Being a STEM major, I really enjoyed listening to what Tristan had to say and the ways he was involved with STEM through his extracurriculars at Ohio State. I chose this presentation also because my favorite teacher in high school, my physics teacher, had worked for NASA on some very important projects like what Tristan is doing.

I really enjoy learning about space and the programs that NASA is working on, so having the opportunity to hear first-hand some of the work that goes into a space launch was really interesting. Tristan is specifically working on testing for NASA’s SLS rocket, which will return astronauts to the moon as part of the Artemis program. Tristan said he has been working in the same area of NASA where the Apollo program had been developed, and growing up, my Dad loved learning about space, and he actually worked on some space defense programs from an electrical engineer standpoint, so he was always talking about the space launches and the Apollo movies, so this presentation became very sentimental for me.

My favorite part of the presentation was learning about the test control center that NASA uses. Tristan talked about how the testing center is in bunker-like buildings nearby to the actual test stands and how big it is. There is a 125,00 acre acoustical buffer zone surrounding the site, so nearly the size of Columbus! It was really interesting to hear about the sound of the engine tests and how they are actually not as loud as you would expect. Also, he said that NASA will be producing a virtual experience for upcoming SLS tests, so the public can be a part of the experience.

I thoroughly enjoyed this presentation because I find space fascinating and because learning about this reminded me so much of important people in my life. This presentation relates to international affairs because space programs and launches are heavily intertwined with international relations since space is an international zone and many countries are invested in collaborating and learning more about space.