Beers with Engineers

Irene Chan: Planning NASA Space Flights

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#61 – Irene Chan: Planning NASA Space Flights

  • Irene is a flight planning engineer at a NASA supplier who drinks stout.
  • Teachers encouraged her to try a career in math.
  • Fear of gangs in East LA was real.
  • Spent a lot of time at libraries as a child
  • Both Irene and Bert read the encyclopedia for fun.
  • “Stand and Deliver” great movie and true story
  • Initially she struggled with calculus and physics in college.
  • Partially due to involvement in student engineering organizations, which she recommends.
  • Her stubbornness let her persevere.
  • She struggled in basic classes but excelled in high level ones.
  • Flight planning priorities are the humans, the vehicle, and then the mission.
  • Weather is main reason for scrubbing a flight.
  • The issue is less the flight but in the event a rescue is needed.
  • Is an ion engine an ion motor?
  • Sometimes the acronym comes first and then the acronym.
  • She wants NASA to resume support of STEM programs.
  • Do astronauts train on how to go to the bathroom in space? Probably.
  • A brief visit from Irene’s daughter, who likes magna-tiles and marble run.

    • Bert’s Company – www.dexterityeng.com

    Merchandise - www.beerswithengineers.shop 

    French onion soup recipe - French onion soup.pdf

    Hat tip to Joseph McDade for free use of his music "Mirrors".

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    Beers with EngineersBy Bert Uschold