UNIVERSITY PARK, PA — One Pennsylvania native, and an '08 Penn State graduate, is reaching new heights with her new role at NASA.
"When I was really young, I remember in a science class doing a module on the solar system, after that I became really fascinated with space, the planets, space exploration, then I decided I wanted to be an astronaut when I was in 4th grade," says Chloe Mehring, NASA flight director.
Reaching for the stars has always been a goal of Mehring, but making it a reality with NASA was the real challenge. She knew her first step was Penn State's aerospace engineering program.
"When I was a freshman, I went to the career fair I went right up to the NASA booth and said I wanted to be a co-op, they said I couldn't apply as a freshman so come back next year and I did," says Mehring. "It was the same recruiters, I got an interview to be a co-op and did two rotations down at NASA Johnson space center."
Penn State Associate Dean for research and graduate programs and professor, George Lesieutre says, "It’s exciting to see Chloe’s talent, enthusiasm and commitment continue to make a difference today in nasa’s space program.”
Mehring is now one of four flight directors in training. After receiving her certification, she will be one of 101 with the capability to lead human spaceflight missions to the international space station and one day, maybe even the moon and mars.
"The international space station is a 24/7 operations, we always have an American presence up there, so we will be the leaders for the space station," says Mehring.
Mehring describes her new role as the 'decision maker'.
"On their own console they take all the things that are going on nominally, so everything that is supposed to happen as well as any failures or issues that may cross them," says Mehring. "They will take information do a risk assessment and then go ahead and make a decision on what to do, so they are the final say in the flight control room at the time."
Mehring says her class's training could take anywhere from 9 to 12 months, and that she hopes by next year they will all be officially certified flight directors.
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