With deepest sadness, we learned of the passing of a dear friend, colleague, and industry advocate on Sunday, June 12th.
Patti Grace Smith will be remembered as a dynamic force within the commercial spaceflight industry. During her time as Associate Administrator of the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation, she ensured safety within the industry and encouraged innovation to prosper and flourish. Her leadership yielded many extraordinary milestones, including the launch of the X-Prize winning SpaceShipOne and Mojave Air and Space Port becoming the first inland commercial spaceport licensed by the agency. Patti consolidated AST’s position within FAA and built key bridging relationships to other agencies. Throughout Patti’s almost three decades of service, she bettered hundreds, if not thousands, of lives through her strategic vision, her expertise, her toughness and tenacity, her mentorship, and her kindness. Her death is a great shock, and a sad loss, for everyone who knew her and for the industry as a whole.
“Those of us that had the privilege to know and work with Patti saw so clearly how special a person she was. Her leadership at the FAA helped transform our industry. Her wonderful personality and spirit brought a natural smile to your face. She made us just better people. She will be dearly missed.” said Eric Stallmer, President of CSF.
Although we can never hope to live up to her legacy, we wish to honor and continue the profound impact that Patti had on commercial space. CSF is in the process of establishing a memorial scholarship that will honor her memory by providing opportunities for students and young professionals involved in the industry that was so close to Patti’s heart. We are in the process of finalizing the details and will make them public as soon as they are available.
If you are interested in more information or supporting the scholarship, please contact jane@commercialspaceflight.org.
