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NASA\u2019s DC-8 aircraft \u2013 the world\u2019s largest flying science laboratory \u2013 began its science missions in 1987 and since then, has flown in service of the science community over places like Antarctica, Greenland, and Thailand. Aircraft like the DC-8 have enabled scientists to ask questions about life on Earth and explore them in a way that only NASA\u2019s Airborne Science program can make happen. After 37 years, the DC-8 will retire to Idaho State University, where it will serve as an educational tool for students.\u202f<\/p>\n
As the DC-8 approaches its retirement, we highlight five of the women who have made the aircraft and program a success.\u202f\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u202fKirsten Boogaard, Nicki Reid, Carrie Worth, Erin Waggoner, and WendyBereda of NASA\u2019s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, are building the legacy of women who are helping pave the way for the next generation.<\/p>\n
Kirsten Boogaard wears many hats for the DC-8 program, including deputy project manager, mission manager, and assistant mission director.\u202f\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n
Since 2020, she has served as the deputy project manager on the DC-8 Airborne Science laboratory, leading and managing project planning, integration, and resources. \u202fShe is one of three women qualified in the mission director role for the flying laboratory.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI am really proud of what I accomplish at work,\u201d Boogaard said. \u201cAnd I am most proud of being able to work full-time and support numerous deployments while having a child.\u201d<\/p>\n
As operations engineer, Nicki Reid authorizes the airworthiness for the aircraft by ensuring that the science instruments added onboard sustain the aircraft\u2019s safety. She also serves as the mission director, where she manages communications with the cabin and cockpit crews.\u202f\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt takes a lot of practice to get used to hearing all the different conversations and weeding out what\u2019s important, staying focused, and staying on top of all the action that\u2019s happening,\u201d Reid said.\u202f\u202f\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n
For a science mission project, that focus is essential to maintaining efficient communication between scientists and pilots.\u202f Reid has been honing that skill since she started as an intern at NASA Armstrong.<\/p>\n
Carrie Worth is part of a team uniquely qualified to fly the DC-8.\u00a0Her journey to her career as a pilot began as a child.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I was a little kid, I saw Patty Wagstaff perform aeronautical stunts at the airshow in Oshkosh, Wisconsin,\u201d Carrie Worth, NASA DC-8 pilot, said. \u201cI decided then and there that I wanted to be a pilot.\u201d\u202f\u202f\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before joining NASA, Worth served 21 years in the U.S. Air Force as a special operations and search and rescue pilot, and then worked as a 747 pilot for United Parcel Service in Anchorage, Alaska. As a woman working in a male-majority industry, Worth is grateful for the supportive work environment at NASA and the DC-8 program.\u202f\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel incredibly lucky for the support I have and have had from my male peers,\u201d she said. \u201cI have seen a significant improvement in the [aviation] culture, but there\u2019s still work to be done.\u201d<\/p>\n
In 2011, Erin Wagonner joined the Research Aerodynamics and Propulsion Branch at NASA Armstrong to support sonic boom research. Today, she is the branch chief.\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m thankful for all the mentorship I\u2019ve received throughout my career,\u201d Waggoner said. \u201cEveryone from the maintenance crew to the researchers are very welcoming, willing to share their expertise, and mission-focused.\u201d\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n
Waggoner\u2019s experience with the DC-8 program inspired her to recognize the value of a team spirit in a successful project.\u202f\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve learned a lot about team dynamics from my time on the DC-8, like how to integrate new members into an existing team,\u201d Waggoner said. \u201cI love being able to encourage young women interested in NASA and aviation, and learning from the women who blazed the trails ahead of me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wendy Bereda started working on the DC-8 aircraft in 1999, first as a logistics clerk, later as a project support supply tech. She is now the site supervisor for the maintenance contract at NASA Armstrong.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThrough the years, I\u2019ve received different accolades, but the one that meant the most to me was given to me by Headquarters for my administrative excellence in finding parts and keeping the DC-8 flying.\u201d\u202f\u202f\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n
As a science-driven platform, the DC-8 project is composed of a team driven to provide the best customer service.\u202f\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOur team has so much love for the DC-8,\u201d Bereda said. \u201cWe live and breathe to make things happen.\u202f This is why I\u2019m proud to have been a big part of the DC-8 life at Armstrong.\u201d\u202f<\/p>\n
Experts like the women above enrich NASA\u2019s legacy of innovation and exploration, and make programs like the DC-8 a success.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n