Garrett Reisman
- Professor of Astronautical Engineering at USC
Garrett Reisman Speaker Biography
A NASA veteran who flew on all three Space Shuttles, Garrett Reisman was selected by NASA as a mission specialist astronaut in 1998. His first mission in 2008 was aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour which dropped him off for a 95 day stay aboard the International Space Station after which he returned to Earth aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. His second mission in 2010 was aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis. During these missions, Garrett performed 3 spacewalks, operated the Space Station Robot Arm and was a flight engineer aboard the Space Shuttle. Not only was he an astronaut, but Garrett was also an aquanaut serving as a crew member on NEEMO V, living on the bottom of the sea in the Aquarius deep underwater habitat for 2 weeks.
After leaving NASA in early 2011, he joined SpaceX where he served in multiple capacities, most recently as the Director of Space Operations.
Garrett stepped down from his full-time position at SpaceX in May of 2018 and in June 2018 he became a Professor of Astronautical Engineering in the Viterbi School at USC. He continued to support SpaceX as a Senior Advisor until 2024. Today Garrett continues to contribute to the commercial space sector by working as an Astronaut Advisor at VAST.
Garrett attended the University of Pennsylvania and Caltech where he received his Ph.D in 1997.
For more information on Garrett Reisman contact Executive Speakers Bureau @ 901-754-9404
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Speech Topics
An Astronaut’s View of SpaceX
Lessons Learned from 7 Years of Working at SpaceX
From humble beginnings in 2002 SpaceX has become a $150 Billion company today that dominates the global rocket launch industry and is the sole American provider of astronaut launches to the International Space Station. Landing rockets on ships and
working towards flying humans to Mars, SpaceX has disrupted the entire aerospace industry. How did SpaceX achieve such incredible success? What could SpaceX do even better?
After leaving NASA in 2011, Garrett Reisman began an intense 7-year period in leadership positions at SpaceX, most recently as Director of Space Operations. He will share his insider’s view of the corporate culture, business practices and other keys to SpaceX’s success. And he’ll also tell you what it’s like to ride a rocket into space.
Using illuminating and humorous personal stories and an engaging multimedia presentation about both spaceflight past and future, Dr. Reisman will leave you with useful gems of wisdom while keeping you thoroughly entertained.
Innovation at NASA and SpaceX: Who does it better and why?
Who does it better and why? – As a NASA astronaut and an executive working for Elon Musk at SpaceX, Dr. Garrett Reisman had first-hand experience with two vastly different approaches to innovation, risk management and decision making. The freedom to fail is an essential requirement for breakthrough innovation, but how do you fail safely when your goal is to fly people in space?
Dr. Reisman will use an engaging multimedia presentation, humorous personal stories and examples from his 13 years at NASA and now 12 years and counting at SpaceX to illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of both approaches. This behind-the-scenes and entertaining look at human spaceflight past and future will provide lessons that you can use for yourself and your organization to increase innovation.
“From Zero to Trillions…the RISE of SpaceX”
Moonshots, Misfires & Market Dominance: An Astronaut’s View from the Eye of the Storm
Includes Themes & Topics Like:
“Fail Fast, Launch Faster” — The Culture That Beat NASA at Its Own Game
“Reuse Everything” — The $1 Trillion Insight Hidden in a Landing Rocket
“The Hardest Customer in the Universe” —Navigating the NASA Partnership That Changed Everything
“Starlink’s Lesson for Every Industry” — When Your Side Project Becomes a $10 Billion Business
“The Overview Effect, Applied” — What Seeing Earth from 250 Miles Up Teaches You About Leading Through Uncertainty
Additional/specific presentation topics, which can be tailored for your event, include:
Lessons Learned: Inspiration, Determination, Vision, and Innovation
Coping with Confinement and Isolation
Apollo 1, Challenger, and Columbia – Failures of Risk Management
What can organizations and individuals learn from these tragedies?
Coming Up Next – A Golden Age of Human Spaceflight!
The Recent Past and Near Future of the American Space Program
