As a boy, Jeff Kowing ’88 was captivated by outer space. “I was fascinated with the space program, especially as I grew up watching the last of the Apollo missions and the beginnings of the incredible space shuttle program,” he says.
During his student days, Kowing, an electrical engineering grad, was able to nurture this fascination by working at NASA through the Cooperative Education program. “After graduation, NASA offered me a job,” he says. “I definitely owe the opening of that door to WSU.”
These days, Kowing, who works at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, is involved with the Orion program. “I am what they call the Software Function Manager for Command and Data Handling,” he says, adding that working on Orion has been the most challenging experience of his career.
“Orion is critical to enable us to return to human exploration of the universe beyond Earth’s orbit. Orion has been designed to provide a protective craft that will transport our astronauts deep into space and return them safely back to Earth.”
As the unmanned Orion spacecraft rocketed off its launch pad in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Dec. 5, for its Exploration Flight Test-1, Kowing –– who was recognized as a Space Flight Awareness Honoree for the flight –– was watching from NASA’s VIP section about a mile and a half away.
Back in Texas, he proudly represents WSU. “I love educating my Aggie and Longhorn friends on how tough and awesome WuShock is,” he says. No such educating is necessary with his family, which is full of Shockers, including Shocker basketball player Evan Wessel.
“The other day watching the game on TV, I saw that they had brought out the MTXE slogan,” Kowing says of the game against Tulsa. “I always loved what it stood for –– Mental Toughness and eXtra Effort. It’s a great motto that has served me well at NASA. It is what WSU helps foster in all its alumni.”
