Letting go of a dream does not make you a failure. Dr. Kimberly Robinson, a 31-year NASA veteran, former astronaut trainer, and former CEO of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, talks about the astronaut who changed the course of her life at a high school awards ceremony, the eyesight rule that closed the door on her own astronaut dream, and why she stopped defining herself by one title.
A NASA astronaut in a blue flight suit flew in on a T-38 to hand a Birmingham high school student an award, and that student decided on the spot what her life would be. She never caught the astronaut's name, and she spent years trying to find her so she could say thank you. She also talks about taking over the U.S. Space & Rocket Center when it could not promise to pay her salary, and what young people around the world are looking for when they picture a technical career: the next handhold, not the whole route up the mountain.
▶️ Watch the full conversation on YouTube: https://youtu.be/XFQgXbK226I
CHAPTERS
00:00 The astronaut who flew in on a T-38
00:20 What if one moment you didn't choose set your course
01:28 Meet Dr. Kimberly Robinson
03:51 Faith and belief in yourself
04:38 Prayer, meditation, and choosing the day
05:07 The award that changed everything
06:31 "Women shouldn't be in this field"
07:35 The astronaut dream that didn't happen
09:05 "Women of True Grit" and the grain of sand
11:06 The eyesight rule
12:14 "Now you've waited too long"
13:04 A missed dream doesn't make you a failure
14:26 Finding another route to the same vision
15:27 Don't define yourself by one title
18:11 Turning around to help others
19:30 "We may not be able to pay your salary"
21:06 Tuskegee Airmen, Victor Glover, and the look in kids' eyes
22:16 You can't see yourself in a career until you see someone doing it
24:03 Training astronauts
24:56 Looking for the next handhold
26:08 Years spent trying to say thank you
28:07 The moon landing was a human achievement
30:01 Where to find Kimberly
WHAT YOU'LL TAKE AWAY
A dream you never reach can still set the direction of your whole career.
Most people don't need the whole route up the mountain, just the next handhold.
Nobody pictures themselves in a career until they meet someone doing it.
ABOUT DR. KIMBERLY ROBINSON
Dr. Kimberly Robinson spent 31 years at NASA, starting at Marshall Space Flight Center as a propulsion engineer. She trained astronauts, helped develop the Space Launch System, and served as payload mission manager for Artemis I. She led the U.S. Space & Rocket Center as CEO from 2021 to 2025, and was inducted into the Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame in 2025.
Kimberly Robinson on LinkedIn
STAY CONNECTED
Every episode: drivenlivin.com/the-wellness-driven-life-show
Newsletter: drivenlivin.substack.com/subscribe
The Drive Collective: drivenlivin.com/community
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Hosted and executive produced by April Chavez.
Video production by Manlee J. Chavez.
Music by Steve Stuntz.
Guest agreements and disclaimer: drivenlivin.com/guest-agreements
