Alex Apyan: Get to know the UC Bearcat turned Orion program team member
April 7, 2026
For UC grad Alex Apyan, his time as a student-athlete on the Bearcats’ football team has only been a precursor to a successful career that currently has him as an integral part of the Mission Planning and Analysis team with the Orion Program. A native of Chattanooga, Tenn., and graduate of UC's aerospace engineering program, Apyan was a long snapper for the Bearcats from 2007-11. Now, he has an important role in the multi-purpose crew vehicle used in NASA’s Artemis program, helping the first crewed flight launch last week.