WHAT: When the Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee issues its report in the coming weeks, the Coalition for Space Exploration is pleased to offer space industry experts as sources for related media coverage. Specific topics may include:

  • Importance of sustained funding for NASA
  • Importance of a robust space exploration program
  • Impending gap in American human spaceflight, access to International Space Station
  • Importance of exploration to education and the economy
  • Technologies and products derived from space
  • International collaboration and competition

WHO: Coalition for Space Exploration board of advisors:

  • Bob Crippen – pilot of first space shuttle mission (STS-1); commander of three other space shuttle missions (STS-7, STS-41C, STS-41G); former director of Kennedy Space Center; former president of the Thiokol Propulsion Group; currently resides in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
  • Fred Gregory – former NASA astronaut, research test pilot and deputy administrator; currently managing director, aerospace and defense strategies at Lohfeld Consulting Group Inc. in Alexandria, Va., where he leads the aerospace and defense strategy practice
  • Gerald “Gerry” Griffin – former NASA flight director, assistant administrator for legislative affairs at NASA headquarters, deputy director of both Kennedy Space Center and Dryden Flight Research Center, director of Johnson Space Center; current consultant based in Hunt, Texas
  • Dr. Bernard Harris – first African American to conduct a spacewalk; mission specialist (STS-55) and payload commander (STS-63); former vice president/chief scientist of SPACEHAB Inc.; vice president of business development for Space Media Inc.; currently president/CEO of Vesalius Ventures Inc. (a venture capital accelerator for Medical Informatics and Technology); founder of The Harris Foundation in Houston, Texas
  • Steve Hawley – former NASA astronaut; mission specialist on five missions (STS-41D, STS-61C, STS-31, STS-82, STS-93); currently professor and associate chair of physics and astronomy at his alma mater, the University of Kansas
  • Dr. Tom Jones – former NASA astronaut who flew on four space shuttle missions (STS-59, STS-68, STS-80, STS-98); scientist; pilot; member of the NASA Advisory Council; currently an author, speaker and consultant
  • Dr. Joe Kerwin – first physician ever selected to be an astronaut; science-pilot for the Skylab 2 (SL-2); formerly in charge of on-orbit branch of the Astronaut Office; past president of Wyle Laboratories; currently consulting from his home base in College Station, Texas
  • Gene Kranz – former flight director for NASA through Apollo program (including Apollo 11 and 13), as well as the Gemini and Skylab programs; former director of Mission Operations at Johnson Space Center; author, speaker and consultant based in Dickinson, Texas
  • Miles O’Brien – 26-year broadcast news veteran; worked for nearly 17 years as a correspondent, anchor and producer for CNN based in Atlanta and New York, at various times serving as CNN’s science, space, aviation technology and environment correspondent; co-hosts live streaming Webcast of space shuttle launches in partnership with www.spaceflightnow.com; currently working on a documentary with PBS titled, “Blueprint America: A Tale of Three Cities”

BACKGROUND: The Coalition for Space Exploration is a group of space industry businesses and advocacy groups that collaborate to educate and inform the public on the value and benefits of space exploration and to help ensure the United States will remain a leader in space, science and technology – key factors that benefit every American, strengthen our nation’s economy and maintain our national security.