Skip to content

In the News: Sean O'Keefe

O’Keefe Weighs In on What Trump’s Win Means for NASA in TIME Article

When it comes to space exploration, “I would think that this next [Trump] administration is going to be a continuation of the success in the first administration,” says University Professor Sean O’Keefe. “[Trump] prides himself on being very unpredictable, so I wouldn’t put certainty on this, but all signs point in that direction.”

November 22, 2024

O’Keefe Quoted in Agence France Presse Article on the SpaceX Commercial Spacewalk

“The risk is greater than zero, that's for sure, and it's certainly higher than anything that has been accomplished on a commercial basis,” says University Professor Sean O'Keefe.

September 16, 2024

O’Keefe Talks About the Need for Civil Service System Reform in Washington Post Article

“We think the current civil service system is badly in need of reform. But the blueprints offered by both left and right are problematic. One side is firmly rooted in a status quo that (inadvertently or otherwise) impedes accountability, and the other could end up politicizing the very civil servants who should be politically neutral,” writes University Professor Sean O'Keefe and his co-authors.

June 22, 2024

See related: Congress, Federal, United States

O’Keefe Talks to TheStreet and TIME About the Space Around Earth, Returning to the Moon

The ever-increasing crowds of junk orbiting the planet is an "accident waiting to happen," says Sean O'Keefe, University Professor and former NASA administrator. "It's the equivalency of looking at traffic jams on the interstate highways." 

April 10, 2024

O’Keefe Speaks With Al Jazeera About Boeing’s Leadership Shakeup, Safety Crisis

University Professor Sean O’Keefe says whoever is appointed at Boeing will need to be able to listen to the concerns of the industry. In particular, they will need to work hand in hand with its airline customers—from Alaska Airlines to United—to make sure safety issues will be the focus in the months ahead, he says.

March 28, 2024

Sean O’Keefe ’78 MPA Joins Government Hall of Fame

The University Professor and Phanstiel Chair in Leadership was recognized for his public service roles, including four presidential appointments. 

May 31, 2023

On Tragedy’s Anniversary, Former NASA Leader Sean O’Keefe Reflects on the ‘Price of Diligence’

O’Keefe, a Maxwell School alumnus and Syracuse University Professor, was at the helm 20 years ago when Columbia broke apart while returning from a space research mission. 

January 31, 2023

Connected in the Capital: Washington, D.C., Is Home to a Vast Maxwell Network

The nation's capital is home to a thriving academic program and the greatest concentration of Maxwell School alumni outside of New York. 
December 14, 2022

Maxwell Faculty Share Insights on Midterm Election Results

Maxwell professors Chris Faricy, Shana Gadarian, Jenn Jackson and Sean O'Keefe participated in the Campbell Lecture, “After the Election: Assessing the Midterms,” on Nov. 17. Grant Reeher, director of the Campbell Public Affairs Institute, moderated the discussion.

December 5, 2022

Cheney Focuses on Citizenship During Maxwell Visit

"There’s a real cost to defending behavior that’s constitutionally indefensible." That was among the messages shared by Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney during a talk Monday hosted by the Maxwell School.

October 6, 2022

See related: Government, United States

O’Keefe Speaks With Futurism About the Moon Mission Delay

University Professor Sean O'Keefe was interviewed for the Futurism article, "Here's What the Former Head of NASA Has to Say About the Moon Mission Delay."

September 9, 2022

Workshop Outlines Handling Crises with Skills and Grace

“Whether the crisis is global, local, or somewhere in between,” said Keli Perrin, faculty lead and managing director of the Institute for Security Policy and Law at the Syracuse University College of Law, “the frameworks and expertise shared by faculty and practitioners enable fellows to better respond as leaders using these newly honed skills and perspectives.”
May 31, 2022

See related: Student Experience

O'Keefe Talks to The Guardian About SpaceX's Latest Venture

The first orbital test launch of the largest and most powerful rocket ship ever to leave Earth—SpaceX’s towering Starship, from its Starbase headquarters in Texas—is seen by many as a pathway back to the moon for the first time in half a century.
January 4, 2022

On NPR, Sean O'Keefe Weighs in on Renaming NASA's James Webb Space Telescope

O'Keefe, University Professor and former NASA administrator, made the decision to name the telescope after Webb in 2002.

September 30, 2021

O'Keefe featured in CNN article on how 9/11 changed travel

University Professor O'Keefe, who was deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget during the George W. Bush administration, says that September morning in 2001 "flipped the switch right away from almost non-existent security to unbelievable, in-your-face, all the time."
September 8, 2021

O'Keefe discusses Richard Branson's space flight with CNBC, The Hill

University Professor Sean O’Keefe, former NASA administrator, joined CNBC's Worldwide Exchange to discuss the space flight, and what it means for the billionaire and for the world. O'Keefe also wrote a piece, "Richard Branson's space flight changes the way we look at space," that was published in The Hill. 
July 12, 2021

See related: Europe, Space Exploration

  • 1 (current)
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
Communications and Media Relations Office
200 Eggers Hall