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Space Operations Mission Directorate

The Space Operations Mission Directorate maintains a continuous human presence in space for the benefit of people on Earth.

Encyclopedia
Updated Jun 20, 2023
NASA astronaut and Expedition 68 Flight Engineer Nicole Mann is pictured in her Extravehicular Mobility Unit, or spacesuit, during her second spacewalk
NASA astronaut and Expedition 68 Flight Engineer Nicole Mann is pictured in her Extravehicular Mobility Unit, or spacesuit, during her second spacewalk. She and fellow spacewalker Koichi Wakata (out of frame) of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) installed a modification kit on the International Space Station's starboard truss structure that will enable the future installation of the orbiting lab's next roll-out solar array.

Contents

Overview

In September 2021, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced the agency was creating two new mission directorates that would best position the agency for the next 20 years. The move separated the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate into the new Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate and Space Operations Mission Directorate.

NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate is responsible for enabling sustained human exploration missions and operations in our solar system.

Space Operations manages NASA’s current and future space operations in and beyond low Earth orbit, including commercial launch services to the International Space Station. The directorate operates and maintains exploration systems, develops and operates space transportation systems, and performs broad scientific research on orbit. In addition, Space Operations is responsible for managing the space transportation services for NASA and NASA-sponsored payloads that require orbital launch, and the agency’s space communications and navigation services supporting all NASA’s space systems currently in orbit.

The Space Operations Mission Directorate organization chart. At the top is the Office of the Associate Administrator and the Cross-Directorate Technical Integration boxes. Below the Office of the Associate Administrator box are seven boxes: Strategic Integration & Management Division, Resources Management Office, Space Communications & Navigation Division, Launch Services Office, Commercial Space Division, International Space Station Division, and Human Spaceflight Capabilities Division. Beneath the Launch Services Office is one box, the Launch Services Program at KSC. Beneath the Commercial Space Division box are two boxes: the Commercial Crew Program at KSC and the Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program at JSC. Beneath the International Space Station Division box are two boxes: the ISS National Laboratory Interface Managed by ISSNL Program Executive at HQ and CATO at JSC; and the International Space Station Program at JSC. Finally, beneath the Human Spaceflight Capabilities Division box are two boxes: the Rocket Propulsion Test Program at SSC and the Human Research Program at JSC.
The Space Operations Mission Directorate organization chart.
NASA
Did You Know?

Since inception, NASA has selected 360 astronaut candidates: 299 men, 61 women; 212 military, 138 civilians; 191 pilots, 159 non-pilots.

The seven-member Expedition 66 crew poses for a portrait

Leadership

Division/Office Leads

  • Deputy Associate Administrator of Space Communications and Navigation Division: Kevin Coggins
  • Director, Launch Services Office: Bradley Smith
  • Director, Human Spaceflight Capabilities Division: Benjy Neumann
  • Director, International Space Station Division: Robyn Gatens
  • Director, Commercial Spaceflight Division: Phil McAlister
  • Director, Strategic Integration & Management Division: Vacant
  • Director, Resources Management Office: Elaine Slaugh

Explore More

Space Operations Mission Directorate

Humans In Space

Communicating with Missions

Human Research in Space

Commercial Space

Launch Services Program