The hard work and preparation that goes into achieving big goals is something Veronica Pruneda knows all too well. As the software project lead in the flight operations office for NASA’s Gateway Program, Pruneda is making strides toward establishing a digital network on the Gateway space station, a multipurpose outpost in orbit around the Moon that will help establish a sustained human presence in deep space as part of the Artemis missions.
Pruneda manages the software and servers that Artemis astronauts will use aboard Gateway as it orbits the Moon. To ensure functionality, she leads the software team currently evaluating which hardware would be most viable in deep space. The software will play the important role of allowing crew to command the vehicle, communicate with Mission Control at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, and perform critical tasks like data transfers to and from the command center.
Born and raised in Baytown, Texas, only 15 miles away from Johnson, Pruneda received her associate’s degree from Lee College in Baytown. She later attended the University of Houston – Clear Lake, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science.
Pruneda says that her self-described low-income background presented a multitude of challenges that taught her to dream big and set goals. She remembers how her parents, who did not speak English when they moved to the United States, inspired and encouraged her and her siblings to never give up. Pruneda shares similar words of wisdom with her two children, Melina and Sebastian, and to any child with big dreams..
“A career at NASA seemed impossible to me, but all you have to do is set smaller goals on the path to your main goal,” Pruneda said. “No matter what challenges you face, keep pushing forward and don’t give up.”
When she’s not building a deep space digital network, Pruneda enjoys watching movies, staying active, and traveling with her husband, Arnold, and their kids.
From time to time, Pruneda imagines the day that Artemis astronauts will enter Gateway to live, work, and transit to the lunar surface. As she thinks about the exciting future of Artemis, one recurring word comes to mind: pride.
“The fact that Gateway will serve as a hub for future Artemis missions and landing the first woman and first person of color on the Moon excites me the most,” Pruneda says. “Seeing astronauts utilize the hardware for the first time, aboard Gateway, will be an unforgettable yet overwhelming moment when I can proudly say ‘I helped accomplish that.’”
Learn more about Gateway: https://www.nasa.gov/gateway.