It is with a profound sadness that the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration notes the passing of Dr. Piers J. Sellers, Director of Earth Sciences at NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center, and former astronaut, on December 23. He was 61.
Piers Sellers was known throughout NASA for not only his dedication to exploration both on and off planet Earth, but also his humor, sharp wit, and infectious optimism. Sellers, a native of the United Kingdom, moved to the United States soon after completing his doctorate in biometeorology at Leeds University and began his NASA career at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in 1982. At GSFC, he worked in various capacities as a climate research scientist, studying the interactions of Earth’s biosphere and atmosphere.
In 1991, Sellers became a naturalized U.S. citizen, in order to pursue his lifelong goal of becoming an astronaut, a dream he realized in 1996 when he was selected as a NASA astronaut. A veteran of three Space Shuttle missions, Sellers played a critical role in the assembly of the International Space Station (ISS). Sellers logged over 40 hours with six spacewalks during his first two Shuttle flights, experience that he then applied as a spacewalk instructor to his fellow astronauts and as Branch Chief for ISS Operations within the astronaut corps. During his last Shuttle mission, Sellers traded his space suit for hand controllers, serving as the primary Space Station Robotics Operator.
Sellers retired from the astronaut corps in 2011 and returned to GSFC to continue his study of the Earth and its changing climate. In the fall of 2015, Sellers was diagnosed with a late-stage, aggressive cancer. While many would have used their remaining time to see the world and be with family, Sellers chose instead to continue his scientific pursuits with a renewed sense of vigor, urgency, and importance. An author of more than 70 scientific papers, Sellers worked tirelessly to effectively communicate the perils of unchecked human activity on our planet with an unparalleled sense of hope and optimism about humanity’s future on Earth. As a result of his contributions to humanity’s quest to understand our home, Sellers was recognized as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire and more recently awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal.
“As we reflect on Piers Sellers’ contributions to understanding the impacts of global society on our home planet, we realize how much we will miss his uncanny ability to distill scientific data in compelling ways,” said Dr. Mary Lynne Dittmar, Executive Director of the Coalition. “His fervent passion for and unwavering dedication to this mission will continue in the work of his colleagues at GSFC and around the world. We can, and should, honor his legacy by both sharing in his hope for a better future and working together to bring it about. On behalf of the Coalition, I extend our sincerest condolences to Piers Sellers’ family, friends and colleagues at this most difficult time.”