Michael Griffin
Michael Griffin
This prominent aerospace engineer and physicist served from 2005 until 2009 as Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Previously, he had headed Johns Hopkins University's Space Department.
ProfessionEngineer
Date of Birth1 November 1949
best fortunate hand helm period steady troubled
He is the best of the best, and we have been fortunate to have his steady hand at NASA's helm during the most troubled period in NASA's history.
hard project ready shuttle space until year
We're going to try as hard as we can to get back in space this year because we have a big construction project we're working on and we need the shuttle to do it, ... So, we're going to try as hard as we can, but we're not going to go until we're ready to go.
designed developing earth
What we're really developing is the shuttle's successor, ... The CEV is designed to go to low-Earth orbit.
affordable believe safer venture ventures
We believe this venture safer and more affordable than any other spaceflight ventures that the U.S. has had,
land talking
We're going to land one way or another, one place or another, and all we're talking about is where.
almost envision flight full order rate schedule slack start
We have substantial schedule slack at this point, almost a full year. So we would have to have substantial difficulties that we do not now envision in maintaining our flight rate in order to start any consideration of contingency plans.
almost decision delayed field science space ultimate work
To make a decision to work in the field of space science is almost the ultimate in delayed gratification.
baseball four plan three together
We plan on working out together three or four times a week. Year-round baseball is something we can do here.
behind difficult evaluate giving hope ourselves path plenty remaining tasks time
We are giving ourselves what we hope is plenty of time to evaluate where we are, ... We don't see the tasks remaining before us being as difficult as the path behind us.
largely logistics
We are largely deferring utilization (of the station) and we are paring logistics (flights) to the bone.
assembly confidence decision finish high sequence shuttle space station time together
The decision was to put together an assembly sequence that allows us high confidence that we will finish the space station by the time the shuttle is retired.
It was wonderful; it was magnificent; it was beautiful.
deal future investment problems program space
The space program is a long-term investment in our future. We must deal with our short-term problems without sacrificing our long-term investments in our future.
future investment program space
The space program is a long-term investment in our future,