Date/Time: Thursday, March 30th, 2023

5:30 pm to 6:00 pm — Arrival on site and networking

6:00 pm to 6:10 pm — Update and Introduction

6:10 pm to 7:15 pm — Talk and Q&A

7:25 pm to 7:40 pm — Recap and networking

7:45 pm — Adjourn

Location: Zoom and in person at The Asian American Resource Center, 8401 Cameron Road

Speaker: T. Scott Anderson

Abstract: NASA’s reliable space communications and navigation (SCaN) networks are the backbone of all of NASA’s space missions, providing the critical communications services for all earth, space science, and human space missions. This includes all the telemetry, tracking, and commanding required by each spacecraft to transfer key data to the ground systems to manage space operations.

Bio: T. Scott Atkinson, IEEE Life Senior Member, ComSoc Life Senior Member, Computer Society Life Senior Member and Technology Engineering and Management Society Life Senior Member, has been a member of the IEEE Communications Society since 1968. Over the years he has attended and participated in over 20 ComSoc Flagship conferences and was Executive Chair of the Globecom 2014 in Austin. In his career, he was initially in the U. S. Air force, serving as a Communications Officer. His next position was as a Communications Engineer working for Lockheed Electronics Company at the NASA Manned Spacecraft Center near Houston. He worked on the Apollo Command Module/Lunar Module Communications system testing with primary focus on the Data Storage Equipment (DSE) essentially the black Box of the Command and Lunar Modules.

Next, he served 14 years as a Communications Engineer and Project Manager for a Houston based company called Tenneco. Finally, before retirement, he worked for the San Antonio based United Services Automobile Association (USAA) as a senior Tech Support Engineer on their Worldwide Communications system. The main focus was on their telephone switching systems and voice/data integration.

In retirement, he became an independent Telecommunications Consultant working for USAA and several other major clients before retiring completely in 2009. At that time, he became a full-time volunteer at IEEE for the Communications Society, Region 5 and the Member Geographic Area Board. His held two significant positions: Chair of the IEEE Geographic Unit Operations Support Committee and chair of the Life Members Committee.

He occasionally provides presentations to IEEE units on Space Communications, major world telescopes and Home Automation. He is also on the ComSoc History Committee where he performs Oral Histories and supports their IEEE Milestone applications.

He and his wife Margaret have two adult daughters and currently lives in San Antonio.

Reservations: Please RSVP using the vTools link https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/352775.

You do not need to be an IEEE Member to register.