Laura Poliah

Laura Poliah is the test execution lead for NASA’s Orion spacecraft at the agency’s John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In this position, she leads the planning of implementation, execution, and validation of tests on Orion hardware and software, while spearheading the resolution of any anomaly investigations.

Testing on the spacecraft’s systems encompasses a multitude of disciplines to ensure the spacecraft can survive and function in space. Various predicted environments – such as acoustic, thermal, vacuum, vibration, shock, and electromagnetic – are applied to the spacecraft to make certain the Orion systems work individually and end-to-end as a whole. Testing also includes ensuring the successful loading of hazardous and nonhazardous commodities on the vehicle and integration with the SLS heavy lift rocket to support human spaceflight.

Multiple locations are utilized for testing, including Kennedy, NASA Armstrong Test Facility in Ohio, and Lockheed Martin’s facilities in Waterton, Colorado. To cover this extensive work, Poliah utilizes her detailed knowledge of the Orion systems to closely collaborate with NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS), Exploration Ground Systems (EGS), and Orion Programs, as well as Lockheed Martin and the European Space Agency, working to achieve operational success from fabrication to launch for the Artemis missions.

Experience

Poliah began her Kennedy career in 2011 as a systems engineer responsible for the technical design integration of interfaces among the SLS heavy lift vehicle, Orion spacecraft, and ground systems. Within this role, she led many technical assessments and collaborated to work local and cross-program issues to resolution. She provided significant contributions to the Artemis mission, helping to formulate the process for negotiating key cross-program critical hardware, software, and design data to meet the Artemis I launch date, and led internal efforts for data integration within EGS to efficiently coordinate design and operational efforts.

Education

The daughter of immigrants from Trinidad and Tobago, Poliah is a first-generation college student. She graduated from the University of Central Florida (UCF) in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering. After earning a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from UCF in 2012, she assisted in teaching fluid mechanics and was part of the National Honor Society in aerospace engineering. 

Awards

Poliah has received several honors during her professional career. She was nominated for the System Engineer Techniques/Methodologies Activity Award, as well as the Society of Women Distinguished New Engineer Award. She also earned the NASA Early Career Achievement Medal, a Certificate of Appreciation for exception leadership, and multiple Employee of the Month awards.

However, Poliah’s motivation far exceeds that of her own career; she also is interested in growing professional and leadership skills of those around her and within the engineering community. She has participated in several leadership development programs and currently serves as the director of professional development chair for the local Society of Women Engineers (SWE). She also is a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) organizations.

Personal

Fueled by a strong passion for space exploration, Poliah has done extensive outreach and advocacy for STEM and space. She loves volunteering with her youth group and assists in planning interactive experiments to spark their interest in STEM.

Poliah currently resides in Merritt Island, Florida, with her husband Tony Mansk, their dog, Watson, and cats, Lily and James. Her recreational interests include volunteering, reading, traveling/hiking, rock climbing, SCUBA diving, and strategic gaming.

Biography last updated February 2022