Retired Las Cruces rocket engineer recalls mission
“While the rest of the world was glued to their television sets watching as Apollo 11 astronauts landed on the Moon, all of us at NASA were breathing a sigh of relief,” retired Las Cruces NASA engineer Ray Melton said. A 1966 graduate of New Mexico State University, Melton was part of the NASA and contractor team at White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) working on the spacecraft propulsion systems that landed the Apollo 11 lunar module (LM) on the Moon July 20, 1969 – 50 years ago this week.
NMSU receives national geomatics, surveying education grand prize
The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying recently awarded the New Mexico State University Geomatics/Surveying Engineering program the grand prize for the 2019 NCEES Surveying Education Award. This annual award recognizes surveying programs that best reflect the organization’s mission to advance licensure for surveyors in order to safeguard the health, safety and welfare of the public.
A Giant Leap for Española Chile, the First to be Grown in Space
For Española native Jacob Torres, what he sees on his daily commute to work is something that just never seems to get old. The goosebumps resurface nearly every day. “Almost every day — even this morning — I wake up and on the way here, I can’t believe it,” Torres said in a June 26 interview. “You drive past the space shuttles and see the VAB (Vehicle Assembly Building), which you see on the Discovery Channel and stuff. Every day my hair stands up and I can’t believe I get to work here.”
Most Influential Women: Caryn Gose, SRP
Jim Chavez to lead NMSU’s Physical Science Laboratory
Jim Chavez, a former vice president at Sandia National Laboratories, has been named director of New Mexico State University’s Physical Science Laboratory. He begins this week. As director, Chavez will manage PSL’s strategic direction, establish national defense and security policies and the staffing and compensation practices necessary to effectively compete for and deliver products and services in the areas of research and technology.
ANGLeS Challenge Championship set for July 20
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing and to prepare for the next giant leap, NASA’s Northwest Earth and Space Sciences Pipeline will hold the Apollo Next Giant Leap Student Challenge — The ANGLeS Challenge. The event is hosted by the College of Engineering at New Mexico State University. The event is free and all are invited to attend.
In Memoriam: Hassell “Kingman” Nix
Atomic Aggies represent MAE, NMSU at 3rd annual Spaceport America Cup
The Atomic Aggies, NMSU’s high-powered rocketry team, achieved their first successful launch at the 3rd annual Spaceport America Cup this past June. This rocketry competition attracted 124 schools from 14 countries to design, build, and launch rockets to either 10,000 or 30,000 feet.
In Memoriam: John M. “Jack” Ewing
Solar Power Systems for Homeowners Workshop set for July 27 at NMSU
A solar power system can be a reliable electricity source for your home. If you are a homeowner who needs a starting point or more information, the College of Engineering at New Mexico State University is offering a Solar Power Systems for Homeowners Workshop, July 27, as part of its engineering extension and outreach services, in partnership with the Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce and the American Solar Energy Society.