Kate Gunderson

Kate Gunderson Flight Test Engineer | 🚀 Former NASA Engineer/Aircrew | 🛩 Test Pilot School graduate

“The sun is up, the sky is blue, it’s beautiful, and so are you.” 🌲☀️⛴️Long MDW in Tahoe itinerary:THURSDAY: check-in an...
05/25/2026

“The sun is up, the sky is blue, it’s beautiful, and so are you.” 🌲☀️⛴️

Long MDW in Tahoe itinerary:

THURSDAY: check-in and catch dinner in Heavenly Village at Base Camp Pizza 🍕() followed by totally customizable and totally delicious ice cream sandwiches at The Baked Bear 🐻

FRIDAY: grab coffee at Three Pines Coffee (.pines.coffee.company), a green juice at Sprouts Natural Foods Cafe () and then head to Fallen Leaf Lake for hiking and lunch while overlooking the lake 🐟. Head to charming bookstore Cuppa () 📚 for a coffee and settle in with a cocktail on the patio at The Cocktail Corner () 🍸 complete with live music and fire pits, then finish with post-sunset homemade pizza and pasta at Gastromanic ()

SATURDAY: morning run followed by breakfast and coffee at Tahoe Bagel () 🥯, take in breathtaking views of Emerald Bay as you hike down to the water and Vikingsholm and check out the nearby Eagle Falls, take a 2 hour sunset cruise into Emerald Bay (we used ) ⛴️ and finish with dinner at Rice Thai Eatery () 🍚

SUNDAY: drive along the east side of the lake towards the north to Incline Village with a stop for coffee and a pastry at Clyde’s Coffee Roasting (), return to South Lake Tahoe and dine overlooking the lake at Chart House

MONDAY: wake up early to catch the sunrise overlooking Emerald Bay ☀️, go for a run at Pope Beach, grab breakfast at Ernie’s Coffee Shop () ☕️

save this post for a future Tahoe trip…it’s a bucket list must!

Life post-grad: learning how to slow down a little, make room for rest, and accept that not everyday has to be exciting ...
05/17/2026

Life post-grad: learning how to slow down a little, make room for rest, and accept that not everyday has to be exciting or glamorous to still be meaningful.

It’s taken about a year and a half, but I think the constant “fight or flight” pace of academia and test pilot school is finally starting to wash away. And honestly? Quiet, ordinary days are starting to feel like a luxury.

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐈 𝐆𝐨𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞: 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟕—•—•—•—I had to take out more than $100k in student loans to attend undergrad, so the thought of a...
04/30/2026

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐈 𝐆𝐨𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞: 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟕
—•—•—•—
I had to take out more than $100k in student loans to attend undergrad, so the thought of additional loans for grad school was entirely unappealing. 😮‍💨 I wanted to find an advisor willing to provide funding so that I wouldn’t have the added stress of more student debt.

I struggled with the idea of deciding what I wanted to specialize in and study for the next 2-5 years as a grad student. I knew I wanted to do experimental research and enjoyed my time learning about composite materials as they relate to aerospace at my internship with GE Aviation. I searched the internet & created a list of top schools that had aerospace engineering faculty doing experimental research in the area of composites. As I had done when I received my NASA internship, I sent professors personal email introducing myself, telling them I’d love to hear more about their research and attached my resume. I truly believe that this step was critical to my ability to get into and secure funding at a top ranking aerospace program. From my experience, if you are able to find a professor who has secured their own research grants they can essentially go to the admissions board and tell them “I want X student in my lab.” and provide you with that funding. I recommend reaching out early to help ensure they haven’t already filled their lab.

✨When you make personal connections instead of being just another name on an admissions decision roster, you are setting yourself apart and letting your passion and ambition shine. So much of how I got to where I am is a direct result of building meaningful connections and finding ways to set myself apart from the crowd. ✨

I also recommend applying to multiple schools. There were some, like Georgia Tech, that I got into while thinking I didn’t have a chance and others where I talked to professors who seemed to want me as a student and then I randomly got a rejection letter. You never know what is going on behind the scenes so always make multiple opportunities for yourself when possible!

More tips and tricks for applying to grad school on my website www.theplanekate.com under the education tab!

Artemis II ignited something in humanity. My favorite thing about this moment in space exploration isn’t just the missio...
04/20/2026

Artemis II ignited something in humanity. My favorite thing about this moment in space exploration isn’t just the mission itself—it’s the ripple effect it’s having here on Earth.

For 10 solid days, (and really, in the days since) the news and my social media feeds were drenched in positivity. People aren’t just interested—they are feeling something. There was a shared sense of curiosity, pride, and wonder as humans accomplished something extraordinary.

But what’s stood out to me most? Seeing women everywhere in the story.

The powerful images of women leading from launch to splashdown stood in stark contrast to the Apollo era, and it matters. Representation isn’t just symbolic… It’s catalytic.

Every time I open my phone, I see parents asking how to get their daughters excited about STEM. The Thread I posted asking other women in STEM to chime in and tell me what they do? It got hundreds of responses and was liked thousands of times.

The STEM movement feels alive again—and this time, it’s more inclusive, more visible, and more inspiring than ever.

We are the and we’re changing the world. 🚀🌕

Image credit: NASA

04/11/2026

There’s no place like ✨HOME✨🌎.

A picture perfect splashdown of the Artemis II crew after a 10 day trip around the Moon and back. This is just the beginning for the .

It took the dedication and passion of thousands of people to make humanity’s return to the Moon possible. 🌑✨ Here are ju...
04/09/2026

It took the dedication and passion of thousands of people to make humanity’s return to the Moon possible. 🌑✨ Here are just a few of the countless out-of-this-world jobs required to pull off a mission of this magnitude.

🚀 Let me know: If you could choose just one, what would it be? What job did I leave off that I should have included?!

04/06/2026

The 4 astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft just flew farther into space than any human has ever ventured before. 🌑✨

As a little girl I used to stand in the driveway staring up at the dark night sky, dreaming of playing a part in humankind’s journey to discovery. That dream has been burning brightly for me ever since, guiding me on every step of my life’s journey. These fearless explorers and thousands of people around the world, put their heart and soul into making the impossible seem easy everyday. They all undoubtedly continue to inspire the next generation to dare to dream big.

Fly me to the Moon - literally! 🌛 This week we are sending humans (including the first female and first person of color)...
03/31/2026

Fly me to the Moon - literally! 🌛 This week we are sending humans (including the first female and first person of color) on a 10-day lunar flyby around the Moon and back to Earth! You won’t want to miss this.

Check out all the live coverage on nasa.gov.

The Secret Lives of Aerospace Valley Wives. 💅🏼
03/30/2026

The Secret Lives of Aerospace Valley Wives. 💅🏼

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