Station Nation: From Dreams to Reality — Meet Christi Evans, Mission Planning Analyst

With a childhood dream to work at NASA, Christi Evans proves how passion, drive, and dedication can lead you to your highest potential. As a Mission Planning Analyst at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Christi plays a key role in assuring astronauts aboard the International Space Station have adequate consumables like food, water, oxygen, nitrogen, and waste hardware.

With nearly 12 years at NASA, Christi’s devoted persona and encouraging career journey has made her an inspiration to the many people working at the forefront of human space exploration.

The Houston native shares her path to NASA, thoughts on diversity and inclusion in the workforce, her favorite aspects of her career, and more.

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What ISS office do you support (e.g., Vehicle, External Integration, etc.)?

Mission Integration & Operations Office (OC).

What is your job title?

Mission Planning Analyst.

Describe what your position entails:

I analyze inventory data, vehicle launch schedules, and cargo vehicle manifest data. When I first started in the ISS Program, I presented inventory forecasts of space station in-orbit life support consumables such as water, oxygen, nitrogen, waste hardware, and food.

Now, my specialty is food. This entails manifesting food as well as keeping track of food in-orbit and making sure to protect reserves. I also coordinate with international partners on protocols and agreements, and develop plans regarding general consumables. On the side, I assist with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Inventory Management System teams by using RFID systems to locate lost consumables in-orbit, testing/validating barcode readers for the space station, and documentation/requirements.

How would you describe your job to family or friends who may not be as familiar with NASA as employees who are reading this?

My little ones like to tell everyone that I am like Amazon because I ship the astronauts on the space station food and bathroom stuff. Ultimately, I am an integrator for consumables on the space station and make sure we maintain our Generic Ground rules, Requirements, and Constraints (GGRC) reserves on the space station. My job is to make sure the crew has the consumables they need, especially food. I work with the Space Food Systems Laboratory very closely along with Foreign Object Debris and the cargo teams. Food is not only a necessity for survival but plays an important psychological role for folks aboard the space station. The International Space Station is the perfect test bed for many aspects of deep space exploration, with food logistics being a great example. We want to ensure the food system and processes fit within the constraints of sending humans to the Moon and Mars. What is fascinating to me is all throughout human history, whether for exploration or military campaigns, food has been a key factor in determining mission success and survival.

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How long have you been working for the agency?

Nearly 12 years.

What was your path to NASA?

Ironically, I never thought I would end up at NASA, even though it was always my dream. I grew up gazing into a telescope and being submersed into anything science and space-related from my father. I remember watching shuttle launches on TV and wishing one day I could feel a launch from those engines roaring.

After being told early that I didn’t have the right skills for a science career, I settled on graphic design. At the time I went to college, AutoCAD and animation were grouped into graphic design classes, but my true passion has always been science and looking up at the stars. While in college I took science classes, such as geology and space science, for fun. I find beauty and art in science, my art typically ties back to science topics, especially relating to NASA.

Once I graduated with a degree in graphic design, I started working in the design field. But I didn't feel quite satisfied. I kept wishing I just pursued my original dream. It wasn't until a few years later I found a job posting for an engineer's assistant at NASA – so I applied and got the job.

As I was working as an engineer's assistant in the Missions Operations Directorate (MOD), I started to realize not every job at NASA is working on Maxwell’s equations and continued thinking about being an engineer. I primarily assisted in working on requirements for Orion, as well as scheduling and system processes. After a few years in MOD, I transferred to the engineering directorate as an administrative assistant/project support for the Avionic Systems Division (EV). I got even more of a push from my fellow EV folks to continue my passion. Funny enough, I then began working with folks who do work on Maxwell equations.

I first started in EV as an administrative assistant, but my vivacious appetite to learn and wanting to help led me to scheduling and planning for some EV projects. Word got out that I could assist in project-management-type duties, and I was asked to support two HQ-funded technology projects: Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) for Avionics & Software Project and RFID-Enabled Autonomous Logistics Management (REALM). After supporting EV for over five years and enjoying every minute of it, an opportunity arose where I could support the ISS Program doing analysis for consumables. This was a huge step for me. My friends encouraged me to try, and, lo and behold, I got the job.

My home for the past three years has been the ISS Program, and I love doing consumables. There is nothing like being thrown in the Pacific Ocean and fed a fire hose. There was so much to learn, and even though it was a lot of information to take in, I knew I could do this. There is still so much to learn, and the best part about working at NASA is it’s never a boring day. You are always learning something new.

My driving force is my extreme passion for the space industry and wanting to contribute wherever I can to make each mission successful.

Is there a space figure you look up to?

This is hard because I have worked with so many great folks over the years and I have been inspired by so many amazing people here at NASA. Sally Ride, for being such a huge driving force in breaking the gender barrier, and Michelle Thaller (Astronomer at Goddard Space Flight Center), for her radiating passion and immense humbleness – she can translate complicated astrophysics to just about anyone. Her passion is amazing.

What do diversity, equity, and inclusion mean to you? How does it guide you in your work at NASA?

Diversity, equity, and inclusion allows NASA to tap the broadest possible set of experiences and perspective on all sorts of problems. I’m careful not to omit others or to dismiss their ideas simply because their backgrounds or life experiences are different. Having previously been told that I did not have the right skills and seeing how I’ve been able to contribute to NASA’s missions has helped me to appreciate diversity, equity, and inclusion.

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Do you have any advice for others, like yourself, who may be contemplating a career at NASA?

There are all sorts of opportunities here at NASA ranging from finance and budget analysis to nutrition and medical science, public relations, public affairs, legal, and security.

What is your favorite NASA memory?

Probably my first day working on-site because I thought I would never in my wildest dreams be able to work at NASA. I started in Building 4S 12 years ago, and now I am right back here in 4S fulfilling my dream.

What is the most meaningful project you've worked on during your time with NASA? 

This is a tough one because I find every project meaningful and magical, but one does stand out more than the rest: RFID-Enabled Autonomous Logistics Management (REALM). REALM has many stages, but essentially all stages use RFID to locate items on the space station. Lots of stuff gets lost on the station, plus crew time is precious and so is upmass. If we can find the items, we save time and money. I hope to see this project expanding into Artemis.

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What do you love sharing about the station to general audiences (regarding getting the general public to understand its role and how it benefits life on Earth)?

The space station has so many intriguing ongoing experiments from medical to physics to gardening to chemistry. One of the biggest surprises I get from folks is that the crew in-orbit must do chores just like us on Earth. I light up and will happily talk about the space station and space exploration with the public. I volunteer at the NASA booths whenever I get an opportunity.

What hobbies do you enjoy outside of work?

My favorite activities outside of work include hanging out with my family, going on nature hikes, stargazing, and geocaching (using multi-million-dollar satellites to hunt for Tupperware in the woods). I adore being out in nature, so when the weather is nice, I will work out and trail run or swim. I am an avid museum lover and adore visiting all kinds of museums — I even got married in the Houston Museum of Natural Science because I practically live there. I enjoy going to air shows such as Wings Over Houston — love me some aviation. I also dabble in a ham radio if I can sneak away in the attic. I also love to woodwork, oil paint, and cosplay at Comicpalooza or Texas Renaissance Fair. My new hobbies I want to get into are astrophotography and scuba diving!

Day launch or night launch (watching)?

I have never seen a launch in person (one day), but any launch that makes it to space is awesome!

Favorite Space Movie?

This is hard because I adore space movies. My top favorites are Apollo 13, The Martian, Hidden Figures, The Fifth Element, Star Wars, Star Trek, and Spaceballs.

NASA worm or “meatball” logo?

Worm.

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