Q&A with Gateway: Meet Jarrett Quasny, Life Cycle Review Lead in the Program, Planning and Control Office

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 the life cycle review lead in the Program, Planning and Control (PP&C) Office, Jarrett Quasny is responsible for developing criteria for the Gateway program milestone reviews, which provide a periodic assessment of Gateway’s technical and programmatic status and health at key points in the program’s life cycle. The Gateway program consists of multiple projects (both domestic and international) that come together to execute the Gateway mission. 

Keep reading to learn more about Jarrett, 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?
I work in the Gateway PP&C Office. PP&C is responsible for the “business” side of the Gateway program, including budget and resources management, acquisition strategy and contracts, schedules, cost estimating and assessment, information technology, life cycle planning, and external engagement.

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 the next logical step in human exploration. Gateway will be a research and staging outpost used to facilitate lunar exploration and allow us to learn more about living and working in deep space in preparation for exploring Mars and beyond.

How has your personal background influenced your work in the Gateway program?
I have been fortunate to work with great people in several different areas. I have worked in Flight Operations, the International Space Station Program Office, and now on Gateway. Exposure to different perspectives helps me understand how everything fits together to create a successful mission.

What has been your favorite memory while working at NASA?
Working on hardware that is now being used in space is cool!

Being surrounded by such a high-performing group of people, what’s a great piece of advice you’ve learned?
You don’t have to know everything. If you know where to find the answers, then you effectively do know everything! 

In line with JSC’s DARE | UNITE | EXPLORE, how do you see yourself fitting into the vision?
By working on the Gateway Program, I get to be involved in the future of human spaceflight:

DARE: Finding new efficiencies and incorporating lessons learned to implement a more streamlined process for program life cycle reviews.

UNITE: Working together with different projects and international partners to have a successful Gateway.

EXPLORE: Gateway is a big part of the Artemis missions, taking the next step in exploration beyond low-Earth orbit.

More about Jarrett:

Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Houston and went to Texas Tech University in Lubbock.

If you could temporarily live (or visit) in another part of the world, where would that be?
I would love to live in Italy, but my goal is to visit all seven continents.

How long have you been at JSC?
I’ve been at JSC for almost 18 years (since 2004).

Describe yourself in five words:
Determined, helpful, friendly, fun, reliable.

Favorite thing(s) to do to unwind:
Hanging out watching college sports with my wife Sarah and my dog Gator.

How has the pandemic shaped your work style?
I have enjoyed wearing shorts “to work” every day!

Name one thing we would be surprised to learn about you.
Before going to college, I managed a pizza restaurant for several years. And yes, I still love pizza!

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