NASA names space veteran as deputy for exploration operations

Glenn Mahone/Allard Beutel
Headquarters, Washington Nov. 12, 2004
(Phone: 202/358-1898/4769)

RELEASE: 04-371

NASA NAMES SPACE VETERAN AS DEPUTY FOR EXPLORATION OPERATIONS

NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe today appointed
astronaut C. Michael Foale as Deputy Associate Administrator
for Exploration Operations reporting to both NASA's Associate
Administrators for Exploration Systems and Space Operations.

Foale will advise the mission directorate senior leadership
on immediate, near term opportunities to refocus and realign
training, operations, engineering support and life sciences
research towards accomplishing the Vision for Space
Exploration.

"Mike brings his unique science and mission background to
NASA Headquarters during a critical and exciting time for the
agency. His knowledge, hands on experience, forward thinking
and passion for exploration will enhance the efforts of the
Exploration Systems and Space Operations Directorates for
furthering the Vision for Space Exploration," Administrator
O'Keefe said.

Foale's principal objectives are to ensure primary user
needs, lessons learned and potential risk areas have been
considered based on input from recognized experts from across
NASA. The experts include astronauts, scientists,
researchers, flight operators, logisticians, maintenance
directors and other key personnel from critical areas
affecting operations. He will work with key leadership across
operations and research disciplines to assess NASA's human
space flight activities and enhance alignment of current
space operations and new exploration programs.

His tasking with the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate
will entail leading activities and program planning efforts
in support of advanced human and robotic space exploration
missions. He will participate on multi-discipline teams to
define and develop exploration scenarios, project objectives,
mission architectures, flight operations and technology
development strategies.

He will coordinate the transition of development programs to
operational activities within established milestones to
validate and test achievement of operational concepts and
objectives.

NASA selected Foale as an astronaut candidate in June 1987.
Before his first space flight, he flew the Shuttle Avionics
Integration Laboratory (SAIL) simulator to provide
verification and testing of Space Shuttle flight software. He
later developed crew rescue and integrated operations for the
International Space Station (ISS)

In preparation for a long-duration flight on the Russian
Space Station Mir, Foale trained at the Cosmonaut Training
Center, Star City, Russia. Foale also served as Chief of the
Astronaut Office Expedition Corps, and as Assistant Director
(Technical) of NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC). He is a
veteran of six space flights and has logged more than 374
days in space, including four space walks (EVA), totaling 22
hours and 44 minutes. He holds the U.S. record for time spent
in space.

He served as a mission specialist on STS-45, STS-56, STS-63
and STS-103. He was Flight Engineer 2 on Mir 23 and Mir 24
(ascent on STS-84 and return on STS-86). He served as ISS
Expedition 8 Commander on his last flight, October 18, 2003
to April 29, 2004.

The Expedition 8 crew launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome,
Kazakhstan aboard Soyuz TMA-3 and docked with the ISS on
October 20, 2003. His six-month tour of duty aboard the ISS
included a 3 hour, 55 minute EVA. Mission duration was 194
days, 18 hours and 35 minutes. At its conclusion Foale became
the U.S. record holder for most cumulative time in space
having logged 374 days, 11 hours and 19 minutes.

Born January 6, 1957, in Louth, England, he considers
Cambridge, England, his hometown. He graduated from Kings
School, Canterbury, England in 1975. He attended the
University of Cambridge, Queens' College, receiving a
Bachelor of Arts degree in Physics and Natural Sciences in
1978. He completed his doctorate in Laboratory Astrophysics
at Cambridge University in 1982.

While a postgraduate at Cambridge University, Foale
participated in the organization and execution of scientific
scuba diving projects. Pursuing a career in the U.S. Space
Program, Foale moved to Houston to work on Space Shuttle
navigation problems at McDonnell Douglas Aircraft
Corporation. In June 1983, Foale joined JSC in the payload
operations area of the Mission Operations Directorate. As a
payload officer in the Mission Control Center, he was
responsible for payload operations on Space Shuttle missions
STS-51G, 51-I, 61-B and 61-C.

For Foale's biography, visit:

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/foale.html

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

http://www.nasa.gov

-end-



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Jacques :-)

www.spacepatches.info

I wondered why NASA was supporting the fine arts when my news reader
cut off the subject in just the right place to display it as

NASA names space veteran as deputy for exploration opera

-paul-
--
Paul E. Black )