From Embry-Riddle to Artemis: Alumna’s Voice Heard in Launch Communications

With moments to the launch of the NASA Artemis II rocket, Alora Mazarakis, who graduated with a master’s degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2020, can be heard loud and clear.  

During Wednesday’s Mission Control communications feed, as systems were checked for launch readiness, Mazarakis led the wireless communications control room team at Kennedy Space Center. On the feed, she can be heard identifying a potential irregularity that prompted a minor delay, said Dr. Eduardo Rojas, Mazarakis’ former professor and the chair of Embry-Riddle’s Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department.

“She observed that the signal-to-noise ratio on the S-band transponder briefly fell outside acceptable limits, indicating that the received signal from the vehicle was not within the expected range,” Rojas said, adding that the team then reviewed the data to confirm the integrity of the system and determined that conditions were acceptable for launch.

Mazarakis, who earned an M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering and who is a flight communication and tracking engineer at NASA, spoke previously about her excitement for the Artemis II mission. She said in a video that “it’s hard to put into words how honored I am to be able to sit in the firing room on launch day.”

She also drew attention to the participation of women in Artemis. Astronaut Christina Koch, one of two mission specialists on Artemis II, is set to become the first woman to orbit the moon.

“In the 60s, we went to the moon with the Apollo program. Now we’re doing it again with women,” Mazarakis said. “It’s really amazing to see how many other women have taken up the charge in spaceflight and are pushing the boundary of what we’re able to achieve in science.”

Rojas said Mazarakis was an exceptional student “who consistently distinguished herself through her professionalism and the outstanding quality of her work.”

He said she also showed great potential as a researcher, “demonstrating an invaluable trait through her genuine openness to new ideas and her willingness to embrace challenging problems, particularly in the field of wireless optical communications hardware.”

“It is truly an honor and a privilege to witness her expertise in action during the launch of Artemis II," Rojas added. “It was such a great experience to hear her voice in the live feed. She is amazing!”

Hear Mazarakis on NASA’s Artemis II official broadcast.