Robert Lightfoot Comes From Shuttle Propulsion Office
Aero-News learned this
week that David King, director of NASA's Marshall Space Flight
Center in Huntsville, AL named Robert Lightfoot as the new deputy
director of the center. Lightfoot replaces Charles Chitwood who has
accepted a position in private industry. Since October 2005,
Lightfoot has served as director of the Shuttle Propulsion Office,
where he is responsible for the manufacture, assembly and operation
of the primary Shuttle propulsion elements.
"Robert Lightfoot is an outstanding leader who has the
experience and expertise we need at the Marshall Center to continue
to be a key player in NASA's space exploration mission," said
King.
Lightfoot began his NASA career at Marshall in 1989 as a test
engineer and program manager for the Space Shuttle Main Engine
technology test bed program and the Russian RD-180 engine testing
program for the Atlas launch vehicle program. Since then, he has
served in leadership positions at the Marshall Center, Stennis
Space Center in Bay St. Louis, MS and NASA Headquarters in
Washington.
In 1998, Lightfoot was named deputy division chief of Marshall's
Propulsion Test Division. He joined the Stennis Space Center in
1999 as Chief of Propulsion Test Operations where he managed Space
Shuttle Main Engine testing and multiple NASA, Department of
Defense, and industry rocket engine test programs.
Lightfoot was named director of the Stennis Propulsion Test
Directorate in 2002. He served as deputy director of the
organization beginning in 2001, until his appointment as
director.
From 2003 to 2005, he was assistant
associate administrator for the Space Shuttle Program, Office of
Space Flight, at NASA Headquarters. Reporting directly to the
deputy associate administrator for International Space Station and
Space Shuttle Program, Office of Space Flight, he was responsible
and accountable for providing technical advice and recommendations
on the readiness, execution, and initial transition and retirement
of the Space Shuttle Program.
A native of Montevallo, AL, Lightfoot received a bachelor of
science degree in mechanical engineering in 1986 from the
University of Alabama. He has received numerous awards including a
NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal, a Silver Snoopy Award, a Space
Flight Leadership Recognition Award, and several group achievement
and special service awards.
In 2006, he was awarded the Presidential Rank Award for
Meritorious Executives - the highest honor attainable for federal
government work.