The 2 profession naval aviators have been amongst twelve candidates chosen by NASA to take part within the Artemis coaching program. Now, having graduated, they’ve earned their astronaut wings, securing eligibility for spaceflight, together with assignments to the Worldwide House Station (ISS), future industrial locations, and missions to the Moon and Mars.
Impressed as a toddler by films and books on Apollo astronauts and the unbelievable bravery they displayed in conducting their mission, Wittner states that it was exhilarating to listen to the information that she had been accepted to this system.
“It modified all the pieces,” Wittner exclaimed. “And this system has simply been fantastic. Now, at the moment, I’m graduating.”
For Hathaway, the decision got here in whereas he was working aboard his ship, the plane service USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75).
“It was a reasonably surreal expertise, and it was simply superior to be with my Navy household when it occurred,” he stated. “I simply beloved that I used to be about to do one thing else that I used to be going to like.”
A 2004 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) and 2016 graduate of NWC, Hathaway credit his skilled navy training (PME) expertise for enabling him to use technique and inventive pondering to his coaching as an astronaut and naval profession as a pacesetter.
“There are plenty of challenges related to spaceflight. Rather a lot are extra technical, and plenty of them are people-related, involving management and staff membership,” he acknowledged. “The Naval Battle School actually made me take into consideration why issues are taking place the way in which they do and learn how to get a bunch of individuals to maneuver strategically within the path needed to attain the objective,” he acknowledged.
Wittner echoed related sentiments, having earned a grasp’s diploma in aerospace engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate College (NPS) in 2018 and a Joint Skilled Navy Schooling (JPME) I certification from NWC’s School of Distance Schooling (CDE) in 2021. She attributes her potential to worth completely different management views and problem-solving approaches to her navy training.
“Everyone in our class, all people on this workplace, is a pacesetter in his or her respective area,” she acknowledged. “The Battle School actually helped set me on that path too as a result of it was one other steppingstone in direction of honing completely different management expertise and rising into this as a extra senior position.”
Wittner provided that her publicity to various management types got here particularly from reflecting on readings and case research which allowed her to critically look at her present and future management types. She advises present PME college students and all these wishing to achieve success of their navy careers to not stay static of their pondering, however moderately to foster an open and curious thoughts.
Now that they’ve graduated, each Hathaway and Wittner are wanting ahead to donning their NASA Extravehicular Mobility Fits (EMUs) and readying themselves for the essential missions that lie forward. However the affect of their coaching will follow them eternally. For Hathway, the very best a part of the expertise has been the sense of group established by way of shared expertise.
“You simply by no means encounter somebody who’s right here accidentally,” he acknowledged. “Everyone seems to be of the identical mindset that she or he desires to be a part of the staff supporting the nation in pushing boundaries and exploring house, and it’s fairly cool to be surrounded by that stage of enthusiasm.”
Wittner concurred, including that it was fantastic collaborating with so many individuals from various backgrounds to resolve issues and reminding these with a dream that there isn’t a one set path to NASA.
“We’re surrounded by lecturers, cellphone engineers, medical doctors, and many others.,” she commented. “Everybody brings one thing to the desk!”
Of their academic {and professional} accomplishments, each graduates comply with within the footsteps of lauded astronaut, Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr., a naval aviator, graduate of NWC and the USNA and the primary American and second particular person to journey into house. Fascinated by flight, Shepard was additionally the fifth and oldest individual to stroll on the Moon on the age of 47.
NASA continues its work aboard the ISS, which has maintained greater than 23 consecutive years of human presence. The company is also enabling the event of latest industrial house stations the place crew members will proceed conducting science to learn Earth and deep house exploration.
As a part of NASA’s Artemis marketing campaign, the company will set up the inspiration for long-term scientific exploration on the Moon; land the primary lady, first individual of shade, and its first worldwide companion astronaut on the lunar floor; and put together for human expeditions to Mars for the good thing about all.
NWC delivers excellence in training, analysis, and outreach, informing at the moment’s decision-makers and educating tomorrow’s leaders. The faculty supplies academic experiences and studying alternatives that develop college students’ potential to anticipate and put together strategically for the long run, strengthen the foundations of peace, and create a decisive warfighting benefit.
