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From the Executive DirectorA NASA that Inspires
February 13, 2009 By now I had thought I’d be writing about the appointment of the new NASA Administrator. Back in December, a flurry of rumors about the identity of the new Administrator had sprung up in blogs, Internet forums, and over telephone lines. Since then, it has been relatively quiet. While we wait to find out who will assume the Administrator's post, we can consider what it takes to be an effective leader of NASA. Personal style and career path are secondary. We have had many different types of leaders at NASA, and I have concluded that it is impossible to predict an Administrator's success on the basis of personality and resume alone. The most important quality that I look for in a NASA Administrator is the ability to inspire. I gave a dinner speech in Washington, D.C. at the beginning of this month, in which I said that inspiration was the single greatest benefit of the space program. Our robotic and human achievements in space inspire excellence in science and engineering far beyond the aerospace industry. That is why space exploration is so strongly linked to education: NASA's missions inspire children to "reach for the stars" -- take on great challenges and overcome them. Mrs. Obama provided an example of this kind of inspiration when she chose a book about landing on the Moon to read to a second-grade class she recently visited. President Obama has cited inspiration in connection with NASA several times. Inspiration may not be tangible, but the intellectual, economic, and technical benefits that flow from it are worth far more than the 0.7% of the federal budget that NASA takes up. "The most important quality that I look for in a NASA Administrator is the ability to inspire."
Mike Griffin was a good NASA Administrator, and the United States owes him a debt of gratitude for his nearly four years of service. But inspiration was not a high priority for Griffin, a fact which diminished his effectiveness as leader. Early in his administration Griffin attacked science in NASA and the science community which serves it. This was a bad sign for those who believe that science is one of the most inspiring and appealing aspects of NASA's mission. By the end of his term, Griffin seemed to soften, Two months ago, when NASA announced a two-year delay for the Mars Science Laboratory, Griffin was asked about why Mars occupied such an expensive place in the agency’s science program. He responded brilliantly, citing the importance of fundamental scientific inquiry into life and habitability. NASA’s accomplishments under Griffin are inspiring: The adventures of Spirit and Opportunity and water discoveries on Mars, hydrocarbon lakes on Titan, Hubble images of the distant universe, discoveries of numerous planets around other stars, and the best and most reliable measurements yet of global change on Earth have captured the imagination of the world. We can also vigorously applaud Griffin's leadership in returning the shuttle to flight, restoring the Hubble servicing mission, and his unwavering devotion to move human exploration out of low-Earth orbit and into the solar system. If we delay the retirement of the shuttle, I fear (as did he) that we are in for three decades of an uninspiring NASA, stuck too close to home. Despite these achievements, NASA takes some knocks, as “no longer inspiring.” The reason has less to do with NASA's actual achievements -- which are remarkable -- and more with NASA's administrative structure and compulsion to make everything look “routine.” NASA classifies robotic missions as “science,” instead of conveying that all these endeavors are part of exploration. At NASA "Exploration” refers to just another bureaucratic element instead of an inspiring venture. Even the magnificent human accomplishments of building and maintaining the International Space Station are downplayed as mere “engineering.” If the ISS and the robotic missions exploring other worlds were pulled together as steps in humankind’s great venture to move out into the solar system and search for life that may exist off Earth -- how inspiring would that be! Understanding our planet and its place in the solar system, and extending human presence beyond Earth are at the core of NASA’s mission. To be successful, the next NASA Administrator must effectively convey the value of these goals to the taxpayers who will foot the bill in tough economic times. The Administrator (and all of us who are devoted to space exploration) must make the case for space exploration, inspiring not only the budget-makers, bureaucrats and Congress, but the people of the world as well. We wish him or her well. Comments? We welcome your opinions on this subject. Send us email! |
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