Coalition for Space Exploration Announces 2009-2010 Board of Advisors

Coalition for Space Exploration (Coalition) leadership has announced the organization’s 2009-2010 board of advisors, who will not only provide strategic counsel to the Coalition, but are willing to speak out on important issues related to space exploration and NASA.

“Lining up a strong 2009-2010 board was particularly important to us, as this is a critical time for NASA, President Obama and our nation,” said Dean Acosta, chair of the Coalition’s Public Affairs Team. “We’ve assembled a group of individuals with a blend of backgrounds and areas of expertise to assist us in advocating for space exploration, specifically to provide NASA with adequate funding to fulfill its responsibilities to our country.”

The Coalition board of advisors comprises a group of space experts, journalists, former elected officials, educators and Gen Y representatives to provide strategic counsel in the areas of space, science and technology, political leadership, medicine/health care, education and outreach, and/or youth trends. These advisors, who participate in public outreach activities and speaking opportunities as well as media interviews and op-ed pieces, include:

• Crystal Bloemen – educator for more than 27 years; spearheaded the addition of an aerospace and aeronautics elective course at Euclid Middle School and facilitated a partnership of the Littleton (Colo.) school district with Lockheed Martin to support Space Day; received Civil Air Patrol’s Aerospace Education Award four times; Crown Circle winner for her accomplishments in aerospace education
• Dr. Guy Bluford – first African American in space; mission specialist on four space shuttle missions (STS-8, STS-61A, STS-39, STS-53); currently president of The Aerospace Technology Group (aerospace technology and business consultation firm) in Cleveland, Ohio
• James Cameron – chairman and CEO of Lightstorm Entertainment Inc.; Los Angeles-based Academy Award-winning director and filmmaker noted for his action/science fiction-themed movies such as “The Terminator” (1984), “Aliens” (1986), “The Abyss” (1989) and “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” (1991)
• Bradley Cheetham – completing degrees in mechanical and aerospace engineering at the University at Buffalo (N.Y.) as a scholar in the University Honors College; Goldwater Scholar and graduate of the 2008 NASA Academy at Goddard Space Flight Center, where he coordinated a group project investigating the commercial development of space; worked extensively with Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) as a co-founder of the University at Buffalo chapter
• Bob Crippen – pilot of first space shuttle mission (STS-1); commander of three other space shuttle missions (STS-7, STS-41C, STS-41G); former director of Kennedy Space Center; former president of the Thiokol Propulsion Group; currently resides in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
• Dr. Roger Crouch – scientist and payload specialist on two space shuttle missions in 1997; served as a program scientist on five different Spacelab flights; helped organize and has served as co-chair for Microgravity Science Working Groups between NASA and space agencies from the European Union, France, Germany, Japan and Russia; currently consults and travels from his base in Washington, DC, to share his story with students across the country
• Jake Garn – first member of Congress to fly in space (former U.S. Senator from Utah); chairman of Global Space
• Fred Gregory – former NASA astronaut, research test pilot and deputy administrator; currently managing director, aerospace and defense strategies at Lohfeld Consulting Group Inc. in Alexandria, Va., where he leads the aerospace and defense strategy practice
• Gerry Griffin – former NASA flight director, assistant administrator for legislative affairs at NASA headquarters, deputy director of both Kennedy Space Center and Dryden Flight Research Center, director of Johnson Space Center; current consultant based in Hunt, Texas
• Dr. Bernard Harris – first African American to conduct a spacewalk; mission specialist (STS-55) and payload commander (STS-63); former vice president/chief scientist of SPACEHAB Inc.; vice president of business development for Space Media Inc.; currently president/CEO of Vesalius Ventures Inc. (a venture capital accelerator for Medical Informatics and Technology); founder of The Harris Foundation in Houston, Texas
• Steve Hawley – former NASA astronaut; mission specialist on five missions (STS-41D, STS-61C, STS-31, STS-82, STS-93); currently professor and associate chair of physics and astronomy at his alma mater, the University of Kansas
• Dr. Tom Jones – former NASA astronaut who flew on four space shuttle missions (STS-59, STS-68, STS-80, STS-98); scientist; pilot; member of the NASA Advisory Council; currently an author, speaker and consultant who splits his time between Houston, Texas, and the Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC
• Dr. Joe Kerwin – first physician ever selected to be an astronaut; science-pilot for the Skylab 2 (SL-2); formerly in charge of on-orbit branch of the Astronaut Office; past president of Wyle Laboratories; currently consulting from his home base in College Station, Texas
• Jeanne Kregel – educator with 13 years of teaching experience with the Clear Creek Independent School District (Houston, Texas), teaching all pre-Advanced Placement chemistry courses; Texas-certified in chemistry and biology for grades 6-12 and is also Gifted and Talented certified; received Inductive Reasoning Training from Rice University and is a team leader for the school of Visual and Performing Arts; received National Space Biological Research Institute training and wrote curricula
• Gene Kranz – former flight director for NASA through Apollo program (including Apollo 11 and 13), as well as the Gemini and Skylab programs; former director of Mission Operations at Johnson Space Center; author, speaker and consultant based in Dickinson, Texas
• Nick Lampson – former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the 22nd Congressional District of Texas, including Johnson Space Center; served in key role on the Space Science Transportation Committee and was instrumental in legislation that generated positive results for NASA; currently consulting from his home base in Beaumont, Texas
• James “Jim” Lovell Jr. – former NASA astronaut and former captain in the United States Navy, most famous as the commander of the Apollo 13 mission; command module pilot and navigator of Apollo 8, the first Apollo mission to enter lunar orbit; a recipient of the Congressional Space Medal of Honor and Presidential Medal of Freedom; retired board member of several companies and philanthropic institutions, including Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum, Astronaut Scholarship Foundation and Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International Board
• Miles O’Brien – 26-year broadcast news veteran; worked for nearly 17 years as a correspondent, anchor and producer for CNN based in Atlanta and New York, at various times serving as CNN’s science, space, aviation technology and environment correspondent; recently completed his first live streaming Webcast of the Space Shuttle Discovery launch in partnership with spaceflightnow.com currently working on a documentary with PBS titled, “Blueprint America: A Tale of Three Cities”
• Damaris Sarria – engineer for The Boeing Company at Kennedy Space Center in the Orbiter’s Thermal Protection Systems division; holds a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from Texas A&M University and a master’s degree in aeronautical science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; details her dream of becoming an astronaut in her blog, “How I Am Becoming an Astronaut”
• Dr. Paul Spudis – geologist and lunar scientist; formerly with the Branch of Astrogeology, U. S. Geological Survey in Flagstaff, Ariz.; currently senior staff scientist at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, Texas; author or co-author of more than 100 scientific papers and four books; blogs at “The Once and Future Moon” on Air & Space Magazine Web site
• Dr. Dave Weldon – former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the 15th Congressional District of Florida, including Kennedy Space Center; served in key role on the Space Science Transportation Committee and was instrumental in legislation that generated positive results for NASA; currently practicing medicine in Palm Bay, Fla., and consulting