As NASA’s Artemis II mission progresses, marking the first crewed deep-space flight in more than fifty years, a University of New Orleans engineering graduate is contributing to the mission’s success through his work in spacecraft structural verification.

Thomas J. Wallbillich III (M.S., Engineering Science, University of New Orleans, 1995) is a Certified Professional Mechanical Engineer whose career spans nearly four decades in the space industry, beginning during the Space Shuttle era. His work has focused on structural analysis, testing, and verification of spacecraft systems critical to human spaceflight.

He currently supports structural verification efforts for NASA’s Orion spacecraft within the Artemis program, which is designed to return humans to the Moon and establish a foundation for future missions to Mars.

In recognition of his engineering contributions to crewed spaceflight, Wallbillich received the NASA Individual Silver Achievement Medal for leadership of the Artemis II Orion Crew Module battery qualification failure stress analysis. He is also a recipient of the NASA Silver Snoopy Award, presented by astronauts to individuals who have made significant contributions to mission success and crew safety.

As Artemis II continues its mission, Wallbillich’s work represents a direct connection between the University of New Orleans engineering community and a historic milestone in modern space exploration.