Dream Jobs: Rocket designer

By Newsela staff on 03.01.21

Word Count 683
Level 600L

Image 1. Tiera Fletcher is an engineer who works on NASA's Space Launch System, a powerful rocket that will one day send people to
Mars. Photo: Michael A. Schwartz Photo: Michael A. Schwartz

Tiera Fletcher is an engineer. She designs rockets that will one day send humans to Mars. Mars is
the closest planet to Earth.

Fletcher works at The Boeing Company. Boeing builds airplanes and spaceships, including some of
NASA's spaceships. NASA is the U.S. space agency.

Fletcher works on NASA's Space Launch System. It is the largest and most powerful rocket in
history.

Question: What was your life like growing up?

Fletcher: I grew up in a small town called Mableton. It is right outside of Atlanta, Georgia. The
town is so small that it doesn't have a mayor.

When I was young, I was very interested in math. My mom would take me on trips to the store.
She would have me calculate the price of our groceries in my head. From there my interests
expanded. I wanted to be a mathematician, inventor, architect and scientist.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

Q: What is aerospace engineering, and how did you become interested in it?

Fletcher: Engineers work to solve problems. To do so, they often design tools and systems. A
system is a set of things that work together. Aerospace engineers work with airplanes and
spaceships.

I took part in a school program when I was 11. It was

about aerospace engineering. At that point, I decided
that I wanted to become an aerospace engineer.

In high school, I did research on reverse thrust.

Thrust is a pushing force that moves an aircraft
through the air. Engines create thrust by burning
fuel to push a lot of air backward. This causes the
plane to move forward.

Reverse thrust is used to change the direction of air that is expelled from the engine. It helps pilots
reduce their speed before they land.

Q: What did you study in college?

Fletcher: I chose to go to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It is a university in

Cambridge, Massachusetts. I knew that I wanted to study aerospace engineering.

I decided to focus on structural design and analysis. I worked on designing parts of systems. I also
analyzed those parts to make them work better.

Q: How did you come to work at Boeing, and what do you do there now?

Fletcher: I took part in many internships as a student. I was an intern at Boeing for a couple of
summers. After graduation, the company offered me a job.

Today, I work on designing some of the parts for

NASA's Space Launch System. The rocket is being
built and tested now. When it is finished, it will be the
largest rocket ever created. It will also be the most
powerful. Its goal is to send astronauts to Mars.

I help design different parts for the rocket. These

parts could include anything that goes on the outside
or inside of the rocket. They can even include small
fasteners. These are tiny devices that hold things in
place.

Q: What kind of challenges have you faced in the

workforce and how did you overcome them?

Fletcher: I'm 25, African American and female. In contrast, most of the people I work with are
older males. This has been challenging. However, I have been able to rise above some of the unfair
or negative beliefs people might have about me. I work hard to prove that I can do my job well. It
takes confidence and courage.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

Q: What advice do you have for students who might be interested in a career like yours?

Fletcher: Do your research! Also, keep an open mind. There are so many career options out there
in science, technology, engineering and math. Try them all out. Keep trying new subjects until you
find your passion.

Do not limit yourself! You are capable of more, you can do more, and you can be more. Always
shoot to be more.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

Quiz

1 Read the paragraph below from the section "Question: What was your life like growing up?"

When I was young, I was very interested in math. My mom would take me on trips to the store.
She would have me calculate the price of our groceries in my head. From there my interests
expanded. I wanted to be a mathematician, inventor, architect and scientist.

How did Tiera Fletcher feel about math as a kid?

(A) She thought it was a difficult subject, but her mother taught her how to have fun with it.

(B) She thought it was a difficult subject, and it made her decide to do science instead.

(C) She enjoyed math growing up, but she disliked having to do it at the grocery store.

(D) She enjoyed doing math growing up, and it made her like other similar subjects.

2 Tiera Fletcher thinks people should always keep trying new subjects.

WHY does she think this?

(A) She believes it will help them find what they love to do.

(B) She believes it will help them get a job with Boeing more easily.

(C) She feels it will help them to become better aerospace engineers.

(D) She feels it will help them to understand the idea of reverse thrust.

3 Read the sentences below from the section "Q: How did you come to work at Boeing, and what do you do there now?"

1. I took part in many internships as a student.

2. After graduation, the company offered me a job.

The sentences are events in order. What is something Tiera Fletcher does to show this connection?

(A) The first sentence uses the word "internships."

(B) The first sentence uses the word "student."

(C) The second sentence uses the word "after."

(D) The second sentence uses the word "company."

4 Read the selections below from the article.

1. I'm 25, African American and female. In contrast, most of the people I work with are older
males. This has been challenging.
2. However, I have been able to rise above some of the unfair or negative beliefs people might
have about me. I work hard to prove that I can do my job well. It takes confidence and
courage.

How are the selections connected?

(A) They compare.

(B) They are events in order.

(C) One is a cause and one is an effect.

(D) One is a problem and one is a solution.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.