How astronaut Leland Melvin is using the lessons he learned in space back here at home

By James Szkobel-Wolff,

Khalilah Brown-Dean, Catie Talarski

Published August 3, 2022 at 1:26 PM EDT

1 of 4 — James Webb Space Telescope First Images

NASA’s Webb Reveals Cosmic Cliffs, Glittering Landscape of Star Birth

NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI

2 of 4 — NASA’s Webb Captures Dying Star’s Final ‘Performance’ in Fine Detail

NASA’s Webb Captures Dying Star’s Final ‘Performance’ in Fine Detail

NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI

3 of 4 — Leland Melvin with his dogs, Jake and Scout. "I snuck them into NASA to get this picture," Melvin says.

Leland Melvin with his dogs, Jake and Scout. "I snuck them into NASA to get this picture," Melvin says.

Courtesy of Leland Melvin

4 of 4 — Greg Robinson, NASA Program Director for the James Webb Space Telescope

Greg Robinson, NASA Program Director for the James Webb Space Telescope

NASA/Bill Ingalls/(NASA/Bill Ingalls) / (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

This week on Disrupted, we hear from two Black Americans who helped pave the way for the next generation of NASA astronauts and administrators. We’ll speak to NASA director Greg Robinson about the revolutionary James Webb space telescope. And a conversation with Astronaut Leland Melvin, which recently won an award from the Public Media Journalists Association.

GUESTS:

Leland Melvin - Engineer, former NFL Wide Receiver, and retired NASA Astronaut. He’s also the author of Chasing Space: An Astronaut's Story of Grit, Grace, and Second Chances
Greg Robinson - Director for the James Webb Space Telescope Program in the NASA Science Mission Directorate

Click here to learn more about Leland Melvin's journey in space. And check out NASA's website to find more information about the James Webb Space Telescope.

This program was also produced by J. Carlisle Larsen and Kevin Chang Barnum.

Thanks to our interns, Anya Grondalski and Mira Raju.

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This episode originally aired on December 8th, 2021