Does NASA Matter?

A. Thomas Young

TUESDAY: October 5, 2010 2:00 P.M. in the H.J.E. Reid Auditorium
(video) within the Langley firewall only

Abstract

NASA was created at the dawn of space exploration to provide focus, direction and leadership for the United States civil space program. NASA has been extraordinarily successful. Having reached middle age, is NASA currently relevant? Does NASA matter in today’s mature space world? What is NASA’s role in a global space program that is continually generating commercial space opportunities? Mr. Young will address these issues and provide perspective upon the question, “Does NASA Matter?”

Speaker

Mr. Young earned a bachelor of aeronautical engineering degree and a bachelor of mechanical engineering degree from the University of Virginia. In 1972, he received a master’s of management degree from MIT, which he attended as a Sloan Fellow. He was awarded an honorary doctor of science degree from Salisbury University.

Mr. Young has received NASA’s Distinguished Service Medal, NASA’s Outstanding Leadership Award, the Presidential Rank Awards of Meritorious Executive and Distinguished Executive, NASA’s Public Service Award, NASA’s Distinguished Public Serve Award, the National Reconnaissance Office Medal, the AIAA Goddard Astronautics Award, the National Space Club Charyk Award and the National Defense Industrial Association Bob Hope Distinguished Citizen Award.