visited the Thad Cochran Test Stand and Relativity Space test complex during a site tour. The Program of Excellence in STEM summer academy aims to enhance student knowledge of opportunities in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.NASA/Danny Nowlin Aerospace States Association Visits NASA Stennis
Members of the Aerospace States Association stand at the Thad Cochran Test Stand on June 25 during a visit to NASA’s Stennis Space Center. The group came to the south Mississippi NASA center during the Aerospace States Association conference in New Orleans June 24-27. NASA Stennis will use the Thad Cochran Test Stand (B-2) to test the exploration upper stage, a more powerful second stage to send the Orion spacecraft to deep space on NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, ahead of its expected flight on the Artemis IV mission. NASA/Danny Nowlin Arkansas-Pine Bluff STEM Summer Institute Visits NASA Stennis
Participants in the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Summer Institute stand in front of the Roy Estess Building at NASA’s Stennis Space Center during a site tour on June 25. The students viewed multiple areas of the federal city, including a visit to the Thad Cochran Test Stand, where students learned about NASA Stennis’ role in the Artemis campaign. NASA is going back to the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and inspiration for a new generation of explorers: the Artemis Generation. The agency will use what is learned on and around the Moon to take the next giant leap – sending astronauts to Mars. The Arkansas at Pine Bluff STEM program started in 2003 and is designed to help increase the number and diversity of well-prepared STEM graduates. NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA Stennis Hosts Take Our Children to Work Day
NASA’s Stennis Space Center inspired the Artemis Generation during the 2024 Take Our Children to Work Day on June 27. Participants are shown in the StenniSphere auditorium following a site tour and full day of hands-on activities to promote interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and the variety of work conducted at NASA Stennis. NASA is returning to the Moon through the Artemis campaign for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and inspiration for a new generation of explorers. NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA Stennis Associate Director Rodney McKellip provides a video welcome to participants in the 2024 Take Our Children to Work Day event June 27 at NASA’s Stennis Space Center.NASA/LaToya Dean Take Our Children to Work Day participants join NASA Stennis federal city employees for a career panel discussion on June 27. The career panel discussion included (left to right): Rebecca Mataya, NASA Stennis budget analyst; Madison Rundell, Aerojet Rocketdyne information technology specialist; Troy Chivers, COLSA/All In Solutions representative; Clyde Conerly, Lockheed Martin quality engineer; Andy Guymon, Relativity Space test engineer; and moderator Apolonia Acker, NASA Stennis public affairs specialist. NASA/LaToya Dean Christopher Sherman, NASA ASTRO CAMP Community Partners Program education specialist (left), conducts an activity with Take Our Children to Work Day participants on June 27 at NASA’s Stennis Space Center.NASA/LaToya Dean Morgan Necaise, NASA ASTRO CAMP Community Partners Program education specialist (left), conducts an activity with Take Our Children to Work Day participants on June 27 at NASA’s Stennis Space Center.NASA/LaToya Dean Danny Griffin, NASA ASTRO CAMP Community Partners Program logistics coordinator (left), conducts an activity with Take Our Children to Work Day participants on June 27 at NASA’s Stennis Space CenterNASA/LaToya Dean A group of Take Our Children Day participants watch a cryogenic demonstration led by Allen Forsman of Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies company, on June 27 at the Aerojet Rocketdyne Engine Assembly Facility at NASA Stennis. NASA/Danny Nowlin Take Our Children to Work Day participants learn about the ocean’s ecosystem on June 27 during an activity conducted by representatives with Mississippi State University, Northern Gulf Institute, and the Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence.NASA/LaToya Dean Take Our Children to Work Day participants learn about buoys on June 27 during an activity conducted by Brandon Elsensohn, Amentum software engineer, for the National Data Buoy Center at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. NASA/LaToya Dean NASA in the News
NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test NASA to Change How It Points Hubble Space Telescope – NASA Science NASA Astronauts Practice Next Giant Leap for Artemis – NASA Moon Tree Planted at U.S. Capitol Marks Enduring NASA, Artemis Legacy – NASA Employee Profile
Chris Barnett-Woods is shown at the E-1 Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, where NASA Stennis accelerates the exploration and commercialization of space and innovates to benefit NASA and industry.NASA/Danny Nowlin Chris Barnett-Woods’ favorite movie growing up – Back to the Future – led him to dream of one day building a DeLorean automobile. Instead, the electrical engineer is doing something never imagined as he helps NASA support the commercialization of space for the benefit of all.
Read More About Chris Barnett-Woods Looking Back
20 Years Ago This Month: NASA Stennis Moon Tree Honors Apollo 11
An image from July 20, 2004, shows Astro Camp participants planting a sycamore Moon tree at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The tree, planted 20 years ago this month, honors the 35th anniversary of Apollo 11 and the first lunar landing on July 20, 1969. NASA/Stennis The Moon tree, planted on July 20, 2004, at NASA Stennis, is a descendant of seeds carried to the Moon and back by the late Apollo 14 astronaut and longtime Mississippi Coast resident, Stuart Roosa, as he orbited the Moon in the command module, nicknamed “Kitty Hawk.” NASA/Stennis An image from Jan. 7, 2011, shows Rosemary Roosa, daughter of the late Apollo 14 astronaut Stuart Roosa, standing beside the Moon tree outside of StenniSphere, the previous museum and visitor center at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. The Moon tree is grown from seeds carried into space by astronaut Stuart Roosa on the Apollo 14 mission.NASA/Stennis A 2023 image shows the sycamore Moon tree at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. The tree, planted 20 years ago this month, honors the 35th anniversary of Apollo 11 and the first lunar landing on July 20, 1969. NASA/Stennis Additional Resources
Good Things with Rebecca Turner – SuperTalk Mississippi Certifying Artemis Rocket Engines – NASA NASA Stennis Overview – Going Further Subscription Info
Lagniappe is published monthly by the Office of Communications at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. The NASA Stennis office may be contacted by at 228-688-3333 (phone); ssc-office-of-communications@mail.nasa.gov (email); or NASA OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS, Attn: LAGNIAPPE, Mail code IA00, Building 1111 Room 173, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529 (mail).
The Lagniappe staff includes: Managing Editor Lacy Thompson, Editor Bo Black, and photographer Danny Nowlin.
To subscribe to the monthly publication, please email the following to ssc-office-of-communications@mail.nasa.gov – name, location (city/state), email address.
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By NASA
9 Min Read Lagniappe for June 2024
Explore the June 2024 issue, featuring an innovative approach to infrastructure upgrades, how NASA Stennis has helped one family build a generational legacy and more! Explore Lagniappe for June 2024 featuring:
NASA Employs Innovative Approach for Key Test Infrastructure Upgrade NASA Stennis Helps Family Build a Generational Legacy Employees Receive Awards and Recognitions Gator Speaks
Gator SpeaksNASA/Stennis Gator is certain you have heard the saying, “Together, Everyone Achieves More” when referencing a benefit that comes with being part of a team.
Whether you are a high school or college student graduating at this time of year, or an employee at NASA’s Stennis Space Center receiving a NASA Honor Award or Space Flight Awareness Honoree Award last month, we all reach a point where we recognize the positive impact others have had on where we are in life.
Since NASA’s founding in 1958, the agency has pushed the boundaries of scientific and technical limits to explore the unknown.
NASA has accomplished great things benefiting all of humanity because of people from all backgrounds coming together to contribute their skills as one team to further understanding of the universe.
This month’s Lagniappe features multiple pieces of evidence where teamwork is the underpinning to success, including the ongoing High Pressure Water Industrial Facility project at NASA Stennis and a story highlighting one family’s role as part of larger team contributing to the successful engine testing that has taken place for decades at the south Mississippi site.
If you need one last example of the benefit of coming together to achieve more, look no further than the Artemis Accords. A milestone was reached in May when Lithuania became the 40th nation to join NASA and the international coalition pursuing a safer space exploration by signing the Artemis Accords.
Whether graduating high school or college, working at NASA, or joining the Artemis Accords with NASA, there is a good chance we all eventually arrive at a similar conclusion. While we can accomplish great things individually, being part of a team ultimately means that together, everyone achieves more.
NASA Stennis Top News
NASA Employs Innovative Approach for Key Test Infrastructure Upgrade
Crews are using an innovative engineering approach to upgrade an essential test complex water system that will help ensure the future of large propulsion testing at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.
Read More About the Infrastructure Upgrades Center Activities
NASA Stennis Helps Family Build a Generational Legacy
For Lee English Jr., the sound of a ringing phone probably sounds a lot like the roar of a rocket engine test at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.
Read More About the English Family's Multi-Generational Legacy NASA’s Stennis Space Center Employees Receive NASA Honor Awards
NASA Stennis Space Center Director John Bailey and NASA Associate Administrator for Space Operations Kenneth Bowersox presented NASA Honor Awards to Stennis employees during an onsite ceremony May 15.
Read More About the NASA Stennis Award Recipients NASA Employee Earns Senior Executive Service Status
Eli OuderNASA Longtime NASA employee Eli Ouder has achieved federal Senior Executive Service (SES) status and has been chosen director for the Office of Procurement for NASA’s Stennis Space Center and the NASA Shared Services Center, both located near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.
Created in 1979, SES classification is designed for federal employees who use well-developed executive skills to administer programs at the highest levels of government. The leadership program requires candidates to demonstrate skills in five key areas – leading change, leading people, results driven, business acumen, and building coalitions.
Ouder has served as procurement officer since 2022 for NASA Stennis and the NASA Shared Services Center. During this time, he has led a combined 177-person procurement office responsible for managing a diverse and complex procurement portfolio valued at over $7 billion.
This broad and high-volume portfolio includes the responsibility of overseeing local Center Support Contracts, Grants and Cooperative Agreements, Small Business Innovative Research contracts, Small Business Technology Transfer program support, Enterprise Software Procurements, agencywide Enterprise Contracts, Simplified Acquisition Threshold Purchases, Government Purchase Card Program management, and other activities in support of the NASA enterprise.
During more than 18 years with NASA, Ouder has served in numerous roles while managing and leading the NASA Shared Services Center, including as chief of the Simplified Acquisition Threshold Branch. In that role, Ouder led a major transition of approximately 4,000 Simplified Acquisitions annually from 10 NASA centers to the NASA Shared Services Center. He continued to serve in the role until January 2022 when he became procurement officer for the services center. In December 2022, Ouder was assigned as procurement officer at NASA Stennis as well.
2024 Hurricane Guide
Explore essential information for employees at NASA’s Stennis Space Center to navigate the 2024 hurricane season.
Download the New Hurricane Guide NASA Space Flight Awareness Program Recognizes Stennis Employees
NASA astronaut and Artemis II crew member Victor Glover stands with Honoree Award recipients from NASA’s Stennis Space Center following presentation of the awards during NASA’s Space Flight Awareness Program ceremony on May 4 in Orlando, Florida. Recipients (and their companies), along with ceremony presenters were: (left to right) NASA Stennis Associate Director Rodney McKellip, Shelly Lunsford (SaiTech Inc.), Odie Ladner (Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3 Harris Technologies company), Rachel Deschamp (Alutiiq Essential Services), Peyton Pinson (NASA), Jack Conley (NASA), Ronnie Good (NASA), and Glover. NASA/Kennedy Space Center NASA’s Stennis Space Center employees were recognized with Honoree Awards from NASA’s Space Flight Awareness Program during a May 4 ceremony in Orlando, Florida, for outstanding support of human spaceflight.
Jack Conley of Biloxi, Mississippi, is a NASA engineer in the Mechanical Operations Branch of the Engineering and Test Directorate at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. He was honored for his performance in test operations support of NASA’s core spaceflight mission. As backup test conductor, his work was instrumental in the successful Green Run testing of NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) core stage at NASA Stennis prior to its use on the Artemis I mission.
Rachel Deschamp of Pass Christian, Mississippi, is an order clerk for Alutiiq Essential Services at NASA Stennis. She was recognized for attention to detail and commitment to success in enabling Alutiiq’s ability to meet and support NASA Stennis’ requirements.
Ronnie Good of Waveland, Mississippi, is a NASA engineer in the Safety, Quality and Management Systems Division of the Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate at NASA Stennis. He was recognized for contributions in leading a year-long systems transition used to record facility safety inspections and manage safety findings for NASA Stennis’ test and institutional facilities.
Odie Ladner of Poplarville, Mississippi, is a lead welder and test technician for Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3 Harris Technologies company, at NASA Stennis. Ladner was recognized for his commitment and support of human spaceflight initiatives and programs and performance of weld repairs to RS-25 nozzle tubes in support of certification testing at NASA Stennis.
Shelly Lunsford of Long Beach, Mississippi, is a senior forms designer for SaiTech Inc. at NASA Stennis. She was honored for her professionalism and dedication in consolidating NASA Stennis and NASA Shared Services Center’s forms to enable customers and users to increase efficiency and create valid data and reports.
Peyton Pinson of Madison, Mississippi, is a NASA engineer in the Mechanical Operations Branch of the Engineering and Test Directorate at NASA Stennis. He was honored for his performance in test operations support to NASA’s core mission of spaceflight. As a mechanical test operations engineer, Pinson supports propulsion activities across the NASA Stennis test complexes.
NASA astronaut Victor Glover, Space Operations Mission Directorate Associate Administrator Kenneth Bowersox, Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate Associate Administrator Catherine Koerner, and NASA Stennis Associate Director Rodney McKellip presented the Honoree Awards.
Glover was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2013 and is currently assigned as the pilot of NASA’s Artemis II mission to the Moon. He previously served as the pilot of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 mission to the International Space Station as part of Expedition 64.
In recognition of flight program contributions, the Stennis employees toured NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida and participated in activities in conjunction with the first launch attempt of NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test of the Starliner spacecraft. The Crew Flight Test will launch Starliner and NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on a United Launch Atlas V rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program.
NASA’s Space Flight Awareness Program recognizes outstanding job performances and contributions by civil service and contract employees throughout the year and focuses on excellence in quality and safety in support of human spaceflight. The Honoree Award is one of the highest honors presented to employees for their dedication to quality work and flight safety. Recipients must have contributed beyond their normal work requirements toward achieving a particular human spaceflight program goal; contributed to a major cost savings; been instrumental in developing material that increases reliability, efficiency or performance; assisted in operational improvements; or been a key player in developing a beneficial process improvement.
For information about Space Flight Awareness awards, visit:
Spaceflight Awareness Awards and Criteria – NASA
For information about NASA’s Stennis Space Center, visit:
Stennis Space Center – NASA
NASA Stennis Leaders Attend Aerospace and Defense Symposium
NASA Stennis Center Director John Bailey, right, is shown at the Mississippi Enterprise for Technology’s Mississippi Aerospace and Defense Symposium in Oxford, Mississippi. Bailey and Strategic Business Development Office Manager Duane Armstrong joined fellow aerospace and defense industry leaders and experts to explore opportunities and challenges facing the sector in the state during the event April 29 through May 2. Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services/Thomas Graning NASA Stennis Leaders Recognize Employees for Working Safely
Rodney McKellip, associate director of NASA’s Stennis Space Center, and Gary Benton, director of the NASA Stennis Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate, are shown, from right to left, with employees working on the High Pressure Industrial Water Facility project near the Fred Haise Test Stand. The NASA Stennis leaders visited work sites on May 8 to recognize employees with NASA SHAKERS (Smart Human Actions Keep Everyone Really Safe) Awards for conducting work in a safe manner. NASA’s constant attention to safety, one of the agency’s five core values, is the cornerstone for mission success. Gary Parker, an employee with Healtheon, Inc., is presented a NASA SHAKERS (Smart Human Actions Keep Everyone Really Safe) Award from NASA Stennis Associate Director Rodney McKellip on May 8. Parker, left, received the award for leadership and dedication to safety of the crew working to upgrade an essential test complex water system at NASA Stennis. As one of the crew leaders, Parker ensured all took the safest approach for each task, even as the scale of the project increased. NASA’s constant attention to safety, one of the agency’s five core values, is the cornerstone for mission success. Matt Roberts, an employee with Healtheon, Inc., is presented a NASA SHAKERS (Smart Human Actions Keep Everyone Really Safe) Award from NASA Stennis Associate Director Rodney McKellip on May 8. Roberts, left, received the award for leadership and dedication to safety of the crew working to upgrade an essential test complex water system at NASA Stennis. As one of the crew leaders, Roberts ensured all took the safest approach for each task, even as the scale of the project increased. NASA’s constant attention to safety, one of the agency’s five core values, is the cornerstone for mission success. Joshua Laurent, an employee with Civil Works Contracting, is presented a NASA SHAKERS (Smart Human Actions Keep Everyone Really Safe) Award from NASA Stennis Associate Director Rodney McKellip on May 8. Laurent, left, received the award for continuously demonstrating safe work habits, utilizing the proper personal protective equipment for each task, and always considering environmental factors and hazards within the work area while working on the NASA Stennis potable water system. NASA’s constant attention to safety, one of the agency’s five core values, is the cornerstone for mission success. NASA in the News
NASA Earns Best Place to Work in Government for 12 Straight Years – NASA X-59 Passes Milestone (nasa.gov) Artemis Accords Reach 40 Signatories as NASA Welcomes Lithuania – NASA NASA Tests Technology, Practices Artemis Moonwalks in Arizona Desert – NASA Employee Profile
Cassi Meyer, attorney-adviser for the NASA Office of the General Counsel, is pictured at her home office in Cleveland, where she supports NASA’s efforts to collaborate with commercial industry at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. NASA/Cassi Meyer Cassi Meyer can certainly testify that the nontraditional path taken from law school to NASA has landed her in the right place to work with the diverse workforce at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.
Read More About Cassi Meyer Looking Back: Seeing the Engine Up Close
NASA Administrator Robert Frosch (left), along with astronaut candidates Sally Ride and Terry Hart, get a close look at a space shuttle main engine installed on the B-2 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center, then known as National Space Technology Laboratories, during a visit on June 1, 1979. A space agency filled with trailblazers, the late Sally Ride was a pioneer of a different sort. The soft-spoken California physicist broke the gender barrier on June 18, 1983, when she became the first American woman in space. Meanwhile, Hart flew as a mission specialist on STS-41C (April 6-13, 1984) and logged a total of 168 hours in space.NASA Additional Resources
NASA Stennis Overview – Going Further Certifying Artemis Rocket Engines – NASA Subscription Info
Lagniappe is published monthly by the Office of Communications at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. The NASA Stennis office may be contacted by at 228-688-3333 (phone); ssc-office-of-communications@mail.nasa.gov (email); or NASA OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS, Attn: LAGNIAPPE, Mail code IA00, Building 1111 Room 173, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529 (mail).
The Lagniappe staff includes: Managing Editor Lacy Thompson, Editor Bo Black, and photographer Danny Nowlin.
To subscribe to the monthly publication, please email the following to ssc-office-of-communications@mail.nasa.gov – name, location (city/state), email address.
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6 Min Read Lagniappe for March 2024
Explore the March 2024 issue with highlights of Stennis Day at the Capitol; Artemis Moon Rocket Engine Testing; and coverage on the first-ever in-space mission for NASA Stennis. Explore the March 2024 edition featuring:
NASA Stennis Capitol Day NASA Enters Second Half of Key RS-25 Engine Certification Series NASA Stennis Celebrates Milestone for Historic Autonomous Systems Mission Gator Speaks
Gator SpeaksNASA/Stennis Closing out February and coming into March has Gator fired up, and rightfully so!
Recent weeks and upcoming events remind us all how we are in a golden era of space exploration as NASA inspires the world through discovery.
For the first time in more than half a century, America returned to the Moon on Feb. 22 during the eighth day of a quarter-million-mile voyage under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative with an Intuitive Machines lander named Odysseus. This Odysseus landing on the lunar South Pole makes way for future commercial deliveries to the Moon, along with future Artemis missions that will see humans return to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Speaking of Artemis, NASA Stennis is expected to carry out multiple RS-25 engine hot fires this month in the key test series for future Artemis flights of NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket.
Another example of NASA and NASA Stennis working with a commercial partner comes in the form of the first ever in-space autonomous systems mission involving NASA Stennis as a payload rider. The payload, part of project ASTRA (Autonomous Satellite Technology for Resilient Applications), is expected to launch soon on the Sidus Space LizzieSat TM small satellite.
In March, NASA will celebrate Women’s History Month. I invite you to read how one NASA Stennis employee’s interest in computer science brought her to the south Mississippi site, where she has become the first at NASA Stennis to reach a particular certification that showcases her dedication and level of skill to the job.
Can you feel it? The spring weather is here, and that shine outside is not only the Sun, but also this golden era of space exploration we all get to take part in and enjoy.
NASA Stennis Top News
NASA Leaders Participate in Annual Stennis Day at the Capitol
Leaders from NASA’s Stennis Space Center and NASA Shared Services Center visit Jackson, Mississippi, in late February to share site updates with state leaders during the annual Stennis Day at the Capitol.
Read More About Stennis Day at the Capitol NASA Stennis Celebrates Milestone for Historic Autonomous Systems Mission
NASA’s Stennis Space Center and Sidus Space, Inc., marked another milestone February 15 for the Center’s first-ever in-flight autonomous systems software mission as a payload rider on the Sidus Space LizzieSatTM small satellite.
Read More About the Autonomous Systems' milestone NASA Enters Second Half of Key RS-25 Engine Certification Series
NASA conducts a full-duration RS-25 hot fire Feb. 23 on the Fred Haise Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, continuing a key test series for future Artemis flights of NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket. During the seventh test of the 12-test series, operators fired the certification engine for 550 seconds and up to a 113% power level. The hot fire followed installation of a second production engine nozzle that will provide additional performance data on the upgraded unit. The test series is the second, and final, series to certify restart production of the upgraded engines by lead contractor Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies company. New engines will help power NASA’s SLS rocket on Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond, beginning with Artemis V. NASA and Aerojet Rocketdyne modified 16 former space shuttle engines for use on Artemis missions I through IV. NASA completed an initial 12-test certification series with the upgraded components in June 2023. Four RS-25 engines fire simultaneously to help launch each SLS rocket, producing up to 2 million pounds of combined thrust.
RS-25 Hot FireNASA/Danny Nowlin RS-25 Hot FireNASA/Danny Nowlin RS-25 Hot FireNASA/Danny Nowlin RS-25 Hot Fire NASA/Danny Nowlin RS-25 Hot Fire NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA Caps Off February with RS-25 Engine Certification Test
NASA conducted a full-duration RS-25 hot fire Feb. 29 on the Fred Haise Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, continuing a key test series for future Artemis flights of NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket. The hot fire to certify new production RS-25 engines for SLS marked only the second ever Leap Day engine test. Fourty-four years ago on Feb. 29, 1980, before the first space shuttle launch, a test-fire occurred for RS-25 engine #0009. Both tests were conducted on the Fred Haise Test, previously known as the A-1 Test Stand at NASA Stennis. The Feb. 29, 2024, hot fire is the second test following installation of a second production engine nozzle that will provide additional performance data on the upgraded unit. It also marked the eighth in a 12-test series to certify production of new RS-25 engines by lead contractor Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies company, to help power NASA’s SLS rocket on Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond, beginning with Artemis V. The current series is the second and final series to certify restart production of the upgraded engines. NASA completed an initial 12-test certification series with the upgraded components in June 2023. Four RS-25 engines fire simultaneously to help launch each SLS rocket, producing up to 2 million pounds of combined thrust.
RS-25 Hot Fire on Feb. 29NASA/Stennis RS-25 Hot Fire on Feb. 29NASA/Stennis Center Activities
NASA Stennis Inspires Students at Hattiesburg Event
Students in today’s classrooms make up the Artemis Generation and everyone can find their place in space as NASA explores the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all. Representatives from NASA’s Stennis Space Center participated in the Hattiesburg Area Development Partnership’s Jumpstart to Success interactive career expo on Feb. 1, reaching more than 1,700 eighth and ninth grade students from Forrest, Lamar, and Perry counties in Mississippi. Through Artemis, NASA will establish the foundation for long-term scientific exploration at the Moon, land the first woman, first person of color, and first international partner astronaut on the lunar surface, and prepare for human expeditions to Mars.NASA/Samone Wilson Students in today’s classrooms make up the Artemis Generation and everyone can find their place in space as NASA explores the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all. Representatives from NASA’s Stennis Space Center participated in the Hattiesburg Area Development Partnership’s Jumpstart to Success interactive career expo on Feb. 1, reaching more than 1,700 eighth and ninth grade students from Forrest, Lamar, and Perry counties in Mississippi. Through Artemis, NASA will establish the foundation for long-term scientific exploration at the Moon, land the first woman, first person of color, and first international partner astronaut on the lunar surface, and prepare for human expeditions to Mars.NASA/Samone Wilson Students in today’s classrooms make up the Artemis Generation and everyone can find their place in space as NASA explores the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all. Representatives from NASA’s Stennis Space Center participated in the Hattiesburg Area Development Partnership’s Jumpstart to Success interactive career expo on Feb. 1, reaching more than 1,700 eighth and ninth grade students from Forrest, Lamar, and Perry counties in Mississippi. Through Artemis, NASA will establish the foundation for long-term scientific exploration at the Moon, land the first woman, first person of color, and first international partner astronaut on the lunar surface, and prepare for human expeditions to Mars.NASA/Samone Wilson Students in today’s classrooms make up the Artemis Generation and everyone can find their place in space as NASA explores the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all. Representatives from NASA’s Stennis Space Center participated in the Hattiesburg Area Development Partnership’s Jumpstart to Success interactive career expo on Feb. 1, reaching more than 1,700 eighth and ninth grade students from Forrest, Lamar, and Perry counties in Mississippi. Through Artemis, NASA will establish the foundation for long-term scientific exploration at the Moon, land the first woman, first person of color, and first international partner astronaut on the lunar surface, and prepare for human expeditions to Mars.NASA/Samone Wilson Students in today’s classrooms make up the Artemis Generation and everyone can find their place in space as NASA explores the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all. Representatives from NASA’s Stennis Space Center participated in the Hattiesburg Area Development Partnership’s Jumpstart to Success interactive career expo on Feb. 1, reaching more than 1,700 eighth and ninth grade students from Forrest, Lamar, and Perry counties in Mississippi. Through Artemis, NASA will establish the foundation for long-term scientific exploration at the Moon, land the first woman, first person of color, and first international partner astronaut on the lunar surface, and prepare for human expeditions to Mars.NASA/Samone Wilson Students in today’s classrooms make up the Artemis Generation and everyone can find their place in space as NASA explores the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all. Representatives from NASA’s Stennis Space Center participated in the Hattiesburg Area Development Partnership’s Jumpstart to Success interactive career expo on Feb. 1, reaching more than 1,700 eighth and ninth grade students from Forrest, Lamar, and Perry counties in Mississippi. Through Artemis, NASA will establish the foundation for long-term scientific exploration at the Moon, land the first woman, first person of color, and first international partner astronaut on the lunar surface, and prepare for human expeditions to Mars.NASA/Samone Wilson Students in today’s classrooms make up the Artemis Generation and everyone can find their place in space as NASA explores the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all. Representatives from NASA’s Stennis Space Center participated in the Hattiesburg Area Development Partnership’s Jumpstart to Success interactive career expo on Feb. 1, reaching more than 1,700 eighth and ninth grade students from Forrest, Lamar, and Perry counties in Mississippi. Through Artemis, NASA will establish the foundation for long-term scientific exploration at the Moon, land the first woman, first person of color, and first international partner astronaut on the lunar surface, and prepare for human expeditions to Mars.NASA/Samone Wilson NASA Participates in Jackson State University Events
In conjunction with NASA Stennis Capitol Day and Black History Month, NASA Stennis representatives provided information on NASA internships and career opportunities at Jackson State University’s Spring Career Expo on Feb. 22 and participated in the National Society of Black Engineers networking reception on campus Feb. 21. At NASA, space is for everybody. NASA Stennis/NSSC In conjunction with NASA Stennis Capitol Day and Black History Month, NASA Stennis representatives provided information on NASA internships and career opportunities at Jackson State University’s Spring Career Expo on Feb. 22 and participated in the National Society of Black Engineers networking reception on campus Feb. 21. At NASA, space is for everybody. NASA Stennis/NSSC In conjunction with NASA Stennis Capitol Day and Black History Month, NASA Stennis representatives provided information on NASA internships and career opportunities at Jackson State University’s Spring Career Expo on Feb. 22 and participated in the National Society of Black Engineers networking reception on campus Feb. 21. At NASA, space is for everybody. NASA Stennis/NSSC In conjunction with NASA Stennis Capitol Day and Black History Month, NASA Stennis representatives provided information on NASA internships and career opportunities at Jackson State University’s Spring Career Expo on Feb. 22 and participated in the National Society of Black Engineers networking reception on campus Feb. 21. At NASA, space is for everybody. NASA Stennis/NSSC In conjunction with NASA Stennis Capitol Day and Black History Month, NASA Stennis representatives provided information on NASA internships and career opportunities at Jackson State University’s Spring Career Expo on Feb. 22 and participated in the National Society of Black Engineers networking reception on campus Feb. 21. At NASA, space is for everybody. NASA Stennis/NSSC NASA Engages the Artemis Generation in Capital City
Representatives from NASA’s Stennis Space Center and NASA Shared Services Center participate in multiple related outreach events throughout Jackson, Mississippi, as part of the annual Stennis Day at the Capitol activities on Feb. 29. NASA personnel inspired the Artemis Generation with visits to Spann Elementary and Blackburn Middle schools. Activities included students learning about life as a NASA astronaut and a hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activity. Sending the first woman and first person of color to the Moon on future Artemis missions will inspire the Artemis Generation to see themselves in space and understand the importance of STEM studies and careers. As NASA takes giant leaps to bridge disparities and break barriers in STEM, the agency’s efforts in the future workforce advances the nation’s space exploration. Jackson Public Schools Representatives from NASA’s Stennis Space Center and NASA Shared Services Center participate in multiple related outreach events throughout Jackson, Mississippi, as part of the annual Stennis Day at the Capitol activities on Feb. 29. NASA personnel inspired the Artemis Generation with visits to Spann Elementary and Blackburn Middle schools. Activities included students learning about life as a NASA astronaut and a hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activity. Sending the first woman and first person of color to the Moon on future Artemis missions will inspire the Artemis Generation to see themselves in space and understand the importance of STEM studies and careers. As NASA takes giant leaps to bridge disparities and break barriers in STEM, the agency’s efforts in the future workforce advances the nation’s space exploration. Jackson Public Schools Representatives from NASA’s Stennis Space Center and NASA Shared Services Center participate in multiple related outreach events throughout Jackson, Mississippi, as part of the annual Stennis Day at the Capitol activities on Feb. 29. NASA personnel inspired the Artemis Generation with visits to Spann Elementary and Blackburn Middle schools. Activities included students learning about life as a NASA astronaut and a hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activity. Sending the first woman and first person of color to the Moon on future Artemis missions will inspire the Artemis Generation to see themselves in space and understand the importance of STEM studies and careers. As NASA takes giant leaps to bridge disparities and break barriers in STEM, the agency’s efforts in the future workforce advances the nation’s space exploration. Jackson Public Schools Representatives from NASA’s Stennis Space Center and NASA Shared Services Center participate in multiple related outreach events throughout Jackson, Mississippi, as part of the annual Stennis Day at the Capitol activities on Feb. 29. NASA personnel inspired the Artemis Generation with visits to Spann Elementary and Blackburn Middle schools. Activities included students learning about life as a NASA astronaut and a hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activity. Sending the first woman and first person of color to the Moon on future Artemis missions will inspire the Artemis Generation to see themselves in space and understand the importance of STEM studies and careers. As NASA takes giant leaps to bridge disparities and break barriers in STEM, the agency’s efforts in the future workforce advances the nation’s space exploration. Jackson Public Schools Representatives from NASA’s Stennis Space Center and NASA Shared Services Center participate in multiple related outreach events throughout Jackson, Mississippi, as part of the annual Stennis Day at the Capitol activities on Feb. 29. NASA personnel inspired the Artemis Generation with visits to Spann Elementary and Blackburn Middle schools. Activities included students learning about life as a NASA astronaut and a hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activity. Sending the first woman and first person of color to the Moon on future Artemis missions will inspire the Artemis Generation to see themselves in space and understand the importance of STEM studies and careers. As NASA takes giant leaps to bridge disparities and break barriers in STEM, the agency’s efforts in the future workforce advances the nation’s space exploration. Jackson Public Schools Representatives from NASA’s Stennis Space Center and NASA Shared Services Center participate in multiple related outreach events throughout Jackson, Mississippi, as part of the annual Stennis Day at the Capitol activities on Feb. 29. NASA personnel inspired the Artemis Generation with visits to Spann Elementary and Blackburn Middle schools. Activities included students learning about life as a NASA astronaut and a hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activity. Sending the first woman and first person of color to the Moon on future Artemis missions will inspire the Artemis Generation to see themselves in space and understand the importance of STEM studies and careers. As NASA takes giant leaps to bridge disparities and break barriers in STEM, the agency’s efforts in the future workforce advances the nation’s space exploration. Jackson Public Schools NASA in the News
Artemis II Crew, Recovery Teams Train for Final Phase of Moon Mission – NASA NASA’s LRO Images Intuitive Machine’s Odysseus Lander – NASA How the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse Is Different than the 2017 Eclipse – NASA Science The Iconic Photos from STS-41B: Documenting the First Untethered Spacewalk – NASA Groundbreaking Results from Space Station Science in 2023 – NASA Employee Profile
Rae Anderson, subject matter expert for software assurance in the NASA Stennis Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate, is the first employee at NASA’s Stennis Space Center – and one of five civil servants across NASA – to earn the highest distinction in the Safety and Mission Assurance Technical Excellence Program in the discipline of software assurance. The level four certification demonstrates Anderson’s dedication to growing her knowledge and skills to become an effective contributor to the agency’s mission.NASA/Danny Nowlin Rae Anderson never set out to have a career with NASA, but the pursuit of opportunities around her interest in computer science led the Union City, Tennessee native to the agency that explores the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all.
Read More About Rae Anderson Additional Resources
NASA’s Lunar Tool-Kit Plans Subscription Info
Lagniappe is published monthly by the Office of Communications at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. The NASA Stennis office may be contacted by at 228-688-3333 (phone); ssc-office-of-communications@mail.nasa.gov (email); or NASA OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS, Attn: LAGNIAPPE, Mail code IA00, Building 1111 Room 173, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529 (mail).
The Lagniappe staff includes: Managing Editor Lacy Thompson, Editor Bo Black, and photographer Danny Nowlin.
To subscribe to the monthly publication, please email the following to ssc-office-of-communications@mail.nasa.gov – name, location (city/state), email address.
View the full article
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By NASA
5 Min Read Lagniappe for February 2024
Explore the February 2024 issue, highlighted by NASA reaching the halfway point for the Artemis Moon Rocket Engine Certification Series, NASA’s Day of Remembrance, and what fuels a NASA Stennis Test Operations Leader. Explore the February 2024 edition featuring:
RS-25 Test on Jan. 27 Day of Remembrance NASA Spinoff Gator Speaks
Gator SpeaksNASA Stennis There are two reasons why the last Thursday in January and the month of February are important at NASA moving ahead as the Artemis Generation.
Having been around for decades as the NASA Stennis mascot, it is easy to forget important things if you are not intentional about remembering. For newer folks, whether new employees at NASA Stennis or new fans of NASA in general, it is easy not to know something if you are never told about it.
NASA intentionally carves out time each January for a Day of Remembrance to honor members of the NASA family who lost their lives while furthering the cause of exploration and discovery, including the crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia.
This current moment in space history is a tribute to the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice. One of the best ways NASA honors the sacrifice made by the previous crew members is by embracing safety as one of the core values at NASA.
This is the cornerstone for mission success as NASA prepares to send the first Artemis astronauts to the Moon. The four astronauts will venture around the Moon on Artemis II as part of NASA’s path to creating a long-term presence on the lunar surface for science and exploration.
The NASA safety culture benefits astronauts, employees, and even surrounding communities where employees participate in daily life. This is a reminder every day at NASA, and especially on the final Thursday in January.
Going forward, the annual Day of Remembrance leads into Black History Month (observed each February), which brings the opportunity to recognize Black Americans who have made contributions to America and NASA’s space program.
One such person is the late NASA astronaut Ronald McNair, who was honored during the Day of Remembrance. McNair, the second Black astronaut to fly to space, was a member of the Challenger crew. He is one of many African Americans whose contributions helped pave the way for NASA to take giant leaps in space exploration for the Artemis Generation.
May we never forget that it is through the sacrifice and contributions of all that NASA explores for the benefit of all. May we never fail to honor those who have come before us, and may we always remember there is space for everybody – in NASA and all of life.
NASA Stennis Top News
NASA Day of Remembrance Honors Fallen Heroes
NASA’s Stennis Space Center and NASA Shared Services Center leaders commemorate NASA Day of Remembrance on Jan. 25 with a ceremony at the south Mississippi site. Rodney McKellip, NASA Stennis associate director (right), and Ken Newton, NASA Shared Services Center acting executive director, observe a moment of silence as employees honor members of the NASA family who lost their lives while furthering the cause of exploration and discovery, including the crews of Apollo 1, and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia.NASA/Danny Nowlin View the NASA Day of Remembrance 2024 video NASA Marks Halfway Point for Artemis Moon Rocket Engine Certification Series
NASA completed the sixth of 12 scheduled RS-25 engine certification tests in a critical series for future flights of the agency’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket as engineers conducted a full-duration hot fire Jan. 27 at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.
Read More About the Latest Certification Test NASA Continues Artemis Moon Rocket Engine Tests with 1st Hot Fire of 2024
NASA continued a critical test series for future flights of NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket in support of the Artemis campaign on Jan. 17 with a full-duration hot fire of the RS-25 engine on the Fred Haise Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.
Read More About the 1st Hot Fire of 2024 NASA Spinoffs Feature NASA Stennis Developed Technologies
As NASA innovates for the benefit of all, what the agency develops for exploration has the potential to evolve into other technologies with broader use here on Earth. Many of those examples are highlighted in NASA’s annual Spinoff book including dozens of NASA-enabled medical innovations, as well other advancements in 3D printing, robots, and brake designs.
Read More About NASA Stennis Contributions Center Activities
Leadership Class Visits NASA Stennis
The Pearl River County Leadership Class stands in front of the Thad Cochran Test Stand during a NASA Stennis site tour on Jan. 18. The group learned about the RS-25 engine certification test series underway for future flights of NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and preparations for Green Run testing at the Thad Cochran Test Stand (B-2) for NASA’s Exploration Upper Stage (EUS) in support of the Artemis program. EUS is expected to fly on the Artemis IV mission. Prior to that time, it will undergo a series of integrated systems tests to demonstrate it is ready to fly. Through Artemis, NASA will send the first woman and first person of color to the Moon. The agency will use what is learned on and around the Moon to take the next giant leap – sending astronauts to Mars.NASA Stennis Employees View RS-25 Engine Test
Sitewide employees at NASA’s Stennis Space Center watch the RS-25 test conducted on Jan. 23 as NASA continued a critical test series for future Artemis flights of NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket. The full-duration hot fire on the Fred Haise Test Stand is part of a 12-test series to certify production of new RS-25 engines by lead contractor Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies company. The new engines will help power SLS rocket on Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond, beginning with Artemis V. NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA Joins Students for Space Day Event
NASA Visitor Relations Specialist Nick Middleton shares a presentation with Woodley Elementary students on Jan. 26 in Hattiesburg. As part of the Artemis Generation, the more than 100 students from five pre-K and kindergarten classes learned about the Moon and space exploration. Through Artemis, NASA will send the first woman and first person of color to the Moon. As NASA explores the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all, the agency will use what is learned on and around the Moon to take the next giant leap of sending astronauts to Mars.NASA/Samone Wilson NASA in the News
After Three Years on Mars, NASA’s Ingenuity Helicopter Mission Ends – NASA NASA Shares Progress Toward Early Artemis Moon Missions with Crew – NASA NASA, Lockheed Martin Reveal X-59 Quiet Supersonic Aircraft – NASA Employee Profile
Maury Vander stands at NASA’s Stennis Space Center, where he has worked more than 30 years supporting NASA’s mission of space exploration. NASA/Danny Nowlin One thing has remained constant throughout Maury Vander’s career with NASA – the satisfaction of being part of a team working to innovate and benefit the agency and the aerospace industry at large.
Read More About Maury Vander Looking Back: NASA Stennis Meets Testing Needs
In the 1980s, President Ronald Reagan unveiled plans for a National Aerospace Plane (NASP). In May 1992, NASA’s Stennis Space Center was selected to initially test new materials for the NASP that would be able to withstand the extreme change in temperature the plane would endure when it flew into Earth’s orbit and then landed in destinations across the globe. In January 1993, foundations for the various tanks needed for the new High Heat Flux Facility at NASA Stennis were poured. Even though the facility was designed to support the NASP project, NASA Stennis leaders and engineers are always thinking towards the future. To that end, they not only equipped the facility to handle testing of NASP components but designed it with the ability to evolve into a versatile test complex able to handle a range of test projects. Thus, even after the NASP program was cancelled, the leadership at NASA Stennis continued to evolve the test facility to meet the needs of the future. What began as the High Heat Flux Facility is now cell 1 on the E-2 Test Stand at the south Mississippi site.NASA Stennis Additional Resources
NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter NASA+ Small Steps, Giant Leaps Podcast with Christine Powell Earth Now Calliefirst – NASA Subscription Info
Lagniappe is published monthly by the Office of Communications at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. The NASA Stennis office may be contacted by at 228-688-3333 (phone); ssc-office-of-communications@mail.nasa.gov (email); or NASA OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS, Attn: LAGNIAPPE, Mail code IA00, Building 1111 Room 173, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529 (mail).
The Lagniappe staff includes: Managing Editor Lacy Thompson, Editor Bo Black, and photographer Danny Nowlin.
To subscribe to the monthly publication, please email the following to ssc-office-of-communications@mail.nasa.gov – name, location (city/state), email address.
View the full article
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By NASA
9 Min Read Lagniappe
Explore the November 2023 edition to learn about the framework for the future of NASA Stennis, the first RS-25 hot fire of the ongoing certification series, Stennis Day in the Bay, and much more! 9 min read
Lagniappe
Explore the November 2023 edition featuring:
NASA Stennis Compiles Framework for the Future to Guide Center Forward NASA Conducts 1st Hot Fire of New RS-25 Certification Test Series NASA ASTRO CAMP® Sets New Record While Providing STEM Opportunities Gator Speaks
Gator Speaks Thank you very much!
You may be thinking, ‘Why is Gator telling me thanks?’
The month of November naturally brings a sense of gratitude with it, and I feel the joy by merely expressing thankfulness to others, so I wanted to thank you for reading this month’s portion of Gator Speaks.
Whether surrounded by the love and laughter of cherished family or the comforts of a shared experience with valued friends, November warms the heart like indulging in a fresh slice of pumpkin pie (something else to be thankful for!).
Just like it is easy to eat a slice or three of pumpkin pie, it is easy to find reasons to be thankful at NASA Stennis.
Nov. 11 was Veterans Day. There are many NASA employees at NASA Stennis who have served in various military branches and are now contributing their talents as part of our skilled and diverse workforce. One such veteran working at NASA Stennis is featured this month.
In addition to Veterans Day on Nov. 11, the Stennis Day in the Bay event highlighted how thankful NASA Stennis is for the great community support and relationships NASA Stennis enjoys. We are all better together!
Nov. 14 is the 90th birthday for the great, NASA astronaut Fred Haise. His name graces the test stand where RS-25 engine testing is underway for future Artemis missions. Haise also is a veteran, as the Korean War put him on a path to joining the military and ultimately becoming a NASA astronaut. Read how that came to pass here.
Nov. 23 is Thanksgiving. How can one not be thankful for the benefits NASA provides to humanity? From exploring the Moon and Mars, to increasing access to space for all, to growing new commercial markets, space exploration helps us gain a new perspective.
And just like exploring space helps us gain a new perspective, so, too, does taking inventory of all we have to be thankful for throughout the month of November.
NASA Stennis Top News
NASA Stennis Compiles Framework for the Future to Guide Center Forward
NASA’s Stennis Space Center began with a single mission – to test Apollo rocket stages to carry humans to the Moon. Moving forward, the site has a renewed vision – to evolve as a unique, multifaceted aerospace and technology hub.
Read More About NASA Stennis Strategic Plan NASA Conducts 1st Hot Fire of New RS-25 Certification Test Series
NASA conducted the first hot fire of a new RS-25 test series Oct. 17, beginning the final round of certification testing ahead of production of an updated set of the engines for the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket.
Read More About the Test Series NASA ASTRO CAMP® Sets New Record While Providing STEM Opportunities
Another year equals another record as NASA’s ASTRO CAMP® initiative reached across the nation and beyond to help a broad spectrum of students learn about NASA and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).
Read More About NASA's ASTRO CAMP® Record Year NASA Stennis Participates in Stennis Day in the Bay Activities
NASA employees joined some of the almost 40 federal, state, academic, private, and technology-based tenants that are part of the NASA Stennis federal city for Stennis Day in the Bay on Nov. 11 at the historic Hancock County Courthouse in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The event celebrated and recognized all that NASA and resident agencies at NASA Stennis do to create jobs and opportunities for the Gulf Coast. It also paid special tribute to Apollo 13 astronaut and Mississippi’s own Fred Haise prior to his 90th birthday on Nov. 14.NASA/Stennis NASA employees joined some of the almost 40 federal, state, academic, private, and technology-based tenants that are part of the NASA Stennis federal city for Stennis Day in the Bay on Nov. 11 at the historic Hancock County Courthouse in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The event celebrated and recognized all that NASA and resident agencies at NASA Stennis do to create jobs and opportunities for the Gulf Coast. It also paid special tribute to Apollo 13 astronaut and Mississippi’s own Fred Haise prior to his 90th birthday on Nov. 14.NASA/Stennis NASA employees joined some of the almost 40 federal, state, academic, private, and technology-based tenants that are part of the NASA Stennis federal city for Stennis Day in the Bay on Nov. 11 at the historic Hancock County Courthouse in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The event celebrated and recognized all that NASA and resident agencies at NASA Stennis do to create jobs and opportunities for the Gulf Coast. It also paid special tribute to Apollo 13 astronaut and Mississippi’s own Fred Haise prior to his 90th birthday on Nov. 14.NASA/Stennis NASA employees joined some of the almost 40 federal, state, academic, private, and technology-based tenants that are part of the NASA Stennis federal city for Stennis Day in the Bay on Nov. 11 at the historic Hancock County Courthouse in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The event celebrated and recognized all that NASA and resident agencies at NASA Stennis do to create jobs and opportunities for the Gulf Coast. It also paid special tribute to Apollo 13 astronaut and Mississippi’s own Fred Haise prior to his 90th birthday on Nov. 14.NASA/Stennis NASA employees joined some of the almost 40 federal, state, academic, private, and technology-based tenants that are part of the NASA Stennis federal city for Stennis Day in the Bay on Nov. 11 at the historic Hancock County Courthouse in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The event celebrated and recognized all that NASA and resident agencies at NASA Stennis do to create jobs and opportunities for the Gulf Coast. It also paid special tribute to Apollo 13 astronaut and Mississippi’s own Fred Haise prior to his 90th birthday on Nov. 14.NASA/Stennis NASA employees joined some of the almost 40 federal, state, academic, private, and technology-based tenants that are part of the NASA Stennis federal city for Stennis Day in the Bay on Nov. 11 at the historic Hancock County Courthouse in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The event celebrated and recognized all that NASA and resident agencies at NASA Stennis do to create jobs and opportunities for the Gulf Coast. It also paid special tribute to Apollo 13 astronaut and Mississippi’s own Fred Haise prior to his 90th birthday on Nov. 14.NASA/Stennis NASA employees joined some of the almost 40 federal, state, academic, private, and technology-based tenants that are part of the NASA Stennis federal city for Stennis Day in the Bay on Nov. 11 at the historic Hancock County Courthouse in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The event celebrated and recognized all that NASA and resident agencies at NASA Stennis do to create jobs and opportunities for the Gulf Coast. It also paid special tribute to Apollo 13 astronaut and Mississippi’s own Fred Haise prior to his 90th birthday on Nov. 14.NASA/Stennis NASA employees joined some of the almost 40 federal, state, academic, private, and technology-based tenants that are part of the NASA Stennis federal city for Stennis Day in the Bay on Nov. 11 at the historic Hancock County Courthouse in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The event celebrated and recognized all that NASA and resident agencies at NASA Stennis do to create jobs and opportunities for the Gulf Coast. It also paid special tribute to Apollo 13 astronaut and Mississippi’s own Fred Haise prior to his 90th birthday on Nov. 14.NASA/Stennis NASA employees joined some of the almost 40 federal, state, academic, private, and technology-based tenants that are part of the NASA Stennis federal city for Stennis Day in the Bay on Nov. 11 at the historic Hancock County Courthouse in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The event celebrated and recognized all that NASA and resident agencies at NASA Stennis do to create jobs and opportunities for the Gulf Coast. It also paid special tribute to Apollo 13 astronaut and Mississippi’s own Fred Haise prior to his 90th birthday on Nov. 14.NASA/Stennis NASA employees joined some of the almost 40 federal, state, academic, private, and technology-based tenants that are part of the NASA Stennis federal city for Stennis Day in the Bay on Nov. 11 at the historic Hancock County Courthouse in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The event celebrated and recognized all that NASA and resident agencies at NASA Stennis do to create jobs and opportunities for the Gulf Coast. It also paid special tribute to Apollo 13 astronaut and Mississippi’s own Fred Haise prior to his 90th birthday on Nov. 14.NASA/Stennis Center Activities
NASA Stennis Deputy Director Receives Distinguished Award
John Bailey, NASA Stennis Deputy DirectorNASA/Stennis NASA Stennis Deputy Director John Bailey was among 232 federal employees to receive a 2023 Presidential Rank Award for exceptional leadership, accomplishments, and service over an extended period of time. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced the awards, one of the most prestigious in career civil service, Nov. 2. The president’s 2023 list included distinguished and meritorious award recipients.
Bailey was one of just 14 NASA employees to receive a Presidential Meritorious Award. Bailey joined the NASA Stennis team in 1998 after working as a Department of Defense civil servant. He served in various positions at the center prior to being named director of the NASA Stennis Engineering and Test Directorate in 2015. Bailey was selected as NASA associate director in 2018, before assuming his current role in January 2021.
“Public servants are unsung heroes – working to better the lives of families across America,” White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients said in a release announcing the awards. “They do everything from making sure you get your tax refund to helping you set up your small business to keeping us all safe at home. They get things done with grace and skill and first and foremost to serve the American people. The president, the vice president, and everyone across the Biden-Harris Administration are grateful for their dedication and their service.”
OPM Director Kiran Ahuja added, “Every day, tens of thousands of dedicated federal employees are solving the nation’s most pressing challenges and developing new technologies to improve the lives of millions. The Presidential Rank Awards highlight public servants who exemplify integrity, exceptional leadership, and a relentless commitment to the American people. Congratulations to all the awardees. The federal government and the American people are safer and better off thanks to your hard work and dedication.”
The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 established the Presidential Rank Awards Program to recognize a select group of career members of senior leaders for exceptional performance. For a complete list of 2023 recipients, visit here.
NASA Stennis Employee named NASA Energy Action Hero
Energy Action Spotlight: Damon SaulNASA Damon Saul, lead operator of NASA’s Stennis Space Center’s Energy Management Control System, was honored as a NASA energy action hero in October.
Each October, the federal government celebrates Energy Action Month to honor the work of the federal workforce to achieve mission success while also cutting energy waste, reducing costs, optimizing performance, and advancing America’s progress toward energy independence, resilience, and security.
NASA has made significant strides in its Energy and Water Management Program, including
Reducing total energy consumption by 19% and greenhouse gas emissions 47% since FY 2008 Increasing our consumption of carbon pollution-free electricity to 41% of total electricity Reducing facility water intensity by 33% since FY 2007 None of this would be possible without the efforts of hundreds of NASA personnel, many of whom are never recognized for their contributions. Since 2021, NASA has recognized some of the unsung heroes through the Energy Action Spotlights.
NASA Chief Technologist Visits NASA Stennis
NASA Chief Technologist A.C. Charania (third from right) stands with NASA Stennis leaders during his first visit onsite early this month since assuming his new agency role in January. As chief technologist, Charania serves as the NASA administrator’s principal advisor on technology policy and programs, leads technology innovation at the agency, and works to align NASA’s agencywide technology investments with mission needs across its six mission directorates. Charania also oversees technology collaboration with other federal agencies and the private sector while coordinating with external stakeholders. During the two-day visit to NASA Stennis on Nov. 1-2, Charania, along with Charity Weeden, associate administrator for the NASA Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy, and Deputy Associate Administrator Ellen Gertson, learned about the NASA Stennis federal city, home to about 40 companies, agencies, and organizations. On Nov. 1, the group visited with officials from federal city tenants Rocket Lab, Relativity Space, Lockheed-Martin, Rolls-Royce, Aerojet Rocketdyne, and Evolution Space. On Nov. 2, the group learned about NASA Stennis work with the commercial aerospace companies, autonomous systems lab, and RS-25 testing, as well as site preparations for Green Run testing the Exploration Upper Stage. Shown above (l to r) are NASA Stennis Chief Technologist Anne Peek, NASA Stennis Deputy Director John Bailey, Gertsen, Charania, NASA Stennis Director Rick Gilbrech, and NASA Stennis Strategic Business Officer Manager Duane Armstrong.NASA/Stennis NASA Stennis Hosts Mississippi Lieutenant Governor
Mississippi Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann (r) talks with NASA Stennis Deputy Director John Bailey (l) during a visit to the south Mississippi site. During the visit, Bailey and other NASA Stennis leaders briefed Hosemann on site business opportunities and the potential for future growth. They also provided information about the center’s primary lines of business – including propulsion testing, autonomous systems, and range operations – and commercial aerospace and technology companies currently operating at NASA Stennis.NASA/Stennis Mississippi Development Authority Visits NASA Stennis
Members of the Mississippi Development Authority, including site selectors from across the country, stand in front of the Thad Cochran Test Stand during their Gulf Coast Road Trip stop at NASA Stennis on Nov. 1. The road trip was designed to introduce developers to the Gulf Coast region and provide information about doing business in Mississippi, including at NASA Stennis.NASA/Stennis LSU Aeronautics Organization Visits NASA Stennis
Members of the Louisiana State University branch of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) stand at the Thad Cochran Test Stand, site of future Green Run testing for NASA’s Exploration Upper Stage, during a visit to NASA Stennis on Nov. 6. During the visit, branch members learned about propulsion testing activity at NASA Stennis and received guidance on how to find a career in the aerospace industry. The LSU branch of AIAA is dedicated to research and development of aerospace technology and careers.NASA/Stennis Stennis Employees Enjoy Family Day at INFINITY
The first Saturday in November brought Stennis Space Center employees and family members to INFINITY Science Center for a day of fun-filled activities during the 2023 Stennis Family Day event. INFINITY, the official visitor center of NASA Stennis, displays decades of NASA history and is where visitors enjoy a mix of environmental sciences, space, and hands-on experiential programming that seeks to inspire minds and spark imaginations.NASA/Danny Nowlin The first Saturday in November brought Stennis Space Center employees and family members to INFINITY Science Center for a day of fun-filled activities during the 2023 Stennis Family Day event. INFINITY, the official visitor center of NASA Stennis, displays decades of NASA history and is where visitors enjoy a mix of environmental sciences, space, and hands-on experiential programming that seeks to inspire minds and spark imaginations.NASA/Danny Nowlin The first Saturday in November brought Stennis Space Center employees and family members to INFINITY Science Center for a day of fun-filled activities during the 2023 Stennis Family Day event. INFINITY, the official visitor center of NASA Stennis, displays decades of NASA history and is where visitors enjoy a mix of environmental sciences, space, and hands-on experiential programming that seeks to inspire minds and spark imaginations.NASA/Danny Nowlin The first Saturday in November brought Stennis Space Center employees and family members to INFINITY Science Center for a day of fun-filled activities during the 2023 Stennis Family Day event. INFINITY, the official visitor center of NASA Stennis, displays decades of NASA history and is where visitors enjoy a mix of environmental sciences, space, and hands-on experiential programming that seeks to inspire minds and spark imaginations.NASA/Danny Nowlin The first Saturday in November brought Stennis Space Center employees and family members to INFINITY Science Center for a day of fun-filled activities during the 2023 Stennis Family Day event. INFINITY, the official visitor center of NASA Stennis, displays decades of NASA history and is where visitors enjoy a mix of environmental sciences, space, and hands-on experiential programming that seeks to inspire minds and spark imaginations.NASA/Danny Nowlin The first Saturday in November brought Stennis Space Center employees and family members to INFINITY Science Center for a day of fun-filled activities during the 2023 Stennis Family Day event. INFINITY, the official visitor center of NASA Stennis, displays decades of NASA history and is where visitors enjoy a mix of environmental sciences, space, and hands-on experiential programming that seeks to inspire minds and spark imaginations.NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA in the News
First Artemis Crew Trains for Mission Around Moon – NASA NASA’s Webb Discovers New Feature in Jupiter’s Atmosphere – NASA Look Up: New NASA App Helps Stargazers Spot Space Station – NASA NASA’s Bennu Asteroid Sample Contains Carbon, Water – NASA Commander Callie Continues Moon Mission in NASA’s New Graphic Novel – NASA Calling all Eclipse Enthusiasts: Become a NASA Partner Eclipse Ambassador! – NASA Science NASA Seeks Students to Imagine Nuclear Powered Space Missions – NASA Employee Profile
Van Ward leads center operations for security, emergency management, and fire protection at NASA Stennis. NASA/Danny Nowlin It was “many Moons ago,” but Van Ward distinctly remembers the presentation a NASA speaker gave to his third-grade class in Union, Mississippi.
Read More About Van Ward Looking Back
An image shows former NASA astronaut Fred Haise during the 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 13 mission on April 20, 2010. NASA/Stennis Former NASA Astronaut Haise Turns 90
Former NASA astronaut and Biloxi, Mississippi native, Fred Haise, celebrated his 90th birthday – and lifetime of accomplishments – on Nov. 14.
Haise initially pursued a career in journalism before serving in the Korean War as a Marine Corps fighter pilot. After the war, he flew as a research pilot. One of 19 individuals selected by NASA as an astronaut candidate in April 1966, Haise was the highest-scoring applicant of Astronaut Group 5.
Following training, Haise served as a backup crew member for the Apollo 8 and Apollo 11 missions to the Moon before his chance to fly in space came on the Apollo 13 mission as lunar module pilot with commander Jim Lovell and command module pilot Jack Swigert. He was slated to become the sixth person to walk on the lunar surface.
However, Haise never had his chance to step onto the Moon. Just 56 hours into the Apollo 13 mission, an oxygen tank explosion created a crisis that held the world spellbound for days. Haise was in the lunar module at the time of the incident; by the time he reached his command module seat, oxygen tank No. 2 was gone.
The world watched as the crew endured a perilous trip around the Moon and back to Earth in the crippled spacecraft. The mission is well documented in print and onscreen. In total, Haise logged 142 hours and 54 minutes in space on the Apollo 13 mission.
The Mississippi native remained a NASA astronaut for nine more years and was slated to serve as commander of the Apollo 19 mission to the Moon before it was canceled by the end of the Apollo Program. Haise was inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame in 1997. Twelve years later, NASA presented him with the agency’s Ambassador of Exploration Award in recognition of his role as a spokesperson for space.
Haise presented the encased Moon rock he received for the recognition to his former Biloxi elementary school – Goren Elementary – for display to students. Since then, he has remained a space spokesperson and a staunch supporter of NASA’s Stennis Space Center and INFINITY Science Center.
“I think aviation, space, and science museums are important for the knowledge imparted to young and old,” he said of the Mississippi science facility that serves as the official visitor center of NASA Stennis. “For the young, it is possible the interesting things they see and learn about will inspire them to make the most of the talent with which they are blessed. INFINITY also serves as a beacon along the highway into Mississippi to encourage people to visit and stay awhile. It gives them a view of the incredible work being done at Stennis Space Center. Through the hands-on exhibits and special programs, education is provided to many visiting young people.”
Happy birthday to Mississippi’s own Fred Haise!
Additional Resources
Small Steps, Giant Leaps Podcast with Christine Powell NASA Stennis and NASA Shared Services Center Proudly Celebrate Native American/Alaska Native Heritage Month Native American Heritage Month – NASA Artemis
Artemis Resources – NASA Stennis NASA’s Moon to Mars Strategy NASA’s Stennis Space Center – Moving Forward NASA Stennis – Avanzando Subscription Info
Lagniappe is published monthly by the Office of Communications at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. The NASA Stennis office may be contacted by at 228-688-3333 (phone); ssc-office-of-communications@mail.nasa.gov (email); or NASA OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS, Attn: LAGNIAPPE, Mail code IA00, Building 1111 Room 173, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529 (mail).
The Lagniappe staff includes: Managing Editor Lacy Thompson, Editor Bo Black, and photographer Danny Nowlin.
To subscribe to the monthly publication, please email the following to ssc-office-of-communications@mail.nasa.gov – name, location (city/state), email address.
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