Women@NASA - Christina Gallegos Deoja

Biography

Texas native, Christina Gallegos Deoja, had interests in space, math, and science at a young age and eagerly sought ways to get involved with NASA. In 2003, she was selected to participate in the NASA High School Aerospace Scholars (HAS) program as an 11th grader. The program gave her eligibility to later intern at NASA through the Texas Aerospace Scholars (TAS) program as an undergraduate student. As an intern, Christina trained as a Test Director, developing and executing tests on hardware using test systems such as power emulators, thermal/vacuum chambers and vibration/shock test stands. After receiving a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Dallas, Christina joined NASA Johnson Space Center full-time in the Propulsion and Power Division. She currently works on multiple test and development projects contributing to the International Space Station and Orion spacecraft. Her role includes the design, test, and verification of the electrical power system and batteries. She also develops software for automated power quality testing and battery charger systems. In 2012, Christina was named Wiring Subsystem Lead for Project Morpheus, a vertical testbed developed to demonstrate green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and hazard avoidance navigation technology. As lead, she played a vital role in the integration of vehicle subsystems by providing electrical power for all vehicle equipment and collecting data relating to power, propulsion, avionics, navigation, and structure. The Morpheus vehicle successfully completed 13 free flights and remains one of Christina’s proudest accomplishments of her career. Most recently, she works with battery experts to develop and test methods that prevent thermal runaway in space lithium-ion batteries, a potentially catastrophic condition that can occur when battery cells heat up and lead to further increase in temperature that can cause a violent reaction. Christina shares her joy for space and engineering with the students she mentors and interacts through the NASA’s educational outreach programs. She is married and has a one year old daughter, Mila. In her spare time, Christina enjoys traveling, cooking, and tinkering with electronic and home do-it-yourself projects.