Category: Stennis Space Center

Source: NASA

Explore the February 2024 edition featuring:
RS-25 Test on Jan. 27
Day of Remembrance
NASA Spinoff

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 Day of Remembrance Honors Fallen Heroes

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.

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.

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.

Leadership Class Visits NASA Stennis

Employees View RS-25 Engine Test

NASA Joins Students for Space Day Event

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.

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.

Source: NASA

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.
This year’s publication also features a section highlighting technologies developed at agency centers such as NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, that are available for use by various industries.
NASA’s 2024 Spinoff highlights more than 40 medical and other commercialized technologies using the agency’s research and development expertise.
“As we continue to push new frontiers and do the unimaginable, NASA’s scientists and engineers are constantly innovating and advancing technologies,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “A critical part of our mission is to quickly get those advances into the hands of companies and entrepreneurs who can use them to grow their businesses, open new markets, boost the economy, and raise the quality of life for everyone.”
One of the featured medical innovations is the first wireless arthroscope – a small tube carrying a camera inserted into the body during surgery – to receive clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which benefited from NASA’s experience with spacesuits and satellite batteries. Commercialized technologies for diagnosing illnesses like the coronavirus, hepatitis, and cancer have also stemmed from NASA’s space exploration and science endeavors. Even certain types of toothpaste originated from the agency’s efforts to grow crystals for electronics.
The book also features several technologies NASA has identified as promising future spinoffs and information on how to license agency tech. Since the 1970s, thousands of NASA technologies have found their way into many scientific and technical disciplines, impacting nearly every American industry.
Additional 2024 Spinoff highlights include developments under NASA’s Artemis campaign, like a small, rugged video camera used to improve aircraft safety and a new method for detecting defects or damage in composite materials. Meanwhile, another spinoff story details the latest benefits of fuel cell technology created more than 50 years ago for Apollo, which is now poised to support terrestrial power grids based on renewable energy.
The book also features other notable spinoffs like:
NASA Stennis items included in the new publication are:
Remote Sensing Toolkit. The NASA Spinoff 2024 publication describes the remote sensing toolkit as an online portal that offers easy access to NASA Earth-observation data. NASA’s Technology Transfer program at NASA Stennis developed the online resource to promote wider use of the agency’s freely available remote sensing data and software to work with it. It helps users find, analyze, and use the most relevant data for projects such as precision agriculture and crop forecasting, conservation and resource management, and natural disaster planning and response. The free and easy-to-use toolkit includes data from more than 20 satellites and missions.
Cryogenic Butterfly Cam Valve. According to the NASA Spinoff 2024 book, the unique butterfly valve designed at NASA Stennis provides “no-leak” performance in a broad range of temperatures. The NASA Stennis valve addresses a key disadvantage of current butterfly valves, which require the butterfly disc to establish a tight seal at exactly 90 degrees. Providing additional torque to the valve may cause the disc to rotate beyond 90 degrees, allowing fluid flow. Current butterfly valves also usually fail leakage tests when used with liquid nitrogen, a key cryogenic in propulsion testing. The simple NASA Stennis design remedies these issues by allowing rotation of the valve shaft, enabling the disc to slide until it seals tightly despite temperature changes. The NASA Stennis valve can be used in various aerospace, natural gas, and cryogenic plant systems.
“As NASA’s longest continuously running program, we continue to increase the number of technologies we license year-over-year while streamlining the development path from the government to the commercial sector,” said Daniel Lockney, Technology Transfer program executive at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “These commercialization success stories continually prove the benefits of transitioning agency technologies into private hands, where the real impacts are made.”
Spinoffs are part of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate and its Technology Transfer program. Tech Transfer is charged with finding broad, innovative applications for NASA-developed technology through partnerships and licensing agreements, ensuring agency investments benefit the nation and the world.
To read or download the digital version of the latest issue of Spinoff, visit:
https://spinoff.nasa.gov/
For information about NASA Stennis Space Center, visit:
www.nasa.gov/centers/stennis/

Source: NASA

NASA inspires as it explores secrets of the universe for the benefit of all – just ask Tony Goretski, the senior employee in the Office of Procurement at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.
Goretski felt the inspiration long ago on a school trip to the Gulf Coast site, vowing to one day become employed with NASA. Now, he is doing his part to support the NASA mission and inspire the next generation of great explorers – the Artemis Generation.
“NASA has a phenomenal way of including everybody, like you really belong,” Goretski said. “We are all family, driving towards a common purpose, and I love that aspect about NASA Stennis.”
The common goal is returning to the Moon in a sustainable way. Through Artemis missions, NASA will use innovative technologies, and collaborate with commercial and international partners, to explore more of the lunar surface than ever. NASA will then use what is learned on and around the Moon to take the next giant leap: sending the first astronauts to Mars. 

Tony Goretski
NASA Stennis Procurement Analyst

Much like NASA clearly has its sight set on the task at hand, Goretski had a goal of being employed with NASA. A native of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, Goretski grew up in the shadow of NASA Stennis and did everything necessary from an education standpoint to ensure his future work with the space agency.
He earned an associate degree in business administration from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, followed by a bachelor’s degree in business administration from The University of Mississippi. The Long Beach resident also earned a master’s degree in aeronautical science with an emphasis on management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Following a career in the United States Air Force, Goretski reached his goal of returning to NASA Stennis, this time as a contract specialist prior to becoming a procurement analyst.
As a member of the Procurement Management Support Division team at the center, Goretski is part of an integral support mechanism, which provides training and guidance for more than 100 contracting officer representatives supporting NASA’s Artemis Program.
As NASA moves toward future Artemis launches, Goretski looks forward to attending the launch of Artemis III, which will mark humanity’s first return to the lunar surface in more than 50 years. NASA will make history by sending the first humans to explore the region near the lunar South Pole.
Meanwhile, he will continue his day-to-day work supporting the agency’s efforts to reach that moment. Goretski also enjoys volunteering through outreach efforts with NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement, which helps bridge disparities and break barriers by providing a way for a broad spectrum of students to learn about NASA and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).
Goretski also has volunteered for more than 13 years with the FIRST (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics organization. In 2023, NASA co-sponsored the inaugural FIRST Robotics competition held in the state of Mississippi with the Magnolia Regional event in Laurel. STEM will play a key role as NASA explores more of the Moon than ever before with highly trained astronauts and advanced robotics.
In all of his engagement efforts, Goretski takes to heart one of NASA’s core values – inclusion – to share opportunities available for all and, along the way, to inspire the Artemis Generation, just as he was inspired on a school visit to the south Mississippi NASA center.

Source: NASA

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.
As chief of the Test Operations Division at NASA’s Stennis Space Center, Vander provides guidance and help with technical challenges to a group of electrical and mechanical engineers performing test operations for NASA and commercial companies.
“With the test team at NASA Stennis, the work doesn’t happen because of one individual,” Vander said. “It’s a total team effort that makes it happen. Our team consists of a diverse group of personalities, experience levels and backgrounds, so you get value from that.”
Vander has contributed in various capacities to four engine programs since coming to NASA Stennis in 1990 as a contract worker and then being hired by NASA in 2000. He performed the role of test conductor for the programs, which included being the first to do so in three of the four programs. 
Filling this role allowed him the opportunity to be heavily involved in developing the test processes used during the initial hot fire tests of those engines. He called this a highlight of his career as he witnessed the success of the test campaigns.
A key part of continuing NASA’s mission of exploring secrets of the universe for the benefit of all is developing people to contribute to the agency, which ultimately benefits humanity.

maury vander
NASA Stennis Test Operations Leader

The Slidell, Louisiana, native was once the person that pressed the button and made the ground shake as a conductor of engine tests. Since being promoted to his leadership role in 2012, Vander now helps other people grow into such roles as NASA works to safely carry out Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond.
“You start to gain enjoyment as you watch people develop,” he said. “You watch someone who comes in as a new hire and watch as they develop skills and see what they are capable of doing and you kind of draw a different level of satisfaction with your job.”
Helping people become aware of their potential is something Vander enjoys. When NASA led an outreach event in November at the Bayou Classic in New Orleans to reach deeper into underrepresented and underserved segments of society, Vander was quick to volunteer for the activity and help staff a NASA exhibit tent.
“When I do outreach events like that, I hope I can open their eyes and make a connection,” he said. “And in this instance, I looked a lot like the high school graduating seniors passing by or the freshmen in college going into the game.”
Vander’s message to young people attending the HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) event was clear. “Forty years ago, I was you,” Vander told students who stopped at the NASA exhibit. “There’s a lot more opportunity now. There’s a lot more skills that are out there that you can take advantage of and go way farther than I went or even thought about going.”
Whether it is welcoming new people or helping develop those already on the team at NASA Stennis, Vander knows most of the success he has experienced can be traced back to the team.
“At the end of the day, I’m going to look back and say there was some good work going on, and there were some great people that I got to interact with,” Vander said. “I would love for them to be able to say of me, ‘It was good to be on a team with him, he treated me not just as a coworker but as a friend, and I’m better for having encountered him.’”
For information about NASA’s Stennis Space Center, visit
Stennis Space Center – NASA

Source: NASA

A first-generation student from North Carolina will return to school in January feeling more motivated and better connected to her future thanks to time invested as a NASA Pathways Intern at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.
Raquel Cervantes Espinosa, the first member of her family to attend college and a rising junior at Duke University, applied to the internship at NASA Stennis because of opportunities the site presented, such as working with large rocket engines. She admits to initially being nervous, having never traveled to Mississippi or the Gulf Coast area.
The electrical engineering major says she was welcomed with open arms. She grew fond of the diverse and highly skilled workforce that showed how her studies apply to working with NASA, which makes leaving after the fall semester bittersweet.
“It feels like NASA is really investing in me as an individual, and the people that I work with make it feel that way, too,” Cervantes Espinosa said. “I feel valued here and feel like I can grow with my career and degree studies in terms of what I want to do in the future. I really enjoyed my time at NASA Stennis during the fall and look forward to returning in the summer.”
During the fall semester, Cervantes Espinosa worked with test stand camera systems, including those in support of NASA’s certification test series of the RS-25 engine. The series will lead to production of updated engines that will help power future Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond on the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket.
“Raquel had a great first semester as a Pathways Intern learning about various electrical and mechanical systems,” said David Carver, deputy branch chief of the Electrical Operations Branch at NASA Stennis. “Her shining accomplishment for the semester was the new test operations video system that she helped design and bring online. The system will provide test engineers with new insight into the operation and health of critical propulsion systems. I look forward to seeing what she accomplishes in the future.”
The thermal visual cameras set up by Cervantes Espinosa at the Fred Haise Test Stand, where RS-25 hot fires take place, help ensure safe operations by allowing engineers to monitor key areas of the test stand, such as the liquid oxygen stalls and hydrogen systems. The cameras can also identify potential gas leaks not seen with the naked eye. Additionally, Cervantes Espinosa had the opportunity to analyze data and work on instruments that are used on the RS-25 engine.
“A lot of the experience I’m getting from working at NASA Stennis, a lot of the stuff I’m learning now, is really shaping how I see engineering differently than I used to,” she said.
The Duke student says one key takeaway from the fall semester was learning beyond electrical engineering and understanding how her physics minor can be applied in the aerospace industry – an industry she now wants to join following graduation.
On pace to graduate in 2026, Cervantes Espinosa said it can be challenging at times in unfamiliar territory, whether as an intern at NASA Stennis or as a first-generation engineering student.
“I would encourage other first-generation students to keep your head up and keep going,” Cervantes Espinosa said. “It sounds very cliché, but I think it’s really accurate for people like me and a lot of my friends who are first-generation students in engineering and beginning to immerse ourselves into the workforce and see what we need to do. Keep your head up, keep going, and really take advantage of such opportunities because they are out there, and people want the best for you and want to invest in you. You just have to go and seize the opportunity.”
The NASA Pathways Intern Program opens in the spring and fall each year with job postings on USAJobs.gov. The application windows open two times each year – typically around February and September.
For information about the NASA Pathways program, visit:
NASA Careers: Pathways – NASA

Stay connected with the mission on social media, and let people know you’re following it on X, Facebook, and Instagram using the hashtags #NASAStennis #Pathways #Artemis. Follow and tag these accounts:

Source: NASA

NASA’s Stennis Space Center brings together people from all backgrounds to support NASA’s mission to explore the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all and inspire the world through discovery. NASA Stennis also supports the agency’s core values of safety, integrity, teamwork, excellence, and inclusion – and in 2023, the south Mississippi site was recognized by Forbes Magazine as the Best Employer in Mississippi.
However, one does not need to take the magazine’s word for it – NASA Stennis employees are quick to say the same.

Bradley Tyree
NASA Stennis engineer

Katrina Emery
NASA Stennis Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity manager

Samone wilson
NASA Stennis public affairs specialist

Tom lipski
NASA Stennis technical manager

Kris Mobbs
NASA Stennis engineer

Amy Langdale
NASA Stennis auditor

Ken Griffey
Chief of staff for NASA Stennis Center Operations

Paula Hensarling
Chief of NASA Stennis Mechanical Design Branch

Louis Thompson
NASA Stennis education specialist

Gina Ladner
Deputy chief of NASA Stennis Facility Services Branch

Van Ward
Chief of NASA Stennis Center Protective Services

Anita Wilson
NASA Stennis budget analyst