A NASA Navajo engineer talks about space robotics on Mars in an exclusive clip from PBS provided to Space.com.
NASA mechanical engineer Aaron Yazzie, a Diné or Navajo, will appear in the hit PBS series “Native America.” The series returns for Season 2, starting on October 24, with four new hour-long episodes that offer a portrait of contemporary Native American pioneers. November, during the series’ run, was also Native American Heritage Month.
Yazzie is Ashįįhí (Salt Clan) and was born into the Todích’íi’nii (Bitter Water Clan). Yazzie Herald is from Tuba City, a community bordering the Navajo Nation in northern Arizona. He was an accomplished mechanical engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, where he designed mechanical systems for NASA’s robotic space research missions to Mars, with a particular focus on planetary sample acquisition and handling.
Watch our exclusive clip for “Native America” Season 2, Episode 1 titled “New World” above, which takes viewers to the birthplace of Navajo weaving.
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NASA engineer Aaron Yazzie, a Diné or Navajo, in “Native America.” (Image credit: PBS)
Here’s the official synopsis of the show:
“Building on the success of the first season, Season 2 of the Native-directed series reveals the beauty and strength of Native communities today. Breaking stereotypes, the series follows brilliant engineers, bold politicians, and cutting-edge artists who draw on Indigenous traditions to build a better 21st century. The series is narrated by Joy Harjo of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, an internationally renowned poet, performer, and author who served three terms as the 23rd Poet Laureate of the United States.
“Each hour explores the core tenets of Native American heritage: the power of Native design, how language and art fuel the soul, the diverse ways Native women led, and the resilience of the warrior spirit. Brought to life by dynamic stories in the here and now, the series launches an active dialogue between past and present, revealing how fundamental beliefs and traditions shape and transform modern Indigenous life.”
PBS “Native America” logo. (Image credit: PBS)
Yazzie served as a surface operations downlink seat for the Mars Science Laboratory’s Curiosity rover after landing in Gale Crater on Mars in 2012. While that mission is still ongoing, She also delivered flight hardware to Mars via the InSight lander mission in 2018. Her latest flight hardware is on board the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover which is also still active on the Red Planet, in Jezero Crater. Yazzie is the lead engineer of a crucial drill bit that will be used to hunt for ancient microbial life on Mars.
Space.com: How was the experience of being featured in this PBS series and representing the achievements of Native Americans?
Aaron Yazzie: Filming for this series was thrilling! The production crew did an amazing job of capturing all the different sides of my life, whether I was working on NASA’s next robotics mission to Mars, doing outreach events to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) students, or back home. The Navajo Nation visits family and is re-energized by the land. I’m proud to help pave the way for NASA for my community, and I strive to make the joy of space exploration inclusive for Indigenous Peoples.
Space.com: What keeps you inspired as a NASA engineer and what projects are you working on next?
Yazzie: I was inspired by the challenges of space exploration. The goals we want to achieve are not easy. These things require innovation and creativity, and it feels great when we can do it. I got to work with brilliant people, and my work was never boring. I am currently a systems engineer for the Mars Sample Return program, responsible for the mechanical integrity of the sample tubes we bring from Mars to Earth.
“Native America” Season 2 screens weekly from October 24 to November 14 on PBS and PBS.org.
2023-10-24 13:20:05
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