by Barbara S.
I spent the first 25 years of my career at Lockheed Martin working
on the Titan launch vehicle program, experiencing many highlights and quite a
few challenges. My most cherished memory would be the thrill I experienced in
the pre-dawn hours of October 15, 1997, when I participated on the launch team
that sent the Cassini mission on the first leg of its journey to Saturn. The
launch was flawless and spectacular, lighting up the Space Coast on that warm,
starry night. Our job for the Titan booster and Centaur upper stage was over in
less than 50 minutes, but the Cassini spacecraft, after finally arriving at the
ringed planet in July 2004, continues to amaze the scientific world with its
discoveries. I love to share its story and the stories of other great
exploration programs with school groups and the public through my volunteer
work with the NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador program. That's why I work in
this business.
