Director Paul Hill speaks of the valuable future role to be played by MOD

[KEdward5]

"For MOD’s part, it’s all about the lessons learned/skill set/knowledge base you mention, in addition to a operations leadership culture that doesn’t tolerate anything less from the top of MOD’s leadership team to the individuals in the workforce.  Listen to John Shannon leading a tough engineering discussion some time, and you will hear that same intolerance for anything but good data and solid analysis."

Really like that!

[Martin FL]

I find his USAF analogy not quite fitting in this day and age.

The USAF was learning to fly the shuttle in the 80's.  The USAF had many years of space ops before that and started before NASA.

With the shuttle going away, what missions are the commercial guys going to monitor.

Actually, wouldn't it be better to send MOD personnel to the contractor's facilities to mentor and observe?

I'm with you on that one Jim.. I think MOD should send personnel to the contractors.. Among other things.. less chance of NASA's internal(and external) political bungling rubbing off on them.

And the other way around, seen as MOD has vastly more experience than the commercial companies like SpaceX?

[JSC Phil]

Very enjoyable interview.

[Seattle Dave]

As a reminder, managing the energy required to leave the pad using rocket propulsion, achieve orbit at over 17,000 mph and return to Earth through a 6,000 deg F fireball will remain dangerous.

So true, and something the commercial fans should remember.

[TerryNaylor]

Easily the best quotes I've read from a NASA manager. Really impressed by Mr Hill, and I think it is worth mentioning a lot of the best managers have come from MOD and have been flight directors. Wayne Hale and John Shannon for two quick examples.

Was Gerst ever a FD/MOD?

[Chris Bergin]

Easily the best quotes I've read from a NASA manager. Really impressed by Mr Hill, and I think it is worth mentioning a lot of the best managers have come from MOD and have been flight directors. Wayne Hale and John Shannon for two quick examples.

Was Gerst ever a FD/MOD?

Concur and you can add LeRoy Cain to the recent list (there's bound to be lots over history). Gerst's had "tours" of JSC with ISS at least - but not sure if that was MOD (?)

[psloss]

Easily the best quotes I've read from a NASA manager. Really impressed by Mr Hill, and I think it is worth mentioning a lot of the best managers have come from MOD and have been flight directors. Wayne Hale and John Shannon for two quick examples.

Was Gerst ever a FD/MOD?

Concur and you can add LeRoy Cain to the recent list (there's bound to be lots over history). Gerst's had "tours" of JSC with ISS at least - but not sure if that was MOD (?)

This might be a good question for Mr. Hale, as I recall a blog post noting that he was at one time in the PROP group; an older NASA bio:
http://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/gerstenmaier_bio.html

Edit: post from Wayne's NASA blog --
http://blogs.nasa.gov/cm/blog/waynehalesblog/posts/post_1255551550485.html

There are some historical interviews online with more background, too, such as:
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/shuttle-mir/people/p-t-gerstenmaier.htm

[Longhorn John]

Didn't you interview a FD, Philip?

[psloss]

Didn't you interview a FD, Philip?

Yes, Bryan Lunney -- another PROP officer...although he's probably not the most famous flight director in his family.

[Chris Bergin]

Didn't you interview a FD, Philip?

Yes, Bryan Lunney -- another PROP officer...although he's probably not the most famous flight director in his family.

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2009/11/sts-129-practising-launch-flight-controllers-put-to-the-test/

[Carl G]

Great interview

[Wayne Hale]

Paul Hill is one of the finest leaders in NASA today and I am proud to have had the chance to work with him.  Sometime I will detail some of the experiences we had together.  Paul is truly a worthy heir to the legacy of Gene Kranz and what flight control is and should be.

To the questions about Bill Gerstenmaier; Bill and I worked together for many years; after transferring from Lewis (now Glenn) Research Center where he did wind tunnel work, he became a member of the Propulsion Systems Section of (in those days) the Flight Operations Directorate.  Bill was a great analyst and proposed many improvements to the OMS and RCS systems, especially the software, which made it easier to operate.  Bill was one of the key people in the Orbital Refueling System demonstration which flew on STS-41-G.  Bill was a very good Prop flight controller and worked several missions in the MCC front room. 

Bill worked as a leader in the Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle organization, unfortunately that vehicle was cancelled before it flew.  He moved to the Shuttle Mir office and was the Moscow leader for Shannon Lucid's extended Mir mission.  He moved to the Orbiter project office for a while, then back to the ISS program and eventually became ISS Program Manager.  Somewhere along the way Bill was named to the Flight Director's office but was only there a very short time and did not complete certification training or ever work a mission as a Flight Director.  While Bill was very good in operations, his real expertise was in program management.  Currently, as head of NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate, he is responsible for the Shuttle, the ISS, the communications network (including TDRSS), and the NASA Launch Services Program.  Some of us feel that he is the glue that is holding the operational part of the agency together these days.  Highly respected, very knowledeable and experienced, there is no finer leader at NASA today.  And I consider myself fortunate to count him as my friend.

[Chris Bergin]

Paul Hill is one of the finest leaders in NASA today and I am proud to have had the chance to work with him.  Sometime I will detail some of the experiences we had together.  Paul is truly a worthy heir to the legacy of Gene Kranz and what flight control is and should be.

To the questions about Bill Gerstenmaier; Bill and I worked together for many years; after transferring from Lewis (now Glenn) Research Center where he did wind tunnel work, he became a member of the Propulsion Systems Section of (in those days) the Flight Operations Directorate.  Bill was a great analyst and proposed many improvements to the OMS and RCS systems, especially the software, which made it easier to operate.  Bill was one of the key people in the Orbital Refueling System demonstration which flew on STS-41-G.  Bill was a very good Prop flight controller and worked several missions in the MCC front room. 

Bill worked as a leader in the Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle organization, unfortunately that vehicle was cancelled before it flew.  He moved to the Shuttle Mir office and was the Moscow leader for Shannon Lucid's extended Mir mission.  He moved to the Orbiter project office for a while, then back to the ISS program and eventually became ISS Program Manager.  Somewhere along the way Bill was named to the Flight Director's office but was only there a very short time and did not complete certification training or ever work a mission as a Flight Director.  While Bill was very good in operations, his real expertise was in program management.  Currently, as head of NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate, he is responsible for the Shuttle, the ISS, the communications network (including TDRSS), and the NASA Launch Services Program.  Some of us feel that he is the glue that is holding the operational part of the agency together these days.  Highly respected, very knowledeable and experienced, there is no finer leader at NASA today.  And I consider myself fortunate to count him as my friend.

Wonderful post sir!

It's really interesting to learn about the people behind the vehicles - very impressive. While that is obvious, I'm sure I'm not the only person who became interested in NASA primilarly because of the vehicles, before starting to learn about the people who look after them.

Really is fascinating.

[robertross]

Wonderful post sir!

It's really interesting to learn about the people behind the vehicles - very impressive. While that is obvious, I'm sure I'm not the only person who became interested in NASA primilarly because of the vehicles, before starting to learn about the people who look after them.

Really is fascinating.

Agreed. All too often we hear & pour over the hardware, but the stories behind the poeple, and the experiences they've all had together seem to really hit home.

Great article Chris.
And thanks Mr. Hale for sharing that great bit of history with us.

[STS Tony]

Paul Hill is one of the finest leaders in NASA today and I am proud to have had the chance to work with him.  Sometime I will detail some of the experiences we had together.  Paul is truly a worthy heir to the legacy of Gene Kranz and what flight control is and should be.

Very high and deserved praise!