In 2022, a NASA team turned science fiction into reality. These NASA managers joining the Security Clearance Careers podcast directed a project that for the first time in history, redirected a planetary object and demonstrated humanity’s ability to hit and deflect a potentially catastrophic asteroid.
While that asteroid poses no threat to our planet, it is classified as a near-Earth object that could cause significant damage to the globe if a collision occurred. Brian Key and Scott Bellamy’s work is informing future efforts to deflect such hazardous planetary objects.
To say the things NASA employees do is cool, is a massive understatement. We’ve had others from the agency join the podcast and the stories are amazing. Whether that’s about a NASA rocket scientist who just had a love for reaching younger kids, and the agency let her pivot to do that. Or another top NASA engineer who spent 40 years at the organization, transforming it entirely.
Key and Bellamy share how long have they both have been at NASA and what they love about the agency. Both of their background are technical and they had their sights supporting NASA from a young age. But that doesn’t mean that the organization is strictly looking for technical talent. Anyone from recruiting, to finance, to anything in between is needed to help their missions be successful.
They both managed an incredible team that provided the first ever planetary defense – so they walk us through how they built that team, even before identifying the threat.
These leaders are both honorees for the Partnership for Public Service’s Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal®, which showcases outstanding public servants who improve our lives for the better. They truly thank their team that nominated them, and never thought they would make such an impact.
In addition to sharing advice to kids who may be interested in out of this world jobs like theirs, or adults who may be trying to pivot to such an amazing organization, Key and Bellamy also share their favorite NASA, alien or asteroid movies like Apollo 13, Deep Impact, and we even discuss one of mine, My Favorite Martian.
Send us a note at editor@clearancejobs.com and tell us yours, and search NASA jobs at ClearanceJobs.com.
