CMA Presents "Achieving NASA's Vision for Space Exploration"

As the Vision for Space Exploration enters its second year and the transformation of NASA begins a new phase, many wonder how the Agency will maintain public and Congressional support through the difficult journey ahead. The challenges are many: video games and Hollywood beckon the engineers of tomorrow, private spaceflight may soon trump the Crew Exploration Vehicle, and competing federal priorities could put a squeeze on spending just when NASA aims to launch astronauts out of low Earth orbit.

To navigate the straits ahead, NASA may need to fundamentally reconsider how it sets goals, conducts missions, taps into the private sector, and communicates with the outside world. Come hear George Whitesides discuss how the Agency can achieve a future in which the public and Congress are once again passionate about NASA.

George Whitesides is the Executive Director of the National Space Society, which has 20,000 members and 70 chapters around the world. Whitesides is the co-founder of Yuri's Night, a global celebration of space; and Permission to Dream, a global space-education program focused on astronomy. He currently serves on the board of the Space Generation Foundation. A Fulbright scholar, Whitesides received his master's degree in remote sensing and geographic information science from Cambridge University and his undergraduate degree in public and international affairs from Princeton University.

This event is free. All JPL and Campus personnel and retirees are welcome.