Rotary National Award for Space Achievement 3 Dr
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2016 ROTARY NATIONAL AWARD FOR SPACE ACHIEVEMENT 3 DR. CHARLES ELACHI 2016 National Space Trophy Recipient The Rotary National Award for Space Achievement Foundation (RNASA) is pleased to recognize Dr. Charles Elachi, Direc- tor of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, as the 2016 National Space Trophy Recipient. Over a career France in 1968, the Diplôme d’Ingénieur in Engineer- spanning near- ing from the Polytechnic Institute, Grenoble in 1968, ly half a centu- and the Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees in elec- ry, Dr. Charles trical sciences from the California Institute of Technol- Elachi has made a significant ogy, Pasadena in 1969 and 1971. He also holds a Mas- impact on space and Earth ter of Science degree in Geology from the University sciences nationally and inter- of California, Los Angeles and a Master of Business nationally. From his years as a Administration from the University of Southern Cali- researcher advancing the field fornia. of imaging radar to his decade Dr. Charles Elachi, and a half as Director of NA- Research and Management Director NASA’s Jet Pro- SA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Joining JPL in 1970, Dr. Elachi focused early in his ca- pulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, Dr. Ela- reer on synthetic aperture radar and its use in plan- (JPL Photo) chi has been responsible for etary and Earth sciences. He led the science team an exceptionally active period for the Shuttle Imag- of robotic space missions in solar system exploration, ing Radar A, Shuttle Earth science and space-based astronomy. Imaging Radar C and Shuttle Imaging Nominated Radar C/X-SAR and Dr. Elachi was nominated for the award by A. Thom- Shuttle Radar Topog- as Young, former Director of NASA’s Goddard Space raphy missions flown Flight Center. “Charles on NASA’s Space Elachi’s distinguished leadership and sus- Shuttles during the tained technical Charles Elachi with the Mars 1980s and 1990s. In achievement has had Curiosity rover addition, he partici- a profound impact (JPL Photo) pated on the science on the U.S. robotic team for the Ma- exploration of space gellan mission to Venus, which used imaging radar across the late 20th to penetrate the thick clouds cloaking our nearest and early 21st centu- neighboring planet. ries,” said Young. “His Charles Elachi doing field work contributions and vi- in Western Egypt where the Dr. Elachi also leads the science team for the Titan Ra- spaceborne imaging radar (SIR- sion have impacted dar instrument on the Cassini mission to Saturn. This A) found ancient river channels space science and and stone tools beneath the radar has allowed scientists to penetrate the hazes technology, genera- sands of the Sahara, 1982. surrounding Saturn’s moon Titan to help understand tions of young people (Elachi Photo) chemical processes which may be similar to those that and professionals, led to the formation of life in the early solar system. and society at large.” In 1988, Dr. Elachi was named to JPL’s Executive Coun- Early Life and Education cil as the director for the Laboratory’s Office of Born in Lebanon in 1947, Dr. Elachi earned a Bach- elor of Science in Physics from University of Grenoble, (continued on next page) 3 DR. CHARLES ELACHI 2016 National Space Trophy Recipient (continued from page 3) viner, another lunar instrument, flown on a NASA or- biter; Juno, which will arrive at Jupiter on the Fourth Space Science and Instruments. This organization sig- of July 2016 to study the giant planet; and GRAIL, a nificantly expanded the portfolio of JPL’s instruments pair of lunar orbiters that made highly detailed grav- and other flight projects across Earth science and ity maps of the moon. planetary science. In Mars exploration, missions launched under Dr. Dr. Elachi’s expertise in imaging radar allowed him to Elachi’s leadership have included the Mars Explora- participate in archaeological expeditions to the an- tion Rovers Spirit and Opportunity, which landed in cient deserts of Egypt, Oman and China in search of 2004; Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which has spent buried cities, including the Lost City of Ubar on the a decade in orbit with a telescopic camera and suite Arabian Peninsula. Some of these works have been of other instruments; Mars Phoenix lander, which chronicled in National Geographic magazine. landed in the planet’s north and dug soil samples to search for water; and Mars Science Laboratory, which JPL Directorship sent the highly In May 2001, Dr. Elachi was named Director of JPL, be- capable Curios- ginning 15 years of leadership of the Laboratory. Dur- ity to rover to ing his tenure, 31 spacecraft and major instruments the Red Planet have been launched on missions in solar system and in a landing in Mars exploration, Earth science and space-based as- 2012. tronomy, making it a remarkably busy and successful period in robotic space exploration. JPL’s Earth sci- ence missions JPL’s missions in solar system A jubilant Director of the Jet Propulsion expanded sig- exploration during this time Lab after the landing of the Curiosity nificantly un- included Genesis, which col- rover on Mars, August 5, 2012 der Dr. Elachi’s (JPL Photo) lected samples of solar wind leadership. and brought them to Earth; These included the MIRO instrument on the the Jason 1, 2 and 3 satellites launched in collabora- European Space Agency’s tion with France’s space agency to study sea level; Rosetta orbiter mission to a the GRACE twin satellites making gravity maps of comet nucleus; Deep Impact, Earth; the AIRS, TES and MLS instruments on NASA which used a penetrator to Elachi was responsible Earth satellites; Cloudsat, a satellite designed to study create a crater in a comet for developing the field Earth’s clouds; Aquarius, a mission launched with Ar- nucleus for scientific study; of spaceborne imaging gentina to study global sea surface salinity; Orbiting Dawn, which has used ion radar. He is the Team Carbon Observatory 2, a satellite examining carbon propulsion to visit two target Leader of the Cassini Ti- dioxide concentrations and distributions in Earth’s tan Radar experiment, bodies for the first time, the atmosphere; RapidScat, a scatterometer instrument which studies one of protoplanet Vesta and the Saturn’s moons, and a on the International Space Station that charts near- dwarf planet Ceres; the Moon Co-Investigator on the surface ocean winds; and SMAP, a satellite designed Mineralogy Mapper, an in- Rosetta Comet Nucleus to study land surface soil moisture and freeze-thaw strument flown on a mission Sounder Experiment. states around the globe. sent to the moon by India; Di- (JPL Photo) (continued on page 35) 4 The Honorable CHARLES F. BOLDEN JR. 2016 National Space Trophy Presenter The RNASA Foundation is honored to have NASA Administrator Charles Bolden Jr., as the 2016 National Space Trophy Presenter. Mr. Bolden was the recipient of the National Space Trophy in 2014. Bolden, a systems management which he earned from the Uni- retired Ma- versity of Southern California in 1977. He was then as- jor Gen- signed to the Naval Test Pilot School at Patuxent River, eral in the MD., and completed his training in 1979. USMC and former as- In 1980, Bolden was selected as an astronaut. Bolden tronaut, leads a nationwide first flew as pilot of STS-61C (Jan. 12–18, 1986) that NASA team to advance the deployed the SATCOM KU-1 satellite. He also piloted missions and goals of the STS-31 (April 24–29, 1990) that delivered the Hubble U.S. space program. Space Telescope to orbit. He commanded a crew of 7 Charles Bolden Jr. on STS-45 (March 24–April 2, 1992), NASA’s ATLAS-1 (NASA Photo) At NASA, Bolden has over- flight. His final mission was as commander of STS-60 seen the safe transition (Feb. 3–11, 1994), the first joint U.S.-Russian shuttle from 30 years of space mission which featured Cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev shuttle missions to a new era of exploration. He has as a member of his crew. After logging 680 hours in led the development of NASA’s Space Launch System space, Bolden left NASA in 1994 to return to active rocket and Orion spacecraft that will carry astronauts duty with the Marine Corps. He was inducted into the to deep space. During his tenure, the Orion deep- Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2006. space crew module was successfully developed, launched and recovered. The module is the first hu- Bolden served as the deputy commandant of mid- man rated spacecraft to be developed for flight be- shipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy. In 1997, he was yond low Earth orbit by any nation in more than 40 the deputy commanding general of the 1st Marine years. Bolden’s leadership has also contributed to Expeditionary Force in the Pacific. In 1998, he was the unprecedented Mars Curiosity Rover landing, the commanding general of the 1st Marine Expedition- launch of a spacecraft to Jupiter, enhancing the na- ary Force Forward in support of Operation Desert tion’s fleet of Earth-observing satellites, and contin- Thunder in Kuwait. Bolden was promoted to his final ued progress toward the 2018 launch of the James rank of major general in July 1998 and named deputy Webb Space Telescope, the successor to the Hubble commander of U.S. Forces in Japan. From 2000-02, he Space Telescope. NASA’s support of commercial space served as the commanding general of the 3rd Marine transportation has enabled successful cargo resupply Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in missions to the International Space Station and made San Diego, CA.