Frank Sietzen Jr

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Frank Sietzen Jr
Image:Sietzen-Frank.jpg
Frank Sietzen Jr circa 2003
Birth Name Frank Sietzen
Birth Place New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Occupation Journalist, Author
Nationality United States of America
Notable Works New Moon Rising, What Has NASA Done For You?


Contents

Overview

From a Spaceport near Devil’s Island to the launch pads of Kennedy Space Center, veteran writer, journalist and author Frank Sietzen, Jr. has told the story of humanity’s reach into space for more than two decades. His published experience includes nearly every type of news medium: newspapers, magazines, newsletters, Internet web sites, books and wire services. His award-winning coverage of NASA and space technology earned him an invitation by the Smithsonian to speak at the 2008 Folk Life Festival on the Mall in Washington, D.C. Sietzen spoke on the benefits from space exploration during the space agency’s anniversary celebration. In 2008 Sietzen was selected by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics to write their official history of NASA for the agency’s 50th anniversary.

National Press

His newspaper writing included a weekly column for the Washington Examiner, and his breaking coverage of the space program has also been published on the front page of the Washington Times. He also authored a weekly wire service column for United Press International on NASA and Congress. He is the co-author of a groundbreaking behind-the-scenes book on the 2004 decision to revitalize the civil space program, and a new upcoming book on the benefits from the space program available to every American. Sietzen’s book on the origins of the Vision for Space Exploration was called “the definitive published work” on the project by the Washington Post. Sietzen is a contributing writer for the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and is former editor of Ad Astra magazine, Military Space newsletter, first Bureau Chief of Space.com, Washington columnist for Geospatial Solutions magazine, and was technology editor for Space Business News newsletter. He has also written about health for the Washington Post, making him one of the few journalists to ever write for all three major Washington daily newspapers.


Awards

His highest award was won in 2001, the Best Space Feature Article of the Year 2001 as named by the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAE) of London. The award was given for his coverage of the Shuttle-MIR program for the magazine Aerospace America.

As Editor-in-Chief of Ad Astra magazine from 1998 to 2003 his publication won nine major awards, more than at any other time in the magazine’s 20-year history. Included were (from the Printing & Graphics Communications Association): Award of Excellence for 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, Best of Category for 2003, 2002, Best Web Printed Piece for 2003. From the International Association of Business Communicators: it’s Silver Inkwell Award of Excellence for 2002 for communicating space technology to the public.


Recent Activity

Sietzen was the writer for the Washington office of United Space Alliance from 2004 to 2009. In September 2009 he was appointed speechwriter to NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden, Jr. and Deputy Administrator Lori B. Garver.

Author

He is the author of numerous articles published in scientific journals, aerospace magazines and newspapers. He is the co-author of New Moon Rising, (Apogee Books-2004), and What Has NASA Done For You?, (Apogee Books-2010).

Books by Frank Sietzen Jr

Category:Author