Catherine Koerner, formerly director at Johnson Space Center’s human health and performance directorate, has been tapped to serve as program manager for NASA’s Orion initiative.
Koerner has succeeded Mark Kirasich, who has been assigned to lead NASA’s advanced exploration systems division, the agency said Wednesday.
She will oversee the development and operation of the Orion spacecraft as part of her new capacity. Koerner previously served as a flight director and held the role of space shuttle manager at NASA’s missions operations directorate.
She also worked at the agency’s vehicle office as deputy manager and led the International Space Station (ISS) program’s transportation integration office as manager.
“Next year we’ll be launching the Artemis I test flight – a major milestone – and the first of the Artemis mission series on our way to putting the first woman and the next man on the Moon,” said Koerner.