Ball Diamond Ball

With the NASA Artemis II Wet Dress 1 (WD1) on the horizon and the beginning of the [original] launch window, I figured it might be a good time to visit Florida. The freezing cold Virginia winter provided an extra incentive, too. I put out a message to my fellow NASA ASCAN Interviewees, and we quickly patched together travel plans. Suitcases packed- off to FLORIDA! NASA Meatball at KSC WD1 ran into a few issues, which pushed back the Artemis II launch date a few times, and ended up pushing it beyond my time in Florida. Unfortunate for our viewing opportunities, but that meant there were tons of excited space fans in Florida. It also meant SLS (Space Launch System with Orion Capsule) would still be on the launch pad.  Yay! Let the fun begin. Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) The visitor complex at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) falls in line with the vibe of Orlando. Lots of exhibits and activities- and LAUNCHES! Check out the latest exhibits and launch schedule . Personally, I reco...

On September 22, 2025, NASA will announce the next class of Astronaut Candidates, affectionately known as "ASCANs".  Out of >8,000 applications, 120 individuals were invited for the first round of interviews. 40 of those were invited to the final round of interviews, and 10 received the incredible phone call inviting them to join the 2025 ASCAN class at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. 8,000 - Applicants 120 - Round 1 40 - Round 2 10 - ASCANs In early January, I received a call from an unknown Houston, TX number. In these days of constant spam calls, I shrugged it off. Then, my phone made an unfamiliar chirp.  A VOICEMAIL!  "The" voicemail. My group had a little less than a month to prepare for the NASA Astronaut Candidate interview process. Coincidently, I was already traveling to Texas the week prior for an ocean engineering workshop at  Texas A&M in College Station , so the timing was perfect. Most Interviewees kept the invitations quiet-...

HOV Alvin Dive D5326. I've separated this post into sections, so feel free to jump around and browse the photos: (1) The day prior; (2) The dive; (3) The recovery; and, (4) The report (Full Dive Report). If you'd like to set the scene for this post, I'd encourage you to grab a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a Kit-Kat bar, layer up in some 100% cotton sweatshirts and a knit hat, and turn on Lady Gaga's "Just Dance" 🍫🪩 Read on for more context. Fig. 1. Alvin deployment off the aft of the R/V Atlantis - doing the infamous " Alvin nose dive" 〜〜〜 The day prior. My dive ended up being one of the final dives of the expedition, so I had the opportunity to learn from other scientists’ experiences. Eat a light dinner; stay hydrated, but not too hydrated; try to get some sleep; no morning coffee; and definitely take a morning shower (the Alvin pilots and the second observer appreciate clean team members in a tiny sphere). My mind was racing with things...