NASA names leaders for new safety center
NASA NEWS RELEASE
Posted: November 15, 2003

NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe announced the team that will lead the new NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC).

The NESC is an independent organization, chartered in the wake of the Space Shuttle Columbia accident, which will coordinate and conduct robust engineering testing and safety assessments to support critical NASA projects and programs.

"I based the NASA Engineering and Safety Center at the agency's original field center, the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, and I tasked Langley's Director Roy Bridges to get it up and running," said Administrator O'Keefe. "Roy has assembled a dynamic group of recognized experts in the fields of engineering analysis and risk mitigation, and the NESC is open for business."

Ralph Roe Jr. is the Director of the NESC. Roe is a former manager of the Space Shuttle vehicle engineering office at the NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston. The Deputy Director is Dr. Paul M. Munafo, former manager of materials, processes and manufacturing at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), Huntsville, Ala. The Deputy Director for Safety is Larry Crawford, former director of research engineering at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif.

"Their combined 90-plus years of experience in engineering, engineering analyses and problem resolution will ensure the agency is bolstering its assessment capability and strengthening safety policies, processes and analysis capabilities as recommended by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board," Bridges said.

Roe began his NASA career as a propulsion-system test engineer at the NASA Kennedy Space Center, Fla., and later became Space Shuttle launch director. Under Munafo's leadership, MSFC achieved a national reputation for the analysis and resolution of hardware problems in flight systems. Crawford has held key safety positions in the Army Materiel Command, at three Army field sites and as NASA Director of Safety.

Operationally, the NESC falls under the responsibility of NASA's Office of Safety and Mission Assurance (OSMA.) "The NESC represents an important enhancement to the agency's safety and engineering oversight capabilities," said former astronaut and NASA's Associate Administrator for OSMA, Bryan O'Connor.

As chartered, the NESC workforce will be supplemented through partnerships with other federal agencies, national laboratories, industry, the military and academia.

Areas for independent assessment will be carefully selected and managed with a strong focus on customer needs. Work will be prioritized based on technical risk, the need for independence and the potential for value-added contribution.

Apollo 11 special patch
Special collectors' patch marking the 35th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 moon landing is now available.
 Choose your store:
U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide

Inside Apollo mission control
An insider's view of how Apollo flight controllers operated and just what they faced when events were crucial.
 Choose your store:
U.S.

The ultimate Apollo 11 DVD
This exceptional chronicle of the historic Apollo 11 lunar landing mission features new digital transfers of film and television coverage unmatched by any other.
 Choose your store:
U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide

Next ISS crew
Own a little piece of history with this official patch for the International Space Station's Expedition 11 crew. We'll ship yours today!
 Choose your store:
U.S.

Current Shuttle Mission Patch
The official embroidered patch for shuttle Endeavour's flight to finish building Japanese section of the space station.
 U.S. STORE
 WORLDWIDE STORE

Hubble Patch
The official embroidered patch for mission STS-125, the space shuttle's last planned service call to the Hubble Space Telescope, is available for purchase.
 U.S. STORE
 WORLDWIDE STORE

Ares Patch
The Ares Project will develop two new rockets to launch astronauts back to the Moon under NASA's Vision for Exploration. The Ares 1 will employ a single space shuttle solid rocket booster to loft the Orion crew capsule. The gigantic Ares 5 will haul the equipment and cargo needed for such lunar voyages. This is the Ares emblem.
 U.S. STORE




Project Orion
The Orion crew exploration vehicle is NASA's first new human spacecraft developed since the space shuttle a quarter-century earlier. The capsule is one of the key elements of returning astronauts to the Moon.
 U.S. STORE


Fallen Heroes Patch Collection
The official patches from Apollo 1, the shuttle Challenger and Columbia crews are available in the store.
 U.S. STORE
 WORLDWIDE STORE

Get e-mail updates
Sign up for our NewsAlert service and have the latest news in astronomy and space e-mailed direct to your desktop (privacy note: your e-mail address will not be used for any other purpose).
Enter your e-mail address:

INDEX | PLUS | NEWS ARCHIVE | LAUNCH SCHEDULE
ASTRONOMY NOW | STORE

ADVERTISE

© 2009 Spaceflight Now Inc.