Ashok Prabhakar

His Story, Among the Stars

He spent a lifetime reaching for the stars — literally. A brilliant rocket scientist with an endlessly curious mind, he had a career with Lockheed Martin spanning over 35 years where he worked on the external tank of the Space Shuttle, and later Orion and Artemis. He was fascinated by how the universe worked and the joy of learning innately lived inside him. He could explain complex ideas with remarkable patience, then immediately follow them with the most hilarious Dad Joke. He was as quick to make people laugh as he was to make them think.

An avid music lover, his record collection was legendary, spanning continents and generations. Whether it was the Rolling Stones, The Beatles, or Jagjit Singh filling the room, music was always playing somewhere nearby. He could be just as delighted singing along to "Satisfaction" as he was quietly moved by the poetry of a ghazal. He shared spiritual curiosity with his wife, passing on his knowledge of the Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads to his children as a follower of Vedic teachings of Arya Samaj.

He was the loving husband of Shashi Prabhakar, with whom he shared a remarkable marriage that celebrated its 50th anniversary this year. He was a proud father to Rohini Prabhakar Kukreja, Shivani Prabhakar Kaul, and Amit Prabhakar. And a proud father-in-law to Ashish Kukreja, Vikram Kaul and Rosie Lipin, who he loved as his own. To his four grandchildren — Riya Kukreja, Krish Kukreja, Ashiana Zila Prabhakar Kaul, and Sitara Laxmi Prabhakar Kaul — he wasn't just Nana Ji. He was their playmate, teacher, biggest fan, and gentle protector. He helped raise them, celebrated every milestone, and always had boundless energy to play pickleball, go out for another bike ride or get down on the floor to play one more game.

Retirement never really suited him as he eased into the new "relaxed pace". He would 'retire,' then find another project, another challenge, another way to stay busy. After moving to Atlanta, he worked on space flight contract projects, became a leader in his HOA, embraced pickleball and tennis several days a week, and loved to garden with Shashi. He believed there was always something worth learning, tinkering with, building, or improving.

Those who knew him will remember his kindness, his generosity, his wisdom, and his ability to make everyone around him feel welcome. Ashok never met a stranger that didn't become a friend, whether at the grocery store, gym or dentist. He approached life with curiosity, humor, humility, and a deep belief that every day was an opportunity to keep growing. He will be profoundly missed — but the best parts of him remain in every story retold, every record played, every burst of laughter at a dad joke, and every grandchild who carries forward his unique personality traits. He spent his life reaching for the stars — we'll think of him every time we look up at the stars, and he'll live on in our hearts forever.