NASA inspires as it explores secrets of the universe for the benefit of all – just ask Tony Goretski, the senior employee in the Office of Procurement at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.

Goretski felt the inspiration long ago on a school trip to the Gulf Coast site, vowing to one day become employed with NASA. Now, he is doing his part to support the NASA mission and inspire the next generation of great explorers – the Artemis Generation.

“NASA has a phenomenal way of including everybody, like you really belong,” Goretski said. “We are all family, driving towards a common purpose, and I love that aspect about NASA Stennis.”

The common goal is returning to the Moon in a sustainable way. Through Artemis missions, NASA will use innovative technologies, and collaborate with commercial and international partners, to explore more of the lunar surface than ever. NASA will then use what is learned on and around the Moon to take the next giant leap: sending the first astronauts to Mars. 

Much like NASA clearly has its sight set on the task at hand, Goretski had a goal of being employed with NASA. A native of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, Goretski grew up in the shadow of NASA Stennis and did everything necessary from an education standpoint to ensure his future work with the space agency.

He earned an associate degree in business administration from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, followed by a bachelor’s degree in business administration from The University of Mississippi. The Long Beach resident also earned a master’s degree in aeronautical science with an emphasis on management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Following a career in the United States Air Force, Goretski reached his goal of returning to NASA Stennis, this time as a contract specialist prior to becoming a procurement analyst.

As a member of the Procurement Management Support Division team at the center, Goretski is part of an integral support mechanism, which provides training and guidance for more than 100 contracting officer representatives supporting NASA’s Artemis Program.

As NASA moves toward future Artemis launches, Goretski looks forward to attending the launch of Artemis III, which will mark humanity’s first return to the lunar surface in more than 50 years. NASA will make history by sending the first humans to explore the region near the lunar South Pole.

Meanwhile, he will continue his day-to-day work supporting the agency’s efforts to reach that moment. Goretski also enjoys volunteering through outreach efforts with NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement, which helps bridge disparities and break barriers by providing a way for a broad spectrum of students to learn about NASA and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).

Goretski also has volunteered for more than 13 years with the FIRST (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics organization. In 2023, NASA co-sponsored the inaugural FIRST Robotics competition held in the state of Mississippi with the Magnolia Regional event in Laurel. STEM will play a key role as NASA explores more of the Moon than ever before with highly trained astronauts and advanced robotics.

In all of his engagement efforts, Goretski takes to heart one of NASA’s core values – inclusion – to share opportunities available for all and, along the way, to inspire the Artemis Generation, just as he was inspired on a school visit to the south Mississippi NASA center.