Rosa Obregon
Mechanical Test Operations Engineer
NASA, Stennis Space Center
Gulfport, MS USA
“There will always be doubts, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop. Don’t stop; keep fighting for it.”
Videos
By Roadtrip NationRosa Obregon
Milestones
My road in life has been direct.
She is from Corpus Christi, TX. Her family emigrated to the U.S. from Mexico before she was born.
When they would go back to visit relatives in Mexico, they would drive through country roads at night and she was always fascinated by the amount of stars she could see.
In school, she always liked her math and science classes; she combined them with her love of space and decided to pursue aerospace engineering.
She got into MIT before she was 18, but in her family, cultural norms dictated that she shouldn’t leave the house until she was an adult.
She realized she had to do what was best for her future, so she followed her dream and left for MIT anyways.
While at MIT, she studied aerospace, aeronautical and astronautical engineering, with a concentration in theater arts.
After college, she was offered a position at NASA; says that knowing she’s contributing to the progress of space exploration makes her job a dream come true.
In 2005, she was named one of the “Top 10 Women of the Year” by Latina magazine.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Bachelor
Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering Technology/Technician
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering Technology/Technician
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Career
Mechanical Test Operations Engineer
I am a lead mechanical engineer at NASA testing rockets for launch.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Engineering
Science
Building Things
Day to Day
My day typically starts with our team being contacted by a customer who wants to test their component(s) or the full-scale engine. From there, they give us a particular set of requirements to look out for and test like pressure, propellants, etc. We then contact the design end of our team to develop a test area at our facility that can accommodate the requirements. I participate in design reviews and prepare documentation. In the activation phase, we physically test the component or engine.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for high school students
Figure out what path you want to take to get here. People take many routes in order to get to NASA. Some were in the military, some go to community college first, etc. Find the path that works for you and your unique situation and follow it.
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Family:
"You can't move out, you aren't married! "
Challenges I Overcame
First-Generation Immigrant
Interviewed By
A Balanced Equation
Women in STEM careers
