Aerospace engineering seminar
| Date/Time: | Thursday, 15 Oct 2015 from 3:10 pm to 4:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Location: | Alliant Energy-Lee Liu Auditorium, Howe Hall |
| Cost: | Free |
| Contact: | Mary McGraw, |
| Phone: | 515-294-1200 |
| Channel: | College of Engineering |
| Categories: | Lectures |
| Actions: | Download iCal/vCal | Email Reminder |
The development of the space frontier for the benefit of society is a common theme in national and international space policy discussions. At the same time, it is increasingly recognized that private enterprises and individuals may have distinct and more immediate interests in space developments, deriving from the unique attributes of the space environment. The extent to which governments can and should encourage such private interests, and the means by which this might best be done while continuing to preserve and protect the larger public interest, is a topic at the forefront of space policy. Two possible public policy initiatives designed to promote the creation of free markets and the private development of space infrastructure are explored - one centered on crew and cargo resupply to the International Space Station and the other on lunar base resupply. Conclusions are presented regarding the likely financial viability of each alternative.
Bio
Michael Griffin is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Schafer Corporation, a leading provider of scientific, engineering and technical services and products in the national security sector. He was previously King-McDonald Eminent Scholar and Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, was the Administrator of NASA from 2005-09, and prior to that was the Space Department Head at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. He has also held numerous executive positions with industry, including President and Chief Operating Officer of In-Q-Tel, Chief Executive Officer of Magellan Systems, General Manager of Orbital Science Corporation's Space Systems Group, and Executive Vice President and Chief Technical Officer at Orbital.
Mike's earlier career includes service as both Chief Engineer and Associate Administrator for Exploration at NASA, and as the Deputy for Technology at the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization. Prior to joining SDIO in an executive capacity, he played a key role in conceiving and directing several "first of a kind" space tests in support of strategic defense research, development, and flight testing. These included the first space-to-space intercept of a ballistic missile in powered flight, the first broad-spectrum spaceborne reconnaissance of targets and decoys in midcourse flight, and the first space-to-ground reconnaissance of ballistic missiles during the boost phase. He also played a leading role in other space missions in earlier work at the JHU Applied Physics Laboratory, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the Computer Science Corporation.
Mike was an adjunct professor for thirteen years at the University of Maryland, the Johns Hopkins University, and George Washington University, offering courses in spacecraft design, applied mathematics, guidance and navigation, compressible flow, computational fluid dynamics, spacecraft attitude control, astrodynamics, and introductory aerospace engineering. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in Maryland and California, and is the lead author of over two dozen technical papers and the textbook Space Vehicle Design.
Griffin is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the International Academy of Astronautics, an Honorary Fellow and the current President of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, a Fellow of the American Astronautical Society, and a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. He is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal, the AIAA Space Systems Medal and Goddard Astronautics Award, the National Space Club's Goddard Trophy, the Rotary National Award for Space Achievement, the Missile Defense Agency's Ronald Reagan Award, and the Department of Defense Distinguished Public Service Medal, the highest award which can be conferred on a non-government employee.
Mike obtained his B.A. in Physics from the Johns Hopkins University, which he attended as the winner of a Maryland Senatorial Scholarship. He holds Master's degrees in Aerospace Science from Catholic University, Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern California, Applied Physics from Johns Hopkins, Civil Engineering from George Washington University, and Business Administration from Loyola College of Maryland. He received his Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Maryland, and has been recognized with honorary doctoral degrees from Florida Southern College and the University of Notre Dame.
Mike was born in 1949 in Aberdeen, Maryland. His hobbies include golf, flying, amateur radio, skiing, and scuba diving. He is a Certified Flight Instructor with instrument and multiengine ratings, and holds an Extra Class radio amateur license.