As a young student one of Laurie Marshall’s first science
experiments was observing the moon throughout the night. The
experience convinced her it would be a great adventure to be a
part of space exploration. Today, she is a leader on a project
that could help make space exploration easier and less
expensive.

Marshall is the chief engineer for the third flight of the
hypersonic X-43A research vehicle at NASA’s Dryden Flight
Research Center (DFRC), Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. She
assumed the chief engineer position in April 2004.

Prior to her assignment, Marshall was launch vehicle chief
engineer for the X-43A. The X-43A is a 12-foot-long,
autonomous aircraft. It demonstrates an air-breathing engine
called a scramjet. The vehicle broke the speed record for an
air-breathing engine in March. It broke its own record by
flying at nearly 10 times the speed of sound on Nov. 16.

Marshall has served in various experimental and science
positions at Dryden. She was the principal investigator on the
Advanced L-Probe Air Data Integration experiment. It was flown
on the F-18 Systems Research Aircraft that used air pressure
to determine angles of attack and sideslip in addition to the
traditional air data measurements. She was an aerospace
researcher on the F-16XL ship 2 Supersonic Laminar Flow
project. She was also involved in analysis of Space Shuttle
maneuvers that resulted in expanding the aeronautical
database.

Early in her career, Marshall decided the best way to learn
about different fields within aerospace engineering was by
personally experiencing as many as possible. She began her
pursuit as a student engineer in the Engineering Bureau of the
Los Angeles City Department of Airports in 1989.

In 1990, she was an aerodynamics research assistant in the
Minority Opportunities in Research Engineering program at the
University of California at Davis. She then interned in 1990
as a technical staff undergraduate in the Structural
Technology Division at the Aerospace Corporation. Her NASA
career began with a 1992 internship in DFRC’s Aerodynamics
Branch, which led to her working full-time for NASA after
graduation, beginning in 1993.

Although not carrying on the family business of practicing
law, Marshall argues that flying is in her blood. She grew up
around and flying in airplanes. Her father got his pilot’s
license the year she was born; therefore, she was destined to
work with aircraft. And today, Laurie is also a private pilot
with an instrument rating.

Marshall chose to work at NASA because she felt the agency was
always working on cutting edge research, and she was also very
interested in the idea of space exploration.
Marshall graduated from the University of California at Davis
with a Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautical and
mechanical engineering. She earned an Engineer-in-Training
license in 1994. She received a Master of Science degree in
mechanical engineering in 1998 from California State
University at Fresno.

Marshall’s advice to young people: “One thing I’ve learned is
that you should never let anyone tell you that you can’t do
something. Even if it seems difficult, stay with it if it’s
something you really want to do.”

Media organizations interested in interviewing Marshall should
contact Beth Hagenauer, DFRC Public Affairs, at: 661/276-7960.