Lori A. Losey is the supervisor of the video department and senior producer/director and aerial videographer at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.
Losey began her career at NASA in 1988 as a freelance camera operator for the STS-26 Return-to-Flight Space Shuttle mission following the Challenger accident. Soon after, she was hired full-time and became the lead videographer and technical director for all live television programming from Armstrong; most notably, space shuttle landings. In 2017, she technically directed a multi-camera live feed of the Solar Eclipse from a NASA Gulfstream III (G-III) aircraft.
As a NASA videographer for more than 30 years, Losey has earned several awards and accolades from the agency, including a NASA Public Service Medal, three Videographer of the Year awards, and a Quality and Safety Assurance award for the production of a lessons learned video entitled, “X-31-Breaking the Chain.” This video received a Communicator and Telly award for its effective safety message to the entire aviation community.
Losey grew up in the Antelope Valley near Edwards Air Force Base, an area rich in aviation history. But flying wasn’t necessarily her passion; producing and capturing compelling video that tells a visual story is what has made her so successful at NASA.
Losey has traveled the world documenting various NASA Earth science research missions. She has been onboard aircraft agency to Russia, Sweden, Chile, Costa Rica and Africa covering NASA’s involvement in conducting observations, collecting in-atmosphere data as well as advancing use of satellite data for NASA’s Airborne Science Program.
As an aerial videographer, she also captures video of aeronautical and space research, logging nearly 1,000 hours of flight time in the backseat of various NASA aircraft such as F-18s, F-15s and T-38s. She also has shot from helicopters, T-34s, C-17s, and KC-135 and KC-10 tankers. She has flown with some of the best pilots in the world, including space shuttle pilots, SpaceShip One and SpaceShip Two pilots and Bill Dana, who was probably best known for his work as a project pilot on the X-15 hypersonic research aircraft .
She attributes much of her success to the brilliant and creative minds of her video team and to a few key mentors who not only provided her with opportunities, but also guided her with invaluable advice on humility, respect and leadership.
Losey graduated from Pepperdine University with a bachelor’s degree in broadcasting. Upon graduation she returned to the Antelope Valley where she anchored the news and hosted several programs at the local TV station before landing her career at NASA.
