Meet Gateway’s Paula Smith

Paula Smith started her NASA journey three decades ago behind the wheel of Space Center Houston’s ubiquitous tram vehicle, sporting a blue jump suit as she whizzed excited tourists around NASA's Johnson Space Center. Three decades later, Smith spends time “behind the wheel” of a very different vehicle: Gateway, humanity’s first space station in lunar orbit.

Smith is Gateway’s health and medical technical authority representative and the health and human performance integration lead for Gateway’s Habitation and Logistics Outpost office. In this role, she provides insight into the module’s design and compliance with human systems requirements, and integration of health and human performance priorities. It’s just her latest in a long line of roles supporting NASA’s iconic human spaceflight programs.

Where did you grow up and when/how did you become interested in a career at NASA?

I grew up in League City, Texas, went to college at the University of Houston and graduated from the University of Houston-Clear Lake. I started working at Johnson within a year of graduation, so I’m about as local as you can get. Growing up in Clear Lake, while I knew about NASA, I didn’t have much insight into what NASA was until I was in college. Most of my adult role models growing up worked in the petrochemical industry. In college, I ended up meeting people who worked at NASA and began to really understand the type of work being done at Johnson. From engineering to programming to science, I thought it was all very interesting and exciting. It sounded like the place I wanted to be!

How long have you been at NASA?

I will have been at NASA 29 years in the fall, or longer if you count my time as a tour guide and tram driver at Space Center Houston. That was a fun college job, although I don’t miss the blue jumpsuits. It’s hard to believe it’s been almost 30 years. I have been very fortunate to work the Space Shuttle and International Space Station programs, as well as X-38, and now on to Artemis and Gateway. I’ve spent time in the Engineering; Safety and Mission Assurance; and Health and Human Performance directorates. It really has been an enjoyable experience, and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

What has been your favorite memory while working at NASA?

My favorite memory is being a part of the shuttle Return to Flight effort. I had been on maternity leave with my first child right before the Columbia accident, and when I came back to work, I was put on an accident investigation and recovery task that ultimately led to working for the Engineering directorate supporting the shuttle engineering and integration (SE&I) office. I learned so much during my time with the SE&I Office; not just the technical knowledge of space shuttle integration but how SE&I functions and what it means to be an integrator. I was also supporting the engineering tech authority during this time and really began to understand the value the tech authority brings to projects and programs. It was an honor to be a part of the effort to return to space. I feel the time spent with the shuttle SE&I office shaped the years to come for me, and I appreciate all the people who I worked with as each one taught me a great deal. The Space Shuttle Program will always hold a special place in my heart.

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What excites you most about Gateway and its role in Artemis missions?

What’s not to be excited about? We are going back to the Moon! I feel this is the logical next step in human exploration, and we are going to grow so much in capability and knowledge in the next 10-20 years.

Being surrounded by such a high-performing group of people, what’s a great piece of advice you would give to someone interested in your role?

I subscribe to the philosophy of “it takes a village”. I think it’s important to understand your strengths and weaknesses and surround yourself with people who complement you. As an integrator, you have to be knowledgeable about most things, but not an expert. So you have to lean on your subject matter experts and fellow integrators. Being able to communicate is critical. You have to be able to ask critical questions and thread disparate pieces together to find common issues. Most importantly, you must be a good listener.

What are five words your friends/family would use to describe you?

Humble, kind, honest, balanced, and – while this isn’t a word – lots of my friends call me the “voice of reason."

What is another super memorable moment at NASA?

Seeing the launch of STS-130 Endeavour. Having worked in the Shuttle Program, I was determined to see a launch before the retirement of the program.  It was one of the last night launches. If you have been to a shuttle launch, you know it is amazing. But at night, it is unbelievable. As it happens, my father had recently passed away after a long illness. I like to think Dad was there to watch it with us, telling us “Dang good job” because that was the biggest compliment you could ever get from him. Even though he was a man of few words, we knew he was proud to tell people his daughter and son-in-law worked at NASA. A few years ago, I got to see Atlantis at the Kennedy Space Center visitors center. It was quite special to see again and brought back a lot of memories.