Mark Geyer, acting deputy associate administrator for technical for the human explorations and operations mission directorate at NASA, has been appointed director of the Johnson Space Center in Houston in a move that takes effect May 25.
He will succeed Ellen Ochoa, who will retire from the space agency after a 30-year career there, NASA said Tuesday.
Geyer will oversee the center that conducts human spaceflight activities and employs approximately 10,000 civil and contractor personnel.
“Mark brings with him almost three decades of NASA leadership experience at the program, center and headquarter levels,†said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine.
In his current position, Geyer assists HEO Mission Directorate Associate Administrator William Gerstenmaier in developing strategies for human spaceflight exploration missions.
He joined the agency in 1990 and served as program manager in many of the space agency’s initiatives, including the International Space Station Program from 1994 to 2005, the Constellation Program from 2005 to 2007 and Orion Program from 2007 to 2015.
He also briefly contributed to the Johnson Space Center efforts after leading the Orion project.