Associate Director Honored by American Astronautical Society
October 13, 2003
Thomas R. Gavin, associate director of flight projects and mission success at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. is being honored as a fellow of the American Astronautical Society.
Gavin will receive the prestigious award at the society's national conference in Houston on November 19. He is being recognized for his many unique contributions to astronautics during his 40-year career at JPL. "I owe this honor to the hard work of all the engineers at JPL who work on the flight projects," Gavin said.
Gavin has served in his current position since May 2001. Since joining JPL in 1962, he has held a variety of engineering and management positions, including mission assurance manager for both the Voyager and Galileo projects, spacecraft system manager for the Cassini mission to Saturn and deputy director for space and Earth science programs. Prior to his current assignment, he was the director for space science flight projects.
He received NASA's Exceptional Service Medal in 1981 for his work on Voyager, NASA's Medal for Outstanding Leadership in 1991 for Galileo, and NASA's Outstanding Leadership Medal in 1999 for Cassini. In 1997, he received the Aviation Week and Space Technology magazine's Laurels Award for outstanding achievement in the field of space. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Villanova University and lives in Canyon Country with his wife.
The American Astronautical Society is one of the few independent scientific and technical groups in the country exclusively dedicated to the advancement of space science and exploration. The society promotes research and engineering of various sciences required for the exploration of outer space and beyond.
Thomas R. Gavin, associate director of flight projects and mission success at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. is being honored as a fellow of the American Astronautical Society.
Gavin will receive the prestigious award at the society's national conference in Houston on November 19. He is being recognized for his many unique contributions to astronautics during his 40-year career at JPL. "I owe this honor to the hard work of all the engineers at JPL who work on the flight projects," Gavin said.
Gavin has served in his current position since May 2001. Since joining JPL in 1962, he has held a variety of engineering and management positions, including mission assurance manager for both the Voyager and Galileo projects, spacecraft system manager for the Cassini mission to Saturn and deputy director for space and Earth science programs. Prior to his current assignment, he was the director for space science flight projects.
He received NASA's Exceptional Service Medal in 1981 for his work on Voyager, NASA's Medal for Outstanding Leadership in 1991 for Galileo, and NASA's Outstanding Leadership Medal in 1999 for Cassini. In 1997, he received the Aviation Week and Space Technology magazine's Laurels Award for outstanding achievement in the field of space. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Villanova University and lives in Canyon Country with his wife.
The American Astronautical Society is one of the few independent scientific and technical groups in the country exclusively dedicated to the advancement of space science and exploration. The society promotes research and engineering of various sciences required for the exploration of outer space and beyond.