Mike Massimino, a former NASA astronaut, is a mechanical engineering professor at Columbia University and the senior advisor for space programs at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. He obtained a BS from Columbia University, Masters degrees in mechanical engineering and technology and policy, and a PhD in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Before his academic career, Mike worked as an engineer at IBM, NASA, and McDonnell Douglas Aerospace. He also held academic appointments at Rice University and the Georgia Institute of Technology. In 1996, NASA selected Mike as an astronaut and completed two space flights. He participated in the fourth and fifth Hubble Space Telescope servicing missions in 2002 and 2009. N
otably, Mike holds the team record for the most hours spent spacewalking during a single space shuttle mission. He also achieved the distinction of being the first person to tweet from space. Throughout his NASA tenure, Mike was honored with two NASA Space Flight Medals, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the Flight Achievement Award from the American Astronautical Society, and the Star of Italian Solidarity. Mike has made numerous television appearances, including a recurring role as himself on the CBS hit comedy The Big Bang Theory. He has also hosted Science Channel's The Planets and its particular Great American Eclipse. Additionally, he is featured in the National Geographic Channel's series One Strange Rock and serves as the host for the Science Channel's series The Planets and Beyond. Mike frequently appears as a guest on television news and talk show programs, such as NBC's Today Show, ABC's Good Morning America, and CNN. He has also been a guest on the Late Show with David Letterman and the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, as well as on StarTalk radio and television shows. Mike's book, Spaceman: An Astronaut's Unlikely Journey to Unlock the Secrets of the Universe, has garnered rave reviews and achieved New York Times best-seller status. In April 2020, he published a new book titled Spaceman: The True Story of a Young Boy's Journey to Becoming an Astronaut, a young adult version of his previously published autobiography. Mike has received several accolades, including the 2017 Christopher Award, the 2017 Columbia University Community Impact Outstanding Community Service Award, the 2017 National Space Club Communications Award, and induction into the Long Island Air and Space Hall of Fame in 2018. As a tribute to his upbringing, the street where Mike grew up in Franklin Square, Long Island, has been renamed "Mike Massimino Street."
When speaking to audiences, Mike shares personal stories that inspire and showcase innovation, teamwork, and leadership. Drawing from his experiences as a NASA astronaut, he emphasizes the pursuit and achievement of childhood dreams, the dedication and teamwork required for NASA's challenging space missions, the resilience needed to overcome tragedies like the Columbia space shuttle accident, and the resourcefulness and leadership necessary to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles in space and beyond. Through humor and storytelling, Mike imparts the importance of passion for one's work, perseverance in achieving goals, the power of teamwork in tackling significant challenges, and the role of creativity and innovation in problem-solving. Moreover, he instils awe and appreciation for the beauty of space while sharing his insights on the future, both on a personal level and within the ever-evolving and competitive space program.
In "Taking Your Team to the Top: A PepTalk," your team will enjoy insights on effective team leadership and motivation. Learn the importance of fostering a positive team culture and utilising individual strengths to drive success. Attendees will learn practical strategies for enhancing team dynamics, boosting morale, and achieving collective goals, ultimately empowering them to lead their teams to new heights.
Mike’s dream of becoming an astronaut began when he was six years old watching television as Neil Armstrong took the first steps on the moon. The path to achieving this dream was wrought with unexpected challenges, failures, disappointments, and self-doubt. Mike was rejected three times by NASA including a medical disqualification which Mike overcame by teaching his eyes to “see better.” His persistence paid off with two missions on the Space Shuttle and four spacewalks on the Hubble Space Telescope. Mike stresses that as long as you keep trying no matter what the obstacles, achieving your goal is possible.
No matter how much we enjoy our jobs we sometimes get caught up in the day-to-day activities and can forget the big picture. This can even happen to astronauts. Mike stresses the importance of trying to remember the reason why we work as hard as we do. In addition to supporting our families and enjoying the challenges of our jobs, we should always remember how we are making the world a better place through our work. For Mike, as an astronaut, it was servicing and repairing the Hubble Space Telescope. Arguably the greatest scientific instrument ever built, Hubble made some of the greatest scientific discoveries in history while showing us the beauty of our universe. Contributing to great projects makes all the hard work and sacrifice worthwhile.
Mike’s first spaceflight was on Space Shuttle Columbia. On Columbia’s next voyage, the crew and the space shuttle were lost during re- entry. It was devastating to lose seven of his friends in an instant. While grieving and consoling the families of those fallen heroes, another reality set in: what would happen to the future of the space program? The International Space Station Was not yet completed, and the Hubble Space Telescope needed repair. Mike and his colleagues would not let the loss of their friends be in vain. Innovative procedures, tools, and techniques were developed to get the shuttle flying again to finish that important work. Mike shares stories of how that same effort and attitude is needed now to recover from the effects of COVID-19 on our businesses and lives.
Mike’s second space flight was one of the last of the Space Shuttle Program. It was time for NASA to retire the space shuttle and move on to the next phase in space exploration. That next phase included flying exclusively on the Russian Soyuz for the foreseeable future and working with commercial companies in the coming age of private space travel.
Mike’s second spaceflight was the final Space Shuttle servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. On that mission Mike was tasked with the most complicated spacewalk ever attempted: the in-space repair of a delicate scientific instrument inside of the telescope. A major miscue during that spacewalk nearly led to failure. But the ground control team and the astronauts in space worked together to come up with an innovative solution that saved the day and the mission. Mike explains how although not every problem has an obvious solution, preparation and innovation can help us with overcoming unforeseen challenges and adapting to change.
Upon arriving at NASA, Mike discovered he was part of team that put the success of the team and the mission above individual accomplishments. The culture at NASA fostered strong relationships between astronauts and with NASA leadership. Teamwork and leadership was developed through the extraordinary experiences that Mike and his fellow astronauts shared during their training and spaceflights. Through these experiences strong friendships and working relationships were forged that enable Mike and his colleagues to complete astronaut training, overcome tragedy, and repair the greatest scientific instrument in space – the Hubble Space Telescope. Mike discusses how teamwork and leadership led to success during his spaceflights and in life.
