Roger D. Launius

Roger D. Launius (born May 15, 1954) is an American historian and author who has been the chief historian for NASA and is presently the Associate Director of Collections and Curatorial Affairs for the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Launius specializes in air and space history and the history of the Latter Day Saint movement.

Early life and education
Launius was born in Galesburg, Illinois, and was raised in Greenville, South Carolina. He attended Graceland College and Louisiana State University.

Career
From 1982 to 1990, Launius worked in a number of positions as a civilian historian with the United States Air Force. Between 1990 and 2002, he was the chief historian for NASA. In 2001, he held the Charles A. Lindbergh Chair in Aerospace History at the Smithsonian. Since 2002, Launius has held the position of Associate Director of Collections and Curatorial Affairs with the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

Launius was a member of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board in 2003. He is frequently asked for his opinion on space-related issues by the news media.

Launius is a member of the Community of Christ. He was president of the Mormon History Association in 1993–94 and was president of the John Whitmer Historical Association in 1991–92.

Publications


Launius has written than twenty books and more than 100 articles on the history of aerospace. Recent titles include Historical analogs for the stimulation of space commerce (2014), Space shuttle legacy : how we did it and what we learned (2013), and Exploring the Solar System: The History and Science of Planetary Probes (2012). He has twice won the AIAA History Manuscript Award, forComing Home: Reentry and Recovery from Space in 2011, and for Space Stations: Base Camps to the Stars in 2003.

He has also published on the Latter Day Saint movement. Launius has won both the David Woolley Evans and Beatrice Evans Biography Award (1989) and the John Whitmer Historical Association Best Book Award for his work on Mormon history, Joseph Smith III: Pragmatic Prophet.

He is interested in the history of baseball in the United States, and has published Charlie Finley: The Outrageous Story of Baseball's Super Showman with G. Michael Green''.

Additional awards and honors
Launius has been repeatedly recognized in addition to the awards noted above. Other awards include:


 * John F. Kennedy Astronautics Award, American Astronautical Society, 2009, as an "individual who  has  made  an outstanding contribution to public service through leadership in promoting our space programs for the exploration and utilization of outer space".
 * Secretary’s Research Prize, Smithsonian Institution, 2009.
 * Roger R. Trask Award, Society for History in the Federal Government, 2009.
 * Director’s Award, National Air and Space Museum, 2008.
 * Harmon Memorial Lecturer in Military History, United States Air Force Academy, 2006.
 * NASA Distinguished Service Medal, 2001.
 * NASA Exceptional Service Medal, 1999.
 * Charles Thomson Prize, 1995, 1998, 2008, 2012

In addition, Launius is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2007), the American Astronomical Society (2001), and the International Academy of Astronautics (2007). He is an Associate Fellow of the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics (2008).