Meet
Terry Virts
Commander of the International Space Station
- Topics
- Astronauts, Leadership, Pilots, Teamwork/Team Building
- Travels from
- Texas
About Terry Virts
- Commander of the International Space Station
- USAF fighter pilot and test pilot
- Pilot of Space Shuttle Endeavour
- Former NASA astronaut with over 200 days in space
- Author & Film Director including "One More Orbit" and "The Night After"
- Author of Nat Geo book "Views from Above"
Colonel (USAF retired) Terry Virts spent over seven months in space during his two spaceflights, piloting the Space Shuttle Endeavour on STS-130 in 2010 and commanding the International Space Station during Expedition 42/43 in 2014/2015.
He served in the US Air Force as a fighter pilot, test pilot, NASA astronaut, and is a graduate of the US Air Force Academy, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and Harvard Business School. He is currently working as an executive coach as well as advising businesses that focus on energy, aerospace, and technology.
Terry is a guest-lecturer at the Harvard Business School where he won the 2021 Alumni Achievement Award. He provides management consulting services and speaks around the globe on a variety of business and motivational topics.
He has directed several films, including One More Orbit (2019) and The Night After (2023), and is a guest lecturer at the USC School of Cinematic Arts where he teaches about his IMAX movie A Beautiful Planet.
Virts hosts the podcast ‘Down to Earth with Terry Virts‘, and is the author of ‘The Astronaut’s Guide to Leaving the Planet’, an illustrated children’s book (2023), ‘How to Astronaut: Everything you Need to Know Before Leaving Earth (2020)’, ‘Apo11o: To the Moon and Back (2019)’, a limited-edition reproduction of the Apollo 11 flight plan, as well as the National Geographic photography book ‘View From Above’ (2017).
From 24th May, ‘View from Above’ can also be seen in a unique exhibition premiering in Augsburg, Germany.
Keynotes
Bring the right conversation into the room.
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As a former F-16 and ISS commander, Terry discusses how to recruit, train, inspire, debrief, and grow your high-functioning team.
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Terry explains how NASA changed its culture after the Columbia shuttle accident, and transitioned to the new commercial space economy.
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Terry shares amazing photos and videos and hilarious stories from his seven months in orbit in an engaging talk that’s always a hit.
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Terry is an internationally recognized risk and crisis management expert, having served as an Astronaut, Fighter Pilot, and Test pilot. He spent seven months in space and commanded the ISS. He also helped shoot and narrate the IMAX film “A Beautiful Planet,” and worked for several years in the Energy industry on transition technologies including natural and mechanical carbon capture. Additionally, he lectures at Harvard Business School on Risk management and Leadership, teaching a case study on the space shuttle challenger and Columbia accidents.
Books
Ideas that
go home with you.
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