FAIRHOPE, Ala. — When the last planned space shuttle main engine test was successfully conducted at the John C. Stennis Space Center July 29, many NASA employees and contractors there undoubtedly breathed a sigh of relief.

The pressure released when that volatile mixture of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen was ignited to test the engine’s propulsion capability is not unlike the emotion Stennis staffers, or anyone else in a very stressful occupation, feel when a high stakes project wraps up with a positive outcome.

Porter Pryor of Daphne helps them slough off that stress. He is a licensed professional counselor and coordinator of the Stennis Employee Assistance Program, part of the Occupational Health Program there.

Although well conditioned for their jobs, when those who work at the Bay St. Louis, Miss. facility have trouble coping, they have Pryor to turn to.

“The emphasis with NASA is so heavy with safety, and there are so many checks and balances as they go along – keeping things on a schedule with the mission,” he said. “There are times when a test is coming up, and employees may sometimes work on evenings and weekends.”

But Pryor explained, “That is kind of what our folks do. I don’t see immense stress. I think our men and women are so used to what they do and how important it is, they handle it well.”

He said those who perform SSME testing understand the dangers they deal with daily, both personally and on behalf of the astronauts, and they accept that responsibility without hesitation.

“We’re always cognizant that the astronauts’ lives are dependent on the engines operating properly,” Pryor said. “We’re where these things are tested. That is a stress for everyone.”

NASA makes sure all on the team know their efforts are appreciated, however, and that goes a long way toward keeping them happy.

He added, “Our employees are constantly (reminded) they are an important part of the overall program, and they have been doing this for so long. There’s not a high turnover.”

Pryor, who holds a master’s degree, provides support for both professional and personal stress. The program he oversees is open to both staff and their families, and he counsels around 30 individuals each month.

NASA maintains a full range of such programs at each of its installations, offering short-term assistance. Among the other services available are educational programs addressing many issues, from stress management and substance abuse to adaptation for returning veterans.

“There’s so much stress going on in employees’ daily lives,” he said. “Our goal is to keep them healthy. We’re a resilient bunch over here, but many of them were ground zero Hurricane Katrina. They have a lot of stress in their lives, yet they keep this program going without skipping a beat.”

Pryor grew up in Jackson, Miss. and worked at Baptist Hospital there before going to work at Stennis around four and a half years ago.

He and his wife, Charla, who is employed by a Fairhope insurance agency, have three children. They moved to the Eastern Shore to be closer to their five grandchildren.

Pryor made the daily commute to Stennis with some Mobile County residents until a few months ago. He now stays there during the week and travels home on weekends.

When he actually has spare time, Pryor likes to venture out in his kayak and “plays a little tennis.” He also enjoys riding his bike, and is known to follow the progress of space missions.

“I watched it land this morning,” Pryor said with pride, referring to Space Shuttle Endeavor, which returned to Earth on Friday (July 31) after 16 days in space. It was the 23rd flight for Endeavor, the 127th space shuttle mission and the 29th shuttle visit to the International Space Station.

He said, “It’s a beautiful thing to watch come in and land safely. It’s great to be a part of that.”

Even though the economy has been less than stellar, Pryor foresees a bright spot for Stennis and future space exploration through the Constellation Program.

“NASA is like any government agency,” he said. “Our employees are always having to do more, sometimes with fewer folks, and they’ve always risen to the occasion. We’ve got a great future. There will always be another engine to test.”