JPL at 90
Ninety years of extraordinary missions. A conversation about the partnership that makes them possible.
In 1936, a small group of Caltech students and self-taught rocketeers tested a rocket motor in the Arroyo Seco. Their work grew into the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and a partnership between campus and Lab that has transformed our understanding of Earth and the universe.
From Explorer 1 and Voyager to the Mars rovers and Europa Clipper, that partnership has made some of humanity's most ambitious space missions possible. Its impact also reaches into daily life, from the image sensors behind phone cameras to the elevation data used in digital maps.
As JPL marks its 90th anniversary, join three people whose work spans the Lab's past, present, and future. Former JPL director Charles Elachi, systems engineer Nagin Cox, and chief technologist Shouleh Nikzad will bring perspectives on the leadership behind landmark missions, the engineering that makes them possible, and the technology shaping the next generation of discovery.
Moderated by Casey Dreier, chief of space policy at The Planetary Society, the conversation will consider how the Caltech–JPL partnership continues to turn scientific questions into missions and what it will take to pursue the next ones.
This event is open to the public, with the option to attend online or in person on campus. In-person seating is limited, so register early for the opportunity to experience the conversation live. Already registered for Alumni Weekend? This session is included with your ticket, and no additional registration is needed.