I’M VICKI CRISP, DIRECTOR FOR SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND CONCEPTS DIRECTORATE.
WE ARE IN PLACE IN ORDER TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF AERONAUTICS, EXPLORATION, AND SCIENCE.
WE INFORM DECISION MAKERS AT HEADQUARTERS ABOUT THE CHALLENGES AHEAD.
THERE ARE CHALLENGES COMING TO US OVER THE NEXT 50 TO 100 YEARS THAT WE NEED TO START
LOOKING AT NOW.
IF WE WANT TO WORK AND LIVE ON MARS, THERE’S MUCH TO BE ACCOMPLISHED.
IF WANT AVIATION TO LOOK DIFFERENT IN THE FUTURE AND SOLVE OUR EMISSIONS AND OUR NOISE
PROBLEMS, THERE’S MUCH TO BE ACCOMPLISHED THERE.
AND WE PARTICIPATE IN ALL OF THAT.
WITHIN THE SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND CONCEPTS DIRECTORATE WE DO COLLABORATE AMONG OUR BRANCHES.
I’M IN THE AERONAUTICS BRANCH, BUT THERE’S A SPACE BRANCH – IT’S KIND OF OUR SISTER
BRANCH – AND THERE’S A VEHICLES BRANCH AS WELL.
SO IN THE AERONAUTICS SYSTEMS ANALYSIS BRANCH OUR JOB REALLY IS TO WORK ON ADVANCED CONCEPTS
TO ASSESS ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES TO TRY TO ESTIMATE THE POTENTIAL FOR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES
TO IMPROVE ESSENTIALLY OUR LIFE HERE IN RELATION TO AERONAUTICS.
THE SPACE MISSION ANALYSIS BRANCH LOOKS AT A NUMBER OF THE FUTURE SPACE MISSIONS THAT
COULD BE OR WILL BE IN NASA’S FUTURE.
I WORK IN THE VEHICLE ANALYSIS BRANCH.
WE WORK DESIGNING VEHICLES AND EVALUATING TECHNOLOGIES AND HOW THEY IMPROVE VEHICLES
FOR SPACE EXPLORATION.
SACD IS THE PEOPLE WHO HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE OF WHAT NASA WILL EVENTUALLY DO.
ONE OF THE BIG PROJECTS THAT A LOT OF US IN THE SPACE MISSION ANALYSIS BRANCH (OR SMAB)
WORK ON IS THE EVOLVABLE MARS CAMPAIGN - THAT’S UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE PATH IS FROM WHERE
WE ARE RIGHT NOW THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM AND ORION THROUGH
THE DESIGN OF THE MORE ADVANCED SYSTEMS NEEDED TO DO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE ASTEROID ROBOTIC REDIRECT
MISSION ON THE WAY TO EVENTUALLY GOING TO AND EXPLORING MARS WITH HUMANS AND INDEED
BUILDING TOWARDS A FUTURE OF PIONEERING MARS.
I’M WORKING ON THE REUSABLE MARS LANDER THAT TAKES CREW OR PAYLOAD BACK AND FORTH
FROM MARS ORBIT TO MARS SURFACE.
THAT WILL BE USED WHEN WE GET TO THE HUMAN MARS MISSIONS.
WE’RE LOOKING AT CONCEPTS CALLED PERSONAL AIR VEHICLES.
IT’S KIND OF BEEN A DREAM FOR A LONG TIME THAT YOU CAN GO OUT INTO YOUR DRIVEWAY INSTEAD
OF GETTING IN YOUR CAR AND GETTING ON THE INTERSTATE SITTING IN A BIG TRAFFIC JAM WOULDN’T
IT BE COOL IF YOU COULD GET INTO YOUR PERSONAL AIR VEHICLE AND TAKE OFF AND FLY TO YOUR DESTINATION
AND THERE’S NO TRAFFIC JAMS AND YOU GET THERE VERY QUICKLY AND IT’S VERY SAFE AND
CONVENIENT.
THE FACILITIES THAT WE HAVE AT LANGLEY HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW WE GET OUR DESIGN FROM PAPER
TO FLIGHT.
EVERY AIRCRAFT IN THE PAST EVERY ONE YOU’RE FLYING IN HAS HAD A LANGLEY INFLUENCE BUT
WE WORK WITH MANY PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF NASA.
WE LOVE COLLABORATION.
WE’RE LOOKING TO INDUSTRY TO SUPPORT US WE’RE LOOKING TO ACADEMIA TO SUPPORT US
WE’RE LOOKING FOR RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING – OUR PARTNERS RIGHT HERE ON THE LAB – TO
SUPPORT US AND EVERY OTHER CENTER IN THE AGENCY.
I’VE WORKED WITH UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AND I’VE WORKED WITH VETERANS WHO HAVE BEEN
HERE FOR FIFTY YEARS WORKING AT NASA.
I’VE WORKED WITH PEOPLE FROM ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY.
I’VE WORKED WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE BACKGROUNDS IN ENGINEERING, BACKGROUNDS IN SCIENCE, BACKGROUNDS
IN NON-TECHNICAL FIELDS.
AND IT’S ALL OF THOSE PERSPECTIVES THAT COME TOGETHER THAT REALLY ALLOW US TO DO THE
KIND OF WORK WE DO HERE.
I WORK ON DESIGNING HABITATS WHICH ARE THE VEHICLES THAT ASTRONAUTS WOULD LIVE IN FOR
LONG DURATION TRIPS ON THE WAY TO MARS AND THE MOON.
I WORK ON CONCEPT AIRCRAFT AND LAUNCH VEHICLES.
I DO A LOT OF SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE ANALYSIS.
DISTRIBUTED ELECTRIC PROPULSION.
LOW BOOM SUPERSONIC AIRCRAFT.
WE GET A RICH VARIETY OF PERSPECTIVES ON THE PROBLEM AND IT REALLY ADDS A LOT OF VALUE.
THE PERSONNEL IN SACD ARE EXCITED TO COME TO WORK EVERY DAY BECAUSE WE’RE MOTIVATED
TO SERVE THE NATION CREATING A LEGACY THAT OUR NEXT GENERATION CAN BUILD ON TO SOLVE
THE PROBLEMS THAT THEY WILL EXPERIENCE.
IT’S A VERY EXCITING PLACE TO WORK DUE TO THE CHALLENGING NATURE OF THE WORK, THE ADVANCED
TECHNOLOGIES.
THE VERY EXCITING ACTIVITIES TO LOOK AT CONCEPTS AND MISSIONS.
I’VE GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ON THE CUTTING EDGE.
IT’S NOT JUST HERE ARE THE REQUIREMENTS AND COME UP WITH AN ENGINEERING SOLUTION.
WE GET TO PICK THE REQUIREMENTS AND PICK SEVERAL ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS THAT CAN ACHIEVE THOSE
GOALS.
IN FACT WE EVEN GET TO PICK THE GOALS SOMETIMES.
I LOVE THE PEOPLE THAT I WORK WITH.
THEY ARE JUST SO INTELLIGENT AND JUST SO INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE.
YOU GET TO WORK WITH MEDICAL DOCTORS.
YOU GET TO WORK WITH VIDEO GAME DESIGNERS.
YOU GET TO WORK WITH ROBOTICS ENGINEERS.
YOU GET TO MAKE WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE ALL AROUND THE WORLD.
GETTING INTO ALL THE DIFFERENT FIELDS AND LEARNING ABOUT A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING.
I WORK WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS; I MEET NEW PEOPLE; AND I’M CONSTANTLY LEARNING.
I GET TO WORK ON BUILDING THE FUTURE OF HUMANITY EVERY SINGLE DAY AND I LOVE IT.
I’VE ALWAYS BEEN INSPIRED BY THE ORGANIZATION.
IT’S WHERE WE GERMINATE NEW IDEAS AND THEN WE BRING OTHERS ON THAT TRIP AND THEY CONTRIBUTE
AND OUR END RESULT IS SO MUCH BETTER WITH EVERYONE THAT COMES WITH US.