Ken Smith
Ken Smith has supported NASA’s flight operations since 1996. Ken supported 60 Shuttle missions in the Mission Control Center (MCC) before transitioning to Mechanical Power Officer (MPO), becoming a team lead in 2016. Ken’s MPO team are the flight controllers and instructors responsible for electrical power systems, pyrotechnics, parachutes, airbags, and docking systems. He leads the team in mission rehearsals, simulations, and real-time flight operations, and he also teaches the Starliner crew members ordnance and landing system skills. Ken supported Pad Abort Test and the Operational Flight Test (OFT) mission as Ascent/Entry MPO, and the Ascent, Entry and Docking shifts for OFT-2. He received a Silver Snoopy award from the crew for his contributions to Starliner mission success. For the upcoming CFT mission, Ken is the Ascent/Entry MPO, responsible for running the MPO console during those phases of flight from the MCC. Ken and his team are looking forward to a safe and successful first crewed mission for Starliner!