Moon Daily: UC grad manages NASA space station project
Gateway will orbit the moon for scientific research
University of Cincinnati graduate Melissa McGuire is helping to manage NASA's new space station project called Lunar Gateway that will orbit the moon.
Moon Daily profiled McGuire, who works as the mission design manager for Gateway's Power and Propulsion Element. She works at NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio.
McGuire earned a master's degree in aerospace engineering from UC's College of Engineering and Applied Science. Previously, she studied engineering physics.
"I am extremely excited to be a part of the next great adventure of human exploration in space," McGuire told Moon Daily.
According to NASA, Lunar Gateway will have living quarters and labs for scientists to conduct research on the surface of the moon. It will take astronauts about five days to travel 250,000 miles to the new station from Earth.
Gateway will be far smaller than the International Space Station at about the size of a studio apartment. It will be designed for missions lasting about three months.
The first components are scheduled for launch in 2022.
Featured image at top: Melissa McGuire gives a talk in 2019 about the Lunar Gateway project. Photo/NASA Glenn Research Center
UC graduate Melissa McGuire is leading NASA's Lunar Gateway project to put a new space station in orbit around the moon. Photo/NASA Glenn Research Center
Related Stories
‘Designer drug’ shows early neuroprotective signal in acute ischemic stroke
October 28, 2025
Medscape highlighted new trial results led by the University of Cincinnati's Eva Mistry that found an experimental drug shows promise in protecting injured brain cells for patients with acute ischemic stroke.
Is menstrual fluid ‘the most overlooked opportunity’ in women’s health?
October 27, 2025
The Guardian recently reported that period blood has long been thought of as ‘stinky and useless’, but startups are exploring using the fluid to test for a wide range of health conditions — including endometriosis.
What is squalane, and how does it work to moisturize skin?
October 27, 2025
The University of Cincinnati's Kelly Dobos was featured in a Women's Health article discussing squalane, an ingredient being increasingly used in moisturizing skincare products.