Author: Philip Hattis

Dr. Philip D. Hattis holds the title of Laboratory Technical Staff of Draper Laboratory. He has recently provided technical leadership and strategic planning to the Lab’s work in areas including climate change, climate monitoring, advanced human spaceflight, autonomous space systems, precision Mars landing, advanced satellite navigation, reusable launch, ballistic missile defense, and a precision guided airdrop system. Hattis has served as a thesis advisor to astronauts Janice Voss and Greg Chamitoff during their time as Draper fellows, and worked directly with other astronauts including Vance Brand, Alan Bean, Jeffrey Hoffman, and Judy Resnick. He is responsible for a substantial portion of the Space Shuttle’s orbital flight control system. A fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), Hattis serves as vice president for public policy, and chairman of the AIAA National Public Policy Committee and space policy subcommittee. He is also chairman of the missiles and space subcommittee of the joint Society of Automotive/Aerospace Engineers (SAE)/Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Aerospace Control and Guidance Committee. Hattis has been awarded with NASA Recognition Awards for his contributions to the STS-1 and STS-8 shuttle missions; AIAA Distinguished Service Award; and the U.S. Army’s “Rookie of the Year” Contractor Award for precision airdrop system development. Dr. Hattis earned a Ph.D. in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a master’s degree in aeronautics from the California Institute of Technology, and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Northwestern University. He has been employed at Draper Laboratory since 1974.