Forging the Future of Space Science: The Next 50 Years (2010)

CHARLES ELACHI was appointed director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory ( JPL) in 2001. Dr. Elachi joined JPL in 1970. Prior to becoming director, he was JPL’s director for space and earth science programs, where he was responsible for the development numerous flight missions and instruments for Earth observation, planetary exploration, and astrophysics. Dr. Elachi is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and has served on a number of Academy committees. He has received numerous awards, including the Sigma Xi William Procter Prize for Scientific Achievement (2008), International von Kármán Wings Award (2007), the America’s Best Leaders by U.S. News & World Report and the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government (2006), the Royal Society of London Massey Award (2006), the Lebanon Order of Cedars (2006), the Philip Habib Award for Distinguished Public Service (2006), the American Astronautical Society Space Flight Award (2005), the Bob Hope Distinguished Citizen Award (2005), NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal (2004, 2002, 1994), Takeda Award (2002), Wernher von Braun (2002), UCLA Department of Earth and Science Distinguished Alumni Award (2002), Dryden Award (2000), NASA Distinguished Service Medal (1999), the COSPAR Nordberg Medal (1996), the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal (1994), the IEEE Medal of Engineering Excellence (1992), the IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Distinguished Achievement Award (1987), and the NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal (1982).