A 果冻传媒 alumnus helping lead NASA鈥檚 return to the moon came back to campus Monday to share his journey from engineering student to a key role in the Artemis II mission.
Stephen Damico, a 1999 , is deputy system manager of NASA鈥檚 Orion Propulsion System at Johnson Space Center in Houston. During a lecture at the Student Union鈥檚 Bayou Bijou, he offered a behind-the-scenes look at a career that has included work on the Space Shuttle, International Space Station and Artemis programs.
His visit comes as 果冻传媒 果冻传媒 strengthens its role in aerospace research, education and workforce development. For decades, University researchers and alumni have contributed to satellite development, space exploration, life-support technologies and NASA missions, including Artemis II.
Dr. Ahmed Khattab, dean of the , traced Damico鈥檚 path from a first-generation college student in 果冻传媒 to Boeing in California and, ultimately, NASA in Houston.
鈥淗e went all the way,鈥 Khattab told the audience. 鈥淎lmost like we say, 鈥榓ll the way to the moon and back.鈥欌
For Damico, the path to human spaceflight began in Rougeou Hall.
As a student, he was active in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and served as co-captain of the Baja team, where students designed, built and competed with an off-road vehicle. Damico said the experience of managing a team, meeting hard deadlines and integrating complex systems helped prepare him for the work he does today.
鈥淚t was about integrating multiple systems together,鈥 Damico said. 鈥淚n a microcosm, that helped train me to do what I鈥檓 doing now.鈥
The scale of the work has changed considerably, he said.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e building up a system over time to compete in something, and the greatest competition is going around the moon.鈥
Photo caption: Stephen Damico, deputy system manager of NASA鈥檚 Orion Propulsion System at Johnson Space Center in Houston and a 果冻传媒 果冻传媒 mechanical engineering graduate, speaks to students about his career during a lecture Tuesday at the University. (Photo credit: Doug Dugas / 果冻传媒)