SSAI In The News

SSAI’s Lucia (“Lucy”) Lee serves as the Ground Systems Manager for the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) Mission Operations Control Center (MOCC) at NASA Langley Research Center. In recognition of her continuous display of dedication, professionalism, and her pioneering spirit, Lucy was honored with the NASA Exceptional Public Service Medal. 

Lucy manages an array of flight computer hardware and software resources required to support payload command preparation and verification, the routine and autonomous monitoring of the payload instrument suite, archival of critical payload health parameters and the secure exchange of payload information between the MOCC and the Satellite Operations Control Center (SOCC) managed by CALIPSO’s international mission partner, CNES, the French Space Agency.  The quality and consistent extent of the CALIPSO data record owes much to Lucy’s leadership, knowledge, sustained performance, and dedicated service.    

Lucy’s leadership and exceptional technical contributions have enabled the CALIPSO mission to sustain a high-level of performance that has improved the quality of operations and allowed the mission to produce an excellent long-duration science data record that has fundamentally improved our understanding of Earth’s atmosphere and climate system.  Her service as a leading member on several anomaly investigation teams, as well as the organization and coordination of required software protocol changes across NASA and CNES plays a key role to ensure seamless and consistent data transfers, around the clock. A reliable system is essential for success, and Lucy has taken it on her shoulders to develop a secure, dependable ground systems network that’s been at the heart and soul of the CALIPSO mission.    

Congratulations, Lucy!   

Fun note...

In addition to her many responsibilities as the CALIPSO Ground Systems Manager, Lucy enjoys dancing and teaching classes in folk dances of the Middle East and North Africa. She has been teaching dance at a local dance studio since 1985, as well as studying dances with many of the top performers in this field. In addition, Lucy offers a variety of classes and seminars, both on folklore and dance, including one in the Outer Banks every fall for authentic belly dancing. She also spends a great deal of time researching and making authentic traditional dress for the many different dance styles of which Lucy specializes. During the pandemic, Lucy led outdoor Yoga classes for her neighbors.