...Dr Mamta Patel Nagaraja from NASA!

Dr. Mamta Patel Nagaraja

Dr. Mamta Patel Nagaraja is the Associate Chief Scientist for Exploration and Applied Research at NASA. In this role, she is the senior advisor to the Chief Scientist for how humans explore and perform science in space.

Throughout her career, she has held so many great roles like the Deputy Program Scientist for Space Biology, lead engineer for two robotic space science missions, trainer for the astronauts, and flight controller in the Mission Control Center at Johnson Space Center. Her parents grew up in rural India before immigrating to the United States.

Mamta is a proud first-generation American and first-generation college graduate. She wants to be a role model for young people who dream of working in space exploration and wants to encourage them to follow their dream, no matter where they are from.

Mamta can talk about several of our Festival topics – but will be especially good at answering questions about space exploration and about why representation and diversity are important.

Comments (37)

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  • My question is not Mahrez, but I hope you can answer me
    1 What made you interested in exploration and applied research? Or rather, why did you enter human exploration of science and their performance in space?
    2 Who encouraged you to do this work? nice to know you
    bye

    1. Nice questions, committed_tsunami - make sure you add them into the above form by following the instructions. This will help Mamta to see them and pick her favourites.

  • I wantI want to ask you about if you have travelled to space and about your experience there, but what arouses my curiosity are black holes, as they have great gravity and a strange sight. That great attraction, if you know what we can see inside it and can someone enter it and get out safely? Or do you have another idea about those holes? I hope you can answer these questions for me

  • How do you convince people that the moon has already been reached and the clips circulating are not Photoshop
    For example, hanging a country flag on the moon and fixing it in place with zero gravity?

  • How can we reduce the risks of going into space without stifling technological innovation and progress of our time

  • Hello
    my questions are
    1. What adventures did you do in space and how were they?
    2. Is there a preparation for life on Mars, as they say?
    3. Do you advise everyone to go to space and explore it?
    And here are my questions I hope answered.

  • I want to ask Dr. Mamta.... 1_ Are there beings other than humans in space? 2_ How do you live in space, is it like our normal life? 3_ How do they prepare the astronauts to rise, like tourists and scientists? 4_ It happened to me while I read books, magazines, novels, etc. that the human body changes when they go to space?

  • My question is:
    What about space stood out for you, to make you want to base your job on it?

  • Hi Mamta,
    My question for you is...
    Do you believe there is life out on space?
    Thank you
    Bye

  • My question is:
    Do you think if by exploring other galaxies or even universes we may be able to find the secret to our existence?
    Thank you

  • -Why do we see the stars at night and not in the day?

  • Dr Mamta Patel
    1-My question is how NASA is taking steps to improve the climate if they are taking some steps what do you think are these precautionary measures enough for big institute like them .
    2-what does it feel like to work at NASA cause it's almost a dream job of all the students right now .
    3- can a person work remotely with nasa and on which criterion do they provide you with a job .

  • I always like to know about what is in space, is it empty space, I mean, are there things that we did not expect in space, I mean without expecting them, things other than planets, galaxies, etc.!?

  • -What is the name of the first space shuttle built for multiple use, launched in 1981?

    1. Can you research this question for yourself, great_flute?

  • I always wonder where the world came from? Were things there from the beginning? Or that everything around us came out of nowhere?
    Is life limited to our planet only? Or is the entire universe teeming with life?

  • Was the universe always full of planets and stars without anyone knowing anything about them?

  • Aoa mam it's great to be a chance to ask u i want to know the reality of black holes ??

  • In space images, I always notice that the depths of space are not photographed, so I was curious about that. Also, I've never heard of any astronauts or scientists complaining about something that comes after space, so I was curious about it

    My question will be

    1- What is in the depths of space?

    2- What is there after space ?

  • Where does space start?

    How did the universe start?

    What does the universe consist of?

    Does sound travel faster in space or not?

    Is space too cold?

    What is the coldest place in the universe?

    How many stars can you see at night?

    What types of stars are there

  • Space is a mysterious world full of question marks What has been discovered and announced is a very small part of this world.

    Hi Mamta, I would like to ask you some questions that I hope you will answer because you are a very inspiring person:

    1. What attracts you to select space science as your speciality ?

    2. what araes or investigation in your future plans ?

    3. In your opinion, and according to your experience in astronomy, could there be life on one of the planets?

  • Hi Mamata,
    All my lif ,I was so anxious to know about outer space.otherplanets as well as the people who works in NASA. So I Would like to know
    1. What are the obstacles you have faced during your work?
    2. What is the most exciting thing you have done or have watched during your work?
    3. How many years do human beings need to travel to outer space as we travel to other countries on earth?

  • •first:Please I want to ask about how long does it take to travel to space or the moon to be specific? because this is from the disadvantages that makes me feel less encouraged for traveling to space.

    •second : I want to know how cold is Uranus?

    •third : why did Pluto get out of the solar system?

  • Hello Mamta... I want to ask you some questions
    The first question: Have you traveled to the moon, and which is more beautiful, the view of the moon from the earth, or the view of the earth from the moon?
    The second question, what motivated you to choose this major?
    The third question,Do you believe, as Stephen Hawking said, that life on Earth may end in a catastrophe such as a huge meteor or an alien invasion of Earth?

  • Hello Mamata , I want to ask you some questions . What motivated you to learn about space and how did you know that you have a passion and love for space ? In the end , I would like to tell you that you are a source of inspiration for young people , and I hope they learn from you .

  • Hello Dr Mameta
    How are you ?
    I have two questions, what is the motive behind your study of astronomy? What do you think of people who don't find it fun to know what's going on in space?
    I hope you will answer my questions, thank you😊

  • How beautiful it is to be an astronaut, and this has been my dream since I was a child..I will call you the actress of my dream, and I am very happy for your achievements and for challenging your difficulties. Now, my questions for you will be:

    1_Is going out into space beneficial to the human body as much as it is dangerous and shape-changing? ..
    2_ In your opinion, what is the reason for the cohesion of the components of galaxies, which consist largely of gases..?
    3_ Do you have a vision that the universe will expand to what extent and will it always remain in the state of expansion?
    4_ I love to read a lot about space, and I read that footprints remain on the moon for millions of years..why?
    These are simple questions, and perhaps they do not make much sense to the extent of my knowledge.

  • Dr. Mamta, I admire your achievement and where you have come. Can you tell me what makes someone qualified to work at NASA? How was your experience working at NASA the first time?

  • Is it possible that there are things in space that we did not imagine, for example, are there really aliens!? Or is it all just movies and cartoons and not reality?!

  • My question is how possible is it that when humans stop believing in something like space it would go out of extinct ?

  • With the passage of time, will a person be able to invent clothes that make him feel that the moon's gravity is like the earth's gravity?

  • Hello Mamta, First I,d like to say that I love your personality, and I am proud of your achievements. I'd like to be like you, but I have a few questions. As a space lover, how did you find the space world? What got you interested in space? Who encouraged you to work at NASA? How did you find work in the company?

  • Hello
    1 Are there beings other than humans in space?
    2 How did you go into space?
    3 Are you already going to space?
    4 Why are you going into space, to do what?

  • In your field of work are there any sexuality-based problems.

  • Hello Dr.Nagaraja!,Im a girl from Pakistan in STEM and being In NASA is my dream.I have a question for you if you dont mind.My question is that Which Book or Blog would you recommend I follow to learn more about life in NASA as a girl and what it takes to achieve that?

  • Hello ma my question is simply that during your space exploration and study is there a possibility that pollution and global warming can affect the outer space. My second question is that how sure are scientist that the earth would not one day leave its orbit.

  • What else can you explore on the planet Mars and What questions do you get?

  • Space is a mysterious world full of question marks What has been discovered and announced is a very small part of this world.

    Hi Mamta, I would like to ask you some questions that I hope you will answer because you are a very inspiring person:

    1. What attracts you to select space science as your speciality ?

    2. what araes or investigation in your future plans ?

    3. In your opinion, and according to your experience in astronomy, could there be life on one of the planets?

  • Hello
    1 Are there beings other than humans in space?
    2 How did you go into space?
    3 Are you already going to space?
    4 Why are you going into space, to do what?