Students visit NASA Stennis to learn about aerospace medicine

Just 50 miles from the campus of Tulane University School of Medicine is NASA’s largest rocket engine test facility. Members of the Tulane chapter of the Aerospace Medicine Student and Resident Organization (AMSRO) toured the site, and second-year medical student Alex Suh wrote this about the trip.

Recently, medical students from Tulane University had the unique opportunity to visit Stennis Space Center, located in Mississippi, to learn about the rockets that will carry astronauts to the moon as part of NASA's Artemis program.

The visit to the space center was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the medical students, who had the chance to learn about the cutting-edge technology being developed by NASA to send humans back to the moon by 2024. During the visit, they were able to see the RS-25 engines being tested and learn about the critical role these engines will play in sending astronauts to the moon.

The students also had the chance to speak with NASA experts, who shared their knowledge and passion for space exploration with the future doctors. They learned about the various systems and components that make up the rockets, as well as the important role each component plays in ensuring the safety of the astronauts during their mission to the moon.

In addition to learning about the technology behind the Artemis program, the medical students also had the opportunity to explore the Stennis Space Center and see its various facilities, including the rocket test stands and the aerodynamics laboratory. They were amazed at the size and scale of the facilities, and the incredible work being done to prepare for the next generation of space exploration.

“Space makes medicine looks easy,” said Preston Tsang, a second-year student at Tulane University School of Medicine. “Something that rocket engineering and medicine have in common is precision and safety. Just like in medicine, rocket scientists also have to put lives first. I hope to emulate a similar level of precision and safety in my profession when I'm a surgeon one day."

The students also left a thumbprint on the RS-25 engine, a unique way to commemorate their visit to the Stennis Space Center. The thumbprint symbolizes their connection to the historic engines and their role in the next chapter of space exploration.