#JSC #NASAIntern – Going Way Too Fast

Well Week 6 of my #NASAIntern is almost half complete. I knew this experience would go WAY too fast.

Since the last post we’ve demoed one of the projects I’ve been working on and it was received well. People are already using it to gather historical Space Station telemetry data orders of magnitude quicker. To be fair the base portion of the app was accomplished by the great work of the interns that came before me. Thank you for leaving with a great base upon which to build.

#JSC #NASAIntern Week 4 is Beginning

Wow! Week 4 is beginning (and my journaling skillz are weak). I’m doing a good job journaling the work things in OneNote though so that’ll help. I promise I will journal at least four times per week.

This week is the big telemetry demo for John (one of my mentors). I absolutely have to get that form complete today so he can test it tomorrow.

Last week we went on a tour of Building 9, Mission Control, and historic Mission Control. The picture you see in this entry is of us in the ISS mockup in Building 9.

We get to see such amazing things being an intern. I can’t wait to go full-time. It WILL happen 🙂

OK, off to work!!!

Week 2 of #JSC #NASAIntern Has Begun

Week 2 of my JSC internship has begun. The first item on my project plan is complete. I’ll have to get with John to see if that’s what he had in mind.

Yesterday was the big #StateOfNASA address. Administrator Bolden was at Kennedy Space Center but we watched from the Teague auditorium at JSC. The Administrator outlined all of the accomplishments of 2014 and laid out what’s ahead for the Agency. I have to say it’s an exciting time to be working at NASA.

Another surreal moment happened when our division director, former astronaut Bill McArthur, walked by me in the auditorium and said “Hi Flux.” I was almost speechless.

I worked late again, leaving at around 19:30. I have to get in as much time as I can while I’m here 🙂

I was a little deficient journaling/blogging last week. I will do better this week.

#JSC #NASAIntern Day 3 – Day of Remembrance 2015

Day 3 was a little surreal – being at JSC for NASA’s Day of Remembrance. It was 29 years ago that Challenger broke apart 73 secs into her mission. NASA designates one day to remember the crews that perished during their missions – Apollo 1, Challenger (STS-51L), and Columbia (STS-107). Nobody in the branch really made a big deal out of it but as I was walking back from lunch I walk passed Mission Control and the flag was flying at half-mast. I had to stop and take a picture and just honor the fallen crews.

#JSC #NASAIntern Day 2 – First Day in the Office

I guess I’ll try to write in the mornings because I was wiped out last night.

Yesterday was the first day we reported to our organizations. The first half of the day was introductions and getting settled in. Bill Mcallister showed Chris (my fellow intern) and me around the division and gave us the required fire safety drill.

After that we were shown our desks and Desiree helped us out with our computers and office supplies. She’s so nice and helpful. It seems like she’s always smiling (even though I’ve only worked with her for one day).

The interns were invited to be bi-weekly status meeting so that we could introduce ourselves. That went very smoothly and everyone in the organization is so nice and helpful.

We left the meeting and Bill took us over to the ISS Conference Center for a small surprise retirement party – with cake!

The real joy of the day was toward the end of the day when Chris (not the intern), John, and Mike were talking about all of the anomalies on Station last week. I knew about the MDM but now they were going into super technical details of what happened. Since I don’t know how much detail I’m allowed to share I’ll just leave it at that. Just incredible though.

I cannot believe I am getting paid to be in this environment! What a joy 🙂

Well I need to iron my shirt and head to work for day 2 in the office (day 3 overall).

😀