Discipline: Propulsion Introduction Although NASA is a government agency with strong links to the military, research, and academic communities, in many ways, it stands alone. No other organization can compare to NASA, with its history of leaving the Earth’s surface and its future of exploring the worlds around us. To meet the challenges of exploration and innovation, NASA has developed a unique internal culture. The following are several lessons learned by propulsion expert George Hopson, passed on to help guide newer members of the NASA community through its complex twists and turns.