Peter Glaser

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Peter Glaser, Vice President, Advanced Technology (retired), was associated with Arthur D. Little, Inc., Cambridge, MA (1955-1994), now serves as a consultant to the company. He is also on the Board of Governors of the National Space Society.

[edit] Background

He was project manager for the Apollo 11 Lunar Laser Ranging Experiment installed on the lunar surface of July 20, 1969, and two other arrays installed on subsequent missions -- the only science experiments still in operation on the moon. He also was responsible for the Lunar Heat Flow Probes and the Lunar Gravimeter which were operational during the Apollo program, and the Initial Blood Storage Experiment flown on the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-61-C) in January 1986, to explore gravitational effects on human blood cells. In 1968 he presented the concept for, and in 1973 was granted the U.S. patent on, the Solar Power Satellite to supply power from space for use on the Earth.

Glaser served on several NASA Committees including Task Force on Space Goals, NASA Advisory Council (1984-1989), and Lunar Enterprise Case Study (1988-89). He formed the SUNSAT Energy Council in 1978; an NGO associated with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, and currently serves as its Chairman. He also chaired the Space Power Committee of the International Astronautical Federation (1984-89). He has served on committees of the National Academy of Sciences and the Office of Technology Assessment of the United States Congress.

Glaser was President of the International Solar Energy Society (1968-69), and was the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Solar Energy (1971-1984). Glaser received the Farrington Daniels Award from the International Solar Energy Society in 1983.

He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and a member of the International Academy of Astronautics. In 1993 the International Astronautical Federation established the Peter Glaser Plenary Lecture to be given at the Annual Congresses. He was inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame of the United States Space Foundation in 1996. Glaser has published more than 300 technical papers and books.