Alan Stern

NASA mission leader and spaceflight pioneer sharing first-hand insights from Pluto to commercial space travel.

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Alan Stern matches a remarkable record of leadership and scientific research with an authentic passion for sharing the excitement of space exploration. In his riveting keynote presentation at the Flagstaff Festival of Science, he took the audience on a behind-the-scenes tour of our solar system, culminating with the historic flyby of Pluto by New Horizons, a project which he led. He wove together a tale fraught with challenges and intrigue and showed how people can achieve their dreams given healthy doses of grit, hard work, and conviction. This inspirational program left the audience energized and wanting more, and demonstrated why Time Magazine recognizes Stern as one of the world’s 100 most influential people.

Kevin Schindler

Former Board Member of the Flagstaff Festival of Science

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Why you should book Alan Stern for your next event

Led NASA’s New Horizons mission beyond Pluto—delivering unmatched insights into deep space exploration and discovery
Former head of NASA’s $5B Science Mission Directorate with a strong track record in leadership and cost efficiency
Commercial astronaut and advisor to Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic with rare insight into the future of space travel

Non-binding request for Alan Stern

Planetary scientist, astronaut, and leader behind NASA’s New Horizons mission

Dr. Alan Stern brings audiences closer to space than almost anyone alive today. As the driving force behind NASA’s New Horizons mission, the first to explore Pluto and the Kuiper Belt—he combines scientific depth with real-world leadership experience at the highest level. From shaping billion-dollar space programs to flying as a commercial astronaut, Stern delivers engaging, forward-looking keynotes on exploration, innovation, and the rapidly evolving space economy.

Alan Stern – Leading Space Exploration

Dr. Alan Stern is a planetary scientist, astronaut, and space program executive whose career spans groundbreaking research, mission leadership, and commercial spaceflight. He is best known as the Principal Investigator of NASA’s New Horizons mission, a $900+ million project that made history by conducting the first exploration of Pluto and continues to explore the distant Kuiper Belt, the farthest worlds ever visited.

With decades of experience across science, engineering, and leadership, Stern has played a central role in expanding our understanding of the solar system. His research includes work on the Kuiper Belt, Oort Cloud, comets, outer planet satellites, and planetary atmospheres, including that of Earth’s Moon.

Book Alan Stern for Your Event

Booking Alan Stern offers audiences a rare combination of scientific authority and real-world adventure. He translates complex space science into engaging, accessible insights while sharing stories from the frontlines of exploration.

His keynote topics include:

The future of space exploration and commercial spaceflight
Leadership lessons from billion-dollar NASA programs
Innovation and cost control in high-stakes environments
The story behind the New Horizons mission
Humanity’s next steps beyond Earth

Stern’s experience as both a scientist and executive makes his talks relevant for corporate audiences, leadership teams, and innovation-focused events.

NASA Leadership & Major Achievements

In 2007–2008, Dr. Stern led all of NASA’s space and Earth science programs as head of the Science Mission Directorate, overseeing a $5 billion annual portfolio, 93 missions, and more than 3,000 research grants. During this time, he initiated 10 major new flight projects and implemented reforms that significantly improved efficiency, reducing mission cost overruns by 63%.

His impact has been widely recognized. He has been named to the Time 100 list twice and received numerous prestigious awards, including NASA’s Distinguished Public Service Medal, the Sagan Memorial Award, and the Smithsonian American Ingenuity Award.

Commercial Spaceflight & Industry Influence

Beyond NASA, Stern has been deeply involved in the rise of commercial spaceflight. He has advised leading companies such as Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic and served as Chairman of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. He has also held leadership roles at organizations including the Southwest Research Institute, World View, Moon Express, and the Florida Space Institute.

As a commercial astronaut, Stern completed his first spaceflight in 2023 and is scheduled for another mission in 2026, becoming the first NASA researcher selected to fly to space twice on commercial missions.

A Career Across Earth and Space

Dr. Stern’s career includes participation in 29 space missions, serving as Principal Investigator on 14 of them, and leading the development of eight scientific instruments flown on NASA missions. His work in ultraviolet imaging and spectroscopy has been central to multiple landmark missions, including the Rosetta comet orbiter and the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

His experience extends beyond space missions. He has flown aboard high-performance NASA aircraft such as the F/A-18 Hornet and KC-135 Zero-G, conducted research in extreme environments including the South Pole, and even participated in a deep-sea expedition to explore the RMS Titanic.

Science, Writing & Public Engagement

Dr. Stern is also a prolific author and communicator. He has published over 500 scientific papers, written multiple books, including Chasing New Horizons and delivered hundreds of lectures worldwide. His ability to connect scientific discovery with human curiosity makes his presentations both informative and inspiring.

He holds degrees in physics, astronomy, aerospace engineering, and atmospheric sciences, and earned his doctorate from the University of Colorado.

Why Alan Stern Inspires Audiences

Alan Stern offers more than expertise, he offers perspective shaped by decades at the forefront of exploration. From leading historic missions to experiencing space firsthand, he brings audiences into a world few have seen.

His talks leave audiences with a deeper understanding of innovation, leadership under pressure, and what it truly takes to push beyond the known frontier.

Customer Reviews

Kevin Schindler Former Board Member of the Flagstaff Festival of Science

Alan Stern is in the top league of professional speakers in the field of planetary science. His captivating talks not only engage the audience but invite them on a journey through research and discovery. Dr. Stern’s lecture skills are brilliant and personable- he connects with everyone. Without a doubt, one of the best speakers available.

Ed Siemenn Exec. Producer, Northeast Astronomy Forum (NEAF)

Alan gave out Joseph Henry Lecture to a full house at the Cosmos Club in Washington, D.C. this year. His presentation on New Horizons and Pluto was exceptional and inspiring. Alan has a rare ability to communicate not only his personal experiences in bringing New Horizons to life, but also the technical challenges and scientific rewards of the program. He held the attention of a very diverse audience - from high school students to seasoned NASA scientists - throughout his very well illustrated lecture, and he was incredibly generous with his time afterwards, answering questions and joining the audience for further discussion afterwards. We all came away with a deeper appreciation for New Horizon and a greater understanding of Pluto and the Kuiper Belt. We could not have asked for a more interesting talk or a more personable speaker.

Larry Millstein PhD, JD PSW President and Program Chair

Alan’s experience and passion makes our new age of space exploration and discovery compelling to everyone. His deep knowledge from many successful missions, capped by the incredible fly by of Pluto, make him the finest public speaker on science alive today.

Art Dula Professor of Space Law Director, US National Space Society; Academician, International Academy of Astronautics

We asked Alan to speak at Target as part of our annual Design Month conference, a program which celebrates design, creativity and innovation across the entire company. Alan spoke during at time of significant transformation for Target and his story of perseverance, often in the face of seemingly impossible circumstances, resonated with our audience in a way that felt deeply personal and authentic. He was savvy storyteller, able to captivate and hold the attention of the room and demonstrated a passion for his work that made his delivery feel fresh and uniquely tailored to our audience. His remarkable story of the New Horizon's mission to reach Pluto has a universal appeal – I would recommend him as a speaker for organizations of any size.

David Hartman Director, Brand Design Lab Target

Keynotes

Keynote by speaker Alan Stern:

Flying to Space on Virgin Galactic

In November, 2023, I flew to space for the first time, on a research mission. The project was 12 years in the making, and involved 9 separate mission objectives, all of which were accomplished. I’ve now been selected by NASA to fly a second space mission conducting astronomical research. I will present this story, with background context on the rocket companies offering space tourism, why the research market is so attractive to this industry, how my flights came about, how I trained for it, and what the flight looked and felt like from aboard. I close with some thoughts on how my long road to fly in space is a life lesson for all those with dreams.

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Keynote by speaker Alan Stern:

Diving to Explore the Titanic: Risk and reward

In July, 2022, I was a member of a deep submersible dive team to the wreck of the RMS Titanic, 13,000 feet below the North Atlantic. This was the last successful dive to the Titanic in history. I will describe our voyage, the training for it, the research and other duties aboard that I performed, and comment on the tragic 2023 loss of friends and colleagues aboard the very same submersible. I will show images of the wreckage of the Titanic, images of the debris field around the Titanic, images from aboard the submersible, and images of some of the sea life on the deep ocean floor near Titanic, all of which I captured. I close with thoughts about why I took the risk to do this, and why intelligent risk taking is important in life, in business, and even in love.

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Keynote by speaker Alan Stern:

The 26-Year Long Quest to Explore Pluto: How Persistence Pays

2015 at the far frontier of our solar system, it had been over 26 years for mission leader Dr. Alan Stern first approached NASA to fly a mission to planet Pluto. In this engaging and oftentimes funny presentation, Dr. Stern describes the long and difficult road from idea to launch, fraught with setbacks, and the equally long and sometimes heart-stopping journey across the solar system. This epic tale of persistence and personal perseverance by Dr. Stern and his team will motivate public audiences, business groups, professional societies, corporate teams, and schools to higher achievement in their own lives.

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