Lagniappe for September 2024
Explore Lagniappe for September 2024 featuring: Gator Speaks NASA’s Stennis Space Center keeps writing new history, and the front office announcement in August delights this ‘ol Gator! The news delights me because the south Mississippi NASA center will continue to be in good hands with Christine Powell serving as the new deputy director. And talk […]
Lagniappe for September 2024
Explore Lagniappe for September 2024 featuring:
- NASA Honors NASA Stennis Employees for Flight Safety
- Summer Interns Display NASA Stennis Work
- NASA’s Rocket Propulsion Test Program Office Visits NASA Stennis
Gator Speaks
NASA’s Stennis Space Center keeps writing new history, and the front office announcement in August delights this ‘ol Gator!
The news delights me because the south Mississippi NASA center will continue to be in good hands with Christine Powell serving as the new deputy director. And talk about perfect timing – announcement of the selection came just a few weeks before the celebration of Women’s Equality Day on Aug. 26.
In her new role, Powell now is responsible, along with NASA Stennis Director John Bailey, for coordinating all the rocket propulsion test capabilities onsite, along with managing the overall NASA center.
As the nation’s largest – and premier – propulsion test site, NASA Stennis supports test operations for both government and commercial aerospace companies. Powell’s depth of knowledge positions her perfectly for this new challenge.
Her record shows that she knows the ins-and-outs of NASA Stennis and is very-well versed on propulsion testing. Her career is also a testament to NASA developing its skilled workforce. Powell started as an intern at NASA Stennis in 1991. Following the internship, she worked as an instrumentation engineer and systems integration engineer before moving into leadership positions in 2004.
All in all, Powell illustrates perfectly the important role women play at NASA Stennis – in positions and roles all across the center. Women are a vital part of the NASA Stennis team, contributing to every area of the center’s work and mission.
NASA Stennis’ aim in the future is to operate as a multi-user propulsion testing enterprise that accelerates the development of aerospace systems and services by government and industry.
This Gator has witnessed many successful endeavors at NASA Stennis, and I am confident that Powell’s new role will have her adding value to this endeavor.
Just as the focus was on women’s equality last month, September provides a time to celebrate the hard work of all with Labor Day on the first Monday of the month. As we move forward, the newest deputy director’s journey at NASA Stennis proves that work is not merely a means to an end, but also a journey to realize one’s full potential.
NASA Stennis Top News
NASA Honors NASA Stennis Employees for Flight Safety
The following employees received the Silver Snoopy award presented by NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman on Aug. 21 at NASA’s Stennis Space Center:
William Berry
NASA Stennis employee William Berry, a native of Diamondhead, Mississippi, is a metrology technician for Alutiiq Essential Services, LLC at NASA Stennis. The Picayune, Mississippi, resident received the honor for his dedication to duty and commitment to improving the operations of the center’s Measurement Standards and Calibration Laboratory. His contributions help ensure the laboratory achieves its fiscal goals of delivering customer equipment on time.
Allen Blow
NASA Stennis employee Allen Blow, a native of Yorktown, Virginia, is a principal engineer for Syncom Space Services at NASA Stennis. The New Orleans resident received the honor for providing engineering services to ensure the success of the SLS (Space Launch System) Exploration Upper Stage test project on the Thad Cochran Test Stand (B-2) and the RS-25 engine test project on the Fred Haise Test Stand.
Michael Brown
NASA Stennis employee Michael Brown, a native of Cerritos, California, is a quality engineer for Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies company, at NASA Stennis. The Slidell, Louisiana, resident received the honor for his commitment to test flight support, attention to detail, and unwavering passion for spaceflight.
Tessa Keating
NASA Stennis employee Tessa Keating, a native and resident of Carriere, Mississippi, received the honor for her outstanding contributions to the NASA Stennis Office of Communications and to NASA. She continually provides excellent work in telling the NASA story to diverse audiences, including influential leaders, equipping them with a broader knowledge of, and appreciation for, the center’s role in the agency.
Rhonda Lavigne
NASA Stennis employee Rhonda Lavigne, a native of Pass Christian, Mississippi, is a corrective action request manager for SaiTech at NASA Stennis. The Gulfport, Mississippi, resident received the honor for her dedication to the NASA Stennis Audit Program. Her support ensures all reviews are well planned, audit objectives are met, and compliance for continual improvement of programs impacting the NASA Stennis mission is promoted.
Stephen O’Neill
NASA Stennis employee Stephen O’Neill, a native and resident of Poplarville, Mississippi, is a NASA industrial hygienist in the Center Operations Directorate at NASA Stennis. O’Neill received the honor for his contributions in helping the site achieve critical engine and stage test project goals for NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket.
Benjamin Stevens
NASA Stennis employee Benjamin Stevens, a native of Lake Charles, Louisiana, is a NASA information technology specialist for the NASA Shared Services Center, located at NASA Stennis. The Picayune, Mississippi, resident received the honor for his expertise toward improving the integration and security posture of the NASA Shared Services Center’s information technology telecommunications and networking environment. His work enables shared services delivery to the agency’s engineers, scientists, researchers, and administrative professionals.
Glenn Varner
NASA Stennis employee Glenn Varner, a native and resident of Gulfport, Mississippi, is a NASA mechanical test engineer in the Engineering and Test Directorate at NASA Stennis. He received the honor for his performance and contributions to Thad Cochran Test Stand (B-2) operations for SLS (Space Launch System) core stage testing for Artemis I. Varner’s work helped improve facility performance and responsiveness, leading to successful testing of the SLS core stage.
Steven Wood
NASA Stennis employee Steven Wood, a native and resident of Picayune, Mississippi, is a NASA contract specialist for the NASA Shared Services Center, located at NASA Stennis. He received the honor for going above and beyond normal work assignments to accomplish several highly visible contract actions for NASA’s Early-Stage Innovation and Partnerships programs.
Thomas Wolfe
NASA Stennis employee Thomas Wolfe is a senior mechanical engineering associate for Syncom Space Services at NASA Stennis. He received the honor for contributions to numerous safe and successful government and commercial test projects at NASA Stennis, along with his record of consistent performance and achievement.
Center Activities
Summer Interns Display NASA Stennis Work
NASA’s Rocket Propulsion Test Program Office Visits NASA Stennis
Java with John Hosts NASA Stennis Employees
NEX Stennis Receives 2023 Bingham Award
NASA in the News
- FAQ: NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test Return Status – NASA
- NASA Engagement Platform Brings Experts to Classrooms, Communities – NASA
- Artemis Emergency Egress System Emphasizes Crew Safety – NASA
- NASA Teams Change Brakes to Keep Artemis Crew Safe – NASA
- NASA’s X-59 Progresses Through Tests on the Path to Flight
- International Observe the Moon Night – Moon: NASA Science
Employee Profile: Joseph Ladner
Joseph Ladner’s experiences working at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, motivate him to “pay it forward” so more people can be a part of something great.
Additional Resources
- STEM: NASA Astro Camp Community Partners Program (fox8live.com)
- Catching up with Stennis Space Center’s New Director – WXXV News 25 (wxxv25.com)
- New and Notables: John Bailey – Biz New Orleans
- Good Things with Rebecca Turner – SuperTalk Mississippi (interview with NASA Stennis employees Lee English Jr. and Noah English)
- Certifying Artemis Rocket Engines – NASA (Houston We Have a Podcast segment featuring NASA Stennis engineers Chip Ellis and Bradley Tyree)
- NASA Stennis Overview – Going Further video
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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