Media are invited to meet space science and engineering leaders at the 58th Robert H. Goddard Memorial Symposium, taking place online May 4-6, 2021.
Hosted by the American Astronautical Society, in conjunction with NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, the annual symposium provides an opportunity for Goddard and NASA to discuss their work with leaders across government, industry, policy and academia while striving for the next breakthroughs in space exploration.
This year’s theme, “Planetary Stewardship,” will spotlight current challenges and opportunities across the agency and spaceflight community, as well as new approaches in both management and technology to advance Earth science, heliophysics, astrophysics and planetary science.
“One thing you’ll hear come up again and again is the idea of partnerships,” said Goddard’s Michelle Thaller, co-chair of the symposium’s planning committee from NASA Goddard. “The issues facing our planet are going to require us to work across many traditional boundaries, from government to academia to the private sector.”
Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for the NASA Science Mission Directorate in Washington, will deliver the opening keynote address on Tuesday, May 4. The first day will also feature panels on space-based observations and data collection, managing big data, and novel missions and partnerships for climate research.
Gavin Schmidt, NASA acting senior climate advisor, will serve as the keynote speaker on Wednesday, May 5. Additional highlights include panels on climate solutions, commercial human spaceflight and advancing the exploration of space weather.
The third day of the symposium on Thursday, May 6, will include a keynote by Ellen Stofan, under secretary for science and research at the Smithsonian Institution, as well as panels on exoplanets and the collaboration and coordination of ground and space telescopes. U.S. Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia – chair of the House Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics – will also address participants.
Media interested in arranging interviews with NASA speakers should contact Dewayne Washington at 301-832-5867 or dewayne.a.washington@nasa.gov.
For more information about the Robert H. Goddard Memorial Symposium and the full schedule, visit http://astronautical.org/events/goddard/.
For more information about NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, visit https://www.nasa.gov/goddard.
Media Contact:
Dewayne Washington
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.
301-832-5867
dewayne.a.washington@nasa.gov