The Philip Baker!!!

Hello! As the line above suggests, my name is Philip Baker. I’m co-oping at JSC, down here in warm, muggy Houston. Because I’m an engineer I get really antsy if documents aren’t in memo form... I have to see little titles and some organization or I start to hyperventilate.

Background Information

I grew up here: which is located a little west of Manhattan, Kansas. I am Senior in Mechanical Engineering at Kansas State University. Before working here I was an intern at CAT (Caterpillar Work Tools, Inc.), high school debate/forensics assistant coach, and a KSU math grader… all at the same time. As the stress of my jobs and school was rapidly destroying my soul I received an email notification about a chance to co-op at NASA. I sent them my resume, went to an interview, and was offered a job!

After doing some extra work on the side to pay for gas for the EXTREMELY LONG and BORING drive from Kansas to Houston I was on my way….

Working at NASA

Historic Mission Control room

My job here at NASA is amazing! I am part of the structures department, working on thermal design. At this precise moment I’m busy working on two big projects.

For the first project I’m helping resolve the dilemma of how to repair the Space Shuttle’s tile should it be damaged in space. I’ve created some 3-D mathematical models using some engineering programs (I know! mathematical models… programming… who needs Disneyland?!) to resemble damaged tile and also the repair that we’re putting in. My programs study the temperatures at the lower aluminum skin of the vehicle upon reentry with the repair installed.

The second large project I’m working on is the pre-planning stages for the new Crew Exploration Vehicle. With another mathematical model I created several orbits for the new craft to study the effects of different optical properties (which control how much energy is absorbed and emitted from the sun).

I also made a sandwich… at NASA!!! I bet you can’t say that.

Team Horny Toads

Social Life

Let me make this perfectly clear. I’m from Kansas… we go shoot at signs with guns for fun… and we also like to watch wheat grow. With that understood, Houston has been amazing. Whether it’s hanging out with the other co-ops watching a movie, or going on a weekend camping trip there is always something to do… I mean… come on, I can drive to Galveston in 45 minutes. Need I say more?