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Even growing up in the heart of Washington, D.C., stargazer Oliver Ortiz felt a connection to space from a young age and always wondered what was beyond the city lights. Now a seasoned engineer with Northrop Grumman, he is contributing to a new era of space exploration with Gateway, humanity\u2019s first space station in lunar orbit, and a critical part of NASA\u2019s Artemis missions that will establish a long-term presence at the Moon.<\/p>\n
Ortiz leads Northrop Grumman\u2019s systems engineering team focused on the integration of Gateway\u2019s foundational elements, HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) and the Power and Propulsion Element. HALO is set to launch with the Power and Propulsion Element on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket ahead of the Artemis IV mission, providing living quarters and the space station\u2019s power and orbital control.<\/p>\n
He embarked on his engineering journey at the University of Maryland College Park, obtaining both his undergraduate and master\u2019s degrees in aerospace engineering. He joined Northrop Grumman as an intern in 2014 and quickly rose through the ranks, shaping his career in systems engineering while making significant contributions to various space programs, including commercial resupply missions to the International Space Station.<\/p>\n
Ortiz\u2019s path to the world of space engineering was not clear. He first set out to be an astronomer, but changed course toward a career in engineering that now has him leading a team of engineers responsible for ensuring the systems of Gateway\u2019s first two elements are well-integrated and ready to be the building blocks of the lunar outpost.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve loved space since I was in elementary school and initially wanted to be an astronomer,\u201d said Ortiz. \u201cMy undergrad English professor was married to an astronomer and offered to introduce me to her husband. It was in that coffee shop meet and greet that I realized I did not want to be an astronomer. I wanted to be an aerospace engineer and I\u2019m forever grateful that he and fate pointed me in the direction of my true passion.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was Ortiz\u2019s involvement in designing Next Step-1, a precursor to HALO, that defined his current trajectory when Northrop Grumman was chosen as Gateway\u2019s prime contractor responsible for designing and fabricating HALO. Since 2016, Ortiz has dedicated his career to the creation of the world\u2019s first habitat designed to support sustainable life outside Earth orbit.<\/p>\n
\u201cSustainability for me means we can learn enough from living on and around the Moon that we can ultimately go to Mars,\u201d Ortiz said. \u201cThe Moon is the steppingstone to what\u2019s next and we have to learn how to build a safe environment in an economically efficient way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Built with commercial and international partnerships, Gateway is a vital component of the Artemis missions, helping NASA and its partners test the technologies and capabilities for a sustained human presence in deep space.<\/p>\n