Me in the Flight MPSR (Multi Purpose Support Room) where I worked as a flight controller.

Nichole Segura...

Howdy! My name is Nichole Segura, and I’m a senior in Aerospace Engineering at Texas A&M University. WHOOP! I am currently on my third tour here at NASA-JSC.

BACKGROUND IN A NUTSHELL…
I was born in Lafayette, LA on Mardi gras day (Cajun blood!), lived in Baytown, TX, and family currently lives in Port Neches, TX. At school, I’m a member of SWE and AIAA. Out of school, most of my free time is spent jumping out of “perfectly good airplanes!” I currently only have 31 jumps under my belt; however, by the time you read this, it’ll be more!

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a fascination with space, aviation and astronomy, so obviously getting to NASA was my main goal. I met Bob Musgrove (a.k.a., co-op boss man) at my school’s co-op fair, interviewed in November of ’02, and was offered the job that December (only one month before I started in January ’03 due to an unexpected opening).

CO-OP TOURS…
My first tour (spring ’03) was with the Flight Planning Branch, where I was trained and certified at one of the space station flight control positions in one of the many backrooms of the MCC (Mission Control Center). I actually got to wear the head set and talk on the loops (pretty intimidating at first), and by the end of my tour, I was certified to work at the console alone! The console work schedule was pretty rough (7am-4pm or 3pm-12am), but was a great experience. I was also able to take Russian language classes (offered to JSC employees as well as student employees) which actually helped me at my job when I worked with Russian documents.

Working on the mill in the machine shop.

My second tour (summer ’03) was with the Pyrotechnics Testing group in the Energy Systems Test Area. Believe it or not, working there was actually more fun than it sounds! I was certified as a Pyrotechnics Test Director which includes preparing the proper documentation, getting signatures, attending Task Readiness Reviews, and overseeing the tests and making sure all explodes well. I was also allowed to work in the machine shop as much as I wanted, not just watching, but actually working on sometimes multiple machines at once. I was also tasked with redesigning and fabricating an aging, and severely rusting, remotely actuated explosive cord cutter, which is currently being used at the pyro test area.

For my third and fourth tours (summer-fall ’04), I’m down the road from JSC’s main site at Ellington Field working with the Aircraft Engineering Branch. This is by far the coolest place to work. How many people can look out their window and see F-16’s, T-38’s, as well as the rest of the NASA fleet (and the occasional F-15 and F-18) take off all day, or step out of the office into a hanger and walk into an engine shop filled with T-38 engines?! Not many! My main tasks thus far are related to the T-38 engines, however, I am also working on a redesign project for a yoke column adapter which is currently used on the KC-135, but will soon be needed for the new DC-9 (which will replace the KC-135 as the vomit comet).

As you can see, co-ops here do real work that benefit the groups or even the whole agency. Not the “go get my coffee” or “file these papers” kind of work that you may expect.

Playing with yoke column adapter at my desk.

Me with astronaut Bob Curbeam at his lecture

Roommates: Me, Greg and Carolina

CO-OP FUN!

Co-oping is one of the most fun times in a student’s crazy life. There is always something planned, whether it’s an Astro’s games or trips to Mexico, rock climbing or skydiving! Pretty much anything that sounds fun can be done.

Co-op privileges also include getting to tour many awesome places on-site and arrange awesome people…including astronauts, Gene Kranz, Chris Kraft, and General Howell (JSC Center Director)…to lecture to us. But, probably the best part of being a co-op is getting to come home after work, work out, watch TV, read, or just do whatever and NOT HAVE TO STUDY! However, should you wish to take a correspondence class or a class at a community college, NASA will reimburse you for that class.

If you’re just thinking of becoming a co-op, I highly recommend it! It will be the greatest experience of your life while getting your foot in the door, earning money, and getting college credit (for most schools)! What else could you ask for? I hope all this is helpful. If anyone ever has any questions about NASA, co-oping in general, A&M, or anything at all, please e-mail me! I’m always happy to answer questions or just chat.