Earlier today, it was announced that former National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Earth Science Director, Dr. Michael Freilich, passed away. Dr. Freilich led NASA’s work on climate change, severe weather, the atmosphere, the oceans, sea ice and glaciers, and the land surface for over 12 years before retiring in 2019.
Earlier this year, NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and their international partners announced that they renamed an ocean observing satellite that is set to launch into orbit Fall 2020 after Dr. Freilich. This satellite will continue the 28 years of collecting sea level change data from space, which Dr. Freilich played a significant role in advancing.
Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) made the following statement.
“I’d like to offer my sincerest condolences to Dr. Michael Freilich’s family, friends, and colleagues for their loss. His dedication to studying the dynamics of our planet and his work to build NASA’s Earth Science Division into the robust program it is today will continue to help improve our understanding how the Earth is changing for decades to come. Dr. Freilich’s legacy as a trailblazer and leader in the development and use of innovative space-based earth observing systems will forever live on through the many he helped train and inspire throughout his career.”
