How did you decide between the Laker Girls and space science?
Jaime: Trying out for the Laker Girls was one of those things that I thought would be interesting — one of those stories that you could tell people, “I did that once.” During tryouts, I realized the time commitment that would be expected and that it wouldn’t really work for me and my goals at JPL. So, I dropped out. My focus has always been to be the best engineer I can be. SSE: How did you help prepare the Mars rovers for their mission? Jaime: I was working primarily on the Entry, Descent and Landing team. We put the hardware together and test how it works as a system. This is usually the first time the hardware is tested like it would function on Mars. I also got to run tests on the rocket, airbag and structural systems. It was a great way to learn a lot about different mechanical systems. SSE: How did you feel when the Mars rovers landed successfully and started beaming pictures back to Earth? Jaime: It was bittersweet — I know, not the answer you expect. It’s amazing to see all o
