COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (KMTV) — Engineering students at Abraham Lincoln High School have been watching the progress of Artemis, knowing that a fellow Lynx is part of the mission.
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"I think it’s, like, motivating to know that somebody who was in the same building as me was able to be someone that was so important on this project," said Abraham Lincoln High School Junior Matthew Ochsner
Mikey Donovan and Ochsner are prepping for a robotics tournament. They're inspired to know that Alex Brewer, a 2015 Abraham Lincoln graduate and software engineer on the Artemis missions, started out just like them.
"It makes me believe that I can also end up in a profession like that," Donovan said.
"That was one of my favorite parts of the engineering program at AL was doing all the robotics," Brewer said over Zoom.
He monitors the liquid fuel systems on Artemis; the chemicals that go into the big orange tank.
"Going through the Council Bluffs school district they very much pushed doing STEM," Brewer said.
Engineering teacher Ryan Higgins praised his former student's problem solving skills: "He was very determined."
He figured Brewer was destined for an impressive future.
"He was really good at just going nose first into a problem and coming up with good results," added Higgins.
Brewer told me he was "B student" in college and simply applied online for a space industry job. He's been working his way up ever since and wants young people to know it's a possible.
"I would say, follow your dreams and even if you don't think you can, keep pursuing them and eventually it can work out," Brewer said.
Something else he wants kids to know: the space industry also needs skilled tradespeople, such as welders and electricians. Brewer's role on Artemis II is complete and he is already turning his attention to next year's Artemis III launch.
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