Experience

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  ThinkOrbital

  • Advisor

    • 2021 - 2024

    ThinkOrbital delivers a large, scalable and cost-efficient space structure for the New Space economy.

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  BP America

  • Houston, Texas Area

  • VP, Operating Leadership

    • 2007 - 2013
    • Houston, Texas Area

    Developed the overall leadership and organizational development strategy for two business entities.Coached operating leaders and supported their efforts to improve performance results consistently over the long-term, by emphasizing the use of effective leadership behaviors as a key way to influence and inspire people to conduct safe, compliant and reliable operations.Led audit teams and conducted safety and leadership audits of business entities in BP.Delivered leadership presentations at leadership academies for BP conducted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.Facilitated the two-day Safety Culture Leadership Course to Senior Leaders in BP.Delivered leadership and safety presentations to audiences (internal business entities in BP, other corporations, professional organizations, schools).Safety Auditor, specializing in Operating Leadership (2007 – 2010).

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  US Navy

  • Naval Aviator

    • 1975 - 2004

    Captain, US Navy (Retired)Designated US Naval Aviator, Test Pilot and Project Officer; Graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, Patuxent River, Maryland.As a US Naval Aviator, deployed twice with Air Wing One aboard the USS John F Kennedy, flying the A-7E Corsair, logging 345 carrier arrested landings. Conducted duties as the Weapons Training Officer for the 25 pilots in the VA-72 Light Attack squadron. As a US Naval Test Pilot, conducted test and evaluation flights in the F/A-18 Hornet and A-7E Corsair aircraft. Was responsible for avionics integration and evaluation of the weapons delivery systems.Operational pilot in the F/A-18, Strike Fighter Squadron-132 (VFA-132). 7,000 hours flying time, accident-free, in 20 types of air and space vehicles.

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  National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

  • United States
  • Aviation and Aerospace Component Manufacturing
  • 700 & Above Employee

  • Astronaut

    • 1984 - 2003

    Summary of Space Flights: STS-32 Columbia (Jan 1990). Rendezvous and recovery of the 21,400-pound Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) satellite. The crew deployed the Syncom IV-F5 satellite, operated a variety of experiments, and conducted medical test objectives. Mission duration was 261 hours. STS-52 Columbia (Oct 1992). Deployed the Laser Geodynamic Satellite (LAGEOS), a joint Italian-American project. The crew operated the first U.S. Microgravity Payload with French and American experiments. Mission duration was 236 hours.STS-63 Discovery (Feb 1995). First American flight operations with the Russian Space Station, Mir, and the inaugural space flight with Eileen Collins, the first woman pilot at NASA. This test flight included a close approach to 10 meters from the docking port of Mir and the deployment and retrieval of the Spartan-204 satellite. Mission duration was 198 hours. STS-86 Atlantis (Sept 1997). The initial flight to dock with the damaged Mir after a collision with a Russian Progress vehicle, which impacted and depressurized the Spectr module. The flight involved the exchange of U.S. crew members, the first space walk by a Russian cosmonaut, from an American vehicle. Mission duration was 259 hours.STS-102 Discovery (Mar 2001). The first crew exchange mission to the permanently inhabited International Space Station. Mission accomplishments included the delivery of the Expedition-2 crew and the contents of the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module and the return of Expedition-1 crew. Mission duration was 307 hours and included the longest docked time of any space mission.STS-113 Endeavour (Nov 2002). The first combined crew exchange and major assembly mission to the International Space Station. Mission accomplishments included the delivery of the Expedition-6 crew, the delivery, installation and activation of the 28,000-pound P1 Truss of the Station, and the return of the Expedition-5 crew. Mission duration was 330 hours.

  • Director, Flight Crew Operations

    • 1998 - 2001

    Directed Flight Crew Operations (400 employees, 150 Astronauts, 12 successful space missions during the start of continuous human presence in Earth orbit, directed 3 years of air and space training and operations, accident-free).Human Space Flight Center representative to the Flight Readiness Review board for Space Shuttle missions.Directed the search and recovery of the STS-107 Columbia human remains (with 45 agencies, 2,000 people).Established the Commander Upgrade Program to train and evaluate prospective space Commanders.Established the Instructor Astronaut Program to provide formalized training for space flight crews.Developed 14 Principles of Operational Management, which guided flight crews during space flight operations.Established the Astronaut Mentoring Program.Established a new Ground Training Program to Improve the Safety and Operations in the T-38 training airplane. Member of Astronaut Selection Board for three groups of NASA astronauts.