Statement From JSC Center Director Michael Coats Concerning Announcement of Lunar Exploration Work Assignments

NASA Johnson Space Center Director Michael L. Coats made the following comments today concerning future human lunar exploration systems work assignments announced by NASA’s Exploration Systems Mission Directorate.

"The JSC team has unique talents and experience in leading human spaceflight efforts,” Coats said. “We are looking forward to this new work leading the development of the systems and tools astronauts will need to live and work on the moon. These assignments fit perfectly with our existing responsibilities and expertise.

“Everyone at NASA is committed to the success of our work making America’s space exploration plans a reality,” Coats added. “JSC has a long history as the premiere human spaceflight center in the world, and our work in support of the Constellation Program will take full advantage of our talent, innovation and experience.”

The new work assigned to Johnson includes:

— Managing lunar architecture work

— Leading the development of crew habitation and life support systems for the lunar lander and the lunar surface

— Leading the development of human mobility systems that will be used for lunar exploration

— Subsystem support for development and testing of the lunar lander’s ascent stage propulsion system that will launch lunar astronauts from the moon’s surface

— Subsystem support for avionics and structures

— Supporting the development of systems that will use resources from the moon to support explorers

Johnson already hosts the Constellation Program office, which manages day-to-day activities associated with NASA’s development of the Orion crew exploration spacecraft and the Ares I and V rockets that will carry explorers into Earth orbit, to the moon and beyond. JSC’s existing assignments also include project management and integration of the Constellation lunar lander and leadership of its crew module and ascent stage design and development.