Robert Jastrow, NASA advocate, dies

February 13, 2008

Robert Jastrow, former director of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York and a well-known advocate of the space program, has died at 82.

Jastrow's death last Friday was announced by the George C. Marshall Institute in Washington, The New York Times reported. Jastrow, who helped found the institute to lobby on scientific policy, was chairman emeritus.

After receiving a doctorate in physics from Columbia, Jastrow joined the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in 1958. He became director of the Goddard Institute, which is part of NASA, in 1961.

In 1967, Jastrow published "Red Giants and White Dwarfs," a best-selling popular book on astronomy. He also appeared on NBC and CBS to explain the details of the space program.

"He had a deep sense of the need to interpret science and make it available to the public," said Albert Arking, a former student. "His enthusiasm for science was infectious."

As head of the Marshall Institute, Jastrow supported President Ronald Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative, better known as the Star Wars program. He was one of the best-known global warming skeptics.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International


print this article email this article download pdf blog this article bookmark this article     Stumble it Digg this share on Facebook retweet share on Reddit add to delicious
Rate this story - 3 /5 (1 vote)


February 13, 2008 all stories

Comments: 0

3 /5 (1 vote)
  • Stumble this up

  • Digg this

  • share this

  • hide
  • Related Stories

  • Researchers pursue grasses as Earth-friendly biofuel
    created Jul 21, 2008 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0
  • New book examines science of the paranormal
    created Aug 24, 2006 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0



  • hide
  • Relevant PhysicsForums posts

  • life on Mars
    created 2 hours ago
  • Semi-major axis from cartesian co-ordinates
    created 14 hours ago
  • Primary Mirror grinding
    created 17 hours ago
  • dark energy can escape black holes.
    created Nov 23, 2009
  • More from Physics Forums - General Astronomy

Other News

Humanity would need five Earths to create the resources needed if everyone lived as like Americans, a report has stated

Mankind using Earth's resources at alarming rate

Space & Earth / Environment

created 58 minutes ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 5

Humanity would need five Earths to produce the resources needed if everyone lived as profligately as Americans, according to a report issued Tuesday.


From Greenhouse to Icehouse

From Greenhouse to Icehouse

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

created 1hour ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

A new study that reconstructed ocean temperatures from millions of years ago could provide new insight into how the Earth responds to climate change.


'Cosmic fruit machine' matches collisions

'Cosmic fruit machine' matches collisions

Space & Earth / Astronomy

created 3 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- A new website will give everyone the chance to contribute to science by playing a 'cosmic fruit machine' and compare images of colliding galaxies with millions of simulated images of galactic ...


Astronauts rest up after 3 spacewalks

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created 1hour ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

(AP) -- The astronauts aboard the orbiting shuttle-station complex are resting after their three successful spacewalks.


Supervolcano eruption -- in Sumatra -- deforested India 73,000 years ago

Supervolcano eruption -- in Sumatra -- deforested India 73,000 years ago

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

created 18 hours ago | popularity 4.4 / 5 (11) | comments 2

A new study provides "incontrovertible evidence" that the volcanic super-eruption of Toba on the island of Sumatra about 73,000 years ago deforested much of central India, some 3,000 miles from the epicenter, ...