May 9, 2023
Dr. Alan Stern is an aerospace executive and planetary scientist with experience on 29 space mission teams, 14 of which he played a principal investigator role. Among those, he is the leader of NASA’s New Horizons, the first mission to explore Pluto and the Kuiper Belt—making the farthest exploration of worlds in history.
Summary
Our conversation explored a number of questions:
Why was the exploration of Pluto important? How does it remain so?
What are the leadership lessons associated with the program?
How can leaders encourage the identification of problems that could compromise the mission?
Why is it essential to have a precise mission goal and sub-objectives?
What qualities should leaders look for when hiring people?
How can educators use space exploration to inspire students toward science and engineering careers?
Why is the continued exploration of space critical?
References/Links
Instagram - chasingnewhorizons2018
Twitter - @AlanStern
https://www.vox.com/2015/7/16/8980397/pluto-mission-cost