Jacques van Oene
October 22nd 04, 09:41 PM
Glenn Mahone/Bob Jacobs
Headquarters, Washington Oct. 21, 2004
(Phone: 202/358-1898/1600)
RELEASE: 04-349
NASA ADMINISTRATOR NAMES NEW CHIEF SCIENTIST
NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe announced today Chief
Scientist and veteran astronaut John Grunsfeld will return to
NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Administrator O'Keefe
appointed Dr. James B. Garvin, chief scientist for NASA's
Mars and lunar exploration programs, as the new Chief
Scientist, effective immediately.
Grunsfeld is training for an astronaut assignment to a long
duration mission, the specifics of which will be announced at
a later date. He will also provide expert support and counsel
to NASA's Astronaut Office. Grunsfeld was appointed NASA's
Chief Scientist in Sept. 2003. He has been supporting
Administrator O'Keefe in Washington directing NASA's
space-based science objectives and ensuring the scientific
merit of agency programs.
"John's extensive background in physics and astronomy,
together with his unmatched hands-on experience in conducting
science operations in space, made him the ideal advisor to
steer agency science decisions during his management tenure
in Washington," Administrator O'Keefe said. "His unique
skills will be sorely missed here, but I know he will
continue to provide his valuable input to the decision
process from his Johnson Space Center vantage point as well."
Garvin, who earlier this year announced the Mars Exploration
Rovers had found strong evidence liquid water once existed on
the martian surface, will work to ensure the scientific merit
of NASA's programs, including those embracing exploration.
"Jim was instrumental in this most recent round of successful
Mars exploration," said Administrator O'Keefe. "He played a
critical role in decisions ranging from whether the rovers
should fly to Mars and where they should land, to their
overall science strategy on the martian surface. His
experience and extensive knowledge of agency operations will
help us pursue the programs with the most scientific merit
and relevance, as we move forward with the Vision for Space
Exploration."
Grunsfeld is a veteran of four Space Shuttle flights and five
successful spacewalks to upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope.
Grunsfeld received a bachelor's degree in physics from the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1980. He earned a
masters degree and a doctorate in physics from the University
of Chicago in 1984 and 1988, respectively.
Grunsfeld was honored with the W.D. Grainger Fellow in
Experimental Physics and awarded the NASA Exceptional
Leadership Medal earlier this year. He received NASA Space
Flight Medals in 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2002, and the agency's
Exceptional Service Medal in 1997,1998 and 2000.
Garvin is currently in charge of formulating scientific
requirements for NASA's missions for studying Mars and the
moon. His primary areas of scientific specialty include laser
altimetry of terrestrial and planetary landscapes; geology of
impact craters relevant to exploration of the moon and Mars;
and sedimentology on Mars, Earth and Venus. He was chief
scientist for the Shuttle Laser Altimeter flights aboard
Endeavour (STS-72) and Discovery (STS-85).
Garvin joined the Geodynamics Branch at NASA's Goddard Space
Flight Center in 1984. He led a team of engineers and
scientists that developed the first orbiting laser altimeter
instruments for quantifying the three-dimensional
characteristics of landscapes on the Earth and Mars. After
the Challenger accident in 1986, Garvin served as a scientist
on astronaut Sally Ride's leadership team.
Garvin has served as a member of the science team for Mars
Global Surveyor, Mars Observer and NASA airborne laser
topographical surveys of dynamic landscapes in Iceland. He
was Project Scientist for the Earth System Science Pathfinder
program, which studies the Earth's oceans, clouds, interior
and the aspects of the chemistry of the atmosphere.
He was as a member of the international science team for
Canada's RADARSAT mission, science team member on the
European Space Agency ENVISAT mission, and a science team
member on the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous Shoemaker
mission.
Garvin received his bachelor's degree in applied
math/computer sciences from Brown University, Providence,
R.I. in 1978; a master's in computer science from Stanford
University, Stanford, Calif., in 1979; master's in geological
sciences from Brown in 1981; and a Ph.D. in geological
sciences from Brown in 1984. He was awarded Brown's William
Rogers Award this year for his outstanding contributions to
society.
Garvin was awarded NASA Outstanding Leadership Medals for his
role in defining the scientific strategy for NASA's Mars
Exploration Program, and for his contribution to the
scientific success of the Mars Exploration Rover mission. He
is a fellow of the Explorers Club and a member of the
American Geophysical Union. He has published more than 60
research articles, numerous abstracts and reports.
-end-
--
---------------------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info
Headquarters, Washington Oct. 21, 2004
(Phone: 202/358-1898/1600)
RELEASE: 04-349
NASA ADMINISTRATOR NAMES NEW CHIEF SCIENTIST
NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe announced today Chief
Scientist and veteran astronaut John Grunsfeld will return to
NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Administrator O'Keefe
appointed Dr. James B. Garvin, chief scientist for NASA's
Mars and lunar exploration programs, as the new Chief
Scientist, effective immediately.
Grunsfeld is training for an astronaut assignment to a long
duration mission, the specifics of which will be announced at
a later date. He will also provide expert support and counsel
to NASA's Astronaut Office. Grunsfeld was appointed NASA's
Chief Scientist in Sept. 2003. He has been supporting
Administrator O'Keefe in Washington directing NASA's
space-based science objectives and ensuring the scientific
merit of agency programs.
"John's extensive background in physics and astronomy,
together with his unmatched hands-on experience in conducting
science operations in space, made him the ideal advisor to
steer agency science decisions during his management tenure
in Washington," Administrator O'Keefe said. "His unique
skills will be sorely missed here, but I know he will
continue to provide his valuable input to the decision
process from his Johnson Space Center vantage point as well."
Garvin, who earlier this year announced the Mars Exploration
Rovers had found strong evidence liquid water once existed on
the martian surface, will work to ensure the scientific merit
of NASA's programs, including those embracing exploration.
"Jim was instrumental in this most recent round of successful
Mars exploration," said Administrator O'Keefe. "He played a
critical role in decisions ranging from whether the rovers
should fly to Mars and where they should land, to their
overall science strategy on the martian surface. His
experience and extensive knowledge of agency operations will
help us pursue the programs with the most scientific merit
and relevance, as we move forward with the Vision for Space
Exploration."
Grunsfeld is a veteran of four Space Shuttle flights and five
successful spacewalks to upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope.
Grunsfeld received a bachelor's degree in physics from the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1980. He earned a
masters degree and a doctorate in physics from the University
of Chicago in 1984 and 1988, respectively.
Grunsfeld was honored with the W.D. Grainger Fellow in
Experimental Physics and awarded the NASA Exceptional
Leadership Medal earlier this year. He received NASA Space
Flight Medals in 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2002, and the agency's
Exceptional Service Medal in 1997,1998 and 2000.
Garvin is currently in charge of formulating scientific
requirements for NASA's missions for studying Mars and the
moon. His primary areas of scientific specialty include laser
altimetry of terrestrial and planetary landscapes; geology of
impact craters relevant to exploration of the moon and Mars;
and sedimentology on Mars, Earth and Venus. He was chief
scientist for the Shuttle Laser Altimeter flights aboard
Endeavour (STS-72) and Discovery (STS-85).
Garvin joined the Geodynamics Branch at NASA's Goddard Space
Flight Center in 1984. He led a team of engineers and
scientists that developed the first orbiting laser altimeter
instruments for quantifying the three-dimensional
characteristics of landscapes on the Earth and Mars. After
the Challenger accident in 1986, Garvin served as a scientist
on astronaut Sally Ride's leadership team.
Garvin has served as a member of the science team for Mars
Global Surveyor, Mars Observer and NASA airborne laser
topographical surveys of dynamic landscapes in Iceland. He
was Project Scientist for the Earth System Science Pathfinder
program, which studies the Earth's oceans, clouds, interior
and the aspects of the chemistry of the atmosphere.
He was as a member of the international science team for
Canada's RADARSAT mission, science team member on the
European Space Agency ENVISAT mission, and a science team
member on the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous Shoemaker
mission.
Garvin received his bachelor's degree in applied
math/computer sciences from Brown University, Providence,
R.I. in 1978; a master's in computer science from Stanford
University, Stanford, Calif., in 1979; master's in geological
sciences from Brown in 1981; and a Ph.D. in geological
sciences from Brown in 1984. He was awarded Brown's William
Rogers Award this year for his outstanding contributions to
society.
Garvin was awarded NASA Outstanding Leadership Medals for his
role in defining the scientific strategy for NASA's Mars
Exploration Program, and for his contribution to the
scientific success of the Mars Exploration Rover mission. He
is a fellow of the Explorers Club and a member of the
American Geophysical Union. He has published more than 60
research articles, numerous abstracts and reports.
-end-
--
---------------------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info