Apollo 16 astronaut to be keynote speaker thanks to harmonic’s rail team
Charlie Duke – Apollo 16 Astronaut and the youngest person to walk on the Moon – will be a keynote speaker at the Rail Industry Association’s Innovation Conference 2021, courtesy of Harmonic’s rail team.
The theme for this year’s virtual conference, which will take place from 28th to 30th April, is ‘the railway of the future’. Charlie will talk about his work at NASA, drawing parallels between his experience and the current demands for complex, integrated systems that will shape the future of rail. In a fascinating insight into engineering history, he will explore how many innovations we draw on today – such as technology readiness levels, system engineering and programme management – had their roots in the Space Race.
Charlie will also share the amazing experience of being the tenth and youngest person to walk on the Moon!
Paul Whitcombe, who leads our rail team, says: “Charlie Duke is an inspirational historical figure and we’re thrilled to have been able to organise his appearance at the RIA Innovation Conference. We work across a range of sectors at Harmonic and are constantly seeing synergies and transferring learning. As a result, we are particularly excited to hear Charlie’s insights into the links between space and rail.
“Rail is an important area of expertise for us at Harmonic and we are pleased to be able to show our support for the industry in this way.”
