Williston men play role in NASA’s Artemis mission

WILLISTON, N.D. (KUMV) - NASA is looking to get back to the moon and beyond. The ongoing Artemis 1 mission aims to have astronauts on the moon as early as 2025. Many people are involved in this ambitious project, including some from North Dakota.

It takes a team effort to get a man on the moon. Among the large crew inside NASA are two men from Williston. After graduating from North Dakota State University, Austin Decker and Jason Adam found themselves working for the organization.

“Pretty much my entire life, I’ve been a space geek. I was just really, really blessed that it worked into a paying job for me,” said Decker.

Operating out of Huntsville, Alabama, Decker serves as an Integrated Vehicle Loads Team Lead, while Adam is a Cryogenic Fluid Management Project Office Manager. Their work helped NASA in creating a successful launch.

“It takes everything that we have to get these vehicles ready so that they are safe to fly. That’s also what makes it so exciting,” said Adam.

This mission could create a new generation of fans, curious to see what lies beyond the planet. Both Decker and Adam said NASA is always looking for more people, regardless of where you come from.

“I would like to encourage anyone [to join]. If space is something that interests you, don’t let the fact that you’re from a rural area discourage you,” said Decker.

Getting Americans to the moon is just the beginning. The Artemis program intends to send the first astronauts to Mars. Decker and Adam said there’s a lot of work to be done, but declare that it’s going to be a very interesting decade for space exploration.

NDSU is one of seven universities helping NASA come up with designs to complete the Artemis Mission.

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