项目副经理Vir Thanvi
“I had the privilege of being the very first project manager for [the] Near Space Network (NSN), and in my current role as deputy program manager for [the] Exploration and Space Communications Division, it is still in my portfolio. NSN is one of the [agency’s two] communication and navigation networks.
“When we see the volume and the variety of NASA, other agency, and commercial missions supported by the network, and the science being achieved, and the exploration being enabled — when you leave for the day, you feel accomplished that you contributed [to the] agency’s goal. You contributed toward [the] nation’s priorities, such as cislunar [exploration], and then you helped humankind by enabling the science and exploration.
“Without communication, every satellite in this space is a black box. So, just knowing that every single day we are flowing terabytes of data through relay and direct-to-earth services directly to our [missions], enabling the exploration and achieving the science — is a great sense of accomplishment.
“… Whatever role you are in, as long as you find a way to understand what mission, what goal, what objective you are contributing to, there is no bigger motivator than that.
“As a software programmer, normally you think that your job is to come in and write some code and solve some discrepancy reports and do the testing — and then you go home.
“But in the end, when you see that the program you are writing or fixing is something that controls the satellite that’s observing the sea levels and the sea temperatures or [controls] a capsule that is carrying astronauts, now you know you’re actually contributing to a bigger purpose, a bigger objective.
“I say that to my team, whenever I have an opportunity. I share with my team that they are enabling science and exploration for dozens of missions being supported by NSN. Initially it just seems like words, but once they start realizing [their contributions] are real, I can tell you those people don’t want to go anywhere. They just feel that sense of accomplishment.”
—Vir Thanvi, Deputy Program Manager, Exploration and Space Communications Projects Division, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Image Credit: NASA/Thalia Patrinos
Interviewer: NASA/Thalia Patrinos
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“我有幸成为近太空网络（NSN）的第一位项目经理，目前我担任探索和太空通信部门的副项目经理，这仍然是我的职责范围。NSN是[该机构的两个]通信和导航网络之一。
“当我们看到网络支持的NASA、其他机构和商业任务的数量和种类，以及所取得的科学成就和探索的实现时——当你离开一天的工作时，你会觉得自己为该机构的目标做出了贡献。你为国家的优先事项做出了贡献，例如月球[探索]，然后你通过促进科学和探索来帮助人类。
“没有通信，太空中的每颗卫星都是一个黑匣子。所以，只要知道我们每天通过中继和直接地面服务传输着数百万兆字节的数据到我们的[任务]中，促进了探索并实现了科学目标——这是一种巨大的成就感。
“……不管你担任什么角色，只要找到一种方式来理解你正在为哪个任务、目标、目的做出贡献，没有比这更大的动力了。
“作为一个软件程序员，通常你会认为你的工作是进来写一些代码、解决一些差异报告并进行测试，然后回家。
“但是最后，当你看到你正在编写或修复的程序正控制着观测海平面和海温的卫星，或者控制着携带宇航员的舱体，现在你知道你实际上正在为一个更大的目的、一个更大的目标做出贡献。
“只要有机会，我就会对我的团队这么说。我和我的团队分享，他们正在为NSN支持的数十项任务提供科学和探索。起初，这似乎只是空话，但一旦他们开始意识到[他们的贡献]是真实的，我可以告诉你，这些人哪里也不想去。他们只是觉得有成就感。”
——Vir Thanvi，NASA戈达德太空飞行中心探索和太空通信项目部副项目经理
图片来源：NASA/Thalia Patrinos
采访者：NASA/Thalia Patrinos