Meet Richard Kuhns

Mission Integration Engineer
NASA / Kennedy Space Center

 

Who I am and what I do.
Hi my name is Richard Kuhns and I work at the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF) here at Kennedy Space Center as a Mission Integration Engineer. My main responsibilities are to manage my team of engineers and to make sure that everything goes smoothly and safely. Currently I am working on and making advanced preparations for the Multi Purpose Logistics Modules Missions (MPLM), a module that is very much like a moving van that is launched aboard a shuttle, and delivers parts and much need supplies to the International Space Station (ISS).

How did I get here.
After graduating from Montgomery Catholic High School in Montgomery, Alabama, I went to Auburn University in Alabama, were I received my BS in Electrical Engineering. I have always been interested in the space program and when I decided to participate in the Cooperative Education Program at Auburn, I applied for and received a position at Kennedy Space Center (KSC). Upon completion of my Bachelors I applied to KSC for a permanent position and I have been here ever since. I also managed to receive my Masters in Engineering from the University Of Central Florida while working and raising a family.

Personal Information.
I was born in Denver, Colorado and raised in Montgomery, Alabama, and now live here in Brevard County where I enjoy sailing on the Indian River Lagoon and participate in the YMCA Indian Guides with my family and friends. My Dad Stanley Kuhns retired from the Air Force and settled in Montgomery with my mother Shirley. My father is now deceased and my mother is active in her church and with her grandchildren.

Influences.
My father and mother are the biggest influences in my life and I would not be where I am today without their help and guidance. They have always instilled in me that it is important to have the freedom of choice in your life and to do what interests you the most in life, but to always plan for the future and know that what you do today can affect what you do in the future.

Advice.
My advice to students is to always keep an open mind on what you will be doing with your degree, because when you graduate from high school or college you may find yourself working in a job outside your academic background and for which you didn't train but which you love. So be flexible don't get discouraged and do your best no matter what you do.