The Problem Solver Behind NASA's Artemis Launches: Anton Kiriwas
From College Dream to NASA Career
When Anton Kiriwas first glimpsed a poster of the Moon and Mars at a college job fair, the image stirred something in him—a spark of ambition that seemed both inspiring and impossibly distant. Little did he know that this fleeting moment would foreshadow a career culminating in a pivotal role within NASA's Artemis program, tasked with sending humans back to the lunar surface for the first time in over fifty years.
Kiriwas's path to NASA began during the Space Shuttle era while he was employed at United Launch Alliance—the same organization that had presented that memorable booth at his college fair. Soon after, he transitioned to NASA as a civil servant, focusing on designing electrical systems. This work laid the foundation for his current position as senior technical integration manager with the Exploration Ground Systems Program. In his own words, his job boils down to a simple concept: solving problems for the ground systems that process, launch, and recover spacecraft.
“My official title is way too long – what I do is pretty simple: I solve problems for the ground systems. Our goal is to process, launch, and recover the spacecraft. There are a lot of ground systems that are used to go do that and a lot of people involved. A big part of my job is to go solve all the problems that come.”
— Anton Kiriwas, Senior Technical Integration Manager, Exploration Ground Systems Program
A Day in the Life of a Launch Project Engineer
A core component of Kiriwas's role is serving as a launch project engineer. During launch operations, he is strategically positioned at the integration console in the center of Firing Room 1 of the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From this vantage point, he acts as the critical bridge between test management and engineering teams. Alongside other launch project engineers, Kiriwas reports directly to the launch director, providing the final technical recommendation on any issue that arises during the countdown. This unique position requires him to work across all engineering disciplines, aligning everyone under a single, unified mission: launch the spacecraft and crew safely.
Simulations and Pressure Testing
Despite the high stakes of launch day, Kiriwas notes that the actual event often feels easier than the intensive simulations leading up to it. On October 8, 2025, he participated in an Artemis II launch countdown simulation inside Firing Room 1. These simulations run through a variety of launch day scenarios, allowing the team to test software, refine procedures, and make necessary adjustments. The rigorous training ensures that when the real countdown begins, every team member is prepared to handle any challenge.
The Bigger Picture: Artemis and Beyond
Kiriwas's work is a vital part of NASA's broader Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon and pave the way for future missions to Mars. The ground systems he oversees—from the processing of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft to their launch and eventual recovery—are the backbone of every Artemis mission. His problem-solving skills are not just about fixing technical glitches; they enable the entire enterprise to move forward, turn by turn, countdown by countdown.
For Kiriwas, the journey from a college student staring at a poster to a key figure in NASA's lunar return is a reminder that even the most distant dreams can become reality with persistence and opportunity. As Artemis prepares to launch astronauts back to the Moon, Anton Kiriwas stands ready, solving problems and bridging gaps, all in service of humanity's next great leap.
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