As department chief of the Hypervelocity Affect and Orbital Particles Workplace at NASA’s Johnson House Middle in Houston, Dr. Heather Cowardin leads a group tasked with a essential mission: characterizing and mitigating orbital particles—area junk that poses a rising threat to satellites, spacecraft, and human spaceflight.
Lengthy earlier than Cowardin was a scientist safeguarding NASA’s mission, she was a younger lady close to Johnson dreaming of turning into an astronaut.
“I bear in mind driving down House Middle Boulevard with my mother and seeing individuals operating on the paths,” she stated. “I informed her, ‘That will probably be me sooner or later—I promise!’ And he or she at all times stated, ‘I do know, honey—I do know you’ll.’”
Heather Cowardin
Hypervelocity Affect and Orbital Particles Department Chief
Right now, that childhood imaginative and prescient has advanced right into a management position on the coronary heart of NASA’s orbital particles analysis. Cowardin oversees an interdisciplinary group inside the Astromaterials Analysis and Exploration Science Division, or ARES. She helps measurements, modeling, threat assessments, and mitigation methods to make sure the effectivity of area operations.
With greater than 20 years of expertise, Cowardin brings experience and unwavering dedication to one of many company’s most important security initiatives.
Her work focuses on characterizing Earth-orbiting objects utilizing optical and near-infrared telescopic and laboratory information. She helped set up and lead the Optical Measurement Middle, a specialised facility at Johnson that replicates space-like lighting circumstances and telescope orientations to establish particles supplies and shapes, and consider potential threat.
Cowardin helps a spread of analysis efforts, from ground-based and in-situ, or in place, observations to space-based experiments. She has contributed to greater than 100 scientific publications and displays and serves as co-lead on Supplies Worldwide House Station Experiment missions, which check the sturdiness of supplies on the outside of the orbiting laboratory.
She can also be an energetic member of the Inter-Company House Particles Coordination Committee, a global discussion board with the objective of minimizing and mitigating the dangers posed by area particles.
Her ardour was fueled additional by a mentor, Dr. James R. Benbrook, a College of Houston area physics professor and radar scientist supporting the Orbital Particles Program Workplace. “He was a hard-core Texas cowboy and an excellent physicist,” she stated. “He introduced me on as a NASA fellow to check orbital particles utilizing optical imaging. After that, I used to be dedicated to working at NASA—it doesn’t matter what it took.”
After finishing her fellowship, Cowardin started graduate research on the College of Houston whereas working full time. Inside a yr, she accepted a contract place at Johnson, the place she helped develop the Optical Measurement Middle and supported optical analyses of geosynchronous orbital particles. She quickly superior to optical lead, later serving as a contract venture supervisor and part supervisor.
Heather Cowardin
Hypervelocity Affect and Orbital Particles Department Chief
Constructing on her rising experience, Cowardin grew to become the laboratory and in-situ measurements lead for the Orbital Debris Program Office, a program inside the Workplace of Security and Mission Assurance at NASA Headquarters. She led efforts to characterize particles and ship direct measurement information to help orbital particles engineering fashions, equivalent to NASA’s Orbital Particles Engineering Mannequin and NASA’s Normal Satellite tv for pc Breakup Mannequin, whereas additionally overseeing main initiatives like DebriSat.
Cowardin was chosen because the Orbital Particles and Hypervelocity Integration portfolio scientist, the place she facilitated collaboration inside the Hypervelocity Affect and Orbital Particles Workplace—each internally and externally with stakeholders and clients. These efforts laid the inspiration for her present position as department chief.
“I’ve actually loved reflecting on the trail I’ve traveled and looking out ahead to the challenges and successes that lie forward with this nice group,” she stated.
Considered one of Cowardin’s proudest accomplishments was incomes her doctorate whereas working full time and in her remaining trimester of being pregnant.
“Nothing speaks to multitasking and time administration like that achievement,” Cowardin stated. “I exploit that story to mentor others—it’s proof that you are able to do each. Now I’m a mother of two boys who encourage me every single day. They’re my motivation to work tougher and present them that dedication and perseverance at all times repay.”
All through her profession, Cowardin stated one lesson has remained fixed: by no means underestimate your self.
“It’s straightforward to suppose, ‘I’m not prepared,’ or ‘Another person will ask the query,’” she stated. “However converse up. Each position I’ve taken on felt like a leap, however I embraced it and every time I’ve discovered and grown.”
She has additionally discovered the worth of self-awareness. “It’s scary to ask for suggestions, nevertheless it’s one of the simplest ways to establish progress alternatives,” she stated. “The following technology will construct on right now’s work. That’s why we should seize classes discovered and share them. It’s important to secure and profitable operations.”
To the Artemis Technology, she hopes to cross on a way of goal.
“Dedication to a mission results in success,” she stated. “Even when your contributions aren’t instantly seen, they matter. What we do at NASA takes new considering, new expertise, and exhausting work—however I imagine the following technology will increase the bar and lead us past low Earth orbit.”
When she is just not watching over orbital particles, she is lacing up her trainers.
“I’ve accomplished 5 half-marathons and I’m coaching for the 2026 Rock ‘n’ Roll half-marathon in Nashville,” she stated. “Working helps me decompress—and sure, I usually role-play technical briefings or prep convention talks whereas I’m out on a jog. Makes for fascinating moments once I cross individuals within the neighborhood!”