Noel W. Hinners GS ’63, one of the pioneers of NASA’s probe launches into space, died on Sept. 5 from cancer. He was 78.
Hinners completed his Ph.D. in geochemistry from the University in 1963, prior to dedicating his life to NASA. He served as a leading geologist and soil chemist at NASA for over 30 years, holding numerous appointments during that span of time.
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He was involved in the Apollo program’s exploration of the moon in addition to overseeing the Mars Surveyor Program.
Prior to his retirement in 2002, he was the director of the National Air and Space Museum and directed the Goddard Space Flight Center. He retired as a third-ranked executive from NASA.
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