The James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University hosted a panel discussion on the need for a definitive space policy. The expert panel reviewed the present status and future of NASA and the U.S. civil space program with respect to space policy.

The panelists included:

Mark J. Albrecht, Ph.D. - Is chairman of the board for U.S. Space LLC. He served as executive secretary of the National Space Council from 1989 to 1992 and as a principal adviser to President George H.W. Bush on space.

Leroy Chiao, Ph.D. - Is an adjunct professor at Rice University, the chair of the National Space Biomedical Research Institute's user panel and special adviser for human spaceflight to the Space Foundation. He served as a member of the Review of U.S. Human Spaceflight Plans Committee chaired by Norman Augustine in 2009. Chiao flew on three space shuttle flights and was commander of Expedition 10 flying for six months onboard the International Space Station.

Joan Johnson-Freese, Ph.D. - Is a professor of national security affairs at the U.S. Naval War College. She is the author of six books, including "Heavenly Ambitions: America's Quest to Dominate Space" and "Space as a Strategic Asset," as well as more than 80 articles on space security, globalization and foreign policy.

Neal F. Lane, Ph.D. - Is the senior fellow in science and technology policy at the Baker Institute and the Malcolm Gillis University Professor at Rice University. He served as assistant to the president for science and technology and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology (OSTP) from 1998 to 2001. Lane also served as the director of the National Science Foundation and a member (ex officio) of the National Science Board from 1993 to 1998.

Eugene H. Levy, Ph.D. - Is the Andrew Hays Buchanan Professor of Astrophysics at Rice University. He served as provost of Rice from 2000 to 2010 and is currently a member of the NASA Advisory Council Science Committee.

John M. Logsdon, Ph.D. - Is a professor emeritus of political science and international affairs at George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs after serving as director of school's Space Policy Institute from 1987 to 2008. He is the author of "The Decision to Go to the Moon: Project Apollo and the National Interest," a general editor of the eight-volume series "Exploring the Unknown: Selected Documents in the History of the U.S. Civil Space Program," and has written numerous articles and reports on space policy and history.



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