An Engineering Vision for Space Exploration

Date: Oct. 02, 2008
Time: 3:00 p.m.
Place: 1103 Shelby Center

James Bray
Service Module Director
Project Orion Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company

Bray was born and raised in Hollywood, Fla. He earned a bachelor's degree in industrial and systems engineering from Auburn University and his master's in business administration from Tulane University. For 25 years, Bray has worked on a variety of research and development projects and space programs for Lockheed Martin in New Orleans, where the company builds the space shuttle external tank.

Bray has served as design lead for NASA's X-33 liquid oxygen tank project; program manager and systems engineering and integration lead for DARPA's small launch vehicle; and currently directs the Orion service module, NASA's Apollo-like replacement for the shuttle. Lockheed Martin's Space Systems Company has recognized his work with awards for technical excellence, outstanding author and principal investigator of the year.

Bray has written proposals for new space contracts with NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the central research and development organization for the Department of Defense. He has played a role in the development of a national launch system; an advanced launch system; a single-stage-to-orbit vehicle to replace the shuttle; a reusable launch system; an advanced transportation system; a two-stage-to-orbit launch vehicle; a hybrid rocket launch vehicle; and Orion, a replacement for the space shuttle.