James W. Eastman
NASA Armstrong Associate Director for Mission Support (Acting)
Contents
James W. Eastman is the acting associate director for Mission Support at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. He is responsible for the center’s acquisition, transportation, logistics, facility maintenance and engineering, human resources, protective services, and export control in support of the center’s mission to advance science and technology through flight.
Experience
Prior to his current role, Eastman was the associate director for NASA’s Research Centers Procurement Office. From March 2024 to March 2025, he worked to integrate procurement offices at NASA’s Armstrong, Ames, Langley, and Glenn research centers, overseeing training and facilitating staffing schedules.
Eastman served as NASA Armstrong’s chief procurement officer from August 2012 to March 2024. He oversaw functional planning, guidance, and management of the center’s procurement activities and administrative management of the office’s procurement staff. The center’s Procurement Office acquires goods and services in accordance with all statutes, rules, regulations, and policies applicable to NASA Armstrong, supports center organizations in the procurement process, and supports the mission and the goals established through the NASA strategic planning process.
Before joining NASA in 2012, Eastman was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force in 1990 from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Air Force Reserve Officer Training program. He held a variety of contracting positions ranging from contract administrator to procurement contracting officer, and contracting squadron commander. His responsibilities included acquiring technical services, research and development and space program procurement. Eastman retired from the Air Force with the rank of lieutenant colonel in July 2012 after 22 years of active-duty service.
Education
Eastman received a Bachelor of Science in aeronautical studies and management in 1990 from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a master’s degree in procurement and acquisition management in 1995 from Webster University.