Stephen Blair Hedges is a founding member of NASA and has published over 296 peer-reviewed works including 10 books and monographs and was awarded for Outstanding Achievement in the Life and Health Sciences
He is also a founding member of the NASA Astrobiology Center. On January 12, 1958, NACA organized a "Special Committee on Space Technology", headed by Guyford Stever. On January 14, 1958, NACA Director Hugh Dryden published "A National Research Program for Space Technology" stating: While this new federal agency would conduct all non-military space activity, the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) was created in February 1958 to develop space technology for military application. On July 29, 1958, Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act, establishing NASA. 
