NASA has selected five new flight directors to manage International Space Station (ISS) operations. Anthony Vareha, Mary Lawrence, Rick Henfling, Timothy Creamer and Vincent LaCourt join a select group of human space exploration leaders.
NASA's flight directors lead teams of flight controllers, research and engineering experts and support personnel around the world from within the Christopher C. Kraft Jr. Mission Control Center at NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston. They also are involved in space station cargo and crew vehicle integration and developing plans for future exploration missions.
"I am very proud to announce these new additions to our flight director team," said Brian Kelly, Flight Operations director. "There were many outstanding candidates who applied, which is a great indication of the tremendous talent we have supporting human spaceflight at the JSC Space Center and agency wide."
These newest five flight directors will oversee teams of human spaceflight engineers and experts carrying out current and future human exploration missions. They will oversee U.S. commercial cargo spacecraft and American Commercial Crew Program transports now under development as they arrive at and depart from the space station.
They will help ensure the crews of the orbiting laboratory have what they need to conduct scientific research providing real benefits to people on Earth and allowing NASA to be better prepared for long-duration exploration in deep space as it develops the Orion spacecraft and its Space Launch System (SLS).
These five also will protect and assist crew members as they demonstrate cutting-edge technologies aboard the space station that will help NASA and America on its journey to Mars and beyond.
"This group of new flight directors represent an amazing wealth of operational experience and demonstrated leadership," said Norm Knight, chief flight director. "The critical role of flight director cannot be understated and I could not be prouder to have them join our team."
Following completion of training and certification, NASA will have 27 active flight directors supporting the space station, exploration, commercial spaceflights and new technology demonstration initiatives. Before this newest selection, 86 people had served as NASA flight directors throughout the more than 50 years of human spaceflight.
