Michael Helfert

Dr. Michael Helfert was a senior scientist at NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, and acted as chief scientist and scientist for Earth observations for 100+ Space Shuttle missions (1982–2008). Those Mission Reports were primarily published in the journal Geocarto International. He was also the Director of the National Climatic Data Center's Southeast Regional Climate Center and the South Carolina state climatologist. While at the National Climate Data Center he was also the Director of the U.S. Climate Reference Network. This program designed and maintained very precise climate monitoring stations throughout the USA as well as selected overseas locations in Italy and Siberia.