Q&A with Gateway: Meet Chris Radke, Subsystem Lead for the Reaction Control System and System Manager for the Chemical Refueling System

NASA’s Gateway program is continuing to make strides toward establishing a long-term presence on and around the Moon. As both the subsystem lead for the Reaction Control System within the Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) of the Gateway and the system manager for the Chemical Refueling System of the Gateway, Chris Radke leads a high-performing team of propulsion engineers to ensure systems safely maintain attitude and perform orbit maintenance over the Gateway’s lifespan. Working on major Gateway elements, Chris is leading system architecture, requirements, and testing that will enable the Gateway to be refueled in lunar orbit.

Keep reading to learn more about Chris, 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 support the program-level vehicle systems and Systems Engineering and Integration office in making sure that we are developing the right systems, with the right integration, across the complex task of on-orbit refueling. I also support the PPE element, which will contain one of the world’s most complex, integrated propulsion systems, comprised of both a high-performance solar-electric propulsion system, as well as a more traditional chemical propulsion attitude control system. These systems can both be refueled and work in tandem to enable the Gateway to perform a wide range of mission design requirements over its lifespan.

What are you most excited to share about Gateway and what it will do for human exploration as part of the Artemis program?
I’m most excited that the systems being developed will enable long-term, continuous exploration of the Moon. I get a lot of joy in knowing that my kids will get to grow up in an age where there is a constant presence of large crewed systems around the Moon, and I am fortunate to get to play a small part in those systems! 

How has your personal background influenced your work in the Gateway program?
I’ve always had a passion for learning, and Gateway has enabled me to get to work with so many different people across the globe that have different expertise and come from different walks of life.

What has been your favorite memory while working at NASA?
My favorite memory was working as part of a small team on the Project Morpheus main engine development. I was very fortunate to be surrounded by some fantastic mentors, on a fast-paced team, building and testing rocket engines. What more can someone ask for?

Being surrounded by such a high-performing group of people, what’s a great piece of advice you’ve learned?
A great piece of advice I once received was that that when intelligent people are failing to reach consensus, that proving you are “more right” is often a very ineffective strategy. Pivoting to trying to drive consensus, even if it requires compromise, will almost certainly lead to a better design solution.

In line with JSC’s DARE | UNITE | EXPLORE, how do you see yourself fitting into the vision?
I have always loved reading of explorers and heading out on fantastic adventures. I love that the spacecraft our teams are laboring to design is going to open a new age of exploration.

Meet Chris Radke, Subsystem Lead for the Reaction Control System and System Manager for the Chemical Refueling System. Image courtesy of Chris Radke.

More about Chris:

Where did you grow up?
I was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in Dubuque, Iowa.

If you could temporarily live (or visit) in another part of the world, where would that be?
I love traveling and spent a couple of days in Reykjavik, Iceland, bookending a weeklong hiking trip to the highlands of Iceland. I would love to get to spend much more time in Reykjavik, Iceland, or Scandinavia in general.

How long have you been at JSC?
I started as a NASA co-op in 2008 and was hired full-time in 2012.

Describe yourself in five words:
Creative, energetic, technical, outdoorsy, and a dad.

Favorite thing(s) to do to unwind:
I love to be outside, preferably camping or grilling out, with a cold beer and good music.

How has the pandemic shaped your work style?
Shaving off a daily commute, it’s been a nice change to have a bit more time with family in the morning, and sneak in some more time for exercise in evening — and both things have positively impacted my work productivity. On the downside, though, there are a huge number of people I’ve been working with for years that I still haven’t met yet!

Name one thing we would be surprised to learn about you.
I spent a lot of time growing up on my grandparents’ farm, and my family was always building things. When I was in high school, inspired after a trip to the National Museum of the United States Air Force, my dad and I went back home and built a large propane-powered jet turbine, with afterburner, in our garage. It requires a leaf blower to start, and we still fire it up every now and again … It makes a wonderful roar! 

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