I Am NASA Stennis: Andrew Bracey

Early on, Andrew Bracey thought working at Stennis Space Center seemed like the obvious choice. It was somewhere he could use his skills while staying close to home.

In his second year of studying computer engineering at Mississippi State University, the Carriere, Mississippi native began looking for opportunities to gain experience in his chosen field. 

This led to a summer internship in 2005 working for the Naval Oceanographic Office at Stennis, located near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Bracey followed that by participating in a co-op program at Stennis from 2006 through 2007, which ultimately led to a full-time position as electrical design engineer with NASA in 2008 – a position he has held ever since.

“The best thing about working at Stennis is the people I get to work with,” said Bracey, now a resident of Picayune, Mississippi. “I am grateful for all the people I have had the opportunity to learn from over the years. My hope is that I will be able to have the same impact on others. The workforce at Stennis is made up of people from all walks of life. Everyone brings a unique perspective to the table. This diversity is the reason we can successfully face the challenges we encounter.”

Bracey currently works on an assortment of projects ranging from the E Test Complex to the Stennis High Pressure Gas Facility to the B-2 Test Stand. He also supports the Small Business Technology Transfer program as a subtopic manager, reviewer, and contracting officer representative.

Bracey directly contributed to the Green Run testing of NASA’s first Space Launch System core stage Green Run at Stennis. The Green Run test series culminated with a hot fire of the stage’s four RS-25 engines on the B-2 Test Stand in March 2021. The hot fire was the most powerful propulsion test in more than 40 years at Stennis.

The electrical design engineer worked on the hardware design control system upgrades to the nitrogen system at the High Pressure Gas Facility in support of Green Run.

“It was exciting to work on a project of such magnitude,” Bracey said. “I was just happy to play my role, however small that may have been.”

As work continues for NASA’s Artemis Program that will land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon, Bracey will continue to contribute through electrical design work for the future Exploration Upper Stage test project at the B-2 Test Stand.

The last time humans walked on the Moon was before Bracey was born. It is something he looks forward to watching take place.

For information about Stennis Space Center, visit Stennis Space Center.