Team

Bio:

Ryan has worked in various roles within the Guidance Navigation and Controls subsystem since starting with Lockheed Martin Deep Space Exploration in 2005. During that time, he has worked on pointing controls for the Spitzer space telescope, control design for the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL), control design for OSIRIS-REx and also served as the Certified Principal Engineer (CPE) for Natural Feature Tracking on OSIRIS-REx prior to launch. Most recently Ryan has served as the GN&C Lead for OSIRIS-REx operations since launch in September of 2016.

Bio:

Bio:

Carey started at Lockheed Martin as a propulsion engineer performing fluid transient analyses for pulsed mode propulsion systems being developed for mars landers. Aside from propulsion subsystem performance analyses, Carey’s focus is on low gravity fluid management and propellant slosh. Carey also has extensive mission operations background for NASA spacecraft including MRO, Phoenix, Odyssey, MAVEN, GRAIL, Juno, InSight, and OSIRIS-REx. Carey also serves as a manager for personnel supporting spacecraft propulsion analysis and propulsion subsystem integration. Carey earned his Bachelors and Masters of Science in Mechanical Engineering from New Mexico State University. Outside of work, Carey spends his time with his wife and kids biking, downhill skiing, fly fishing, backpacking, and home renovations.

Bio:

John Pelgrift has been a member of the OSIRIS-REx navigation team since starting as an intern for KinetX Aerospace in 2017. He has worked doing both optical navigation and orbit determination for the mission. Raised in Oakland, California, John received a BS in Physics from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 2016 and an MS in Astronautical Engineering from the University of Southern California in 2017. OSIRIS-REx is the first project he worked on after finishing school, providing an exceptional learning experience and introduction to solar system exploration. In addition to OSIRIS-REx, John worked as a part of the New Horizons navigation team for the flyby of the Kuiper Belt Object Arrokoth in 2019. He lives in Los Angeles with his partner Izzy and their two cats, Teddy and Mr. Macaroni.

Bio:

Trevor joined Lockheed Martin in 2017 after receiving his degree in Aerospace Engineering with a concertation in Astronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He started as a test engineer on the GOES-S spacecraft and was a member of the launch team. He then joined the Deep Space Exploration group as a Systems Engineer on the InSight Mars Lander and supported through Mars EDL and surface deployment. He later joined the OSIRIS-REx team where he currently supports as a Systems Engineer. Trevor is also a multi-mission ACE supporting the InSight, 2001 Mars Odyssey, MAVEN, Juno, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and OSIRIS-REx missions and serves as the Mars Surface Relay Operations Lead.

Bio:

Chris has worked on a variety of space vehicle propulsion systems during his 33 year career with the LM Space Systems. He has performed space vehicle propulsion design, analysis, and test on multiple programs including Atlas, Titan, and Delta rockets, X-33 in Palmdale CA, Dream Chaser spacecraft, the Juno Jupiter orbiter, and now OSIRIS-REx.

Bio:

Devin attended the University of Maryland College Park where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Physics and later his Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. He started working in mission operations for the Solar Dynamics Observatory fresh out of college. Devin eventually became the operations subject matter expert for thermal, power, and the two dedicated 18 meter antenna dishes that support SDO in White Sands. Devin transitioned over to operations systems engineering working numerous in-flight engineering anomalies throughout the Space Science Mission Operations fleet. Devin is the OSIRIS-REx Flight Operations Manager and works with the mission teams to help find solutions to cross-element technical and planning problems. He received an Agency Early Career Public Achievement Medal. Outside of work, Devin spends time with his yellow Labrador named Io and coaches a youth soccer team in the neighborhood where he grew up with some of his childhood friends.

Bio:

Anjani Polit leads the Science Planning Team and served as the Vice-Chair of the Site Selection Board. Anjani has participated in proposal and operations development for a number of missions, including current roles as Science Operations Manager for the proposed Io Volcano Observer and Deputy Project Manager for the proposed RUSHeS instrument. Before OSIRIS-REx, Anjani was a Targeting Specialist for the HiRISE camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and the Uplink Operations Lead for HiRISE. During this time, Anjani planned and commanded over 10,000 images of Mars. Anjani holds a BA in Geology from Pomona College and an MS in Geological Engineering from the University of Nevada Reno. In her spare time, Anjani works in search and rescue with the Southern Arizona Rescue Association where she has participated in over 100 calls and was a member of the helicopter rappel team.

Bio:

Nancy Ramos provides administrative support to the mission’s PI Office leadership. Prior to joining the OSIRIS-REx team, Nancy spent six years in similar administrative roles, first at Northern Arizona University and then at the University of Arizona. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Northern Arizona University. In her free time, Nancy enjoys spending time with her husband and two cats.

Bio:

Chad started with the Lockheed Martin Space and the Deep Space Exploration Telecom team in August of 2019. He provides multi-mission telecom support for OSIRIS-REx, MAVEN, Juno, and Mars Odyssey. He holds bachelor’s and mater’s degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Colorado Denver where he conducted research into atmospheric electricity and ionosphere-magnetosphere coupling. Colorado through and through, you can find him on a 14er, a river raft, or a snowboard enjoying life with family and friends.

Bio:

Samantha first started working on OSIRIS-REx as an intern with Lockheed Martin as an undergraduate at Purdue University. She had so much fun learning about this mission that she went to University of Colorado – Boulder for her doctoral program, where she did research on the astrodynamics of spacecraft and natural satellites around Near-Earth asteroids. In graduate school, Samantha received the honor of becoming a Smead Scholar and the NASA Science & Technology Research Fellowship recipient. Through her research fellowships at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, she began working on the OSIRIS-REx mission again, which has led her to the exciting job she has today! When she isn’t designing maneuvers for the spacecraft, Samantha enjoys rock climbing, skiing, traveling, and learning about world history.

Bio:

Bashar has worked as an applied physicist in a University research and development setting for 40 years on various R&D projects. Thirty-five of those years have been at the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, working on spacecraft and remote sensing system design & development, test, calibration, planning & operations, data processing and analysis. He has also worked in radiometry, thermal modeling, radiative transfer, photogrammetry & stereo-photoclinometry, ground-based astronomy, noise analysis, integrated circuit fabrication, laser and microwave device system development and elementary particle physics. Bashar was born in Damascus, Syria, but mostly grew up in cloudy Champaign-Urbana, IL and hazy Greensboro, NC before he crossed the Mississippi and Rockies and discovered Tucson, AZ and its clear nighttime skies. He enjoys writing, biking and spending time with his wife and 2 children. He holds a BS in physics and chemistry, an MS in physics, and a PhD in planetary sciences.

Bio:

Heather joined the OSIRIS-REx Communication and Public Engagement team early on in her career. She has supported the team and the mission by using her work to help captivate the public's attention during the spacecraft's assembly, launch, asteroid operations, and sample collection phases of the mission. Heather performs a variety of roles which make her a valued part of the team: visual communications, content strategy, creation and management, and public and media relations. As a University of Arizona alumni, she holds a Bachelor’s of Visual Communication and enjoys spending her time outside of work travelling and horseback riding.

Bio:

Bio:

Andy Ryan stared with OSIRIS-REx as a graduate student in 2015. He worked on developing laboratory experiments to study the thermal properties of asteroid regolith simulants and worked as an OTES instrument operator during the Earth gravity-assist mission phase. In 2018, Andy was hired as a postdoc, first at the Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur in Nice, France then at the University of Arizona, to develop new numerical tools for thermal analysis of the asteroid, and to aid in thermal data analysis. Andy holds a BS in Environmental Geoscience from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania and both a Master of Science and PhD in Geological Sciences from Arizona State University. Andy enjoys cooking, playing guitar, reading, studying the French language, and spending time with his dog, Abby, and cat, Oats.

Bio:

Eric Sahr is an Optical Navigation Engineer working for KinetX Aerospace in Simi Valley, California. He joined the OSIRIS-REx Optical Navigation Team in 2017. Prior to working in navigation, he worked on OSIRIS-REx at the SPOC as an undergraduate employee and as a graduate student. Eric earned his Bachelor’s of Science in 2015 and his Master’s of Science in 2017, both in systems engineering at the University of Arizona. During his undergraduate work, he led a team of undergraduates to propose, design, build, and fly with an experiment in microgravity. When not flying spacecraft, he enjoys backpacking, rock climbing, traveling, photography, and board games

Bio:

Debbie has supported NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Flight Projects for 30 years in financial management. She joined the OSIRIS-Rex team prior to launch. Debbie is responsible for the financial management of the Mission Operations Phase E/F budgets and life cycle cost of the Mission. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland.

Bio:

Sara graduated from Purdue University with a B.S. in Nuclear Engineering – Boiler up! Prior to Lockheed Martin, she supported NASA’s Constellation Space Suit System and the Orion project. She came to LM Space in 2017 where she worked in the Military Support division as a Systems Engineer. When the opportunity arose, Sara was very excited to join Deep Space Exploration with the OSIRIS-REx team. That excitement has never wavered! When not nerding out over space news, Sara enjoys snuggling with her 3 dogs, backpacking with her boyfriend, and playing soccer.

Bio:

Mike first joined the OSIRIS-REx team as a college intern and was later hired full time in the systems engineering group during the OSIRIS-REx design phase. He continued with the mission into the operation phase after launch. Throughout his time on OSIRIS-REx, Mike worked in many areas including TAG development, design studies, verification and validation, system integration and test, and operations product development. Mike also supports the Janus and Lunar Trailblazer missions within Deep Space Exploration. Mike has Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from the University of Colorado at Boulder. While at CU, Mike worked on the DANDE space weather spacecraft and researched Mars entry, descent, and landing (EDL) systems.

Bio:

Jeff Small has a bachelor's degree in physics from James Madison University and a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from Penn State University. After graduating from Penn State in December 2017, Jeff worked for the Aerospace Corporation before joining the Navigation and Mission Design Branch (NMDB) at NASA GSFC as a civil servant in July of 2020. Jeff’s expertise is in spacecraft navigation with a focus on orbit determination. Outside of work, Jeff enjoys playing guitar, cooking, tennis, and hiking.