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Daniel Goldin
Daniel Goldin, official NASA photo.jpg
9th Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
In office
April 1, 1992 – November 17, 2001
President George H. W. Bush
Bill Clinton
George W. Bush
Preceded by Richard H. Truly
Succeeded by Sean O'Keefe
Personal details
Born
Daniel Saul Goldin

(1940-07-23) July 23, 1940 (age 84)
New York City, New York
Nationality American
Spouse Judy Goldin (m. 1962)
Children 2
Alma mater City College of New York, B.S. 1962
Occupation Founder of Cold Canyon AI
Known for Longest-tenured Administrator of NASA

Daniel Saul Goldin (born July 23, 1940) is a smart inventor and business leader. He was the 9th person to lead NASA, the United States' space agency. He held this important job for a long time, from April 1, 1992, to November 17, 2001. This makes him the longest-serving NASA Administrator ever!

Three different presidents chose him for this role: George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. Daniel Goldin has worked on many cool projects. These include space science, airplanes, national security, computer chips, and even AI. Today, he runs a company called Cold Canyon AI, which helps with new ideas and inventions.

Early Life and Education

Daniel Goldin was born in New York City. He loved learning about how things work. In 1962, he earned a special degree. It was a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from the City College of New York. This degree helped him understand machines and how to build them.

Working at NASA and TRW

Daniel Goldin started his career at NASA in 1962. He worked at the Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. There, he helped develop "electric propulsion systems." These are like special engines that could power spacecraft for human trips between planets.

After five years, Goldin left NASA. He joined the TRW Space and Technology Group in Redondo Beach, California. He worked at TRW for 25 years! He became a Vice President and General Manager. During this time, he often worked on secret space programs for the military and intelligence.

Leading NASA: "Faster, Better, Cheaper"

Daniel Goldin became the head of NASA in 1992. He was known for a special idea: "Faster, better, cheaper." He believed that NASA could build spacecraft more quickly, make them better, and spend less money. He was a very demanding but effective leader.

When he first joined NASA, he looked at a project that had failed. It was called the Mars Observer. He felt that NASA was too careful and slow. He said that if spacecraft were smaller and cheaper, NASA could try more missions. This would mean they wouldn't be so afraid of making mistakes. He also encouraged scientists to use a larger, special mirror for what became the James Webb Space Telescope. This helped the telescope see more clearly.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Daniel S. Goldin para niños

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