TWO NEW FLIGHT DIRECTORS CHOSEN TO LEAD NASA'S MISSION CONTROL

June 14, 2006

Kylie S. Clem
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111



Report #J06-069

TWO NEW FLIGHT DIRECTORS CHOSEN TO LEAD NASA'S MISSION CONTROL

NASA has selected two new flight directors. Ron Spencer and Heather Rarick
will join an elite group of individuals that lead human space flights from
Mission Control at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

This year's selection brings to 28 the number of active space shuttle and
International Space Station flight directors, including those in training.
Only 69 people have served as NASA flight directors, or are in training to
do so, in the 40-plus years of human spaceflight.

"Ron and Heather are now part of a very impressive group that has really
made a difference at NASA," said Phil Engelauf, chief of the Flight Director
Office. "Both of these individuals bring wide ranging experience and
strengths to complement the Flight Director Office. They also possess the
leadership skills necessary to ensure NASA accomplishes its near-term
exploration goals of completing the space station, safely flying the shuttle
through retirement and returning to the moon."

Leading a team of flight controllers, support personnel and engineering
experts, a flight director has the overall responsibility to manage and
carry out shuttle flights and space station expeditions. A flight director
also leads and orchestrates planning and integration activities with flight
controllers, payload customers, station partners and others. The selection
process began in February 2006.

Ron Spencer's hometown is Decatur, Ill., where he was valedictorian at
Stephen Decatur High School in 1985. Spencer served as a cooperative
education student for the Central Intelligence Agency from 1986 to 1989. He
earned a Bachelor of Science in aerospace engineering in 1989 from Texas A&M
University. In 1990, he began working at Johnson Space Center as a shuttle
timeline officer for Rockwell Space Operations Co. From 1992 to 1994 he
developed the space station assembly sequence for the Space Station Program
Office as a Booz Allen & Hamilton employee. In 1994, he became a NASA civil
servant and served as group lead for NASA's Stage Integration Team until
1996. In 1997, Spencer began working in Mission Control as a shuttle flight
dynamics officer. As a shuttle flight controller he has supported 30
flights, nine as a flight dynamics officer. Spencer is also a certified
private pilot and scuba diver.

Heather Rarick is from Pittsburgh, Pa. She earned a Bachelor of Science in
aerospace engineering from Pennsylvania State University in 1987 and a
master's degree in business administration from the University of
Houston-Clear Lake in 1992. Rarick began her career as an ascent flight
design engineer for the space shuttle at Rockwell Space Operations Co. in
Houston. She also supported Mission Control as a targeting operator for
shuttle launch and ascents.

Rarick continued her career with United Space Alliance, working for their
chief information officer as a project manager. She returned to Mission
Control in 1999 to work in the International Liaison Office as the
operations lead and Russian interface officer. In 2001, Rarick began working
for NASA in the same capacity but also took on the technical lead for the
Russian interface officers. In 2003 she became chairperson of the Russian
Joint Operations Panel, which works upcoming events and addresses long-term
resolution of U.S./Russian operational issues.

For photos of Spencer (first link) and Rarick (second link), visit:

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/...006e22339.html


http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/...006e22342.html


For information about NASA and agency programs on the Internet, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

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Jacques :-)

www.spacepatches.nl