Former Valley professor to serve on advisory group for National Space Council

PHOENIX — Sian Proctor is no stranger to space.

She was among a four-person crew aboard the SpaceX Dragon capsule in September 2021 that spent three days observing Earth from a perspective most will never encounter.

That experience helped land Proctor, a former professor at South Mountain Community College, a spot on the National Space Council’s User Advisory Group.

Proctor and others on the 30-person team will advise the Biden administration on maintenance and responsibility for its space present and future.

“It’s a tremendous honor to be selected to serve on the National Space Council’s Users Advisory Group and help advance space exploration through my experiences as a commercial astronaut, a geoscientist and an educator with the Maricopa Community Colleges,” Proctor said on Twitter.

The group will make recommendations on space policy and strategy, and practices in national and international security space sectors.

Vice President Kamala Harris, the chair of the National Space Council, made the announcement last month.

“We commend Dr. Proctor on this incredible accomplishment of being selected to serve on the UAG,” Steve Gonzales, chancellor for the Maricopa County Community College District, said in a press release.

“As a geoscience professor with decades of experience, she brings invaluable knowledge and insight to this critical advisory role.”

Appointment to the UAG is pending approval from the administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Proctor was a one-time NASA astronaut finalist and spent over 20 years working in MCCCD.

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