NASA Senior Leadership
The National Aeronautics and Space Act, the United States federal statute that created NASA, was signed into law on July 29, 1958. President Eisenhower commissioned T. Keith Glennan (right) as NASA’s first administrator and Dr. Hugh L. Dryden as deputy administrator.
The NASA History Office gathers first-hand experiences through oral history interviews from a variety of individuals serving in the NASA and contractor work force, eliciting details of procedures, processes, methodologies, rationale, and background of operations. The following interviews are an attempt to document the experiences of NASA’s senior leadership, their personal histories, the lessons learned, their thoughts on NASA’s past, and the decisions made that have directed NASA’s priorities over the years and continue to do so into the future. This effort is ongoing.
Positions and titles listed reflect the senior positions that the subject held at a NASA Center or NASA Headquarters.
Oral Histories with
NASA Senior Leadership
| Name | Interview Date(s) | Positions/Titles |
|---|---|---|
| James A. Abrahamson | 7/23/12 | Associate Administrator, Space Shuttle Program |
| Arnold D. Aldrich | 6/4/00 5/24/02 4/28/08 | Director, National Space Transportation System Associate Administrator, Office of Aeronautics and Space Exploration Associate Administrator, Office of Space Systems Challenger Accident Lessons Learned by A. D. Aldrich |
| Edward C. “Pete” Aldridge | 5/29/09 | USAF-NASA Liaison; Chairman, Commission on the Implementation of U.S. Exploration Policy |
| James M. Beggs | 3/7/02 | Assistant Administrator, Office of Advanced Research and Technology; NASA Administrator |
| Jeff M. Bingham | 11/9/06 | Senior Adviser for Space, Aeronautics and Related Sciences, Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee |
| Charles F. Bolden | 1/6/04 1/15/04 | NASA Administrator |
| Robert D. Cabana | 7/15/15 (ISS) 7/15/15 11/17/15 4/28/17 | Director, Human Space Flight Programs, Russia; Deputy Program Manager, ISS; Director, FCOD; Deputy Director, Johnson Space Center; Director, Stennis Space Center; Director, Kennedy Space Center; NASA Associate Administrator |
| Frank J. Cepollina | 6/11/13 | Goddard Space Flight Center Associate Director, Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office |
| Mary L. Cleave | 3/5/02 | Deputy Associate Administrator, Earth Science |
| Lynn F. H. Cline | 3/17/16 | International Affairs Officer; Deputy Director, International Relations; Director of Space Flight, Office of External Relations; Deputy Assistant Administrator, External Relations; Deputy Associate Administrator, Space Flight |
| Michael L. Coats | 1/4/08 4/16/08 11/9/12 7/14/15 8/5/15 9/14/15 | Director, Johnson Space Center |
| Robert W. Cobb | 3/20/07 | NASA Inspector General |
| Mark K. Craig | 3/24/06 4/11/06 5/2/06 | Deputy Center Director and Acting Center Director, Stennis Space Center |
| John R. Dailey | 7/24/12 | Director, National Air and Space Museum; Acting Associate Deputy Administrator |
| Shana L. Dale | 9/11/07 | NASA Deputy Administrator |
| Alphonso V. Diaz | 4/12/17 6/6/17 | NASA Chief Engineer; Deputy Director and Director, Goddard Space Flight Center; NASA Associate Administrator of Science |
| Julian M. Earls | 2/22/06 2/23/06 | Director, Office of Health Services; Assistant Deputy Director, Business Resources Development; Director and Chief Information Officer, Administration and Computer Services; Deputy Director, Operations; Deputy Director and Director, Glenn Research Center (Lewis Research Center) |
| Charles Elachi | 4/23/07 | Director, Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
| Harold B Finger | 5/16/02 | Assistant Director, Nuclear Propulsion, Launch Vehicle Programs Directorate; Director, Nuclear Systems, Office of Advanced Research and Technology (OART); Division Director, Nuclear Systems and Space Power, OART; Manager, Joint Atomic Energy Commission-NASA Space Nuclear Propulsion Office; Associate Administrator, Organization and Management |
| Lennard A. Fisk | 9/8/10 9/9/10 | Chief Scientist, Associate Administrator of Space Science and Applications |
| Stephen M. Francois | 7/22/08 | Deputy, Shuttle Payload Operations Directorate; Director, Space Station and Shuttle Payloads; Program Manager, Launch Services Program |
| Edward A. Frankle | 11/18/03 | Chief Counsel, Goddard Space Flight Center; NASA Deputy General Counsel and General Counsel |
| Arnold W. Frutkin | 1/11/02 3/8/02 | NASA Assistant Administrator for International Affairs |
| William H. Gerstenmaier | 9/22/98 1/10/08 6/12/13 6/7/17 7/9/21 | Manager, Shuttle/Mir Program Operations; Manager, Space Shuttle Program Integration; Manager, International Space Station Program; Associate Administrator for Space Operations Directorate; Associate Administrator, Human Exploration and Operations Directorate |
| Rex D. Geveden | 3/20/07 | NASA Associate Administrator |
| Richard J. Gilbrech | 3/6/07 | Director, Stennis Space Center |
| Daniel S. Goldin | 9/21/13 | NASA Administrator |
| James L. Green | 4/11/17 6/7/17 | Director of the Planetary Science Division NASA Chief Scientist |
| Frederick D. Gregory | 4/29/04 3/14/05 4/18/06 | NASA Associate Administrator, Office of Safety and Mission Assurance; NASA Associate Administrator, Office of Space Flight; NASA Deputy Administrator |
| Gerald D. Griffin | 3/12/99 | NASA Assistant Administrator, Legislative Affairs; NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for Space Flight Operations; Deputy Director, Dryden Flight Research Center and Kennedy Space Center; NASA Associate Administrator, External Relations; Director, Johnson Space Center |
| Michael D. Griffin | 9/10/07 1/12/13 | NASA Administrator |
| N. Wayne Hale | 4/14/08 4/23/14 5/28/14 | Director, Space Shuttle Program; Deputy Program Administrator, Strategic Partnerships |
| John F. Hall | 7/19/17 8/4/17 | Senior Counsel, International and Commercial Space Programs; Administrator, Export Control; Manager, International Technology Transfer Policy; Director, Export Control and Interagency Liaison |
| W. Michael Hawes | 7/12/17 8/1/18 11/28/18 | Deputy Associate Administrator, International Space Station; Program Director, International Space Station; Deputy Associate Administrator for Program Integration, Office of Space Operations; Vice President and Orion Program Manager, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company |
| Noel W. Hinners | 8/18/10 8/19/10 | Deputy Director, Lunar Programs, Office of Space Science; Associate Administrator for Space Science; Director, National Air and Space Museum; Director, Goddard Space Flight Center; Associate Deputy Administrator, Chief Scientist |
| Jay F. Honeycutt | 3/22/00 | Director, Kennedy Space Center |
| Scott J. Horowitz | 3/19/07 | NASA Associate Administrator, Exploration Systems Mission Directorate |
| Jefferson D. Howell | 7/9/15 7/10/15 | Director, Johnson Space Center |
| G. Scott Hubbard | 8/22/17 8/20/18 11/13/18 | Founding Director, NASA Astrobiology Institute First Mars Program Director Director, NASA Ames Research Center |
| Carolyn Huntoon | 6/5/02 4/21/08 | Director, NASA Johnson Space Center; Director, Space and Life Sciences; Associate Center Director; Member, Astronaut Selection Boards; Special Technical Assistant to Director |
| Wesley T. Huntress | 1/9/03 | Deputy Director, Earth Science and Applications Division; Director, Solar System Exploration Division; Associate Administrator, Space Science |
| Harriet G. Jenkins | 8/5/11 | NASA Assistant Administrator, Equal Opportunity Programs |
| Jeffrey T. Jezierski | 3/20/07 | NASA Deputy Chief of Staff and White House Liaison |
| Stephen G. Jurczyk | 9/22/21 | NASA Associate Administrator; NASA Acting Administrator |
| Charles F. Kennel | 4/29/02 | NASA Associate Administrator, NASA Mission to Planet Earth Enterprise; NASA Advisory Council |
| David A. King | 5/4/07 | Director, Marshall Space Flight Center |
| Alan Ladwig | 4/11/17 6/7/17 | Director of Special Projects, Office of Exploration; Associate Administrator, Office of Policy and Plans; Deputy Associate Administrator for Communications, Public Outreach |
| Robert M. Lightfoot | 6/22/18 7/26/18 12/18/18 | Assistant Associate Administrator, Space Shuttle Program; Manager, Shuttle Propulsion Office; Marshal Space Flight Center Deputy Director, and Center Director; NASA Associate Administrator and NASA Acting Administrator |
| Alan M. Lovelace | 7/14/11 | Associate Administrator, NASA Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology; NASA Deputy Administrator; NASA Acting Administrator |
| Kathryn L. Lueders | 4/17/13 6/29/21 | Associate Administrator, Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate |
| George E. Mueller | 8/27/98 1/20/99 | Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight |
| Daniel R. Mulville | 6/13/13 | Deputy Director, Materials and Structures Division, Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology; Director, Engineering and Quality Management Division, Safety and Mission Assurance; Chief Engineer; NASA Associate Deputy Administrator; NASA Acting Administrator |
| Dale D. Myers | 3/26/98 3/5/99 | Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight NASA Deputy Administrator |
| Michael F. O’Brien | 3/21/07 3/29/17 | NASA Assistant Administrator, External Relations |
| Ellen Ochoa | 6/13/17 8/22/17 12/12/17 5/15/18 | Deputy Director and Director, Johnson Space Center |
| Bryan D. O’Connor | 3/17/04 4/20/06 9/18/06 3/19/07 3/24/10 8/3/11 12/28/12 | NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for Space Flight; Deputy Director, Space Station Redesign; Space Station Program Transition Director; Director, Space Shuttle Program; NASA Associate Administrator, Office of Safety and Mission Assurance; Ex-Officio Member, Space Shuttle Mishap Interagency Investigation |
| Sean O’Keefe | 3/21/13 9/23/14 | NASA Administrator |
| N. Scott Pace | 3/21/07 | NASA Associate Administrator, Program Analysis and Evaluation |
| William W. Parsons | 6/1/07 6/1/07 | Director, Kennedy Space Center |
| Kevin L. Petersen | 12/4/07 | Director, Dryden Flight Research Center |
| Sally K. Ride | 10/22/02 12/6/02 | Special Assistant to the Administrator for Strategic Planning Assistant Administrator, Office of Exploration |
| Lesa B. Roe | 7/20/18 10/30/18 11/1/07 | Deputy Center Director and Center Director, Langley Research Center; NASA Deputy Associate Administrator, Acting Deputy Administrator |
| Joseph H. Rothenberg | 3/12/04 | Deputy Center Director and Center Director, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center; NASA Associate Administrator, Office of Space Flight |
| Melanie W. Saunders | 8/6/15 11/4/21 | NASA Deputy Associate Administrator; NASA Chief Resilience Officer, Future of Work Program |
| Charles H. Scales | 11/6/07 | NASA Associate Deputy Administrator |
| Christopher J. Scolese | 11/13/07 | NASA Associate Administrator/Chief Engineer |
| John P. Shannon | 4/16/08 | Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration |
| Gabe Sherman | 6/23/21 | NASA Deputy Chief of Staff; NASA Chief of Staff |
| Jaiwon Shin | 6/25/08 | NASA Associate Administrator, Aeronautics |
| Robert E. Smylie | 4/17/99 | Associate Administrator for Space Tracking and Data Systems; Deputy/Acting Director, Goddard Space Flight Center |
| Josie A. Soper | 4/19/06 | NASA Headquarters Administrative Support, Public Affairs, Legislative Affairs, Office of the Administrator |
| Courtney A. Stadd | 1/7/03 1/8/03 11/19/03 6/6/17 | NASA Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of Advanced Concepts and Technology, and Special Assistant to the Administrator, Head, Presidential Transition Team, December 2000; NASA Chief of Staff and White House Liaison |
| Thomas P. Stafford | 10/15/97 4/23/15 | Advisor, NASA Headquarters; Member, Space Policy Advisory Board; Member, National Research Council’s Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board; Member, Committee on NASA Scientific and Technological Program Reviews; Chairman, Synthesis Group, NASA Outreach Program; Chairman, Operations Oversight Committee of the first Hubble Telescope Spacecraft Servicing and Repair Mission |
| S. Alan Stern | 4/15/08 | NASA Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate |
| Brock R. Stone | 10/18/06 10/31/06 11/14/06 1/30/07 | Deputy Director, Johnson Space Center |
| J.R. Thompson | 4/29/02 5/13/11 | Director, Marshall Space Flight Center; NASA Deputy Administrator, NASA Headquarters |
| Sumara Thompson-King | 3/19/13 3/4/15 4/24/15 | NASA General Counsel |
| Richard H. Truly | 6/16/03 | NASA Associate Administrator for Space Flight; NASA Administrator |
| Edward J. Weiler | 10/31/07 4/4/17 | Director, Astronomical Search for Origins Program NASA Associate Administrator, Space Science Enterprise; Director, Goddard Space Flight Center; NASA Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate |
| Woodrow W. Whitlow | 5/9/07 | Director, Glenn Research Center |
| Terrence W. Wilcutt | 7/1/15 10/19/15 1/21/16 | Chief, NASA Office of Safety and Mission Assurance |
| S. Pete Worden | 12/3/07 | Director, Ames Research Center |
| A. Thomas Young | 6/10/13 | NASA Headquarters Director, Planetary Program; Deputy Director, Ames Research Center; Director, Goddard Space Flight Center |
Interviews with NASA’s Senior Leadership
NASA at 50
The 50th anniversary of NASA on 1 October 2008 found an agency in the midst of deep transition. In the closing year of the presidency of George W. Bush, only a month before the presidential election and in the middle of a worldwide economic crisis, the Agency was implementing a new Vision for Space Exploration intended to return humans to the Moon, to proceed onward to Mars, and to study the cosmos beyond. At the same time NASA was ramping down the Space Shuttle Program that had been the centerpiece of human spaceflight for three decades and ramping up a new program known collectively as Constellation. To capture some of the decisions made during this time, the History Division at NASA Headquarters commissioned a series of oral history interviews with NASA senior management. The interviews and the resulting book, "NASA at 50, Interviews with NASA's Senior Leadership," provide a snapshot of the thinking of NASA senior leadership on the occasion of its 50th anniversary and in the midst of these sea changes. It is all the more valuable from an historical point of view because of the large changes that have again taken place since the 50th anniversary.
Download and read the book
President George W. Bush announces his new Vision for Space Exploration, along with NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe, at NASA Headquarters, January 14, 2004.
Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images
More NASA Oral Histories
Discovery and New Frontiers Oral Histories
The NASA History Office is currently collecting oral history interviews to document the experiences of individuals who have dedicated their time and expertise to the Discovery and New Frontiers planetary exploration missions, including lessons learned, science objectives and methodologies, mission proposal processes, team dynamics, and management decisions.
Read the oral histories about Discovery and New Frontiers Oral Histories
