On Wednesday, April 29th (9am PDT) the Founder Institute held the live, interactive online event "An Astronaut's Guide: How Space Tech & Research can Benefit Entrepreneurs."
The technology and research being done in space is not only impressive, but also extremely relevant to life here on Earth. Few people on the planet know this more than Nick Hague, an astronaut who has conducted three spacewalks and spent 203 days in space. During this online and interactive event, participants learned what it is like to live in space, the technologies and research currently being tested on the International Space Station, and how this type of research can help entrepreneurs aiming to build transformative technologies. Rewatch the full video below to learn from an astronaut.
Nick Hague - NASA Astronaut and Col, U.S. Air Force
Tyler N. “Nick” Hague was selected by NASA as an astronaut in 2013. The Kansas native earned a Bachelor of Science in Astronautical Engineering from the United States Air Force Academy in 1998, and a Master of Science in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2000. In 2009, Hague was selected for the Air Force Fellows program in Washington, D.C., and was a staff member in the United States Senate. Following his fellowship, he served in the Pentagon as a congressional appropriations liaison for United States Central Command. Selected as an astronaut by NASA in 2013, Hague completed astronaut candidate training in July 2015. He was selected for a mission to the International Space Station which launched on October 11, 2018. Unfortunately, he and his crewmate Alexey Ovchinin, of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, were forced to abort the mission when a rocket booster experienced a malfunction shortly after the launch of their Soyuz MS-10. The aborted spacecraft landed safely. Hague most recently served as Flight Engineer on the International Space Station for Expedition 59 and 60. During his mission, the crew conducted or participated in hundreds of experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science and Earth science, including investigations into devices that mimic the structure and function of human organs, free-flying robots, and an instrument to measure Earth’s distribution of carbon dioxide. Hague conducted three spacewalks during his mission, totaling 19 hours and 56 minutes with a total of 203 days in space.
Christine Kretz - VP Programs and Partnerships, International Space Station US National Laboratory
Christine Kretz is the Vice President of Programs and Partnerships for the International Space Station (ISS) US National Laboratory. Christine’s role is to identify opportunities for leveraging the facilities of the ISS to enable science and technology research that will benefit life on Earth while maximizing taxpayer investment in the ISS. Christine’s team helps interested organizations determine how to best to approach research on the Station and work through the process to accomplish the desired objectives. Prior to joining the ISS, Christine worked for IBM, starting in 1998 as a manager in the Research Division where her responsibilities included IT security for eight labs globally. From the Research Division, Christine took a corporate position and was named the Global Operations Manager for IBM Life Sciences, an emerging business area for IBM at that time. Christine has also held the positions of Healthcare Solutions Executive on the IBM Global Healthcare Industry team, as well as roles as a Client Executive and Complex Opportunity Manager in Healthcare / Life Sciences. Most recently, she managed the Research Division Healthcare and Life Sciences organization.
David Brady - Associate Program Scientist for NASA’s International Space Station Program
Mr. David Brady serves as an Associate Program Scientist for NASA’s International Space Station Program. In that role, he facilitates use of the space station as a platform for research, technology development, and educational engagement. A lifelong space enthusiast, his earliest memory is watching John Glenn’s Friendship 7 launch on a black and white television. Much later, Mr. Brady earned an undergraduate degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy, while simultaneously finding time to amass almost 700 parachute jumps as a member of the Wings of Blue Parachute Team. After serving as an Air Force Instructor Pilot, he joined the NASA team at Johnson Space Center in Houston a little over three decades ago. A Mission Control veteran of 25 Space Shuttle missions and 25 space station Expeditions, he holds graduate degrees in mechanical engineering and political science. Mr. Brady believes that true happiness is achieved by creating good in the world. He is very proud to play a part in making that happen via the work being performed every day aboard the International Space Station.
