His dream was at all times to work at NASA and on the age of 26 he achieved it. Roger Lascorz is a type of privileged minds that surprises. At simply 16 years previous, he left Reus, his hometown, and went to review Physics on the University of West Georgia. Upon commencement he started aerospace engineering at Georgia Tech and shortly thereafter did an MS from the Aerospace Systems Development Laboratory.
Roger achieved educational excellence translated into quite a few awards, recognitions and distinctions. Such is his expertise that in July 2019 he obtained a name from NASA itself indicating that after passing an exhaustive choice course of they needed him to turn out to be a part of the staff.
Since then, the person from Reus has labored supporting the Artemis program, which prepares the return of man to the Moon. In reality, he has skilled first-hand the primary launches and doesn’t rule out changing into, sooner or later, a type of astronauts who stroll on the moon.
Ask. You are from Tarragona, however you’ve been within the United States for a few years. How did the potential of going to review there on the age of 16 come about?
Reply. I had at all times needed to work within the United States and thought the earlier the higher. When I completed ESO, I discovered that it had the University of West Georgia, which accepted college students from different international locations who had been minors, and I ready for the SAT, which is like its selectivity.
Q. Did you begin college on the age of 16? This is for privileged brains.
A. Well, there are extra individuals who did it. The yr I went, two extra Catalans got here. The household helped me lots, in any other case I could not have afforded it. I received a scholarship that allowed me to pay as if I had been a non-immigrant and from throughout the state. At the age of twenty-two I completed my second diploma in aerospace engineering.
Q. And with good outcomes.
A. I studied lots and put in a whole lot of hours. My colleagues additionally helped me. It was troublesome, nevertheless it was good.
Q. You had been 16 years previous if you left. Was it laborious to be separated from your loved ones so younger?
A. Slightly. I got here to Catalonia twice a yr: for Christmas and in summer season. I known as them usually and typically they came visiting me.
Q. When did you begin working at NASA?
A. In July 2019. I used to be 26 years previous. It was a really emotional choice course of. I had an interview over the telephone as a result of I used to be in Pennsylvania. They had been technical and staff cooperation questions. After the interview they informed me that they might like to have me on the staff, however I did not wish to get excited till they formally informed me. I obtained emails that they’d a suggestion for me. I got here in as an engineer and electronics.
Q. And what area do you presently work in?
R. In voice system. I’m accountable for creating the techniques that on the day of the rocket launch don’t trigger interference. Think that on that day there are numerous individuals who talk with one another and can’t obtain interference from different techniques. For instance, I’m now engaged on defending a system from electromagnetic transfers. I’ve additionally labored on placing techniques that may maintain within the environment of the rocket with out the vibrations, stress or warmth of the rocket breaking.
Q. You have labored throughout the Artemis program, the return of man to the moon. In what area?
A. Both within the growth of voice techniques and within the growth of picture techniques.
Q. What does the event of imaging techniques encompass?
R. If you noticed the launch, the rocket brought about a whole lot of warmth, it got here out very quick, and it brought about a whole lot of vibrations. We needed to get high-resolution, high-speed photographs to have all of the figures you want to then iterate on the rocket if needed. At the identical time you want all this to endure being in a spot the place it’s sizzling and there may be vibration. It’s principally not all of the techniques that might usually be simpler in most locations and turns into extra difficult at NASA as a result of quantity of numbers and the circumstances underneath which the techniques must function.
I’m accountable for creating the techniques that on the day of the rocket launch don’t trigger interference
Q. Years in the past there was the aerospace race recognized from the Cold War, however we now have spent a few years with out stepping on the Moon. Why have we been so a few years?
R. You must ask the individuals of the American Congress or parliaments of different international locations. Both NASA and the European Aerospace Agency rely on the assist of people that then stress their politicians to present cash or not. At the top of the Cold War there was a gaggle of people that thought that some huge cash had been spent, that it had already been finished and that it ought to be invested in one other approach. Now, then again, there are individuals who suppose that doing it once more with the brand new expertise is value it.
Q. What is the Artemis program in search of?
R. First the a part of exhibiting that area is for everybody. One purpose is to place the primary lady and the primary individual of coloration on the moon. At the second there was nobody from these two teams that has gone. There was additionally speak of constructing a base on the Moon, as a result of usually it means staying for just a few days and coming again and what you wish to do is a construction the place there are at all times individuals completely and it receives different individuals who come and go. On the opposite hand, the Artemis program additionally serves to check techniques in case you wish to go to Mars. Instead of going thus far, you attempt to go nearer, you attempt to make every part work and you’re in an atmosphere the place if one thing fails, it isn’t as severe as if it fails when you’re going to Mars.
Q. From the skin we now have many imaginations. Is engaged on the chance that man can inhabit the Moon?
A. There are those that want to have a everlasting base on the Moon, nevertheless it is determined by Congress. There are individuals who consider establishing a base on the Moon in order that many experiments will be finished.
Q. Would it’s just like the bases in Antarctica?
A. Yes, comparable, however with just a few various things. You can do microgravity experiments, see the impact it has on the human organism. When you’re in area you lose bone mass in a short time. It is public info. NASA has developed methods to forestall gravity from inflicting you to lose bone mass. If this analysis progresses, then it can even be helpful on Earth for individuals who have osteoporosis or different medical issues.
Q. Have you at all times needed to work at NASA?
A. Yes, it’s principally the explanation I went to the United States.
Q. Do you wish to be an astronaut?
A. I utilized the final time NASA chosen individuals, however sadly they did not take me.
Q. Are the choice checks to be an astronaut laborious?
A. I do not know what they did. I despatched the paperwork and I did not cross the primary section, so I do not know the way the bodily checks of the individuals who went to the ultimate phases had been.
Q. If there may be one other name, will you apply once more?
R. Yes, I’ll introduce myself, to see if there may be luck.
Q. Is it considered one of your subsequent skilled objectives?
R. I want to, however I’ve to make short-term objectives since you take a look at who they took as an astronaut and they’re spectacular individuals. I perceive that they did not take me.
When you’re in area you lose bone mass in a short time. NASA has developed methods to forestall gravity from inflicting you to lose bone mass.
Q. Because of the bodily circumstances of those individuals?
A. For many issues. These are individuals with doctorates, pilots who’ve spent tens of hundreds of hours flying. I attempt to advance the place I’m and if sooner or later they catch me I’d like it, however I do not know what number of years it can take NASA to search for astronauts once more.
Q. What are your subsequent skilled objectives?
A. Realistic? I want to transfer up within the group wherein I’m now.
Q. From outdoors NASA, TV, motion pictures, sequence, have handed us an archetypal picture. What is NASA like inside? Is it as proven within the audiovisual world?
A. I’m on the Kennedy Space Center. There we put together rockets for launch. Maybe the Space Center Houston is extra just like the one they present within the motion pictures. At my heart, after we launched the Artemis 1 we had been all excited and hoping that every part would work out nicely. He thinks that many issues are finished at NASA. There are teams that maybe their particular work is much like what they describe within the sequence, however there are additionally teams that do very various things.
Q. As an expert, what’s the largest venture that NASA has readily available proper now?
R. From my standpoint the Artemis as a result of I consider lots in individuals returning to the Moon. Other facilities are additionally engaged on robotic missions to Mars.
Q. Do you propose to return to work in Spain?
A. It is unlikely. I’m fantastic at NASA.