{"id":640188,"date":"2024-04-02T15:09:47","date_gmt":"2024-04-02T19:09:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?p=640188"},"modified":"2024-04-02T16:52:19","modified_gmt":"2024-04-02T20:52:19","slug":"veronica-t-pinnick-put-nasas-pace-mission-through-its-paces","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/pace\/veronica-t-pinnick-put-nasas-pace-mission-through-its-paces\/","title":{"rendered":"Veronica T. Pinnick Put NASA’s PACE Mission through Its Paces"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>To achieve the impossible, Veronica T. Pinnick, who put NASA\u2019s PACE mission through its prelaunch paces, says you need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Name<\/strong>: Dr. Veronica T. Pinnick<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Title<\/strong>: Plankton Aerosol, Cloud and ocean Ecosystem (PACE) Integration and Test (I&T) manager<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Formal Job Classification<\/strong>: Chemist<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Organization<\/strong>: Integration and Test Branch, Electrical Engineering Division (Code 568)<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/gsfc-20230322-pace-010420.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1365\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/gsfc-20230322-pace-010420.jpg?w=2048\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"A woman stands on the left side of the image, seen from the waist up. She wears a white clean suit that covers her arms, torso, and over her head. She also has on a white mask that covers her nose and mouth and blue latex gloves. Behind her and to the right in the image is a large, rectangular piece of equipment - the PACE satellite. The side of the satellite visible is black and reflects light off it. Behind the woman and PACE is a large wall that has a green gridded pattern on it.\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/gsfc-20230322-pace-010420.jpg 5390w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/gsfc-20230322-pace-010420.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/gsfc-20230322-pace-010420.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/gsfc-20230322-pace-010420.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/gsfc-20230322-pace-010420.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/gsfc-20230322-pace-010420.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/gsfc-20230322-pace-010420.jpg?resize=400,267 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/gsfc-20230322-pace-010420.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/gsfc-20230322-pace-010420.jpg?resize=900,600 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/gsfc-20230322-pace-010420.jpg?resize=1200,800 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/gsfc-20230322-pace-010420.jpg?resize=2000,1333 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Veronica Pinnick is an integration and test manager at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">Credit: NASA\/Dennis Henry<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>What do you do and what is most interesting about your role here at Goddard?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the PACE I&T manager, I managed the build-up of the entire observatory. Integration means we put the spacecraft together. Testing means we make sure it works within itself and that it will also work in space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why did you become a chemist? What is your educational background?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In third grade, we did a science experiment that involved pulling out the colors of a black maker, which turned out to be a mixture of many colors. It was the first time my little science brain exploded! I learned that maybe not everything was as it first appeared, it was so cool. Years later, I now do that same experiment (chromatography) on Mars, looking at dirt and pulling it apart to see what it is made of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I have a B.A. in chemistry from Minot State University in North Dakota. I have a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from Texas A&M University. I did a post-doctoral fellowship at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Maryland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>How did you come to Goddard?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My post-doctoral fellowship involved a Goddard project, designing an instrument to look for life on Mars. I thought that was an interesting application of my specialty! After my fellowship, I joined Goddard in 2010 working on that same project for 10 more years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Towards the end of that project, I became the I&T manager responsible for building, testing, and delivery of that instrument to an ESA (European Space Agency) Mars rover. During those years, I realized that I wanted to change my career path more towards engineering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why did you merge science and engineering in your career?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Branching out to try new things can be scary. I think what I enjoy most about working at Goddard is that there are endless opportunities for people who are comfortable being uncomfortable. I really like both science and engineering. I think skills from my scientific background really help in building and testing instruments for other scientists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I started in college, I did not really understand the difference between science and engineering. When I arrived at Goddard, I learned the important difference between these two different roles.  The scientist asks, \u201cWhat do I want to measure?\u201d The engineer asks, \u201cHow can I build an instrument to measure that?\u201d Blending the two disciplines, you end up with an instrument that measures something in space!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We work at our best when we are cross-disciplinary, when scientists think like engineers and engineers think like scientists, when we can understand where each other is coming from. My passion is to try to return Goddard to my original mindset, that there should be full understanding of the goals of science and engineering by both disciplines.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/img-4814-enhanced87-crop.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1924\" height=\"1928\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/img-4814-enhanced87-crop.jpg?w=1924\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Selfie of Veronica Pinnick standing in front of a green lawn. She is smiling at the camera and wearing black glasses and a black shirt. Behind her, a Falcon 9 rocket is vertical on the launchpad.\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/img-4814-enhanced87-crop.jpg 1924w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/img-4814-enhanced87-crop.jpg?resize=150,150 150w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/img-4814-enhanced87-crop.jpg?resize=300,300 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/img-4814-enhanced87-crop.jpg?resize=768,770 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/img-4814-enhanced87-crop.jpg?resize=1022,1024 1022w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/img-4814-enhanced87-crop.jpg?resize=1533,1536 1533w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/img-4814-enhanced87-crop.jpg?resize=50,50 50w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/img-4814-enhanced87-crop.jpg?resize=100,100 100w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/img-4814-enhanced87-crop.jpg?resize=200,200 200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/img-4814-enhanced87-crop.jpg?resize=400,400 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/img-4814-enhanced87-crop.jpg?resize=600,600 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/img-4814-enhanced87-crop.jpg?resize=898,900 898w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/img-4814-enhanced87-crop.jpg?resize=1198,1200 1198w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1924px) 100vw, 1924px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-credits\">Courtesy of Veronica Pinnick<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>As a mentor, how do you encourage your people to be cross-disciplinary?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I encourage my mentees to think about their skill sets with an open mind and an open imagination. Sometimes people can get pigeon-holed in their skills and think they can only do one specific job. With the right mentorship and the right vision of what Goddard can do, and what gaps exist, we can fill the gaps with different skill sets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So many times, junior scientists and engineers tell themselves they cannot do something because they lack the background or education. But in practice, what you really need are creative thinkers, creative problem solvers \u2013 your background does not matter. You must believe in your own potential. I try to show my mentees that I believe in them and their potential to branch out from their comfort zone. I tell them to push themselves to evolve. Again, you progress by being uncomfortable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Goddard has the top minds in science and engineering. Everyone is always learning from their peers. Likewise, our mentees have so much to offer. The most junior people come at problems with a fresh perspective. Diverse perspectives always help bring new ideas to the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What is Goddard\u2019s greatest challenge for new scientists and engineers?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you are at a university, you do not always have a big budget, but you are unlimited in terms of the size or power of an instrument you want to build. When you send an instrument to space, the engineering challenges are to make it small, lightweight, and power efficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is one of the hardest changes coming out of a university and joining Goddard. This is an adjustment that every person new to space has to think about and make.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What has made you proudest in your career?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am proud of what I have built for space, but I am proudest of the people I have positively impacted along the way. I really think it is important to learn lessons from those who came before me and I am very grateful to them. I also want to help teach those coming up. We prepare lessons learned after each mission. I feel very strongly that it is important to pass these along to the next generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to technical information, I focus a lot on people skills. To build a good team culture, you have to listen to and respect all the voices on your team. I hope to pass on the importance of teamwork and also having fun while doing our very important, very difficult work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>How does being comfortable being uncomfortable motivate you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I have been drawn to a lot of flight missions and technology developments that are really, really challenging. That is what Goddard does best. It is unbelievable to do science on other planets! Each planet has its own unique challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I started by working on ExoMars, the ESA Mars rover. I learned all about Mars and what makes doing science on Mars hard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then I worked on the proposal for Dragonfly, which is a flying drone that will explore Saturn\u2019s moon Titan. I had to learn about why Titan is hard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, I\u2019ve finished building and launching a whole satellite for observing Earth, which included performing all the testing needed to make sure it will work on orbit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Engineering instruments for different locations in the solar system requires a whole new set of engineering solutions. That is really fun, it allows me to be so creative. There are very few tried and true methods for some of these environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At Goddard, I am constantly challenged which makes me constantly uncomfortable but that is what I like. At first, it is intimidating. Then it is exciting!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Be comfortable being uncomfortable!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why is working at Goddard like solving a puzzle?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At Goddard we work with some of the smartest people around. We are open to brainstorming together and coming up with solutions together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Working on flight missions at Goddard, we work in teams which are inherently cross-disciplinary. When problems happen, it is not always easy to figure out what went wrong or how to fix the problem. Some of my most invigorating professional moments have been when things don\u2019t go according to plan and I feel like a detective trying to figure out what exactly went wrong and how to fix it. That is where I have seen some of Goddard\u2019s absolute best work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Troubleshooting is like looking at 850 pieces of a 1,000 piece puzzle that you have to put together. You will never get all the pieces, but will have a pretty good idea of the big picture. It initially makes me frustrated, but I love it. It is so satisfying when your team solves the puzzle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why are education and outreach so important to you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Being a good scientist means that a portion of your job is to communicate to the public what you are studying, why it is important, and what you found out. As a civil servant, the public is paying me to do this job, so I feel extremely responsible for bringing NASA\u2019s mission to the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I have done education and public outreach with people of all ages. I really enjoy doing Mars rover activities with preschoolers. Three- and 4-year-olds helped me design the next Mars rover. Honestly, their ideas had great potential. I told them Mars was cold, so some of the kids put a blanket on the Rover model, which is almost exactly what we do. They were so excited to find out their solution really works in space!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>People respond to knowing they can be a part of what we do. The public is so excited about what we do and want to know more. I feel inspired by their curiosity. Their excitement is infectious. They reinvigorate the joy in what we do and why we are doing what we do. I truly consider being an ambassador for NASA to the public a privilege, not a responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What do you do for fun?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I really like escape rooms; they involve all sorts of puzzles. I love the challenge of trying to figure something out under pressure. I play acoustic guitar and ukelele. We have a family band, but we only perform at home. I also like to travel and learn new languages. I am a total foodie and very much enjoy new creations made by my husband.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Who would you like to thank for encouraging you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I absolutely thank my family, especially my husband and my son. Many of the missions we do at Goddard require a lot of personal sacrifice at times. Our missions often require long hours and extreme focus and concentration. We do it because we truly believe in and are inspired by Goddard\u2019s mission. We are driven to build things and send them to space. That requires dedication not just from the people who work at Goddard, but also from their families. Their unending support means the world to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What is your \u201csix-word memoir\u201d? A six-word memoir describes something in just six words.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Always learning, giving back, being challenged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>By <a href=\"mailto:elizabeth.m.jarrell@nasa.gov\">Elizabeth M. Jarrell<\/a><\/strong><\/em><br><em><strong>NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/cwg-banner.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1041\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/cwg-banner.png?w=1041\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"A graphic with a collection of people's portraits grouped together in front of a soft blue galaxy background. The people come from various races, ethnicities, and genders. A soft yellow star shines in the upper left corner, and the stylized text "Conversations with Goddard" is in white on the far right.\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/cwg-banner.png 1041w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/cwg-banner.png?resize=300,92 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/cwg-banner.png?resize=768,236 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/cwg-banner.png?resize=1024,315 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/cwg-banner.png?resize=400,123 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/cwg-banner.png?resize=600,184 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/cwg-banner.png?resize=900,277 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1041px) 100vw, 1041px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Conversations With Goddard <\/em><\/strong><em>is a collection of Q&A profiles highlighting the breadth and depth of NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center\u2019s talented and diverse workforce. The Conversations have been published twice a month on average since May 2011. Read past editions on <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers\/goddard\/about\/people\/index.html\"><em>Goddard\u2019s \u201cOur People\u201d webpage<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-full width-full maxw-full padding-x-3 padding-y-0 article_a hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-credits-and-details\">\n<section class=\"padding-x-0 padding-top-5 padding-bottom-2 desktop:padding-top-7 desktop:padding-bottom-9\">\n\t<div class=\"grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0\">\n\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-2 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"heading-14\">Share<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"social-icons social-icons-round\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"social-icon social-icon-x\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a 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2.5zm.02 4.5h-5v16h5v-16zm7.982 0h-4.968v16h4.969v-8.399c0-4.67 6.029-5.052 6.029 0v8.399h4.988v-10.131c0-7.88-8.922-7.593-11.018-3.714v-2.155z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"social-icon social-icon-rss\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"\/feed\/\" aria-label=\"Subscribe to RSS feed.\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 800 800\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M493 652H392c0-134-111-244-244-244V307c189 0 345 156 345 345zm71 0c0-228-188-416-416-416V132c285 0 520 235 520 520z\"\/><circle cx=\"219\" cy=\"581\" r=\"71\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-5 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"heading-14\">Details<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-row margin-bottom-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-4\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading\">Last Updated<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-8\">Apr 02, 2024<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-5 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\"><div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black \"><div class=\"margin-bottom-2\"><h2 class=\"heading-14\">Related Terms<\/h2><\/div><ul class=\"article-tags\"><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/pace\" rel=\"noopener\">PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, Ocean Ecosystem)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/climate-change\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Climate Change<\/a><\/li><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/earth\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Earth<\/a><\/li><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/goddard\/\">Goddard Space Flight Center<\/a><\/li><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/nasa-missions\/\">Missions<\/a><\/li><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/specials\/ocean-worlds\/\">Oceans<\/a><\/li><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/people-of-nasa\/goddard-people\/\">People of Goddard<\/a><\/li><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/people-of-nasa\/\">People of NASA<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>To achieve the impossible, Veronica T. Pinnick, who put NASA\u2019s PACE mission through its prelaunch paces, says you need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Name: Dr. Veronica T. Pinnick Title: Plankton Aerosol, Cloud and ocean Ecosystem (PACE) Integration and Test (I&T) manager Formal Job Classification: Chemist Organization: Integration and Test Branch, Electrical Engineering Division [...]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":146,"featured_media":640193,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[10721,9423,3228,2857,2655,11356,12282,2668],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[4051,10474,3913,3868],"coauthors":[12392],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Veronica T. Pinnick Put NASA’s PACE Mission through Its Paces","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/pace\/veronica-t-pinnick-put-nasas-pace-mission-through-its-paces\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/pace\/veronica-t-pinnick-put-nasas-pace-mission-through-its-paces\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/gsfc-20230322-pace-010420.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/gsfc-20230322-pace-010420.jpg"},"articleSection":"Missions","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Elizabeth M. Jarrell"}],"creator":["Elizabeth M. Jarrell"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["People of NASA","PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, Ocean Ecosystem)","Climate Change","Earth","Goddard Space Flight Center","Missions","Oceans","People of Goddard"],"dateCreated":"2024-04-02T19:09:47Z","datePublished":"2024-04-02T19:09:47Z","dateModified":"2024-04-02T20:52:19Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"Veronica T. Pinnick Put NASA’s PACE Mission through Its Paces\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/pace\/veronica-t-pinnick-put-nasas-pace-mission-through-its-paces\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/gsfc-20230322-pace-010420.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2024-04-02T19:09:47Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"Missions\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"People of NASA,PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, Ocean Ecosystem),Climate Change,Earth,Goddard Space Flight Center,Missions,Oceans,People of Goddard\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"Elizabeth M. Jarrell\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":9,"time_ago":"3 months","featured_image":{"id":640193,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/gsfc-20230322-pace-010420.jpg","title":"gsfc-20230322-pace-010420","alt":"A woman stands on the left side of the image, seen from the waist up. She wears a white clean suit that covers her arms, torso, and over her head. She also has on a white mask that covers her nose and mouth and blue latex gloves. Behind her and to the right in the image is a large, rectangular piece of equipment - the PACE satellite. The side of the satellite visible is black and reflects light off it. Behind the woman and PACE is a large wall that has a green gridded pattern on it.","caption":"Veronica Pinnick is an integration and test manager at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md."},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/640188"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/146"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=640188"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/640188\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":644173,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/640188\/revisions\/644173"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/640193"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=640188"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=640188"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=640188"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=640188"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=640188"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}