Wayne Hale

N. Wayne Hale, Jr. ( born July 5, 1954 in Clovis, New Mexico, USA) chaired several years, the Space Shuttle program.

Career

Hale studied at Rice University in Texas (Bachelor 1976) and then at Purdue University in Indiana Mechanical Engineering ( Master 1978).

After graduation, he came to NASA. In the Johnson Space Center in Houston (Texas ), he worked for seven years as a flight controller for actuators in the control center. As of November 1985, he spent three years as the chief of the Propulsion Systems Section. After that, he was from 1988 until the Columbia disaster flight director 40 shuttle flights.

Between February and July 2003, he was at Kennedy Space Center, the launch preparations of the space shuttles. Thereafter, he was appointed by William W. Parsons (Head of the shuttle program as of May 2003) to his deputy. From September 2005 to February 2008 was Hale successor to Parsons. From the end of February 2008, he was Deputy Head of Strategic Partnerships at the Johnson Space Center. As part of his activities, he received numerous awards from NASA.

Hale left NASA on 31 July 2010 and joined the company at Special Aerospace Services, as Director of Human Spaceflight.

Criticism

Hale has been criticized mainly from its own ranks for his behavior during the STS -107 mission. Shortly after the launch of Columbia, NASA engineers Hale had asked that he should cause you to can that U.S. spy satellites make recordings from the left wing of the Space Shuttle assess the extent of any damage. This request, however, he fulfilled until five days later, did not consider this at first but the correct official channels a. Also is held that he later did not protest, as a director of Shuttle management refused to submit the application to the U.S. Department of Defense.

However, Hale went out the investigations into the Columbia disaster emerged stronger. While the head of the management lost their posts, Hale was later promoted. Nevertheless, he admits the responsibility. In an interview with The Associated Press, he said later: "If I had to do more Clearly Do I want to turn back and change what I and some others have done the clock Clearly But these thoughts do not follow me?. ?. . "

Family

Hale is married and has two children.

Awards

  • 2002 NASA Space Flight Awareness Leadership Award
  • 1999 NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal
  • 1992 NASA Exceptional Service Medal
  • Numerous NASA Group Achievement Awards
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