All Hands featured Johnson’s impact on Journey to Mars, JSC 2.016 and more
2016-09-09
On Sept. 6, Johnson Space Center Director Dr. Ellen Ochoa and JSC Deputy Director Mark Geyer convened the workforce to review latest center updates and recent progress with JSC 2.016 initiatives. For the home of human spaceflight, the last few months have been busy for all the major programs.
A big topic of conversation was NASA’s Journey to Mars and how the work we are doing now is preparing us for missions that will take us further than ever before. The oft-mentioned Journey to Mars graphic, which represents the steps required for a purposeful and prudent pathway to the Red Planet, is something that has JSC’s fingerprints all over it.
“This is really an agency view but, clearly, JSC is all over this picture,” Ochoa said. “I believe we’re the key player to making all of this happen.”
Along with updates from the International Space Station, Commercial Crew Program, Orion, the Human Research Program and more, Ochoa focused on key areas that will improve access to space, like the International Docking Adapter. This piece of equipment, just attached to the space station during a spacewalk in August, will be crucial for commercial access to the International Space Station, as well as astronauts once again launching from U.S. soil.
Also discussed was how JSC will proceed in moving from “Earth Reliant” to “Mars Ready.” How we get there, Ochoa indicated, would be through JSC 2.0—thinking and reacting differently to challenges, as well as maximizing the center’s resources.
One great success story that recently got a lot of attention in the news initially began as a 2x2015 (later growing to 5x2015) project—the Biomolecule Sequencer. Ochoa enthused that in late August, it became the first instrument to sequence DNA in space, opening up a host of scientific and medical possibilities. (Not familiar with these great projects? Brush up on them here.)
Ochoa also covered the four main activities of JSC 2.016 (Connect to the Mission; Enable Change; Remove Obstacles; and Make Programs Successful) and what senior leaders had been doing on their respective teams to make that vision a reality in the upcoming fiscal year and beyond. For example, the Connect to the Mission team developed JSC’s new mission statement, Lead Human Space Exploration, along with our four priorities: maximize use of the space station; enable the success of the Commercial Crew Program; develop Orion for future missions; and build the foundation for human missions to Mars.
“I really feel a sense of urgency,” Ochoa said. “There [are] no guarantees that we will continue to be asked to lead unless we continue to show that we are evolving.”
The “Humans of JSC” blog on the JSC 2.0 website was also unveiled. This new feature will showcase stories of the JSC team, illustrating how each person fits into the overall picture of making spaceflight successful.
“How can we collaborate better?” Geyer said. “Sometimes when we’re in our own program, we get very focused [and] we don’t see [other programs].”
“Humans of JSC” will help bring each person’s special role to light.
The agency is continuing to implement a new operating model, Ochoa noted, utilizing technical capability leadership teams and Business Services Assessment teams to identify efficiencies NASA-wide. While the upcoming presidential transition brings some uncertainty, the progress on our programs, JSC 2.016 activities and strong support in Congress all serve to position JSC well in the coming year.
Did you miss the All Hands? View the video and download the charts here.
Follow Ellen on Twitter at @Astro_Ellen.
JSC Director Dr. Ellen Ochoa, left, and JSC Deputy Director Mark Geyer address JSC team members at the All Hands on Sept. 6. Image Credit: NASA/James Blair
Catherine Ragin Williams
NASA Johnson Space Center
A big topic of conversation was NASA’s Journey to Mars and how the work we are doing now is preparing us for missions that will take us further than ever before. The oft-mentioned Journey to Mars graphic, which represents the steps required for a purposeful and prudent pathway to the Red Planet, is something that has JSC’s fingerprints all over it.
“This is really an agency view but, clearly, JSC is all over this picture,” Ochoa said. “I believe we’re the key player to making all of this happen.”
Along with updates from the International Space Station, Commercial Crew Program, Orion, the Human Research Program and more, Ochoa focused on key areas that will improve access to space, like the International Docking Adapter. This piece of equipment, just attached to the space station during a spacewalk in August, will be crucial for commercial access to the International Space Station, as well as astronauts once again launching from U.S. soil.
Also discussed was how JSC will proceed in moving from “Earth Reliant” to “Mars Ready.” How we get there, Ochoa indicated, would be through JSC 2.0—thinking and reacting differently to challenges, as well as maximizing the center’s resources.
One great success story that recently got a lot of attention in the news initially began as a 2x2015 (later growing to 5x2015) project—the Biomolecule Sequencer. Ochoa enthused that in late August, it became the first instrument to sequence DNA in space, opening up a host of scientific and medical possibilities. (Not familiar with these great projects? Brush up on them here.)
Ochoa also covered the four main activities of JSC 2.016 (Connect to the Mission; Enable Change; Remove Obstacles; and Make Programs Successful) and what senior leaders had been doing on their respective teams to make that vision a reality in the upcoming fiscal year and beyond. For example, the Connect to the Mission team developed JSC’s new mission statement, Lead Human Space Exploration, along with our four priorities: maximize use of the space station; enable the success of the Commercial Crew Program; develop Orion for future missions; and build the foundation for human missions to Mars.
“I really feel a sense of urgency,” Ochoa said. “There [are] no guarantees that we will continue to be asked to lead unless we continue to show that we are evolving.”
The “Humans of JSC” blog on the JSC 2.0 website was also unveiled. This new feature will showcase stories of the JSC team, illustrating how each person fits into the overall picture of making spaceflight successful.
“How can we collaborate better?” Geyer said. “Sometimes when we’re in our own program, we get very focused [and] we don’t see [other programs].”
“Humans of JSC” will help bring each person’s special role to light.
The agency is continuing to implement a new operating model, Ochoa noted, utilizing technical capability leadership teams and Business Services Assessment teams to identify efficiencies NASA-wide. While the upcoming presidential transition brings some uncertainty, the progress on our programs, JSC 2.016 activities and strong support in Congress all serve to position JSC well in the coming year.
Did you miss the All Hands? View the video and download the charts here.
Follow Ellen on Twitter at @Astro_Ellen.
JSC Director Dr. Ellen Ochoa, left, and JSC Deputy Director Mark Geyer address JSC team members at the All Hands on Sept. 6. Image Credit: NASA/James Blair
Catherine Ragin Williams
NASA Johnson Space Center
JSC Director Dr. Ellen Ochoa, left, and JSC Deputy Director Mark Geyer discuss Johnson's role in the Journey to Mars at the Sept. 6 All Hands. Image Credit: NASA/James Blair