Apr 20, 2020
Purdue University Chemical Engineering graduate, Caroline Kostak, worked as a flight controller with United Space Alliance out of college. After that she worked to help make buildings green in Houston, TX. She was inspired from the movie Inconvenient Truth to work with green buildings. For Earth Day 2020, Caroline suggests that students can do an energy audit of their home and she encourages kids to get their parents involved. Caroline now works as a Spacesuit Systems Engineer, with a team, designing a new spacesuit that astronauts will wear on the next Moon mission. There are many variables to consider when working to design a new spacesuit. Caroline discusses some of these challenges that she, along with a team of approximately 250 people, is working on. Caroline explains that a person's ability to work with others is the key to success. She further discusses the materials that go into the design of the new Spacesuit, issues with Moondust, possible NASA spinoffs, various suits that the astronauts need, and the space station Lunar Gateway.