Joan Horvath facts for kids

Joan Horvath is an American aeronautical engineer, a writer, and an entrepreneur. She helps create new technologies and start new businesses.

Joan worked for 16 years at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). JPL is a special center where scientists and engineers build and operate robotic spacecraft for NASA. While there, she helped with two big space missions: the Magellan project and the TOPEX/Poseidon project.

What is the Jet Propulsion Laboratory?

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, or JPL, is a famous research center. It is part of NASA, the United States space agency. At JPL, scientists and engineers design and build robots that explore space. These robots travel to other planets and study Earth from space.

What were the Magellan and TOPEX/Poseidon missions?

Magellan Mission

The Magellan spacecraft was a robot sent to study the planet Venus. It orbited Venus and used radar to map its surface. This was important because Venus is covered in thick clouds, so we can't see its surface with regular telescopes. Magellan helped scientists learn a lot about Venus's mountains, volcanoes, and plains.

TOPEX/Poseidon Mission

The TOPEX/Poseidon mission was a joint project between NASA and the French space agency. It used a satellite to measure the height of the ocean's surface all over the world. This helped scientists understand ocean currents, sea level changes, and how the ocean affects Earth's climate.

What is Technology Transfer?

At JPL, Joan also worked in the technology transfer office. This means she helped take new inventions and ideas developed for space exploration and find ways to use them here on Earth. For example, a technology made for a spacecraft might also be useful in hospitals or for making new products.

What is 3D Printing?

After her time at JPL, Joan became the CEO of a company called Takeoff Technologies. Later, she co-founded a 3D printing company called Nonscriptum LLC.

3D printing is a cool way to make three-dimensional objects. Imagine a regular printer that prints on paper. A 3D printer builds an object layer by layer, usually from plastic or metal. It's like building something with tiny, precise layers until the whole object is complete. People use 3D printing to make toys, tools, medical parts, and even parts for spacecraft!

See also

In Spanish: Joan Horvath para niños