Aaron Yazzie: Bridging Indigenous Heritage and Space Exploration

Aaron Yazzie’s dream of being part of humanity’s exploration of space took him on a journey from his childhood home on the Navajo Nation to working at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California. His journey reflects not only his personal ambition, but also a commitment to elevating Indigenous representation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

“Getting an internship at NASA was the culmination of a lot of work done by myself, and many of the Indigenous trailblazers that came before me, to make a path and a space for Indigenous peoples at places where there might not have been any Indigenous Peoples in any rooms,” said Yazzie.

Born in Tuba City, Arizona, Yazzie is of the Salt Clan and born for the Bitter Water Clan, which reflect his maternal and paternal lineage, respectively. The Navajo clan system communicates family heritage and where their families come from.

Yazzie’s path to NASA began with a passion for engineering, which he pursued at Stanford University in Stanford, California, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 2008. NASA is a dream job for many, from artists to engineers, and Yazzie was no exception. Securing an internship at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in 2008 marked a significant milestone for him, particularly as an Indigenous person in STEM where Indigenous people are underrepresented. Throughout his academic and professional journey, he frequently found himself as the only Indigenous voice in the room with Indigenous people representing less than 0.6% of the American STEM workforce.

Yazzie’s work at NASA is deeply intertwined with his cultural identity. In the Navajo culture, traditional stories tell how the Diné (the people) came to exist in Dinétah (Navajo homelands).

Yazzie’s contributions to missions exploring Mars, including testing the Curiosity Rover’s sample acquisition system and developing drill bits for the Perseverance Rover, resonate with the Navajo creation story, which emphasizes nurturing life on a developing Earth—paralleling his efforts to support the possibility of life on Mars.  He approaches his role with a sense of purpose, reflecting on the importance of understanding origins–both of the Earth and of life itself.

“By studying Mars, we learn about how rocky, terrestrial planets, like Mars and Earth, formed over billions of years,” said Yazzie, “And by searching for ancient microbial life on Mars, we might learn how life on Earth originated. I am proud to be doing what my ancestors have been doing before me.”

Emphasizing a commitment to lifelong learning, Yazzie advises future interns to “embrace the opportunities of growth and learning that come with working at NASA.” His advice: learn how to be a good learner. Yazzie’s diverse responsibilities, from test engineer to systems engineer, keep him engaged and continuously evolving.

“I think I am most proud of the outreach work I have been able to do, especially to Indigenous communities,” said Yazzie, “I want to help Indigenous students understand that they can exist and thrive at places like NASA.”

Yazzie’s work has been recognized with awards from NASA JPL, Stanford University, and his own tribe, reinforcing his role as a trailblazer for generations. As he continues to contribute to humanity’s understanding of Mars and its potential for past life, he honors his ancestors by paving the way for a more inclusive future in space exploration. Through his work, Yazzie inspires a new generation of Diné scientists and engineers, proving their voices have an essential place in the story of the cosmos.

Like Yazzie, NASA is devoted to mentoring the next generation of Indigenous doers, thinkers, and innovators. Anyone interested in following his footsteps may consider applying for a NASA Internship. Outside of internships NASA offers numerous routes to help Indigenous students get involved with STEM. Additionally, through NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP), the agency provides financial assistance via competitive awards to Minority Serving Institutions. The MUREP American Indian and Alaska Native STEM Engagement (MAIANSE) program offers funding dedicated to supporting Indigenous students launch their careers at NASA.

Powered by WPeMatico

Get The Details…
Kaitlyn Adams

John Herrington Performs a Spacewalk

On Nov. 30, 2002, NASA astronauts John Herrington (pictured) and Michael Lopez-Alegria performed the third and final spacewalk of the STS-113 mission. The goal of the mission was to install and activate the Port 1 Integrated Truss Assembly (P1). The first major component installed on the left side of the Station, the P1 truss provides an additional three External Thermal Control System radiators.

Herrington, an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation, was the first Native American in space. On STS-113, he logged over 330 hours in space, including 3 spacewalks totaling 19 hours and 55 minutes.

Image credit: NASA

Powered by WPeMatico

Get The Details…
Monika Luabeya

NASA Plane Supported Innovative Microgravity Research in ‘90s

A bell rings and a strobe light flashes as a pilot pulls the nose of the DC-9 aircraft up sharply. The blood quickly drains from researchers’ heads as they are pulled to the cabin floor by a force twice that of normal gravity. Once the acceleration slows to the desired level, and the NASA aircraft crests over its arc, the flight test director declares, “We’re over the top!”

The pressure drops as the aircraft plummets forward in freefall. For the next 20 to 25 seconds, everybody and everything not tied down begins to float. The researchers quickly tend to their experiments before the bell rings again as the pilot brings the aircraft back to level flight and normal Earth gravity.

By flying in a series of up-and-down parabolas, aircraft can simulate weightlessness. Flights like this in the DC-9, conducted by NASA’s Lewis Research Center (today, NASA Glenn) in the 1990s, provided scientists with a unique way to study the behavior of fluids, combustion, and materials in a microgravity environment.

Beginnings

In the 1960s, NASA Lewis used a North American AJ-2 to fly parabolas to study the behavior of liquid propellants in low-gravity conditions. The center subsequently expanded its microgravity research to include combustion and materials testing.

So, when the introduction of the space shuttle in the early 1980s led to an increase in microgravity research, NASA Lewis was poised to be a leader in the agency’s microgravity science efforts. To help scientists test experiments on Earth before they flew for extended durations on the shuttle, Lewis engineers modified a Learjet aircraft to fly microgravity test flights with a single strapped-down experiment and researcher.

Bigger And Better

In 1990, NASA officials decided that Lewis needed a larger aircraft to accommodate more experiments, including free-floating tests. Officials determined the McDonnell Douglas DC-9 would be the most economical option and decided to assume responsibility for a DC-9 being leased by the U.S. Department of Energy.

In the fall of 1993, 50 potential users of the aircraft visited the center to discuss the modifications that would be necessary to perform their research. In October 1994, the DC-9 arrived at Lewis in its normal passenger configuration. Over the next three months, Lewis technicians removed nearly all the seats; bolstered the floor and ceiling; and installed new power, communications, and guidance systems. A 6.5-by-11-foot cargo door was also installed to allow for the transfer of large equipment.

The DC-9 was the final element making NASA Lewis the nation’s premier microgravity institution. The center’s Space Experiments Division had been recently expanded, the 2.2-Second Drop Tower and the Zero Gravity Facility had been upgraded, and the Space Experiments Laboratory had recently been constructed to centralize microgravity activities.

Conducting the Flights

Lewis researchers partnered with industry and universities to design and test experiments that could fly on the space shuttle or the future space station. The DC-9 could accommodate up to eight experiments and 20 research personnel on each flight.

The experiments involved space acceleration measurements, capillary pump loops, bubble behavior, thin film liquid rupture, materials flammability, and flame spread. It was a highly interactive experience, with researchers accompanying their tests to gain additional information through direct observation. The researchers were often so focused on their work that they hardly noticed the levitation of their bodies.

The DC-9 flew every other week to allow time for installation of experiments and aircraft maintenance. The flights, which were based out of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, were flown in restricted air space over northern Michigan. The aircraft sometimes flew up to 40 parabolas in a single mission.

A Lasting Legacy

When the aircraft’s lease expired in the late 1990s, NASA returned the DC-9 to its owner. From May 18, 1995, to July 11, 1997, the Lewis microgravity flight team had used the DC-9 to fly over 400 hours, perform 70-plus trajectories, and conduct 73 research projects, helping scientists conduct hands-on microgravity research on Earth as well as test and prepare experiments designed to fly in space. The aircraft served as a unique and important tool, overall contributing to the body of knowledge around microgravity science and the center’s expertise in this research area.

NASA Glenn’s microgravity work continues. The center has supported experiments on the International Space Station that could improve crew health as well as spacecraft fire safety, propulsion, and propellants. Glenn is also home to two microgravity drop towers, including the Zero Gravity Research Facility, NASA’s premier ground-based microgravity research lab.

Additional Resources:

• Learn more about why NASA researchers simulate microgravity
• Take a virtual tour of NASA Glenn’s Zero Gravity Research Facility
• Discover more about Glenn’s expertise in space technology

Explore More

6 min read

Art Meets Exploration: Cosmic Connections in Galveston

Article


1 day ago

3 min read

Emerging Engineering Leader Basil Baldauff Emphasizes Osage Values

Article


1 day ago

6 min read

NASA’s Commercial Partners Make Progress on Low Earth Orbit Projects

Article


2 days ago

Powered by WPeMatico

Get The Details…
Robert S. Arrighi

An Electronic Traffic Monitor for Airports 

If every commuter drove the same few roads at the same time every day, the traffic would be unbearable. That’s exactly what’s happening in the skies above the nation, known as national airspace (NAS). Multiple flights from different airlines try to use the most direct flight paths, converging on the same airports. With limited runway space, that causes jumbo-sized traffic congestion.  

“The majority of uncertainty in the NAS can be attributed to surface operations, and in particular, uncertainty related to when a flight will be available to push back from the gate,” said Jeremy Coupe of NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California. To help develop a solution, NASA Ames focused on how to improve managing traffic on the ground and scheduling departures. 

Working with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), commercial airlines, and airports, NASA developed and tested a new program to manage airport traffic on the ground – the Integrated Arrival, Departure, and Surface (IADS) system. In 2022, the FAA began incorporating this system’s capabilities at 27 of the busiest airports in the country. 

Just as a traffic officer can prevent gridlock at a busy intersection, IADS is designed to prevent similar traffic tangles. The first test site for the program development was Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, the second-busiest airport on the East Coast with only three runways. About 75% of those are connecting flights. 

Before IADS, one challenge the airport faced was a technology mismatch – the airport’s control tower used one software program and ground management used a different one, with no way to integrate them. A phone call was the most common way to notify each other about changes or problems. With approximately 115 aircraft on the ground at any time, a delay in communication could create complications. A plane leaving the gate before being notified of a delay could result in several planes waiting in line at the runway. 

“Knowing that you’re going to get where you need to go when the airline says it’s going to deliver you is what people stress about when they’re traveling, especially if they’re trying to make connections in an airport like Charlotte,” said Lee Davis, communications director for the airport. Many factors, including weather, influence timeliness, but making ground operations run predictably is fundamental. 

With near real-time data related to on-time departures and delays, airlines can actively address issues related to connections for crew, customers, and cargo. Whether it’s in space or the skies above, NASA innovations continue to make travel more efficient.   

Explore More

2 min read

Super Insulation Requires Super Materials 

NASA researchers helped create an insulation coating that blocks heat and sunlight

Article


1 week ago

2 min read

From Mars Rovers to Factory Assembly Lines

NASA-funded AI technology enabling autonomous rovers and drones now keeps an eye on conveyor belts

Article


4 weeks ago

2 min read

The View from Space Keeps Getting Better  

After 50 years of Landsat, discovery of new commercial and scientific uses is only accelerating

Article


1 month ago

Keep Exploring

Discover Related Topics

Aeronautics

Air Traffic Management Research

Ames Research Center

Missions

Powered by WPeMatico

Get The Details…
Andrew Wagner

Manager and Program Analyst Tami Wisniewski

“I love my country. I love serving my country. I think that was ingrained in me in the military, where I grew to realize how lucky we are to live in America and have the freedoms that we have. When I returned from [my first duty station] in Germany, I separated from the Air Force for about nine months, but I missed it so much, I was like, ‘Well, I guess I could join the reserves.’ I did want to get my education. I was ready by then.

“So, I enrolled in school and went into the Reserves, and then 9/11 happened. That will change a person. I called my unit that afternoon and said, “Whatever you need, I’m ready.” I was activated supporting the mission, but I didn’t deploy like my husband. [9/11] is what touched my life more than anything: how quickly things can change in the blink of an eye. That’s what strengthened my respect of the Air Force core values: service before self and integrity, and excellence in all we do.

“Then, when I got pregnant, I thought I might want to be home, so I continued in civil service and just fell in love with my kids. That’s when my relationship with loving the Air Force changed. It evolved. I still value all that time I had and served and the lessons I learned growing up [in the Air Force]. The biggest thing I have and will continue to pass on to my kids is respect for your country, even if you don’t follow the route I did. Respect your country and the people who serve it.”

– Tami Wisniewski, Management and Program Analyst, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center

Image Credit: NASA/Charles Beason
Interviewer: NASA/Tahira Allen

Check out some of our other Faces of NASA. 

Powered by WPeMatico

Get The Details…
Tahira S. Allen