NASA Archives | 91�Թ�� News

Space History Meets the Future in Interactive 91�Թ�� Exhibit

Jenna Marina Lee — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 18:22:52 +0000

Landing humans on the moon was just a dream when 91�Թ�� was founded in 1963. But we dared to believe — developing the talent and inventing the technologies to make it reality. That same spirit still drives us today.

We are America’s Space University. And we celebrate 91�Թ�� Space Week to honor our origin as we dare to build what’s next.

Where Global Leaders Unite to Forge the Future of Space

The John C. Hitt Library is likely the only place where you can find odes to Citronaut, space mice, sports and human spaceflight together in one room.

A new, interactive exhibit, debuts this week in the Immersion Studio on the fourth floor of the library’s Digital Exploration Center.

The exhibit brings six decades of 91�Թ��, United States and international space history and culture beyond the archives and into visitors’ hands. It draws on digital assets from 91�Թ��’s former student newspaper, Central Florida Future, NASA, 91�Թ�� Athletics and the university.

91�Թ�� Libraries graduate research assistant Eric Thompson ’19, a history alum pursuing a doctorate in texts and technology, is the mind and heart behind the project. He set out to maximize the studio’s potential through its 270-degree immersive projection and interactive touch capabilities.

Eric Thompson ’19, a history alum pursuing a doctorate in texts and technology, enjoys bringing history to life beyond the classroom, in places like museums, parks monuments and the 91�Թ�� Libraries’ Immersion Studio. (Photo by Brooke Morris ’22)

Over the past two months, he meticulously selected every image and wrote nearly 7,000 words for the exhibit’s text boxes, bringing the experience together through an iterative process that used artificial intelligence (AI) to generate code.

The Cocoa Beach, Florida, native worked as a bicycle mechanic for nearly a decade before enrolling through to pursue a more fulfilling career as a public historian. He wants to bring history to life beyond the classroom, in places like museums, parks, and monuments.

“I was giving tours of a Civil War painting at the Atlanta History Center, and when you’re doing programming like that it’s exciting because it’s different every single time depending on the makeup of whoever comes through,” he says. “I think the best public history exhibits make some sort of argument. We’re not just saying, ‘Hey, look at this neat thing from 100 years ago.’ We’re also saying what that meant back then, and how it ties to our society today.”

Here, Thompson explains how the exhibit came together, what visitors can expect and the stellar result when the humanities collide with technology.

Thompson’s exhibit showcases the inspiration of 91�Թ��’s Mission X Space Game against the 1966 Gemini X patch.

What inspired this exhibit?

At the beginning of this semester, the for 91�Թ�� Space Week 2026 and my supervisor asked if I wanted to propose something specifically for the Immersion Studio. I started with just a wall — I built a very, very bare-bones prototype that was basically just the mission patches from the space games. Can I make this work? What does it look like from there? How do we do some more history or scholarship along with that?

That’s where some of the other elements — old newspaper articles, actual NASA mission patches, 91�Թ��’s space origins — started to come in. One advantage of a digital exhibit is that you’re not constrained by what fits in a 4-foot-wide glass case. Nearly all images are clickable with a tap of your finger so you can read more information.

The texts and technology program has been recognized as a leader in digital humanities education. How did you apply what you’ve been studying to this project?

One of the research methods that texts and technology students use a lot is something called critical making. It’s a way of building something, thinking and writing through that process very deliberately, and iterating on it. That’s what this process was.

Another key element was how I used AI. I wrote all of the content. I picked all of the images and even hand-sketched the layout, but I don’t know how to code. I didn’t write the programming that made boxes be boxes. I would prefer a human whose job is to program and get paid for it, but I didn’t have that opportunity in this case.

So the code work on this was done with a generative AI tool, Claude. I had a leg up through coursework that was explicitly about using AI like this, including a significant manual review process. It has to be really deliberate.

What do you hope this exhibition adds to campus culture?

As a university, we don’t have the same generations of history that other places do because we were founded just 63 years ago. So we have an opportunity, all of us, to take a more active role in shaping it. I hope somebody will learn something about our campus history and use that to build positive change here on campus.

How did you highlight the humanity of this tech-forward exhibit?

I very intentionally wrote the names of the people on the mission patches with crews. There are people at home who designed these, who thought through these experiments and these projects. Most of these patches are human-forward designs, and people made choices to symbolize our values and what’s important to us.

Why should people come visit this?

The Immersion Studio opened in February, and we want to show what the space is capable of. My hope is that faculty will come in and realize they can bring a class here or design a presentation. Student organizations can hold meetings here. I plan to do my dissertation defense in this space one day.

“We want to show what the space is capable of.” — Eric Thompson ’19

The Digital Exploration Center is a really interesting space on campus. People who aren’t necessarily in something tech-focused are still going to need to learn how to use more modern tools and need workstations and equipment that their departments may or may not have.

So this is a really high-powered space that’s open to anybody on campus. I would love it if somebody found this space because of this exhibit; that would be a win.

91�Թ�� Grad, NASA Engineer Helps Build America’s First Moon Base

Joseph Harkins — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 16:02:16 +0000

We are America’s Space University. And we celebrate 91�Թ�� Space Week to honor our origin as we dare to build what’s next.

Where Global Leaders Unite to Forge the Future of Space

On a clear night, Teresa Kinney ’11MS��can step into her backyard in Merritt Island, just a few miles from Kennedy Space Center (KSC), and look toward the moon. Its illuminated gray and white surface is no longer just a distant destination — it represents the next chapter of��human space exploration��and her own��engineering��.

The harsh terrain of the lunar south pole is the staging ground for humanity’s next great leap. In this heavily shadowed region, peaks of eternal light catch rare glints of sunshine alongside craters of absolute darkness.

As transportation office program lead engineer in NASA’s Moon Base Program, the 91�Թ�� alumna plays a critical role in the agency’s phased effort to establish America’s first permanent outpost near the moon’s South Pole. Her��engineering��team oversees the surface transportation systems needed to deliver cargo,��move equipment across the lunar surface, support deep-space and orbital missions and ensure every component works together as part of the larger lunar architecture.

Kinney evaluates whether transportation concepts and designs are technically ready to advance and how they fit into NASA’s long-term vision for building and sustaining a lunar base.

“I make sure technically that the design is worthy of moving forward to the next phase, that we’re looking at all the right thermal, dynamic and radiation environments and making sure the integration of hardware, including electronics and other parts, is coming together the proper way,” Kinney says.

An artist’s concept of a lunar base bustling with rovers, habitats, solar arrays and scientific equipment.

Engineering a Moon Base

NASA’s Moon Base Program is designed to evolve from robotic and early uncrewed missions to semi-permanent infrastructure, early habitation and, eventually, a sustained human presence on the lunar surface. Every phase depends on reliable transportation systems capable of delivering the hardware and supplies needed to build, operate and maintain a base��hundreds of thousands (238,855)��of miles from Earth.

An illustration of a sustained colony on the Moon highlights the massive infrastructure challenge facing 91�Թ�� industrial engineering graduate Teresa Kinney ‘11MS.

For Kinney, success depends on how every system works together. Landers must deliver the right payloads.��Surface vehicles can transport equipment once it arrives. Orbital and deep-space transportation systems must support the broader mission. Each piece must perform safely on its own while also working within the overall architecture.

“I was surprised by the logistical complexity of maintaining a permanent presence on the International Space Station,” Kinney says. “I guess I shouldn’t have been — it’s like going on a month’s-long camping trip when you’re used to camping for long weekends. You need a lot more for that longer duration because you can’t just make do for an extended period. You think you’re prepared, but then you realize there are things you didn’t expect to need and things you wish you had with you. I think we’ll learn those same kinds of lessons from Moon Base, and I’m excited and ready to get started.”

Kinney also serves as project chief engineer for the Liquid Oxygen-Methane Assessment, a joint initiative involving NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Space Force. As the project’s final technical authority, she’s helping quantify the explosive yield and risks associated with the large quantities of liquid oxygen and methane carried by next-generation rockets and spacecraft, including human landing systems, particularly during catastrophic failures or other anomalies. The data will help inform safety protocols for spacecraft, launch sites and surrounding communities.

Whether she’s assessing lunar transportation architecture or helping government agencies better understand the risks of cryogenic propellants, Kinney’s work comes down to the same challenge: understanding how complex systems behave, where they can fail and how engineers can make them safer.

A Curiosity That Started Early

That instinct to understand how the pieces fit together began early.

” … my dad slid me up under the dashboard and started handing me parts. At some point I realized, ‘I can do this.’”

At 8, Kinney started helping her father work on cars. By 12, she was small enough to slide under the dashboard of the family’s Chevrolet station wagon and install its air-conditioning system before a summer trip to Florida.

“We were living in Alabama and were going to [Walt] Disney World [Resort] but couldn’t make the drive to Florida without air conditioning,” Kinney says. “I was small enough that my dad slid me up under the dashboard and started handing me parts, asking me to connect things. At some point I realized, ‘I can do this.’ It was the first time I had ever completed a mechanical task entirely on my own.”

That experience sparked an interest in solving complex problems, shaping her career and allowing her to do what she enjoys most: putting things together.

Career Takes Off

Before becoming a NASA civil servant at Kennedy Space Center in 2005, Kinney earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville and spent two decades supporting the space shuttle solid rocket booster, Spacelab and International Space Station programs as a contractor at Marshall Space Flight Center.

As a structural dynamicist at NASA, she embraced the challenges of loads analysis and modal testing of large space structures while enjoying the freedom to explore new ideas and uncover innovative solutions.

“I never had any roadblocks in front of me,” Kinney says. “They were like, ‘Here’s the work. Here’s your part of it, Teresa. If you have problems, come and talk to us.’ No one ever treated me in a way that wasn’t wonderful and supportive.”

91�Թ�� Landing

As her career evolved, Kinney realized technical expertise alone wasn’t enough if she ever wanted to lead an interdisciplinary team. With 91�Թ��’s longstanding presence at Kennedy Space Center, she knew where to turn.

“91�Թ�� has a great reputation and the proximity, but it took me years to say, ‘OK, start doing a master’s,’” Kinney says.

While working full-time, she attended most classes at KSC through a special program, often balancing 60- to 70-hour workweeks as she earned her master’s degree in industrial engineering.

“You never know what opportunities might be waiting in front of you.”

Kinney applies that same dedication to everything she does, whether she’s building bookcases with her husband — a retired NASA engineer she met while working at NASA (MSFC) — or encouraging young people to pursue careers in space exploration. She offers the same advice she gave her daughter, Julia Kinney ’19, a 91�Թ�� biomedical sciences��graduate who works at a cancer center, and her son, Jackson, an aerospace engineer at Marshall Space Flight Center.

“Don’t be intimidated,” Kinney says. “Don’t see things as too hard — see them as challenges. You never know what opportunities might be waiting in front of you.”

From the Clinic to the Cockpit: 91�Թ�� Opens New FAA-Designated Clinic for Pilots

Eddy Duryea ’13 | Photos by Eric Eraso — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 17:34:48 +0000

Minutes from one of the world’s most visited airports, 91�Թ�� has opened a new clinic to help pilots meet Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical requirements to fly safely.

The new 91�Թ�� Aerospace Medicine Clinic at 91�Թ�� Health Faculty Physician Practice in Lake Nona is led by William “Ed” Powers, chief medical officer of 91�Թ��’s and a certified aviation medical examiner.

Pilots operating civilian aircraft must have various levels of FAA medical certification depending on the type of aircraft. Commercial pilots must pass the exam every six months or each year.

“Flight safety depends on healthy pilots,” says Powers, who is certified to conduct the highest level of FAA exams. “That’s ultimately what we’re here to support.”

“Here at 91�Թ��, we are … connecting medicine, engineering, research and industry in ways few universities can.” — 91�Թ�� President Alexander N. Cartwright

91�Թ�� President Alexander N. Cartwright says the clinic is an example of the university’s mission to educate talent, advance discovery and solve societal challenges that matter.

“The next era of flight will bring new demands on health and human performance,” Cartwright says. “Here at 91�Թ��, we are meeting those challenges by connecting medicine, engineering, research and industry in ways few universities can.”

What sets this clinic apart from others is its ability to more efficiently address the health needs of pilots thanks to a network of 91�Թ�� College of Medicine faculty physicians, university officials say.

The clinic marked its opening with a ceremony today.

Assessing Safety and Minimizing Risk

Medical clearance for pilots is “all about risk,” Powers says. “The FAA has to assess the risk of a pilot experiencing a sudden incapacitation while flying. That’s really what these exams are focused on.”

For that reason, the 91�Թ�� clinic will not focus on diagnosing disease, but on identifying and acting on any condition that might endanger pilot, crew and passenger safety.

In addition to a physical exam, pilots must pass hearing and vision tests, including demonstrating that they are not color blind. Airline pilots receive an electrocardiogram every year, while other pilots, like hobbyists, may receive an electrocardiogram if there is evidence of heart disease. Physicians also review medical history and discuss any health concerns that could affect flight safety.

Even manageable chronic conditions like high blood pressure can temporarily delay certification until the condition is treated, stabilized and controlled.

“When you’re flying an airplane, you don’t have the luxury of pulling over and waiting for help like if you’re a truck driver,” Powers says. “You must be aware at all times. If you’re responsible for an aircraft full of passengers, the FAA wants to minimize the chance of a sudden incapacitation.”

A Vast Network of Expertise

Complicated medical cases are referred to the FAA for further review, and pilots may need additional interventions to meet certification standards. That’s where the College of Medicine’s physician practice offers a distinct advantage, Powers says.

“We can guide pilots to the specialists and testing they need and help them get back on the path toward medical clearance.” — William “Ed” Powers, chief medical officer of the CASEEM

Unlike private clinics that do pilot certification exams, 91�Թ�� offers multiple medical specialties under one roof and a team approach to care.

“We can guide pilots to the specialists and testing they need and help them get back on the path toward medical clearance,” Powers says.

Powers brings decades of expertise in space and aviation medicine. Before joining 91�Թ��, he was chief of NASA’s Medical Operations Branch, director of flight medicine for Axiom Space and director of the aerospace medicine residency program at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.

Powers also worked inside the FAA as a supervisory medical officer. He says that experience gives him a firm understanding of what the FAA requires, making the process smoother for everyone.

“That means fewer delays, fewer mistakes in paperwork and a more efficient process for pilots whose livelihoods depend on getting certified,” he says.

William “Ed” Powers demonstrates part of a hearing test with a standardized patient. Pilots are assessed for hearing, vision, cardiovascular health and more to ensure pilot safety and eliminate the risk of sudden incapacitation.

Strengthening the Regional Aviation Ecosystem

Another 91�Թ�� advantage: the clinic is only about 10 miles from Orlando International Airport, which welcomes 58 million travelers annually. So in addition to local aviators, pilots nationwide who travel to and through Orlando could easily schedule their certification exams at 91�Թ��.

“Clinics like 91�Թ��’s Aerospace Medicine Clinic [are] helping pilots, whether in space or on the ground, access the care and medical certification support they need to remain flight-ready.” — Lance Lyttle, CEO of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority

The clinic will help strengthen the aviation training pipeline in one of the nation’s most active aerospace regions. This capability is especially important for local flight schools whose students may require guidance in navigating medical certification, return-to-flight concerns and the health demands of aviation careers.

“Central Florida’s aviation ecosystem is built on more than runways, terminals and launchpads,” says Lance Lyttle, CEO of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, which manages Orlando International and Orlando Executive airports. “It also depends on the people and services that keep aviation moving safely and efficiently. Clinics like 91�Թ��’s Aerospace Medicine Clinic complement that ecosystem by helping pilots, whether in space or on the ground, access the care and medical certification support they need to remain flight-ready.”

The clinic is embedded in Central Florida’s bustling travel hub with numerous satellite airports, including Kissimmee Gateway Airport and Orlando Sanford International Airport. Giving pilots another option to get cleared to fly strengthens the regional economy, says Shaun Germolus, director of aviation for the Kissimmee facility.

“The aviation industry in Central Florida provides a major economic impact to the region,” Germolus says. “The medical exams and certificates provided by the 91�Թ�� Aerospace Medicine Clinic will be very valuable to ensure our aviation professionals are healthy and readily available to serve.”

Launching the Clinic

The clinic is starting with limited Thursday and Friday morning appointments to allow the team to refine operations before expanding. Helping coordinate those efforts is Camila Niebla ’26, a 91�Թ�� health sciences graduate who now serves as the clinic’s aerospace medicine navigator.

Niebla discovered aerospace medicine by accident while exploring future career paths before applying to medical school.

“I didn’t even know aerospace medicine was a possibility,” she says. “I’ve always been interested in performance-driven medicine, like sports medicine, so this felt really exciting. It’s exciting to be part of something from the beginning and watch it grow.”

Part of a Larger Vision for Aerospace Medicine at 91�Թ��

The clinic is part of 91�Թ��’s , which is being developed as a comprehensive academic, clinical, research, education, and operational platform to support the future of aviation, commercial spaceflight, and human space exploration.

“This is about building the medical infrastructure required for the next era of flight, both on Earth and in space,” says Emmanuel Urquieta, vice chair for aerospace medicine at the 91�Թ�� College of Medicine. “Our goal is to create a program that is not only academic, but operational and translational in nature — one that supports student pilots, flight schools, commercial aviation, spaceflight providers and the broader aerospace ecosystem.”

Schedule an Appointment

to learn more about FAA medical exams at 91�Թ�� Health Faculty Physician Practice and schedule an appointment online.

91�Թ�� Engineering Students’ Excellence Celebrated With 2026 Astronaut Scholarship

Bel Huston — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 13:03:42 +0000

Joshua Taggart knew he wanted to work for the space industry the day he experienced his first launch while attending a camp at Kennedy Space Center, seeing the space shuttle Endeavour soar into the sky. He’s now closer to making that dream a reality after being recognized with one of the industry’s most distinguished awards.

Taggart is the latest Knight to receive the coveted Astronaut Foundation Scholarship, a national award that provides more than 70 scholarships of up to $15,000 each for some of the nation’s very best STEM students. He will be recognized with the 2026 class of scholars at the foundation’s gala, to be held next month in Houston.

Taggart says he chose 91�Թ�� for its reputation in engineering as the No. 1 supplier of talent to the nation’s aerospace and defense industries (Aviation Week Network). He is in good company as part of a trio of Astronaut Scholars this year from the College of Engineering and Computer Science, joining mechanical engineering student Keanu Brayman and computer engineering student Kyle Coutray (a biomedical sciences double major), who have received the scholarship for second consecutive year.

As Taggart works to complete his final year at 91�Թ��, his latest accomplishment fuels his path to make an impact as a future space researcher.

Joshua Taggart chose 91�Թ�� for its reputation in engineering as the No. 1 supplier of talent to the nation’s aerospace and defense industries (Aviation Week Network). (Photo courtesy of Joshua Taggart)

Future Focused

Driven to contribute to humanity’s exploration of our universe, Taggart is already working on future-focused innovations that can benefit the space industry.

Through NASA Office of STEM Engagement, he interned at the Johnson Space Center working on communications, avionics, propulsion and flight software for CubeSat subsystems.

This summer at NASA’s Glenn Research Center, he is researching packaging materials for silicon carbide pressure sensors, working to make sure they perform reliably above 1,000 degrees Celsius (1,832 degrees Fahrenheit), and on integrating thermocouple sensors for temperature compensation.

“I chose this field of research because I want to be involved in next-generation electronics that can withstand the extreme nature of outer space.” — Joshua Taggart

“With the harsh environment that outer space is and planet surfaces like Venus, electronics must survive very high temperatures and radiation effects,” he says. “I chose this field of research because I want to be involved in next-generation electronics that can withstand the extreme nature of outer space.”

His work as an undergraduate researcher for the Q-Sim Lab, directed by Assistant Professor Jaesung Lee, also centers around developing technology designed to operate in outer space. Taggart is working on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resonators designed to perform under extreme conditions, such as elevated temperatures and increased exposure to radiation.

He recently won a Judge’s Choice Award at 91�Թ�� Student Research Week for his Honors Undergraduate Thesis, “Robust AlN MEMS Resonators for High Temperature Space Environments.”

His passion for space has only grown over the years, reflected by his ongoing research at 91�Թ�� and for NASA. As an Astronaut Scholar, Taggart is launching into a future full of possibilities.

“Aside from the financial support that this scholarship will provide me as I complete my undergraduate program, I am very eager for all of the networking opportunities I will have,” Taggart says. “I look forward to networking with other students and industry leaders to learn and grow as much as I can thanks to the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation.”

Those interested in the Astronaut Scholarship and other opportunities should reach out to the Office of Prestigious Awards at��OPA@ucf.edu.

What I Learned from Rowing Across the Ocean

Jenna Marina Lee — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 11:47:44 +0000

On how the ocean changed him:

I’ve never been as calm as I’ve been since returning to land. I’m a kind of restless person in general, somewhat impulsive in certain contexts. I always feel the need to do something, another adventure in nature. I have this fire in me that just makes me adventurous. But I think the success of the crossing, including the three years of preparation, gave me a lot of confidence. And with confidence, I think came the calmness of knowing I didn’t need to prove anything to anyone anymore.

World Ocean Day is June 8.

On 91�Թ��’s influence in pursuing his dreams:

It was once a dream of mine to leave my home country and do research with NASA. Coming to 91�Թ��, I realized that dream. Maybe at one point I wouldn’t have been able to think rowing an ocean was possible, but achieving my dream at 91�Թ�� gave me the courage to try.

On the role a common goal can have in a team’s viability:

Our ultimate goal was to cross the ocean such that we would be willing and able to do it again in the next few years with the same team. This is the first time I am admitting out loud, I think we failed at that — none of us wishes to row an ocean again, nor are we planning another adventure with the same team.

So, though I have to admit we didn’t succeed in the ultimate holistic goal that we had, I think our crossing in general was quite successful. What I didn’t understand going into this was how strongly a common goal can influence your ability to withstand stress, interpersonal stress or annoyances from other team members. Everyone in this team had to work properly for us to be able to complete the goal. So even though we had that interpersonal tension and occasional conflicts, because of the salience of the shared goal, we were able to work through it.

On the breathtaking force of mother nature:

The ocean is so vast and so powerful. You’re nothing. We felt that the most when we had a school of whales approaching us from the stern. We saw them breaching, and then one whale swam under our boat, and we saw that it was longer than our boat, like 30 feet at least. It could have just pushed our boat over and do whatever it wanted with us. We had no power whatsoever.

And I really enjoyed the storms. During the last week we had such a strong wind coming from behind, with rain falling literally horizontally. It hurts when it hits you. The rain comes on so strong. And then the wind was so strong that it just pushed our boat. We usually did like 3 knots on our own, but the speed at that moment was 7 knots without rowing. We raised our oars and they became sails basically. We felt how the wind pushed through our oars. You’re just experiencing this unbelievable power of nature. It was amazing.

“The ocean is so vast and so powerful. You’re nothing,” Andres Käosaar says.

On his new motto — “Don’t fight with the ocean”:

Just don’t fight with the ocean because you can’t win. There is no point. Just let things be, let them go. I think this was one of the things that I really took back with me from the experience. I can apply this anywhere. Like at the workplace, if we have colleagues who are difficult to deal with, you can’t change them. You can’t fight with the ocean. You can only change your own reactions and thoughts.

On halfway home still being a far way to go:

After we crossed the halfway point, it became more difficult. You would expect that maybe it gets easier because, oh, half is done, only half more to go, but only half more is still 20 days. It’s three more weeks. It’s still a lot of time to be thinking about, What do you want do when you finish? What do you want to eat? What are you going to do when you get back home? I think we as a team mentally got to the finish too fast. We really had to take a step back and remind ourselves to take it two hours at a time.

Andres Käosaar (far left) and Team Rowtalia pull into the harbor in Antigua and Barbuda after nearly 40 days at sea. (Photo courtesy of the World’s Toughest Row)

On the feeling of seeing land for the first time after 39 days:

We arrived at sunrise. When the light appeared and we saw those cliffs, it’s just something so overwhelming and unique, this feeling of, ‘It’s over. It’s done — 40 days of suffering basically has ended.’ As we entered the harbor, we saw our family and friends were up there on the cliff, waving the flags and then the finish flare going off. It was the high point, definitely.

On how the experience gave insight into his research on teams in extreme, isolated and confined environments:

I think one of the main takeaways that I got from this project was really that preparation is everything. Everyone externally was focusing on the mission, the row, because of course that’s the exciting part. For us, completing the row was the goal, but it’s the smallest piece of the whole project. The three years of preparation and those difficulties that we had, this was much more important.

So now for my research, I’m thinking, we’re always focusing on the part or the actual mission. It’s not necessarily irrelevant, but the mission is the outcome. The input that we should study is before the mission, the preparations. So that informs my future research quite a bit.

On what’s next:

I graduate in the summer. Days before we started the race, I accepted a job offer, which was a relief. I was prepared to take job interviews on the boat. I’m��starting as��an assistant��professor of industrial/organizational psychology at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey in August.

I realized that I don’t like this type of several-weeks-endurance events, it’s too monotonous, too dull. I was thinking that my next big thing would be skiing across Greenland, which is more than a month as well. But now, no, thank you. There’s not enough variability, or excitement, for me. I love mountaineering, summiting a mountain in a few days. I just bought new mountain boots, so I think this will be my next thing.

Team Rowtalia celebrates completing the World’s Toughest Row. (Photo courtesy of World’s Toughest Row)

91�Թ�� Scientist Sends Blood Clotting Research to Space

Wendy Sarubbi — Tue, 12 May 2026 16:29:50 +0000

When NASA launches its latest voyage to the International Space Station on May 12, it will carry a blood clotting experiment from the 91�Թ�� College of Medicine’s newest faculty member. The research will include illuminated bone marrow cells floating in space to find better ways to keep astronauts and Earthlings healthier.

Hansjorg Schwertz specializes in occupational health and focuses his research on how microgravity and radiation in space impact the body’s blood-clotting functions. After an extensive career overseas and at the University of Utah, he comes to 91�Թ�� to serve as the associate director for Translational Aerospace Medicine Research at the 91�Թ�� Center for Aerospace and Extreme Environments Medicine (CASEEM).

As humans prepare for longer missions to the moon, Mars and beyond, the center is exploring how factors such as microgravity, radiation and isolation impact the human body in space and how that knowledge can drive innovation into diagnostics, treatment and disease prevention for patients on Earth.

“When it comes to putting footprints on the moon, there is no better place to be than 91�Թ��,” he says.

Hansjorg Schwertz specializes in occupational health and focuses his research on how microgravity and radiation in space impact the body’s blood-clotting functions.

NASA Concerned About Blood Clots in Space

Pre- and post-mission medical testing of astronauts on the International Space Station has shown that spaceflight changes their immune system and blood clotting ability. A few astronauts have even developed blood clots during a flight or after returning. For that reason, Schwertz is leading the NASA-funded Megakaryocytes Orbiting in Outer Space and Near Earth (MOON) study, which he began working on at the University of Utah and continues to collaborate with the university’s researchers on.

“When it comes to putting footprints on the moon, there is no better place to be than 91�Թ��.” — Hansjorg Schwertz

Megakaryocytes are bone marrow cells that create platelets, which circulate in the blood stream and can stop bleeding or form blood clots. Both cells also play a key role in immune responses.

The MOON study is examining how space flight affects the development and function of megakaryocytes as they create platelets. The results could provide important knowledge about the risks of inflammation, immune responses and blood clot formation that will help space travelers and patients on Earth, Schwertz says.

His team is sending human cells to the ISS on board the SpaceX 34 resupply mission. Once they are aboard the space station, astronauts will culture the cells and help to develop megakaryocytes in space.

One part of the experiment is to watch the cells in real time, and how they develop their “daughter cell,” the platelets. Because the research will be in microgravity, the cells will float. They’ll be stained with fluorescent dye so 91�Թ��’s researcher can examine them remotely at better accuracy.

Schwertz says mentors taught him, “seeing is believing,” so he is “genuinely excited” to see megakaryocytes float in space.

Advancing Personalized Medicine

One of the challenges of space medicine research is that so few people have gone to space, so the sample pool is small. As space travel and colonization progress, more people will be traveling to and working on the moon and beyond.

Healthwise, many will be different than astronauts who are selected after going through vigorous testing and selection criteria. Thus, space is a new frontier of healthcare.

Schwertz hopes his study will unlock technologies and therapies to keep astronauts’ blood clotting mechanisms controlled, prevent abnormal clotting and bring those discoveries back to Earth.

“We’re examining the impact of space flight on each person’s cells,” he says. “This is personalized medicine, and isn’t that what healthcare is all about?”

Emmanuel Urquieta, vice chair for Aerospace Medicine at the 91�Թ�� College of Medicine and founding director of CASEEM, Schwertz’s work reflects the program’s broader mission to connect spaceflight research with practical clinical and operational solutions.

“Our aerospace medicine program is intentionally designed to be operational and translational in nature,” Urquieta says. “We are building a program that can support the real medical needs of exploration missions while rapidly translating discoveries from spaceflight and extreme environments into innovations that improve health here on Earth.”

Schwertz received his M.D. and Ph.D. from the School of Medicine at the University of Mainz, Germany. After a residency in Internal Medicine/Cardiology at the University of Halle, Germany, he did a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Utah, where he also served as faculty.

In 2012, he ��was awarded a prestigious Lichtenberg-Professorship for Experimental Hemostasis and returned to Germany where he directed a research laboratory. He returned to Utah in 2015, where he completed his residency training in Occupational Medicine and was a faculty member, researcher and community physician.

The material is based upon work supported by NASA under award No. 80NSSC22K0255. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Artemis II Brings Unique Space Medicine Opportunities

Wendy Sarubbi — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 15:50:41 +0000

NASA’s upcoming Artemis II mission will witness astronauts orbiting the moon for the first time in more than half a century — providing new opportunities for space medicine research, 91�Թ�� experts say.

The mission will include multiple health studies on the four astronauts to determine how radiation, microgravity, isolation and other factors impact their physical health, mind and behavior — crucial information that will help pave the way for future lunar surface missions and develop our understanding about humans’ deep space capabilities.

Thanks to new technology and modern medicine, researchers have better ways to understand the impact of space flight on human health.

“Artemis II is both a historic and biomedically important mission,” says ��Emmanuel Urquieta, the 91�Թ�� College of Medicine’s vice chair for aerospace medicine and director of the university’s new Center for Aerospace and Extreme Environments Medicine (CASEEM).

“For the first time since Apollo 17, humans will travel beyond the Earth’s magnetic field. That matters enormously from a research perspective, because now we have technology to thoroughly understand the health impact of embarking into deep space. The knowledge gained from Artemis II will help shape the future of safe human space exploration and drive innovations that can benefit medicine here on Earth and help us start preparing us for a mission to Mars.”

The crescent Earth rises above the lunar horizon in this photograph taken from the Apollo 17 spacecraft in lunar orbit during NASA’s final lunar landing mission in the Apollo program. (Photo courtesy of NASA)

The Space Coast’s College of Medicine

As the closest medical school to the Kennedy Space Center, 91�Թ��’s College of Medicine is charting a new frontier in healthcare as humans prepare for longer missions to the moon and Mars, and commercial space flights take more civilians into space.

The goal: explore how factors such as microgravity, radiation and isolation impact the human body in space and how that knowledge can drive innovation into diagnostics, treatment and disease prevention on Earth.

To further those efforts, 91�Թ��’s CASEEM includes faculty experts in medicine, engineering, computer science, psychology, arts and educational leadership. This interdisciplinary group will work together to research and develop new technologies for keeping space travelers healthy, as well as soldiers on military missions, deep sea explorers and mountain climbers.

Artemis II crewmembers NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist; are led by Bill Owens of the Closeout Crew from the elevator at the 275-foot level of the mobile launcher to the crew access arm as they prepare to board their Orion spacecraft atop NASA’s Space Launch System rocket during the Artemis II countdown demonstration test. (Photo Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky)

What Lies Ahead for Artemis II’s Astronauts

Understanding Radiation Exposure Effects

Traveling to the moon — which humans haven’t returned to since 1972 — means astronauts will go beyond Earth’s Van Allen belts, which protect humans from cosmic radiation and solar storms. Space travelers to the International Space Station stay within Earth’s magnetic field. During their 10-day mission, Artemis II is anticipated to break Apollo 13’s record (248,655 miles) for the farthest distance humans have traveled from Earth.

Fifty years ago, researchers could do little more than measure radiation. This time will be different, says 91�Թ��’s William “Ed” Powers, chief medical officer of CASEEM and the former chief of NASA’s Medical Operations branch where he was a primary medical support physician for six shuttle missions.

“Medical knowledge, technology and the ability to diagnose disease have advanced significantly since then,” he says.

Physicians and scientists will be able to determine how radiation impacts cells, organs, blood proteins and other molecular functions.

Artemis crew members will carry dosimeters in their pockets that measure radiation exposure in real time. Monitors inside the Orion spacecraft will also gather radiation information throughout the flight for future analysis.

An astronaut suffering a medical condition in space is always a concern, but deep space travel brings additional challenges, Powers explains. While astronauts on the International Space Station can be returned to Earth in about a day, as happened recently when a crew member became ill, returning from the moon may take several days or more.

“None of the four astronauts on this flight is a physician,” Powers says. “And a space capsule certainly doesn’t have the same equipment you’d have in a hospital emergency room.”

Does Space Flight Reduce Immunity?

Previous research has shown that spaceflight missions alter the and reactivate dormant viruses in the human body. As part of the Artemis II mission, NASA will conduct an AVATAR (A Virtual Astronaut Tissue Analog Response) experiment that will investigate how deep space impacts specific cells and tissues as well as some vital bodily functions including immune system responses.

For this experiment, NASA-funded scientists created “organ-on-a-chip” devices that contain each astronaut’s bone marrow cells. This technology allows scientists to examine molecular changes and cell function.

Organ-on-a-chip device (Photo Credit: Emulate)

“With this technology we can see how the body responds to stimuli across the whole mission,” says Jennifer Fogarty, CASEEM’s chief scientist who came to 91�Թ�� after serving as chief scientist for NASA’s Human Research Program. “This capability will help us map the body’s molecular changes with tissue/organ function and much better predictive capabilities.”

As the “organ-on-a-chip” technology advances and proves accurate, it will allow NASA physicians to provide personalized and proactive medicine to astronauts because they will be able to predict a crew member’s biological response to space flight. Such technology could be used before NASA sends an actual crew to Mars. The space agency could place the crew’s personalized chips on unmanned flights to the Red Planet to better understand the potential health risks for each individual.

“It’s basically sending small versions of astronauts to Mars before we send astronauts to Mars,” Fogarty says.

The crew of Artemis II: Jeremy Hansen, Christina Koch, Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover. (Photo courtesy of NASA)

Teamwork and Behavior

Selecting an astronaut crew that will perform well under the stresses of space flight is always a top NASA priority. But deep space missions present additional personnel challenges, including communication delays, increased isolation and resource constraints.

Astronauts on moon and Mars missions also must live in a capsule that is significantly smaller than the International Space Station, highlighting the need for crews to work together seamlessly and be able to manage any conflicts.

The Artemis flight will conduct an experiment called ARCHeR (Artemis Research for Crew Health and Readiness) that will evaluate how astronauts perform individually and as a team during the mission.

They will wear sleep and movement monitors before, during and after the mission to evaluate their cognition and team dynamics.

“You watch the astronauts on TV, and it looks so easy,” Fogarty says. “But human performance is critical in space. You have multiple duties to conduct and you’re always pushing operations. So we need to understand how the team performs, their reserve and resilience. The mission itself is the experiment.”

Star Nona 2026

91�Թ��’s leading space medicine experts, valued strategic partners and an astronaut who holds NASA’s record for spacewalks will gather April 10 in Lake Nona’s Medical City to discuss how they can work together to keep space travelers healthy and use that research to create groundbreaking clinical innovations on Earth.

The “Star Nona 2026” event is led by the Lake Nona Research Council, which is focused on encouraging interdisciplinary scientific partnerships between industry, academia and healthcare.

The council includes physicians and researchers from 91�Թ��, Orlando Health, AdventHealth, the Florida Space Institute, the Orlando VA Medical Center, Nemours Children’s Health, business and industry.

For more information, including how to register for the event, visit www.ucf.edu/news/progressing-the-final-frontier-of-medicine-space.

91�Թ�� Online, Non-traditional Student Supports NASA’s Artemis II Mission

Jenna Marina Lee — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 18:49:07 +0000

As a 67-year-old retiree, Amy Lendian wants you to know it’s never too late. Never too late to start over; to go for your dream career; to earn your college degree.

When the 91�Թ�� Online history student assumes her spot at the console at Kennedy Space Center to lead the facility systems engineers for the upcoming historic Artemis II launch, that affirmation will echo within her once more.

“I always believed in myself and felt that I could do this,” she says. “It really is never too late.”

Amy Lendian at the console for Artemis I’s first launch attempt.

Turning a Setback Into a Comeback

Lendian spent the majority of her adult life building her career as a fire protection engineer, helping design sprinkler systems and other fire safety infrastructure.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic happened. The construction industry came to a screeching halt. In her 60s, she suddenly faced unemployment.

“I thought, ‘Who is going to want to hire me in my 60s?’ ” she says. “But I made it my job to find a job. And not just any job. I set out for my dream job in the aerospace industry.”

She logged in every day on her home computer to research job listings, dressed as if she was headed to an office. She sought career counseling. She joined virtual seminars to learn new software and online tools she knew she’d need to master if she wanted to break into the field. She learned how to rework her resume to leverage her relevant skills.

Her strategy and persistence paid off. She got a call back for a fire protection systems engineer position on base at Kennedy Space Center.

Amy Lendian

Finding Her Place in Space

On her first day at KSC, she attended a briefing where they discussed etiquette while serving on the console. She says it took her a moment to process what she was hearing.

“I stayed up to watch Neil Armstrong walk on the moon. I have a photo of myself as a kid standing in front of an Apollo rocket. And you’re saying you want me to be on the console during a launch?!” she says. “I thought, ‘I’m here. I arrived.’ ”

Lendian served on the console for the Artemis I launch in November 2022.

Although she has since retired from her formal position with KSC and moved to Chicago, she is still employed as a part-time consultant and will be there again for Artemis II managing the fire protection systems on the launchpad.

Amy Lendian was invited to speak about her career journey at a 2026 spring semester Women and Leadership honors class, taught by Anne Bubriski.

Finishing What She Started

Her late-stage career change inspired her to consider other dreams she had yet to realize. A big one has been nearly 50 years in the making.

Lendian was 19 years old when she attempted college the first time. She enrolled in the University of South Florida’s electrical engineering program in the late 1970s. But after three years, she stopped her studies because she got married and needed to support her new family.

In 2021, she decided to resuscitate her dream of a college degree. She transferred her old credits into the program at Eastern Florida State College, earned her associate’s degree and looked to enroll in one of 91�Թ�� Online’s degree programs so she could manage school with her full-time job.

The history degree she is working toward is affiliated with one of the top online institutions. 91�Թ�� ranks No. 6 for Online Bachelor’s Programs nationally according to the U.S. News & World Report.

“I want that bachelor’s degree,” Lendian says. “I am doing this for me. I am going to do something that I love (history). And I am going to graduate.”

Passion, Persistence & Opportunity at 91�Թ�� Lead to Grad’s Space Career

Jenna Marina Lee — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 14:08:56 +0000

Nov. 13, 2025, 3:55 p.m.��Jillian Gloria ’22��stands on a balcony at Blue Origin headquarters in Cape Canaveral, Florida, her eyes fixed on the horizon at Launch Complex 36 — the very launchpad her grandfather helped construct as a NASA engineer in the 1960s.

Engines ignite. Gloria’s breath catches as she wills the rocket to climb. Then she hears those crucial words: “Liftoff detected. New Glenn has cleared the tower.”

The Blue Origin rocket scientist has just witnessed the launch of her first NASA mission. It’s a goal the Orlando native has dreamed about since childhood; one marked by visions of the space shuttle soaring upward as she commuted to school and the roar of sonic booms when it returned to Earth’s atmosphere.

What makes this milestone even more rewarding is the determination, the hard work and the relentless tenacity it took her to get here.

“Your dreams are possible,” Gloria says. “All you need is passion and persistence. As long as you keep going, you can do anything in this world. You’re always going to end up where you’re meant to be.”

Jillian Gloria ’22 and her Blue Origin teammates celebrate the first-time landing of the New Glenn rocket. (Photo provided by Jillian Gloria)

“You’ll Never Graduate”

Gloria’s college journey began outside of Florida despite the numerous space-related research and partnerships available in her backyard at 91�Թ��. Like many of her peers, she thought she had to branch out from her hometown to gain the most out of her college experience.

She realized quickly she had made a mistake.

Not long after arriving at the University in Texas at Arlington, an academic advisor told her she would never graduate with an engineering degree if she started her academic career in algebra. She would need an additional 1.5 years of math and science classes alone before she could set foot in an engineering class.

Rather than catch up on the mathematics education and credits she needed to pursue engineering, he advised she’d be better off going after “something more realistic for her current path like a business degree.”

“As an impressionable 18-19 year old, you listen to your adviser, right?” she says. “I just remember dropping the business class a few weeks in because I thought, ‘This is not what I want to do, and I don’t care how long it takes me, I’m going to do get an engineering degree.’ ”

Since graduating from 91�Թ�� in 2022, Gloria launched over a dozen successful missions across three launch-vehicle programs. (Photo provided by Jillian Gloria)

Opportunity Comes Calling

She course-corrected and enrolled in the program at Valencia College. Valencia provided her the academic resources and tutoring she needed to overcome her initial struggles in math and science.

In 2018 ahead of transferring to 91�Թ��, she applied to the Central Florida Physics Research Exchange Program, a former initiative for undergraduate students to participate in a 10-week funded research project over the summer with 91�Թ��’s physics department.

She remembers doubting her chances of acceptance. After all, she was an aspiring aerospace engineer, not a true physics major. But the program came with the promise of $5,000, and for someone who was working her way through school, what did she have to lose?

As part of her application, she wrote a compelling letter to Professor of Physics William Kaden about his space weathering effects research for NASA and how much she’d love the chance to work in his lab.

The letter worked. Kaden would go on to become Gloria’s mentor throughout her 2.5 years at 91�Թ�� and kickstarted her hand in research that yielded projects on finding water on the moon, collaborations with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), work with 91�Թ��’s and a co-authorship on a NASA-funded paper published in 2021 in the��Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology.

“The world of research at 91�Թ�� really provided me the actual work experience and opportunities to turn me into an engineer and a candidate that these companies sought after.” — Jillian Gloria ’22, Blue Origin engineer

“The world of research at 91�Թ�� really provided me the actual work experience and opportunities to turn me into an engineer and a candidate that these companies sought after,” says Gloria, who keeps her senior-year textbook Mechanics and Thermodynamics of Propulsion, Second Edition on her office desk. “I worked with industry hardware, a vacuum chamber that’s worth hundreds of thousands of dollars at NASA, flew a payload on a Masten Space Systems Xodiac rocket to track rocket plumes during launch and landing on the moon. I was a published author before I graduated. It all was such an amazing opportunity. That was the first time when I felt like I was actually doing the work I had dreamed about. The things I was exposed to at 91�Թ�� really ��just opened my eyes onto what’s available out there in terms of my career.”

While she was a student, Jillian Gloria ’22 was heavily involved in research, which led to a co-authorship on a NASA-funded paper published in 2021.

Building a Road to Space

Since graduating in 2022, Gloria launched over a dozen successful missions across three launch-vehicle programs (Atlas V, Delta Heavy, Vulcan Centaur) at United Launch Alliance as a propulsion systems test engineer.

In January 2025, she joined the Blue Origin team as an integrated vehicle test engineer, specializing in the integration, testing, refurbishment, and optimization of complex fluid and pneumatic systems for her fourth launch vehicle, New Glenn.

In other words, she validates the build of the rocket, ensuring its integrity and functionality through every build stage before launch.

She is energized every day by the opportunities available to her to grow and learn within the company, who in addition to their rocket program is also developing a lunar lander and space station.

“This work matters. It’s the future.” — Jillian Gloria

“We’re all working together for the benefit of Earth, and you feel it every day you go to work at Blue Origin,” she says. “This work matters. It’s the future, it’s the next generation launch vehicle, and it just plays a hand in Blue’s mission statement that we want to build a road to space.”

Every milestone they hit — like the recent successful launch and first-time landing of the New Glenn rocket that ferried NASA’s twin ESCAPADE spacecraft to begin their journey to Mars — helps get them closer to that goal.

While current generations may not see it, she knows the work she is doing at Blue Origin is developing the infrastructure for future generations who will one day consistently travel to and live on other celestial bodies.

“The stars are the final frontier. It calls to us,” Gloria says. “You can’t really explain it, but when you look up at the sky, it kind of touches your soul. It just makes me feel more connected to something that’s so far away and so beautiful. It’s everything.”

91�Թ�� Partners with NASA, Ocala Airport to Study Effects of Air Transportation

Marisa Ramiccio — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:04:46 +0000

In the future, people won’t hail traditional taxicabs to the airport — they’ll hop in air taxis that can fly them from remote locations to major airports in a matter of minutes. For passengers, this mode of transportation will save time and add ease to the stressful process of traveling. But for residents of communities that would employ this skyway transportation system called advanced air mobility (AAM), the effects could be more harmful than beneficial.

91�Թ�� Trustee Chair Subith Vasu and postdoctoral scholar Justin Urso ’15 ’22PhD have been awarded a $750,000 grant from NASA to study the effects that AAM may have on communities. The 91�Թ�� researchers have partnered with Ocala International Airport on this project, which will specifically explore the effects of pollution and noise on the surrounding neighborhoods.

“We partnered with Ocala International Airport because of the air traffic around that community,” Vasu says. “Anything that flies makes noise, and it can be annoying for residents. We’re looking at how to minimize the risk so the community isn’t bothered.”

91�Թ�� Trustee Chair Subith Vasu says he aims to put 91�Թ�� at the forefront of the advanced air mobility industry.

Ocala International Airport was a prime partner due to its potential for implementation. Vertiports are the specialized launch pads for electrical air vehicles such as drones and air taxis. Companies like Amazon are interested in using AAM technology for fast and convenient home deliveries while organizations like NASA aim to develop this new transportation system that will deliver both goods and people around the world, safely and efficiently.

“If you live in Ocala and want to take a flight to Europe, California or New York, where do you go?” Vasu says. “The Tampa and Orlando airports are two hours away by car. Depending on where you live, AAM can be very helpful.”

Urso says we could see the development of a vertiport at the Ocala International Airport by 2035. The City of Orlando also has a vested interest in AAM and is working with NASA to develop an air transportation system plan. Vasu says, in the future, they may expand their project to include Orlando International Airport.

An additional partner on the project is Yingru Li, a professor of sociology at 91�Թ��, who will conduct community assessments to provide important data on the City of Ocala. Vasu says the goal is to put 91�Թ�� at the forefront of this developing industry.

“There’s a lot of opportunity within AAM for 91�Թ�� and the state of Florida,” Vasu says. “We just want to push 91�Թ�� as a leader in that field.”

NASA Archives | 91�Թ��� News

Space History Meets the Future in Interactive 91�Թ��� Exhibit

91�Թ��� Grad, NASA Engineer Helps Build America’s First Moon Base