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findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are
those of the developer, PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE, and do not necessarily
reflect those of the National Science Foundation.
LIVE FROM MARS: BIOGRAPHIES
G u y B e u t e l s c h i e s
Chief Engineer
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Mars Odyssey
Influences
When I was in second grade I wanted to be an astronaut. I probably got the idea from
watching the Apollo missions on television. I started reading science fiction about then
and have been fascinated with space and the future ever since. I was fairly good at math
and science, although I was never a straight A student. I got interested in engineering
because my best friend in high school was going into it and I didn't have a better choice.
It turned out to be the right choice for me because I like to solve problems, which is
what engineers do. Whether it is solving a crossword puzzle, figuring out a riddle, or
working out how to locate Earth when Pathfinder is sitting on the surface of Mars, I get
a lot of satisfaction when I find the answer.
What I Like About My Job
Besides getting paid for work I consider fun, the best part about my job is knowing
that future generations will read about the explorations of a spacecraft that I helped to
build.