NASA Quest > Space Team Online

Meet: Mark Glorioso

ISS Mission Evaluation Team Manager
NASA Johnson Space Center

Who I Am and What I Do

I am the Mission Evaluation Team Manager for the International Space Station. I lead a team of 300 engineers who solve problems that arise on the ISS. My team is responsible for determining when there is a problem on board and for providing a solution. We have had over 200 problems on board since we launched, in November 1998, that range from the simple explanation of understanding nominal operations to having to plan mission saving operations such as the repair of a solar array wing that failed to deploy properly.

The best part of my job is watching the best team of engineers in the world perform their magic and knowing that I am responsible for pulling it all together. The worst part is the stress that time puts on my team to resolve problems and knowing which ones need resolution the fastest, and which ones can wait.

Career Path and Education

I'm not real sure how I ended up where I am. I never had the goal in mind to have any job that I ended up with. I took opportunities that appealed to me as they were presented. I designed and built communication equipment and that got me a position as the Communication Manager for the ISS. After successful completion of the development of the Comm System, I was given a position as the manager of one of the ISS elements. After solving numerous development problems on the ISS element, I was given the job of managing the engineering team for the on orbit space station. I have two years of a study toward a music degree. I left the music field due to the lack of paying jobs in that industry and began studying electrical engineering. I completed that degree in 1984. After becoming the lead for the engineering team, I obtained a master's degree in physics to get a more versatile knowledge base since I am now responsible for much more than just electrical components.

While attending college, Dr Benbrook, at the University of Houston, gave me the inspiration to learn as much as possible while you can. Knowledge is the key to successful decisions.

Personal and Growing Up

I like action -- things constantly happening and being involved, not watching that activity. I like to eat chocolate chip cookies and Krispy Kreme® donuts. I usually eat my vegetables . . .

I grew up in Houston, Texas, and have lived here since I was four years old, a total of 37 years. Houston is a big city with a lot going on. There is always something to do and I am always doing something, it sort of fits right in but I don't know which came first, the chicken or the egg. I have also been influenced by the Texas mentality -- it is always bigger in Texas and I like that.

When I was in the 4th grade, something happened that changed the way I looked at things. I played little league football. I weighed 50 pounds, about 1/3 less than everyone else in the league. I only played four downs per game and I was put into what ever position the coach thought would cause the least damage to either me or the team. I was some kind of offensive backfield. One game there was an interception and the kid with the ball was headed for a touchdown. He was twice my size, but I was the only one around so I chased him down to the their 20 yard line and tackled him. It proved to me that the odds don't matter if I am determined to succeed.

As a kid, I liked to read as little as possible. The only thing I enjoyed reading was music, and even then, I would rather improvise when I played. When I was in 8th grade, I wanted to be a rock and roll bass guitarist. In high school, I liked Richard Bach's book Jonathan Livingston Seagull best. It also taught me to go against the odds to succeed.

I live in Seabrook, which isn't to far from the Johnson Space Center. I am married with two stepchildren and two foster children and one son of our own. Stefani Jetty is 22, Michael Jetty is 18, Lucy Moore is 17, Sean Lucas is 18, and Sam Glorioso is 5. We also have a rabbit named Bun-bun. My family enjoys water skiing and camping together. My parents still live in Houston.

Future Plans and Goals