Latest news with #LaurieLeshin
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
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 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."
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
NASA Statement on Appointment of New JPL Director
WASHINGTON, May 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is a statement from acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro on the appointment of David Gallagher as director of the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California. NASA JPL announced Wednesday Laurie Leshin would step down effective Sunday, June 1. Dave Gallagher will become the director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California on Monday, June 2. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech "Laurie Leshin's leadership at JPL has been nothing short of extraordinary. She brought a sharp scientific mind, a strong sense purpose, and a clear vision that helped propel the lab forward during a pivotal time. From groundbreaking missions to remarkable technological milestones, Laurie advanced JPL's legacy of exploration and innovation. We are grateful for her service and wish her the very best as she continues to inspire in the next phase of her career. "I'm equally confident in Dave Gallagher's ability to lead JPL's next chapter. He brings decades of experience, a steady hand, and a deep understanding of what makes JPL unique. With Dave at the helm, JPL remains well-positioned to continue delivering for NASA and the nation – pushing the boundaries of science and discovery for the benefit of all." For more information about NASA, visit: NASA Logo. (PRNewsFoto/NASA) (PRNewsFoto/) (PRNewsfoto/NASA) Cision View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE NASA
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
NASA launches observatories to study cosmic origins, Sun
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – NASA's latest space missions are underway which will study everything from the origins of the universe to the atmosphere around the Sun. The observatories launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Tuesday, during what appeared to be a picture-perfect launch. NASA says onboard the rocket was the Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer observatory or what is known as the SPHEREx and four small satellites that form the Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere or what is known as the PUNCH for short. While the goals of each mission are different, the space agency says they are interconnected, as both missions aim to deepen our understanding of the universe. "Everything in NASA science is interconnected, and sending both SPHEREx and PUNCH up on a single rocket doubles the opportunities to do incredible science in space," Nicky Fox, an associate administrator at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., said in a statement. "Congratulations to both mission teams as they explore the cosmos from far-out galaxies to our neighborhood star. I am excited to see the data returned in the years to come." What Is Disney World's Severe Weather Policy? Despite challenges leading up to the launch, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California announced that it had successfully established communication with SPHEREx, which will soon begin its two-year mission to survey space for light invisible to the human eye. Astronomers will use the mission to gather data on millions of galaxies, as well as more than 100 million stars in our own Milky Way. Scientists hope the data will help determine how the universe has evolved and whether the ingredients for life are relatively common throughout the galaxy. "The fact our amazing SPHEREx team kept this mission on track even as the Southern California wildfires swept through our community is a testament to their remarkable commitment to deepening humanity's understanding of our universe," Laurie Leshin, director, NASA JPL, said in our statement. "We now eagerly await the scientific breakthroughs from SPHEREx's all-sky survey — including insights into how the universe began and where the ingredients of life reside." The PUNCH satellites also successfully separated from the rocket and are reportedly in good shape – they recently began their commissioning phase before getting to work. According to NASA, the instruments will work together to create 3D renderings of the Sun's corona and explore solar wind and other space weather events that impact Earth. See The Objects Humans Left Behind On The Moon "Questions like 'How did we get here?' and 'Are we alone?' have been asked by humans for all of history," James Fanson, a project manager at SPHEREx, stated. "I think it's incredible that we are alive at a time when we have the scientific tools to actually start to answer them." NASA was able to defray some of the costs by launching the missions on the same rocket and hopes that the observatories last well beyond their intended article source: NASA launches observatories to study cosmic origins, Sun
