Engineering success requires more than the flash of a brilliant solution; it takes analysis and persistence.

It seems that the "celebretization" of almost everything is increasing, and at a faster pace. We are inundated with news of the latest nothing-much from these so-called celebrities, many of whom have no special talent or skill other than promoting themselves and being famous for being well-known. Those who do much of the real work of making things happen -- scientists, researchers, engineers, production people, and countless others -- are largely invisible and unacknowledged.

It's gotten so bad that even the normally serious Wall Street Journal now features a light-hearted weekly article that highlights the morning routines of Hollywood-type celebrities. I was shocked to find out that they wake up, wash up, eat breakfast (sometimes), check their messages, and exercise before starting on various projects -- I mean, who would have guessed it? Look, I understand that we ordinary folks need some diversion from the daily work-and-chore cycle, but when is it enough?

The good news is that sometimes there is a glimmer of the alternative, as we see how the real creators get advanced things done. It's true that scientists often do get some attention for their progress and breakthroughs, but it's also the hard work of solving problems that defines so much of engineering activity.

That's why I was thrilled to see an article in the glossy magazine of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), which not only celebrated engineering problem-solving but did so with specifics and meaningful insight. The article, "Go Big and Go to Jupiter: 10 Engineering Challenges Europa Clipper Had to Overcome," focused on the Europa Clipper mission launched in October 2024, as imagined in Figure 1.

That spacecraft began one of the most ambitious planetary science missions in history as it travels to Europa, one of Jupiter's moons, to look for evidence of liquid water under its icy shell, as well as other experiments. Europa Clipper is expected to go into orbit around Jupiter in April 2030, and its science phase will include nearly 50 flybys of this moon.

For each challenge cited, the article presented a meaningful paragraph or two about the specific problem and the obstacles the engineering team encountered, ranging from expected ones with tricky trade-offs to unexpected issues, as well as working as a team from home during the pandemic. It was insightful, uplifting, and inspiring. These are problems that did not allow for "hey, I've got a quick idea, let's just do it" sorts of answers; each problem and set of solutions required careful assessment because there are no second chances with a project of this type.

Unfortunately, most mass-media coverage of engineering focuses on a brilliant, decisive "spur of the moment" action that saves the day. This mindset is reflected in scenes, for example, with TV show hero MacGyver defusing a bomb which is set to explode within the hour using only a paper clip and chewing gum. Yet, real engineering is mostly about careful analysis of the problem and the solution options, along with an assessment of the chances for success.

I realize that from a storytelling perspective, devising and showing a quick fix is more dramatic and has more impact than the slower slog, even though the latter also requires insight and cleverness. Storytellers also like situations where they can focus on one person as the prime mover and hero; while this is sometimes the case, in most situations it's the work of a larger team with expertise in different disciplines that has to thrash it out, understand the possibilities, address the risks, and make it happen.

I can think of a few other stories that are more closely related to the Europa project; many are linked to space missions, as those projects receive the most documentation and attention (see References and Related EE World Content). There are undoubtedly countless more, most of them undocumented, of course.

Is it feasible to divert some attention away from celebrities doing nothing noteworthy and instead direct it towards engineers solving problems? I don't know, but we can always hope.

Perhaps at some point the public will tire of the endless vacuous celebrity stories and come to appreciate, if not actually celebrate, the engineers (and others) who make our technology and lifestyle possible -- but I am not holding my breath, as they say.

References

Europa Clipper Mission Overview, NASA

NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover Gets a Major Software Upgrade, NASA

Marking 13 Years on Mars, NASA's Curiosity Picks Up New Skills, NASA

Apollo: The Race to the Moon, Charles Murray and Catherine Bly Cox

The Right Kind of Crazy -- A True Story of Teamwork, Leadership, and High-Stakes Innovation, Adam Steltzner and William Patrick (Mars Curiosity Rover)

Eccentric Orbits: The Iridium Story, John Bloom

Across the Airless Wilds: The Lunar Rover and the Triumph of the Final Moon Landings, Earl Swift

Pinpoint: How GPS Is Changing Technology, Culture, and Our Minds, Greg Milner