Space Foundation News
Amentum Team Brings All the LEGOs Together
Every mode of transportation brings many different pieces together if it is to go far. But what about when all the pieces come from different countries, suppliers and manufacturers? And what about when the Moon is the destination? Who puts all of it together? Meet Jason Bollinger, a third-generation space veteran who works as the…
Space Foundation Statement on Artemis II Launch
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — April 1, 2026 — Heather Pringle, CEO of Space Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 1983 to advance the global space community, issued the following statement today on the successful launch of Artemis II: “Today, people around the world share this generation’s Moon moment and celebrate the Artemis II crew and the extraordinary team supporting…
Veteran Lockheed Martin Engineer Driving Artemis Beyond Apollo’s Success
Blaine Brown has worked 40 years for Lockheed Martin and spent half his career on the Orion spacecraft. He remains as enthusiastic about human spaceflight as he was in the 1980s. “The pay is good, but there are a lot of easier jobs you could have and make money,” said Brown, who joined the Orion project at its earliest stage in 2005. “The inspiration…
Artemis Booster Expert Keeps NASA’s Solid Rocket Boosters Flight-Ready
For 37 years, Steve Nielson has been the man in the middle, joining sections of Northrop Grumman solid rocket boosters, first for the space shuttle and now for Artemis. He’s one of the last people left on the planet with an encyclopedic understanding of the seals, which hold back millions of pounds of thrust per booster. “There are only…
‘Throttle Up’ Takes on New Meaning for L3Harris Engineer Supporting NASA’s Artemis Missions
From the Garage to the Moon A couple of decades ago, Mark Aldaba was working on machines that only left the surface of Earth when something went horribly wrong. Those custom motorcycles and hot rods couldn’t hold a candle to the kind of horsepower he deals with now. One benefit from his youth spent on wheels, he said: “It gave me the start…
Hard Work and Talent Lead to Dream Job at Boeing
Boeing SLS engineer career Amanda Gertjejansen went to college with a single goal: Make more than her mother — enough to put poverty in the past. Now she’s on a rocket ride, managing a Boeing integrated product team overseeing the Space Launch System (SLS) core stage. Amanda Gertjejansen Boeing At Louisiana State University, Gertjejansen studied…
Artemis II’s Slow Crawl to the Moon: Inside the 8-Hour Journey to Launch
Update: Amentum’s Breanne Rohloff and her big rig got an extra workout Feb. 25, when NASA engineers decided to roll the Artemis II back to the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center to diagnose a helium flow issue in the launch vehicle’s upper stage. She will get the long drive back on the crawler…
Statement on the Confirmation of Jared Isaacman as NASA Administrator
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Dec. 17, 2025 — Heather Pringle, CEO of Space Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 1983 for the global space ecosystem, issued the following statement today on the confirmation of Jared Isaacman as the 15th Administrator of NASA. “On behalf of the entire Space Foundation team and our global community of space advocates,…
Statement on the Passing of Capt. James Lovell Jr., USN (Ret.), NASA Astronaut
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Aug. 8. 2025 — Heather Pringle, CEO of Space Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 1983 to advance the global space community, issued the following statement today on the passing of legendary NASA Apollo astronaut, Jim Lovell. “Jim Lovell’s life and leadership are an example of how persistence, skill, and teamwork…
Statement on the Passing of George Abbey
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — March 25, 2024 — Heather Pringle, CEO of Space Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 1983 for the global space ecosystem, issued the following statement today on the passing of George Abbey. “George Abbey’s leadership opened and defined new evolutions in spaceflight crews, spacecraft safety and operations and collaborative partnerships between…