NASA History - Center Directors

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NASA Center Directors

Ames Research Center (Moffett Field, California)

Dr. Smith J. DeFrance, October 1, 1958-October 15, 1965
Dr. H. Julian Allen, October 15, 1965-November 15, 1968
Dr. Hans Mark , February 20 1969-August 15, 1977
Dr. Clarence A. Sylvertson (Acting Dir.), August 15, 1977-April 30 1978
Dr. Clarence A. Syvertson, April 30, 1978-January 13, 1984
Dr. William F. Ballhaus Jr., January 16, 1984-February 1, 1988
Dr. Dale L. Compton, Acting Director, February 1, 1988-February 1, 1989
Dr. William F. Ballhaus Jr. , February 1, 1989-July 15, 1989
Dr. Dale L. Compton, Acting Director July 15-December 20, 1989, Director, December 20, 1989-January 28, 1994
Dr. Ken Munechika, January 28, 1994-March 4, 1996
Dr. Henry McDonald, March 4, 1996-September 19, 2002
Dr. Scott Hubbard, September 19, 2002-February 15, 2006
Marvin Christensen (Acting Dir.), February 15, 2005-May 4, 2006
Dr. Simon P. Worden, May 4, 2006-

Dryden Flight Research Center (various names under the NACA and until 1976; facility under Ames 1981-1994)

Walter C. Williams , Sep. 30, 1946-Aug. 28, 1959
Paul F. Bikle , Sep. 15, 1959-May 31, 1971
De E. Beeler (Acting Director), Jun. 1, 1971-Oct. 11, 1971
Lee R. Scherer, Oct. 11, 1971-Jan. 19, 1975
David R. Scott, Apr. 18, 1975-Oct. 30, 1977
Isaac T. Gillam (Acting Director), Oct. 30, 1977-Jun. 18, 1978
Isaac T. Gillam, Jun. 18, 1978-Oct. 1, 1981
John A. Manke, Director of Flight Operations, Ames Research Center (after Dryden was consolidated with Ames as the Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility), Oct. 1, 1981-Apr. 27, 1984
Martin Knutson, Director of Flight Operations and Site Director, Ames-Dryden FRF, May 1984-Dec. 2, 1990
Kenneth J. Szalai (Facility Director), Dec. 3, 1990-Mar. 1, 1994
Kenneth J. Szalai (Center Director), Mar. 1, 1994-July 31, 1998
Kevin L. Petersen (Acting Director), August 1, 1998-February 7, 1999
Kevin L. Petersen (Center Director), February 8, 1999-April 3, 2009
David D. McBride (Acting Director), April 4, 2009-January 3, 2010
David D. McBride (Center Director), January 4, 2010-

Electronics Research Center (Cambridge, Massachusetts)

Dr. Winston E. Kock, September 1, 1964-October 1, 1966
James C. Elms, October 1, 1966-June 30 1970 (Closed June 30, 1970 at end of Fiscal Year)

Glenn (formerly Lewis) Research Center (Cleveland, Ohio)

Dr. Edward R. Sharp, October 1, 1958-December 31, 1960
Dr. Abe Silverstein, November 1961-October 31, 1969
Dr. Bruce T. Lundin, November 1, 1969-August 26, 1977
Dr. Bernard Lubarsky, (Acting) August 26, 1977-October 1, 1978
Andrew J. Stofan, June 22, 1982-June 29, 1986
Dr. John M. Klineberg, June 30, 1986-May 28, 1987 (Acting)
Dr. John M. Klineberg, May 29, 1987-July 1, 1990
Lawrence J. Ross, July 1, 1990-January 6, 1994
Donald J. Campbell, January 6, 1994-October 1, 2003
Dr. Julian M. Earls, October 1, 2003-December 25, 2005
Dr. Woodrow Whitlow Jr., December 25, 2005-February 2010
Ramon (Ray) Lugo III, (Acting Director) March 1, 2010-July 17, 2010
Ramon (Ray) Lugo III, (Center Director) July 18, 2010-January 3, 2013
James M. Free, (Center Director) January 4, 2013-

Goddard Space Flight Center (Greenbelt, Maryland)

Goddard Space Flight Center Directors' Home page

Harry J. Goett , September 1, 1959-July 1965
John F. Clark, May 5, 1966-July 1, 1976
Dr. Robert S. Cooper , July 1, 1976-June 1, 1979
Robert (Ed) Smylie (Acting Director), June 2, 1979 - January 31, 1980
Dr. A. Thomas Young, February 1, 1980-March 22, 1982
Dr. Noel W. Hinners, June 14, 1982-June 22, 1987
Dr. John W. Townsend, Jr., June 22, 1987-June 30, 1990
Dr. John M. Klineberg, July 1, 1990-April 29, 1995
Joseph H. Rothenberg (Acting), April 30, 1995-October 4, 1995
Joseph H. Rothenberg, October 4, 1995-January 12, 1998
Alphonse V. Diaz, January 12, 1998-August 2, 2004
Dr. Edward J. Weiler, August 2, 2004-May 6, 2008
Arthur F. "Rick" Obenschain (Acting), May 7, 2008-August 3, 2008
Robert D. "Rob" Strain, August 4, 2008-March 4, 2012
Christopher J. Scolese, March 5, 2012-

Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Pasadena, California)

Dr. William H. Pickering, October 1, 1958-March 31, 1976 (first director since its associaton with NASA - the Jet Propulsion Laboratory existed before then)
Dr. Bruce C. Murray, April 1, 1976-June 30, 1982
Dr. Lew Allen, Jr., July 22, 1982-December 31, 1990
Dr. Edward C. Stone, January 1, 1991- January 2001
Dr. Charles Elachi, January 2001-

Johnson Space Center (Houston, Texas)

Johnson Space Center Directors' Home page

Dr. Robert R. Gilruth , November 1, 1961-January 17, 1972
Dr. Christopher C. Kraft, Jr., January 17, 1972-August 7, 1982
Gerald D. Griffin , August 8, 1982-January 14, 1986
Jesse W. Moore, January 23, 1986-October 2, 1986
Aaron Cohen , October 12, 1986-August 20, 1993
Dr. Carolyn Huntoon, January 6, 1994-August 4, 1995
George W.S. Abbey (Acting), August 4, 1995-January 23, 1996
George W.S. Abbey, January 23, 1996- February 23, 2001
Roy Estess (Acting), February 23, 2001- April 1, 2002
General Jefferson D. Howell, Jr., April 1, 2002-November 23, 2005
Michael L. Coats, November 23, 2005-December 31, 2012
Ellen Ochoa, January 1, 2013-

Kennedy Space Center, Florida

Dr. Kurt H. Debus , July 1, 1960-March 7, 1962 (As Launch Operations Directorate)
Dr. Kurt H. Debus , March 7, 1962-October 9, 1974
Lee R. Scherer, January 19, 1975-September 2, 1979
Richard G. Smith, September 2, 1979-July 31, 1986
Lt.Gen. Forrest S. McCartney, October 1, 1986-August 31, 1987 (on detail from USAF, retired August 31, 1987)
Lt.Gen. Forrest S. McCartney, September 1, 1987-January 1, 1992 (Reappointed as Civilian)
Robert L. Crippen , January 1, 1992-January 21, 1995
Jay F. Honeycutt, January 21, 1995-March 2, 1997
Roy D. Bridges, March 2, 1997-June 13, 2003
James W. Kennedy (Acting Director), June 13, 2003-August 10, 2003
James W. Kennedy, August 10, 2003- January 4, 2007
William W. Parsons, January 4, 2007-October 26, 2008
Robert D. Cabana, October 26, 2008-

Langley Research Center (Hampton, Virginia)

Henry J.E. Reid , October 1, 1958-May 20, 1960
Floyd L. Thompson , May 23, 1960-May 1, 1968
Edgar M. Cortright , May 1, 1968-September 26, 1975
Donald P. Hearth, September 26, 1975-November 30, 1984
Richard H. Peterson, December 3, 1984-December 2, 1991
Paul F. Holloway, October 15, 1991-August 2, 1996
Jeremiah F. Creedon, August 5, 1996-June 15, 2002
Delma C. Freeman, Jr. (Acting Director), June 15, 2002-June 13 2003
Roy D. Bridges, June 13, 2003-October 3, 2005
Lesa B. Roe, October 3, 2005-

Marshall Space Flight Center (Huntsville, Alabama)

Dr. Wernher von Braun , July 1, 1960-January 27, 1970
Dr. Eberhard F.M. Rees , March 1, 1970-January 19, 1973
Dr. Rocco A. Petrone , January 26, 1973-March 15, 1974
Dr. William R. Lucas, June 15, 1974-July 3, 1986
James R. Thompson, September 29, 1986-July 6, 1989
Thomas J. Lee, July 6, 1989-January 6, 1994
G.P. (Porter) Bridwell, January 6, 1994-February 3, 1996
Dr. J. Wayne Littles, February 3, 1996-January 1998
Carolyn S. Griner (Acting), January 1998-September 1998
Arthur G. Stephenson, September 1998-May, 2003
David A. King, June 15, 2003-March 26, 2009
Robert M. Lightfoot, Jr. (Acting), March 26-July 2009
Robert M. Lightfoot, Jr., August 2009-March 4, 2012
Arthur E. "Gene" Goldman (Acting), March 5-August 3, 2012
Robin Henderson (Acting), August 4, 2012-September 24, 2012
Patrick Scheuermann, September 25, 2012-

Stennis Space Center (Bay St. Louis, Mississippi)

Capt. William C. Fortune, September 1963-May 1965 (Manager, Mississippi Test Operation)
Jackson M. Balch, July 1, 1965-June 14, 1974 (Manager, Mississippi Test Facility)
Jackson M. Balch, June 14, 1974-August 31, 1976 (Manager, National Space Technology Laboratories)
Jerry Hlass, September 1, 1976-May 20, 1988 (Manager, National Space Technology Laboratories)
Jerry Hlass, May 20, 1988-January 23, 1989 (Director, Stennis Space Center)
Roy S. Estess, January 23, 1989-August 24, 2002
William W. Parsons, Jr. , August 25, 2002-May 9, 2003
Michael Rudolphi (Interim Director), May 9, 2003-January 5, 2004
Thomas Q. Donaldson, January 5, 2004-September 19, 2005
William W. Parsons, Jr., September 19, 2005-January 23, 2006
Richard J. Gilbrech, January 23, 2006-October 2007
Robert D. Cabana, October 2007-October 15, 2008
Arthur E. "Gene" Goldman, October 15, 2008-February 28, 2010
Patrick Scheuermann, March 1, 2010-September 24, 2012
Richard J. Gilbrech, September 25, 2012-

Wallops Flight Facility (Wallops Island, Virginia)

Robert L. Krieger, October 1, 1958-July 31, 1981
Abraham D. Spinak (Acting) August 1, 1981-September 30, 1981
Warren Keller (Senior Official - Placed under Goddard Space Flight Center for Management Purposes), October 1, 1981-February 23, 1989
Joseph P. McGoogan, February 24, 1989-January 3, 1995
Arnold Torres, January 8, 1995-January 3, 2002
John Campbell, January 13, 2002-December 31, 2009
William Wrobel, January 1, 2010-January 18, 2010 (Acting)
William Wrobel, January 19, 2010-

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