Listen to this audio clip from Grace Lauderdale, exploration project manager for NASA Johnson’s Training Systems Office:
In preparation for their mission around the Moon aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft, the Artemis II crew will spend countless hours training inside the Orion mission simulator. The simulator replicates what the crew will experience inside the spacecraft and allows astronauts and flight controllers to rehearse each phase of the mission.
As exploration project manager for Johnson’s Training Systems Office, Grace Lauderdale leads the team that develops and operates the Orion mission simulator at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, playing a key role in ensuring astronauts and flight control teams are ready for the first crewed mission of the Artemis campaign.
Grace Lauderdale
Exploration Project Manager for NASA Johnson Training Systems Office
The simulator is much more than a model. It connects directly to Johnson’s Mission Control Center, sending data, audio and video in real time, just as the spacecraft will during flight. This means the flight control team trains in parallel, seeing and hearing exactly what they would do throughout the mission.
“One of our main goals is to make the data they see on their screens look like the actual vehicle,” Lauderdale said. “We also simulate near and deep space networks, including all communication delays. It’s all about realism.”
This realism is powered by a complex software system developed in collaboration with partners like Lockheed Martin. The Lauderdale team works behind the scenes to ensure the simulator runs smoothly: writing code, fixing problems, and even creating custom malfunctions to challenge the crew during training.
To prepare astronauts for the unexpected, instructors work with the Lauderdale team to simulate problems that might arise during the mission, some of which require creative solutions.
“Sometimes instructors ask for malfunctions or abilities that the simulation doesn’t automatically respond to,” she said. “Part of our role is to find ways to do that. »
His team plans, develops and executes training scenarios in the Orion mission simulator on multiple Artemis missions, often simultaneously. “Currently, we are planning future crewed missions, the development of Artemis III and the execution of Artemis II,” she said.
The work is demanding, but deeply personal, according to Lauderdale.
Grace Lauderdale
Exploration Project Manager for NASA Johnson Training Systems Office
This passion is reflected in his leadership. His team often works nights, weekends and holidays to ensure the simulator is ready. During a recent 30-hour simulation, they spent days preparing, troubleshooting memory issues, and making sure the system wouldn’t crash. This is not the case.
“I’m very proud of my team,” she said. “They put in countless hours of work to ensure that this simulator reacts exactly as it would during a real mission.”
For Lauderdale, helping send astronauts around the Moon isn’t just a job, it’s a dream come true.
“Participating in our return to the Moon is very personal for me,” she said. “And I’m proud to be part of the team that will help our astronauts get there.”
