Chris Gerace

Chris Gerace is the manager of the Integrated Performance Office of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. CCP is working with the American aerospace industry to develop safe, reliable and cost-effective crew transportation systems for low-Earth orbit destinations, including the International Space Station.

His current role includes prioritizing, planning, tracking and integrating all activities related to certifying the integrated performance of the Boeing and SpaceX crew transportation system designs for the Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contracts. He oversees resources and coordinates with other CCP system offices and support teams for the overall certification effort.

Experience

Prior to his current assignment, Gerace was the deputy manager of CCP’s Systems Engineering and Integration Office. In that post, he was responsible for the development of requirements related to the transportation of crews to the space station.

Before joining CCP, he was chief of the Flight Structures Branch for NASA’s Launch Services Program. He led the analysis team for more than a dozen missions launched by NASA, including missions to Mars, Pluto and into Earth orbit.

Awards

Gerace has received numerous awards during his tenure with the space agency, including Group Achievement awards, NASA Commendation awards and the NASA Medal for Exceptional Achievement.

Education

Gerace attended Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh where he received a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering. He later attended the University of Denver and the University of Central Florida, receiving a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Engineering Management respectively.

Biography last updated August 2017