White House Selects Leadership for National Space Council

Scott Pace, the director of the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University, will be the Council’s executive secretary

By Mike Wall & SPACE.com

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!

Scott Pace will run the reinstated National Space Council, President Donald Trump announced yesterday (July 13).

Pace has been appointed the NSC's executive secretary, and not just because his first initial and last name flow together so well. Pace heads the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University, and he's Professor of the Practice of International Affairs at the school as well. He has also worked at NASA and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Trump officially resurrected the NSC late last month, saying that the body will help steer and streamline American space policy. The council — which was last active in the early 1990s, during the presidency of George H.W. Bush — will be chaired by Vice President Mike Pence and consist of a number of high-ranking officials, including the head of NASA, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the secretaries of state, defense, commerce and transportation, among others.

On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.

According to the executive order that revived it, the NSC will also have a staff headed by a civilian executive secretary. That person (Pace) "will run the council on a day-to-day basis," according to Space News.

"Scott has devoted his career to space policy, and will bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to this role," former NASA astronaut Sandy Magnus, executive director of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, said in a statement. "We look forward to working with him, Council members and the Vice President’s office as we strive to maintain our nation’s leadership in the civil, commercial and national security space sectors."

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.

Editor's Recommendations

It’s Time to Stand Up for Science

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.

I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.

If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.

In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.

There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.

Thank you,

David M. Ewalt, Editor in Chief, Scientific American