Mike Massimino: High Performance
Astronaut and engineering professor Mike Massimino shares mission-tested insights on teamwork, innovation and perseverance shaped by two Hubble servicing flights and a distinguished NASA and academic career.
Quick Facts:
- Highlights:
- Former NASA astronaut and veteran of two Hubble Space Telescope servicing missions
- Columbia University mechanical engineering professor
- Senior advisor for space programs at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
- Spacewalker known for problem-solving in extreme, high-pressure environments
- Formats: Keynote speaker on leadership, teamwork, innovation, resilience and mission-focused performance under pressure.
- Audiences: Corporate teams, STEM organizations, leadership groups, universities, engineering associations and audiences seeking inspiration from real-world space missions.
- Outcomes:
- Proven strategies for leading teams through challenge and uncertainty.
- Mindset shifts that enhance resilience, problem-solving and innovation.
- Practical lessons from spaceflight that elevate performance and collaboration.
- Travels from: New York, NY
- **Fee range: $100,000 - $250,000
Talent Services
Keynote Topics:
Potential Topics
Mike shares with audiences personal stories of inspiration, innovation, teamwork and leadership as drawn from his experiences in one of the greatest and most dangerous jobs someone can have—NASA astronaut.
Through humor and storytelling, he highlights the pursuit and achievement of a childhood dream, the dedication and teamwork necessary to train for one of NASA’s most difficult space missions, the determination needed to face tragedies like the Columbia space shuttle accident, and the innovation and leadership necessary to overcome seemingly insurmountable trials when in space and beyond.
He leaves his audiences understanding the value of having passion for what you do, of perseverance in achieving a goal, of building a team to meet great challenges, and of creativity and innovation in problem solving.
He also inspires audiences with the awe and beauty of space and shares his thoughts on the future—both personal and in regard to the ever-changing and competitive space program
Talent Short Bio
Mike Massimino is a former NASA astronaut, bestselling author and Columbia University engineering professor whose career represents the pinnacle of human curiosity, resilience and teamwork. Selected by NASA in 1996, he flew on two space shuttle missions—the historic 2002 and 2009 Hubble Space Telescope servicing missions—performing spacewalks that helped extend Hubble’s life and advance humanity’s understanding of the universe. His experiences navigating complex repairs under extreme conditions have made him a renowned expert on leadership, problem-solving and high-stakes collaboration.
Before joining NASA, Mike worked as an engineer for IBM, NASA and McDonnell Douglas Aerospace, and held academic appointments at Rice University and the Georgia Institute of Technology. He earned his BS from Columbia University and three advanced degrees from MIT, including a PhD in mechanical engineering.
Today, Mike Massimino is a professor of mechanical engineering at Columbia University and senior advisor for space programs at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. He combines scientific expertise with an approachable, down-to-earth speaking style that makes space exploration relatable and inspiring.
Read Full Bio
Mike Massimino, a former NASA astronaut, is a professor of mechanical engineering at Columbia University and the senior advisor for space programs at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. \
He received a BS from Columbia University, and MS degrees in mechanical engineering and in technology and policy, as well as a PhD in mechanical engineering, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
After working as an engineer at IBM, NASA, and McDonnell Douglas Aerospace, along with academic appointments at Rice University and at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Mike was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1996, and is the veteran of two space flights, the fourth and fifth Hubble Space Telescope servicing missions in 2002 and 2009.
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