Jaden Caradine Designs Deep-Space Propulsion at NASA Langley

Jaden Caradine, a 23‑year‑old engineering student from Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University, has secured a NASA Pathways internship at Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, beginning this summer. The internship places him in the same facility that has tested the Space Shuttle and the X‑plane, giving him hands‑on experience in aeronautics and propulsion.

The Pathways program is part of NASA’s effort to bring fresh talent into its workforce. Caradine grew up in a small town in Oklahoma where he first built model rockets at eight. He earned a scholarship to Embry‑Riddle after excelling in high‑school physics and math. The university’s strong partnership with NASA made the Pathways application his first step toward a career in space research. NASA has highlighted the program’s role in diversifying its staff; Caradine is one of 12 new interns selected from a pool of 650 applicants, many of whom are underrepresented minorities.

Caradine will work on the Advanced Propulsion and Power Systems team, helping to design engines for future deep‑space missions. The internship lasts 10 weeks, with a stipend and a chance to publish a technical note. “I’m excited to contribute to real projects that could one day take humans to Mars,” Caradine told a campus news outlet. His professor, Dr. Lisa Nguyen, said the internship “shows how the university’s curriculum aligns with national space goals.” NASA’s director of the Pathways program, Dr. Mark Harris, noted that the program “feeds a pipeline of engineers who already understand our mission.”

After the internship, Caradine plans to apply for a full‑time civil engineer role at Langley. If successful, he would be among the youngest engineers on the team. The experience also positions him to mentor high‑school students in STEM. NASA’s broader goal is to keep the United States at the forefront of space exploration, and Caradine’s journey from a childhood fascination to a professional role illustrates that pipeline in action.