Charles Camarda, Polytechnic Institute of NYU Distinguished Engineer in Residence, speaks to NY1 News in the above clip marking the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. Mr. Camarda talks about the future of space exploration and his efforts to get young people excited about the space program.

Mr. Camarda, an inventor, astronaut, and Polytechnic alumnus of the class of ’74 (AE), was a crewmember on the historic mission of the space shuttle Discovery.

He is currently one of the faculty members teaching NYU-Poly’s new interdisciplinary summer course, “Innovative Engineering Conceptual Design.” The course challenges students to complete a class project “which NASA is currently wrestling with: the design and development of a Lunar surface drill and regolith excavation system, in support of the development of a permanent lunar habitat.”