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Philip E. "Pepper" Phillips
Program Manager
Ground Systems Development and Operations Program
Philip E. "Pepper" Phillips was named the program manager of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Ground Systems Development and Operations Program in June 2011. His program is responsible for the planning and development of the required facilities; the ground systems; the test and verification; the logistics; and the prelaunch, launch and recovery operations for NASA's Space Launch System/Orion Multi-purpose Crew Vehicle, as well as providing multiuse infrastructure to enable commercial and other government spacecraft and launch providers. He is responsible for managing a program organization that includes over 440 civil service and 1,100 contractor employees.
Prior to his current assignment, Phillips served as the director of the Constellation Project Office in support of the agency's Constellation Program. His organization was responsible for the planning and development of the required facilities; the ground systems; the test and verification; the logistics; and the prelaunch, launch, and recovery operations for NASA's lunar/Mars human exploration program. He held the deputy director position prior to his assignment as the director.
Phillips also served as deputy director of Kennedy's Shuttle Processing Directorate. The directorate's responsibilities included processing and launching three space shuttles -- Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour -- and managing a work force of approximately 5,400 civil service and contractor employees. In this capacity, he served as the alternate technical manager representative (TMR) for the Space Program Operations Contract at Kennedy.
Phillips' career with NASA began at Kennedy in 1987. Over the years, he held numerous positions of increased responsibilities. He was a NASA test director, convoy commander, NASA vehicle manager for Endeavour, chief of the Process and Analysis Branch, flow director for Endeavour, and chief of the Shuttle Processing Business Office. Phillips served two six-month details away from Kennedy: one at Johnson Space Center in the Shuttle Program Office, and one at NASA Headquarters in the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance.
NASA has rewarded Phillips' service with several distinguished awards including the Meritorious Presidential Rank Award, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, the astronaut corp's Silver Snoopy Award, and several Kennedy Certificates of Commendation and Achievement.
Phillips graduated from Astronaut High School in Titusville, Fla., and received a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from the University of Alabama in 1985. In 1996, he earned a Master of Science in engineering management from the University of Central Florida. Phillips currently resides in Viera with his wife, Stacie.
September 2012
Biographies - Current Employees