Vanessa Wyche is the Director of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, the hub for U.S. human spaceflight, overseeing everything from International Space Station operations and astronaut training to the development of spacecraft and spacesuits for the Artemis moon program. She holds a B.S. in Materials Engineering and an M.S. in Bioengineering from Clemson University, and joined NASA in 1989 as a project engineer developing hardware for microgravity experiments on the Space Shuttle and later the ISS. She went on to lead a 400-person team studying how to send astronauts to Mars, served as JSC's Deputy Director starting in 2018, and became the center's 13th director in 2021. In 2025 she also served a stint as NASA's Acting Associate Administrator, the agency's highest-ranking civil servant position, before returning to lead Johnson Space Center. Under her leadership, JSC was ranked the number one best employer among Texas's major employers by Forbes and Statista.
In this episode, Annika is joined by new co-host Josephine "Jo" Billingsley, a seventh grader from Virginia, with her own hopes of a career in space, to talk with Mrs. Wyche on a particularly busy day: a spacewalk was underway outside the International Space Station as they spoke. She walks through what it actually takes to run a space center, from coordinating crew rotations and upcoming Artemis missions to the simulated Mars habitats currently testing astronauts here on Earth. She also opens up about being the only woman in her engineering branch early in her NASA career, the mentors who shaped her path, how she handles self-doubt by preparing rather than worrying, and the advice she'd give any young woman starting out: find what you're genuinely passionate about, and let resilience carry you through the setbacks along the way.
Key Topics Discussed
Introduction
Director of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas — the 13th person to hold the role, and the center responsible for human spaceflight
Holds a master's in bioengineering; joined JSC as a project engineer working on experiments studying how astronauts adapt to microgravity
Oversees ISS operations, astronaut training and health, spacecraft and spacesuit development (including the Artemis program's Orion spacecraft), and the facilities that keep the center running
A Busy Day at Mission Control
Interviewed on a day when astronauts were conducting a spacewalk outside the International Space Station
Describes mission control's role in command and control of the ISS, working with international partner space agencies around the world
Childhood in Conway, South Carolina
Grew up in a small coastal South Carolina town, one of five siblings, with both parents working as educators
Exposed to a wide range of activities as a kid — Girl Scouts, gymnastics, piano — and was always curious and drawn to the outdoors
Got hooked on science by helping her older brother, who was interested in science, with the chemistry set their parents gave him one Christmas
From Biochemistry to Engineering
Started college as a biochemistry major, but realized during a microbiology lab that it wasn't the right fit
Talked it through with her brother, a chemical engineering major, who suggested she try engineering instead given how analytical she was
Switched to engineering at Clemson University and found her passion — frames the decision as "taking a leap of faith," since switching back was always an option
Early Career Challenges
In college, had to catch up on material other classmates already knew, and leaned on study groups to learn from and teach peers
At NASA, had to learn on the job how to fly hardware in space — something not taught in school — and credits an early mentor who "poured into her" everything he knew
When she didn't get positions she applied for, instead of getting discouraged, assessed what skill or relationship gap held her back and worked to close it
Dealing with Self-Doubt
Manages self-doubt through preparation: thinking through potential pitfalls in advance and how she'd respond to each one
Reminds herself that she's succeeded in similar situations before as evidence she can do it again
Imposter Syndrome
Only became familiar with the term "imposter syndrome" relatively recently, despite having navigated the feeling for years
As the youngest of five siblings, learned early that not knowing everything about a new environment shouldn't define what you want or where you're headed
Frames it instead as self-awareness: identifying your weaknesses and figuring out what you need to learn to succeed
Proudest Accomplishment
Early in her engineering career, realized she was the only woman in her branch at NASA after noticing the makeup of her first branch meeting
Was told by her division chief that she was, in fact, the first woman in the branch — "we'll see how it works out"
Considers becoming Employee of the Month in that division one of her proudest moments, since it confirmed she belonged and could succeed at NASA
Mentors and Role Models
Credits her siblings and parents as her first mentors
Her graduate advisor at Clemson, Dr. Dooley, supported her without ever revealing his own doubts about whether she'd finish on schedule — a lesson in the power of what you choose to say to people
Her first NASA mentor, Pat Lafferty, taught her everything about certifying hardware to fly safely with humans in space
Later mentors helped her transition from a technical role into balancing technical and management responsibilities
Empowered Women Empower Women
Keeps the phrase in her office and believes strongly in giving back what others have poured into you
Encourages young women to share their own experience with younger friends or siblings, just as guests share theirs on this podcast
A Day in the Life: ISS Operations
The International Space Station has been flying for almost 27 years, with people continuously aboard for over 25 of them
Describes ongoing spacewalks to prepare for new solar array upgrades, plus a recent crew rotation via a Russian Soyuz spacecraft
Just welcomed home an astronaut who landed in Kazakhstan after a station rotation
Looking Ahead: Artemis and Mars
Previews the upcoming SpaceX Crew-13 launch of four astronauts to the ISS
Discusses the Artemis 3 crew's training for a lunar landing system checkout, ahead of a future mission that will actually land astronauts on the Moon as part of building a lunar base
Describes a simulated Mars habitat at Johnson Space Center, where a crew has lived since the previous October to study long-duration spaceflight and communication delays, with over 8,000 applicants for the next simulated mission's four slots
Most Exciting Moment: Crew Returning Home Safely
Says her biggest excitement is always watching astronauts thrive in space — but even more, watching them come home safely
Advice for Young Women Starting Their Careers
Core advice: find your passion, even if it takes longer than it does for others to find it
Believes that work tied to genuine passion won't feel like work at all
Final Question: One Quality to Embrace
Names resilience as the quality she'd choose above all
Notes that her own career path wasn't a straight line, and that getting through setbacks is what builds a successful career
Memorable Quotes
"I noticed there's no other women in my branch... You're the first one. We'll see how it works out."
"You don't have to make a complete decision. You can test out some things and see how it works out. And if it doesn't, then try something different."
"If you are able to find what you're truly passionate about, it will be something that you want to do... it won't feel like it's hard work."
"I would say resilience... Don't give up. Keep trying. Keep learning. But if it's what you want to do, you keep pressing and you will get to the end result."
Show Notes & Links of Interest
[00:00 - 00:33] Introduction and Episode Preview
Hosts introduce Director Vanessa Wyche and welcome new co-host Josephine “Jo” Billingsley
[00:33 - 01:02] Guest Introduction
Jo introduces herself as a seventh grader from Shenandoah County, Virginia, hoping for a career in space
[01:02 - 01:32] A Spacewalk in Progress
Mrs. Wyche explains she's joining from mission control during a live spacewalk outside the space station
[01:32 - 02:13] Quick Introductions
Hosts and guest trade quick background on who they are and what they study/do
[02:13 - 06:25] Her Role at Johnson Space Center
Overview of JSC's responsibilities: ISS operations, astronaut selection/training/health, spacecraft and spacesuit development (including Artemis's Orion capsule), and center facilities
[06:27 - 07:55] Childhood in Conway, South Carolina
Growing up curious and outdoorsy, one of five siblings with two educator parents, and getting hooked on science via her older brother's chemistry set
[07:55 - 08:46] First Mention of the Biochem-to-Engineering Switch
Briefly notes switching from biochemistry to engineering at Clemson, found later in the conversation
[08:46 - 11:30] Early Career Challenges
Catching up in college through study groups, learning to fly hardware on the job at NASA with the help of a mentor, and responding constructively to job rejections
[11:37 - 13:13] The Full Story: From Biochemistry to Engineering
The microbiology lab moment that convinced her to switch, her brother's advice, and "taking a leap of faith" knowing she could always switch back
[13:22 - 14:47] Dealing with Self-Doubt
Her strategy: prepare for potential pitfalls in advance and remind herself of past success
[14:47 - 16:34] Imposter Syndrome
Only learned the term fairly recently; frames the feeling instead as self-awareness, informed by growing up as the youngest of five
[16:56 - 18:59] Proudest Accomplishment
Being the only woman in her first NASA engineering branch, and later becoming Employee of the Month there
[19:01 - 22:08] Mentors and Role Models
Her Clemson advisor Dr. Dooley, first NASA mentor Pat Lafferty, and the family members who mentored her from the start
[22:08 - 23:30] Empowered Women Empower Women
Why she keeps the phrase in her office, and her philosophy on giving back what others gave her
[23:40 - 26:41] A Day in the Life: ISS Operations
Nearly 27 years of ISS flight operations, spacewalk prep for solar array upgrades, a recent Soyuz crew rotation, and welcoming an astronaut home to Kazakhstan
[27:06 - 29:54] Looking Ahead: Artemis and Mars
The upcoming SpaceX Crew-13 launch, Artemis 3's crew training for a lunar landing checkout, plans for a moon base, and the simulated Mars habitat at JSC
[30:31 - 31:29] Most Exciting Moment: Crew Returning Home Safely
Her biggest excitement is always watching astronauts come home safely
[31:29 - 33:37] Advice for Young Women Starting Their Careers
Core advice: find your passion, even if it takes time — work tied to real passion won't feel like work
[33:37 - 34:54] Final Question: One Quality to Embrace
Names resilience, reflecting on her own non-linear career path
[34:54 - 35:42] Closing Thoughts and Sign-Off
Thank-yous, congratulating Jo on her first episode, and goodbyes
[35:42 - 35:49] Outro
Hosts
About MRS Wyche
Vanessa E. Wyche is the Director of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas — the 13th person to hold the position and the center responsible for human spaceflight, including International Space Station operations, astronaut training, and the development of spacecraft and spacesuits for NASA's Artemis moon program.
Wyche holds a B.S. in Materials Engineering and an M.S. in Bioengineering, both from Clemson University. She began her career at the Food and Drug Administration before joining NASA in 1989 as a project engineer in the Space and Life Sciences Directorate, developing hardware for medical and microgravity experiments flown on the Space Shuttle and International Space Station. She went on to lead a team of roughly 400 engineers and scientists studying human exploration of Mars, served as Director of JSC's Exploration Integration and Science Directorate, and was named the center's Deputy Director in August 2018 before becoming its 13th Director in June 2021, succeeding Mark Geyer.
In 2025, Wyche served as NASA's Acting Associate Administrator, the agency's highest-ranking civil servant position, before returning to lead Johnson Space Center. Her honors include the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal, two NASA Achievement Medals, recognition as a Women@NASA Awardee (2014) and a "Women Worth Watching" honoree (2016), induction into the Thomas Green Clemson Academy of Engineers and Scientists (2019), and an honorary Doctorate of Science from Coastal Carolina University (2022). Under her leadership, Johnson Space Center was ranked the number one best employer among Texas's major employers by Forbes and Statista. She lives in Houston with her husband, George Wyche Jr., and their son.