Coloradans Matthew Dominick, Jessica Watkins Selected To NASA's Artemis Team
DENVER (CBS4) - Two Coloradans will play a pivotal role in returning humans to the moon. NASA introduced the Artemis Team on Wednesday, and two Colorado natives are on the list.
Lieutenant Commander Matthew Dominick and Dr. Jessica Watkins were selected to the team. Dominick hails from Wheat Ridge, while Watkins is from Lafayette.
Lt. Cdr. Dominick graduated from the University of San Diego in 2005 with a degree in Electrical Engineering, with minors in Physics and Mathematics. He joined the U.S. Navy through the ROTC program and flew F/A-18 Super Hornets in Operation Enduring Freedom, the response to the September 11th terror attacks. He attended the Naval Postgraduate School where he earned a Master of Science in Systems Engineering. He was selected as an Astronaut Candidate in 2017 and completed the required two years of training in 2019.
Watkins graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Geological and Environmental Sciences and a Doctorate in Geology from UCLA. Her research primarily focused on emplacement mechanisms of large landslides on Mars and Earth, as seen through orbital image and spectral data analysis and geologic mapping. She also was selected as an Astronaut Candidate in 2017, and after work in several fields, graduated the program in 2019. While at Stanford, Dr. Watkins was the 2008 Division I College Rugby National Champion.
Both astronauts are currently awaiting their flight assignments.
They spoke to CBS4 in January 2020 about their experiences.
"It's a pretty awesome opportunity to be a part of this group at this moment in history. It's a really exciting time in human space flight. Whoever it is that puts those boots back on the ground and the first woman that does so is going to be super exciting for all of us," Watkins told CBS4's Dominic Garcia.
Dominick and Watkins say even though Mars is the goal one day, going back to the moon is the next step.
"It's an essential next step for us. We've been working in lower orbit for 20 years. We've had a continuous human presence on The International Space Station for the past about 19 years. We've learned so much about doing that, about what happens to the human body, about how to operate, about equipment. Now the next logical step is to go back to the moon in a sustainable way. To build the infrastructure to stay, so we can build our moon to Mars program," Dominick said.
As part of the process to become astronauts, the candidates trained in robotics; systems used aboard the space station; exercises that simulate spacewalking; flying T-38 jets; and learning the Russian language due to NASA's partnership with Roscosmos for launches to the space station and talking to Russian astronauts aboard the ISS.
In all, 18 people were selected to the Artemis Team. Among the 10 men and 8 women are Kjell Lindgren, a 1995 U.S. Air Force Academy Graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Biology and a minor in Mandarin Chinese. He was part of the Air Force Parachuting Team while a cadet. In 1996, Lindgren earned a Master's degree in Cardiovascular Physiology from Colorado State University. He also earned a Doctorate of Medicine from the University of Colorado in 2002. Raja Chari, another astronaut selected to the Artemis Team, graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1999.
