David Cheney

David Cheney is a program executive in the Heliophyics Division of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA. Cheney is managing the NASA contribution to the SOLAR-C mission, which is an international collaboration led by Japan with the purpose of obtaining detailed spectrum of structures on the Sun that lead to coronal mass ejections and other space weather phenomena. Cheney also manages the Heliophysics small flight projects portfolio comprising both hosted instruments and free flying spacecraft. These small flight projects provide important science data, demonstrate novel technologies that could be used on other missions, and provide critical hands-on experience for new project teams. Cheney also assists with the management of the Heliophyics Division’s operating missions fleet, which provides ongoing measurements vital to continued science discovery. He also has duties that include coordination on the International Space Station, small satellite working groups, and inter-governmental rideshare efforts.

David Cheney has managed other flight projects that have included, AWE, PUNCH, EZIE, and MUSE. He is a retired Navy officer, and while serving in the Navy, he gained experience in the DoD Space Test Program, which is used to take technology developed for the military or is relevant to the military and prove its function by flying it in space. He also spent many years in in the applied science of Meteorology, Oceanography, Climatology, and Space Weather and direct application of supporting operational safety and function. Cheney taught high school and junior high math, science, and physics prior to joining the Navy and taught nuclear reactor physics at the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command as a Naval officer.

David Cheney has a master’s degree in meteorology and oceanography from the Naval Postgraduate School and a bachelor’s degree in physics and math teaching from Brigham Young University. He enjoys basketball, football, running, cycling, and reading.