Northrop Grumman is answering the call to develop and produce key defense systems to protect the U.S.
FPA
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By Presley Price
Pam Wesolek – Vehicle Manager and Staff Systems Engineer
Taylor Alexander – Mission Manager and Principal Systems Engineer
Kaitlyn Christensen – Telemetry Operator and Principal Electrical Engineer
Shuxian (Shu) Zheng – Guidance, Navigation & Control operator and Senior Principal Engineer
Pam Wesolek is no stranger to target launch operations. Having supported target vehicles for 25 years as a systems engineer and mission operations manager, she knows her way around the control room. However, she expected the OP0074 launch to be unique because it would be her first launch as the new vehicle manager for GQM-163A, marking a milestone in her career.
GQM-163A “Coyote” targets are launch vehicles used to test U.S. Navy and Army missile defense capabilities and provide advanced training scenarios to prepare sailors and soldiers for potential operational threats. Being part of the GQM-163A program since its initial award in 2000, Pam has seen the program grow from development to full-rate production, to supporting up to 17 launches in a single year.
“While other Northrop Grumman launches may be years in the making, our team is consistently deploying to support a variety of missions throughout the year,” Pam said. “We launch from different locations around the world, and our field teams are required to travel three to four weeks for each mission. It’s around 110 days of preparation for 90 seconds of adrenaline.”
After completing the target preliminary checks, the launch console team drank their coffee to help them stay alert in the early morning hours and waited for the customer countdown. Pam looked around the control room at her team and realized she was surrounded by an all-women launch control room team – the first for the GQM program.
A Culture of Belonging
“We almost didn’t realize it until Pam pointed it out,” Kaitlyn Christensen, telemetry operator and principal electrical engineer, said. “Because we are surrounded by technically talented women that make rocket science look easy, these types of milestones no longer surprise us.”
Although the OP0074 launch marked a new milestone for GQM, it’s not uncommon for women to ignite success across Northrop Grumman programs. Robin Heard leads the team at Northrop Grumman that designs and produces a portfolio of sophisticated target vehicles that replicate global missile threats. Pam, Kaitlyn, Taylor Alexander, and Shuxian Zheng point toward her leadership for fostering a sense of belonging across targets programs.
“Robin’s leadership style trickles down to all elements of the program. She constantly praises the team for our successes and highlights that we are in these positions because of our technical capabilities and leadership values,” Taylor, mission manager and principal systems engineer said.
Mission to Grow
Stemming from the GQM mission to train the warfighter for sophisticated combat, training and development values run deep across the program. Every Coyote launch is a training exercise for the warfighter, operational and administrative military personnel and Northrop Grumman targets team members.
“What really made this mission a full-circle moment was working alongside Pam, the person who trained me and so many others, as she took the next step in her career and led us to success,” Taylor said.
Over the last 25 years, the GQM team has leveraged advanced technologies, agile processes, and a legacy of expertise to expand the target’s capabilities and bolster capacity to deliver 25 targets per year. As the program has grown – so have its team members.
“As the program continues to evolve, our people are developing their careers, stepping in to leadership roles and being associated with success,” Taylor said. “There’s a heavy focus on mentorship and knowledge sharing across our business. It’s not hard to find solid mentorship and to contribute to the mission in a meaningful way,” Kaitlyn said.
