Paul Sierpinski

Paul Sierpinski is an assistant NASA recovery director with the Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) program at NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Prior to this, Sierpinski served as a NASA test director with EGS, planning and executing test events for Artemis missions and managing the test team in the Launch Control Center Firing Room 1 for day-to-day EGS processing activities. He also coordinated all activities within and pertaining to recovery of the Orion crew module into the well deck of a U.S. Navy ship following splashdown of Artemis missions.

Most recently Sierpinski was the NTD for major processing milestones and test events for the Artemis I mission, final vehicle configurations for countdown to wet dress rehearsals 1 and 2, tanking test, all launch attempts and launch. He interfaced with the Department of Defense Human Space Flight Support Detachment 3 to coordinate operational details for the Artemis I Orion crew module recovery.

Experience

Prior to the Artemis I mission, Sierpinski worked with contractors and various NASA centers to develop and execute verification and validation testing of the Crew Module Training Article for use in future rescue and recovery training.

Sierpinski joined NASA in January 2021. Previously, he was a U.S. Navy flight test engineer and graduated from its test pilot school.

During the Space Shuttle Program, Sierpinski worked for United Space Alliance as an external tank mechanical engineer and for Lockheed Martin in external tank launch support services. He was a subject-matter expert for all external tank move and mate operations, served as an external tank thermal protection system engineer, and was on the space shuttle final inspection team for STS-117 and STS-118.

Education

Sierpinski earned a Bachelor of Science in aerospace engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2003 and a master’s in mechanical engineering from the Florida Institute of Technology in 2007.

Awards

He is the recipient of several awards, including the NASA Kennedy Silver Dollar Award, as well as group achievement awards for his work on the alternate external tank offload working group and for the external tank return to flight effort following the Columbia mishap. Sierpinski also received a Launch Director’s Award for remotely identifying a broken panel on the external tank gaseous oxygen vent arm that was allowing vapor to escape the vent system and letting moisture in during a space shuttle terminal count.

Personal

Sierpinski is originally from Brooklyn, New York, and currently resides in Merritt Island, Florida, with his wife, Susie, and son, James. They have a dog named Rocky and have fostered several other dogs.

In addition to being a pilot, he enjoys scuba diving, hiking, camping, cycling, and reading.

Biography last updated February 2024