ROCKET
STAR BY PAMELA PALONGUE
NA grad Warren ( Woody ) Hoburg got the dream assignment of piloting a spaceship for NASA , and his former teacher was in Florida to support him .
On March 2 , Woody Hoburg slid into the pilot seat for Expedition 69 to the International Space Station . He is one of four crew members who are a part of NASA ’ s SpaceX Crew-6 mission .
Florida Today quotes Hoburg after reaching orbit : “ As a rookie flyer , that was one heck of a ride . It ’ s an absolute miracle of engineering and I just feel so lucky that I get to fly on this amazing machine ,” he says .
When the craft launched , he had at least one fan on the ground at Kennedy Space Center cheering him on . NA mathematics teacher Sharon Volpe received a personal invitation from her former student , and she couldn ’ t have been more excited !
" The morning of the launch was one of the most amazing events I have ever witnessed ," says Volpe . " The crowd was smaller and more subdued , but when the rocket went up — I forgot to breathe a few times . People were crying and gasping . Once the rocket was out of sight , and the igniter landed exactly on target , people were screaming with excitement ," she adds .
“ Through the years , Woody and I have kept in touch ,” explains Volpe . “ Around seven or eight months ago , I received a text asking if I would be interested in attending the launch .” She wasted no time in replying “ Yes !” She was allowed to bring a guest , so her husband accompanied her on this trip of a lifetime .
The guests attending the launch had special seating and had to do an early check-in . They were a safe distance from the actual launch pad , because of the massive propulsion of the spacecraft during liftoff . The event was not exactly media-friendly , as it took place at 12:34 a . m . But Volpe was unfazed by the early hour , and the nighttime launch likely made it even more spectacular to view .
Hoburg was Volpe ’ s student for two years in high school . Over the years , she ’ s encountered many students who thought they could merely attend her calculus class and expect to pass . So , when Hoburg just sat there watching , and nodding at her politely , she knew he was going to be in trouble . She pulled him aside and gave him her standard speech : “ Look , buddy , if you think you ’ re going to be able to come to class and not take notes , you ’ re not going to make it .”
Little did she realize he was a math genius . “ It didn ’ t take me long to realize he was smarter than I was ,” says Volpe . “ He made a perfect score on every test .”
His interest in rocket ships began at age 7 , and he belonged to several rocket clubs where he built actual flying ships more than 20 feet high . Volpe recalls that in the last week of school , Hoburg brought in one of his rockets . He launched it and it got stuck in a tree behind the school . “ Woody and his dad had to retrieve it since he needed it for a science fair .”
It wasn ’ t just Hoburg ’ s math ability that impressed Volpe . She remembers him as being quick to help others in the class who were having trouble with their assignments . Despite flying among the stars , she says Hoburg is “ down to earth and very funny , with an easy laugh .”
Volpe also remembers that Hoburg took special placement classes , but only the ones he was truly interested in : “ He obviously took math and science courses — and German . But he wasn ’ t really interested in taking AP classes for English , for example . I try to tell students who are coming in , ‘ Don ’ t worry about taking every possible AP class you can . Focus on what you have an interest in .’”
Hoburg is a well-rounded individual who enjoys the outdoors immensely . He went on to become part of a “ Search and Rescue ” team at Yosemite National Park . He was also an instructor at MIT prior to becoming a part of the NASA team .
Incidentally , there is more than one NA grad working to ensure a successful NASA mission . Asrith Balakumar , a 2013 grad , is the lead avionics space engineer working on the ground for the launch . Volpe coached Balakumar on the school ’ s debate team and taught him in AP classes .
The SpaceX mission included refurbishments and installation of new components at the space station . Hoburg joins an elite group of around 200 astronauts from 20 different countries who have visited the International Space Station since 1998 . n
NORTH ALLEGHENY | SPRING 2023 21