G. Scott Hubbard

G. Scott Hubbard is an adjunct professor at Stanford University in the department of aeronautics and astronautics and has been engaged in space-related research as well as program, project and executive management for more than 40 years including 20 years with NASA, culminating as director of NASA’s Ames Research Center. Currently, Scott Hubbard chairs SpaceX Safety Advisory Panel,[1] he previously served as the NASA representative on the Columbia Accident Investigation Board, was NASA’s first Mars program director and restructured the Mars program in the wake of mission failures.[2][3]

He is the founder of NASA’s Astrobiology Institute; conceived the Mars Pathfinder mission with its airbag landing and was the manager for NASA’s Lunar Prospector Mission. Prior to joining NASA, Hubbard led a small start-up high technology company in the San Francisco Bay Area and was a staff scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Hubbard has received honors including NASA’s highest award, the Distinguished Service Medal.[2][3]

In 2014 Hubbard also held the office of Sentinel Program Architect at the B612 Foundation, dedicated to protecting the Earth from asteroid strikes and led mainly by scientists, former astronauts and engineers from the Institute for Advanced Study, the Southwest Research Institute, NASA and the space industry.

Hubbard holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Vanderbilt University and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from University of California, Berkeley.[4]