NASA Engineer Embraces the Challenge of Change
Fri, 05/19/2023 - 09:54am | By: C. Lacy Thompson
NASA software engineer Kris Mobbs is shown at NASA’s Stennis Space Center, where he leads the NASA Data Acquisition Software team.
NASA software project manager Kris Mobbs is no stranger to change, as a brief look
at his journey to the Mississippi Gulf Coast shows.
After being born in Michigan, Mobbs lived in Illinois and then, Wisconsin. A new job
for his father brought his family to Mississippi nearly 30 years ago. Mobbs since
has lived in various places along the Gulf Coast, including Biloxi, Gulfport, and
Ocean Springs.
Now a Woolmarket resident, Mobbs learned to embrace change early in life. He brings
that perspective with him daily to NASA’s Stennis Space Center, where the challenge
of change and navigating the hard parts of his job as a NASA engineer are made easier
because of the people he works alongside.
“The people are, hands down, the best,” Mobbs said. “The amount of support, trust,
guidance, acceptance, constructive criticism, forgiveness, and comradery I have received
and experienced has been life changing.”
The NASA Stennis federal city welcomed Mobbs to the site nearly nine years ago. He
started as an intern at the Naval Research Laboratory after earning a bachelor’s degree
in computer science from the University of 51¶şÄĚ Mississippi (USM).
Mobbs followed his passion of software engineering in positions as a contract worker
for the Navy and NASA before landing a job as a NASA engineer in the Electric Operations
Branch of the Engineering and Test Directorate. He feels his NASA career has limitless
potential, citing daily support from management to pursue his passion.
He currently manages the NASA Data Acquisition Software (NDAS) system, which was created
at NASA Stennis. The goal is to build a software product that can be easily adopted
by various projects and facilities within the agency. This helps minimize cost, while
providing long-term maintenance, training, and support.
One function the software serves is collecting critical test information on RS-25
engines that will help power the Space Launch System rocket on Artemis missions to
the Moon and eventual flights to Mars.
A key task with the overall scope of the project is prioritizing multiple stakeholder
needs. There is no shortage of new features to create or improvements to make. The
challenge, and management’s trust in Mobbs project leadership and decision making,
strengthens the engineer’s resolve to move forward.
“I have never had to look far for guidance,” Mobbs said. “I have learned a lot about
electrical engineering, personnel management and funding, NASA software engineering,
and NASA software safety. I am very grateful to everyone who has given me the time
to grow in these areas.”
As NASA inspires the world, Mobbs is encouraged daily at a place he describes as “one
big family no matter who you are.”
“There are very exciting times ahead,” Mobbs said. “Our agency and center are changing
and adapting to our new commercial friends joining us in space. It requires us to
change as well, and not all change is bad. I look to our future at NASA with optimism
and to my opportunities with excitement and pride.”