About Us
Bio
Brad Perry is a graduate of Georgia Institute of Technology, where he earned a degree in Aerospace Engineering. He completed a distinguished 32-year career with NASA, serving in roles that included astronaut instructor for the Space Shuttle program, International Space Station designer, crew systems researcher, and evaluator of advanced robotic mission proposals to explore the planets and study the universe.
Brad pursued graduate studies in astronomy at the University of Virginia and conducted professional astronomical observations, publishing more than twenty scientific papers on optical and near-infrared spectroscopy of variable stars, novae, supernovae, and small Solar System objects.
As a high school student in Albemarle, North Carolina, Brad gained national recognition for building a full-scale interior mockup of the Apollo Command Module with his father in their basement. In April 1972, he simulated the entire 11-day Apollo 16 mission in real time, remaining inside the Command Module mockup and duplicating the astronauts’ activities throughout the flight.
Brad has taught Introductory Astronomy for the Osher Institute for Lifelong Learning at the College of William & Mary for 18 years, and has actively promoted amateur astronomy for more than two decades. He is the recipient of NASA’s Exceptional Service Medal and Outstanding Leadership Medal. Brad is an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, a Full Member of the American Astronomical Society, and a member of the American Association of Variable Star Observers.
Schedule an Alabaster Scientific Presentation
Through Alabaster Scientific, Brad Perry offers astronomy education outreach presentations covering the Solar System, stellar astronomy, galactic astronomy, and cosmology.