A NASA career sparked at UNF: Alum takes part in historic Artemis II launch

As NASA prepares for its highly anticipated Artemis II launch today, one University of North Florida alum is playing a critical role behind the scenes.

Targeted for launch this evening from Kennedy Space Center, Artemis II will send four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft on a 10-day journey around the moon, marking the first time humans have traveled beyond Earth's orbit in more than 50 years.

For Robert Hirner, a UNF 2023 mechanical engineering graduate, the mission marks more than just a milestone in space exploration. He'll be involved firsthand when Artemis II returns to the Pacific Ocean later this month.

Originally from Middleport, New York, Hirner enlisted in the U.S. Air Force after graduating high school in 2011 and then eventually went into construction for a while. With GI Bill benefits available and encouragement from those around him, Hirner enrolled at UNF in fall 2019. Initially interested in civil engineering, he changed his mind after a visit to Kennedy Space Center.

"I remember thinking, 'This place is amazing. I'd love to work here,'" he said. "At the time, it felt like a long shot."

That long shot became reality through NASA's Pathways Internship Program, a highly competitive federal initiative designed to develop future employees through hands-on experience that is still offered. Hirner first learned about the program through a fellow service member while deployed overseas.

In 2021, Hirner began his Pathways internship with NASA's Exploration Ground Systems team at Kennedy Space Center, where he worked on operations for the Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft.

"I got incredibly lucky," he said. "As an intern, I was able to shadow operations managers across different parts of the program and really see how everything fits together."

That experience paid off. Hirner contributed to ground processing operations for Artemis I, the program's first uncrewed mission, which successfully launched in November 2022 and completed a 30-day journey around the moon before safely returning to Earth.

"To be part of building something like that, and then watch it launch and come back successfully, it was incredible," he said.

After graduating from UNF in spring 2023 with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, Hirner transitioned into a full-time role with NASA. Today, he is working in the Landing and Recovery Group, where he helps manage critical operations for returning spacecraft.

For Artemis II, Hirner will oversee shore operations at Naval Base San Diego, where the capsule and astronauts will be transported to after splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.

"We partner with the Navy to safely recover the astronauts and the spacecraft," he explained. "My role focuses on everything that happens on shore, such as saving the capsule, removing payloads and preparing Orion for transport back to Kennedy."

As the countdown for Artemis II begins, Hirner joins a new generation of engineers, turning ambition into action and imagination into exploration.