Mark is based in Houston, where he has written on aerospace for more than 25 years. While at the Houston Chronicle, he was recognized by the Rotary National Award for Space Achievement Foundation in 2006 for his professional contributions to the public understanding of America's space program through news reporting. He has written on U. S. space policy as well as NASA's human and space science initiatives.
Mark was recognized by the Texas Associated Press Managing Editors and Headliners Foundation as well as the Chronicle in 2004 for news coverage of the shuttle Columbia tragedy and its aftermath.
He is a graduate of the University of Kansas and holds a Master's degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from Kansas State University.
An investigation into an incident that damaged the National Science Foundation (NSF) Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico was continuing Aug.14, focusing on the cause and cost of repairs.
NASA’s Osiris-Rex sample return mission spacecraft is on a path to execute a brief landing on the rocky surface of the asteroid Bennu on Oct. 20 following a successful second rehearsal of the steps necessary to execute the descent and ascent earlier this week, according to the mission team.
Initial data from NASA’s Osiris-Rex mission spacecraft indicate the probe successfully left its low orbit over the asteroid Bennu on Aug. 11 to carry out a 4 1/2-hr. second close-approach rehearsal in preparation for a brief landing to gather surface material for return to Earth.
