Today was my first day as an official NASA intern - complete with security inspections, badge registration, and - of course - a tour of the zero gravity facility. Most job orientations might sound boring, but NASA does not disappoint.
I spent half of the day learning about NASA's regulations with the twenty other interns and the other (more interesting!) half exploring the NASA campus and my department - Graphics and Visualization. The Glenn Research Center is enormous and exceedingly impressive. Doing the facility justice will take several posts, so I will keep this one dedicated to fast facts about the GRC campus.
The NASA Glenn Research Center boasted 150 employees in 1950. Today, there are over 3,000, and the GRC welcomes a new group of interns each semester. The facility offers amenities including a cafeteria, fitness center, daycare, soccer field, and the ever-important NASA merchandise store. After work, NASA employess participate in a range of GRC-hosted activities: jogging, golf, women's support group, tai chi, and even concert band!
The hundreds of labs and experiments at the GRC require a significant amount of energy. Each day the GRC receives 370 megawatts of power - more than a small town. The facility can only run its wind tunnels at night because of the large toll on the power company during the day.
Although it utilizes a baffling amount of power, the GRC is certainly environmentally conscious. The center places recycling cans all across campus and strongly encourages employees to reduce waste. One of the newest buildings at the GRC even has a lawn on the roof, which reduces energy use through improved insulation.
My department, Graphics and Visualization (GVIS), focuses on scientific visualization through simulations and educational programs. GVIS houses several futuristic technologies such as CAVE (Computer Automatic Virtual Environment) and zSpace, as well as headsets such as the Microsoft HoloLens, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive. Look for later posts on these incredible devices!
With my first day at NASA complete, I happily go home to my roommates' five cats. I am anxious to start work tomorrow and update this blog with even more NASA fun. Thank you for supporting me in the first part of my journey. Let's see where it takes us!