By Aarah Sardesai | Intern
NASA is entering one of its most ambitious eras in modern history — and Baylor’s aerospace program is doing the same.
From preparing the Artemis II crew for humanity’s first return to lunar orbit to deploying next‑generation telescopes and climate‑tracking satellites, NASA is pushing the boundaries of science and engineering.
The timing aligns with Baylor’s own expansion in aerospace and STEM programs, giving students a front‑row seat to a rapidly evolving space landscape.
For many Baylor students, NASA’s Artemis program is more than a headline — it’s motivation. This rings true for Prosper freshman Jack Cartwright.
“NASA’s latest mission is inspiring because it’s the step right before sending someone back to the moon,” Cartwright said. “It’s been so many years since anyone has been on the moon, and it’s incredible that in my own lifetime I’ll get to see it happen.”
Cartwright said the mission connects directly with what he’s learning in class.
“There’s so much physics involved, orbital mechanics, materials science, propulsion and that ties into what we’re doing,” Cartwright said. “But it’s not just engineering. There are environmental impacts, communications and logistics. NASA’s work connects to students across so many fields.”
Cartwright became an engineer because he once dreamed of becoming an astronaut. Baylor’s decision to launch a full aerospace engineering degree strengthened his confidence in the university’s commitment to innovation.
“It showed they’re serious about preparing students for this field,” Cartwright said.
Cartwright hopes Baylor will continue expanding opportunities for students interested in space, such as partnerships with SpaceX or NASA for internships.
East Northport, N.Y., freshman Jack Mazzara said he was already familiar with NASA’s current projects because one of his professors works on the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.
“Hearing him talk about his work made me pay attention to what NASA is doing,” he said.
For Mazzara, Artemis III stands out because it will stay on the moon for an entire week.
“That feels like a stepping stone to colonizing other planets,” Mazzara said. “The idea of people actually living on the moon someday is incredible.”
NASA’s missions are influencing students across Baylor’s growing astronomy community. The university recently renamed its physics department to Physics and Astronomy to reflect rising interest.
“The Roman Space Telescope is going to be more powerful than earlier ones,” Mazzara said. “NASA’s discoveries are shaping what students want to study.”
Mazzara said Baylor professors are making an effort to connect their research to undergraduate coursework. He pointed to physics professor Dr. Lorin Matthews, who studies dusty plasma.
“She explained how her research challenges Newton’s third law and tied it directly to what we were learning,” Mazzara said.
While Cartwright and Mazzara see NASA’s missions as a turning point for exploration, other Baylor students say the agency’s work is also reshaping who gets to be part of that future.
Frisco freshman Kaitlyn Jenkins said NASA’s recent efforts to diversify its astronaut corps have been especially inspiring.
“They’re sending women to space and increasing support for diversity,” Jenkins said. “That really stood out to me.”
Artemis II is the mission that interests her most.
“They’re sending people to the moon again, and our current data is very old,” she said. “This mission will help update what we know.”
Jenkins said Artemis reflects the diversity of students who might one day work at NASA, and NASA’s discoveries have strengthened her interest in aerospace engineering.
“It motivates me to keep studying and learn more about space,” Jenkins said.
Jenkins believes Baylor students should pay attention to NASA’s breakthroughs. NASA’s missions have also shaped her long‑term goals, especially in sustainable space technology. NASA’s return to the moon also changed how she views exploration.
“They’re not leaving what they know in the past,” she said. “They’re going back to learn more, not just targeting Mars.”
She said the missions raise questions about the future, and she knows that with NASA’s achievements, space exploration is far from reaching its limits.
Jenkins believes Baylor can prepare students for future missions by expanding aerospace research.
“The program is fairly new,” she said. “They should do more research on propulsion and grow the department.”
NASA’s missions also highlight global collaboration, showing “humanity working together.” Looking ahead, she hopes NASA will expand its search for new worlds.
“There are so many planets out there,” she said. “People could live on more than just Earth, Mars or the moon.”
As NASA moves closer to returning humans to the moon, Baylor students say the excitement on campus reflects something larger than a single mission. For some, Artemis is a childhood dream coming into focus. For others, it signals a future where space exploration is more diverse, more collaborative and more accessible than ever before.