As part of Florida Tech’s Space Technology Day activities, Wendy participated in the ‘NASA Florida Tech Small Business in Space Round-table’ with NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine and Florida Tech’s President Dr. McCay. The round-table was made up of select successful CEO’s on the Space Coast, and the group discussed how NASA’s engagement with industries and universities will support the Artemis mission and the continuing missions, such as to Mars and beyond. They also discussed what technologies and methodologies may be helpful to the organization, and how the capabilities of small businesses can be better understood by NASA and large primes. Wendy feels honored to have been a part of such an amazing event, and to have shared this experience with other space coast CEO’s.
At the event, Bridenstine discussed NASA’s Artemis program, named after the Greek goddess of the moon and sister to Apollo, and its mission of landing the first woman on the moon by 2024. Only 12 people, all male, in history have walked on the moon. “Fifty years after Apollo, the Artemis program will carry the next man and first woman to the moon,” Bridenstine said in an interview. NASA hopes that furthering the exploration of the moon will help the United States’ presence in space and strengthen international partnerships.