Hello, my name is Gina Giorgi-O'Shaughnessy and I work for NASA at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
I am a mechanical engineer with the Expendable Launch Services Program.
In this program, we work with rockets that are called “expendables” because they are used once to deliver satellites and exploration vehicles to space.
“My rocket” is the Delta II and I am responsible for its booster stage.
The first stage performs the “most difficult” task during flight, which is to get out of the Earth's atmosphere.
I am a propulsion engineer, also known as the “power doctor” because I diagnose problems with the “power-generating” hardware.
I monitor the RS-27A rocket engine and its supporting systems from manufacturing, assembly through launch and flight.
I perform “independent assessments” on all components to determine whether they are built within requirements or they have “problems.”
The contractor and I work as a team to resolve “non-conformances.”
For example, if I have a part that has a dimension that is out of tolerance, I engage other engineering disciplines at
NASA like Strength and Dynamics to make a technical assessment on the trouble part. If the issue involves “critical flight hardware,”
I prepare a presentation with the problem's origin, hardware details, the engineering inputs and NASA's engineering team evaluation to present
to the NASA Engineering Review Board. If the board accepts the recommendation, my work is done for the particular problem.
Otherwise, I will get action items and they will have to be completed before I go back for a reconvene with the board.
The most exciting part of my job is launch, because no matter how many launches I have participated in, it always feels like the first one.
During the countdown, I monitor tanking, pneumatic pressurization and hydraulic system data to verify that the first stage is ready for flight.
Once the rocket leaves the pad and spends the first stage,
I review flight data to determine the booster's performance and whether there were anomalies during the powered flight.
Success in engineering, aside from technical knowledge, requires organization,
good communication skills and a great attitude; so it is all up to you!