Mike Massimino

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 he completed two space flights. He participated in the fourth and fifth Hubble Space Telescope servicing missions in 2002 and 2009. Notably, 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 special 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 instills 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.