
14/05/2025
From Earth to the Stars: Filipinos Making Their Mark at NASA
Meet the pioneers, explore the paths, and discover how you can become part of the next generation of Filipino space scientists and engineers.
🇵🇭 Filipinos at NASA: Trailblazers in Space Science (2025)
Filipinos have been making significant strides at NASA, contributing to various missions and projects. While the exact number of Filipino professionals at NASA in 2025 isn't publicly disclosed, several notable individuals have been recognized for their contributions:
Dr. Josefino C. Comiso: A climate scientist who joined NASA in 1979, Dr. Comiso has led research on Arctic sea ice, global warming, and satellite remote sensing.
Angelita Castro-Kelly: In 1990, she became NASA’s first female and first Filipino Mission Operations Manager, leading the Earth Observing System program.
Josephine Santiago-Bond: Starting at NASA in 2003, she rose to become the head of the Advanced Engineering Development Branch at the Kennedy Space Center.
Gregorio Villar III: An Entry, Descent, and Landing Systems Engineer, Villar played a key role in the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission.
Genevie Velarde Yang: A Flight Software Engineer who was part of the team behind the successful Perseverance rover landing on Mars.
Marianne Gonzalez: A chemical engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, contributing to the Mars 2020 mission.
Jeremy Ulanday, Joel Lonzaga, and Sally-Manuelita Hall: Filipino-Americans working at NASA's Langley Research Center, involved in various research and engineering projects.
🎓 Pathways to a Career at NASA
For aspiring Filipinos aiming to work at NASA, pursuing a strong educational foundation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is crucial. Here are recommended courses and fields of study:
👉Engineering Disciplines: Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, Computer, or Systems Engineering.
👉Physical Sciences: Physics, Chemistry, or Earth Sciences.
👉Computer Science: Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, or Data Science.
👉Mathematics: Applied Mathematics or Statistics.
👉Biological Sciences: For roles related to astrobiology or life sciences research.
👉Educational institutions like the University of the Philippines, Philippine Science High School, and other reputable universities offer programs that can serve as stepping stones. Gaining research experience, internships, and participating in international collaborations can also enhance prospects.