Sean O'Keefe
Encyclopedia
Sean O'Keefe is the CEO of EADS North America, a subsidiary of the European aerospace firm EADS
, a former Administrator of NASA, and former chancellor of Louisiana State University
(LSU). O'Keefe is also a former member of the board of directors
of DuPont
. He resigned from LSU on January 16, 2008.
Asteroid 78905 Seanokeefe
was named after him in honor of his time as NASA Administrator.
O'Keefe and his teenaged son were among four survivors of a plane crash on August 9, 2010 near Aleknagik, Alaska
. O'Keefe sustained serious injuries in the crash of a de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter
seaplane in which former United States Senator Ted Stevens
and four others perished.
, Louisiana, and his Master of Public Administration
degree in 1978 from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
at Syracuse University
. His wife Laura and children Lindsey, Jonathan and Kevin, reside in northern Virginia.
from 1992–1993 under President George H. W. Bush
.
After Bush left office, O'Keefe was Professor of Business Administration and Assistant to the Senior Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School at Pennsylvania State University
. He next became the Louis A. Bantle Professor of Business and Government Policy, an endowed chair at the Syracuse University
Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
. [Professor of Business Administration and Assistant to the Senior Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School at Pennsylvania State University
.
Joining the George W. Bush
administration, O'Keefe served as Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget from January to December 2001, a job that strengthened his reputation as a "bean counter" — someone who counts every penny.
was confirmed by the Senate
. Sean O'Keefe's tenure at NASA can be divided into roughly three equal periods, each marked by a single problem or event of overriding importance:
Sean O'Keefe came to NASA with a background as a former Secretary of the Navy and Director of OMB. As was the case with James E. Webb
who served as administrator of NASA from 1961 to 1968, O'Keefe had no formal training in science or engineering. He was assisted by his chief of staff, Courtney Stadd
.
One of Sean O'Keefe's most controversial decisions occurred in January 2004, when he cancelled an upcoming mission by the space shuttle
to service the aging Hubble Space Telescope
. O'Keefe claimed that, in light of the Space Shuttle Columbia accident, the mission would be too risky, especially since if the shuttle was damaged while visiting the Hubble, the shuttle would not have enough fuel to dock with the space station as a "safe haven." While supported by members of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) this decision was assailed by numerous astronomers, who felt that the Hubble telescope was valuable enough to merit the risk. In late October 2006, O'Keefe's successor, Michael Griffin
, reversed the decision, regarding the mission to Hubble, after several years of study. After several delays, the final Hubble mission, STS-125
was successfully completed in May 2009.
In the buildup to the 2004 election, a scuffle in the press occurred between Sean O'Keefe and NASA climatologist James Hansen. In 2003, it was revealed, Mr. O'Keefe warned Dr. Hansen not to discuss humans' role in global warming. "The administrator [Mr. O'Keefe] interrupted me;" Dr. Hansen said in the New York Times "he told me that I should not talk about dangerous anthropogenic interference, because we do not know enough or have enough evidence for what would constitute dangerous anthropogenic interference." O'Keefe's spokesperson said that O'Keefe did not admonish Hansen or mean to suggest that research efforts should be cut.
In 2004, O'Keefe drew criticism for openly campaigning for Bob Riley
who was running for re-election as governor of Alabama and a member of Congress. He defended his action by saying that he was campaigning as a private citizen.
O'Keefe responded to President Bush's Vision for Exploration by hiring retired Navy Admiral Craig E. Steidle
who had previously led development of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) as an associate administrator in charge of a new office: Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD). A mission architecture for lunar exploration was developed based on four launches of medium-lift vehicles and four space rendezvous per mission. This mission architecture was immediately scrapped by Michael Griffin upon his arrival at NASA. NASA started over with the Exploration Systems Architecture Study (ESAS), sixteen months after the Vision for Space Exploration (VSE) had been announced by President Bush. That architecture led to the Ares I
and Ares V
launch vehicles and the Orion Crew Exploration vehicle which are now under development by NASA.
endowment through the Forever LSU fund raising campaign - his second campaign as LSU's Chancellor. The first, known as "Welcome to the Now (Evo Devo)," was not as successful. He became popular among students for his ability to interact with them, especially during Chats with the Chancellor, that occur across the campus periodically throughout the semesters, as well as his encouraging emails. He announced on January 16, 2008, that February 1, 2008 was his last day as chancellor.
O'Keefe lightly discussed his membership in the exclusive Bohemian Club
to the Louisiana State University
student newspaper The Daily Reveille
. As a member of the Wayside Log camp, O'Keefe traveled during July 2005, to visit the famous Bohemian Grove
near San Francisco, California.
in a competition with Boeing
.
EADS
The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company N.V. is a global pan-European aerospace and defence corporation and a leading defence and military contractor worldwide...
, a former Administrator of NASA, and former chancellor of Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
(LSU). O'Keefe is also a former member of the board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of DuPont
DuPont
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
. He resigned from LSU on January 16, 2008.
Asteroid 78905 Seanokeefe
78905 Seanokeefe
78905 Seanokeefe is a main-belt asteroid discovered on September 16, 2003 by the Near-Earth Tracking project at Palomar Observatory.It is named after former NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe.- External links :*...
was named after him in honor of his time as NASA Administrator.
O'Keefe and his teenaged son were among four survivors of a plane crash on August 9, 2010 near Aleknagik, Alaska
Aleknagik, Alaska
Aleknagik is a second class city in the Dillingham Census Area of the Unorganized Borough of the U.S. state of Alaska. The population was 221 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
. O'Keefe sustained serious injuries in the crash of a de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter
De Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter
The de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter is a single-engined, high-wing, propeller-driven, STOL aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada. It was conceived to be capable of performing the same roles as the earlier and highly successful Beaver, but was overall a larger aircraft.-Design and...
seaplane in which former United States Senator Ted Stevens
Ted Stevens
Theodore Fulton "Ted" Stevens, Sr. was a United States Senator from Alaska, serving from December 24, 1968, until January 3, 2009, and thus the longest-serving Republican senator in history...
and four others perished.
Education and family
O'Keefe was the son of a naval officer who worked on nuclear submarines. He graduated from Wheeler High School in North Stonington, Connecticut. He then went on to earn his Bachelor of Arts in 1977 from Loyola University New OrleansLoyola University New Orleans
Loyola University New Orleans is a private, co-educational and Jesuit university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Originally established as Loyola College in 1904, the institution was chartered as a university in 1912. It bears the name of the Jesuit patron, Saint Ignatius of Loyola...
, Louisiana, and his Master of Public Administration
Master of Public Administration
The Master of Public Administration is a professional post-graduate degree in Public Administration. The MPA program prepares individuals to serve as managers in the executive arm of local, state/provincial, and federal/national government, and increasingly in nongovernmental organization and...
degree in 1978 from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs is the public policy school of Syracuse University...
at Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
. His wife Laura and children Lindsey, Jonathan and Kevin, reside in northern Virginia.
Career before NASA
After receiving his master's, he began his career as a budget analyst for the Department of Defense. He served on the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations staff for eight years, and was Staff Director of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. O'Keefe became Comptroller and Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Defense in 1989. O'Keefe served as acting United States Secretary of the NavyUnited States Secretary of the Navy
The Secretary of the Navy of the United States of America is the head of the Department of the Navy, a component organization of the Department of Defense...
from 1992–1993 under President George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
.
After Bush left office, O'Keefe was Professor of Business Administration and Assistant to the Senior Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School at Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
. He next became the Louis A. Bantle Professor of Business and Government Policy, an endowed chair at the Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs is the public policy school of Syracuse University...
. [Professor of Business Administration and Assistant to the Senior Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School at Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
.
Joining the George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
administration, O'Keefe served as Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget from January to December 2001, a job that strengthened his reputation as a "bean counter" — someone who counts every penny.
Tenure as NASA Administrator
Sean O'Keefe became NASA administrator on December 21, 2001 after his nomination by President George W. BushGeorge W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
was confirmed by the Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. Sean O'Keefe's tenure at NASA can be divided into roughly three equal periods, each marked by a single problem or event of overriding importance:
- December 2001 through January 2003: Sean O'Keefe eliminated a $5 billion cost overrunCost overrunA cost overrun, also known as a cost increase or budget overrun, is an unexpected cost incurred in excess of a budgeted amount due to an under-estimation of the actual cost during budgeting...
in the construction of the International Space StationInternational Space StationThe International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
. - February 2003 through December 2004: Sean O'Keefe helped NASA to cope with the trauma of the Space Shuttle Columbia accidentSpace Shuttle Columbia disasterThe Space Shuttle Columbia disaster occurred on February 1, 2003, when shortly before it was scheduled to conclude its 28th mission, STS-107, the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated over Texas and Louisiana during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, resulting in the death of all seven crew members...
and its aftermath. - January 2004 through February 2005: Sean O'Keefe re-organized NASA to start working on President George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's newly announced plan to send humans to the Moon and MarsVision for Space ExplorationThe Vision for Space Exploration is the United States space policy which was announced on January 14, 2004 by President George W. Bush. It is seen as a response to the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, the state of human spaceflight at NASA, and a way to regain public enthusiasm for space...
.
Sean O'Keefe came to NASA with a background as a former Secretary of the Navy and Director of OMB. As was the case with James E. Webb
James E. Webb
James Edwin Webb was an American government official who served as the second administrator of NASA from February 14, 1961 to October 7, 1968....
who served as administrator of NASA from 1961 to 1968, O'Keefe had no formal training in science or engineering. He was assisted by his chief of staff, Courtney Stadd
Courtney Stadd
Courtney Stadd was President George W. Bush's transition team's director regarding the National Aeronautics and Space Administration during 2000 and 2001. He subsequently served as NASA chief of staff and White House liaison. He received the NASA Distinguished Service Medal in 2001 for "his...
.
One of Sean O'Keefe's most controversial decisions occurred in January 2004, when he cancelled an upcoming mission by the space shuttle
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
to service the aging Hubble Space Telescope
Hubble Space Telescope
The Hubble Space Telescope is a space telescope that was carried into orbit by a Space Shuttle in 1990 and remains in operation. A 2.4 meter aperture telescope in low Earth orbit, Hubble's four main instruments observe in the near ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared...
. O'Keefe claimed that, in light of the Space Shuttle Columbia accident, the mission would be too risky, especially since if the shuttle was damaged while visiting the Hubble, the shuttle would not have enough fuel to dock with the space station as a "safe haven." While supported by members of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) this decision was assailed by numerous astronomers, who felt that the Hubble telescope was valuable enough to merit the risk. In late October 2006, O'Keefe's successor, Michael Griffin
Michael D. Griffin
Michael Douglas Griffin is an American physicist and aerospace engineer. From April 13, 2005 to January 20, 2009 he served as Administrator of NASA, the space agency of the United States...
, reversed the decision, regarding the mission to Hubble, after several years of study. After several delays, the final Hubble mission, STS-125
STS-125
STS-125, or HST-SM4 , was the fifth and final space shuttle servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope .Launch occurred on 11 May 2009 at 2:01 pm EDT...
was successfully completed in May 2009.
In the buildup to the 2004 election, a scuffle in the press occurred between Sean O'Keefe and NASA climatologist James Hansen. In 2003, it was revealed, Mr. O'Keefe warned Dr. Hansen not to discuss humans' role in global warming. "The administrator [Mr. O'Keefe] interrupted me;" Dr. Hansen said in the New York Times "he told me that I should not talk about dangerous anthropogenic interference, because we do not know enough or have enough evidence for what would constitute dangerous anthropogenic interference." O'Keefe's spokesperson said that O'Keefe did not admonish Hansen or mean to suggest that research efforts should be cut.
In 2004, O'Keefe drew criticism for openly campaigning for Bob Riley
Bob Riley
Bob Riley may refer to:* Bob Riley, 52nd Governor of Alabama* Bob C. Riley, acting Governor of Arkansas for 11 days in 1975* Bob Riley , sports car designer and founder of Riley Technologies...
who was running for re-election as governor of Alabama and a member of Congress. He defended his action by saying that he was campaigning as a private citizen.
O'Keefe responded to President Bush's Vision for Exploration by hiring retired Navy Admiral Craig E. Steidle
Craig E. Steidle
Admiral Craig E. Steidle, USN, Ret., served as the first Associate Administrator of the Office of Exploration Systems at NASA , an organization formed to implement NASA's human exploration of the solar system as announced in the Vision for Space Exploration...
who had previously led development of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) as an associate administrator in charge of a new office: Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD). A mission architecture for lunar exploration was developed based on four launches of medium-lift vehicles and four space rendezvous per mission. This mission architecture was immediately scrapped by Michael Griffin upon his arrival at NASA. NASA started over with the Exploration Systems Architecture Study (ESAS), sixteen months after the Vision for Space Exploration (VSE) had been announced by President Bush. That architecture led to the Ares I
Ares I
Ares I was the crew launch vehicle that was being developed by NASA as part of the Constellation Program. The name "Ares" refers to the Greek deity Ares, who is identified with the Roman god Mars...
and Ares V
Ares V
The Ares V was the planned cargo launch component of the Constellation program, which was to have replaced the Space Shuttle after its retirement in 2011. Ares V was also planned to carry supplies for a human presence on Mars...
launch vehicles and the Orion Crew Exploration vehicle which are now under development by NASA.
Tenure as Louisiana State University Chancellor
O'Keefe has been credited with the establishment of the Louisiana State UniversityLouisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
endowment through the Forever LSU fund raising campaign - his second campaign as LSU's Chancellor. The first, known as "Welcome to the Now (Evo Devo)," was not as successful. He became popular among students for his ability to interact with them, especially during Chats with the Chancellor, that occur across the campus periodically throughout the semesters, as well as his encouraging emails. He announced on January 16, 2008, that February 1, 2008 was his last day as chancellor.
O'Keefe lightly discussed his membership in the exclusive Bohemian Club
Bohemian Club
The Bohemian Club is a private men's club in San Francisco, California, United States.Its clubhouse is located at 624 Taylor Street in San Francisco...
to the Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
student newspaper The Daily Reveille
The Daily Reveille
The Daily Reveille is the student newspaper for Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and has kept student informed for more than a century. It prints Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the summer semester...
. As a member of the Wayside Log camp, O'Keefe traveled during July 2005, to visit the famous Bohemian Grove
Bohemian Grove
Bohemian Grove is a campground located at 20601 Bohemian Avenue, in Monte Rio, California, belonging to a private San Francisco-based men's art club known as the Bohemian Club...
near San Francisco, California.
CEO of EADS North America
In October 2009, O'Keefe was brought in as CEO of the North American division of European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company. O'Keefe's Washington connections were noted at a time when EADS was trying to secure a $35 billion dollar contract for U.S. Air Force in-air refueling planesKC-X
KC-X is the United States Air Force program to procure its next-generation aerial refueling tanker aircraft to replace some of the older Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers. The contest was for a production contract for 179 new tankers with estimated value of US$35 billion...
in a competition with Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
.