NASA has appointed Patricia Sanders, an independent aerospace consultant, to succeed Vice Adm. Joseph Dryer as chairperson of the space agency’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel.
The advisory committee works to provide safety performance reports to NASA and Congress, the space agency said Tuesday.
Sanders has worked in the federal government for 34 years and served as a former executive director of the Missile Defense Agency, where she was in charge of operations, safety, quality control, strategic planning, external communications, legislative affairs and associated personnel administration functions.
She joined the U.S. Army in 1974 and has since handled the Defense Department‘s acquisition programs, worked on space system and aircraft avionics testing with the Air Force Operational Test Center and served as the chief scientist of the Command, Control and Communications Countermeasures Joint Test Force and U.S. Space Command director of analysis.
Sanders has also worked for the Office of the Secretary of Defense as director of test, systems engineering and evaluation before she joined MDA.
“Pat’s background and experience make her an excellent choice to lead this important advisory group,” said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden.
“I look forward to her leadership and counsel as we continue to push forward on our journey of exploration.”
