Jesica P. Henderson

Jesica P. Henderson supports the procurement mission of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center by managing complex acquisitions critical to advancing deep space propulsion and space vehicle systems. She oversees contracts for professional scientific and technical services that enable cutting-edge research, engineering design, and mission-critical testing infrastructure. Her work directly supports NASA’s Moon to Mars initiative by securing specialized expertise in rocket engine development, flight dynamics modeling, and real-time data analysis systems. Henderson typically handles task orders and indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts under broad technical scopes, ensuring alignment with agency priorities in propulsion innovation and space systems integration. She maintains consistent partnerships with key contractors including Bastion Technologies Inc. and Aerospace & Commercial Technologies, LLC, both of which provide high-caliber engineering and R&D support for propulsion test facilities and computational modeling systems. Her procurement approach emphasizes long-term vendor collaboration, often awarding multiple-year task orders to firms with proven technical capability in hypersonics, fluid dynamics, and avionics integration. These relationships are built on performance-based outcomes and technical fidelity, ensuring mission success through reliable contractor performance. Henderson demonstrates a strong commitment to socioeconomic diversity in contracting, with 30% of her awards designated for HUBZone-qualified small businesses. While the majority of her portfolio remains open competition, she actively seeks opportunities to integrate HUBZone firms into mission-critical support roles, particularly in engineering services and technical analysis. Her contracting patterns reflect a balanced approach—prioritizing technical excellence while expanding access for qualified small businesses in underserved communities. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541990 (All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services) and 541715 (R&D in Physical and Engineering Sciences), reflecting her specialization in advanced propulsion research, systems engineering, and computational simulation services. She procures services including wind tunnel testing support, structural analysis, thermal modeling, and mission operations software development—all essential to the development of next-generation space launch systems and deep space exploration architectures.