Luke McNamara...

Pre-NASA:

I am in my fourth year at Iowa State University majoring in Aerospace Engineering. Go Cyclones! While at ISU I have been involved in several aerospace organizations on campus including: Spacecraft Systems and Operations Lab, AIAA, and a Wind Engineering Research Lab. Outside of my aerospace activities I am a part of Tau Beta Pi and the Engineering Ambassador/Mentor Program for the Engineering College. When I don't have to be studying I enjoy reading, playing soccer, running, biking, hiking, swimming, and skiing (Yes, we can downhill ski in Iowa).

Getting to NASA:

Flight Director's Console, Historic Mission Control

There are two primary methods to become a NASA JSC co-op. One is to be interviewed by NASA recruiters at your school or at another nearby school. The other road is to contact the JSC Co-op office, submit your 3 documents (university transcript, cover letter, resume), and perhaps schedule a phone or in-person interview.

I was interviewed at my school’s engineering career fair for a co-op slot in the fall of 2004 and was not selected for one of the available co-op slots. The day I received the letter stating I was not going to be offered a slot is the day I began working to go to NASA 24/7. I did everything I could think of to make myself more attractive to the co-op office and reapplied. Almost exactly 5 months later, when the co-op spring acceptance timetable came around, I was offered a co-op slot beginning in the fall of 2005. To say that ‘I was excited that I got accepted’ does not even begin to describe it!

Working at NASA:

I have always wanted to work in Space Exploration. I feel extremely privileged to work for NASA at Johnson Space Center where I want to work full-time after I finish as a co-op.

My first tour was in DM44 the Ascent Analysis Group of the Flight Design and Dynamics Division in the Mission Operations Directorate. This group supplies ascent trajectory design and analysis services for new capability development and vehicle upgrades. Three functions of this group are to conduct analytical trade studies, to partake in the resolution of ascent flight anomalies, and to develop and evaluate ascent operational requirements for onboard and ground systems.

My primary project was to participate in a trade study for a Return to Launch Site Abort. The trade study examined the risk trade between the dynamic pressure at Space Shuttle External Tank Separation and the structural loading (g’s) experienced by the orbiter during the loading hold phase of the entry trajectory. My role in the project was to generate and analyze the trajectory data for the study. My secondary project was to analyze a trajectory anomaly encountered in an integrated ascent simulation in the Mission Control Center. This was particularly interesting since it occurred while I was on tour here, and I asked for the task which had been initiated as a result of a Flight Directors request. I also conducted an analysis at the request of a Flight Dynamics Officer to improve the understanding of operational requirements for a Return to Launch Site Abort. While on this tour I had the amazing opportunity to shadow flight controllers during several simulations at various consoles in Mission Control.

At the GNC Orbit Support console in the Mission Control Center

My second tour was in DF62 the Guidance & Control Group of the Systems Division in the Mission Operations Directorate. This group supports the GNC console in Mission Control Center for the Shuttle Program. This includes the one GNC in the front room and the flight controllers that are supporting in the backrooms. This tour I had the opportunity to begin the training flow to become certified at the Orbit Support position in the GNC backroom. My primary project outside of training was to design a window display for on-console GNC’s that displays the heads up display (HUD) that the commander sees so that GNC’s can verify the commander’s observations. This display is particularly useful if an inertial measurement unit (IMU) is aligned via the HUD to maintain or improve the condition of the IMUs. Consulting this display tool, GNC’s monitoring the align, will be able to verify that the commander is aligning the HUD on the correct star.

My third tour was in the Descent Analysis Group of the Flight Design and Dynamics Division in the Mission Operations Directorate. This analysis group supports the Mars Science Laboratory Program, the Space Shuttle Program, and the Constellation Program. I had three projects this tour. One project was to support an assessment to determine viable landing sites for the Mars Science Laboratory Program. Another project was to examine whether the effects of winds are accurately being taken into account by the Public Entry Risk Assessment process. That assessment process attempts to quantify the risk to the public due to a spacecraft in the area. For my third project I conducted different analyses to determine the best entry landing site network for the Crew Exploration Vehicle. This analysis included generating opportunity statistics indicating the likelihood that a particular network of Continental United States sites would be operationally able to support a landing.

My fourth and final undergraduate co-op tour was in the Flight Mechanics & Trajectory Design Branch of the Aeroscience and Flight Mechanics Division in the Engineering Directorate. This branch primarily supports activities under the Constellation Program to help design the upcoming Crew Exploration Vehicle but also works on many other activities as well. As the branch name implies this branch works in areas such as flight mechanics, trajectory design, and guidance navigation and control by performing analysis and designing requirements. The work I have been involved with this summer has been very interesting. My primary project was to investigate the feasibility of a new emergency entry back-up mode for the upcoming NASA Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle.

Other Aspects of the NASA Co-op Experience:

On my co-op tours I was able to have the pleasure to listen to lectures from: Chris Kraft, Gene Kranz, General Howell, Wayne Hale, astronauts and flight directors such as Paul Dye and Ginger Kerrick. Throughout my co-op rotations I have received many interesting tours of other areas of work being performed at JSC. Those lectures and tours were organized for co-op’s by the Tours and Lectures Committee, of which I was a member. Another cool thing that I did during my first tour was to take Russian courses through a NASA organization on site.

Meeting Gene Kranz Flying the Space Shuttle Simulator

During my first tour I discovered a significant characteristic of the work a NASA co-op performs. NASA co-ops are given important projects that need to be performed to aid Human Space Flight.

Outside of NASA:

The social life while on co-op here is great. There is an event or gathering almost every night! I have attended the Wings Over Houston Air Show, Wicked the Musical, 3 Astros Games, 2 Greek Festivals, 1 Indian Festival, and the ISU v. Texas A&M Football Game (Way to go Cyclones!). I was able to play soccer, tennis, and laser tag. I also don’t want to forget to mention that I went skydiving, jet skiing, ice skating, to the beach and to Dallas. This past summer I was able to take part in building homes in part with Habitat for Humanity.

Indian Festival Building a home in northeast Houston with Habitat for Humanity

Skydiving

Life as a co-op is such a blast. We have awesome opportunities at work and outside of work. I had always wanted to go sky diving and I got to here. I experienced the huge adrenaline rush while falling at 120 mph that I had been seeking. That adrenaline rush was just a part of the rush it is to work for NASA. I have really enjoyed all of my experiences here with NASA at JSC.

Questions or Comments? Then email me! Lmcnamar@iastate.edu