Perseverance Pays Off

Jarrett Chai '12

“I think overall the quality of teachers and the relationship I had with them at GWA were very meaningful. Aside from the course material and lessons they taught me, their mentorship and friendship led me to want to do well in every aspect of school

and personal life.”

– JARRETT CHAI

In 2020, NASA launched Perseverance Rover to Jezero Crater, Mars to seek signs of ancient life and collect samples of rock and regolith for possible return to Earth. Class of 2012 alumnus Jarrett Chai was part of the team who helped successfully get the mission off the ground.

A graduate of Georgia Tech, with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering, Jarrett has been working for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) at NASA since 2017. As part of the Perseverance Rover team, he designed ground support equipment, reviewed and created technical drawings, and managed the manufacturing process of flight and

non-flight equipment. When asked about his job, Jarrett replied, “I specialize in propulsion systems and pressurized vessels, but I also regularly work with other types of hardware such as electrical and mechanical systems.”

Perseverance Rover landed on Mars on February 18, 2021. It is a one ton, sixwheeled Mars rover the size of a compact car. Using images from navigation cameras placed around the rover, as well as imagery from orbital satellites such as NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, scientists and mission operators work together to drive Perseverance to promising science areas. If a spot seems interesting, Perseverance collects a sample, seals it in a small tube, and leaves the tube on the surface for a return to Earth at a later date. “It was a bit surreal to have had a hand in certain components during ideation and fabrication. On the other hand, it’s a bit nerve wracking. If something goes wrong, I hope it doesn’t come down to my components!” said Jarrett. Perseverance Rover continues to be operational on Mars.

Currently, Jarrett is part of the Europa Clipper mission set to launch in late 2024. Europa Clipper will conduct detailed reconnaissance of Jupiter’s moon Europa and investigate whether the ice moon could have conditions suitable for life. “It is the first of two missions to Jupiter’s moon Europa. I’m most involved with radiation analysis of hardware that are proposed to fly on the mission. I design and manage the manufacturing of testing equipment going into JPL’s particle accelerator. Designs can range from simple jigs to assemblies that require supercooling and rotation while under a vacuum.”

When asked what it is like working in the aerospace industry, Jarrett replied, “I think the aerospace industry is unlike any other industry you can find. The challenges and goals you work towards are incredible and each project tends to be unique and a one-time deal. Trying to dig for some dirt has a different feel to it when you know it’s meant to happen on another planet. The industry can be tough though. The aerospace industry tends to be small, and many people will rotate between the same handful of companies as contracts and funding ebb and flow with mission demands.”

While a student at GWA, Jarrett was involved in marching band, debate team, literary team, cross country, theater club, Beta Club, and National Honor Society. When asked how GWA helped him on his path to success, Jarrett replied, “I think overall the quality of teachers and the relationship I had with them at GWA were very meaningful. Aside from the course material and lessons they taught me, their mentorship and friendship led me to want to do well in every aspect of school and personal life. I’m not sure who still teaches at GWA, but I received a positive influence from all the teachers and staff at GWA.”

When he isn’t working on the next NASA project headed into space, Jarrett runs marathons, competes in weightlifting competitions, and goes hiking locally and at national parks. Currently, he resides in Pasadena, California.