NASA has selected seven new additions to the team of flight directors to administer activities of the International Space Station, commercial team, and Artemis missions to the Moon. The inductees in the class of 2022 incorporate Heidi Brewer, Ronak Dave, Chris Dobbins, Garrett Hehn, Nicole McElroy, Elias Myrmo, and Diana Trujillo.
Subsequent to finishing a thorough training program that incorporates operational leadership and risk management, as well as the technical aspects of flight control and spacecraft systems, these future flight directors will lead human spaceflight missions from the Mission Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
In this role, these people will lead groups of flight regulators, examination and designing specialists, and backing work force all over the planet, settling on the constant choices basic to protecting NASA space explorers in space.
“These highly qualified individuals will be responsible for keeping astronauts safe and executing human spaceflight missions,” said NASA Director of Flight Operations Norm Knight. “There were many outstanding candidates, both from within the agency and across the spaceflight industry, which is a great indication of the tremendous talent we have here at NASA and within the growing spaceflight community.”
NASA’s flight directors lead missions to the space station and are planning for lunar missions for NASA’s Artemis program. The all out number of organization flight directors is presently 108 since the namesake of the Mission Control Center, Christopher C. Kraft Jr., turned into the organization’s most memorable flight chief in 1958. The new class will be at the front of all that people truly do in space, continuing in the strides of Apollo-period flight directors, including Glynn Lunney, Gene Kranz, and Kraft.
Turning into a NASA flight chief requires long periods of study and commitment, as well as a foundation of expert involvement with a high-stress climate, requiring speedy independent direction.
“I am honored to welcome the flight director class of 2022. This diverse group brings with them an impressive body of experience flying the space station, launching rockets, driving Mars rovers, and developing interplanetary missions,” said acting NASA Chief Flight Director Emily Nelson. “These flight directors and the experience they bring with them will be critical in humanity’s return to the Moon and future exploration of Mars. I’m proud to have them join our team.”