This is not a NASA Website. You might learn something. It's YOUR space agency. Get involved. Take it back. Make it work - for YOU.
Personnel News

Mike Wargo

By Keith Cowing
NASA Watch
August 6, 2013
Filed under

Keith’s note: According the NLSI Twitter: “NASA’s chief exploration scientist, Mike Wargo, passed away unexpectedly yesterday. We will miss his leadership and friendship enormously.” I’ll post more information as I receive it. Very sad – Mike was such a nice person and believed in space exploration in a very personal way.
NASA Lunar Exploration Analysis Group Statement on the Passing of Dr. Michael Wargo
“The Lunar Exploration Analysis Group (LEAG) on behalf of the broader lunar community wishes to expresses its deep shock and sadness at the news that Dr. Mike Wargo passed away unexpectedly over the weekend of August 3-4, 2013. Mike was the Executive Secretary of LEAG and championed the Moon at NASA HQ.”

Keith’s update: This note is being circulated within and outside of NASA: “With deep sadness, I must tell you that our friend and colleague, Mike Wargo, passed away unexpectedly over the weekend. This news comes as a great shock to us all, and he will be missed terribly. In our grief, let us remember how Mike inspired us with his inexhaustible energy and enthusiasm, his hearty laugh and booming voice, and his dedication to NASA. Mike was HEOMD’s chief exploration scientist, and his contributions to human exploration were many. He represented the directorate on the science teams for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and LCROSS missions, and most recently, he was a member of the Mars 2020 Science Definition Team. Mike led by example, working closely with colleagues in the lunar, planetary, and Mars science communities, to build collaborative and highly productive projects for both Exploration and Science. Please keep his wife Adele and his family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. We will let you know about plans for the funeral and a NASA memorial service once they have been made.”

NASA Watch founder, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA, Away Teams, Journalist, Space & Astrobiology, Lapsed climber.

4 responses to “Mike Wargo”

  1. Denniswingo says:
    0
    0

    Mike Wargo was one of the really good guys at NASA headquarters.

    He will be missed.

  2. kwitt says:
    0
    0

    My heart broke when I heard this news. I have known Mike my whole life as he was taught by and worked with my father, August Witt, for many years. We will miss you Mike!

  3. Peter Ahlf says:
    0
    0

    I worked with Mike for a number of years back in the OBPR days. What do I remember about Mike looking back? Always upbeat, enthusiastic, friendly, never flustered. He would pull out his case with cool physics tricks to entertain the kids on Bring Your Child to Work day. He always had an even keel. No . . . thats not right … his keel was tilted toward the optimistic, the positive, the good.

    Godspeed Mike.

    Peter Ahlf

    • Chris Pino says:
      0
      0

      I adored Mike working with him both as the Chief Scientist for Exploration and as an Enterprise CIO. NASA civil servants, particularly at HQ, come in for a lot of criticism on this site. Mike is a perfect example of the many brilliant, hard working, dedicated Washington NASA staff,