David J. Mangus was a Senior Aerospace Engineer at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center who earned NASA's highest award. The Distinguished Service Medal. A much respected and sought-after specialist in Attitude and Control, he was affectionately known as the "Satellite Doctor."

Dave played an integral role in many scientific missions over the course of his career, including, but not limited to, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES), Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), Television InfraRed Observational Satellite (TIROS), Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE), Space Technology 5 (ST5), and the Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite (ICESat).

Among his favorite early career accomplishments was his work with the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO) mission. Dave was instrumental in all phases, including the original design and launch, two orbital re-boosts which extended the collection of scientific data by many years, and finally in GRO's successful reentry, which was the world's first controlled reentry of a spacecraft in orbit.

Many were the times that colleagues waited patiently in the halls outside Dave’s office, talking in small groups, but essentially on line to consult with him. Project heads pressed to get him on their teams. Dave also felt a deep commitment to mentoring student interns and received awards for his
efforts. Additionally he was involved with the International Space Debris
Conference and served as an expert NASA consultant on international projects.

Dave received numerous awards over the years. Three of the most significant
include:
Exceptional Engineering Achievement Medal. "For outstanding attitude control system engineering support to NASA flight projects." May 8, 2008.
Robert H. Goddard Award of Merit - civil servant. Highest award given at Goddard Space Flight Center. "For over 25 years of outstanding contributions to a myriad of NASA missions." April 9, 2013.

The Distinguished Service Medal. This is the highest award given at NASA.
"For a long and successful career enabling NASA missions as a spacecraft dynamicist, attitude control specialist, and "satellite doctor." July 18, 2013.

The NASA Distinguished Service Medal is awarded to those who display distinguished service, ability, or vision, and have personally made a contribution representing substantial progress to NASA's advancement of United States' interests. The individual's achievement or contribution must demonstrate a level of excellence that has made a profound or indelible impact on NASA mission success, and therefore, the contribution is so extraordinary that other forms of recognition by NASA would be inadequate.