The sky is the limit

Monroe resident Jim Hall has joined the recent class of inductees of the 1,000 member NASA/JPL CALTECH Solar System Ambassadors program.

He will receive exclusive NASA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory training to conduct free Solar System Ambassador presentations at libraries, schools and other educational areas in the Hudson Valley.

Travel on this earth

Hall has more than 45 years of technical experience. He worked for Texas Instruments, Motorola, IBM, AT&T, Nortel and Avaya along with extensive computer and advanced voice technology systems. He began his career in seismic oil exploration traveling worldwide to wonderful areas such as Greenland, Iceland, Canadian Arctic, Magnetic North Pole Resolute Island and numerous areas of the South China Sea. He is also a Cornell University Cooperative Extension Master Gardener.

Welcoming Hall to the NASA/JPL-Caltech Solar Ambassador program is fellow Monroe resident John Fontana, who has been a distinguished NASA/JPL Caltech Solar System Ambassador of several years.

Working with students in Monroe-Woodbury

Fontana with Hall assisting worked together last year in presenting the Apollo 50th anniversary program to the fifth grade students at North Main and Pine Tree elementary schools in the Monroe-Woodbury School District as well as Fontana’s exciting history of Apollo at 50 series at the Monroe Free Library.

"I am delighted to be joining the 1000 the other Solar System Ambassadors in promoting our space history and newest discoveries to the public," Hall said in the press release detailing his appointment as a NASA Solar Ambassador. "The next giant steps for mankind are happening every day and this program and the Solar Systems Ambassadors are here to bring those next steps to schools, libraries, clubs and all the Hudson Valley. We are a no-cost resource to bring more science to the public. NASA/JPL and Caltech research so many areas of all science. Earth science, climate change, weather, communication, manned space missions and unmanned space mission’s solar system wide”.

Hall has been a space enthusiast since the first successful launch of the satellite Exploreer 1 in 1957, through the first manned missions of Mercury, then the nine Gemini missions, to the world excitement of Apollo, STS Shuttle and the International Space Station.

"Now with the commercial launches and the soon return to United States manned launches we are entering a new era of exploration," Hall added. "Back to the moon and on to Mars. The next giant leap for mankind.

“I will be combining my Cornell University Master Gardener Program knowledge along with the Solar Ambassador program to promote more interest into the science programs from the roots to the stars," Hall noted.

The program

The Solar System Ambassadors Program of NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory offers information about missions that explore the solar system and beyond. Volunteer ambassadors are selected by JPL based on their backgrounds and on their plans for public outreach activities. They are provided with educational materials and training from NASA / The Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Caltech. You can find further information about the Solar System Ambassadors Program at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/ambassador.

Contact information

Hall and Fontana would be happy to be a resource when you need research for future articles or would like to hold a presentation about a space related subject.

Jim Hall: Cell 917 776-1179; email halljim@optonline.net

John Fontana: email john.fontana@employeestrategy.com