The International Space Station (ISS) Program will be having a new manager in the person of Kirk A. Shireman. The appointment was announced by William H. Gerstenmaier, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) associate administrator for the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate on Thursday, Aug. 6.
Before the announcement, Shireman worked at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston since 2013 as deputy center director. From 2006-2013, he served as the deputy program manager of the ISS. He has also experienced leading numerous subsystem offices and other departments for the NASA's Space Shuttle Program, after which he was assigned to be the chair of the ISS Mission Management Team.
Shireman first entered NASA in 1985 and worked as a principal function manager in the Navigation, Control & Aeronautics Division. Prior to that, he finished a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering from Texas A&M University.
Shireman has received multiple awards for his outstanding works including NASA's Exceptional Achievement Medal for the exceptional incorporation of the ISS's Russian elements. The National Space Club also recognized his excellent leadership of the ISS during the 56th Annual Robert H. Goddard Memorial Dinner in Washington and awarded Shireman with the Eagle Manned Mission Award. Shireman also received the Silver Snoopy award and the Presidential Rank Award in 1990 and 2010 respectively.
"Kirk brings considerable space station experience to this new leadership role," says Gerstenmaier. With Shireman being the new ISS program manager, he will be tasked to oversee the entire advancement, assimilation and undertakings of the program. He will establish direct collaborations with international agencies to guarantee that the operations of the space research laboratory remain safe and efficient, promoting research in the sciences that is highly beneficial for the preparations of the Mars mission and for all of humanity.
Michael T. Suffredini, who filled the ISS program manager spot before Shireman, is leaving NASA for a position at a private institution.
Suffredini became the ISS program manager in 2005. Under his management, the space laboratory has witnessed significant progressions that made it NASA's main driving force towards the future of exploration, empowering research endeavors towards human and robotic missions set beyond the low-Earth orbit. More specifically, more than 1,700 experiments were conducted at the ISS during Suffredini's leadership stint.
"During Mike's tenure as head of the program, the international project successfully completed construction and transitioned into a fully functional microgravity laboratory," says Gerstenmaier. Suffredini was able to pave the way for commercial opportunities at the ISS and rooted an avenue for innovative research.
