From Poverty in Suriname to NASA Engineer: Rohit Goeptar's Remarkable Journey

Rohit Goeptar's path to becoming a NASA engineer at Kennedy Space Center defies the odds. Born into poverty in Suriname where both parents worked multiple jobs to provide food and shelter, Goeptar moved to California at age six. Two years later, he returned to South America with his father while his mother remained in the United States. At 13, he became a U.S. citizen and reunited with his mother and brothers in California.

Goeptar enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps at 19, serving as a technical operator for six years. During a deployment to the Philippines, he helped establish communication systems for residents affected by a typhoon. Despite gaining valuable skills in the Marines, his personal struggles mounted: he lost both his biological and stepfather to suicide and experienced six months of homelessness in Kissimmee, Florida following the end of his first marriage. "I was lost, the Marine Corps gave me an opportunity," Goeptar reflected on his service.

A turning point came when he met his current wife, who recognized his potential and filled out college applications on his behalf. Encouraged by her support, Goeptar applied to NASA's Kennedy Space Center. In spring 2025, while driving to pick up his son from school, he received an unexpected call from Kennedy Space Center and conducted an impromptu job interview on the side of the road. Two weeks later he had an in-person interview, and two weeks after that he received a contractor badge.

Goeptar began as an intern under the Expendable Launch Vehicle Integrated Support (ELVIS) contract, transitioned to part-time while completing his degrees in computer and electrical engineering from the University of Central Florida, and moved to full-time work at the beginning of 2026. He was subsequently selected to transition from contractor to civil servant status with NASA's Launch Services Program. His role focuses on electromagnetic interference, electromagnetic compatibility, and radio frequency analysis to ensure avionics and electrical systems function without interference and maintain reliable ground communication.

Within his first year at Kennedy, Goeptar identified a critical analytical gap in his team's work: their rocket trajectory analysis did not account for pitch, yaw, and roll movements that occur after launch. His solution improved data synchronization between NASA and commercial partners. Goeptar has contributed to several high-profile missions including Sentinel-6B, JPSS-4 (Joint Polar Satellite System), and IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe). He now balances his engineering work while raising three children. "There is no greater feeling, being able to serve. It's more than serving the public, it's serving our country. It's serving the future of our country," Goeptar said, reflecting on his gratitude to the government that provided him an opportunity.