ADHD Wise Squirrels for late-diagnosed adults with ADHD.

WS9 ADHD and NASA: Commanding the International Space Station?

8 snips
Oct 25, 2023
Guest
Bob Dempsey
Dr. Bob Dempsey, former ISS Flight Director at NASA, discusses his journey of living with ADHD and thriving at 60. Topics include exploring space, personal experience with ADHD, managing multiple tasks at NASA, launching the James Webb Space Telescope, and the importance of celebrating wins and effective communication.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
ANECDOTE

Lifelong Space Dream

  • Dr. Bob Dempsey, inspired by the moon landing at age six, always aimed to explore space.
  • Despite needing glasses, which ruled out being a fighter pilot, he pursued astronomy and a NASA career.
INSIGHT

ADHD as a Superpower

  • Dr. Dempsey's ADHD, initially perceived as a weakness, became his strength in NASA's control room.
  • The job's demand for multitasking and quick thinking aligned with his "forced disfocus" thinking style.
ANECDOTE

Late ADHD Diagnosis

  • Despite early suspicions of ADHD, Dr. Dempsey's success masked it.
  • Only after leaving mission control, when coping mechanisms faltered, did he seek a diagnosis.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app