Joe Erdman, ’85, helps propel missions “to the moon and beyond” through his work for Lockheed Martin, a key NASA partner. He played an important role in the 10-day Artemis II mission in April 2026 that sent four astronauts on a record-setting journey around the moon, laying the groundwork for long-term research on the lunar surface and deep space exploration.
The magnitude of Artemis II was not lost on Erdman. “For ten days, people across the globe followed and celebrated the mission, sent well wishes, and hoped for a positive outcome. It is humbling to think that my work contributed to something people viewed worldwide,” he said.
When Erdman graduated from Fort Hays State University with a degree in industrial education, he started working as a draftsman in Littleton, Colo., and didn’t necessarily have his sights set on the stars. Today, however, he is at the forefront of lunar exploration.
As the Lead Responsible Systems Engineer and System Architect on the Orion program for the spacecraft flying the Artemis missions, Erdman supports spacecraft functional testing during assembly operations at Kennedy Space Center, approves engineering changes to the avionics system, and certifies the Avionics, Power and Wiring subsystem for flight prior to turning the vehicle over to NASA.
For his dedication, Erdman earned NASA’s Circle of Excellence Award in 2024. “Every day is a new challenge. I am constantly learning something new and given assignments where I have an opportunity to excel,” he said.
Based in Colorado with his wife, Kelly Wallace, Erdman is now helping NASA prepare for the next giant leap: the Artemis III mission launch planned for 2027.