A chief engineer for NASA will discuss his role of science and engineering in robotic planetary missions at 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 4 at the UNT Coliseum to kick off the Texas BEST Robotics Competition.
B. Gentry Lee, of NASA’s Solar System Exploration Directorate in Pasadena, California, will also give his thoughts on how science and technology will shape the next century as well as the possibility of life on Mars. The lecture is free and open to the public.
Lee is responsible for the engineering integrity of all the robotic planetary missions managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. His major recent work included overseeing the engineering of the Phoenix mission that landed successfully in the Martian arctic in May 2008. Previously, Mr. Lee provided oversight for all engineering aspects of the twin rover missions to Mars that landed in January 2004.
