Leading the Public Face of Space

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is fully committed to sharing the excitement of America's international space missions with its stakeholders, particularly the general public. In 2009, the Space Shuttle delivered astronauts to the Hubble Space Telescope to service that great observatory and to the International Space Station to install the observation platform on the Japanese Kibo laboratory. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is showing an unprecedented view of the Moon, confirming the presence of hardware left behind during the Apollo missions decades ago and helping scientists better understand Earth's natural satellite. These and numerous other exciting missions are fertile subjects for public education and outreach. NASA's core mission includes engaging the public face of space in many forms and forums. Agency goals include communicating with people across the United States and through international opportunities. NASA has created a culture where communication opportunities are valued avenues to deliver information about scientific findings and exploration possibilities. As this presentation will show, NASA's leaders act as ambassadors in the public arena and set expectations for involvement across their organizations. This presentation will focus on the qualities that NASA leaders cultivate to achieve challenging missions, to expand horizons and question "why". Leaders act with integrity and recognize the power of the team multiplier effect on delivering technical performance within budget and schedule, as well as through participation in education and outreach opportunities. Leaders are responsible for budgeting the resources needed to reach target audiences with compelling, relevant information and serve as role models, delivering key messages to various audiences. Examples that will be featured in this presentation include the Student Launch Projects and Great Moonbuggy race, which reach hundreds of students who are a promising pipeline for new scientists and engineers for a new generation of discovery. The popular Exploration Experience trailer is an interactive-exhibit environment that travels across the United States, conveying the innovation necessary for space travel and the wonder of discovery that comes from viewing our planet as part of the larger space-scape.