As a member of the Crew and Thermal Systems Division, Aaron Rose supports critical cargo resupply missions to the International Space Station. In this role, he works with payload developers to safely transport temperature-controlled science experiments to and from station with portable coolers, freezers, and refrigerators.
For the full flight cycle, Rose and his team members ensure all cold stowage hardware, operations, and personnel are coordinated to ensure science experiments are handled safely and securely - all the way from launch to landing. These experiments are vital to unlocking discoveries that are not possible on Earth, improving life on our home planet and helping pave the way for the return to the Moon and future journeys to Mars.
Read on to learn about Rose's career with NASA and more!
Where are you from?
I'm from Canton, Ohio (Home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame)
How long have you been working for NASA?
I have been working at Johnson Space Center for 18 years.
What was your path to NASA?
I started as a co-op with Jacobs Engineering in 2008 while attending The Ohio State University. In 2007, retired NASA astronaut Nancy Currie gave a talk at my school and she shared that there were opportunities for students to work at Johnson as a co-op or intern. Upon hearing this, I reached out to her, and she helped me apply to a co-op program. I was accepted and went on to complete several co-op semesters. After graduating with an undergraduate degree in industrial and systems engineering, I joined Jacobs Engineering as a full-time team member and moved to Houston to be a test engineer on a new docking system.
How would you describe your job to family or friends that may not be familiar with NASA?
I work on a team that specializes in temperature-controlled transportation. We receive domestic and international science experiments and pack them into coolers, freezers, or refrigerators. We also make sure those items are correctly installed into the spacecraft and work as expected. After splashdown, we receive the science samples and return them to the researchers as soon as possible. I also have some sway in what ice cream we launch and provide for the crew!
What advice would you give to young individuals aspiring to work in the space industry or at NASA?
