Colonel (USAF retired) Terry Virts spent over seven months in space during his two spaceflights, piloting the Space Shuttle Endeavour on STS-130 in 2010 and commanding the International Space Station during Expedition 42/43 in 2014/2015. He served in the US Air Force as a fighter pilot, test pilot, NASA astronaut, and is a graduate of...
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Colonel (USAF retired) Terry Virts spent over seven months in space during his two spaceflights, piloting the Space Shuttle Endeavour on STS-130 in 2010 and commanding the International Space Station during Expedition 42/43 in 2014/2015.
He served in the US Air Force as a fighter pilot, test pilot, NASA astronaut, and is a graduate of the US Air Force Academy, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and Harvard Business School. He is currently working as an executive coach as well as advising businesses that focus on energy, aerospace, and technology.
Terry is a guest-lecturer at the Harvard Business School where he won the 2021 Alumni Achievement Award. He provides management consulting services and speaks around the globe on a variety of business and motivational topics.
He has directed several films, including One More Orbit (2019) and The Night After (2023), and is a guest lecturer at the USC School of Cinematic Arts where he teaches about his IMAX movie A Beautiful Planet.
Virts hosts the podcast ‘Down to Earth with Terry Virts‘, and is the author of ‘The Astronaut’s Guide to Leaving the Planet’, an illustrated children’s book (2023), ‘How to Astronaut: Everything you Need to Know Before Leaving Earth (2020)’, ‘Apo11o: To the Moon and Back (2019)’, a limited-edition reproduction of the Apollo 11 flight plan, as well as the National Geographic photography book ‘View From Above’ (2017).
From 24th May, ‘View from Above’ can also be seen in a unique exhibition premiering in Augsburg, Germany.
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“Don't ever tell yourself no. It worked out for me, but even if it hadn’t, I would have ended up as a pilot, which is great; or a test pilot, which is great. I didn’t do a bunch of stuff I hated hoping to get that dream. I was pursuing things I enjoyed anyway.”
Speaker Programs
Crisis and Risk Management
Terry is an internationally recognized risk and crisis management expert, having served as an Astronaut, Fighter Pilot, and Test pilot. He spent seven months in space and commanded the ISS. He also helped shoot and ...more
Terry is an internationally recognized risk and crisis management expert, having served as an Astronaut, Fighter Pilot, and Test pilot. He spent seven months in space and commanded the ISS. He also helped shoot and narrate the IMAX film “A Beautiful Planet,” and worked for several years in the Energy industry on transition technologies including natural and mechanical carbon capture. Additionally, he lectures at Harvard Business School on Risk management and Leadership, teaching a case study on the space shuttle challenger and Columbia accidents.
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View From Above
Terry shares amazing photos and videos and hilarious stories from his seven months in orbit in an engaging talk that’s always a hit. ...more
Terry shares amazing photos and videos and hilarious stories from his seven months in orbit in an engaging talk that’s always a hit. ...less
Building World-Class Teams
As a former F-16 and ISS commander, Terry discusses how to recruit, train, inspire, debrief, and grow your high-functioning team.
Leading Organizations Through Change
Terry explains how NASA changed its culture after the Columbia shuttle accident, and transitioned to the new commercial space economy.
Reviews
"Terry led an incredible talk for our resort guests and key media partners, recounting his fascinating time spent in space on several NASA space missions and as commander of the ISS. Terry is engaging, eloquent and funny; he gives his audience fascinating insight into what it's like to live in the vacuum of space for…
- Jessica Cook, Area Director of Sales & Marketing, The Lodge at Blue Sky, Auberge Resorts Collection
"Colonel Virts inspired the senior leadership team of Siemens South America with his fascinating stories from space, and also led us through a powerful case study of NASA's Space Shuttle Columbia and Challenger accidents. Those powerful leadership lessons will remain with our senior managers for many years to come."
- Fadi Ghantous SVP, Siemens Energy
"Terry was a delightful speaker. He did an assembly in the morning for high school students, and a public presentation in the evening for the community. His talk was both entertaining and educational - and his photos and videos were amazing. He was also easy to work with - professional, prepared, and easy-going. He is…
- Jenny Knaak, Associate Executive Director, Park City Institute
* Fee ranges listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline. The speaker's speaking fee should fall within this “fee range” listed. A speaker's fee may be at the high end or low end (or possibly outside of) the listed “fee range”. Additionally, a speaker may change his/her fee without notice. For a speaker's most current speaking fee or to check availability, please contact us.
