Dan Rolf has long loved the sky. So much so that he converted his love into a profession. A significant one. Dan’s most recent endeavor was Artemis II, NASA’s first, crewed, flyby space mission since Apollo 17 in 1972. The mission of Artemis II was a test flight to explore humans’ long-term return to the Moon and future explorations to Mars and beyond.

Dan is Lockheed Martin’s Thermophysics Manager for Orion, the Artemis II spacecraft. On the recent 1.4-million-mile mission (April 1 to 11), Dan oversaw two different groups of engineers: aerosciences and thermal analysis.

Dan’s aerosciences team “predicts heating on the spacecraft during ascent and re-entry,” he explained. Because space is a vacuum, and Orion is in several different orientations while in space, the spacecraft undergoes wild temperature swings anywhere between -250 °F to +250 °F.  During Re-Entry, Orion experiences temperatures up to 5000 °F at the heatshield while traveling 24,000 mph. Dan’s team focused on protecting Orion from the harsh temperature environments of space as well as during re-entry.

The thermal analysis team, where Dan began as an engineer, was tasked with designing the crew’s cabin wall heaters, critical to preventing condensation buildup on the Orion cabin walls to protect it against the wildly varying temperatures of space.

Dan’s managerial role allows him to step back and focus on empowering and supporting his teams through any design challenges they face. “I have some of the most talented engineers and I believe my team to be one of the best. We have to be,” Dan said. Dan often carries the mantra that “we are not asked to do the hard, but are asked to tackle the impossible.”

The Artemis program goal is not just to get back to the Moon, but to stay. In four phases, the program is a critical steppingstone to eventually colonize Mars and perhaps, further into space. Artemis II proved “that we have a viable vehicle that can transport our astronauts to the Moon. The mission was near flawless,” Dan explained. Last month’s mission demonstrated and certified that the Orion spacecraft and all its systems are good to go for Artemis III.

Artemis III will practice a rendezvous and docking with both the SpaceX Lunar Lander and the Blue Origin Lunar Lander in low earth orbit to buy down risk for Artemis IV and V.  Artemis IV and V are the lunar landings with the SpaceX and Blue Origin Lunar lander. Artemis IV and V will land astronauts on the Moon at one of the poles to study the lunar surface, test technologies and eventually deliver a habitation module for future longer-term crewed moon endeavors. With the relative closeness of the Moon, three days away, compared to Mars, six to nine months away, the Artemis missions provide a viable practice ground for deeper space exploration and habitation.

An interest in aeronautics and aerospace was propelled when Dan earned his private pilot license in his early 20s. Dan holds a bachelors and masters degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Maryland. He encourages others to find a career that they love: “When you go to work every day doing what you love, or dreamed of, it’s not work anymore,” said Dan. He acknowledged there will be hard days. “But don’t settle for less.”

The Rolf family has lived in Douglas County for almost two decades, the Stonecroft neighborhood for seven years. The family loves the wildlife and scenery of our community. Dan often walks the hilly trails or goes to the dog park.

Dan’s wife, Stephanie, is a counselor at Rocky Heights Middle School (RHMS). They have three daughters, Addison and Kate, twins and seniors at Rock Canyon High School (RCHS), and Reagan, in eighth grade at RHMS. All three girls dance on studio teams or with the RCHS dance team.

Dan’s work schedule, centered around multi-year projects, does not leave much free time or opportunities for long vacations. For downtime, Dan finds ways to simply be with his family by gathering to watch television or movies.

 

 

By Celeste McNeil; photos courtesy of Dan Rolf and NASA/Drone video