The Artemis II mission has held the world’s rapt attention for days, from liftoff to each history-making moment in space. For one Sacramento space scientist, the mission is extra meaningful.Elizabeth Gabler Marquez is a neutron radiographer at UC Davis McClellan Nuclear Research Center. It’s where she and her colleagues started working on parts for the rocket back in 2021.“We got almost everything explosive that goes on the rocket,” Gabler Marquez said. “The separation stage rings. We get the gas propellant tanks. We get little gas generators for when they reenter, and the parachute cutters.”She and her team – meticulously inspecting the mechanisms for even the most miniscule of flaws.“I have carried a lot of these rings across the facility,” she said. “I’ve held a lot of the parts of my hand. I’ve imaged . I’ve made sure they’re good.”She’s also carried the weight of the work’s importance, top of mind.“It’s definitely terrifying when you’re looking, or inspecting parts,” Gabler Marquez said. “Four astronauts’ lives depend on this. It’s a lot of weight on my shoulders, but it’s also cool knowing I’m sending humans into space. I’m making history.”Her place in history started early with a love of all things having to do with space.“I’ve always been interested in the space shuttle program and hearing about the moon missions,” she said. “I’ve been always passionate about Artemis.”From volunteering at the community observatory in Placerville to graduating from Sacramento State as an aerospace engineer, then on to jobs with Aerojet and landing where she is today, Gabler Marquez’s path — much like the space program — was paved by each achievement.“This is the rocket we want to eventually take to Mars,” she said. “So it’s kind of a test run. If something goes wrong it’s a lot easier to try and get them back when they’re just at the moon than three months away.”The mission is also giving her hope by how it’s united humanity.“It really just shows what humans can do when they all work together,” she said. “It kind of is that one thing you can look up at the moon and smile and go, ‘We did that. We put humans up there. Look at this beautiful moon.’”See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
The Artemis II mission has held the world’s rapt attention for days, from liftoff to each history-making moment in space. For one Sacramento space scientist, the mission is extra meaningful.
Elizabeth Gabler Marquez is a neutron radiographer at UC Davis McClellan Nuclear Research Center. It’s where she and her colleagues started working on parts for the rocket back in 2021.
“We got almost everything explosive that goes on the rocket,” Gabler Marquez said. “The separation stage rings. We get the gas propellant tanks. We get little gas generators for when they reenter, and the parachute cutters.”
She and her team – meticulously inspecting the mechanisms for even the most miniscule of flaws.
“I have carried a lot of these rings across the facility,” she said. “I’ve held a lot of the parts of my hand. I’ve imaged [the parts]. I’ve made sure they’re good.”
She’s also carried the weight of the work’s importance, top of mind.
“It’s definitely terrifying when you’re looking, or inspecting parts,” Gabler Marquez said. “Four astronauts’ lives depend on this. It’s a lot of weight on my shoulders, but it’s also cool knowing I’m sending humans into space. I’m making history.”
Her place in history started early with a love of all things having to do with space.
“I’ve always been interested in the space shuttle program and hearing about the moon missions,” she said. “I’ve been always passionate about Artemis.”
From volunteering at the community observatory in Placerville to graduating from Sacramento State as an aerospace engineer, then on to jobs with Aerojet and landing where she is today, Gabler Marquez’s path — much like the space program — was paved by each achievement.
“This is the rocket we want to eventually take to Mars,” she said. “So it’s kind of a test run. If something goes wrong it’s a lot easier to try and get them back when they’re just at the moon than three months away.”
The mission is also giving her hope by how it’s united humanity.
“It really just shows what humans can do when they all work together,” she said. “It kind of is that one thing you can look up at the moon and smile and go, ‘We did that. We put humans up there. Look at this beautiful moon.’”
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel