Life

Angelita Castro-Kelly (1942-2015) made her mark on space research and exploration as the first female Mission Operations Manager (MOM) of NASA, earning her the iconic title, “Mom” of NASA. She was born in 1942 in Jones, Isabela, Philippines to her mother, Eugenia Albano, and father, Miguel Castro, a doctor and US Armed Forces in the Far East captain who was killed during WWII.¹ Her parents, a pharmacist, and doctor, respectively, were her biggest inspirations, carrying high expectations academically.² She was the youngest of six children, noting, “My mother expected us to excel well and to follow the good examples set by my siblings, like my brother, the late Ambassador Pacifico Castro.”³ Her brother, Miguel Castro Jr., was a former ambassador and minister of Foreign Affairs.⁴ In this spirit, Castro-Kelly studied hard, earning high school salutatorian at the University of Santo Tomas, and participating in debate and the school newspaper.⁵ She continued her education at Santo Tomas, leading the Pax Romana, a Catholic organization, and the Central Board of Students, graduating summa cum laude in Mathematics and Physics in 1962.⁶ 

Castro-Kelly’s studies continued in the United States soon after, and she earned a master’s degree in physics at the University of Maryland.⁷ During her graduate program, she experienced gender bias as one of the few female physics students. There was only one women’s restroom in the entire University of Maryland physics building.⁸ She was hired in 1977 as a NASA data analyst for the Space Shuttle Manned Flight Missions.⁹ This was a pivotal year for NASA, which carried out the initial testing of the first shuttle (January 31, 1977 – October 26, 1977), including the Space Shuttle Program’s first flight (February 18, 1977).¹⁰ NASA was at peak innovation, President Nixon approved the Space Transportation System project focusing on a reusable rocket to launch in and out of Earth’s atmosphere.¹¹ However, the gender bias during her studies continued into her professional career. “The initial challenge was to show them that I was just as capable as they were to do the job. The trust and respect came once they saw that I could contribute to the success of the mission.”¹² 

Specifically, Castro-Kelly worked to develop the Goddard Space Flight Center Spacelab Data Processing Facility in Greenbelt, Maryland.¹³ “SLDPF functions include the capturing, quality monitoring, processing, accounting, and forwarding of mission data to various user facilities” reported a NASA document authored by Castro-Kelly and Goddard Space Flight Center co-workers.¹⁴ She worked on SLDPF for 12 years until 1990, when a promotion coined her the nickname “MOM” of NASA, ironic as it was men who served as the “MOM” before her. “I was the only female for many years on the teams that I worked with—this I consider an achievement.”¹⁵

As the Mission Operations Manager for the Earth Observing System project, Castro-Kelly oversaw the initial development of three polar-orbiting satellites, Terra, Aqua, and Aura, that observed Earth’s biosphere and atmosphere from space.¹⁶ The purpose of the EOS mission was to create long-term means of observing climate change and providing data to climate researchers on Earth.¹⁷ Castro-Kelly was the first woman and first Filipino to hold this position. “Before I went to NASA, my idea of it was so narrow—I only thought about rocket ships… After I started working at Goddard, I learned about the diversity of scientific and engineering disciplines, and the many opportunities to contribute to the space program.”¹⁸ Her job also included international and diplomatic work between space research teams, developing the Earth Observing System Memoranda of the Understanding catalog with Japan and the Netherlands to create accessible research and data.[19“Fil-Am Mom Gets NASA Medal.”] Castro-Kelly also worked as the Goddard Space Flight Center Constellation Team Manager, using her diplomatic skills to coordinate the ongoing missions in the atmosphere and ensure they operated safely with each other.¹⁹

Castro-Kelly did not only contribute to NASA in a purely scientific manner. She was the director of the Goddard Special Flight Center’s Summer Institute in Science and Technology for Junior High School Girls, the Advisory Committee for Asian and Pacific American Employees, and the Mission Operations and Data Systems Directorate Multicultural Advisory Team. Castro-Kelly recognized that innovation in STEM career diversity and support for young women’s education was just as important as innovations in scientific development. 

Castro-Kelly passed away from Lupus complications on June 7, 2015, at the age of 73.²⁰ “Get a good education. Do not forget your values no matter where you go. Treat people fairly,” was her lasting advice to others.²¹

 

Research

The Evolving Earth Observing System (EOS) Mission Operations Concept: Then and Now²²

Castro-Kelly took part in the re-development of the EOS system, specifically discussing cost-effectiveness and data accuracy. “EOS was planned to provide a comprehensive, long-term set of observations of the Earth to the Earth science research community. The data will aid in understanding global climate changes caused both naturally and through human interaction.”²³ The article examines the restructuring, rescoping, rebaselining, and reshaping of the EOS to provide better comprehensive data for global climate change researchers.

Facing the Reality of Operating with Minimum TDRSS Support²⁴

Castro-Kelly’s article regarding the Earth Observing System’s communication system, the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS), discussed the various strategies for communicating data from satellites to ground researchers. The construction of the EOS Ground System brought about challenges in operational functions, staffing, and the remote locations of the ground stations. Castro-Kelly oversaw the changes in the EOS concept and recounted the ground system architecture changes, Polar Ground Station implementation (the new development in the EOS Ground System), and functions of the EOS Data and Operations System. In summary, her publication overviewed the design of the EOS’s data and communication operations, aiming to streamline and automate to increase efficiency and accommodate the researchers using the devices. 

 

Angelita Castro-Kelly’s Honors & Awards

• “Pamana ng Bayan” (heritage of the people) Presidential Award for Science and Technology, awarded by President Fidel Ramos (1993)
• 100 Most Influential Filipinas in the United States
• Goddard Space Flight Center Exceptional Performance Award (2006)
• Most Influential Award by the Filipina Women’s Network (2007)
• The University of Santo Tomas Ten Outstanding Thomasian Alumni for Science and Technology (1993)
• NASA Honor Award and Exceptional Achievement Medal (2007)
• NASA Manned Flight Program Launch Honoree Award
• “Snoopy” Astronauts’ Manned Flight Award

 

Bibliography

Foundation for Filipina Women’s Network. “In Memoriam: Dr. Angelita Castro-Kelly, U.S. FWN100TM ’07, NASA’S Fearless Filipina Diplomat,” June 15, 2015. https://filipinawomensnetwork.org/epahayagan/dr-angelita-castro-kelly-us-fwn100-07-passes.

Kelly, Angelita C. “FACING THE REALITY OF OPERATING WITH MINIMUM TDRSS SUPPORT,” 1996. https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=340918414607520f5e6c91f7e499f1fe4d47ecec.

———. “The Evolving Earth Observing System (Eos) Mission Operations Concept.” Space Mission Operations and Ground Data Systems-SpaceOps 394 (1996). https://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1996ESASP.394..106K.

Kelly, Angelita C., Lisa Basile, Troy Ames, Janice Watson, and William Dallam. “Spacelab Data Processing Facility (SLDPF) Quality Assurance Expert Systems Development.” Telematics and Informatics 4, no. 4, 19 (January 1, 1987). https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19880033263.

Manned Spaceflight Operations Association. “Shuttle.” Accessed September 26, 2024. https://www.mannedspaceops.org/missions/shuttle/.

Mar 20, Jam Nitura-Published and 2021. “Meet the Remarkable Filipino Women Who Have Been Making History at NASA.” Preview.ph, July 27, 2024. http://www.preview.ph/culture/remarkable-filipino-women-nasa-a00268-20210320-lfrm.

“Missions: Earth Observing System (EOS) | NASA’s Earth Observing System.” Accessed September 26, 2024. https://eospso.nasa.gov/mission-category/3.

“NASA’s Earth Observing System.” Accessed September 26, 2024. https://eospso.nasa.gov/content/nasas-earth-observing-system-project-science-office.

Philstar.com. “Fil-Am Mom Gets NASA Medal.” Accessed September 25, 2024. https://www.philstar.com/other-sections/the-good-news/2010/08/01/598202/fil-am-mom-gets-nasa-medal.

Santos, Tomas U. “US Space ‘Hero’ Is a Thomasian Alumna,” November 17, 2008. https://varsitarian.net/news/20081117/us_space_hero_is_a_thomasian_alumna.

“Space Shuttle Program | National Air and Space Museum.” Accessed September 26, 2024. https://airandspace.si.edu/explore/topics/spaceflight/space-shuttle-program.