page_title: Robert J. Parks
hierarchical_section_title: Robert J. Parks
caption_attribution_description: English: William H. Pickering, (center) director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, presents a model of the Mariner 2 spacecraft to President John F. Kennedy. NASA Administrator James E. Webb is standing directly behind the model. According to 50th Anniversary: Mariner 2, The Venus Mission from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the man at far left is Jack N. James and the man between him and Pickering is Robert "Bob" Parks.
context_page_description: Robert J. "Bob" Parks
  ROBERT J. PARKS, known as Bob, was a US aerospace engineer and pioneer in the space program where he was intricately involved and/or directed for some of the most historic and important U.S. unmanned space missions. Over a 40-year tenure at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, located in Pasadena, California, Parks’ impact was essential to helping the United States lead the world in space exploration. He served as Guidance Engineer for Explorer 1, the first successfully launched satellite by the United States. He directed the initial flyby missions to the Moon, the first soft landing on the moon, the world's first successful mission to another planet and initial missions to Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and Uranus. Parks concluded his career as Deputy Director of the JPL/NASA and retired in 1987. Some of the awards he received for his work include the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, the Stuart Ballantine Medal, the Goddard Astronautics Award and the Caltech Distinguished Alumni Award in 1982.
context_section_description: Robert J. "Bob" Parks (April 1, 1922 – June 3, 2011)
  ROBERT J. PARKS, known as Bob, was a US aerospace engineer and pioneer in the space program where he was intricately involved and/or directed for some of the most historic and important U.S. unmanned space missions. Over a 40-year tenure at  the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL/NASA), located in Pasadena, California,  Parks’ impact was essential to helping the United States lead the world in space exploration. He served as Guidance Engineer for Explorer 1, the first successfully launched satellite by the United States. He directed the initial flyby missions to the Moon (Ranger 7, 8 and 9 Missions), the first soft landing on the moon (Surveyor Lunar Lander), the world's first successful mission to another planet (Mariner 2 to Venus) and initial missions to Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and Uranus. Parks concluded his career as Deputy Director of the JPL/NASA and retired in 1987. Some of the awards he received for his work include the NASA Exceptional Service Medal (1967), the Stuart Ballantine Medal (1967), the Goddard Astronautics Award (1980) and the Caltech Distinguished Alumni Award in 1982.
caption: NASA and Mariner program officials, engineers and managers at the White House with President John F. Kennedy (right) in 1963. From left to right: Jack N. James, Bob Parks and William H. Pickering.
exif: {}