Status Report

NASA ARC Internal Memo: Message from the Center Director – Christensen Appointed Director for Ames International Space Station Office

By SpaceRef Editor
February 2, 2010
Filed under , , ,

Subject:  Christensen Appointed Director for Ames International Space
Station Office
From:  Centerwide Announcement
Date:  Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Message from the Center Director
Christensen Appointed Director for Ames International Space Station Office

The International Space Station (ISS) is finally nearing completion, and entering its utilization phase. This will allow unprecedented opportunities for innovative and valuable research. Ames, with its long and distinguished history of research in space, is home to several organizations eager to seize this opportunity on ISS. In order to coordinate and leverage the Ames efforts, we have created the Ames International Space Station Office and asked Marvin (Chris) Christensen to serve as its director.

This position, which reports to the Deputy Center Director, will be the lead for coordination, oversight, and management of the Ames ISS utilization program. Working with the technical directorates, Mr. Christensen will be responsible for developing an institutional approach and plan, responsive to NASA priorities, which brings together and maximizes the return to the Center from ISS science, technology development/feasibility, commercial partnerships, energy, advanced studies, and education, while meeting the Agency’s utilization guidelines. These can involve either basic or applied research. Mr. Christensen’s responsibilities will include overseeing and assuring successful implementation of the center-approved plan. He will draw upon the expertise within the directorates to formulate, promote and implement the technical elements of the program.

Also with directorate support, he will establish and maintain program critical interfaces at NASA Headquarters, other NASA centers, federal agencies, academic institutions and relevant corporate entities. These synergies will help achieve Ames objectives and Agency goals. Mr. Christensen will serve as the primary programmatic, and budgetary interface for the developing and ongoing ISS utilization activities for the center.

We’re very pleased that Mr. Christensen has agreed to bring his experience and knowledge to bear in this position. Please work with him to make Ames a model for ISS utilization.

S. Pete Worden
Center Director

SpaceRef staff editor.