Drawing on three decades in America’s space program, including nine years as a NASA Test Director, Mike Ciannilli helps organisations understand how to prevent failure, lead under extreme pressure and build cultures where safety, ethics and mission success come first.... Read more
Preventing Failure in Space Missions: Lessons from Columbia | Mike Ciannilli
NASA's Lessons From Apollo 1- Failure of Imagination with Mike Ciannilli
Drawing on three decades of NASA experience, Mike explores the lessons behind some of the most consequential moments in spaceflight history. Through powerful storytelling and real operational experience, he shows how organisations can turn lessons learned into better decisions, stronger teams and future success.
Most ethical failures begin gradually, not with one obvious wrong decision. Drawing on the events leading up to the Challenger tragedy, Mike explores how pressure, culture and repeated small deviations can shift standards over time, helping leaders recognise ethical drift and act before it becomes consequential.
Mike Ciannilli is a former NASA Test Director and mission leader who spent 30 years working in America’s space program. As a NASA Test Director, he led 21 Space Shuttle launch countdowns and supported 58 missions, operating in an environment where technical complexity, intense time pressure and human lives converged. Today, he translates that experience into practical lessons on preventing repeat failure, decision-making under pressure, organisational risk and leadership in high-consequence environments.
As a professional speaker, media commentator and consultant, Mike works with governmental and commercial organisations around the world. His keynotes explore how capable teams and organisations can drift towards preventable mistakes, how lessons can fade under pressure, and how leaders can strengthen communication, decision-making and organisational culture before consequences appear. He also works across film, television, live news, podcasts, print and radio, turning complex topics into clear and compelling stories.
During the final decade of his NASA career, Mike created and led NASA’s Apollo Challenger Columbia Lessons Learned Program (ACCLLP), using events, media productions, storytelling and collaborations to ensure the lessons of failure were understood and applied across NASA’s programs and missions. His work influenced decision-making across NASA and contractor leadership and supported the development of a workforce culture focused on safety and mission success.
Mike also led the Columbia Research and Preservation Office and the Space Shuttle Challenger Recovery Office, overseeing the preservation and protection of fallen Space Shuttle artifacts and recovery efforts. In 2003, during the Columbia accident recovery, he flew extensively onboard helicopters across Texas, leading air search operations to find and bring Columbia and her crew home.
He also led the creation and development of the internationally recognised Forever Remembered exhibit at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, which serves as the nation’s memorial to the fallen crews of the Space Shuttle Columbia and Challenger tragedies.
Mike served nine years as a NASA Test Director for the Space Shuttle Program at Kennedy Space Center, with responsibility for Space Shuttle orbiter and ground support systems and leading launch teams through countdown activities. He also served as Landing Recovery Director, leading contingency operations during launch countdown and landing activities, including flight crew recovery.
Before joining NASA in 2005, Mike spent eight years with United Space Alliance as a Test Project Engineer, leading testing and engineering integration across Space Shuttle processing, launch and post-flight operations. He was also part of the engineering leadership team for Space Shuttle Columbia, led high-fidelity launch countdown simulations and worked as a fuel cell system engineer.
Mike has received numerous awards throughout his career, including a Silver Snoopy, NASA Exceptional Service Medal, NASA Quest Outreach Award, Launch and Landing Leadership Award, Launch Countdown Simulation Contingency Leadership Award and Columbia Recovery Team Award.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in space science from the Florida Institute of Technology.
Tell us about your event, one of our consultants will reach out within 24 hours.
You can book Mike Ciannilli through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with Mike's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.
Mike Ciannilli's speaking fees depend on the event format (in-person or virtual), the location, the length of the engagement and the level of customisation required. Please contact London Speaker Bureau for an up-to-date fee quote for Mike tailored to your event.
Mike Ciannilli speaks on Business & Management, Change, Leadership, Organisation, Performance. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with Mike to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book Mike Ciannilli for events worldwide, subject to Mike's schedule. Please send us your event date, location and format and we will confirm availability and handle travel and logistics on your behalf.
Virtual and hybrid keynotes are now a standard part of the speaking industry. Please contact London Speaker Bureau to confirm whether Mike Ciannilli is available to deliver a virtual session for your event and on which platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, a bespoke studio or your own).
Most keynote speeches run between 45 and 60 minutes, often followed by a 15-30 minute Q&A. Other formats - shorter conference slots, panel appearances or longer workshop sessions - may also be possible. Share your agenda with London Speaker Bureau and we will confirm what Mike can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief Mike Ciannilli on your audience profile, sector and objectives so the keynote can be shaped around your event. The level of customisation possible depends on the speaker and the lead time - contact us with your brief and we will confirm what Mike can offer.
Mike Ciannilli delivers keynotes in English. This profile may not list every language available; ask London Speaker Bureau to confirm. If you require simultaneous interpretation or a multilingual format, please mention this in your enquiry and London Speaker Bureau will arrange it for you.
Mike Ciannilli's areas of expertise include Business & Management, Change, Leadership, Organisation, Performance. To get a clear sense of Mike's style, credentials and how they engage an audience, please review the biography, popular talks and any videos or testimonials shown on this page, or request a detailed speaker brief from London Speaker Bureau.
Mike Ciannilli can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in Business & Management, Change, Leadership, Organisation, Performance is relevant. Details of Mike's background and previous engagements are included in the biography above; contact us if you would like a more detailed list of past clients or case studies.
Beyond keynote speeches, many of the speakers on our roster also take part in workshops, executive masterclasses, panel discussions and fireside chats. Contact London Speaker Bureau with your preferred format and we will confirm what Mike Ciannilli is able to offer alongside or instead of a keynote.
We generally recommend enquiring at least three to twelve months in advance to secure your preferred date with Mike Ciannilli, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Mike's current availability for your dates.