NASA's Aaron Rose Leads Critical Cold Stowage Missions

Rose ensures safe transport of temperature-controlled science experiments to and from the International Space Station.

Mar. 27, 2026 at 7:18am

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As a member of the Crew and Thermal Systems Division at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Aaron Rose supports critical cargo resupply missions to the International Space Station. In this role, he works with payload developers to safely transport temperature-controlled science experiments to and from the station using portable coolers, freezers, and refrigerators. Rose and his team coordinate all cold stowage hardware, operations, and personnel to ensure the experiments are handled safely and securely throughout the full flight cycle, from launch to landing.

Why it matters

These temperature-sensitive science experiments are vital to unlocking discoveries that are not possible on Earth, improving life on our home planet, and helping pave the way for future space exploration missions to the Moon and Mars. Rose's work ensures the safe delivery of these critical payloads.

The details

Rose's responsibilities include working with payload developers to pack the science experiments into the appropriate temperature-controlled containers, coordinating the integration of the cold stowage hardware into the spacecraft, and overseeing the operations to retrieve the samples upon splashdown. This meticulous process is crucial to maintaining the integrity of the experiments during launch, the journey to the ISS, and the return to Earth.

  • Rose has been working at NASA's Johnson Space Center for 18 years, starting as a co-op student in 2008 while attending The Ohio State University.
  • In 2007, retired NASA astronaut Nancy Currie gave a talk at Rose's university, which inspired him to apply for a co-op position at NASA.

The players

Aaron Rose

A member of the Crew and Thermal Systems Division at NASA's Johnson Space Center, where he supports critical cargo resupply missions to the International Space Station.

Nancy Currie

A retired NASA astronaut who inspired Rose to apply for a co-op position at NASA while he was a student at The Ohio State University.

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What they’re saying

“I work on a team that specializes in temperature-controlled transportation. We receive domestic and international science experiments and pack them into coolers, freezers, or refrigerators. We also make sure those items are correctly installed into the spacecraft and work as expected. After splashdown, we receive the science samples and return them to the researchers as soon as possible. I also have some sway in what ice cream we launch and provide for the crew!”

— Aaron Rose

What’s next

Rose and his team will continue to support critical cargo resupply missions to the International Space Station, ensuring the safe delivery of temperature-controlled science experiments that are vital to advancing space exploration and scientific discovery.

The takeaway

Aaron Rose's work at NASA's Johnson Space Center highlights the critical role of temperature-controlled cargo transport in enabling groundbreaking scientific research aboard the International Space Station. His dedication and expertise in this specialized field contribute to the success of NASA's missions and the advancement of space exploration.