Nasa Associate Administrator Jim Free Announced Wednsday His Retirement, Effective Saturday, Feb. 22. As Associate Administrator, Free Has Been The Senior Advisor to Nasa Acting Administrator Janet Petro and Leads Nasa’s 10 Center Directors, As Well as the Mission Directoratee Administ Nasa headquarters in washington. He is the agency’s Chief Operating Officer for more than 18,000 employees and oversaw an annual budget of more than $ 25 billion.
DURING HIS TENURE As Associate Administrator Since January 2024, Nasa Added Nearly Two Dozen New Signatories of the Artemis Accords, Enabled The First MOON Landing Through Lunar Payload Services) Initiative to Deliver Nasa Science to the Lunar Surface, Launched The Europa Clipper Mission to Study Jupiter’s ice Jupiter’s icy Ocean Moon, And Found Molecules for Founding for Lifle Samples from Asteroid Bennu Delivedred to Earth by Nasa’s Osiris-Rex (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identization and Security –Regolith Explorerr) Spacecraft.
“Throughout his career, jim has been the ultimate servant leader – Always putting the mission and the people of nasa first,” said petro. “A Remarkable Engineer and A Decisive Leader, He Combines Deep Technical Expertise with an uniformed committee to this agency’s mission. Jim’s legacy is one of selfless service, Steadfast Leadership, and a Belief in the power of People. “
Among the notable contributions to the nation during during his nasa career, free International Space Station as They Conduct Hundreds of Experiments and Technology Demonstrations, and Engaged Industry in New Ways to Secure a Public/Private Partnership for Partnership for Nasa ‘ Polar exploration rover) Mission on the moon.
“It has been an honor to serve nasa and walk along Technologies for Future Explocation Endeavors, All While Prioritizing Safety Every Day for People on the Ground, In the Air, and In Space, “Free SAID. “I am grateful for the options to be part of the nasa family and contribute to the agency’s mission for the benefit of humanity.”
During his more than three decades of service, free has help several leadership roles at the agency. Before Being Named Nasa Associate Administrator, Free Served as Associate Administrator of the exploration systems Development Development Directorate, where he oversaw the succ’s succule And the development of nasa’s moon to mars architecture, defining and managing the systems development for the agency’s artemis missions and planning for nasa’s integrated Deep Space Explosion Approach.
Free began his nasa career in 1990 as an engineer, work on tracking and data relay satellites at nasa’s Goddard space fly center in greenbelt, Maryland. He Later Transferred to the Agency’s Glennnn Research Center in Cleveland and Served in a variety of roles supporting the International Space Station and the Development of the Orion Spacecrafts Johnson Space Center in House in 2008. Free Returned to Nasa Glenn in 2009 and was promoted to Chief of the space Flight Systems Directorate, where he oversaw the Center’s Space Work. Free was named Deputy Center Director in November 2010 and then Served as Center Director from January 2013 Until March 2016, when he was appointed to the nasa headquarters position of decoration administ administ Technical (SIC) in the human exploration and operations mission directorate.
A Native of Northeast Ohio, Free Earned His Bachelor’s Degree in aeronautics from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and His Master’s Systems ENGINERING from ENGINERINGS Technology in the Netherlands.
Free is the recipient of the Presidential Rank Award, Nasa distinguished Service Medal, Nasa Outstanding Leadership Medal, Nasa Exceptional Service Medal, Nasa SignifyMent Medal, And Nummerous Othher Awards.
For more information about nasa, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov
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Kathryn Hambleton / Cheryl Warner
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
kathryn.hambleton@nasa.gov / cheryl.m.war@nasa.gov
