Laurie Leshin stepping down as director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
Laurie Leshin speaks with former NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. | Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
NASA's main center for planetary exploration will soon come under new leadership.
Laurie Leshin announced today (May 7) that she'll step down from her role as director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California in June, after more than three years in charge. She'll be replaced by David Gallagher, JPL's current associate director for strategic integration.
In an email to JPL employees, which was obtained by Space.com, Leshin said she intends to focus on re-launching her research program at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), which manages JPL for NASA, and also on her family, which is still experiencing the impacts of the Eaton fire. "This event is still deeply impacting my daily life, as I know it is for so many of you," she wrote to JPL staff.
Leshin will continue her role as a Caltech faculty member — specifically, Bren Professor of Geochemistry and Planetary Science, according to a JPL statement that was released today.
Leshin has seen JPL through a number of high-profile successes during her time in the director's chair.
"I am proud of the many things JPL has accomplished over the past three years," Leshin said in the JPL statement. The EMIT, SWOT, Psyche, PREFIRE, Europa Clipper and SPHEREx missions all launched during her tenure, and NISAR, which she also helped oversee, is scheduled to launch next month.
'In addition to the long list of missions that have launched or moved toward launch during that time, we saved Voyager more than once and flew into history on Mars with Ingenuity. We have made more amazing scientific discoveries than I can name, including finding potential ancient Martian biomarkers with Perseverance," she added. "And we've driven the forefront of technology on Earth and in space. I know those achievements will continue under Dave's capable leadership."
Related stories:
— NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL): Facts & information
— Perseverance rover: Everything you need to know
— Europa Clipper: A complete guide to NASA's astrobiology mission
Gallagher has been at JPL for 36 years and has held numerous positions at the NASA lab. He has served as manager for JPL's Advanced Optical Systems Program Office, for example, as well as deputy director for Astronomy, Physics and Space Technology.
"Laurie has made a significant impact on energizing and focusing the lab, guiding it back on track after the Covid-19 pandemic. I wish her great success in this next chapter of her career, and I look forward to a very smooth transition at the lab," Gallagher said in the JPL statement.
Leshin described Gallagher as "the right leader at the right time for the Lab" in her message to employees. Near the end of that message, she said that "leading JPL has been the honor of a lifetime."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Could an asteroid hit the moon? Odds rise after NASA's Webb examines YR4. The projections
Earth is perfectly safe from a menacing asteroid known as 2024 YR4 that is big enough to level a city, but the moon? Not so much. The odds that the asteroid could crash into our celestial neighbor only continue to climb every time astronomers have the chance to better study the massive space rock. NASA's James Webb Space Telescope caught the latest glimpse in May of YR4. The resulting data led the U.S. space agency to conclude that a 4.3% chance exists that YR4 is on a doomed collision course with the moon in 2032, NASA said in a June 5 blog post. That may not sound high, but keep this in mind: After YR4 was first discovered in late-2024, its odds of impact with Earth briefly rose to historically high levels – of just 3.1%. That was all it took for the space rock to grab headlines and warrant close attention from astronomers before it was eventually ruled out as a threat to our planet during an upcoming flyby in seven years. Because the asteroid has now escaped from our view in its orbit around the sun, Webb's recent observations were also the last chance for humanity to observe YR4 until it reemerges in 2028. NASA, though, is already making plans to study it again in three years when the asteroid is back in Earth's cosmic neighborhood. In the meantime, here's a refresher on asteroid 2024 YR4, and what to know about its potential upcoming encounter with the moon. Venus: Asteroids around Venus pose possible 'invisible threat' to Earth Because it's big enough to be deemed a "city killer," asteroid 2024 YR4 became a source of alarm due to the uncommonly high risk it had of colliding with Earth on Dec. 22, 2032. The space rock was reported on Dec. 27, 2024, to the Minor Planet Center, the official authority for observing and reporting new asteroids, comets and other small bodies in the solar system. The object eventually caught the attention of NASA and other astronomers when it rose on the U.S. Space Agency's Sentry Impact Risk Table, which tracks any known asteroids with a non-zero probability of hitting Earth. For a time, it was the only object among more than 37,000 known large space rocks with any chance of hitting Earth anytime soon – with its probability of impact even rising to a record level of 3.1%. That began to change in late February as more precise observations allowed scientists to effectively winnow down the asteroid's odds of impact to a number so low, it may as well be zero. Since YR4 was dismissed as a threat, NASA's Webb telescope has twice turned its eye toward the asteroid to gather some data. The first opportunity came March 8 when Webb – an advanced telescope launched in 2021 with powerful infrared instruments – gathered images allowing NASA and the European Space Agency to get a better idea of its size. According to the agencies' conclusion, 2024 YR4 measures anywhere from 174-220 feet, or about the size of a 10-story building. Earth may no longer be at risk of a calamitous collision with the asteroid, but the moon isn't so lucky. Webb's initial observations in March saw the odds of YR4 crashing into the moon rising from the 1.7% figure calculated in February to 3.8%, according to NASA's Center for Near Earth Object Studies, which tracks objects like asteroids at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. Those odds rose once again to 4.3% after Webb's latest observations were made in May. According to NASA, the data helped improve scientists' understanding of where the asteroid will be on Dec. 22, 2032, by nearly 20% But rest assured: If our cosmic neighbor were to take such a hit from an asteroid of that size, NASA assures that the moon's orbit around Earth would not be altered. YR4 and its much larger cousin, the equally infamous Apophis, were the most alarming space rocks astronomers have discovered and studied for decades. Now that the two asteroids have been ruled out as threats to Earth, astronomers still studying such imposing space rocks could help the world's space agencies prepare to mount a planetary defense if the need ever arose. NASA and the European Space Agency had plans to send uncrewed spacecraft to observe Apophis in the years ahead to map and study its surface to gain further insights into near-Earth asteroids. But NASA's mission is in jeopardy under President Donald Trump's budget. Protecting Earth from space rocks could look a little like the test NASA pulled off in 2022 when it demonstrated it was possible to nudge an incoming asteroid out of harm's way by slamming a spacecraft into one as part of its Double Asteroid Redirection Test, or DART. As of October, a craft from the European Space Agency is on the way to get an up-close look at the asteroid's remnants. NASA also is working on an asteroid-hunting telescope known as the NEO Surveyor to find near-Earth objects capable of causing significant damage. Now set to launch no earlier than 2027, the telescope is designed to discover 90% of asteroids and comets that are 460 feet in diameter or larger and come within 30 million miles of Earth's orbit. Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Asteroid called 'city killer' odds rise of moon hit in 2032
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
321 Launch: Space news you may have missed over the past week (June 9)
A loud, sustained rumble shook the Space Coast early Tuesday, June 2 — and it wasn't thunder. The loud rumble was a SpaceX rocket taking off on the latest Starlink delivery mission. The liftoff occurred on time at 12:43 a.m. from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 40, despite bad weather lingering off shore. Read the full story here. Dozens of NASA's missions to explore the cosmos could be in jeopardy under a budget proposal from the White House. President Donald Trump's administration, which released an initial budget proposal May 2 for the U.S. space agency, dropped more details Friday, May 30, about just which NASA programs it looks to cancel. All told, the budget request for the next fiscal year proposes slashing NASA funding by nearly 25% – from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion – mostly by eliminating a significant portion of the agency's science portfolio. Read the full story here. A week away from their private mission to the International Space Station, four astronauts talked to the media from quarantine on June 3, showing off a plush toy they will be bringing with them into space. It's a swan named Joy, which has special significance to this Axiom crew, made up of astronauts from the United States, India, Poland and Hungary. Read the full story here. It's safe to say that most of us have seen lightning here on Earth plenty of times – some of us have even been struck by it. But the natural phenomenon is one all but a few select individuals will ever have the chance to see from the vantage of 250 miles in orbit. Fortunately, a few astronauts over the years have been more than willing to generously share a glimpse of crashing lightning as seen from outer space. Read the full story here. Much has changed in 15 years, however one thing remains the same: SpaceX still routinely launches Falcon 9 rockets from Cape Canaveral. As new rockets and space companies arrive on the scene, this workhorse of a rocket, the Falcon 9, remains the most common rocket launched from Florida launch pads. It debuted 15 years ago this week, and has changed not only the launch cadence on the Space Coast but the entire industry. Read the full story here. Look for SpaceX to launch another SiriusXM geostationary communications satellite into orbit the night of Friday, June 6, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. SiriusXM reported about 33 million subscribers and $1.6 billion in total revenue during the first quarter of the year, per an earnings release. The satellite radio company's podcast business continued to grow, racking up nearly 1 billion downloads and 70 million monthly podcast listeners. Read the full story here. The next group of international astronauts are preparing to head up into outer space. Axiom Space, a company headquartered in Houston, Texas, is set to send four spacefarers up to the International Space Station on a private two-week research mission. The Axiom Mission 4, also known as Ax-4, is the latest in a series of human spaceflights in partnership with both NASA and SpaceX. Read the full story here. One year ago, two experienced NASA astronauts boarded an experimental Boeing spacecraft known as the Starliner for a short voyage to orbit and back. If you followed the Starliner saga as a few days stretched into months, you likely remember how this story ends. Read the full story here. The first human spaceflight for Boeing's Starliner made headlines for all the wrong reasons. But one year after its launch, it appears neither Boeing nor NASA have given up the spacecraft. On June 5, 2024, the Starliner got off the ground from Florida with two experienced NASA astronauts aboard for what was to be a brief trip to the International Space Station. Days then stretched into months after mission engineers noticed that the vehicle had encountered a slew of mechanical issues during its orbital voyage. Read the full story here. Launch recap: Scroll down to review live updates from the Saturday, June 7, liftoff of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral on the SiriusXM SXM-10 mission. Read the full story here. With President Donald Trump and SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk exchanging barbs during a June 5 social media spat, potential space-industry threats emerged — cancellation of Musk's federal contracts and decommissioning SpaceX Dragon spacecraft — that could pack profound impacts for Florida's Space Coast. That said, Don Platt, director of the Florida Institute of Technology's Spaceport Education Center in Titusville, believes it is best to "take it all with a grain of salt." He noted that SpaceX and the U.S. government depend heavily on each other. Read the full story here. After hours of evening lightning delays and towering clouds, SpaceX crews waited until after midnight to launch SiriusXM's latest geostationary satellite from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The Falcon 9 rocket propelled off the pad at 12:54 a.m. Saturday, June 7, and delivered the third-generation, Maxar Space Systems-manufactured SXM-10 satellite into orbit. Read the full story here. The notion of launching rockets into space from the decks of seafaring ships leaves a lot of people scratching their heads and wondering, "Why?" acknowledges Tom Marotta, CEO and founder of The Spaceport Company. But amid record-breaking launch demand, Marotta noted that U.S. commercial rocket companies have limited locations to send up rockets, such as Florida's Space Coast and Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Conversely, aircraft pilots can take flight from more than 20,000 airports and airfields across the nation. Read the full story here. Get ready for a launch day treat. Plans right now call for a crewed launch, followed by a second launch in a rare launch double-header. Throw in a sonic boom and June 10 could be an extra special space day on the Space Coast. Plans could easily change but if all goes on schedule then the Axiom Mission 4 Crew will launch from pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 8:22 a.m. June 10. The mission marks a return to spaceflight for three countries who have astronauts onboard and a return to the International Space Station for one of NASA's most well-traveled former astronauts. Read the full story here. For the latest news from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit Another easy way: Click here to sign up for our weekly Space newsletter. Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at Rneale@ Twitter/X: @RickNeale1 Space is important to us and that's why we're working to bring you top coverage of the industry and Florida launches. Journalism like this takes time and resources. Please support it with a subscription here. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: 321 Launch: Space news you may have missed over the past week (June 9)
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
SpaceX delays launch of private Ax-4 astronauts to ISS to June 11. Here's how to watch it live.
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. SpaceX will launch four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) on the private Ax-4 mission Wednesday morning (June 11), and you can watch the action live. Ax-4 is scheduled to lift off atop a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday at 8:00 a.m. EDT (1200 GMT). That's a one-day delay; SpaceX had been targeting Tuesday morning (June 10) but pushed things back due to expected high winds in the area. You can watch the launch live here at courtesy of SpaceX and Axiom Space, the Houston-based company that organized the mission. The webcast will be at the top of this story, as well as on homepage, when the time comes. As the mission's name suggests, Ax-4 will be Axiom Space's fourth crewed trip to the ISS. Its astronauts will launch aboard a brand-new SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, which will earn its wings on the flight. Ax-4 is led by commander Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut who is currently Axiom's director of human spaceflight. Whitson has spent 675 days in space to date, more than any other American. The mission's other three crewmembers are pilot Shubhanshu Shukla of India; Polish mission specialist Sławosz Uznański of the European Space Agency; and mission specialist Tibor Kapu of Hungary. These latter three will make history on Ax-4, becoming the first people from their respective countries to live on board the ISS. Related stories: — SpaceX Dragon carrying Ax-3 astronauts splashes down in Atlantic to end longest private spaceflight for Axiom Space — Axiom Space: Building the off-Earth economy — Axiom Space eyes the moon while continuing to dream big in Earth orbit The Ax-4 astronauts will spend about two weeks living and working on the orbiting lab. They'll conduct 60 scientific experiments during that time — more than any previous Axiom Space mission has performed. The mission will end with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Ax-4's return date has not yet been set; it will depend on weather conditions in the splashdown zone. Editor's note: This story was updated at 12:30 p.m. ET on Monday (June 9) with the new target launch date of Wednesday (June 11).
