Richard Gilbrech, a more than three-decade NASA veteran, will retire from government service and step down from his post as director of the space agency’s Stennis Space Center on Jan. 13.
NASA said Monday Gilbrech, who has been with the agency since 1991, was appointed to his current role in 2012 and has, since then, led the implementation of the agency’s rocket propulsion testing efforts as well as the development and maintenance of facilities for the said tests.
Mainly, he provides Stennis with executive leadership, overall direction and management.
Before taking the helm of Stennis, Gilbrech worked as the center’s deputy director. His career also includes time managing the Stennis National Aerospace Plane project and the X-33 reusable launch vehicle program and serving as chief of the Propulsion Test Engineering Division.
Gilbrech’s responsibilities will be assumed by Stennis Deputy Director John Bailey temporarily upon the former’s retirement. A search and competition will be held to determine a permanent successor.