The Politics and Perils of Space Exploration

Linda Dawson received her BS in Aerospace Engineering from MIT and her MS in Aeronautics and Astronautics Engineering from George Washington University at NASA Langley Research Center. She is a retired Senior Lecturer Emeritus in Physics and Space Sciences at the University of Washington, Tacoma. She served as an Aerodynamics Officer for the Mission Control Center Ascent and Entry Flight Control Teams during the first space shuttle mission. During orbital phases, she served as an adviser on the impact of system failures on the orbiter's re-entry trajectory and configuration. From re-entry through touchdown, she was responsible for monitoring the orbiter's stability and control, advising the crew of any necessary corrective actions. Her engineering career also included work on space-related projects for Boeing Aerospace. Additionally, she has served on the Space Committee for the Museum of Flight Seattle.

Since retiring from the University of Washington, Ms. Dawson has authored two books on space exploration: "The Politics and Perils of Space Exploration" (1st edition 2017), and "War in Space, the Science and Technology Behind Our Next Theater of Conflict" (2018), both with Springer.