Volume 19 Issue 3 www.nasa.gov/centers/stennis March 2023 

See Page 6

A student poses as an astronaut on Feb.16 during an outreach event hosted by NASA’s Stennis Space 

Center at Obama Magnet Elementary School in Jackson, Mississippi. Photo Credit: Jackson Public Schools

NASA 

Stennis 

Inspires

Capital 

City

Youth

Also Inside

• NASA Continues

 Testing Redesigned 

 Artemis Engine, 

 page 4

• Leaders Participate 

 in Stennis Day at The 

 Capitol, page 5

• NASA Co-Sponsors 

 Inaugural Magnolia 

 Regional FIRST 

 Robotics Competition, 

 page 7

• Traveling Hubble 

 Space Telescope 

 Exhibit Opens at 

 INFINITY, page 8
Page 2 LAGNIAPPE March 2023

Lagniappe is published online monthly by the Office of Communications at NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center.

Access monthly copies at: www.nasa.gov/centers/stennis/news/publications/index.html

Contact info – (phone) 228-688-3749; (email) ssc-pao@mail.nasa.gov; (mail) NASA OFFICE OF 

COMMUNICATIONS, Attn: LAGNIAPPE, Mail code IA00, Building 1111 Room 173, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529

Managing Editor – Lacy Thompson Editor – Bo Black Staff Photographer – Danny Nowlin

One of my favorite songs goes something like 

this, “Fly me to the Moon / Let me play 

among the stars / Let me see what spring is 

like on a Jupiter and Mars.”

Simply reading the lyrics can put one in a better mood. 

Did you know that Frank Sinatra’s 1964 recording 

of the song became closely associated with NASA’s 

Apollo space program? Some astronauts carried 

recordings of Sinatra tunes to space with them, and 

Sinatra even sang his famous song during a tribute 

performance for Apollo 11 crew members. 

I have not experienced what spring is like on Jupiter 

and Mars (yet), so for now, I will hang out at NASA 

Stennis, where folks are helping make return trips to 

the Moon possible in preparation for journeys beyond. 

It appears spring arrived early in these parts. Pink and 

purple flowers captured my attention starting in late 

February. The spring season officially begins March 20 

and moving from winter to spring has its perks – more 

daylight, more time spent outside, and more to look 

forward to at NASA. 

NASA indeed is on its way back to the Moon 

before eventual journeys to Mars. I continue to hear 

rumblings that the historical announcement naming 

the initial crew for Artemis II could come this spring. 

Artemis II builds on the success of the uncrewed 

Artemis I mission from 2022. During Artemis II, four 

astronauts will fly around the Moon to test capabilities 

of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion 

spacecraft for the first time with crew. It will pave 

the way for lunar surface missions, including the first 

woman and first person of color on the Moon. How 

exciting is that? 

Of course, the rumblings I hear could be from the roar 

of RS-25 engine tests NASA Stennis has conducted 

recently in preparation for future Artemis missions. 

The other day, I nodded off to sleep as I relaxed in my 

hammock with the sun shining and the Fred Haise Test 

Stand in view. As I drifted off to sleep, the “Fly Me to 

the Moon” song came to mind, and I wondered what 

new tune could be closely associated with Artemis? 

Before I come up with the next great hit that rivals 

Sinatra, I promised the grandgators we would take in 

the Hubble Traveling Exhibit at INFINITY Science 

Center. The exhibit will be at the official visitor center 

of NASA Stennis until Sept. 10, so it is likely that 

we venture to see it more than once. After all, a new 

season is here, and I have a spring in my step. 
Page 3 LAGNIAPPE March 2023

President’s Fiscal Year 2024 Budget 

Strengthens NASA, Space Economy

The Biden-Harris Administration released the 

President’s Budget for Fiscal Year 2024 on March 

9, and it will allow NASA to continue exploring 

the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all through 

Artemis, the Mars Sample Return mission, and other 

efforts.

“The budget details a 

blueprint to grow the 

economy from the bottom 

up and middle out,” said 

NASA Administrator 

Bill Nelson. “At NASA, 

we support good-paying 

American jobs, stir 

imaginations, and excite 

the world to gaze up at the 

heavens and reflect on our 

place in the universe.”

The budget allows NASA 

to monitor and protect the 

planet, advance sustainable 

aviation, better support 

orbital debris management, 

develop innovative new 

technologies, and inspire the Artemis Generation.

“President Biden’s budget will help us explore new 

cosmic shores, continue to make strides in traveling 

to and working in space and on the Moon, increase 

the speed and safety of air travel with cutting-edge 

technologies, and help protect our planet and improve 

lives here on Earth,” said Nelson.

The budget details a blueprint to strengthen the 

economy, including supporting NASA’s investments in 

public/private partnerships. At NASA, the budget will:

Build on the successful Artemis I mission and pave 

the way for a long-term presence at the Moon. The 

budget’s $8.1 billion to enable unprecedented lunar 

exploration activities also will prepare for the next giant 

leap, sending astronauts to Mars, through NASA’s Moon 

to Mars exploration approach.

Further new scientific discovery in our solar system 

and beyond. The budget provides $949 million for 

the U.S.-led Mars Sample Return mission, which will 

return rock and soil samples to Earth to expand our 

understanding of the solar system and pave the way for 

human exploration. The budget’s almost $2.5 billion for 

Earth Science includes the Earth System Observatory 

and will provide open access to actionable data and 

information on climate change and natural hazards for 

scientists, decision-makers, 

and the public.

Support a future in 

low-Earth orbit. Regular 

crewed missions to the 

International Space 

Station will enable multiple 

commercial partners 

to build a robust space 

economy where NASA is 

one of many customers. 

The budget also invests 

$39 million to better 

understand the orbital 

debris environment and 

explore approaches to 

ensure safe access to space.

Advance U.S. leadership 

in technology innovation in aviation and space.

The budget invests more than $500 million in a suite of 

technologies that will help meet the administration’s goal 

of net-zero carbon emissions from the aviation sector 

no later than 2050. The budget’s $1.39 billion to support 

the research and development of new technologies will 

advance our space exploration capabilities and create jobs 

through the growth of commercial space companies that 

will both use and provide new technologies. 

Engage diverse learners in NASA’s mission to create 

our nation’s next generation of scientists, engineers, 

and explorers – the Artemis Generation. The budget’s 

$158 million for NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement 

will engage more students through enhanced partnerships 

and platforms. This includes expanding opportunities for 

students from underrepresented communities. 

Building on the president’s strong record of fiscal 

responsibility, the budget more than fully pays for its 

investments by reducing deficits over the next decade.

For more information on NASA’s fiscal year 2024 

discretionary request, visit here.

Click here to watch the State of NASA address from Administrator Bill Nelson
Page 4 LAGNIAPPE March 2023

NASA Continues Testing Redesigned Artemis Moon Rocket Engines

NASA’s testing for redesigned 

RS-25 engines to be used on 

future Space Launch System 

(SLS) missions continued with a March 8 

full-duration hot fire at NASA’s Stennis 

Space Center.

The test, conducted on the Fred Haise

Test Stand at NASA Stennis, was the 

third of the year and part of an ongoing 

certification hot fire series. It also was 

the third test since an upgraded nozzle 

was installed on the RS-25 engine just 

prior to a Feb 8 hot fire. 

The redesigned engines provided by 

lead SLS engines contractor Aerojet 

Rocketdyne will be used on future 

Artemis flights to the Moon, beginning 

with Artemis V, as NASA continues its 

mission to explore the secrets of the 

universe for the benefit of all. 

“Early indications are that the nozzle is 

working well,” said Mike Lauer, deputy 

program manager of RS-25 engines at 

Aerojet Rocketdyne. “Even though we 

changed manufacturing methods, we 

did not want to radically change the 

performance of the nozzle. We are very 

pleased that the nozzle appears to be 

performing very much in line with our 

previous history.”

Operators fired the RS-25 engine during 

the test for a scheduled 520 seconds 

and up to 113% power level. During 

missions to the Moon, engines fire for 

about 500 seconds and up to the 111% 

power level to help SLS lift the Orion 

spacecraft and other payloads to orbit. 

With added seconds and the increased 

power level during ground tests, 

engineers can learn more about engine 

performance and provide a margin of 

operational safety.

The nozzle, or bell-shaped part at the 

bottom of the RS-25 engine, helps 

generate thrust by ejecting the engine’s 

exhaust at maximum speed to propel 

SLS to space. It is one of multiple 

upgraded components on the redesigned 

engine and also critical in ensuring 

efficiency by using a minimum amount 

of propellants, or fuel, to generate thrust 

and help propel the rocket to space. The 

nozzle is one reason the RS-25 is one of 

the most fuel-efficient rocket engines in 

the world.

Over the course of the storied history 

of the RS-25 engine, many components 

have gone through changes or upgrades. 

One component that mostly went 

unchanged was the nozzle. 

For redesigned RS-25 engines, however, 

a team focused on re-engineering 

every part of the nozzle. This included 

using precision machining to improve 

production of the more than 1,000 

tubes that comprise the nozzle wall. 

These tubes are critical in flowing supercold liquid hydrogen to keep the nozzle 

cool. The team also is using 3D printing 

to manufacture selected nozzle parts.

Upgrades to the nozzle include a new 

type and amount of insulation, which is 

a critical consideration since the RS25 engines are exposed to more heat 

during SLS launches than previous space 

shuttle missions. SLS features four RS25 engines instead of the three main 

engines used for the space shuttle and 

the proximity of the RS-25 nozzle to the 

SLS solid rocket boosters is closer than 

on the space shuttle.

The goal of the upgrades is to 

streamline the nozzle production 

process, while making it more cost 

efficient and still achieving the same 

performance level as with previous RS25 engines. While new manufacturing 

methods have been incorporated into 

the production of the nozzle, the shape, 

length, and diameter remain the same. 

Sixteen main engines remained from the 

shuttle program. All were modified and 

tested at NASA Stennis for use on the 

first four Artemis missions

For information about the Space Launch 

System, visit here.

NASA conducts an RS-25 hot fire test on the Fred Haise Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in south Mississippi on March 8, 2023.

RS-25 Test Series Highlights

• NASA began a new series of hot fire testing Dec. 14, 2022, at the Fred Haise Test Stand. 

• In 2019, NASA contracted with Aerojet Rocketdyne to produce new RS-25 engines 

 for future Space Launch System missions beyond Artemis IV.

• The new RS-25 engines will be manufactured with advanced processes, such as 3D 

 printing, to reduce production time and costs.

• On Feb. 8, NASA conducted the first test of a newly redesigned RS-25 engine. 

• The subsequent 12-test series will demonstrate that Aerojet Rocketdyne is prepared 

 to produce engines for future missions.

• Engineers completed a 500-second hot fire test that powered up to 111% on Feb. 8.

• Engineers completed a 600-second hot fire test that powered up to 111% on Feb. 22. 
Page 5 LAGNIAPPE March 2023

Leaders from NASA’s Stennis Space Center visited Jackson, 

Mississippi, in mid-February to share site updates with state leaders 

during the annual Stennis Day at the Capitol. NASA Stennis is 

on the front line of the next great era of human space exploration 

as it tests propulsion systems and engines to help power Artemis 

missions on the Space Launch System rocket to deep space. 

Through Artemis, NASA is continuing its mission to explore the 

secrets of the universe for the benefit of all and inspire the world 

through discovery. In addition to propulsion testing, NASA Stennis 

supports cutting-edge technology development, helping to foster 

an entrepreneurial spirit in the region. It also seeks to attract new 

industry to the area as it continues to grow as an aerospace and 

technology-based hub.

(Top left photo) NASA Stennis Deputy Director John Bailey 

addresses members of the Mississippi Senate during Stennis Day 

at the Capitol on Feb. 16. Also shown are (l to r): Sen. Jeremy 

England, Sen. Brice Wiggins, Sen. Mike Thompson, Sen. Scott 

DeLano, Sen. Bart Williams, Sen. Philip Moran, Bailey, NASA 

Stennis Associate Director Rodney McKellip, and NASA Shared 

Services Center Executive Director Anita Harrell. 

(Top right photo) A group of students serving as legislative pages 

visit NASA’s Stennis Space Center booth in the rotunda of the 

Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson, Mississippi, on Feb. 16 during 

Stennis Day at the Capitol activities. 

(Bottom left photo) NASA’s Stennis Space Center Deputy Chief 

Financial Officer Patrick Cullen shares center information in the 

rotunda of the Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson, Mississippi, 

during Stennis Day at the Capitol activities Feb. 16. 

(Bottom right photo) NASA Stennis Deputy Director John Bailey 

(second from right) meets with Mississippi Lt. Gov. Delbert 

Hosemann (right) as part of Stennis Day at the Capitol in Jackson, 

Mississippi, on Feb. 16. Also participating in the meeting were (l to 

r): Mississippi Sen. Mike Thompson and Sen. Bart Williams. 

Leaders Participate in Annual Stennis Day at the Capitol
Page 6 LAGNIAPPE March 2023

NASA Stennis personnel participated in multiple related outreach 

events throughout Jackson, Mississippi, as part of the annual 

Stennis Day at the Capitol activities, inspiring the Artemis 

generation with visits to Obama Magnet Elementary School, Whitten 

Preparatory Middle School, and the Jackson State University Spring 

Career Expo. Students at the elementary and middle schools visited 

interactive stations to learn about robotics, what it takes to train 

like an astronaut, and how astronauts live and work in space. At 

Jackson State, students learned what a career at NASA could look 

like and the many opportunities that are possible.

(Top left photo) Joe Schuyler, director of the Engineering and Test 

Directorate, tells students what it is like to live and work in space 

during an outreach event at Obama Magnet Elementary School in 

Jackson, Mississippi, on Feb. 16. Photo Credit: (Jackson Public 

Schools)

(Top right photo) Louis Thompson, a NASA Stennis education 

specialist, talks with students during the Jackson State University 

Spring Career Expo on Feb. 16. 

(Bottom left photo) Michele Beisler, deputy program manager for 

NASA’s Rocket Propulsion Test Program Office, shares a handson activity with a student at Obama Magnet Elementary School in 

Jackson, Mississippi, on Feb. 16. Photo Credit: (Jackson Public 

Schools)

(Bottom right photo) Pat Appelman, director of the Center 

Operations Directorate at NASA Stennis, speaks with students at 

Whitten Preparatory Middle School in Jackson, Mississippi, on Feb. 

16. 

NASA Stennis Engages the Artemis Generation in Capital City
Page 7 LAGNIAPPE March 2023

NASA Co-Sponsors Inaugural Magnolia Regional FIRST Robotics Competition

Organizers are 

preparing to host 

30-plus teams 

for an inaugural FIRST 

Robotics Magnolia Regional 

Competition in Laurel, 

Mississippi, on March 15-

18, thanks, in large part, 

to NASA’s Stennis Space 

Center, a lead sponsor for 

the event and a driving force 

in its launch. 

Through the competition, 

NASA Stennis is joining 

with NASA’s Robotics 

Alliance Project and 

co-sponsor Mississippi 

Power to bring to life 

all aspects of science, 

technology, engineering, 

and mathematics (STEM) 

in the Magnolia state. It 

particularly hopes to lead 

students from rural areas to 

pursue STEM studies and 

careers as NASA continues 

in its mission to inspire the 

world through discovery. 

The new regional event is a critical milestone to enhance 

engagement with robotics programs and the K-12 community 

across the southeast region of the U.S. 

“It is important to be able to model and provide examples 

to students who geographically do not get exposed to STEM 

activities,” said NASA Stennis Office of STEM Engagement 

Director Kelly Martin-Rivers. “If it is something that you do 

not see around you, it is hard to understand how to get there. 

One importance of having a robotics regional and setting it 

in central Mississippi is to provide that access, opportunity, 

and visibility to an area of students that have not had a strong 

STEM connection.”

The FIRST (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science 

and Technology) Robotics Magnolia Regional Competition 

is scheduled at the Magnolia Center in Laurel, Mississippi. 

The event is free, open to the public, and offers students the 

opportunity to use STEM skills through teamwork and the 

excitement of competition. 

The regional competition will feature two teams from Mexico, 

along with more than 30 high school teams from states, 

including Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Texas, and 

Tennessee. It also will serve as a championship-qualifying event 

to send several teams to the world championship competition 

in Houston, Texas, in April. 

The NASA Stennis workforce 

is helping to facilitate the 

Laurel event by providing 

judges and volunteers 

throughout the four days of 

activities. Additionally, nine 

of the teams scheduled to 

compete are considered NASA 

Stennis house teams, which 

means they have an ongoing 

relationship with NASA 

Stennis and a NASA engineer 

as their team mentor. 

This includes five teams from 

Mississippi: Team Fusion from 

Gulfport; Chahta Warriors 

from Choctaw Central; 

Team Chaos from Picayune 

Memorial; Delta Overload 

from Gentry High School in 

Indianola; and Alpha Omega 

from Our Lady Academy in 

Bay St. Louis. 

High school teams sponsored 

by NASA Stennis from 

Louisiana include: Team 

Combustion from Northshore; 

Prometheus from Mandeville; Tiger Robotics from Slidell; and 

Power Struck Girls from Academy of Our Lady in Marrero. 

In FIRST Robotics, high school teams receive identical parts 

kits and competition guidelines. They use the kits to design and 

build robots to compete in achieving competition goals. 

For house teams, NASA Stennis engineers help students 

prepare for the competition. Students learn engineering and 

problem-solving skills that can be applied to the competition 

and real-world situations in the future. The teams each create 

an identity, raise funds to meet goals, and work to promote 

STEM in their community.

The 2023 season challenge, “Charged Up” challenges teams 

to reimagine the future of sustainable energy. The theme calls 

teams to explore ways to unlock the power of engineering to 

transform renewable energy and power a better future. For the 

regional competition, teams will build and program industrialsized robots to play an action-packed game on a themed field. 

The goal is to have the Magnolia Regional expose more 

students in rural areas to STEM and become an annual FIRST 

Robotics Competition, much like the Bayou Regional event 

in Louisiana, which NASA Stennis has supported since its 

inception. The Bayou Regional is scheduled for March 30-April 

1 at the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner, Louisiana. 

Teams are shown competing in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics World Championship in Houston in April 2022. Teams 

compete at events such as the Magnolia Regional in Laurel, Mississippi, and Bayou Regional in Kenner, Louisiana, for the chance to advance to the annual world championship, scheduled this year for April 19-23 in Houston. Photo Credits: FIRST Robotics

For FIRST Robotics information, visit here.

For Magnolia Regional event information, visit here. 

For Bayou Regional event information, visit here.

For more information about NASA’s Stennis Space Center, visit here.

FIRST Robotics combines 

the excitement of sport with 

the rigors of science and 

technology. 
Page 8 LAGNIAPPE March 2023

Traveling Hubble Space Telescope 

Exhibit Opens at INFINITY Science

Before NASA produced the James Webb Space 

Telescope as the largest and most powerful 

telescope, there was the Hubble Space Telescope, 

which has helped unlock secrets of the universe for more 

than 30 years.

As the Webb Space Telescope reveals more about the 

universe than ever before, it builds on the discoveries 

of Hubble, which continues its orbit around Earth. A 

new traveling exhibit unveiled on Feb. 11 at INFINITY 

Science Center, the official visitor center of NASA’s 

Stennis Space Center, helps visitors learn more about the 

operation and impact of both space-based observatories.

The Hubble Traveling Exhibit, a 2,200-square-foot 

exhibit, arrived at INFINITY on Feb. 10 and was 

unveiled to visitors during a Feb. 11 opening. The exhibit 

is designed to engage visitors in the “magnificence and 

mystery of the Hubble mission” and introduce them 

to the new Webb telescope. The exhibit compares the 

telescopes and highlights some of the key differences 

between them.

The attraction features a scale model of Hubble, along 

with several satellite units that provide viewers with a 

hands-on experience of the same technology that allows 

Hubble to gaze at distant galaxies and the universe. In 

addition to learning about the life and history of Hubble, 

visitors will understand more about the challenges 

Hubble faced following its launch in 1990 and the role 

astronauts played in ensuing years to repair and service 

the orbiting satellite. 

The Hubble Traveling Exhibit can be experienced until 

Sept. 10 at the INFINITY Science Center, which is 

located in Pearlington, Mississippi, adjacent to NASA 

Stennis, and is open Sunday through Thursday from 

9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Visitors walk through the Hubble Traveling Exhibit during opening day 

activities on Feb. 11 at INFINITY Science Center. The new exhibit looks at 

the groundbreaking mission of NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope since its 

launch in 1990. Visitors can view the exhibit at INFINITY Science Center, 

the official visitor center of NASA’s Stennis Space Center, until Sept. 10. 

Photo Credits: INFINITY Science Center

NASA representative Maurice Henderson (r) talks with guests at INFINITY 

Science Center during opening weekend of the Hubble Traveling Exhibit.
Page 9 LAGNIAPPE March 2023

NASA Celebrates Employees During February’s Black History Month
Page 10 LAGNIAPPE March 2023

NASA in the News

The United States will witness solar eclipses in 

2023 and 2024 and NASA has a new map that 

will keep individuals in the know about viewing 

opportunities. A solar eclipse happens when, at just 

the right moment, the Moon passes between the Sun 

and Earth. Through observations from several NASA 

missions, the map details the path of the Moon’s 

shadow as it crosses the contiguous U.S. during the 

annular solar eclipse on Oct. 14, 2023, and total solar 

eclipse on April 8, 2024. The dark paths across the 

continent show where observers will need to be to 

see the “ring of fire” when the Moon blocks all but 

the outer edge of the Sun during the annular eclipse, 

and the ghostly-white outer atmosphere of the Sun 

(the corona) when the Moon completely blocks the 

Sun’s disk during the total eclipse. The map also shows 

where and how much the Sun will be partially eclipsed 

by the Moon. Click here to view the map.

New NASA Map Details 2023 and 

2024 Solar Eclipses in the U.S.

NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement and 

Microsoft have teamed up to helps kids 

unlock their creativity in a unique way. As kids 

worldwide build and explore their own blocky worlds 

within the Minecraft universe, they can now build and 

launch a rocket and blast off on an adventure to the 

Moon through a new Artemis-inspired set of worlds. 

Just like the real NASA Artemis team working to return 

humans to the Moon, gamers in these new Minecraft 

worlds can build and launch a rocket, guide their Orion 

spacecraft, and even establish a lunar base alongside 

their team. Developed through a partnership between 

Minecraft Education and NASA, Minecraft Artemis 

Missions were created to engage students ages 8 and 

up in NASA’s next chapter in human spaceflight and 

encourage them to see themselves as future astronauts 

or scientists. Click here to learn more about how the 

real-world Artemis missions come to life.

Take The Next Giant Leap With 

NASA and Microsoft’s Minecraft

A “jellyfish galaxy” with trailing tentacles of stars hangs in inky blackness in this image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. As jellyfish galaxies 

move through intergalactic space, gas is slowly stripped away forming trails that resemble tendrils illuminated by clumps of star formation. These blue tendrils are visible below the core of this galaxy, giving it a jellyfish-like appearance. This particular jellyfish galaxy – known as JO201 – lies in the constellation 

Cetus, which is named after a sea monster from ancient Greek mythology. Text credit: European Space Agency (ESA) Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, 

M. Gullieuszik

Hubble Space Telescope Peers at a Galactic Seascape
Page 11 LAGNIAPPE March 2023

NASA Public Affairs Specialist Inspires Artemis Generation

Engineers at NASA’s Stennis Space Center regularly 

test rocket engines and propulsion systems that 

will help land the first woman and first person of 

color on the Moon. 

Meanwhile, 

NASA Public 

Affairs Specialist 

Samone Wilson 

works daily to 

communicate 

how work at 

NASA Stennis 

and throughout 

the agency is 

continuing 

exploration of 

the universe 

for the benefit 

of all and to 

inspire the next 

generation of 

explorers.

“The job we do 

helps people feel 

the excitement 

and passion for 

the amazing work and technological advancements made 

possible by America’s space agency,” Wilson said. 

The Hattiesburg native and resident is involved in all 

aspects of public engagement, where she leads outreach 

efforts, the speakers bureau, and guest operations, among 

other duties. Of late, much of her focus has been on 

telling the Artemis story and its progress in returning 

humans to the lunar surface in preparation for eventual 

missions to Mars.

Wilson began at NASA in 2010 as a media student 

while completing her bachelor’s degree in journalism at 

The University of Southern Mississippi. Early on, she 

helped NASA Stennis establish a social media presence, 

which now has more than 380,000 followers on multiple 

platforms. 

“It is such an honor to share NASA’s story and the career 

possibilities with people from all walks of life, especially 

those that might not normally be exposed to such 

opportunities,” Wilson said. “It brings great joy to see 

their faces light up when they know that people just like 

them work for NASA. Representation truly matters.”

After leaving NASA Stennis in the summer of 2017, 

Wilson returned to work in her current role within the 

Office of Communications in October 2019. Since 

then, among other achievements, she has expanded the 

Space Sprouts initiative in an effort to reach preschool 

students and spur early interest in space and STEM 

(science, technology, engineering, and math). As a result, 

thousands have been reached through the program.

The public 

affairs specialist 

does not have 

to look far for 

motivation as 

she sees how 

proud her 

daughter, Sydni, 

is in knowing 

her mother 

works at NASA. 

The 5-year-old 

has developed 

a love for math 

and science at an 

early age as well. 

Wilson was not 

too far from her 

daughter’s age 

when she had an 

impactful space 

memory that 

may have put 

her on the path to where she finds herself now. Family 

movie nights were always something eagerly anticipated, 

and when she was 7, Wilson watched the movie “Apollo 

13.” 

The movie left her fascinated at the perseverance of the 

mission crew in making it home safely. She especially felt 

a connection with astronaut Fred Haise after learning he 

grew up an hour south of her. Little did Wilson know 

that years later she would have the opportunity to work 

alongside Haise. Just as the Apollo-based movie inspired 

Wilson, that is what she hopes to do for others in sharing 

about Artemis and other agency and NASA Stennis 

activities. 

“Being involved in both Green Run testing (of the 

Artemis I core stage) at Stennis where we simulated the 

launch and then working the actual Artemis I launch 

were two experiences that I will never forget,” Wilson 

said. “Both were important agency milestones that 

moved us one step closer to sending the first woman and 

first person of color to the Moon. 

“As an African American woman, I’m so excited to see 

the agency that I love so much be intentional about 

creating a diverse and inclusive atmosphere where 

everyone can feel valued and represented,” Wilson 

continued. “I look forward to inspiring the Artemis 

generation, just as I have been inspired.”

NASA Public Affairs Specialist Samone Wilson captures the attention of the Artemis generation through 

her work in the Office of Communications at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. Wilson was recently named 

a Boeing Starliner Launch Honoree by the Spaceflight Awareness Program.
Page 12 LAGNIAPPE March 2023

Apollo 13 – The Problem Solved In Houston

“Houston, we’ve had a problem” is a quote 

many remember from NASA’s Apollo 13. 

The mission that began to demonstrate 

precision lunar landings and explore sites on the 

Moon finished as a “successful failure” because of the 

experience gained in rescuing the Apollo 13 crew. 

Apollo 13, which was to be the third lunar landing 

attempt, lifted off April 11, 1970, with crew members 

Jim Lovell, mission commander; Jack Swigert, command 

module pilot; and Fred Haise, lunar module pilot and 

native Biloxian. 

Two days later, shortly before 9 p.m., the astronauts 

ended a television broadcast in which they conducted a 

spacecraft tour. 

Approximately six minutes after the end of the 

broadcast, they were about 200,000 miles from Earth 

when Haise completed the shutdown of the lunar 

module, and Swigert changed the altitude of the craft to 

get photographs of a passing comet. 

Sensors in one of the service module’s oxygen tanks were 

malfunctioning and Mission Control Center, located at 

NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, told Swigert 

to activate the stirring fans to ensure the pressure 

readings were more accurate.

The crew heard a loud bang approximately 90 seconds 

later and felt vibrations in the command module. Oxygen 

tank No. 2 blew up, which caused the No. 1 tank to fail. 

The command module lost electricity and water and shut 

down to save the limited power remaining for re-entry. 

As NASA did not have shutdown procedures for the 

command module, ground controllers in Houston 

developed and tested them in the simulator before 

relaying them to the crew. 

With the command module shut down, the crew moved 

to the lunar module Aquarius and used it as a lifeboat. 

The lunar module, used for a controlled landing on the 

Moon, was now the crew’s primary way to steer the 

spacecraft back to Earth. 

Using the Sun as a navigation star, they completed a 

series of engine burns to make certain of a proper 

trajectory to return to Earth. Once re-entering the 

atmosphere, the crew transferred from the lunar module 

to the command module. 

The most remarkable achievement of mission control 

was quickly developing procedures for powering up 

the command module after its long, cold sleep. Flight 

controllers wrote the documents for this innovation in 

three days, instead of the usual three months. Apollo 

13 successfully splashed down on April 17, 1970, in the 

Pacific Ocean, just southeast of American Samoa.

“[Apollo 13] was a failure in its initial mission; however, 

it was a tremendous success in the ability of people to 

get together, like the mission control team working with 

what they had and working with the flight crew to turn 

what was almost a certain catastrophe into a successful 

recovery,” said Apollo 13 Commander Lovell.

Hail & Farewell

NASA welcomes the following:

Holly Hallal Budget Analyst Office of Chief Financial Officer

Samson Cantu Logistics Management Specialist Center Operations Directorate 

Alina Davis Budget Analyst Office of Chief Financial Officer

Jacob Haasl Architect Center Operations Directorate

A water level view shows the recovery operations of Apollo 13 in the 

South Pacific Ocean on April 17, 1970, as the three astronauts leave their 

spacecraft. Command Module Pilot Jack Swigert (facing away from camera) 

is in the life raft, while Lunar Module Pilot Fred Haise steps into the life raft, 

and Commander Jim Lovell leaves the spacecraft. The three crewmembers 

were picked up by helicopter and flown to the prime recovery ship, USS 

Iwo Jima, as the United States Navy underwater demolition team assisted 

with recovery operations. The Apollo 13 command module splashed down 

at 12:07:44 p.m. CST on April 17, 1970, to safely conclude a perilous space 

flight. Though the Apollo lunar landing mission was canceled, a disastrous 

loss of three astronauts was averted.
Page 13 LAGNIAPPE March 2023

Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories 

Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity

March marks the celebration of Women’s 

History Month. The celebration of Women’s 

History Month originated in Sonoma, 

California, in 1978. It included school presentations 

about women’s contributions to culture, history, and 

society and an essay contest for students. Women’s 

History Month coincides with International

Women’s Day, observed each year on March 8. 

The National Women’s History Alliance (NWHA) 

announced this year’s Women’s History Month theme 

as, “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories.” 

NWHA encourages the recognition of women, past 

and present, who have been active in all forms of 

media and storytelling. 

The recognition allows one to revisit and learn about 

the collective history through the lens of gender and 

race. Analyzing the works of women in all forms of 

media and storytelling, can expand one’s knowledge 

of the past and help shape future society. Read more 

about five women who have contributed to the 

storytelling of women’s history.

• Toni Morrison (1931-2019) was known for her 

study of the Black female experience, within the 

Black community. “The Bluest Eyes,” written in 

1970, follows an adolescent Black girl who obsesses 

over the beauty standards upheld by white society. In 

the novel, Morrison explores these themes through 

a character that longs to have blue eyes. Additionally, 

Morrison wrote “Beloved” in 1987, which won 

critical acclaim by receiving the Pulitzer Prize for 

fiction. The novel is based on a true story of a 

runaway slave who, at the point of recapture, kills her 

infant daughter to spare her a life of slavery. A film 

adaptation of the novel was released in 1998.

• Maxine Hong Kingston (1940-) is a firstgeneration Chinese American whose work revolves 

around her Chinese heritage and life experiences. 

“The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood 

Among Ghosts,” written in 1976, is described 

as combining myth, family history, folktales, and 

memories of the experience of growing up within 

two conflicting cultures. The memoir won the 1976 

National Book Critics’ Circle Award for nonfiction. 

In 1980, Kingston utilized the same narrative 

technique to create “China Men,” which tells the 

experiences of the men in her family and the story 

of Chinese immigration. The novel relates the told 

stories to slave labor, loneliness, and discrimination. 

It later won the American Book Award for 

nonfiction. Most recently, Kingston received the 

National Medal of Arts in 2014.

• Jovita Idar (1885-1946) was a Mexican American 

journalist, activist and suffragist. In 1903, Idar

joined her two brothers at her father’s newspaper, 

La Crónica. She often wrote articles speaking about 

activism, racism, and women’s suffrage. In 1911, 

she began working at El Progreso newspaper. 

During this time, Idar wrote articles protesting 

the mismanagement of Mexico’s border, resulting 

in a confrontation with the Texas Rangers. The 

confrontation would later shut El Progreso down. 

Later in life, Idar became the editor of El Heraldo 

Cristiano, where she continued her advocacy.

• Maya Angelou (1928-2014) was an African 

American poet, memoirist, screenwriter, and actress. 

One of her most popular works, “I Know Why 

the Caged Bird Sings,” shares traumatic events 

that occurred in her early life. Angelou continued 

her autobiographies with several books, including 

“Father Together in My Name,” “The Heart of 

a Woman,” “All God’s Children Need Traveling 

Shoes,” and “A Song Flung Up to Heaven.” In 1966, 

Angelou wrote “Black, Blues, Black,” a 10-episode 

TV series that explored the role of African culture 

in American life. After her debut as a screenwriter, 

Angelou wrote “Georgia, Georgia,” a film drama 

making her the first African American woman to 

have a screenplay produced as a feature film. Angelou 

moved in front of audiences in 1973 with “Look 

Away,” which earned her a Tony Award nomination. 

She also acted in “Poetic Justice, How to Make an 

American Quilt, and Roots.” Lastly, Angelou directed 

“Down in the Delta” in 1998. For her work, Angelou 

was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 

2011.

• Marjory Stoneman Douglas (1890-1998) was an 

American journalist who is credited as the “Guardian 

of the Glades.” In 1908, Douglas began working for 

the Miami Herald as a reporter and editor. During 

World War I, Douglas enlisted in the Naval Reserve, 

becoming the first woman from Florida to do so. 

Once the war was over, Douglas was named assistant 

editor at the Miami Herald, and began writing 

editorials about the consequences of Florida’s rapid 

commercial development. During the 1930s, Douglas 

joined other advocates to support the initiative 

to designate the Florida Everglades as a National 

Park. Douglas continued to advocate for nature 

conservation and was awarded the Presidential Medal 

of Freedom in 1993.

The NWHA recognizes many more women who have 

been active in different forms of media. For the full 

list, visit here.
•

Online Resources

Page 14 LAGNIAPPE March 2023

NASA Stennis Artemis Resources

Click the above photo for NASA Stennis Artemis resources.

NASA Stennis Video Shorts

Click the links below to watch brief videos of NASA Stennis projects.

• Waterway Lock System

• Key Testing Component

• Data Acquisition System

• Thrust Vector Control System

NASA Stennis Resources and NASA Stennis In The News

Click the links below for more about NASA Stennis and recent NASA Stennis media appearances. 

• Jackson Elementary Students Learn About Space From NASA Stennis

• Penn State Engineering: Michele Beisler: “I Engineer Exploration”

• WLOX: Look Ahead to Artemis II With NASA Stennis Associate Director Rodney McKellip