Ike Theriot Helps Prepare Astronauts to Work on the Moon
From serving in the U.S. Army to helping prepare astronauts to explore the lunar surface, Ike Theriot built a path to NASA through discipline and determination. Theriot serves as the Flight Operations Surface Testing lead in the Exploration Extravehicular Activity Operations Branch within the EVA, Robotics, and Crew Operations Division at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. He integrates…
Ike Theriot, a former U.S. Army soldier, is currently preparing astronauts for lunar exploration through his role as the Flight Operations Surface Testing lead at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Theriot integrates flight operations testing requirements for the Artemis program, ensuring teams possess the necessary data, procedures, and experience to enable astronauts to live and work on the Moon.
Theriot's responsibilities encompass developing and executing simulated moonwalks at various locations, including NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory and the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility. He has also played a pivotal role in the development of the Lunar Grid Reference System, a system specifically designed for human operations on the Moon, which is now integrated into flight control systems.
In addition to his duties at NASA, Theriot often serves as a suited test subject himself, training others to become test conductors and test leads, thereby cultivating the next generation of surface operations experts. As he transitions from his current role to focus on mission development, astronaut training, and mission execution for the subsequent lunar landing, Theriot remains committed to ensuring that the necessary testing is conducted to meet mission expectations, and that the knowledge and experience are imparted to the astronaut corps to meet the demands of lunar exploration.
Written by urgent.news from NASA's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
