Former NASA astronaut Dr Leroy Chiao wrote an insightful article about China’s moon landing in an opinion piece for CNN.
These great missions notwithstanding, our space program could be on the verge of being outdone. It is a classic case of the “Tortoise and the Hare.” We have been so used to being on top for so long that our politicians have gotten complacent.
Read more about it here.
Dr Leroy Chiao 焦立中 worked at NASA for 15 years before he left the agency in 2005. A veteran of four space missions, Dr. Chiao most recently served as Commander and NASA Science Officer of Expedition 10 aboard the International Space Station. He has logged over 229 days in space – over 36 hours of which were spent in Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA, or spacewalks).
Aside from being a Space Station Commander and Space Shuttle Mission Specialist, Leroy ‘s is also:
- uniquely qualified to speak about the United States, Russian, Japanese, European and Chinese Space Programs
- a certified Co-Pilot of the Russian Soyuz spacecraft
- an expert in all facets of U.S. and Russian EVA hardware and operations and is EVA certified in U.S. and Russian spacesuits, tools, and training programs
- the first American to visit the Astronaut Research and Training Center of China in September 2006, where he met the first two national Chinese astronauts, Yang Liwei and Fei Junlong.
- a White House appointee at the Review of U.S. Human Spaceflight Plans Committee from June-September 2009.
Dr. Chiao studied Chemical Engineering, earning a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1983. He continued his studies at the University of California at Santa Barbara, earning his Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in 1985 and 1987. Prior to joining NASA in 1990, he worked as a Research Engineer at Hexcel Corp. and then at the Lawrence Livermore National Lab.
Leroy‘s speaking topics are the following:
- Leading in the International Arena
- Positioning Your Endeavor – Technology Innovation Trends
- Effective Problem Solving: How to Lead Like an Astronaut
- Is It SADS, Or Am I in Space? Medical Considerations for Spaceflight
Contact us if you would like to engage Dr Leroy Chiaofor your next event.