Bud Farmer LCT(A)2310 far right with Admiral Richard Truly flanked buy Buds daughters.

The Honorable RICHARD H. TRULY

Vice Admiral U.S. Navy, (Ret.)

Richard Truly is Director of the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) which is operated by the Midwest Research Institute (MRI). He is also the Executive Vice President of MRI. NREL is the country’s premiere facility for the research, development and deployment of energy from the sun, wind and plant life. NREL is developing new technologies to benefit both the environment and the economy, and serves as the focal point for most of DOE’s renewable energy programs, and several energy efficiency programs. Truly’s appointment became effective in May 1997.

Prior to joining NREL, Truly was Vice President of the Georgia Institute of Technology, and Director of the Georgia Technology Research Institute (GTRI) from 1992 - 1997. GTRI performs engineering and scientific research for a wide variety of federal, state, and industry customers, and is the largest research unit integral to Georgia Tech.

Truly was NASA’s eighth Administrator under President Bush from 1989-92, and his career in aviation and space programs of the U.S. Navy and NASA spanned 35 years. He retired as a Vice Admiral after a Navy career of more than 30 years. As a naval aviator, test pilot and astronaut, he logged over 7,500 hours and made over 300 carrier arrested landings, day and night.

Truly’s astronaut career included work in the Air Force’s Manned Orbiting Laboratory program, and NASA’s Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz and Space Shuttle programs. He piloted the 747JEnterprise approach and landing tests in 1977. He lifted off in November 1981 as pilot aboard Columbia, the first shuttle to be reflown into space, establishing a world circular orbit altitude record. He commanded Challenger in August-September 1983, the first night launch/landing mission of the Space Shuttle program.

Truly was the first commander of Naval Space Command from 1983 - 1986, the principal naval space operations element of the Department of Defense. He became the first naval component commander of the U. S. Space Command upon its formation in 1984. He was responsible for building the Naval Space Command, and for directing strategic and tactical space-based support for deployed Navy and Marine Corps units.

Still on active duty, he was called back to NASA as Associate Administrator for Space Flight in 1986, and led the accident investigation of the Challenger accident. He spearheaded the painstaking rebuilding of the Space Shuttle, including winning approval of President Reagan and the Congress for building of Endeavor to replace the lost Challenger.

Under his leadership, NASA matured the Space Shuttle, solidified Space Station plans and initiated new space science and aeronautics programs. He initiated major acquisition reforms and significantly streamlined the agency. He continually placed a very strong emphasis on NASA’s math and science educational programs.

President Reagan awarded the Presidential Citizen’s Medal to Admiral Truly in 1989.

Truly’s numerous NASA awards include two Distinguished Service Medals, the Outstanding Leadership Medal, the Exceptional Service Medal, and two Space Flight Medals. His military decorations include the Defense Distinguished and Superior Service Medals, two Legions of Merit and the Navy Distinguished Flying Cross.

He received the Harmon International Trophy presented by President Reagan, the Robert J. Collier Trophy (twice), the Robert H. Goddard Space Trophy (twice), the Werner Von Braun Space Trophy, the Rotary National Space Trophy, the Society of Experimental Test Pilots Ivan C. Kinchebe and James H. Doolittle Awards, the Federation Aeronautique Internationale Gold Space Medal, and the General Thomas D. White Space Trophy. He is a Distinguished Alumnus of Kappa Alpha Order, a Distinguished Eagle Scout, and has received the Daughters of the American Revolution Medal of Honor and the Sons of the American Revolution Gold and Silver Good Citizen Awards.

Truly is the recipient of honorary Doctorates of Science from Millsaps College and Duquesne University, and an honorary Doctorate of Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology.

Active in national and community affairs, he is appointed to the Board of Visitors to the U.S. NavalAcademy by President Clinton, and to the Army Science Board.

Richard Truly is a native of Fayette, Mississippi, born on November 12,. 1937. He is married to the former Colleen (Cody) Hanner of Milledgeville, Georgia, and the Truly’s have three children—Mike, Dan and Lee—and five grandchildren—Ashley, Courtney, Peter, Daniel and Annie.

Education

Bachelor of Aeronautical Engineering

Georgia Institute of Technology 1959

Employment History

National Renewable Energy Laboratory 1997 - present

Midwest Research Institute 1997 - present

Georgia Institute of Technology 1997 - present

Vice President 1992 - 1997

Director, Georgia Institute of Technology (GTRI)1992 - 1997

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

United States Navy

Associate Administrator, Office of Space Flight 1986 - 1989

U.S. Space Command

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Astronaut 1969 - 1983

Cornmander, STS-8 Shuttle Mission (Challenger)

Pilot, Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests (Enterprise)

Capsule Cornrnunicator, Apollo-Soyuz Docking Mission

Capsule Communicator, all Skylab Missions

U.S. Air Force Manned Orbiting Laboratory Program

Astronaut 1965 - 1969

Space operations development

Spacecraft crew interfaces

Simulation strategies

U.S. Air Force Aerospace Research Pilot School

Academic and Flight Test Instructor 1965

Student 1964

Current Fields of Interest

Mathematics and science education; national security policy; research management.