NASA Lecture Series

    NASA Administrator Michael Griffin

    NASA Administrator Michael Griffin speaks at the opening of the NASA Lecture Series in Washington on Sept. 17, 2007. Credit: NASA/Paul Alers

    NASA Administrator Michael Griffin kicked off a lecture series honoring the agency's 50th anniversary with an important address on Sept. 17, 2007, on the role of space exploration in the global economy.

    "NASA opens new frontiers and creates new opportunities, and because of that is a critical driver of innovation," said Griffin. "We don't just create new jobs, we create entirely new markets and possibilities for economic growth that didn’t previously exist."
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    The 50th anniversary NASA lecture series will feature prominent speakers to discuss the benefits that space exploration, scientific discovery and aeronautics research provide in addressing global issues such as the economy, education, health, science and the environment. Lockheed Martin Corporation of Bethesda, Md., is co-sponsoring the two-year lecture series.

Why We Explore

    "Reaching for the unknown, making our lives bigger and our horizons broader, achieving things never before possible are the heart and soul of what we do at NASA. By pushing beyond the future, by setting for ourselves seemingly impossible challenges, we are transforming our lives for the better here on Earth, even as we explore new worlds in space..."

    - Michael Griffin