Q&A with Gateway: Meet Adam Schlesinger, Project Lead Engineer for the Habitation and Logistics Outpost
The Gateway, a multipurpose outpost orbiting the Moon and vital part of NASA’s Artemis program, is built with sound engineering and operational principles that will serve as a staging point for deep space exploration and model for future missions to Mars. As project lead engineer, Adam Schlesinger supports the execution of engineering technical authority for the Habitation and Logistics Outpost, or HALO, and leads the coordination and technical integration of engineering resources with the Power and Propulsion Element (PPE). Schlesinger is also responsible for engineering integration across all HALO spacecraft systems, working closely with the project office, Northrop Grumman, system managers, and technical leads.
Keep reading to learn more about Adam, and don’t forget to follow the Gateway on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news, milestones, and activities!
What does your office do for the Gateway program?
The Habitation and Logistics Outpost will launch together with the Power and Propulsion Element on a SpaceX Falcon heavy rocket and will be the first Gateway configuration and habitable foundation in near-rectilinear halo orbit around the Moon to support sustainable lunar exploration.
What are you most excited to share about Gateway and what it will do for human exploration as part of the Artemis program?
Gateway is a critical foundation, and an enabling component of the larger Artemis architecture. Gateway is combining lessons learned from previous programs and new capabilities to support sustained human lunar exploration and will also serve as a platform to exercise new exploration capabilities for when we send humans to Mars.
How has your personal background influenced your work in the Gateway program?
Prior to supporting Gateway, I managed and led multiple exploration technology development efforts as part of Advanced Exploration Systems. Several of the technologies I worked on have been incorporated into the Gateway baseline architecture (e.g., time-triggered ethernet and NASA’s Core Flight Software) or are planned for future use on Gateway (e.g., delay/disruption tolerant networking). I also led multiple public/private partnerships as part of the Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships-2 Appendix A: Habitation Broad Agency Announcement, including with Northrop Grumman, as part of a design that eventually evolved into HALO.
What has been your favorite memory while working at NASA?
There have been a lot of good memories, and hopefully many more to come, but my favorite is meeting my future wife, Thilini, on my very first day at NASA.
Being surrounded by such a high-performing group of people, what’s a great piece of advice you’ve learned?
Early in my career supporting communication system analysis and testing, I learned that although technical analysis and theory are important, systems don’t always behave or perform as expected when the rubber meets the road. As a result, I have always valued the importance of both system and integrated testing and am a strong proponent of “Test Like You Fly.”
In line with JSC’s DARE | UNITE | EXPLORE, how do you see yourself fitting into the vision?
I believe my role aligns well with all areas of the vision. The HALO and PPE teams DARE to be trailblazers to design, develop and launch the first Gateway configuration, will UNITE multiple NASA centers (JSC, Goddard, Kennedy, etc.) and commercial providers (Northrop Grumman, Maxar, SpaceX, etc.) to be successful, and will establish a foundation for humans to EXPLORE farther than ever been before.
More about Adam:
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland, which is about 12 miles from Goddard Space Flight Center and very close to Washington, D.C.
If you could temporarily live (or visit) in another part of the world, where would that be?
There are many places that I would like to visit, but Hawaii and Australia are two examples.
How long have you been at JSC?
I started at JSC as a co-op (now called a Pathways intern) in January 2004.
Describe yourself in five words:
Hardworking, respectful, determined, engineer, and Papa.
Favorite thing(s) to do to unwind:
I enjoy playing with my three children, spending time with my wife and family, listening to music, logic puzzles, and investing. I also enjoy both playing and watching sports and am a big University of Michigan fan. Go Blue!
How has the pandemic shaped your work style?
Working from home means that work is always nearby, but it has allowed me to spend more time with my family, which has been nice. It has also increased my oldest daughter’s understanding and interest into what I do, and she now “knows” a lot of the people I work with.
Name one thing we would be surprised to learn about you.
I have never seen a launch in person, despite prior attempts. I’m hoping one of the Artemis flights will be the first!
At Johnson, we are laser-focused on the next: going forward to our lunar neighbor to build outposts in uncharted territory while revolutionizing the strategies and technologies that will eventually open up the universe. The Gateway is a critical component of the Artemis program and embodies Johnson's DARE | UNITE | EXPLORE vision: We dare to expand frontiers. We unite with our partners to complete bold missions. We explore space to benefit humanity.
DARE | UNITE | EXPLORE
