SHREVEPORT, La. — The HBCU spirit of the Jaguar is reaching new heights as Southern University graduate Jeremy Plater plays a pivotal role in NASA’s historic Artemis II mission. This mission launched on Wednesday, April 1, represents the first crewed lunar flyby in over 50 years. And this HBCU graduate is at the heart of the hardware.
Plater serves as a quality assurance specialist at the NASA Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. Supporting Boeing on the space launch system, he ensures the absolute safety of flight hardware. His work involves meticulous oversight of electrical harness wiring and TPS spray foam. NASA relies on experts like Plater to maintain the rigorous standards required for deep-space travel.
Southern University Engineering Excellence
The “Human Jukebox” isn’t the only thing from Southern making noise; the College of Sciences and Engineering is fueling deep-space exploration. Southern University officials noted that the institution performed approximately 80% of the harness wiring for the previous Artemis I rocket. Plater’s journey from a 17-year-old student on the Baton Rouge campus to a key NASA contributor exemplifies the “Southern Made” excellence found at this premier HBCU.
“Shreveport raised me. Southern University made me and Boeing continues to invest in me,” Plater said, highlighting the bridge between HBCU talent and global innovation.
NASA and the Next Generation of HBCU Innovators
Dr. Lealon L. Martin, dean of the College of Sciences and Engineering, praised Plater’s achievement as a model for current students. The Artemis II mission is a 10-day journey that marks NASA’s most significant human space milestone since the Apollo era. Dr. Martin emphasized that this success underscores the vital role Southern University plays in advancing the work of industry giants like Boeing.
“Never count yourselves out,” Plater encouraged aspiring students. “You never know where your journey may lead. You can be the next engineer making history”.
Following the Artemis II prepares for liftoff, the HBCU community celebrates a son of Southern University who has turned the moon into his reality.