Kenny Heckle grew up in Orlando, just west of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. An 80s child, he comes from a long line of union pipefitters and fabricators.

Heckle recalls the day 42 years ago at KARS Park, which is a NASA Exchange–run recreation area for the agency’s workforce and their guests, when he attended an office party with his father. Heckle had his German Shepherd with him when a man who seemed to be enamored with the canine asked him who he was. “I’m Kenny Heckle, Wayne’s son,” he said. And the man who knew his dad well replied, “Why don’t you work for us (at NASA)?”

Two weeks later, Heckle was working at the center alongside his dad.

Heckle wasn’t a typical new employee. At 19, he already had seven years of mechanical experience, working on his father’s short-track stock cars, building and fabricating parts they needed.…