Anthony Bartolone

Tony Bartolone is a launch project engineer (LPE) within the Vehicle Integration Office of the Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) Program at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In this capacity, he serves as a lead for the operations project engineers (OPE) team who staff the integration console throughout the testing and processing of the Artemis launch vehicle and spacecraft.

The integration console is made up of a team of engineers specializing in different disciplines of launch operations and working together to monitor the health of the Space Launch System rocket and ground support equipment. As an LPE, Bartolone is responsible for integrating with the various engineering discipline experts within the firing room, as well as the support teams from other NASA centers and contractors. Together, they diagnose, troubleshoot, and attempt to resolve issues and anomalies that may occur on any of the various flight or ground elements.

Experience

Prior to becoming an LPE, Bartolone served within the OPE Office as the lead launch integration OPE in support of the Artemis Program. The launch integration OPE team was responsible for the development of the launch commit criteria and other unique operations requirements and procedures necessary to safely and successfully launch the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft.

Before joining the Artemis OPE Office, he worked as the lead external tank and solid rocket booster project engineer (ET/SRB PE) at Kennedy for the final 26 missions of the Space Shuttle Program. He is a veteran of the firing room, having supported on console for more than two dozen launches as the space shuttle flew into history. During his tenure as the lead ET/SRB PE, Bartolone led multiple high-visibility issue resolution teams, including the ground umbilical carrier plate hydrogen leak investigation and ET inter-tank stringer crack investigation. 

He began his career at NASA’s Langley Research Center, working as a flight test engineer evaluating the efficacy of synthetic vision systems in general aviation aircraft. During his time at Langley, he supported multiple aircraft simulator and flight test research experiments with commercial pilots as they gauged this revolutionary flight information methodology’s ability to enhance safety and airspace efficiency.

Awards

Through his career, he has earned various awards from the agency for his technical leadership, including the Silver Snoopy Award for his contributions to ensure astronaut safety and mission success. 

Education

He graduated from John S. Burke Catholic High School before attending Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in aerospace engineering in 1999, followed by a Master of Science in human factors and systems engineering in 2003.

Personal

Bartolone was born in Newburgh, New York, and grew up in the Hudson River Valley just north of New York City. He currently lives in Merritt Island, Florida, with his wife and daughter.

Biography last updated February 2023