It (Actually) Is Rocket Science
How hard is rocket science? Fifty-five years after Apollo 11 landed on the moon, students at the University of New Mexico built and launched their own rocket. In this casual episode, we explore why rocket science may not actually exist. Then, we hear from Fernando “Doc” Aguilar, who served in the Air Force Space Command before developing UNM’s rocket engineering course. Later, Hyein Choi, a Lobo Launch alumna, walks us through the harrowing journey students faced leading up to the 2024 Spaceport America Cup.
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About Our Guest(s)
Fernando “Doc” Aguilar
Fernando “Doc” Aguilar is an Air Force Space Command veteran and the creator of the rocket engineering course at the University of New Mexico. His Space Command career included postings at the first Space Launch Squadron in Cape Canaveral where he gained certification as a Delta II rocket launch controller as well as a GPS satellite countdown controller. He then became the expert in rocket integration and launch facilities for the Titan IV rocket.
Later he was involved with expediting the integration of large American telecommunications satellites to the Russian Proton rocket. This duty required lengthy visits between Moscow, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Ukraine and Sweden. After his retirement from the Air Force, Aguilar worked as a consultant for the Air Force Research Lab before creating the rocket engineering program at UNM.
Hyein Choi
Hosted by UCAM’s Carly Bowling
Long-time listener, first-time podcaster, Carly Bowling, is a university communication representative in The University of New Mexico’s University Communication and Marketing team (UCAM). She is thrilled to help shed light on the outstanding research work being done at UNM, New Mexico’s only R1 university. In addition to producing IPNRS, she contributes stories and videos to the UNM Newsroom, the University’s official communications platform.
Bowling is a graduate of the Arizona State University Walter Cronkite School of Journalism (’19). Her background includes multimedia journalism, documentary filmmaking, photography and writing. She is passionate about science communication and making academic topics and research accessible and interesting to people from all backgrounds and she hopes you’ll consider subscribing to the show!