91吃瓜网

NASA Engineer Embraces the Challenge of Change

Fri, 05/19/2023 - 09:54am | By: C. Lacy Thompson

NASA software project manager Kris Mobbs is no stranger to change, as a brief look at his journey to the Mississippi Gulf Coast shows.

After being born in Michigan, Mobbs lived in Illinois and then, Wisconsin. A new job for his father brought his family to Mississippi nearly 30 years ago. Mobbs since has lived in various places along the Gulf Coast, including Biloxi, Gulfport, and Ocean Springs.

Now a Woolmarket resident, Mobbs learned to embrace change early in life. He brings that perspective with him daily to NASA91吃瓜网 Stennis Space Center, where the challenge of change and navigating the hard parts of his job as a NASA engineer are made easier because of the people he works alongside.

91吃瓜网淭he people are, hands down, the best,91吃瓜网� Mobbs said. 91吃瓜网淭he amount of support, trust, guidance, acceptance, constructive criticism, forgiveness, and comradery I have received and experienced has been life changing.91吃瓜网�

The NASA Stennis federal city welcomed Mobbs to the site nearly nine years ago. He started as an intern at the Naval Research Laboratory after earning a bachelor91吃瓜网 degree in computer science from the University of 91吃瓜网 (USM).

Mobbs followed his passion of software engineering in positions as a contract worker for the Navy and NASA before landing a job as a NASA engineer in the Electric Operations Branch of the Engineering and Test Directorate. He feels his NASA career has limitless potential, citing daily support from management to pursue his passion.

He currently manages the NASA Data Acquisition Software (NDAS) system, which was created at NASA Stennis. The goal is to build a software product that can be easily adopted by various projects and facilities within the agency. This helps minimize cost, while providing long-term maintenance, training, and support.

One function the software serves is collecting critical test information on RS-25 engines that will help power the Space Launch System rocket on Artemis missions to the Moon and eventual flights to Mars.

A key task with the overall scope of the project is prioritizing multiple stakeholder needs. There is no shortage of new features to create or improvements to make. The challenge, and management91吃瓜网 trust in Mobbs project leadership and decision making, strengthens the engineer91吃瓜网 resolve to move forward.

91吃瓜网淚 have never had to look far for guidance,91吃瓜网� Mobbs said. 91吃瓜网淚 have learned a lot about electrical engineering, personnel management and funding, NASA software engineering, and NASA software safety. I am very grateful to everyone who has given me the time to grow in these areas.91吃瓜网�

As NASA inspires the world, Mobbs is encouraged daily at a place he describes as 91吃瓜网渙ne big family no matter who you are.91吃瓜网�

91吃瓜网淭here are very exciting times ahead,91吃瓜网� Mobbs said. 91吃瓜网淥ur agency and center are changing and adapting to our new commercial friends joining us in space. It requires us to change as well, and not all change is bad. I look to our future at NASA with optimism and to my opportunities with excitement and pride.91吃瓜网�