My Day as a Test Director
Before NASA sends materials to space, it is important to ensure that the materials are safe for use in space. Part of this safety testing takes place at NASA's Johnson Space Center in the Energy Systems Test Area Facilities, where the team ensures that items that launch do not present a hazard to the crews in space.
Kelly Watson is a Test Director in the Energy Systems Test Area (ESTA) and is currently working on testing Canon batteries for non-camera hardware that will be used on both Orion and the International Space Station to improve safety by preparing for contingency scenarios as well as operating a post-landing carbon dioxide scrubber.
The batteries she is testing will be used on the Anomaly Gas Analyzer (AGA), a portable, battery-powered device designed for ISS and Orion that measures and displays the concentration of gases in the cabin environment. These batteries will also be used in Orion's Post Landing LiOH hardware, which will activate when crews return to Earth from Artemis missions and will remove CO2 from Orion as ground crews retrieve the astronauts from their ocean landing.
In addition to the battery testing, Kelly is also testing an Ultrasound device that has the opportunity to replace the current Ultrasound device on the ISS and potentially be included in Orion's medical kit.
Roundup invites you to join us as we jump into a day in the life of the Artemis generation. The timeline below reflects Kelly's day on December 2, 2019.
5:50 a.m.: My alarm goes off but it takes me a few minutes to decide to get up to start my coffee. I begin listening to the most recent “Danny in the Valley” podcast where the host interviews Kimbal Musk, Elon Musk’s brother.
6:40 a.m.: Start my commute to Johnson from Montrose and begin a different podcast, “Heavyweight.”
7:20 a.m.: Arrive at NASA and wish the security guard a good morning.
7:25 a.m.: Park in front of building 30 and put a Chansey in a red gym and spin the Pokestops to get gifts to send to my brothers. When my brothers came to visit from Wisconsin they got me started with Pokemon Go, and I’ve continued playing well after they left. Add me! (Trainer code: 1105 1576 7311)
7:35 a.m.: Enter the gate to the Energy Systems Test Area (ESTA).
7:40 a.m.: Get to building 354P and find Pete Sanchez to confirm that the bell jar is ready for my vacuum leak test. When I find out that we are ready to go, I find Linda Riviera, our resident QA, and ask her to support the test which requires quality oversight. The test articles are Canon batteries that will be used for both Orion and ISS. Today we have 78 Class I Canon batteries that need to be tested at 0.1psi with a 6 hour hold.
8:25 a.m.: Save data files from charge/discharge cycling of the Ultrasound that is being tested for the space station, and begin the next charge cycle.
8:40 a.m.: Sit down in the workspace at the back of the test facility to check my email and see what’s on my calendar for the day.
9:30 a.m.: Request Linda’s support as well as Henry Bravo’s to begin post-test cycling on 13 Canon batteries.
10:00 a.m.: Our weekly group tag-up, “Battery Status Meeting,” begins. We meet every Monday to discuss priorities for the testing in the area; the facilities are busier than ever and we have to make sure that we plan accordingly.
11:30 a.m.: Update the testing schedule for the Canon battery and Ultrasound tests. I’ve been using Office 365 Planner to communicate scheduling with all parties.
1:00 p.m.: Confirm all paperwork is ready for vibration testing tomorrow. The Ultrasound needs to undergo vibration testing in order to detect material and workmanship flaws by subjecting the battery to a dynamic vibration environment.
1:30 p.m.: Save data and begin discharge cycle of Ultrasound.
1:40 p.m.: Head over to building 350 to eat lunch at my desk and check if I missed any calls. Now that I’m busy testing, I can rarely be found at my desk. I try to let everyone know that if they need to reach me they should call my cell, or track me down at the testing facilities.
2:10 p.m.: Head over to building 352 to input the vibration spectrum with Frank Zambrano. We usually start vibration testing early in the morning, so it’s nice to have everything prepared.
2:40 p.m.: Take out Canon batteries from vacuum chamber and take post-test measurements. All 78 batteries passed vacuum testing.
3:10 p.m.: Respond to emails.
4:10 p.m.: Save cycling data from the test system that was cycling Class III Ultrasound batteries. These batteries underwent safety testing (overcharge, external short, overdischarge) and the discharge capacities are compared pre and post-testing.
4:40 p.m.: Save data and begin charge cycle of Ultrasound.
4:50 p.m.: Review data from Ultrasound tests and compile the most important data into tables. David Delafuente is the battery safety expert that I’m working with on this test, and he uses this data to determine whether to certify the device for flight or not.
5:30 p.m.: Respond to emails and check calendar for tomorrow.
6:00 p.m.: Leave JSC and begin my guilty pleasure podcast, “Say Bible.”
6:45 p.m.: Arrive back at home and immediately start devouring chips and salsa.
7:30 p.m.: Check Discord and find a T5 Pokemon Go raid nearby.
8:30 p.m.: Take out work laptop to update my to-do list for tomorrow. I like to organize my thoughts in the evening to make sure that I’m prepared for the next day and don’t forget about any commitments.
Kelly Watson is a Test Director in the Energy Systems Test Area. This story is part three in the series A Day in the Life: The Artemis Generation, highlighting team members at Johnson who are leading NASA to the Moon and exemplifying the center vision of Dare. Unite. Explore. If you know someone making giant leaps on site, feel free to recommend them for the series by emailing rounduptoday@mail.nasa.gov
