Aviation Outlook Welcomes NASA Launch Weather Officer Kathy Rice and ULA Launch Conductor Dillon Rice

Embry-Riddle’s Deans of Aviation welcome the husband/wife duo of Dillon and Kathy Rice to Aviation Outlook, a live, interactive webinar via Zoom. The Rices will discuss NASA rocket launches, commercial space operations and the ever-changing weather at Cape Canaveral, plus answer your questions during the webinar.  

Kathy Rice (‘04) is the primary NASA Launch Weather Officer for both Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, including the Space Launch System program and the Delta IV program. She began her career as a meteorologist in 1992 with the U.S. Air Force. She became Launch Weather Officer for the Space Shuttle program in 2002 and oversaw launches until 2011. 

She holds a B.S. in Mathematics with minors in Computer Science and Aerospace Studies from the University of Central Florida and a Master's in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle. She is also a member of the College of Aviation Industry Advisory Board. 

Dillon Rice is the prime Launch Conductor for United Launch Alliance, responsible for the liftoff of Atlas V and Delta IV rockets from launch pads at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Recent launches have included the Solar Orbiter and Parker Solar Probe, Boeing Starliner and launches for the U.S. Space Force. 

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of North Florida and a Master’s Degree in Systems Engineering from the University of Denver.  

Aviation Outlook is a live interactive webinar series with key aviation and aerospace leaders who offer their insights on the current state of aviation and what the future holds for these most dynamic and technical of industries. 

You may watch videos and/or recaps of Aviation Outlook’s previous guests, including Airbus Americas CEO C. Jeffrey Knittel (’80), FAA Administrator Steve Dickson, Zipline UAS Director of Flight Ops Joseph Marshall (’10) and University President P. Barry Butler, Ph.D. Go to erau.edu/aviation-outlook.