NASA’s First Female Chief Engineer Aims to Build a Space Station Around the Moon

Teresa Kinney, the first female chief engineer at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC), is spearheading the ambitious project of constructing the Gateway lunar space station in orbit around the moon. This project, set to take shape in the 2020s, will support the Artemis program’s moon landing missions in the coming decade. However, like the International Space Station (ISS), the Gateway needs to be built first.

Kinney, who also works in Deep Space Logistics, is part of the Gateway project office at KSC. The team is lining up commercial cargo services to transport essential items for astronaut crews, including cargo, equipment, and consumables.

In an interview with Space.com during Women’s History Month, Kinney discussed her journey to her current role and her efforts in mentoring younger team members. She expressed her excitement about the presence of four women on the ISS, especially during Women’s History Month.

Kinney’s interest in space began in her childhood when her father, a military man, woke her up to watch Apollo 11. Her fascination with space led her to pursue a career in the field, starting with a co-op job in college. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in industrial engineering for systems engineering. She also has certifications in welding, machining, forklift operating, and crane operation, which have been instrumental in her understanding and contribution to large testing programs.

Kinney’s career has primarily been in structural dynamics, acoustic vibrations, and large structure things. Her experience with hardware has been invaluable in her role, especially in doing analysis and understanding the hardware.

Kinney’s career path has seen her work on various projects, including Spacelab on the space shuttle program, the space station, and return to flight after the Columbia disaster of 2003. She has also worked on commercial crew on Boeing Starliner and was the integrated performance lead engineer for over a decade. In October last year, she became the chief engineer at Deep Space Logistics.

As the chief engineer, Kinney’s role involves ensuring the right reliability and mission success of all things related to the technical functionality and structural capability of the Gateway Deep Space Logistics. She works closely with the tech authority for safety and mission assurance, with the shared goal of making Gateway successful.

Kinney’s focus in the coming years is to get the first Deep Space Logistics modules into space and to support Gateway. She believes that her experience with the ISS will be beneficial in helping Gateway be successful.

Kinney also emphasized the importance of being a role model for young girls interested in STEM (science, engineering, technology, and math). She hopes to inspire more people to join the space industry, especially at a time when many at KSC are nearing retirement. She believes that this is the best time for opportunities in the agency.