NASA Facility in West Virginia Swears in New Civil Servants

• NASA’s Katherine Johnson Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) Facility swore in 51 new civil servants on August 10, 2026.
• The hiring initiative follows a directive from NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman to bolster the agency's core technical competencies.
• Among the new hires is West Virginia native and former intern Fletcher Newell, who was named IV&V Engineer of the Year in 2025.

Workforce Expansion

• The ceremony in Fairmont, West Virginia, formalized the status of 51 employees as NASA civil servants.
• IV&V Director Wes Deadrick stated that this initiative is a strategic investment in NASA’s future, ensuring the agency maintains the independent expertise required for critical missions.

Career Path: Fletcher Newell

• Newell first visited the IV&V facility during a fourth-grade field trip, which sparked his interest in aerospace.
• He completed a high school internship at the facility before attending Stanford University to earn bachelor's and master's degrees in computer science with a focus on AI and machine learning.
• Despite opportunities in Silicon Valley, Newell returned to West Virginia to join the IV&V team, citing his passion for the work and mission.

Technical Contributions

• As a systems engineer, Newell works on mission safety and security for programs including the Human Landing System, Orion, Gateway, and the Space Reactor-1 (SR-1) Freedom.
• He earned the 2025 Engineer of the Year award for identifying over 70 vulnerabilities within the Gateway and SR-1 Freedom systems.
• Currently, he is focused on safety protocols for upcoming lunar missions, aiming to ensure crew safety for both lunar orbit and eventual surface operations.