Parker Team Remembers Mission Director Apurva Varia
Posted on 2024-05-27 16:58:36The Parker Solar Probe team lost an inspirational leader, colleague and friend last month when Mission Director Apurva Varia died on April 24 at age 50.
Varia joined NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in 2002 as a propulsion engineer. For 13 years, he analyzed, designed and tested spacecraft propulsion systems, including those on Solar Dynamics Observatory, Magnetospheric Multiscale and Deep Space Climate Observatory.
He was the first deaf engineer to monitor and analyze telemetry from a propulsion system inside an uncrewed spacecraft in a NASA mission operations center. In 2016, he became a mission director for three spacecraft, including Parker Solar Probe.
"Our thoughts are with Apurva's family, his colleagues and his amazing interpreters," said Helene Winters, Parker Solar Probe project manager at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), which built and operates Parker Solar Probe and manages the mission for NASA. "It was apparent how deeply he cared about his work, was proud to be a part of NASA, and was passionate about the Parker mission."
Parker Mission Systems Engineer John Wirzburger of APL recalled presenting to several Varia-led technical review panels -- and how the exchanges inspired his development as an engineer and decisionmaker.
"It was mesmerizing to watch Apurva absorb the material from every angle, and then ask meaningful questions that advanced the topic regardless of the technical discipline," Wirzburger said. "But it was also how he treated people, how he asked questions in a manner that empowered the presenter. It is easy to tell people they are wrong; it is harder to teach them a new thought process through questioning that allows them to expand their horizons and to advance the mission ... I will miss him dearly."
Read more about Varia's life and career:
Tribute from Gallaudet University
Conversations with Goddard: Apurva Varia
Obituary and link to memorial service webcast
Apurva Varia was the first deaf engineer to monitor and analyze telemetry from a propulsion system inside an uncrewed spacecraft in a NASA mission operations center. In 2016, he became a mission director for three spacecraft, including Parker Solar Probe.
Credit: AstroAccess
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