Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for Exploration in NASA's Science Mission Directorate, speaks during NASA’s Moon to Mars Architecture Workshop, Tuesday, June 27, 2023, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md. Following the release of the 2022 Architecture Concept Review, NASA is conducting the workshop to engage the broader space community and collect feedback from U.S. industry and academia to inform the Moon to Mars mission architecture and operational delivery. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Michelle Munk, chief architect for NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, left, answers a question alongside Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for Exploration in NASA's Science Mission Directorate, during NASA’s Moon to Mars Architecture Workshop, Tuesday, June 27, 2023, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md. Following the release of the 2022 Architecture Concept Review, NASA is conducting the workshop to engage the broader space community and collect feedback from U.S. industry and academia to inform the Moon to Mars mission architecture and operational delivery. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Michelle Munk, chief architect for NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, left, and Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for Exploration in NASA's Science Mission Directorate, are seen during NASA’s Moon to Mars Architecture Workshop, Tuesday, June 27, 2023, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md. Following the release of the 2022 Architecture Concept Review, NASA is conducting the workshop to engage the broader space community and collect feedback from U.S. industry and academia to inform the Moon to Mars mission architecture and operational delivery. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Nujoud Merancy, architecture lead for NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, Catherine Koerner, deputy associate administrator for NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, Patrick Forrester, special advisor in NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate, Michelle Munk, chief architect for NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, and Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for Exploration in NASA's Science Mission Directorate, listen to a question during NASA’s Moon to Mars Architecture Workshop, Tuesday, June 27, 2023, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md. Following the release of the 2022 Architecture Concept Review, NASA is conducting the workshop to engage the broader space community and collect feedback from U.S. industry and academia to inform the Moon to Mars mission architecture and operational delivery. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Nujoud Merancy, architecture lead for NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, Catherine Koerner, deputy associate administrator for NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, Patrick Forrester, special advisor in NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate, Michelle Munk, chief architect for NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, and Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for Exploration in NASA's Science Mission Directorate, listen to a question during NASA’s Moon to Mars Architecture Workshop, Tuesday, June 27, 2023, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md. Following the release of the 2022 Architecture Concept Review, NASA is conducting the workshop to engage the broader space community and collect feedback from U.S. industry and academia to inform the Moon to Mars mission architecture and operational delivery. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Nujoud Merancy, architecture lead for NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, Catherine Koerner, deputy associate administrator for NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, Patrick Forrester, special advisor in NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate, Michelle Munk, chief architect for NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, and Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for Exploration in NASA's Science Mission Directorate, are seen on stage during NASA’s Moon to Mars Architecture Workshop, Tuesday, June 27, 2023, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md. Following the release of the 2022 Architecture Concept Review, NASA is conducting the workshop to engage the broader space community and collect feedback from U.S. industry and academia to inform the Moon to Mars mission architecture and operational delivery. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Nujoud Merancy, architecture lead for NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, Catherine Koerner, deputy associate administrator for NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, Patrick Forrester, special advisor in NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate, Michelle Munk, chief architect for NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, and Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for Exploration in NASA's Science Mission Directorate, are seen on stage during NASA’s Moon to Mars Architecture Workshop, Tuesday, June 27, 2023, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md. Following the release of the 2022 Architecture Concept Review, NASA is conducting the workshop to engage the broader space community and collect feedback from U.S. industry and academia to inform the Moon to Mars mission architecture and operational delivery. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Evening With The Stars - 2019

Evening With The Stars - 2019

Evening With The Stars - 2019

Joel Kearns viewing a laboratory demonstration of the Observable Protein Crystal Growth Apparatus (OPCGA) experiment module. Principal Investigator is Alexander McPherson. First flight plarned for ISS.

Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for Exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, participates in a news conference Feb. 23, 2024, at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Kearns was on hand to discuss the NASA science and technology aboard Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lander, called Odysseus, and its successful soft landing on the Moon Feb. 22, 2024. The mission is the first landing under NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative, and the first American lunar landing in more than 50 years.

Evening With The Stars - 2019

Evening With The Stars - 2019

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, front, talks to the workforce at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley during the “Moon to Mars” town hall in the N201 Syvertson Auditorium. Behind, left to right, are Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, Associate Administrator Bob Cabana, Ames Center Director Eugene Tu, Director of Space Architectures Kurt “Spuds” Vogel, Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration in the Science Mission Directorate Joel Kearns.

Eugene Tu, center director at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, offers his opening remarks to the Ames workforce during the “Moon to Mars” town hall in the N201 Syvertson Auditorium. Town hall panel, seated right to left, are NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, Associate Administrator Bob Cabana, Director of Space Architectures Kurt “Spuds” Vogel, Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration in the Science Mission Directorate Joel Kearns, Deputy Associate Administrator for Programs in the Space Technology Mission Directorate Walt Engelund, and Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems Development Cathy Koerner.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, front, talks to the workforce at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley during the “Moon to Mars” town hall in the N201 Syvertson Auditorium. Behind him, left to right, are Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, Associate Administrator Bob Cabana, AmesCenter Director Eugene Tu, Director of Space Architectures Kurt “Spuds” Vogel, Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration in the Science Mission Directorate Joel Kearns, Deputy Associate Administrator for Programs in the Space Technology Mission Directorate Walt Engelund, and Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems Development Cathy Koerner.

For the first time in more than 50 years, new NASA science instruments and technology demonstrations are operating on the Moon following the first successful delivery of the agency’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative. Experts from NASA and Intuitive Machines hosted a news conference Feb. 23, 2024, at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to discuss the soft landing of the company’s Nova-C lander, called Odysseus. Participants in the briefing included (L-R): Steve Altemus, chief executive officer and co-founder, Intuitive Machines; Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for Exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington; Tim Crain, chief technology officer and co-founder, Intuitive Machines; and Prasun Desai, deputy associate administrator, Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. Photo Credit: NASA/Robert Markowitz

For the first time in more than 50 years, new NASA science instruments and technology demonstrations are operating on the Moon following the first successful delivery of the agency’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative. Experts from NASA and Intuitive Machines hosted a news conference Feb. 23, 2024, at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to discuss the soft landing of the company’s Nova-C lander, called Odysseus. Participants in the briefing included (L-R): Steve Altemus, chief executive officer and co-founder, Intuitive Machines; Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for Exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington; Tim Crain, chief technology officer and co-founder, Intuitive Machines; and Prasun Desai, deputy associate administrator, Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. Photo Credit: NASA/Robert Markowitz

For the first time in more than 50 years, new NASA science instruments and technology demonstrations are operating on the Moon following the first successful delivery of the agency’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative. Experts from NASA and Intuitive Machines hosted a news conference Feb. 23, 2024, at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to discuss the soft landing of the company’s Nova-C lander, called Odysseus. Participants in the briefing included (L-R): Steve Altemus, chief executive officer and co-founder, Intuitive Machines; Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for Exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington; Tim Crain, chief technology officer and co-founder, Intuitive Machines; and Prasun Desai, deputy associate administrator, Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. Photo Credit: NASA/Robert Markowitz

For the first time in more than 50 years, new NASA science instruments and technology demonstrations are operating on the Moon following the first successful delivery of the agency’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative. Experts from NASA and Intuitive Machines hosted a news conference Feb. 23, 2024, at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to discuss the soft landing of the company’s Nova-C lander, called Odysseus. Participants in the briefing included (left to right): Steve Altemus, chief executive officer and co-founder, Intuitive Machines; Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for Exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington; Tim Crain, chief technology officer and co-founder, Intuitive Machines; and Prasun Desai, deputy associate administrator, Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters.

For the first time in more than 50 years, new NASA science instruments and technology demonstrations are operating on the Moon following the first successful delivery of the agency’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative. Experts from NASA and Intuitive Machines hosted a news conference Feb. 23, 2024, at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to discuss the soft landing of the company’s Nova-C lander, called Odysseus. Participants in the briefing included (L-R): Steve Altemus, chief executive officer and co-founder, Intuitive Machines; Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for Exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington; Tim Crain, chief technology officer and co-founder, Intuitive Machines; and Prasun Desai, deputy associate administrator, Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. Photo Credit: NASA/Robert Markowitz

For the first time in more than 50 years, new NASA science instruments and technology demonstrations are operating on the Moon following the first successful delivery of the agency’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative. Experts from NASA and Intuitive Machines hosted a news conference Feb. 23, 2024, at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to discuss the soft landing of the company’s Nova-C lander, called Odysseus. Participants in the briefing included (L-R): Steve Altemus, chief executive officer and co-founder, Intuitive Machines; Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for Exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington; Tim Crain, chief technology officer and co-founder, Intuitive Machines; and Prasun Desai, deputy associate administrator, Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. Photo Credit: NASA/Robert Markowitz

For the first time in more than 50 years, new NASA science instruments and technology demonstrations are operating on the Moon following the first successful delivery of the agency’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative. Experts from NASA and Intuitive Machines hosted a news conference Feb. 23, 2024, at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to discuss the soft landing of the company’s Nova-C lander, called Odysseus. Participants in the briefing included (L-R): Steve Altemus, chief executive officer and co-founder, Intuitive Machines; Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for Exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington; Tim Crain, chief technology officer and co-founder, Intuitive Machines; and Prasun Desai, deputy associate administrator, Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. Photo Credit: NASA/Robert Markowitz

The inaugural Glenn Symposium focused on advancements in aerospace technology including power and propulsion, autonomy and communications, low boom supersonics, hypersonics, and more. Discussion also encompassed humans returning to the moon, including challenges associated with the 2024 mission.

Visit to Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field by Mercury 13 Astronaut Trainee, Wally Funk

NASA Glenn Research Center Director and Senior Management at the Aerospace Communications Facility, ACF Groundbreaking Ceremony

The inaugural Glenn Symposium focused on advancements in aerospace technology including power and propulsion, autonomy and communications, low boom supersonics, hypersonics, and more. Discussion also encompassed humans returning to the moon, including challenges associated with the 2024 mission.

Director's Strategic Management

Visit to Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field by Mercury 13 Astronaut Trainee, Wally Funk

Evening With The Stars - 2019