Amy Ross
I'm Amy Ross. I am a space suit project engineer in the Crew and Thermal
Systems Division. My responsibilities include the development and test of
advanced space suits. Currently, my primary project is preparing for a
field trip to the desert near Flagstaff and Meteor Crater, Arizona, in
September. There we will test our developmental suits while they perform
tasks such solar panel and power cable deployment, geology, and ground
core sample drilling.
Other interesting things that I get to do as a space suit engineer include
testing space suits in the KC-135 Reduced Gravity Aircraft (the Vomit
Comet) and in the Neutral Bouyancy Laboratory (a huge swimming pool where
astronauts train for space walks). I have worn 6 different space suits,
including the launch escape suit (the orange suits the astronauts wear to
launch). I have been a suited test subject myself.
I have been working at NASA since 1990 as a cooperative education student
and was hired as a permanent employee in 1996. I have a Masters and
Bachelors degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University.
In my free time I walk my dog (she's big, a Great Dane), am an associate
advisor for Venture Scout Crew 442, read, travel, watch movies, and am
active at church.
I am really looking forward to being a TASP mentor!