Jim Cast
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                                                 
July 1, 1994
(Phone:  202/358-1779)

RELEASE:  94-108

ARNOLD ALDRICH RETIRES

 Arnold D. Aldrich, NASA Associate Administrator for Space 
Systems Development, is retiring effective July 3, after 35-years 
of service to the Agency.

 Aldrich joined NASA in 1959 and held a number of significant 
flight operations and project management positions at the Johnson 
Space Center and its predecessor organizations during the Mercury, 
Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz and Space Shuttle programs.

 In 1986 he was named Director of the National Space 
Transportation System (Space Shuttle Program) in Washington where 
he led the entire range of recovery activities required to return 
the Shuttle fleet to flight following the Challenger accident.  He 
subsequently served as Associate Administrator for Aeronautics, 
Exploration and Technology, where he provided leadership for 
advancement of technologies for civil aviation, military aviation 
and for future space missions.

 In his current assignment, Aldrich has led a number of NASA's 
large space flight system programs including Space Station 
Freedom, the Advanced Solid Rocket Motor and the National Launch 
System.  He also has directed a wide range of advanced programs in 
support of future space flight requirements and was the architect 
and Program Manager of the first contract between NASA and an 
organization in the Russian Federation.

 Mr. Aldrich is a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics 
and Astronautics, a Fellow of the American Astronautical Society 
and a corresponding member of the International Academy of 
Astronautics.  He has earned numerous honors including the 
Presidential Rank of Distinguished Executive, the Presidential 
Rank of Meritorious Executive (twice), the NASA Distinguished 
Service Medal (three times), the Northeastern University 
Outstanding Alumni Award, the Arthur S. Fleming Award, the NASA 
Outstanding Leadership Medal, the VFW Aviation and Space Award, 
the AIAA Space Systems Award and the NASA Exceptional Service 
Award.

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 Following his retirement from NASA, Mr. Aldrich will join the 
Lockheed Missiles and Space Company, Sunnyvale, Calif., as a vice 
president for commercial space programs.

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