വക്കച്ചൻ-മേരിമ്മ

തൊമ്മച്ചന്റെ മൂത്ത പുത്രൻ വക്കച്ചൻ (1964-ഏപ്രിലിൽ) പ്രീയൂണിവേഴ്‌സിറ്റിക്ക് ഫസ്റ്റ്ക്ലാസും മാത്തമാറ്റിക്സിൽ ഡിസ്റ്റിംക്ഷൻ പ്ലസു്ം കിട്ടി 16-ാം വയസ്സിൽ മദ്രാസ് യൂണിവേഴ്സിറ്റിയിൽ നിന്നും പാസ്സായി. ഇതുകഴിഞ്ഞു് 1965-ൽ എഞ്ചിനീറിംഗിനു പഠിക്കാൻ അമേരിക്കയിൽ എത്തി. തൊമ്മച്ചന്റെ അനിയൻ വർക്കിച്ചൻറെ കുടുംബവും ഒന്നിച്ചു താമസിച്ചും പല ജോലികളും ചെയ്തു്ം 1969 ജൂണി-ൽ യൂണിവേഴ്സിറ്റി ഓഫ് മേരിലൻഡിൽ നിന്നു് BSEE സമ്പാദിച്ചു.

ഇപ്പോൾ വക്കച്ചൻ അമേരിക്കയിൽ Computer programmer ആയി NASA-യുടെ Spacecraft Tracking And Data Network-നു ജോലി നോക്കുന്നു. ഈ വക്കച്ചൻ തമ്പലക്കാട്ടു കതയനാട്ടു തോമസിൻറെ പുത്രി മേരിമ്മയേ (Maria Goretti) യാണു വിവാഹം ചെയ്തിരിക്കുന്നതു്.

The above is from കല്ലറയ്ക്കൽകുടുംബചരിത്രം.

Vackachan is the oldest son of Thommachan and Achamma Karickattuparampil (Mannarkayam). Vackachan completed his PreUniversity at St. Joseph's College, Thiruchirapally with a first class and distinction plus in Mathematics at the age of 16 in April 1964. He came to the US in January 1965 and joined the University of Maryland to study Electrical Engineering. While studying for his BSEE he worked various part-time jobs and full-time summer jobs and he stayed with his uncle Varkey V. Kallarakal. He graduated in June 1969 with a BSEE. After his BSEE, he joined the graduate program in Electrical Engineering with a research assistantship. He returned to India in September 1971. Since he could not get any job in India at that time, he came back to the US in January 1972 and worked in a medical lab while staying with his uncle until he started with his NASA job on January 22, 1973.

He married Marymma (Maria Goretti) the daughter of Kathayanat Thommachan and Kunjamma, on December 30, 1973.

Vackachan and Marymma have a son named Tommy born in April 19xx and a daughter named Achamma born in February, 19xx. They have two grandsons from their son and a grandson and a granddaughter from their daughter.

Vackachan worked for various NASA contracts and projects at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland for about 45 years until his retirement in January, 2018. Marymma stayed home as a house maker until their kids grew up. Marymma worked for Public Citizen in Washington DC for about 15 years. She stopped working in 2012

While working for NASA, he received numerous awards and recognition from NASA that included the prestigious "Silver Snoopy" and "Inventions and Contribution" awards. The "Silver Snoopy" award was for the design and development of NASA's Network Control Center and the "Inventions and Contributions" award was for the development of a "Data Distribution System (DDS)" that allowed scientists and researchers from around the world to browse and select their data products of their interest and get it distributed through the "Space Physics Analysis Network" or create CDs with the data users selected. This was done before the prevalence of the Internet for these types of systems. The DDS award received on August 2, 1999 included money and a certificate which reads "For the creative development of a scientific contribution which has been determined of significant value in the advancement of aerospace technology program of NASA, and is entitled:" Another award he received is the Goddard Space Flight Center Group Achievement award on December 12, 1986 theat states "In recognition of their technical excellence and dedication for completing the first automatic guard processor that was accredited for operation". The guard processor on the NASA network is equivalent to the firewall that organizations put on their network connection to the Internet. This means that Vackachan was recognized for the creation of the first firewall for NASA. In addition, he received another group achievement award in 1975 for the "Apollo Soyuz Simulation Team"

While working at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt Maryland, Vackachan was also a member of various clubs like the Garden Club, Tennis Club and Auto Club. As a Garden Club member, he grew vegetables like pavaka (പാവക്ക) and pathinettu moneyan (പതിനെട്ട് മണിയൻ ) at the NASA campus. He was also an active member of the Goddard Tennis Club that provides eight Har-Tue and two lighted asphalt courts.

For a Google view of Goddard Space Flight Center campus go to: Goddard Space Flight Center