Mike Frederick, aerospace engineer and researcher, prepares for an employee incentive flight in an F/A-18 aircraft at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Wednesday, April 15, 2026. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman established the ride‑along program to recognize and reward workforce members for their dedication to advancing the agency’s priorities.
Mike Frederick, aerospace engineer and researcher, prepares for an employee incentive flight in an F/A-18 aircraft at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Wednesday, April 15, 2026. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman established the ride‑along program to recognize and reward workforce members for their dedication to advancing the agency’s priorities.
Laurie Grindle, deputy center director, prepares for an employee incentive flight in an F/A-18 aircraft at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman established the ride‑along program to recognize and reward workforce members for their dedication to advancing the agency’s priorities.
NASA pilot Jim Less and Phil Wellner, aircrew life support technician, help prepare Mike Frederick, aerospace engineer and researcher, for an employee incentive flight in an F/A-18 aircraft at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Wednesday, April 15, 2026. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman established the ride‑along program to recognize and reward workforce members for their dedication to advancing the agency’s priorities.
Crew chief, David Leiva, prepares NASA pilot Jim Less and Mike Frederick, aerospace engineer and researcher, for an employee incentive flight in an F/A-18 aircraft at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Wednesday, April 15, 2026. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman established the ride‑along program to recognize and reward workforce members for their dedication to advancing the agency’s priorities.
NASA pilot Timothy Williams helps prepare Laurie Grindle, deputy center director, for an employee incentive flight in an F/A-18 aircraft at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman established the ride‑along program to recognize and reward workforce members for their dedication to advancing the agency’s priorities.
Laurie Grindle, deputy center director, steps out of an F/A-18 aircraft after completing an employee incentive flight at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. Timothy Williams, the pilot, secures the F/A-18 cockpit. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman established the ride‑along program to recognize and reward workforce members for their dedication to advancing the agency’s priorities.
NASA employee Kristian Miasek, ET-10 test engineer at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, participates in an employee incentive flying event with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman's personal F-5 aircraft, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo Credit: (NASA/John Kraus)
Luis Muniz, radiation safety officer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, poses for a photograph before an employee incentive flying event with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman's personal F-5 aircraft, Friday, March 27, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo Credit: (NASA/John Kraus)
NASA employee Megan Vansant, chief architect and demolition program manager at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, participates in an employee incentive flying event with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman's personal F-5 aircraft, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo Credit: (NASA/John Kraus)
Daniel Forrestel, manager, Ground and Missions Operations Office of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, prepares to put on a flight helmet on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman flew Forrestel on an employee incentive flight in Isaacman’s personal Northrop F-5 Tiger II aircraft around NASA Kennedy. As the newly appointed 15th administrator of the agency, Isaacman created a ride-along program to recognize and reward members of the workforce for their dedication to accomplishing agency priorities.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, left, speaks with NASA employees Megan Vansant, chief architect and demolition program manager at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, second from left; James Hamilton, propellant and pressurant manager at NASA’s Stennis Space Center, third from left; and Brittany Bouché, acting deputy chief of facility engineering services at NASA’s Stennis Space Center, right, following an employee incentive flying event using Isaacman's personal F-5 aircraft, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo Credit: (NASA/John Kraus)
From left, Sean “Stroker” Gustafson, pilot, and Ashley Scharfenberg, Systems Engineering and Integration for Exploration Ground Systems, prepares for her employee incentive flight around NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. As the newly appointed 15th administrator of the agency, Jared Isaacman created a ride-along program to recognize and reward members of the workforce for their dedication to accomplishing agency priorities. Scharfenberg, and Daniel Forrestel, manager, Ground and Missions Operations Office, (not pictured), were the first two employees to be recognized in the ride-along program to fly in Isaacman’s personal Northrop F-5 Tiger II aircraft.
Ashley Scharfenberg, Systems Engineering and Integration for Exploration Ground Systems, prepares for her employee incentive flight around NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. As the newly appointed 15th administrator of the agency, Jared Isaacman created a ride-along program to recognize and reward members of the workforce for their dedication to accomplishing agency priorities. Scharfenberg, and Daniel Forrestel, manager, Ground and Missions Operations Office, (not pictured), were the first two employees to be recognized in the ride-along program to fly in Isaacman’s personal Northrop F-5 Tiger II aircraft.
Teresa Nieves-Chinchilla, director of the Moon to Mars Space Weather Analysis Office at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, poses for a photograph before an employee incentive flying event with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman's personal F-5 aircraft, Friday, March 27, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo Credit: (NASA/John Kraus)
Sean Clarke, NASA technical fellow for electric power for the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC), based at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center, participates in an employee incentive flying event with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman's personal F-5 aircraft, Friday, March 27, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo Credit: (NASA/John Kraus)
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, fifth from left, poses for a photograph with NASA employees and F-5 pilots following an employee incentive flying event using Isaacman's personal F-5 aircraft, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From left to right: Sean Gustafson, pilot and senior advisor to the administrator; Kristian Miasek, ET-10 test engineer at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center; Megan Vansant, chief architect and demolition program manager at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center; James Hamilton, propellant and pressurant manager at NASA’s Stennis Space Center; NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman; Briou Bourgeois, E-3 test director at NASA’s Stennis Space Center; Brittany Bouché, acting deputy chief of facility engineering services at NASA’s Stennis Space Center; and Jerry Kerby, pilot. Photo Credit: (NASA/John Kraus)
From left to right, Daniel Forrestel, manager, Ground and Missions Operations Office of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and Ashley Scharfenberg, Systems Engineering and Integration for Exploration Ground Systems, walk in their flight suits at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman flew Forrestel and Scharfenberg on an employee incentive in Isaacman’s personal Northrop F-5 Tiger II aircraft around NASA Kennedy. As the newly appointed 15th administrator of the agency, Isaacman created a ride-along program to recognize and reward members of the workforce for their dedication to accomplishing agency priorities.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, (front center), followed by Ashley Scharfenberg, Systems Engineering and Integration for Exploration Ground Systems, (left), and Daniel Forrestel, manager, Ground and Missions Operations Office, prepare for an employee incentive flight at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman flew Forrestel and Scharfenberg in Isaacman’s personal Northrop F-5 Tiger II aircraft around NASA Kennedy. As the newly appointed 15th administrator of the agency, Isaacman created a ride-along program to recognize and reward members of the workforce for their dedication to accomplishing agency priorities.
Foreground, from left: Teresa Nieves-Chinchilla, director of the Moon to Mars Space Weather Analysis Office at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center; Kyle Back, director of the business management office at the Office of the Chief Financial Officer Enterprise at NASA Headquarters; NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman; and Luis Muniz, radiation safety officer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center; background: Sean Clarke, NASA technical fellow for electric power for the NASA Engineering and Safety Center, based at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center, center, and Ryan Fishel, pilot, right, pose for a photograph following an employee incentive flying event with Isaacman's personal F-5 aircraft, Friday, March 27, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo Credit: (NASA/John Kraus)