Penny J. Pettigrew

Penny Pettigrew has always been interested in the space program but freely admits she had no idea what she wanted to do with her chemistry degree until she attended Space Camp®. She never thought of working for NASA and considered the space agency as a place reserved for astronauts only, but a trip to the Adult Space Camp program while still in college opened a world of new possibilities. Penny has supported several different projects at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center including the design of the Materials Science Research Rack, a science facility on board the ISS and NASA’s Ares Rocket Program where she served as the First Stage Systems Engineering and Integration Lead. However, Penny has found her true passion in her current position where she serves as a Space Station Payloads Communications Manager (PAYCOM) which really means she is one of the few people in the world who gets to talk to the astronauts who are living and working on the International Space Station to assist them with their daily science activities. Penny still credits Space Camp for providing the best training for her current position.